I rarely read crime novels, so this was a new genre for me to be exploring. It was gripping and the writing flowed well from beginning to end. The main character, a private investigator, takes on a case of a missing girl from an orphanage in return for a huge amount of money that she desperately needs. The woman who hired her treats her terribly and is the godmother of the missing child. There are a lot of secrets that the characters hold and, although some are predictable, I enjoyed finding out more and more.

WHAT A BOOK!

I will admit I started this a while ago but because of other books I needed to read, I didn't finish it. I got about 10% in and stopped. Then I bought the audiobook. Then I didn't stop listening to the audiobook. I had to drive home so I managed to finish it in the car....although I did have my 10 y-o with me so some of the content near the end is most definitely not child-friendly. But within 2 minutes of her listening to the book, she guessed one of the bad people straightaway. Which led to a discussion, and how I wanted to disagree with her, but in the end, she was right!

Orphans are disappearing! Secrets are kept and we have a few suspects. Mia is the latest girl to go missing and it's up to Hazel to find her....mainly because Madeline Hemsley, snooty cow, has deemed it so- but she has given Hazel a deadline.

I loved how the chapters of the book, were counting down this deadline, it added to the intensity and I wondered if Hazel could succeed where so many other PIs hadn't. I should never have worried!

I liked Hazel Cho and her quirky ways. I also loved that there is a SECOND BOOK coming! I haven't read the blurb yet, but I do hope that a certain character makes an appearance.

This is definitely one of those books that will stay with you. I had no idea how dark this book would go! It went there and some. The story of the missing girls, the people behind and just generally what happens and happened to Hazel...darkness surrounds it all. I thought the book was cleverly done and I was hooked completely on the investigation and where we might go next.

When Hazel was entering someone's cellar, she even admitted she shouldn't go down there and I was shouting at her not to go down. Every horror story cliche, and she was falling for it!

It is a book that left me thinking, and it's a book I was addicted to. I am just glad I discovered it!

Any book with orphan in the title has me drawn in. This was such a good book from beginning to end!

Great story line and was easy to follow. Enjoyed the twist as well. I felt like I connected with the main character and she was well rounded.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. This was an exceptional read! It was very well done and a bit different than the usual in this genre. I just loved our main character Hazel Cho. She is a total force, determined and likeable. I am hoping this becomes a series and Hazel takes on more cases.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Hazel, a struggling private investigator, is hired to find a missing orphan girl from a mysterious children's home. As she delves deeper into the case, she uncovers dark secrets and sinister figures lurking in the shadows. Will she be able to unravel the terrifying truth before it's too late?

I noticed that this book has received a variety of reviews. While I can see why opinions are divided, I personally found this book captivating from the start. It held my attention throughout, and the unexpected ending left me eager to know what will happen next to Hazel and her roommate. I am thrilled to learn that another book is on the horizon.

When you pick up this book, you can anticipate a gripping mystery that delves into suspense, secrets, and the eerie history of an orphanage.

Thank you NetGalley and Houndstooth Books for digital ARC copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you Houndstooth and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Everything I love in a thriller! This book will have twists and turns you won't see coming all the while keeping you at the edge of your seat!

The cover of this caught my attention right off the bat, but the story itself keeps you on the edge of your seat!

The Orphanage by the Lake by Daniel G. Miller is a thoroughly enjoyable and gripping mystery that weaves together classic private detective story elements. The story follows Hazel Cho, a private detective struggling to make ends meet, who is drawn into a dark and dangerous investigation when Madeline Hemsley, an apparently wealthy socialite, hires her to find a missing orphan girl. What begins as a seemingly straightforward runaway case soon turns into something with sinister undertones.

Hazel Cho is a compelling hero, embodying the archetypal hard-boiled detective with a modern twist. Her wit and relentless determination born of her Korean family roots make her an easy character to cheer for, and her vulnerability adds depth to her tough exterior. Madeline Hemsley adds an air of intrigue to the story, keeping both Hazel and the reader guessing about her true identity and motives.

The setting of The Orphanage By The Lake is intriguingly atmospheric, and the author does an excellent job of building tension as Hazel digs deeper into the case. The orphanage itself, with its mysterious/aloof director, contributes to the novel’s uncertainties.

Miller’s writing is sharp and paints a vivid picture. The dialogue is crisp and believable,. The inclusion of Hazel’s flatmate, a rookie police officer with a crush on her, provides a touch of humor and humanity amidst the tension, and their partnership adds an extra layer of complexity to the narrative.

As Hazel gets closer to the truth, the secrets of The Orphanage By The Lake become more terrifying, leading to an uncomfortable climax which was not fully foreshadowed. The Orphanage by the Lake is a well-crafted mystery that will appeal to fans of detective fiction thrillers. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a fast and suspenseful read.

A story filled with suspense. Well written. This book will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time.

Let me start off by saying i love the cover of this book, the eerie orphanage and the lake was oh so good, good job at picking it out. Next it was a quick read for me which is always good. I will give it four stars, i would not say it was the best book ever but it was pretty good, I would read more by him.

Hazel is a private investigator - a struggling private investigator living in a rundown apartment with her roommate Kenny, who is training to become a member of the NYPD. Hazel is wondering how she will keep paying her rent when one day, Madeline Hemsley walks into her office (at just the right time, too!)

Madeline’s goddaughter, Mia, went missing from St. Agnes, a place for homeless children, six months prior, and the police have not been very helpful. Madeline has hired several private investigators, but none of them have been able to find out what happened to Mia. She’s offering Hazel $100,000 to find Mia - but she has only ten days to do it. How can Hazel do more than the other PIs could in such a short time? She doesn’t know, but she really needs the money, so she accepts the case.

From day one, she soon sees why no other investigator has been able to find Mia - it seems virtually impossible. The police are still calling it an active investigation, so they won’t release any information, and the staff at St. Agnes aren’t willing to talk much about the situation, as it reflects poorly on them. They only know nobody entered or exited the property the night Mia went missing. The only way she could have escaped was by the lake, but the temperature was too cold for anyone to have tried to swim in it.

Hazel is stumped, but for ten days she works diligently at trying to find any clue, anything new that could change the course of the investigation. She eventually finds out a lot more than she bargained for, and that makes this mystery/thriller quite suspenseful as her deadline approaches and the danger around her ratchets up. I thought this was really good, and a change of pace from similar formulaic stories. The second book in this series will be out in 2025, and I’m looking forward to it! 4.5 stars.

(Thank you to Houndstooth Books, Daniel G. Miller and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

I really liked this book. The twists and turns took you along for the ride. I did feel like i saw some of what was coming ahead of time. Looking forward to reading the next book in this series!

Hazel, a struggling private investigator, is hired by the wealthy Madeline to find a missing orphan girl from an orphanage. As Hazel digs deeper, she uncovers dark secrets at the orphanage and realizes that Madeline is hiding something shocking.

I didn't love this book and I didn't hate it. It didn't quite meet my expectations but it did have some plot twists that I enjoyed. Despite the enticing cover and the premise of a psychological thriller, it leaned more towards a slow-burn mystery. My main issue is that it failed to hold my attention and I kept finding myself setting it aside.

All in all, if you are in the mood for more a young-adult-slow-burn mystery, then this might interest you!

Thank you NetGalley and Daniel G. Miller for the ARC of The Orphanage by the Lake.

First I want to give a warning to anyone who reads this book because I was not prepared…. This book contains strong references to rape and sexual assault, especially involving minors. It kind of took me by surprise and came out of no where and the book went from lighthearted fun to really dark super fast, so be warned. It doesn’t go into great detail but there is more than enough implied and if you are a victim as I am, your noggin will in the gaps.

With that being said, this was a very fast and easy read. The beginning was very lighthearted with a lot of comedic moments and sarcastic inner dialogue that it reminded me of a Janet Evanovich book, but then very quickly and with zero warning the book does a 180 and it stops being fun and goes completely dark in the last 15% of the book. Part of me is so thankful for how fun the first 85% was because I almost couldn’t make it through that last little bit, but it lacked a good transition and felt like two completely different books slapped together. It was jarring and I’m unsure how I feel about it because it feels unfinished or unrefined but also the rawness is daring and felt like it was well placed so that the subject matter was made to put the reader in as much of an uncomfortable position as possible, which was definitely achieved. I’m sorry but if this book does not take you completely out of your comfort zone, then there’s a big red flag…


Overall, this book was amazing! I just think something feels off that keeps me from giving it a 5, but I would say that this is more of a 4.5 and kudos to the author for writing about such a difficult subject matter that I don’t think I’ve ever seen done in a book before but doing so with integrity and respect. I’m thankful for this advanced copy and will be looking for more books by this author.

Fast paced and a thriller? Yes please! This book hits the mark on everything I love about thrillers. I was kept on the edge of my seat the entire time!

Hazel is a private investigator who has had a tough time making ends meet. That is until a wealthy woman offers her a large sum of money if she can find out what happened to her goddaughter who went missing from an orphanage. Hazel uncovers a lot more than she bargained for with this investigation and it will definitely put her ability as a private investigator to the test. Will she figure out what happened to Mia?

This was a really good read. I was hooked from the start and loved the idea of a female private investigator. The characters were great (some you love and some you hate) and I really enjoyed the pace of the story. There were constant questions about who to trust but I loved the relationship between Hazel and her roommate. I enjoyed the writing style and would love to read more of Hazel's adventures. She is a strong woman who isn't afraid to stand up for what she believes in and she definitely says what she's thinking.

I loved the setting of this book too. As someone who frequents Lake George yearly, it was really cool to read about the area a bit, especially since I could really picture it all.

I would definitely recommend this book for a quick read that will hook you from the get-go and keep you intrigued the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read this for free. This was my honest review.

Overall Rating: 4.5 Out of 5 Stars

This was my first book by Daniel Miller, and I was immediately hooked from the first page. It was different with the female main character being intelligent (I feel that normally they aren’t), and I love seeing how strong she truly was. She doubts herself a lot, but throughout the book, we see her becoming a stronger individual. Miller’s writing was super enjoyable from him providing a very high-level understanding of private investigating for us to making the reader suspicious of every character that we meet. As I read, I went from 1 to 3 to 7 suspects because no one could be trusted. With that said, around the 60 or 70% mark, I was pretty sure of the mastermind behind everything so for me, it was kind of predictable; however, I was writing down names, crossing off suspects, and creating my own hypotheses as I was reading, so I’m sure all of that led to me, figuring it out sooner than others would. Overall, the story had a really interesting plot with a good plot twist at the end. I loved the dark and moody, feel that was carried throughout the book, and how Miller brought in the classic ‘storming while visiting a creepy location’ setting.

Recommend? ✨ I definitely recommend The Orphanage By The Lake. It was a gripping and easy to read story that had twists and turns along the way to keep the reader intrigued. Before reading, please not the following Trigger Warnings: rape, suicide, child abduction, pedophilia, sex trafficking. This book is not suitable for everyone.

Great thriller! I am in love with Hazel Cho and I cannot wait to read the next book. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!