The Souls of Lost Lake

My Review: 

I have come to expect excellent, exciting dual time stories from Jaime Jo Wright and she did it once again with The Souls of Lost Lake. The story set in the past was so horrific that, of course, it would need to be told around a late night campfire or at a slumber party. The modern story, intertwined with the lore of Lost Lake and the disappearance of a young girl, was perfect in providing the Gothic atmosphere for this suspenseful story. 

I shy away from eerie ghost tales, but with Ms. Wright’s stories I know I am going to be safe. Of course, the journey along the way had me white knuckling the book, but I trust she is going to give rational explanations of what happened.  Would I read this at bedtime? Nope! It was just at that level of tension that I don’t think I would’ve been able to sleep. 

This novel has unexpected twists that I really was surprised when the culprits were caught and their motives were revealed.  I love the Christian element of the story as I saw the characters’ faith grow throughout their struggles. I highly recommend reading this and getting a copy for a friend so you can discuss what you discover along the way. 

I was given a complimentary copy by Bethany House and was not expected to give a positive review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Book Description:

To save the innocent, they must face an insidious evil.

Wren Blythe has long enjoyed living in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, helping her father with ministry at a youth camp. But when a little girl in the area goes missing, an all-out search ensues, reviving the decades-old campfire story of Ava Coons, the murderess who is believed to still roam the forest. Joining the search, Wren stumbles upon the Coonses' cabin ruins and a sinister mystery she is determined to unearth.

In 1930, Ava Coons has spent the last several years carrying the mantle of mystery since the day she emerged from the woods as a thirteen-year-old girl, spattered with blood, dragging a logger's ax. She has accepted she will never remember what happened to her family, whose bodies were never found, and that the people of Tempter's Creek will always blame her for their violent deaths. And after a member of the town is murdered, and another goes missing, rumors spread that Ava's secret is perhaps more malicious than previously imagined.

Two women, separated by time, must confront a wickedness that not only challenges who they are but also threatens their lives, and the lives of those they love.