Still Lake

by Anne Stuart

Moving to Vermont with her mother and half sister to fulfill her lifelong dream of opening a charming country inn, Emilia Davis, the proud owner of an old farmhouse, which was the site of a brutal triple murder years earlier, finds her life in danger when the accused killer returns to clear his name. Original.

Genres: Romance, Romantic Suspense, Suspense, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, Mystery Thriller

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Anne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.

Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.

She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.

When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.

Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.

Reviews

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Murderous Stars!!!

When Sophie Davis buys a rundown lakeside farm, she moves her parentless and rebellious almost 18-year-old half-sister and seemingly pre-Alzheimer mother into what she hopes it to be the answer to her problems. Sophie Davis, according to her sister Martie, is known as the “Poor Woman's Martha Stewart". She uses her successful homemaking columnist skills to convert the old farm house into a B&B. Stonegate Farm on Still Lake in Colby, VT unfortunately, has a grisly history. Meanwhile, “John Smith” has rented the cottage across the lake, and from the start, Sophie resents his presence, resents what he makes her feel and wants him gone!!!

Was he a murderer? That question has haunted Thomas Griffin (Griffin) for twenty years. 20 yrs earlier Griffin woke up at Stonegate farm covered in blood and accused of killing his girlfriend. Five years later Griffin’s conviction was overturned and Griffin went on to become a successful lawyer and now it’s time for Griffin to finally find out what happened that night. Changing his name and renting the lake cottage, he learns that the farm where the murder took place is being turned into a B&B. Now, Griffin/John Smith has to find a way to search the property for clues to a decades old murder and keep his hands off the pretty curvy innkeeper.



The sexual tension between Sophie and John is palpable, it kept me waiting (impatiently) for them to succumb to their mutual attraction and when they do it is fast, hard, and frenzied!!

“He went in hard, fast, deep, only barely able to control himself. She wrapped her legs around his, and he reached down and pulled them higher, up around his hips, so that he was deeper still, and she was tight, clasping, milking him with the power of her climax, which was almost sweetly painful.”

Anne Stuart gives us plenty of potential characters to ponder as the killer including Griffin, however about a quarter way into the book, I was pretty sure I knew who the killer was. I loved that Anne Stuart gave us a 'real' woman in Sophie who is more than willing to eat that second muffin or piece of pie! Meanwhile, Griffin is all Alpha, and doesn’t sugarcoat to seduce Sophie…actually he does quite the opposite, he’s quite rude, foul, and doesn’t give a rat’s ass what anyone thinks of him, including Sophie. Another great AS read!!!

* Audio book narrated by Marie Ellis, who does an okay job, not great but good.

[Alex is The Romance Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can read any Ann Stuart’s books over and over again and will still be on tender hooks from start to finish of her stories. Still Lake was first published in 2002 and I have read it a few times and my enjoyment is still the same as the first time.

Sophie Davis is such a fabulous heroine…she’s so damm real…is not afraid to eat her own awesome muffins..who cares about the calories!!! I so so engaged with her persona. Leaving the rat race behind, she has purchased a farmhouse in the Vermont countryside, which she intends turning into a fabulous b/b. Only to discover that the property has some unsavory history.

Thomas Griffin had been accused and convicted years ago for the murder of his girlfriend and after being released on a technically has come back to the place where the murder happened and to try to find out why he has such a vague memory of the crime and also to look for clues so he can finally get the truth about it. Unfortunately the lovely Sophie is now occupying the site of the crime so he rents a cottage next door.

Naturally I know the whole plot by heart …but still I love the way the author builds up the relationship and the sexual tension between John (the name he’s using) and Sophie, which is pretty hot. Okay, Sophie is still a virgin but wow….when she and John touch each other…sparks fly!!! Their first sexual encounter is sexy, lustful and absolutely gorgeous. I loved seeing the two being unable to keep away from each other. John or Thomas has some incredible body and is an incredible kisser…according to Sophie, and I think I totally believe her!!!

Sophie’s family – what a funny and so interesting characters. Grace, walking around seemingly in a total daze, Marty, the young sister with the hots for the young handyman, the eccentric locals and all those twists and turns just keep you turning the pages.

The plot is fast-paced, lots of thrills and more chills, some really hot and erotic romance and the fabulous setting of the Vermont countryside is so vividly written that at times I felt I had been there myself.

This is a beautiful and gorgeous love story and two people finding love and if you, like me, like romance filled with sensuality and a good story, then this book is for you.

[Heather ~*dread mushrooms*~ · Rating 2 out of 5]

The prologue was really good, leading me to believe this would be one of Stuart's better offerings. Unfortunately, things went downhill after a couple chapters. Stuart's writing is so repetitive, her banter is much the same from book to book, and her villains aren't that great. In fact, I guessed who the villain was in the first hundred pages, and I never even TRY to guess these things.

The heroine did the thing all Stuart heroines seem to do—decide, in the dead of night when she can't sleep, that she's going to go to wherever the hero is and let him know she doesn't want him. Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that. And of course she just happens to have put on "impractical" underwear moments earlier. No one is fooled, because we all know these pointless confrontations end in sex! Not that I'm complaining, but I wish these women wouldn't have such a dumb thought process.

Although the characters were amusing at times, and the hero was one of Stuart's nicer ones, this was rather forgettable.

[M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dear Romance Novelists;

Please stop making condoms the enemy to perfect sex. It's a dangerous myth to perpetuate.

This novel was otherwise an entertaining read, but I had to give it such a low ranking because of this issue--The male squeeze was proud of his past promiscuity, and the heroine was a virgin...So one can unpleasantly surmise what kind of other special gifts he gave her other than a good orgasm.

This is a recent novel, 2003, definitely written post AIDS awareness. Pregnancy is the least of any heroine's worries.

[Love love · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this was not my favorite Anne Stuart book it was still a good book.

Sophie (h) moved her mother and little sister to Vermont and bought a big old house in order to eventually open a Bed and Breakfast. After moving there she finds out that 20 years ago there was a serial killer that had taken the lives of 3 teenager girls. This was right up her mother's alley as she is a fan of true crime novels. Sophie's nit worried though because they had caught the guy and he was sent to prison when the murderes had happened.

John Smith /aka Thomas Griffen (H) has moved back to Vermont after all of these years to finally get some answers. 20 years ago he was drunk and stoned and cant remember what really happened that night,all he remembers is waking up covered in blood. He was arrested and spent years in prison before his conviction was over turned on a technicality. Now he's ready to remember what happened all those years ago,now if he can only stop getting distracted by his lovley neighbor Sophie.

[MBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its the summer of 1982 in Colby, Vermont and Thomas Ingram Griffin is arrested for the murders of three young women, all killed quite brutally. Years later, Griffin returns to Colby and poses as a John Smith to finally put his past to rest, to find out whether in fact it had really been him who had gone on a murdering spree that fateful night when his life had gone so horribly wrong.

30 year old Sophie moves to Colby, Vermont to live the life she has always wanted to and dreamed about. A homemaker and someone who loves the quiet serenity that the countryside provides, Sophie looks after her now forgetful mother Grace and half sister Marty who has an attitude of her own a mile wide. In the midst of Sophie’s hard work to restore Stonegate Farm to its former prestige and glory to run her bed and breakfast, what Sophie doesn’t need is the enigmatic and mysterious man who claims to be John Smith to turn up next door and send her life spinning out of control.

I just loved, loved, loved Still Lake. I loved the 30 year old virgin Sophie who has her mind set about how she wants to live her life. Sophie is the type of heroine that I just adore. She is not the size six heroine who has everything going for her. Rather she seems real, she has a figure that practically drives Griffin out of his ever loving mind and I just loved how the sparks flew whenever Griffin and Sophie are together.

The banter between Griffin and Sophie is one of the most wonderful aspects of the story. It completely serves as foreplay for some of the scenes and gives the reader a laugh or two while Sophie tries to convince herself that she doesn’t need a man like John Smith to ruin her and send her emotions into a tailspin. And I loved how Griffin tries to convince himself that a woman like Sophie would be the most inappropriate addition to the life of a man like him. Griffin is so over the top hot that I found myself completely enraptured by his character, ready to lay myself down and plead him to carry me away. Oh well!

Grace and Marty certainly do add to the story with their rich characters and the little side romance that takes place warmed my heart. And the creepy stalkerific killer who is much closer to all of them than anyone of them ever realized makes Still Lake a definite page-turner!

I so loved the ending in Still Lake to bits. Left me with a huge-ass smile on my face for a long, long while!

If you are a fan of Anne Stuart and her uber hot-flash inducing heroes, Still Lake is a must read! Highly recommended!

Rating=4.75/5

Original review posted on MBR's Realm of Romance

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read that blends murder mystery with a bit of mid-tier smut. It was pretty good, not the best, but not the worst. Once I got into it, I read it pretty quickly. I have a couple of gripes.... listed below.
* The main character is meh. Her issues with her weight and overeating are mentioned a lot at the beginning, and it got redundant.
* The "bad guy" was extremely easy to spot from early on, and all the attempts of a misdirection were feeble.
As I said, it was pretty good. I may read another by this author if she has something that is a bit darker and less obvious.

[Lucimar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quando eu li a sinopse deste livro, me senti atraída porque só tinha lidos livros históricos dela até então. Gosto de suspense mesclado com romance. E não deu outra. Quando comecei fiquei louca para saber quem era o personagem sombrio e escuso que se manifestava e agia segundo ele, os desígnios de Deus. Seu necessidade de matar era confessadamente prazeroso e que matava as mulheres que eram a expressão - segundo ele - do pecado.
O sonho de Sophie Davis, a virgem de trinta anos que nunca se envolvera com ninguém, porque não tivera tempo, era ter uma pousada para poder manter unida sua família composta pela mãe, que manifestava lapsos de memória e a irmã-ninfeta por parte de pai. Mas um atraente vizinho veio quebrar sua tão sonhada paz. E que, além disso, alugara a casa próxima a dela e a qual deseja comprar num futuro distante. Perturbador e aparentemente perigoso, ele representava para ela, a tentação e um certo receio. Tinha quase certeza de que não era quem dizia ser. Sophie se sente atraída e é em meio a esse paraíso de paz, que fora testemunho alguns anos antes o assassinato de uma jovem e também do assassinato de outras jovens ocorreram nesta cidadezinha de Colby, onde um jovem foi acusado do assassinato das três sem provas contundentes.
Sophie e John se sentem condenadamente atraídos um pelo outro, mas ao mesmo tempo não desejavam esse envolvimento; um por não confiar no que o outro aparentava ser, o outro porque não acreditava no amor e vão se entrelaçar numa paixão que vai superar suas desconfianças e suas crenças.
Mas alguém viera em busca de respostas; alguém mais sabia tudo sobre o assassino. E assim, um desfile de suspeitos vão surgindo, tornando a leitura mais e mais interessante. Quem matou as jovens? Teria mais alguém morto como essas jovens? Seria o atoleimado Pettey, irmão de uma delas? Seria o sério e virtuoso Patrick? Ou Doc, o amável e dedicado médico do lugar? E quem seria o misterioso vizinho John Smith, quais seriam suas intenções?
Façam suas apostas.
Personagens brilhantes como Marty, a irmã; a mãe Grace e outros que vão surgindo... tornam este suspense-romance algo que vale a pena ler.

[fleurette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Romantic suspense is my favourite genre but till now I have only read one book by Anne Stuart - Black Ice. And, despite its great reviews, I wasn't really impressed. That is probably the reason it took me more than two years to read another book by this author and it was only because it suited one of my challenges.

And I tried really hard to like this book but I just couldn't. There were so many things that annoyed me. Silly and naïve Sophie. Griffin who is actually quite boring and irritatingly sex oriented. The fact that everyone seems to know better what is going on between Sophie and Griffin and aims to give her advice. The non-existent suspense part. The unsurprising villain. It was too much to enjoy the reading.

I also didn't like the first sex scene, it seemed so accidental and passionless. And it was too early regarding the non-existent relationship between Griffin and Sophie. I think the whole relationship between them was rather passionless. And it was completely unbelievable since they knew each other only few days and rarely talk.

And somehow the suspense part wasn't really developed which is strange considering the fact that romance also wasn't the greatest part of the story. Griffin arrives to Colby to discover the killer but, except visiting graveyards, he does nothing to solve the mystery. And a person I suspected from the very beginning turned out to be killer. How disappointing!

I would give this book 2.5 stars if I could. I will probably give Anne Stuart another chance but I don't believe her books will ever work for me.

[Simoloverosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarà che mi piacciono i suspense, sarà che la Stuart ne ha scritti proprio di belli, sarà che adoro i protagonisti affascinanti e misteriosi e guarda caso in questa storia ne abbiamo uno ad hoc, devo dire che questo libro mi è piaciuto proprio tanto!!! Se si segue la storia con particolare attenzione senza lasciarsi influenzare dai fatti e dai luoghi suggestivi ma soprattutto senza farsi ammaliare troppo dal fascino discreto ed enigmatico del protagonista, si capisce immediatamente chi è il cattivo della situazione ma, seppur venendo subito a capo dei fatti di cronaca descritti, l' evolversi della storia, in particolar modo la parte romance, resta comunque una lettura piacevole da completare.

[Suzanne (Under the Covers Book blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sophie Davis has bought her dream property and plans to convert it into a bed and breakfast. It's idyllic setting besides the lake is perfect and just what Sophie has always dreamed of. However, the same lake was also the sight a gruesome triple murder 20 years before. Thomas Griffin was arrested for the murders when he was a teenager and then later acquitted, if only he knew whether or not he actually committed them, the whole night is a blank in his memory, and he has returned to the lake to discover if he really did commit the murders, or if someone else framed him.

This was a good read, it didn't rock my world, but it had enough suspense, sexy times and romance to make me enjoy it. But although I did enjoy Still Lake I am glad this wasn't the first book I read by Anne Stuart as it hasn't left me in a rush to read anything else by her. Which would be a mistake as I have read some fantastic books by Anne Stuart, especially her historicals.

But, this did have her trademark bad boy hero who at first seems cold and ruthless, but you soon find yourself falling for anyways. Anne Stuart excels at writing about the kind of boys your mama warned you about. Her heroine Sophie seemed to be his polar opposite, soft and caring, but still stubborn and strong enough to garner his attention.

Sophie and Thomas were by far the best thing about the book. Their chemistry was sizzling hot, even though their relationship especially at the beginning was fairly hostile, they had an undeniable attraction, that neither character wanted, but couldn't seem to help.

Unfortunately, the suspense element of the book wasn't quite as good, although a few red herrings were thrown out, I had guessed the culprit pretty early in the book and wasn't wrong.

A good read, even if it was predictable, but if you are looking for a steamy romance and aren't too concerned about guessing whodunit, it is worth picking up and giving it a try.

[Susan (the other Susan) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Reading older books by an author you enjoy can be an important reminder that storytelling, like other skills, improves with practice. Don't pick this up expecting the sexual tension, sharp repartee and redemptive f***ing that got you hooked on Stuart's Ice series, or the pirate-y fun of her more recent historical romances. It's a meh.

[R*beth*h Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say the mystery in this one was way too easy for me but the romance part had me completely amused. I love the way this writer always throws two stubborn characters together with great sex, love and fabulous smart ass humor!

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given 5 stars but I guessed who-dun-it too early in the story. Still I would definitely recommend this book to romantic suspense fans.

[Sanya · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
Not quite 5 stars, but I loved it!

[Fer · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5
Tenía todo para ser un libro buenísimo, pero la verdad es que no profundizó mucho en ninguno de sus aspectos principales, primero; el misterio que sí, fue entretenido pero no logró atraparme porque siento que necesitaba meter más el lector dentro de este, y lo segundo; el romance, que fue lo que más me decepcionó, no sé si a esta historia se le puede llamar romance, de los dos protagonista fueron solo algunos escenas en las cuales tuvieron encuentros que no mostraron nada de romántico, ni siquiera al final. Me confundió mucho este libro, no es malo pero esperaba otra cosa.
Y lo malo malo fue la hermana, Marty, odiosa, absolutamente odiosa, ninguna escena o relato la muestra más que eso, una adolescente que no sabe nada de la vida.

[Sandy Smith]

Lots of suspense in this one. Fear and suspicions about a stranger too. Who is John Smith really? Is he who he say he is? Two female characters have very different attitudes towards him; one is what you'd expect from a young sister but the other gets drawn to him and even questions her own female character when he comments she is still living in another century.

Gripping read, and one one woman's anxiety really makes you wonder about her sanity.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good romantic suspense. While I guessed around the mid-way point who the killer was, it was a really good read in getting to the reveal. The romance while steamy, lacked a bit at the end. It was like "oh, shit. we are at the end of the book and these two need their happy ending now". A bit rushed but still entertaining. There were also a few really good secondary characters.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stuart is the master at describing her settings and I could feel myself immersed in the Vermont paradise of Still Lake. Another brooding dark hero, a few characters you learn to love, a strong heroine and a story of intrigue peppered with steamy raw romance makes this a book you cannot put down until finished.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a good murder mystery and this fit the bill! A young woman who has taken care of her mom and half sister, moves to an island to be open a bed and breakfast. Soon she learns 3 young women we're murdered years before, and suddenly the mysterious neighbor becomes very intriguing...

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this years ago. The hero wasn’t too much of a jerk, which I appreciated, but the mystery was pretty easy to guess. I did like the run-down farmhouse in Vermont, and the fact that the heroine loves to bake and eat her own confections (cookies, cake, muffins etc).

[EvilAntie Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book ever

I normally don't read a book. I regret this book.I love to have a chapter I loved all the lines the snarky lines the compassionate lines the sexy lines.I love the characters I love Sophie and I love Griffin.I literally adore this book.

[Brandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Elena Micheli · Rating 2 out of 5]

se è una specie di thriller ...proprio non ci siamo...e ne ho letti di thriller... se è anche rosa ....ancora peggio

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo había leído hace mucho...

Lo recordé y sabia quien era el asesino pero me ha vuelto a parecer muy bueno.

Una trama bien desarrollada y personajes reales.

[Silver Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Stef · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome mystery suspense romance

Loved reading this story (stand alone. )
Suspense, action , mystery, romance.
Would recommend. . . . . . .

[Myfanwy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well that was a poor choice to read before bed.

[Rosepetal78 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

[Robyn Klemenswicz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot. First time reading this author. I enjoyed it!