This was a good twisty read. A toxic family tries to pretend everything is fine, until it’s not. Toddler Jack thinks he is reborn as his dead cousin and blows the family right open.

"The Lake House Children" by Gregg Dunnett is a thrilling 5-star read! This novel is packed with twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The story begins with Kate Marshall being interviewed by FBI Agent Jim McGee after a fire that resulted in four deaths. The story alternates between her present-day interview and a retelling of the family history that led up to the tragic event. A supernatural element adds a unique twist to this psychological thriller, which I found intriguing. This is my first book by Gregg Dunnett, but it certainly won't be my last.

Thanks to Storm Publishing, Gregg Dunnett, and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest review.

I enjoyed this story, however the first 60% of the book was very slow moving and then everything seemed to happen in the last 40%. An interesting read and i was intrigued from the start- the reincarnation storyline was far fetched but seemed to fit in well to the story

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

“The Lake House Children” by Gregg Dunnett is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the dark and twisted dynamics of family relationships. Set against the serene yet eerie backdrop of a secluded lake house, this novel masterfully unravels a tale of secrets, betrayal, and the haunting echoes of the past.

The story centers around the McGee family, who retreat to their lake house for what is supposed to be a peaceful getaway.  turns towards crime.As the investigation unfolds, long-buried secrets and hidden traumas come to light, revealing the true nature of the seemingly idyllic family.

Dunnett excels in creating complex and multi-dimensional characters. Jim McGee is a compelling protagonist, whose dedication to his job is matched only by his love for his family. His internal struggle between duty and personal life adds depth to his character. The other family members, each with their own secrets and motivations, are equally well-developed, making the dynamics between them both believable and intriguing. The tension between the characters is palpable, driving the narrative forward and keeping readers on edge.

Dunnett’s writing is both evocative and suspenseful. He skillfully captures the atmospheric setting of the lake house, using it to enhance the sense of isolation and foreboding that permeates the story. The narrative is well-paced, with a perfect balance of action, dialogue, and introspection. Dunnett’s attention to detail and his ability to weave intricate plotlines together make for a compelling read that is hard to put down.

"The Lake House Children” explores several profound themes, including the impact of past traumas on present relationships, the complexities of family loyalty, and the moral ambiguities of justice. Dunnett delves into the psychological aspects of his characters, examining how their past experiences shape their actions and decisions. The novel also raises questions about the nature of truth and the lengths people will go to protect their loved ones.

"The Lake House Children” is a standout psychological thriller that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Gregg Dunnett has crafted a story that is both thrilling and thought-provoking, with characters that linger in the mind long after the final page. Whether you’re a fan of psychological thrillers or looking for a new mystery to dive into, this novel is a must-read.

I absolutely loved this book and think that it would make a fantastic movie. The story is told in two different timelines - when the events were actually happening and then in the present time. Most of the story is told from the viewpoint of Kate, who is one of three sisters, and the other part of the story is told by Detective Jim McGee who is interviewing Kate as part of a murder investigation. The story revolves around Kate and her son Jack, who believes he is the reincarnation of Kate’s sister, Bea’s son Zack who drowned at the family lake house. I really enjoyed the reincarnation theme and all the belief’s and disbelief’s about it. This is a book that is difficult to put down and will keep you guessing until the very end. Thank you so much to NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I found this story really intriguing, and really quite emotional and tough to read at times.

When 4 year old Jack starts recalling a past life and talking about being his dead cousin Zack, Kate doesn’t know what to think. Is he son her new phew reincarnated? Or is it all just a big figment of a child’s imagination? As Kate explores this with her son, the potential for revealing family secrets and imploding their whole world becomes a reality.

The story is one which I found unique, and whilst slightly in the paranormal world, it still had an element of crime/thriller to it. There were lots of revelations, and I thought the way the story was told through police interviews and looking bad into the past, was very clever. The author had me guessing about the outcome until the end which is always good, and I found the style easy to read. The only reason I’ve given 4 not 5 stars is because I found some of the narrative overly emotional and quite a tough subject to even consider - but that is me as a reader and what I would choose to read, not the quality of the story, and it’s something I would have to think about whether I would want to read again. A good read though, and one for thriller fans.

Wow! What an engaging, terrific book Gregg Dunnett has written!
This book has it all! Family dynamics, deaths, betrayals, and most importantly, reincarnation!

The story is told by Kate, one of the three sisters, who is under investigation by the FBI. She reveals family dynamics, the death of her nephew in a drowning, and her own son’s memories of a past life.

This was a fascinating book, and had me riveted to the very end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm publishing for the advanced copy.
This is my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! Perfect blend of supernatural and thriller, and it was a winner for me! There were lots of twists and turns and a couple moments that made me gasp. There was great character development and the book made it very easy to understand the family dynamics. I definitely want to check out other titles by the author! Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

The Lake House Children - 3.5 Stars

It had been a while since I had read the blurb of this book so I went into the story pretty blind. It was not at all what I was expecting.

I actually really enjoyed the plot of this book. The focus on reincarnation was really interesting and unique! There were some great twists and turns towards the end. The first half of the book is where it kind of fell flat for me. I found the first 50% to be really slow, to the point where there were several times when I considered just giving up on it. That might just be me though.

I also found it difficult at times to read about Jack because his development didn't line up with the age he was supposed to be. That's something that probably won't bother most people, but as someone that is qualified in child development I found myself constantly being like 'That's not how a _ year old would act.'. Like one minute 4 year old Jack's development is similar to a toddler's and next minute he's actually acting like a 4 year old. Not a massive deal but I found that it kept pulling me out of the story.

I also had a bit of a hard time connecting to the characters. I found most of them to be irritating/frustrating at times. I know most of them were that way intentionally which makes sense for the story. I think Jack and Bea were my favourites.

Overall, the second half of the book was good but I'm not sure if it was worth getting through the first half.

Never read anything quite like this chilling take of Jack, a child who has memories of his prior life as a cousin. Excellent story and truly found this interesting and very well written. Jack is absolutely loveable and his take unfolds well with lots of intrigue about what will happen next.

Great character development. Story kept me engaged and wanting to know more. Did figure out two of the twists but not until right before. Authors note was lengthy but gave description of what lead to the writing and creation of this very imaginative plot.

Triggers: profanity, child drowning, reincarnation, cheating.

Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for my advanced audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

Many thanks for the complimentary ARC kindly provided by NetGalley and the author/publisher.

With all due respect the paranormal aspect of this story didn’t connect and I concede that for many it did. It just isn’t my kind of book I guess.

Little Ghosts by Gregg Dunnett was one of my favourite reads in 2023 so I was very much looking forward to reading The Lake House Children. This book did not disappoint.

The story starts off rather dramatically when a father gathers his daughters to his lake house home. He passes away while they are all in the home and the lake house is left equally to the three daughters. The daughters must decide what to do with the aging home which becomes one part of the storyline.

Moving along to the focal storyline, Kate's four year old son Jack has been saying odd things since he learned to speak and once his speaking became more clear, he has had many stories to tell about a past life he claims to have had. As any parent would be, Kate is skeptical and questions where he may have heard about this supposed past life before. Jack, however, is saying things she has never spoken about or even heard about herself and she finds herself drawing deeper into his stories. She starts to wonder, maybe Jack does have a connection to his previous life. Her husband Neil, however, is a Evolutionary Biologist who tries to find the logic in what is happening and does not entertain the notion Jack could be remembering a previous life.

I loved this book. The author's ability to weave suspense and emotion into the story, while sprinkling in a supernatural element made this book hard to put down. The writing style perfectly built up the tension and unraveled the mystery, holding my attention from beginning to end.

This is a 4.5-star read for me. The ending wasn’t as climactic as I had anticipated, which was a bit of a letdown after such a mesmerizing read. Nonetheless, it was still a great book. Gregg Dunnett is a brilliant author, and I look forward to more from him.

It is a suspenseful family drama with viewpoints after and leading up to tragic family events, which is enough to keep most readers engaged. This one has more, a supernatural twist that affects the outcome. It is pacy with flawed characters and sometimes toxic family relationships. I like the additional dimension, the complex characters, the family dynamic, and the immersive quality, which draws you in and makes you think about the issues raised.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Do you believe in reincarnation?

Kate never did... until her son Jack started saying things he shouldn't have known as such a young child. This made her start to wonder, and as time elapsed, she starts to make connections to what he's saying and a tragic death their family experienced before he was born. She realizes that Jack is saying he used to be someone else, and it throws Kate for a loop. Well written and developed story line, that is captivating from the beginning.

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Gregg Dunnett for the eARC.

Something terrible has happened to Kate Marshall's family; several people have died in a fire. The book alternates between the FBI questioning Kate about the fire and Kate recounting many events from the past.

Once I realized the book touched on the possibility of reincarnation, I almost tapped out. I am not into what I consider "supernatural" storylines as I don't find them believable. I'd like to think I'm not a quitter, so I pushed on. It took me 7 days to read this book, which is a VERY long time for me.

Admittedly, the storyline was very unique, but I also found the "whodunit" to be predictable. I really wanted to like this book, but I just didn't find it very enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

In The Lake House Children, the stories of three sisters and their families, their envy, jealousy, enmity and loss are intertwined.
The eldest sister, married to a successful businessman and mother of twins, lives to show off to her peers and to dominate her sisters.
The second sister is still grieving the death of her only son, Zack, who drowned years ago in the lake. As a result of this tragedy, her husband separates from her, although in a friendly manner.
Kate, the youngest sister and protagonist of this story, is the mother of a little boy, Jack, who was born several years after the death of her little cousin. She is married to a scientist.
The plot of this story revolves around the death of three family members during a fire at the lake house and the investigation she is subjected to, during which it is revealed that Jack is the reincarnation of his cousin Zack, and the boy tells facts that only Zack could know. A well-written story, with very human characters, that keeps the reader's interest from beginning to end, with an unexpected ending. Highly recommended.
I thank the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
The opinion I have expressed above is based solely on what I think and feel about this book.

The Lake House Children is my first book by Gregg Dunnett and it was an incredible ride! I loved the book so much and didn't see some of the final twists coming. Wow. Kate is married to Neil and they have a four year old son, Jack. Ever since Jack was born he's been terrified of water. He's so terrified that he doesn't take a bath and freaks out if they turn on the shower. Jack insists when he's able to talk that he used to be a big boy who died. Every kid says weird things and have active imaginations, but Jack can give details about how he died and where it happened. Kate takes it seriously, but Neil thinks it's crazy.

Imagine having a child who can tell you things they remember from before the time they were born. Jack reveals a memory he has from the family lake house that contradicts the story that everyone was told. If what Jack is saying is true, the family Kate thought she had will be no more. Should Kate keep quiet or blow it all up with Jack's memory? This book grabs you and will make you think about it a lot. I look forward to reading more from Gregg Dunnett and don't want to say more about the book as I want everyone to have the same experience I had. I rate The Lake House Children 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and Gregg Dunnett for an advanced copy of The Lake House Children in exchange for a fair review. #TheLakeHouseChildren

The Lakehouse children is a family drama wrapped up in a procedural mystery and I was here for all of it. I love that the story slowly unfolded yet there was never a dull moment.

The past and present intertwined very well without any confusion. I dont know what i would do in their situation but lets hope I never have to find out!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the great book!

Fun read with surprising and original twists. Didn't put it down for 2 days. Love, love, loved it!

Review was also posted on goodrrads

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC.

This was definitely a unique book. It's got some creepy elements because kids really can be creepy and say the weirdest things. It's got a lot of police procedural elements and it's one of my favorite styles: the post incident interrogation where you are figuring it out a long the way. Plus of course the thriller elements.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the journey. I knocked down to a 4 star because I did figure out all the ending twists early. However the beginning and middle twists I don't think I could have seen coming. I also did like the end and it made sense.

Overall this was a unique and creepy journey. This isn't horror but one of the creepier thrillers I've read.