This book deserves a standing ovation and I am SO here for it.

The Stranger at Black Lake

I cant even tell you what I thought I was going to read compared to what I actually did read but I can tell you, this book is one that I will never be able to stop talking about and it deserves every bit of the hype it is about to get..

Here we go...

The Stranger at Black Lake, had me addicted to each turn of the page. I was squealing in delight as each secret was revealed . I was completely consumed and transported straight into the book. The characters came alive before my eyes and I felt every emotion they felt. The narration was executed with perfection and the plot twist was not only incredible but believable too! When everything came together I was left in sheer disbelief with my jaw on the floor.

5 stars 5 stars 5 stars!

Teaser :

Secrets, murder and revenge converge in this gripping prequel to Amazon charts bestselling thriller, These Still Black Waters, about a young Jess Lambert drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Because old ghosts often have old scores to settle.

Jess Lambert and her husband, Mac, have just moved to Black Lake, looking for a quieter, more peaceful life. Until one morning Jess befriends a stranger—beautiful and glamorous Annie Parker—who’s also just moved to town.

Only a few hours later, Jess finds Annie wandering naked and in shock along the lake. And at Annie’s house she encounters a gruesome scene that shows a violent attack. But then Annie disappears.

As Jess is pulled deeper into the mystery of what happened to Annie, she learns about the house’s chilling past. And she begins to wonder: who was Annie really? Is she a witness, murderer, victim?

But it’s dangerous hunting down old ghosts. And Jess becomes increasingly unsure if she’s the hunter, or the prey. Who is the stranger at Black Lake?

Wonderful pre story about Jess Lambert (ifykyk).
In this eerie short story, we read about how Jess came to Black Lake. Blends in well with the story line from the other Black Lake books!

This is a great, suspenseful read that gives good background on Jess. It's a prequel, but, I think it's best read after book one. I was glued and couldn't wait to figure out the mystery.

Thanks to #NetGalley and #IntrigueInkPublishing for the book #TheStrangerAtBlackLake by #ChristinaMcDonald. This short book is very interesting involving long ago murders and murders in real time. It also has a hint of paranormal which I absolutely love. This is a first time author for me but I can’t wait to read more!

I’ve been eyeing Christina McDonald ever since I grabbed These Still Black Waters which is the first book in this series as a Kindle deal. This, The Stranger at Black Lake is the prequel where Jess Lambert is introduced to Black Lake.

For Jess Lambert this was her fresh start in a new place that is tainted by murder, someone she thought was a new friend and a dark past to this town. Coming in at 125 pages, it was long enough to get the vibes of Black Lake, to connect with Jess, the town and ultimately a new series to start and author to follow.

Told with two distinct points of view rounded this out nicely between the past and present coming together. There is the mystery, creepiness and tension all nicely put together, along with the desire to see what happens next in Jess's life.

There are two books in this series, though book 2 releases in July (What Lies in Darkness.)

My thanks to Intrigue Ink Publishing (via Netgalley) for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

The Stranger At Black Lake is the outstanding prequel in the Jess Lambert series. This short novella provides the background for the series and its main character, which readers were first introduced to in "These Still Black Waters", an amazing 5 star novel that quickly captures your attention, and leaves you desperate to know more about detective Jess Lambert and the secrets that lurk at Black Lake. A huge thank you to Intrigue Ink Publishing, the author and NetGalley for the advanced electronic copy of the book.

When we first meet young Jess Lambert in the prequel she and her husband, Mac have just moved to the small quaint town of Black Lake for a fresh start, a more peaceful life. But when Jess finds Annie, a new acquaintance ambling around the lake in distress, discovers a horrific scene from what looks to be a violent incident at Annie’s home, and then Annie suddenly disappears Jess is pulled into a mysterious game of cat and mouse.

The Stranger At Black Lake is a well written, intriguing novella that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I quickly devoured this short story within a few hours. This enthralling storyline has so many twists and turns that I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough to find out what happened next. The Jess Lambert series is not one to miss out on.

Thank you Intrigue Ink Publishing / Netgalley, #partner, for the advanced e-copy of The Stranger at Black Lake in exchange for my honest review.

I loved These Still Black Waters, which was the first book in Christina McDonald’s Jess Lambert series and so I was thrilled to find out that she had written a prequel novella while we wait for the second book in the series to come out. Yes, I did read this one after reading the first book, but I really don’t think it matters – I loved finding out what it was that brought Jess to Black Lake in the first place and what leads to some decisions that play into the first book. This prequel might be short, but let me tell you, it is chock full of great character development that I find to be quite integral to Jess’s story arc and boy is it an eerie, creepy book. I found myself completely pulled in from the get-go and loved every second of it!

Whether you have read These Still Black Waters or not, this is a must-read for this series and now I am even more excited for book 2, What Lies in Darkness, which come out in July!

I love everything about the Jess Lambert series. I am not a fan of series but Christina McDonald has done such an amazing job developing her Jess Lambert character that it’s impossible not to love these books. Jess is a detective that is battling some serious demons. After she and her husband move to black lake, she meets a woman named Annie who is also new to town. Annie soon vanishes and things quickly take a left turn. I loved loved loved this mystery where I didn’t know who Annie was, what she was about, or how things were going to turn out. The way the mystery unfolded and watching Jess’ own story unfold was amazing. I highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy. I know this is a prequel and an introduction to how Jess became a detective. This books was so great that I am going to read “These Still Black Waters”. Jess is a great character and the whole mystery woman who she befriended story unraveled at every page. This book was sadly too quick for me and I would have loved more. The ending/twist surprised me and I hope it gets tied into the next book.

A prequel that sets up the back story for the Jess Lambert series. Readers were introduced to Jess Lambert in THESE STILL BLACK WATERS, a 5 star mystery/thriller that left us wanting to know more of the history of Jess and Black Lake, the community that was supposed to be a fresh start for Jess and her husband, Mac. Christina McDonald has developed Black Lake into a diverse community that has more than it's share of troubles. The story lines wind through and around a community that's hiding secrets that have set the scene for the current troubles. A short, fast read that still packed enough thrills and tension to keep you watching for the next book.

A prequel to the Jess Lambert series by this author. This one is filled with lots of action, suspense, thrills, and murder. It tells how Jess got into being a cop after being a paramedic in New York.

Jess and her husband Mac, who is a lawyer, moved to Black Lake after Jess was attacked. Her and her partner. They decided it was time for a change and this was the place to start a family. Are they in for lots of action though. More than they know.

This book is not a long one but it's filled with so many twists and turns that if you blink you might miss something. Or not. It's got a lot going on but it's still pretty easy to follow. There is a house where some awful things happened and where this story will come to it's final conclusion. A very dramatic conclusion with many things answered. It won't leave you hanging. Both the past and the present come to a head and a few unanswered questions will be revealed. Who lived in the house in the past and what all happened there. It's part sad and a lot of action.

This story is told from Jess's pov and His pov. You'll find out who this His is along the way. All things are answered. This book is very good and fits perfectly with the series. I can't wait to read the next one.

Thank you #NetGalley, #ChristinaMcDonald, #IntrigueInkPublishing, for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this book.

Five stars. It's short but full of action..

Author and Title: The Stranger at Black Lake by Christina McDonald

Summary: Jess and her husband, Mac, move to a small town to get out of New York City. Jess experience a traumatic event while working as a paramedic. The small town is idyllic until a chance meeting with a new woman arrives. Jess's life is turned upside down after the woman goes missing and a man turns up brutally killed. Jess is caught in the middle of the murder case while a monster of a killer is trying to find a woman connected to the story.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

This short novella is a prequel to These Still Black Waters. The story builds anticipation for its resolution. There are a few moments when you question if the killer taunts Jess or if she is just dreaming things.

I had no reason not to like Jess as the main character. She seemed like a strong woman who always tried to do the right thing. She is at a crossroads in her life, not sure what she wants when she is brought into the middle of the homicide investigation. Again, as a novella, it is short, and much of her side investigation clues fall into her lap. The other main POV is from a traumatized and disfigured man who will kill to get what he wants. He creates much of the alternate dialog and pieces of the story. You begin to feel sorry for him as you do for Frankenstein's monster. Both of these characters are not loved or hated.

The story starts with a bang. The reader is quickly drawn into the story due to the shocking nature of the murder. The plot goes off the rails at the climax of the story. The characters drive the story; when the characters come together, it is messy and doesn't make sense at the end. I needed to understand the motivation of some of the character's actions. The story has fast pacing and does keep you interested. You need to check the trigger warnings before you read

Overall, you would enjoy the story if you like short thrillers or mysteries. I did notice a few incorrect words that need to be corrected; hopefully, someone will make a final edit.

I received this ebook for my honest review. Thank you, Netgalley.

This is a great novella.
I’ve not read any other books with Jess Lambert in but I’ll definitely be looking them up after reading this one.
Jess and her husband move to a quiet location and Jess is struggling without her friends nearby.
When she meets Annie in a local coffee shop she thinks she’s found a friend. However, when she sees her naked and covered in blood near the lake she rushes to help her, but then Annie disappears.
This is a great mystery thriller that I really enjoyed.
Thanks to Intrigue Ink Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

The Stranger At Black Lake
by Christina McDonald
Pub Date: 19 Mar 2024

"The Stranger At Black Lake" is the prequel to “These Still Black Waters” which I have not read but had no problem reading this novella. I do think it would be beneficial to read "These Still Black Waters" which I'm planning to do in the near future. This is the first book I've read from Christina McDonald prior to this and I was very satisfied with her writing style!

The storyline, characters and all the twists in this book made it a very enjoyable read. I would definitely recommend it.

Short Synopsis:

Secrets, murder and revenge converge in this gripping prequel to Amazon charts bestselling thriller, These Still Black Waters, about a young Jess Lambert drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Because old ghosts often have old scores to settle.

Many thanks to #NetGalley, #IntriqueInkPublishing and #ChristinaMcDonald for an advanced E-ARC of this 5 star book!

The Stranger At Black Lake is book 0.5 in the Jess Lambert series by Christina McDonald.
I’ve read and enjoyed These Still Black Waters and What Lies in Darkness.
I was ready for a new book! And it didn’t disappoint.
Only this story is about a young Jess Lambert drawn into a deadly cat-and-mouse game of secrets, murder and revenge.
This suspenseful novella was well written with an amazing storyline and interesting characters.
I found this book to be gripping, well thought out and eerie. I devoured this book and loved every second of it.

Thank You NetGalley and Intrigue Ink Publishing for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This was an interesting story. I actually really enjoyed the plot and the twists were fabulous but it was lacking some development. I know this is a prequel to a book that I have not read yet so I’m going to add that to be TBR and see if the character development makes more sense in the next book.
I am going to continue on to read the other book. I’m wondering if this one was just a quick prequel

Thank you so much Netgalley, Christina McDonald, and Intrigue Ink Publishing for the ebook!! I just can't get enough of Jess Lambert and her story. Going back to the very beginning and putting the pieces together in this thrilling read! I cannot wait until book 2 in the series comes out and to get more of her story!!

Wow that was an intense ride.
Gripped me from the first chapter. I would definitely recommend The stranger at black lake by Christina McDonald. I really enjoyed the book, and then to find out that there is another two already. Definite 4 stars

Thanks NetGalley and publishers for the arc.

I knew this was a novella & prequel going into the book. I absolutely loved the story, thought it was well written and had some fantastic twists. However I wish there would have been a tad more background and character development so I could love these characters even more. It was a great story and I am absolutely going to check out this authors other works.

I went into this without realising it was a prequel to two other books. I don’t think it’s necessary to have read these first, I still devoured this book within a couple of hours!

It’s a fast-paced page turner with a twist I had no idea was coming. It’s very well written and I love that it’s told from multiple points of view. Even though this was short, I found myself invested in the characters and I’m excited to read the other two in the series!