Okay, I’ll start with a confession. The Souls of Lost Lake is my first Jaime Jo Wright book. While I might need some post-completion therapy, it won’t be my last. Wow. This author is brilliant.

I don’t typically read straight suspense, and happily, there are small romance threads in this split time story, one in each period. I’m very glad I made the exception. The premise of this book intrigued me and so I decided to start reading. Confession: I began by only reading in daylight, because I am the easiest person to creep out. Weirdly, I didn’t find much to be concerned about and quickly switched to reading during day or night. The Souls of Lost Lake grabbed my attention and didn’t return it until The End.

Two mysteries, but how are they linked?

In present time, we have the staff of a Bible camp in the backwoods of Wisconsin helping search for a missing six year old. Rumor has it, she’s been taken by Ava Coons whose ghost stalks the woods after she appeared almost a century ago covered in blood and carrying an axe. Arwen (Wren) feels a strange compulsion toward the search and the story of Ava.

In 1930, Ava is accused once again after two locals from Tempters Creek are found dead. Only the pastor and his housekeeper believe in her innocence, and even Ava can’t remember how her family disappeared.

The two heroines, Ava and Wren are very different but equally lost and while their stories are so very different, their journeys share striking similarities. Both needed to summon up remarkable courage, both had to face tragedy and sorrow. And when they did, life was forever changed.

The story itself was compelling and clever, with a twist coming around ninety percent of the way through that I did not see coming at all, but yet it fit the narrative completely. Tightly written, cleverly conceived and compelling, I’d highly recommend The Souls of Lost Lake to anyone who enjoys suspense.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. The opinions are my own.