Stillhouse Lake

This hooked me right in.
Such an unusual premise, with a wife discovering her husband is a serial killer and then doing everything in her power to escape her past and protect her kids.

Great read, but took me completely by surprise when it ended on a bit of a cliffhanger.

I wanted more!

The main character did some fantastically stupid things but I was really rooting for her in the end. Too bad there isn't an actual ending – have to get the next books to find out what's going on. Not sure yet if I will.

I should not have stayed up last night to finish the last half of this book. Yes, half. I regret nothing. So good. So so good. I couldn't put it down. I NEEDED to get to the end. I wouldn't have been able to sleep otherwise.

As for Gina/Gwen.....I have no idea what I would do if i find out my husband is a FUCKING SERIAL KILLER...and on top of all that people don't believe me innocent and set out to harm not just me but also my children. It's not a situation nobody ever thinks they'd be in. And I think that with the shit storm she was handed, after living what she thought was a damn near perfect life.... she did a great job in trying to keep her kids safe. The whole situation is fucked up but I can't imagine she could have done better......................except for one thing.......Her trusting Absalom. I don't get it. She doesn't trust ANYONE after the fact...but she does a complete and total stranger..I don't care how much it seems like he's helping you. I couldn't wrap my head around that. Maybe that comes into play in the book. Which I plan on reading. ASAP.

“But I've kept them safe from the wolves, at least: the most basic and important job of a parent, to keep her offspring from being eaten by predators. Even the ones I can't see.”

Someone said this this was very gory but this makes me confused. Have we read the same book? Yes, the book has been unsettling here and there but, overall, it felt like like your average episode of Criminal Minds, The Following or The Mentalist (minus the humor). These shows, mostly the first two, deal with horrendous stuff done by deranged people but are they gory though? I don't think so. They're just glamorized sneak peaks into this thing that fascinates most of us How do sickos think? What do sickos do? What would we do if we ever had to deal with one of them? And I'm not saying there's something wrong with watching these, as I have obviously done so in the past, I'm just saying, at least for me, I didn't feel the writing was skilled enough to get me to feel dread. The only moments where I flinched were when the main character would read the vicious internet trolls' comments, those kind of comments that you can only find in the pits of the Internet and human rot. Those did make me sick to my stomach. But other than that, this thriller was pretty vanilla.

The first few pages peaked my interest but then for more of 50% of the book, these eye-roll worthy moments kept coming up. I didn't find the characters very convincing, especially Gwen. She just happens to:
-become a ninja with crazy gun skills overnight;
- stumble upon a load of cash from her ex that allows her to keep changing identities and locations
- be able to work as a freelancer online after 10 years of PTAs and cooking and cleaning for the family;

Then we have her inner dialogue, so, so cringey at times. She blurts out little jems like:

“I can see the difference in the way that Sam talks to the kids, in the way he makes mistakes and corrects them, says goofy things and smart things, and is a real, natural human.”“As much as I watch Sam, I don't see any of that. I only see a person. A real person.

She thinks she knows Sam after having met him two days prior, “She” being the same woman who didn't realize her husband (who made her choke on a coin while having sex) was a serial killer, but yeah, NOW she sees people, NOW she KNOWS.

“Sam says, “You don't say much about Connor's dad.”I haven't said anything, in fact. I can't. I won't. So instead, I say, “Nothing much to say. Connor needed someone to look up to. You gave him that, Sam.”

She's only known him for like a week. What the...?


“Next, everything but my clothes is taken and stored in a guard station, and then I'm strip-searched; it's a humiliating, invasive process, but I grit my teeth and get through it without complaint. This is important, I think. Mel likes to play chess. This move, this visit, is my checkmate. I can't afford to flinch at the cost of making it.”

Yeah, she's the reincarnation of Sherlock. A very whinny reincarnation of Sherlock. Guards do strip-searches at high-security prisons. Imagine that!

“It's an hour before a guard appears to summon me on—he's young and hard-faced, this one, with sharply clinical eyes. African American. A bodybuilder, I think. Nobody I'd want to cross.”

Yes, cause all black men are scary, you wouldn't want to cross them, no sir.

“I walk instead. Slowly. Calmly.Because fuck him.”

Yes, she's talking about her serial killer ex. She though she would go and threaten him and he would react something in the likes of “You've convinced me, I will leave you alone!”. Him being the kind of human dejection that cuts a person to pieces and gets a stiffie from watching them rot.

“My chess move didn't work with my murdering ex-husband.”

Jee, ya think?

But for last 30% of the book the pacing picked up and we got a lot of action. It made me forget the bore of the first part and I settled on 3 stars (more like 2.5) purely for the entertainment factor.

5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow!! It's been a while since I read a book that has kept me that engaged beginning to end! Action packed and fast paced from the very beginning. Not a dull moment and I was super invested in the characters. They were well fleshed out and I cared a lot about Gina/Gwen and the kids. This was amazing! I was dizzy with all the twists that I wasn't expecting. So so well done and for the first time in a long time, I want to continue a series!!

No Exit by Taylor Adams level of action packed. Thoroughly enjoyed!!!

read for buzzwordathon march 2022: locations

i loved the main character in this so much because she was such a badass momma bear and even when i thought i knew what was going on in this book i really didn't. i love how it kept me on my toes 

4.5 stars. Really well written and engaging story.

So far I've only seen positive reviews for Stillhouse Lake, unfortunately I seem to be in the minority. There are two reasons:

• I've read this story before. As in, I've previosly read this one book (to be fair, I think it may have been published after this one, but I read it first, so...) where the main character (female) is taking care of her brother and has moved to this new place. There, she meets this guy who becomes her love interest. Some murdery thing happens, she becomes a suspect, etc. In Stillhouse Lake, our MC is also female and is now a single parent to two kids. They too change to a new place - stillhouse lake -, trying to escape people who threaten her and her family and want to make her pay for her husband's crimes. In this new place, she meets a guy, who also becomes a love interest. Even the endings have similarities, specifically  the kidnapping of someone close to the MCs. All in all, there were way too many plot resemblances for me to be able to enjoy this.

• As you can tell by the synopsys, there's a killer, who seems to be imitating our MC's husband crimes. Rachel Caine is not subtle about who it is since you can guess it from the first time they show up. I mean, it was pretty obvious from their first lines that they're up to something. As such, when the reveal time came I wasn't surprised. Some people don't necessarily need an unpredictable plot to appreciate a mystery/thriller, and I agree to a certain extent. But between this and the fact that I have read another book with an identical plot...

Stillhouse Lake is an interesting study of wife and children of a serial killer. People often wonder how a person can live with someone and not know the evil that lurks within. Gina/Gwen is constantly moving with her children in fear of the stalkers who think she helped her husband with his murdering spree. I question some of the people she decides to trust but it is hard to say what we would do in the same situation. With my background being in Psychology I almost felt like I picked the story apart in my brain a little too much but I loved it!

The story is captivating; told in the first person point of view of Gina/Gwen the reader is in her head experiencing her fear, anger, disappointment, and strength. She questions how she is hurting her children with the constant moves and identity changes. There are a couple unexpected twists that add a lot to the enjoyment of the story. My major complaint is having a cliffhanger and a cliffhanger for a psychological thriller is a major disappointing. However, the story is a in-depth study of sorts with many questions answered within this book. I will read the next installment when available

Audio read by: Emily Sutton-Smith

Honestly one of the best thrillers I've read. The concept isn't one I've read before and the twist had me surprised.

3.5 Stars. This is a fast paced story about a woman who discovers that she is married to a serial killer and her life with her children in the aftermath. This novel will appeal to readers who enjoy mystery and suspense. The book ends with a cliff hanger so I am looking forward to picking up the next installment.

I have absolutely no words to describe what I am feeling right now because....wow! This book had taken everything out of me and wrung me dry, I would have probably read through the entire night if it had come to that but thankfully it didn't. All I can say is that I have found my new favorite thriller series, all thanks to my good friend from bookstagram. If it hadn't been for her I probably would not have chosen to read this book and now I feel the need to read all the other books in the series. It was so terrific I found myself stress eating and drank a whole bottle of champagne to calm my nerves a bit because it was that exhilarating and I do not remember the last time a book kept me on the edge of my seat to this extent. I mean, I was holding my breath for most of it.

The first book in this series is about a woman named Gwen, who is trying to escape her past life as the wife of a serial killer even though people still think that she was helping him all along. Frustrated and wanting to put her psychopath ex-husband behind her, she keeps running, her kids in tow, and the more she yearns for a normal life, the more she realizes that it's harder to come by then she'd ever even thought. The plot was otherworldly. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it initially but I got drawn into the story so quickly and then the pages rushed by and I was finished with it. I have never read a thriller with such a unique plot and yet it was done so masterfully that it was probably the perfect thriller in my eyes. I just couldn't get enough and even though I wanted to know what happens I had to hold my breath because my heart was beating out of my chest all the way through.

Further on, the characterization is unlike anything I've ever encountered in a thriller/suspense novel and the characters grew on me so much that I will undoubtedly be picking up the rest of the books in the series shortly, that's just how much I need to know what the character's fates are ultimately. I loved the relationships they also formed with each other and it made them even more real to me because I didn't just get to see them as they are independently but as they are in relation to each other. If any of them dies or gets hurt in the other books to come next, I don't know how I will handle that. Probably not that well because I want their ultimate happiness and I want to see them achieve it.

Thirdly, the writing style is top notch. It's not as simple as I'm used to reading in thrillers recently but even though the sophisticated factor has been turned up a notch, I found that didn't hinder in me getting through the book whatsoever. If anything, it might have made it even harder to stop reading and made it all the more addictive to me as a reader. I already have the other books in the series ordered and I can't wait to read them and find out what happens to the heroine next.

In conclusion, this book was unlike anything i've ever read before and I felt as if I was holding my breath the whole time. It kept me glued to my seat and I couldn't put it down even if it meant reading through the entire night. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes suspense and thrillers and wants to be taken for a thrill ride that will leave their heart beating fast for a long time after the book has actually ended. It is without a doubt my favorite thriller series of all time and I think everyone should read this book, you won't regret it!

I enjoyed the storyline but didn't really like Gina/Gwen's narration. I also think who the killer is is very obviously very early on. I'll probably continue reading the series. Also why in the hell would you begin a romantic relationship with the woman whose husband killed your sister?

Dedicated a couple of hours to plow through the remaining 200 pages of this book and all I can say is holy cannoli. Such an intense, suspenseful plot with some great character development. I loved how strong the main character, Gwen (formerly Gina), is. Forreal. This woman is a bad asssss. This storyline was exhilarating and I found myself not wanting to put this down. I had my suspicions of who the “bad guy” was - it wasn't too hard to figure out - but it didn't feel as though the book was “ruined” by figuring it out before it's unveiled in the story. Makes me a little weirded out knowing that it was reiterated that serial killers put on a good front...😵‍💫.  However, I give this book 5⭐️! 10/10 would recommend if you're looking for a thriller that'll keep you on the edge of your seat! Now on to the next 4 in the series...

This is definitely one of the best thrillers I've read recently! It's well written, tense and twisty as hell. I liked Gwen as a character, strong and driven and takes no shit. The kids were also great to read about and I enjoyed their strength and relationship with their mother. I did kinda suspect who it was from early on but I still really enjoyed the way this concluded. I've immediately pre-ordered the second book but have to wait until December!! I can't wait for the show down I know is coming in the second book!

4,5*

4.5

this was so fucking good!!! read it in one day with no audiobook it was so gripping. love the characters, love the writing and LOVE the commentary and themes of this book. there were some small inconsistencies but I forgot about them by the end of the book so it wasn't that bad

У меня сложились очень противоречивые чувства с этой книгой. Я считала это детективом, потом громким названием “современная драма”, где читателя окунают в проблемы современности, но книга оказалась триллером, раскрывающимся под самый конец. И, на мое удивление, этот триллер смог меня захватить. При бедном языке, понятной фабуле и достаточном количестве сомнительных ситуаций я смогла проникнуться героями и их проблемами.

Сначала ты не веришь в ситуацию с гаражом. Ну какая жена, тем более любопытные дети, не заглянут хотя бы один раз в гараж к отцу. Потом ты не веришь, что интернет-тролли могут преследовать семью осужденного так сильно, что приходится бежать и скрываться под другими именами. Смутно вспоминаешь реальные истории, где самих жертв обвиняли в том, в чем они совершенно не виноваты, вспоминаешь как угрозы убийств доходят да даже до обычных актеров озвучивания. Да это все там, в другом мире... И уже не замечаешь, как сам легкомысленно относишься к их проблемам. Автор неплохо ловит на этот крючок. И у нее получится это еще пару раз.

Первая половина книги полна быта семьи, которой приходится бояться всего. Сигнализация, пистолет, убежище - все это ну правда кажется немного чересчур. И этого настолько много, что начинаешь откровенно скучать. Но потом рядом с их новым местом ловят труп, который убит точно также, как делал это муж Джины. “Вот оно!” - думаю я. - “Наконец-то начнется детектив!”. Ага, сейчас. Джина умна - она не лезет сама разбираться с этим делом, что сделало бы большинство героинь в других романах. Но она и не бежит, потому что хочет дать детям надежду, что они смогут здесь остаться. Либо потому что автор не хотела вспоминать об этом до следующего трупа, кхм.

Вместо этого на горизонте появляется рубаха-парень Сэм. То, насколько он добрый и всепомогающий, буквально кричит о том, что он супер подозрительный, ну правда. Но я не могу отрицать, что он был мил и что ему тоже досталось. Быстрое примирение я оставлю за кадром, но хочется сказать “спасибо”, что этот роман в первой же книге не зашел слишком далеко, как обычно это бывает.

И я уже думала, что все закончится на притче, что не нужно параноить, вокруг много добрых людей, которые примут тебя... Но здесь было мое самое большое удивление! Сцена с описанием пропажи детей очень сильная и вызвало во мне бурю эмоций - от несправедливости до злости. Не смотря на небольшой объем, автор смогла вызвать полное сочувствие героям. Последний час я сидела, как на иголках, и не знала какой исход ждать. Логически я понимала, что это цикл, но эмоционально меня так поразила кровь и безысходность ситуации, что я могла поверить во все.

Мне очень понравилось, что Джина понимает, на что обрекла своих детей, какие у них появляются страхи и откуда (в основном из-за нее). Она пытается быть заботливой матерью и я очень ценю это - даже в таких обстоятельствах Джина сохраняет разум, не кричит на подростковые бунты и пытается объяснять свои действия.
Но в противовес этому в остальном Джина часто теряет бдительность. Можно списать это на то, что все же ее нервы не вечны и ей самой хочется отпустить ситуацию, довериться хоть кому-то, но все же это натягивание совы на глобус. Джина слишком доверяла своей паранойе, но, как окажется, ошибалась во многом и читатель понимает это во многих ситуациях наперед. Самым бредовым для меня моментом стала поездка Джины к Мэлу в тюрьму, чтобы ему угрожать. Хотя еще страннее выглядит последнее отлучение Джины в тир, из-за которого все и случилось.

Если вы сможете отключить свое “не верю” и проникнуться героями, то “Мертвое озеро” - это неплохой триллер на вечер или больше. Жду когда возьмутся за экранизацию.

a strong 3

I was in the mood for a smart thriller, and this delivers. Honestly, Gwen got on my nerves about halfway through the book. I almost put it down but then things started happening. I should also confess that I have tried Rachel Caine many times over the past few years and have never gotten through any of her other works.

What worked for me her was the strong female characters. Even Lanny is kickass. I was thrown off a couple of times by possible killers in disguise and did not guess the ending. These are all wins. I liked the setting too.

So, I am going to read the second one.