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Summit Lake
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
21 posts | 28 read | 24 to read
A gem of a mystery, fast-paced and suspenseful.--Catherine Coulter, # 1 New York Times bestselling author Set in a small, picturesque North Carolina town, Charlie Donleas suspenseful debut novel tells the haunting story of a murdered law school student, the reporter assigned to her storyand the intimate connection that comes when the living walk in the footsteps of the dead. No suspects. No persons of interest. Just a girl who was alive one day and dead the next. Some places seem too beautiful to be touched by horror. Summit Lake, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, is that kind of place, with charming stilt houses dotted along the pristine water. But two weeks ago, Becca Eckersley, a first-year law student, was brutally murdered in one of those houses. The daughter of a powerful attorney, Becca was hard-working, accomplished, and ambitious. Now, while the town reels with grief and shocked residents gather to share their theories, the police are baffled. At first, investigative reporter Kelsey Castle thinks of the assignment as a fluff piece. But the savagery of the crime, and the determined efforts to keep the case quiet, all hint at something far more than a random attack by a stranger. As Kelsey digs deeper, pushing on despite danger and warnings, she feels a growing connection to the dead girl. And the more she learns about Beccas friendships, her love lifeand the secrets she was keepingthe more convinced she becomes that learning the truth about Becca could be the key to overcoming her own dark past Advance Praise for Summit Lake An exciting debut, with all the right touches, captivating from the first page to the last. Theres a bright future ahead for this newcomer to the thriller genre definitely a talent to watch.--Steve Berry, New York Times bestselling author Gripping! This one kept me up late into the night.--Nancy Bush, New York Times bestselling author A swift, outstanding debut. Summit Lake engrossed me then knocked me cold. Charlie Donlea is a superb storyteller sure to damage the best seller lists.--Robert Dugoni, New York Times bestselling author Summit Lake makes a small town come alive through the lens of madness, misunderstandings, betrayal, and a pile of the kind of secrets that makes a mystery of a life so hard to untangle from its death. The pages fly by, zinging through the twists and revelations, all the way to the shattering conclusion.--Jamie Mason A brilliant, haunting thriller in which The Lovely Bones meets The Silence of the Lambswith a bit of Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure! Charlie Donlea weaves a unique, spellbinding tale about a bond between two fascinating womenone living, one dead. Full of unexpected twists and turns, Summit Lake is an irresistible page-turner.--Kevin OBrien, New York Times bestselling author Grabs you from the very start and doesnt let go! This gripping thriller keeps you at the edge of your seat and gasping in all the right places. Donlea spins a perfectly crafted story of two women, both victims of violent crime, searching for justice, redemption and ultimatelypeace. You wont be able to put this book down until youve uncovered all the secrets hidden inside the picturesque town of Summit Lake.--Emily Bleeker
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Bec_lectic
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Mehso-so

The only thing that really saved this book was there was a good twist. A girl is murdered in Summit Lake & the reporter sent to investigate her murder is helped unbelievably by a local police officer & of course handsome doctor. The story is not bad but it‘s almost borderline cheesy with how all the clues easily falls into place & holes in the plot that you wonder why they were ever introduced. Debating if I‘ll try another book by this author.

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swishandflick
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Pickpick

A very solid whodunnit! As Becca's secrets come to light after her horrific murder, I was hooked. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

kspenmoll I was hooked as well! 1y
57 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kspenmoll
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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This is my last week before I go back to teaching. I hope to finish both Minor Feelings & The Book of Cold Cases. The others I will read/listen to as much as I can. #DeniseLevertov #memoir #mystery #literatibookclub #audiomystery

Karisa My school started a week and a half ago… Feels like getting back onto a rollercoaster! 🎢😂 2y
Cinfhen Enjoy !!!! Before you know it, it‘ll be Halloween 🎃 2y
kspenmoll @Cinfhen Not ready for🎃! I plan to Thoroughly enjoying my last week! 2y
kspenmoll @Karisa I can only imagine until I am on that 🎢 nect week! (edited) 2y
47 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ConfessionofaBookaholic
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Mehso-so

It was alright but there were some big plot points that were just left and forgotten. Like the author added it as an after thought and forgot to incorporate it into the ending, or maybe decided to take it out but forgot to go back and remove the content. Idk it was enough to turn what could have been a good book bad. Either way, more points for #TeamSlaughter @Clwojick

38 likes1 comment
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BeckyWithTheGoodBooks
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Mehso-so

Predictable thriller, pedestrian dialogue, and something about the plot/writing came across as very dated. I kept forgetting that this story takes place in 2011. Too many red herrings that fell flat. The characters acted in ways that made no sense; the worst example being the reporter healing from a recent trauma was WAY too trusting. Still, there were moments, particularly in the final chapters, where the writer‘s potential shown through. 2.5⭐️

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Crazeedi
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Pickpick

#marvelousMarch @Andrew65
#BookSpinBingo #2 @TheAromaofBooks
Kelsey is sent to Summit lake to try to get reoriented to life after the trauma she suffered. While there she will write a piece for her magazine about a recent murder investigation. But all is not as it seems and she is pulled in to the mystery as to why the police are covering up the investigation.

Andrew65 Looks good, well done 👏👏👏 3y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 3y
54 likes1 stack add3 comments
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CaitlinR
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Mehso-so

Recommended by a friend. His first mystery, not bad, but not great. Donlea has a somewhat overwrought style (“The winter night sucked the sky black ...”.) and it was pretty clear who the bad guy was, even with the bait & switch. I haven‘t read his others.

The plot: a young law student is found murdered in her parents summer home at Summit Lake. Kelsey Castle is journalist who is investigating what happened.

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bbackes
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Audiobook again

5 likes1 stack add
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BlueStockingReviews
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Pickpick

SUMMIT LAKE is a haunting story of both a murdered law school student, and the reporter assigned to cover her story. I loved the well-crafted alternating storylines detailing both Becca‘s life prior to her murder and Kelsey‘s investigation after Becca‘s murder. https://www.bluestockingreviews.com/post/summit-lake

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morgan_krahn
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Needed an ebook to read while at my desk...flipped though all my unread choices on my kindle and settled on this one! #currentread

63 likes2 stack adds
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Bookloverforever
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Reita325
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
Mehso-so

It's a run-of-the-mill mystery but not a bad way to spend a few hours.

RadicalReader @Reita325 what has been your favorite mystery you‘ve read? 6y
Reita325 Very tough to pick one of the thousands I‘ve read. “The Murder of Roger Ackroyd” by Agatha Christie gave me my first true jolt when I was a teenager. 6y
3 likes2 comments
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BookDragonNotWorm
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
Pickpick

This is a good, by the book mystery, with all aspects done right. I saw through the red herring that led to the final plot twist, but still enjoyed the story and couldn't put it down when the action ramped up at the end. It wasn't spectacular, but the writing, character, tone and pacing melded together to make this a book I'd recommend, and an author I'd read again. Nicely done.

RadicalReader @BookDragonNotWorm awesome username love it!!! 6y
22 likes1 comment
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BookDragonNotWorm
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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This description makes me salivate!!! Cracking it open with high hopes 🤓

saresmoore Yikes. 🙈 You are braver than I! 7y
tpixie Wow! Sounds great and scary!! 7y
tpixie @DeborahSmall this sounds like a gory thriller! 7y
See All 7 Comments
DeborahSmall @tpixie up my street!! Thank you! 7y
BookDragonNotWorm @tpixie @DeborahSmall This one isn't such a gory thriller, but the one I'm currently reading - Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton - yikes! This author is almost as brutal as Mo Hayder! 7y
tpixie @BookDragonNotWorm oooh 😲!!! 7y
DeborahSmall I think I have that book, must have a look👍🏼 7y
24 likes3 stack adds7 comments
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BoldCityBooks
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
Pickpick

Great suspenseful novel that I couldn't put down! Centered around a murder mystery in a small and sleepy town, this book flashes back and forth between past and present and the reader never knows what's coming up next. The author is also a really nice guy. Don't miss this book!

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Chocamanda
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Mehso-so

This book tackles some pretty tough issues alongside #richpeopleproblems but does not have the impact I was hoping for. It deserved to be edited and developed more. The narrator was not very good at reading the dialogue especially, so I recommend reading, not listening. #wantedtoloveit #yourresearchisshowing #superfoils

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MorganNotMegan
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Pickpick

Remember how I recommended the audiobook version of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN last week? Well this week I'm going all out for the audiobook of SUMMIT LAKE. This book is fantastic (also a debut?!???) and the audiobook is downright thrilling. There is a reason it is beating TGOTT in audiobook sales right now, you should really check this out. Two leads are female, the story is haunting, believable, and unputdownable.

33 likes3 stack adds
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Pamtherunner
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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Pickpick

I grabbed this because one of the reviews described it as "silence of the lambs" meets "lovely bones." While I'm not entirely sure that is an accurate description, I found this to be an engaging read! The first couple of chapters started a tiny bit slow, but once I got into the story I was hooked!

4 likes1 stack add
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Pamtherunner
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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"But finding a secret is never the key. Figuring out why a secret is a secret"---he lifted his cigarette into the air---"that will lead you somewhere."

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MorganNotMegan
Summit Lake | Charlie Donlea
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"No suspects. No persons of interest. Just a girl who was alive one day and dead the next."

Trav This was a free gift/e-book when I signed up with Kobo. Looking forward to reading it! 8y
MorganNotMegan @trav it's an amazing read! Loved it! 8y
9 likes2 stack adds2 comments