The newly released book Lake House Children by Gregg Dunnett is definitely a winner in my eyes; I thoroughly enjoyed it. The book deals with family loss, grief, betrayal and reincarnation and much more. In the event you find reincarnation a topic you prefer not to read then you may wish to pass, although Mr. Dunnett deals with it from a scientific and documented perspective. I would highly recommend reading the Author's Notes for additional insights. The Lake House Children is a very well written suspense novel with a finely tuned plot, excellent character development and a unique and intriguing storyline. 4.5 Stars

Woooooo! Stop what you are doing and do yourself a favour and grab yourself a copy of The Lake House Children right now.. and if you have Kindle Unlimited it’s FREE to download.

I’m normally a bit stingy with my 5 star ratings because, to me personally, a book with 5 stars has to be something exceptional, have that special ingredient that sets it apart from all the other books I read and The Lake House Children does. It also includes a very spooky 4 year old boy, a dual timeline, a very dysfunctional family and several dead bodies! Win/Win.

The story starts with Kate being interviewed by the police in the aftermath of a fire which has left at least 4 people dead. The reader is then taken on a disturbing journey back in time through Kate’s interviews of the events which lead up to the horrific fire.

The story unfolds slowly and powerfully, and the reader is never sure who has survived and who died. The Lake House Children is chilling and thrilling in equal measures and I don’t want to give anything away, so it’s best that you just read the book knowing as little as possible to experience the sheer brilliance of this story.

There are some OUTSTANDING twists that I couldn’t see coming and at least one OMG moment which caught me by surprise. I absolutely LOVED this book and found myself unable to put it down, but not actually wanting to finish it as it was so good.

This is my first book by Gregg Dunnett and I have already downloaded Little Ghosts which is FREE on Kindle Unlimited.

5 stars and also going straight into my Top Ten books of 2024

The Lake House Children
by Gregg Dunnett
Pub Date: Sep 18 2024

The Lake House Children is a very well written story the veers into the supernatural along with crime and mystery. I have never read anything by this author before but after reading this I am looking forward to reading more of his books! The story starts with an elderly widower father calling a family dinner at the Lake House, a dinner shrouded in mystery. The drama starts there and continues until the last page. I couldn't put it down until I found out what that dinner was all about!

Synopsis: Kate’s son Jack insists he used to be someone else. Someone who died, tragically. At first, Kate’s confused about what he’s telling her. Don’t little kids say the weirdest things? But soon she can’t pretend it isn’t something more. No four-year-old should know what Jack does – have memories from before he was born.

Many, many thanks to #TheLakeHouseChildren #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for providing me with an E-ARC of this exceptional 5 star E-ARC!

This is a captivating mystery thriller. It starts with a fire in a lake house which leaves four people dead. One of the survivors, Kate, is interrogated about what happened. And she tells a strange story.



Kate has a son, Jack. Since he began to speak, he is saying weird things. He says he remembers being someone else, another boy who drowned. Kate has two sisters, and one of them lost her son Zack tragically in a drowning accident. So, is Jack the reincarnation of Zack? And what happened really on that day. And why did the lake house burn down?



At first I had my problems to find into the story. We get thrown into the investigation room with Kate without knowing much about what is going on. But soon I was gripped. The story jumps back and forth in time but it is easy to follow. The story is mysterious and has a supernatural touch. But it is so well done. I really liked the writing and the construction of the story. This was my first book from this author, I never came across his work before. But I surely will check out his other books.

4.25 stars
I had read "The Things You Find in Rockpools" by Gregg Dunnett years ago, and really loved it, so I was so excited to receive this ARC. I love his writing style, and he always has a unique and interesting approach to the plotline of his books. This story follows Kate Marshall, wife to Neil and mother to Jack, age 3 at the beginning of the story. Jack is a bit difficult as he has night terrors and is extremely afraid of standing water.

The story opens with Kate being interviewed by FBI agent Jim McGee who is a couple of weeks from retiring. There has been a fire at the family home that sits on the lake, and 4 people have died in that fire. Kate begins to tell the story of what happened by starting with events in the past. This family has had a lot of tragedy. Her mother passed away after struggling with ALS. Her sister, Bea, lost her son Zach to a terrible drowning tragedy. Then her father asked Kate, Bea and Amber (the oldest sister) to come to the lakehouse for a visit. Amber brings her husband and two children along (Aaron and Eve)- although Amber's children are freshman in college now. While there, Kate's son Jack begins saying a few strange things, and seems to be very close to Bea. The father dies, and leaves the house to the girls.

As time goes on, the sisters decide to let Amber renovate the family lake house. Jack's behavior is getting stranger. He begins telling Kate that he remembers things that he should not know about. The revelations keep coming and Kate wants to help her son, so she begins questioning him, and looking into what might be the cause. Her husband is resistant because he is a scientist, and Kay's ideas do not make sense to him. Then Jack begins revealing information about Zach's drowning, yet Jack was not even born at the time.

Ok- I am sorry if that was a bit confusing- trying my best to put a cohesive synopsis together!

This book was fantastic! I really liked how the author took a unique route in putting together this creepy, frenetic, mystery/thriller! The information and strands of the story are doled out to the reader in small snippets through the interview, and Kate's telling of the events. Yet I kept staying up because I wanted more! I could relate to Kate- being tired from taking care of Jack, her relationship with Neil, being the peacemaker of the sisters, fear and anxiety over what her child was going through and just wanting to do anything to help him. I was rooting for Kate and Jack the whole time- even when I wasn't sure whether she started the fire! The theme of family protection runs throughout the story- in both good and bad ways.

The mystery/thriller was really good. It is a bit dark, and often feels claustrophobic. There were twists and revelations- especially the last 3rd of the book, that I did not see coming and had my heard spinning. And just when I thought I knew the "who" of the murderer, SURPRISE! Another "who came up, with a second murder.

It is a twisty, creepy ride that I highly recommend!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was my first book by Gregg Dunnett and I am excited to read more of his books. Kate’s 4 year old son Jack, who struggles to talk at his age level begins talking about things he has never experienced and events that happened before he was born. Kate and her husband Neil disagree about Jacks claims. Neil believes there is a scientific explanation for all the things that Jack is claiming but soon he cannot deny it anymore. This book kept me guessing until the end. I thought I had figured out the mystery several times but was pleasantly surprised at how unexpected it was. Dunnett did a great job with this dual time line weaving in the important events of the past that supported Jack’s claims. These claims will forever change the relationship of the Lake House Children.

TWs mentioned below: child death, assisted suicide.

Kate, husband Neil, & young son Jack are heading to their family's lake house. Kate's father has invited the entire close family for the weekend but when they arrive, a woman they have never met is there. Standoffish & a little cold, Susan is obviously their dad's new girlfriend, the first after their mother died, but Kate's oldest sister, Amber, is worried that Susan is after their father's money & the lake house. The middle sister, Bea, doesn't seem all that concerned but then she has little love for the lake house after her young son, Zach, drowned in a terrible accident several years before. The next morning, their father is dead & all hell breaks loose.

Shortly after these events Kate notices that her four-year-old son is starting to say strange things about being 'bigger before', he has an extreme phobia to being in water, & he seems to have a strange attachment to Bea. When he tells her one day that he used to be Zack & tells her details from Zack's life he couldn't possibly know, Kate is stunned but curious. Neil, meanwhile, is adamant that Jack is making it all up for attention. As Jack continues to give Kate further details, he reveals that Zack's death was not the accident it was reported as.

This was a really good read written in the style of main character, Kate, being interviewed by two FBI agents about a fire. The timeline swaps back & forth between the interview & past events. The plot may be a bit out there but I was riveted to find out if what I thought had happened was right (it was). It was fairly pacy, & well-written, although I do have a couple of thoughts about it. First of all, there's the whole big plot point at the start about assisted suicide & then it's barely mentioned again. What did it really add to the story? The plot then pivots to the paranormal angle which actually works pretty well. Secondly, why would you call your child Jack when your sister recently lost her child named Zack? Seems a tad insensitive to me. Overall though, there was enough here to keep me interested & I have a couple of the author's other books in my TBR pile, so I will be reading them in due course. 4 stars.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Storm Publishing, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

This was a gripping story that I couldn’t put down. A case that seemed like it would be a simple last case for FBI Agent Jim McGee was anything but straightforward. I enjoyed that there was a supernatural element of the story. It started a little slow while the story was being set up but then it took off. This is the first book I’ve read by Gregg Dunnett but it won’t be the last!

Thank you to the author, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

Most of this story was set in interrogation as FBI interview Kate. She survived a house fire that took a chunk of her family.
The story progresses with her memories as she goes back to in time bringing them forward to how they were all assembled in this house.
Ugly secrets are spilled and the mystery of her small boy and his odd memories.
It's very twisted and you can't put it down.
Is Kate a suspect or a witness or totally innocent?
It's possibly a crime that won't get solved...or will it?
I've not read this author before but I'm certainly going to check his other books.

I just enjoyed so much reading this story, for the first time I saw the question of reincarnation being interwoven with a crime mystery and the result is just overwhelming! Jack recalls his past life and the more his mother helps him understand what goes on in his mind the more problems will arise and shake the whole family. The "perfect relationships" have much more than what's seen and once barriers start to being broken there's no way to foresee which will be the outcome. The Lake House Children is a story of greed, familial relationships, deadly secrets, betrayal and finally reaching a time of recovery and acceptance even for those detectives that worked the case. I particularly enjoyed the way Mr. Dunnett worked the reincarnation theme as opposed to logic and scientific factors. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, his publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is an intriguing psychological thriller that will have you questioning your beliefs. Is it possible for someone to have knowledge of events that happened before they were born? Oh, and that person is only 4 years old so it's not like he read about things on the internet. There's a different dynamic in the Marshall family and as the story progresses, you can't help but wonder what is going on. What is the truth of events that have happened? And the closer the story gets to the end, the more secrets that get revealed. There were certainly some surprises that I didn't see coming.

This was the first book I’ve read by this author & the first book I’ve read with this sort of plot and it exceeded my expectations.
The story is clever, well written & thrilling. I loved the two timelines and thought it was executed really well.
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I want to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

The Lake House Children is a little confusing at the start, it starts with a woman, Kate being interviewed by the police about a fire at the family home, what she retells suspends the detective beliefs, as she tells a story of murder and reincarnation, is she telling the truth or she the murderer.
The tale reminded me of the novel Audrey Rose, and it is definitely thought provoking about when we die. is that it or do we sometimes get a second chance.

OMG! I loved THE LAKE HOUSE CHILDREN by Gregg Dunnett so much, I couldn’t put it down.

Kate Marshall’s family has been torn apart by tragedy…angain! After her mother’s death when she was younger, she and her sisters step in to help their father. Then tragedy struck again seven years ago when Bea’s son, Zack accidentally drowned while at the lake house. After that, the sisters tried to move on and basically went their separate ways. When their father summons them to the lake house when Kate’s son Jack is 2 1/2, the sisters are sure that he is going to tell them that he is remarrying, putting their inheritance at risk. However, that is not how the weekend comes to pass. As Jack becomes more verbal, Kate seems to be the only one who can understand his mumblings. Then he starts saying very odd things that make no sense to her husband, Neil, an evolutionary biologist, but Kate begins to wonder when Zach starts saying he has been here before. Kate continues to question Jack about his likes and dislikes, etc. and even contacts a researcher about what Jack is reporting.

Meanwhile, rich, successful sister Amber is in the process of renovating the lake house and shaping her college aged twins, Aaron and Eva, with husband, Brock. Bea continues to deal with her grief and has divorced and withdrawn from the world since Zack’s death.

The backdrop of the novel is Kate’s police interrogation with Detectives McGee and Robbins after even more deaths in a fire at the lake house. While Kate understands that what she has to say is unbelievable, she tells detectives what led up to the fire.

This one had me hooked from the first page! I couldn’t get through the pages fast enough. Could re-incarnation be happening all around us? My pulse was racing and my breath was catching in my throat as the final culmination of all Kate has learned comes to the forefront in the most shocking conclusion. The writing was clear and concise which led to an enjoyable read. I am glad to see that Mr. Dunnett has other psychological thrillers and I will certainly be looking into them also.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC opportunity. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.

When a young boy drowns, an entire family is shaken. That horrible death is followed by a few more. Grandma passes away, and then, within a short period, the grandfather follows as well. However, his death is not as calm as the grandmother's. Questions, anger, and shock grab the family as they try to cope with what has happened. But all that will seem like nothing as the next family drama unfolds....

As Jack grows up, there seem to be little things that do not make sense. He says things he shouldn't know. As his parents argue over the best way to figure out what is going on, questions about the past are being recalled.

When the family gets together for the grand reopening of the Lake House, everything seems perfect, pretend perfect. As the allegations from Jack begin to come out, it could lead to one unforgettable explosion.

This was a fantastic book! I really enjoyed it. Once I got into the first couple of chapters, it seemed to not want to let go, demanding a one-sitting finish. Get ready for one family reunion that no one will ever forget.

TW: Child Drowning, Reincarnation

“Katherine Marshall” began Agent Robbins as he formally began the interview of the Suspect they believe is responsible for the Arson-“you should be aware that providing false statements to a federal agent, is a Federal offense-including those made today…”

But, how did we get to the point where Kate is the Suspect sitting before agents McGee and Robbins, still smelling of smoke from a fire that most of her family perished in?

WELL-it all started when a summons from her father gathered Kate-her two sisters-Amber and Bea-and their families-to a weekend at the Lake House-presumably to meet his new “friend” Susan.

And, it all ended with a fire at that same Lake House, two years later.

But between those two events are many TWISTS and TURNS that I promise you WON’T see coming!

And, many of the CHILLING SECRETS that will be revealed will come from Kate’s son-a toddler named Jack-who struggles to explain what happened from when he “used to be bigger”…

Kate’s husband Neil, is a scientist who doesn’t believe that reincarnation is possible but Kate knows that the things Jack is saying didn’t come from her, and their opposite opinions make the family dynamics throughout the story ring true.

I have never read a book by Gregg Dunnett before, but I am thrilled to have discovered his work. It was the perfect start to 2024 SPOOKY SEASON, and it kept me engaged from the first page through the last.

I can’t wait to discover his backlist.

AVAILABLE NOW!

Thank You to Storm Publishing for the gifted copy provided through NetGalley. As always, these are my candid thoughts.

Well, the story was quite a surprise. It is an investigation by two FBI agents, and it is full of family drama. I enjoy reading, as I generally enjoy investigative stories. There are some unexpected twists, and the last 10 percent of the book has an incredible flow of events.

Mae teuluoedd yn bethau cymhleth, ac wrth i ni gael ein cyflwyno i deulu Kate mae hynny'n dod i'r amlwg am ei theulu hi yn eithaf cynnar yn y nofel hon. Cawn fynd i dŷ'r teulu sydd ar ymyl llyn, cartref tad Kate a'i chwiorydd, lle daw'r teulu i gyd ynghyd a chyn bo hir mae'n amlwg nad un teulu hapus yw hwn. Mae Jack, mab Kate, yn dechrau honni ei fod yn arfer bod yn rhywun arall, rhywun a fu farw mewn trasiedi yn y tŷ hwn, ac mae Jack yn gwybod llawer o bethau na ddylai bachgen bach pedair oed eu gwybod na'u cofio. Mae'r stori yn neidio rhwng y presennol yn dilyn trasiedi arall yn y tŷ,a'r gorffennol wrth i Kate adrodd eu hanes mewn cyfweliad gyda'r heddlu. Mae nifer o gymeriadau lliwgar o bob oed yma, a sawl cyfrinach i'w datgelu. Nofel ddirgelwch gydag elfen o'r paranormal wedi'i hysgrifennu gyda llinyn storiol cryf, cynnil a gafaelgar ond fe wnes i ddyfalu beth ddigwyddodd yn y gorffennol o ran bywyd blaenorol Jack, ond roedd tro yn y gynffon ar y diwedd a oedd yn gwbl annisgwyl.

Families are complicated things, and as we are introduced to Kate's family it becomes obvious that this family is no exception quite early on in the novel. We are taken to the family's lake house, Kate's father's house, as Kate and her siblings come together and before long we can clearly see this is not one big happy family. Jack, Kate's son, starts to claim that he used to be someone else, someone who passed away in a tragedy at the house, and Jack knows many things that no four year old should know or remember. The story jumps between the present following another tragedy in the house and the past as Kate retells the family's story in a police interview. There are many colorful characters of all ages here, and many secrets to be revealed. A story full of mystery with an element of the paranormal written with a strong, subtle and gripping storyline, although I did guess what had happened in the past in Jack's previous life, but the twist at the end was completely unexpected.

This was a very unusual story with lots of moving parts. It was intriguing and tense. There were hair-raising and spine tingling moments that will leave you breathless with a clever cast of characters and a haunting plot filled with twists that you may, or may not, see coming. You may have to use your imagination a little, but that's what is so fun about reading a fictional book, anything is possible.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

oh my gosh <i> The Lake House Children </i> has become a top five favorite read of the year for me. It was seriously <b> that good </b>. I wasn't sure how I felt about the creepy child/child with issues tropes (I've previously only read two, <i> Hidden Pictures </i> and <i> The Push </i> )and I loved one and did not like the other, so I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. But let me tell you, I couldn't put it down.

Gregg Dunnett has expertly crafted a storyline that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's eerie, atmospheric, and downright creepy, but all in the best way. I was deeply invested and sorry to see it end.

There is a supernatural trope which can be hit and miss with me but if you're on the fence about it, I'd definitely choose to read this one.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review :))