
Musical Maryland: A History of Song and Performance from the Colonial Period to the Age of Radio
David K. Hildebrand and Elizabeth M. Schaaf
Book
In Musical Maryland, the first comprehensive survey of the music emanating from the Old Line State,...

Lone Star Nation: How a Ragged Army of Volunteers Won the Battle for Texas Independence - And Changed America
Book
From bestselling historian and long-time Texan H. W. Brands, a richly textured history of one of the...

Supply Chain Financial Management: Best Practices, Tools and Applications for Improved Performance
Book
With the fall of trade barriers, global competition and company shareholder demands have become more...

Angel of Oblivion
Book
Haderlap is an accomplished poet, and that lyricism leaves clear traces on this ravishing debut,...

Big Little Lies
Book
Don't want Big Little Lies to end? Then why not order Liane Moriarty's new hit, Truly Madly...

Out of Africa
Book
Karen Blixen's Out of Africa is the lyrical and luminous memoir of Kenya that launched a million...

Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Stranger in the Lake in Books
Jun 18, 2020
"Something very bad has happened, right outside our door. Again."
This was an excellent and easy-to-read book with a compelling plot. I was drawn in by the story from the start and flew through the pages. Belle creates an atmospheric read, with the snow and lake basically appearing as extra characters. We find Charlotte (once "Charlie") pitted against her old best friend, Sam, who is on the police force and believes Paul killed his first wife. And we learn that Paul had a high school friendship with Micah, the son of the police chief, and Jax, who is now homeless and known as the town kook. It is Jax who asked to see Paul the day before the woman is found--and Jax who is lurking around Charlotte's house. Is he threatening her, or trying to warn her of something? And is there truly a chance that Paul killed his first wife? I loved how much this one kept me guessing.
What I found amazing is that Belle is able to take a familiar plot--a younger woman marrying an older guy with a past--and transform it into such a spellbinding thriller. What could come across as trite and stale is instead fascinating and intriguing. Charlotte is an easy-to-like protagonist who didn't seem to make dumb decisions. This can't be said of her husband, who was, frankly, an idiot. I had an inkling early about who might be responsible, but it did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the story.
If you like your thrillers filled with secrets and lies, the power of family, and featuring a fascinating plot, this one is for you. 4+ stars.

Holly Johnson recommended Blade Runner Soundtrack by Vangelis in Music (curated)

Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Air
Book
'Nominally a history of the hot air balloon, 'Falling Upwards' is really a history of hope and...

From German Cavalry Officer to Reconnaissance Pilot: The World War I History, Memories, and Photographs of Leonhard Rempe, 1914-1921
Book
Twentyoneyearold Leonhard Rempe volunteered to serve Germany in 1914. By the time World War One...