SUMMIT LAKE by Charlie Donlea
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Excellent debut from Charlie Donlea! I can’t believe this book slipped past my “new releases” radar until now. I flew through this story, was totally absorbed in it, loved it.

Kelsey Castle is a crime reporter who’s sent on assignment to a North Carolina mountain town called Summit Lake. This usually idyllic place has had its first murder. The victim, Becca Eckersley, is a promising law student and daughter of a powerful attorney. Kelsey believes the police are going in the wrong direction, possibly trying to cover up what really happened, and she’s determined to find the truth.

The story alternates between Becca’s POV in the months leading up to her murder, and Kelsey’s POV a couple of weeks after the crime. The plot was suspenseful and well-constructed. I enjoyed trying to piece together the puzzle, and the twist at the end was awesome. My only complaint was that I thought Kelsey came by the official evidence (police/medical reports) too easily.

I’d highly recommend SUMMIT LAKE to fans of mystery and crime novels. Dark and haunting.