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Author: Kimberly Belle
Publisher: Park Row
Publish Date: June 9th, 2020
Pages: 352
Genre: Domestic thriller
šš®šŗšŗšš«š²: When Charlotte married the wealthy widower Paul, it caused a ripple of gossip in their small lakeside town. They have a charmed life together, despite the cruel whispers about her humble past and his first marriage. But everything starts to unravel when she discovers a young womanās body floating in the exact same spot where Paulās first wife tragically drowned.
At first, it seems like a horrific coincidence, but the stranger in the lake is no stranger. Charlotte saw Paul talking to her the day before, even though Paul tells the police heās never met the woman. His lie exposes cracks in their fragile new marriage, cracks Charlotte is determined to keep from breaking them in two.
As Charlotte uncovers dark mysteries about the man she married, she doesnāt know what to trustāher heart, which knows Paul to be a good man, or her growing suspicion that thereās something heās hiding in the water.Ā
Review:
šš«š¢šš¢š§š š¢šŗš©š«šš¬š¬š¢š¼š§š¬: This book felt more like a mystery than a thriller. It did not have the wild twists and turns thrillers are known for. I still enjoyed it and like the flashes of the former lives of the characters. It added an extra layer to the story which helped the overall plot along.Ā
šš”šš«ššššš«š¬: Charlotteās background made her the most relatable character for me and made the story more believable. I enjoyed her growth as the story progressed. Paul felt a bit flat to me ā millionaire, with secrets. Nothing new there, really.Ā
šš² šš”š¼š®š š”šš¬: This was an enjoyable read; perfect for reading this summer by the lake. I figured out the ātwistā early on but I wasnāt disappointed by that. There was still plenty to consider and for me this book turned towards Charlotteās past, her family, and the stark differences between the marginalized and the wealthy in their community.
Thanks to Park Row Books for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
šššš¢š§š : āļøāļøāļø.5/5
Q&A with Kimberly BelleĀ
Q: Please give your elevator pitch for Stranger in the Lake.
A: Stranger in the Lake is a story about Charlotte, a rags-to-riches newlywed whose shiny new life takes a disastrous turn when a strangerās body washes up under the dock of her Appalachian lake homeāin the exact same spot where her husbandās first wife drowned.Ā
Q: Which came first: the characters or plot line?
A: Plot, always. My stores are very plot driven, and they always begin in my head with a what-if scenario. What if a woman marries way, way up and then her brand new husband is accused of murder? What if it looks like heās guilty? How much of a role would her newfound wealthāand her fear of losing itāplay in her decision to stick by him? That was basically where I began building the plot for Stranger in the Lake. Character came much later, after Iād thought through all the plot points and had them mapped out into an outline. Only at that point in the process do I really start thinking about what kind of person is best dropped into that situation, someone with plenty of blind spots and issues to work through, problems the plot will really shine a spotlight on. For Charlotte, itās money and everything that comes along with itāsecurity, status in the community, respect. She will have to untangle all these internal issues before her story can be resolved.Ā
Q: Why do you love Charlotte and why should readers root for her?
A: I love Charlotte because she is a survivor. She was born into the worst possible family, an absent father and an emotionally abusive mother who left her home with a baby for long periods of time, but instead of turning bitter or following in their footsteps, she emerged stronger. She figured out a way to grow into a smart and kind and loving and trustingāmaybe too trusting–person. She wants so much more out of life than what her parents offered, and sheās not afraid to work for it.Ā Ā
Q: What’s the “story behind the story” for Stranger in the Lake?
A: Iāve wanted to write a lake story for a while now. Thereās just something about a big body of water–the dark swirling currents, the beautiful but remote settingā¦ Itās the perfect place to set a suspenseful story because you just know something bad is going to happen there.
At the same time, I spend a good deal of family time in the Highlands/Cashiers area of North Carolina. Itās a place of stunning beauty, but where thereās a huge gulf between rich and poor. Wealthy outsiders have come in and completely transformed the area, carving out golf courses and building shops and restaurants and million dollar homes on the lakeā¦and then you have the people who have lived there for generationsāthe ones flipping the burgers and scrubbing the toilets. This polarity makes for some very interesting dynamics, because when thereās money involved, when people have too much or their basic needs arenāt being met, morals can become questionable. This is something I really dug into for this story.Ā
Q: Last summer when I interviewed you for Dear Wife, you mentioned a project you were working on, and I believe it was Stranger in the Lake:
” Iām currently finishing up a story about a newlywed woman who discovers a womanās body under their lakeside home dock. The police show up, and in the stress of the moment, she follows her husbandās lead and lies about ever having met the woman. Itās not a big lie, and she doesnāt really think much of it at the time, but soon that one little lie turns into an avalanche. As the police close in on the womanās killer, she uncovers dangerous truths about her husband and her marriage, as well as dark secrets that have been simmering below the lakeās currents for years. No title yet, but coming sometime in 2020.”
Thinking back to what you told me then, what was the book like then verse how it turned out? Anything that surprises you or that really changed or that stayed the same that you were sure would stay the same?
A: I donāt remember how far I was into writing the story when I answered that question, but it must have been far because thatās pretty much exactly what happens in this storyā¦and exactly the core of the original premise for Stranger in the Lake. A wife who lies for her brand new husband in the heat of the moment, then has to figure out if she did it because she loves and trusts and believes in him, or if itās maybe a little bit because she doesnāt want to let go of the shiny new life heās given her. Money complicates things. It muddies emotions and blurs moral boundaries. This is the kernel of the idea that began Stranger in the Lake.Ā
Q: The narration of Dear Wife was so unique, what can you say about the narration/structure of Stranger in the Lake that isn’t going to spoil anything?
A: Stranger in the Lake is told largely through Charlotteās point of view, with occasional snippets of a story many years in the past. This makes the structure much more straightforward than Dear Wife, and when I began I thought it would be an easier story to tell. Fewer heads for me to crack open for the reader, fewer viewpoints for me to keep string together just so. But once I started writing, I discovered sticking to one point of view made telling the story more difficult. Everything every other character thinks has to be filtered through Charlotte, through her reactions and internalizations. For this and a bunch of other reasons, Stranger in the Lake took me longer to write than Dear Wife.Ā
Q: Which character in the novel is most like you and why?
A: This is a tough one! Iād like to think I have Charlotteās tough skin and that I share her sense of loyalty, but Iām not sure I could have survived everything she has. My research taught me that far more people follow in their parentsā tragic footsteps than break the cycle like Charlotte did, and I canāt say for certain which side of the equation I would have fallen on. I do also share Paulās drive, his innate desire to create beautiful things, but I think (hope?) thatās where the similarities between us end. I guess thatās the answer here, that like most authors I put little pieces of myself into every characterāthe good, the bad, the ugly.Ā My characters are the best and the worst of me.
Q: How can everyone find you online during promotional rounds for Stranger in the Lake, since the traditional type of tours won’t be possible?
A: A little pandemic canāt keep this author down! I have lots of online events planned, chats with bloggers and fellow authors and bookstores Iād planned to visit before this thing hit, and lots more in the works. The most up-to-date list is at www.kimberlybellebooks.com/eventsāand make sure to check back often. I am adding more every day.
Q: What was your last 5 star read?
A: I have a couple recent ones. I tore through the paperback of Heather Gudenkaufās This Is How I Lied, and I just listened to Kimberly McCreightās The Good Marriage. Both were absolutely fabulous! And Heather and I will be doing a joint virtual event on my release day, June 9th. Details are on the events page of my website.
Q: What is one thing about publishing you wish someone would have told you?
A: Just one? Hmm, I guess if I have to choose, it would be to trust the creative process. Every story is different, from the idea to the structure to the ease with which the words move from my head to my laptop to finished product. With every new story, I have an a-ha moment when I realize all the methodologies and processes Iāve used in the past wonāt work with this one. I have to let all those ārulesā go and let the story lead the way. Getting to The End is the hardest thing in the world, but also the most satisfying. There is no better feeling than to hold a finished copy of your book in your hand. It makes all those sleepless nights worth it.
Q: Do you have any specific writing rituals?
A: When Iām writing, I have a hard time sitting stillākind of strange for a job that requires many hours in a chair with a laptop. But it is a laptop so I move around a lot, floating around the house from my office to the kitchen to the living room to the outdoor patio. I change spots depending on my mood or the way the sun is shining through the window. Sometimes figuring out how to untangle a plot knot is as simple as a change of scenery.Ā
Q: What can you tell us about your next project?
A: I am currently working on a story about a home invasion. Itās a premise that has always terrified me, and it hits awfully close to home as it happens a lot here in Atlanta. I even know a family that survived one. Iāve pulled in a few details of their experience for this story, then mixed in plenty more from my imagination. No title yet, but out sometime in 2021.
About the Author:
Kimberly Belle is the USA Today and internationally bestselling author of six novels, including the forthcoming Stranger in the Lake (June 2020). Her third novel, The Marriage Lie, was a semifinalist in the 2017 Goodreads Choice Awards for Best Mystery & Thriller, and a #1 e-book bestseller in the UK and Italy. Sheās sold rights to her books in a dozen languages as well as film and television options. A graduate of Agnes Scott College, Belle divides her time between Atlanta and Amsterdam.
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