These Still Black Waters by Christina McDonald #ChristinaMcDonald #JessLambert #BrilliancePublishing

the setup…
It’s been ten years since Detective Jess Lambert moved to Black Lake and a lot has changed in her life. Eight months ago she was in an accident that had tragic results and she’s slowly making her way back. It’s her first case since, the discovery of a woman’s body in the lake and it is clear she was murdered. Neve Maguire has just returned to the lake from Boston with her daughter Ash, a place where she used to “summer” as a teen. Though she knows the murdered woman, she denies any knowledge of her when Jess spots her leaving the scene. Both women are suffering from the effects of trauma but Neve is hiding a lot of other secrets and Jess is determined to root them out.

the heart of the story…
It’s tricky territory here to say too much more as there are quite a few bends and turns to navigate. Jess is numbing her trauma with alcohol and it’s sometimes frustrating being in her head. It’s obvious she’s a good investigator but her judgment is clouded. Neve escaped Boston after a brutal home invasion and its tough distinguishing what’s trauma and reality. And then there’s a third, unidentified point of view who is clearly dangerous.

the narration…
I loved that multiple narrators were used for the three points of view as that clarity was essential. All delivered wonderful performances and gave distinctive voices to their characters.

the bottom line…
It takes some patience to get through Jess’s and Neve’s trauma filled musings at times but believe me, the payoff is worth it. Distinguishing reality from fantasy wasn’t easy and when this story took a big turn, I literally couldn’t stop listening. I enjoyed the paranormal elements as they were deftly woven into the real. This was packed with the unexpected, a good thing.

Book Info

• Release Date: October 1, 2023
• Series: Jess Lambert #1
• Narrators: Angela Dawe, Erin Bennett & Ellen Quay
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 14 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

Listen to a Sample!

Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Audible

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)