Book Review: Stillhouse Lake by Rachel Caine

Stillhouse Lake
Author: Rachel Caine
Publication: Thomas & Mercer (July 1, 2017)

Description: 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.

My Thoughts: This very tense thriller tells the story of a woman who was married to a serial killer but had no idea of his crimes. After being acquitted of being an accomplice, Gina Royal who has now renamed herself Gwen Proctor has fled with her children to get away from the "good" people who are constantly harassing them because they feel she must have known what her husband was doing.

Gwen has uprooted her two kids a number of times when the harassers got too close but now has come to settle on remote Stillhouse Lake in Tennessee. She is ready to pick up her kids and run at any time but hopes, primarily for her kids' welfare, not to have to run again. She is tentatively making some contacts with the guy who runs the gun range and another guy who is renting a cabin for a few months to write a book. Otherwise her only contact is online with a man named Absalom who helps her when she needs to check out some new contact or start a new identity.

She is getting settled in when a body is found in the lake and she becomes a person of interest in a crime again. It becomes even worse when a second body is found. She is under suspicion from the police who bring her in for questioning and she doesn't know who she can trust. Her main focus is to protect her children. She will do anything to keep them safe.

This story gives a very chilling picture of what it would be like to be accused of a crime you didn't commit but to be convicted by the court of public opinion. The descriptions of the vitriolic messages she gets from people who don't know her but have condemned her anyway were chilling. The fear that those people wouldn't be satisfied with venting their spleen via social media would terrify any parent.

I couldn't put this one down and read it in one day.  I'll be looking forward to seeing what happens next because this one had a cliffhanger ending.

Favorite Quote:

It's ironic that there are protection programs for witnesses, but not for us. Never for us.

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from Kindle First. You can buy your copy here.