Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Stillhouse Lake, Book 1

Synopsis: Gina Royal is the definition of average—a shy Midwestern housewife with a happy marriage and two adorable children. But when a car accident reveals her husband’s secret life as a serial killer, she must remake herself as Gwen Proctor—the ultimate warrior mom.

With her ex now in prison, Gwen has finally found refuge in a new home on remote Stillhouse Lake. Though still the target of stalkers and Internet trolls who think she had something to do with her husband’s crimes, Gwen dares to think her kids can finally grow up in peace.

But just when she’s starting to feel at ease in her new identity, a body turns up in the lake—and threatening letters start arriving from an all-too-familiar address. Gwen Proctor must keep friends close and enemies at bay to avoid being exposed—or watch her kids fall victim to a killer who takes pleasure in tormenting her. One thing is certain: she’s learned how to fight evil. And she’ll never stop.

Review: I was very curious to discover this novel. I had already read several novels of the author, but it was the first time I found her in a thriller genre and I was curious to see how she would be in a different genre.

Gina has a fairly routine life, married with two children. However, one evening, as she returned home, she discovered the police in her garden: a car had broken down the door of their garage. She thought she was the victim of an accident and yet, this story is much more than that when she discovers a hanged body. And it’s not the first one. Gina then moves in no time from a stay-at-home mother with no history to a suspect and accomplice to murders. She has done nothing and if her trial exonerates her, our heroine discovers that her life is a lie and especially that no one believes her. Someone wants to make her and her children pay for her husband’s terrible acts. Faced with a constant change of identity, our heroine hopes, 4 years later, to finally be able to settle down, and live her life without this weight above her shoulders. She thought she could do it… It was certainly before the first body was discovered.

It was a very interesting novel. The plot is developing slowly, and I must admit that I didn’t see some reversals of situations coming while others were easier to understand. In any case, I had a good time with this novel and I am really curious to see how our family will cope with everything that is happening now, especially after this end.

Very curious to read more!