Staff Writer: Kimberly
Published Date: July 1, 2017
Number of pages: 286 pages
Format: physical book
Genre: Thriller
Tags: mystery, suspense, crime, adult fiction
Cardigan rating: 4 out of 5
Thoughts:
*This one has been out for awhile, but Book 7 in the series Darkwater Lane came out this summer so I decided to start from the beginning. I love discovering a series after it's already been out so I don’t have to wait on the next one!
As a huge true crime and thriller fan, I dove into "Stillhouse Lake" by Rachel Caine expecting a solid page-turner, and I’m happy to say that it delivered. The story follows Gina Royal, who's living this normal suburban life until her world explodes—turns out her hubby is a serial killer with a secret torture chamber in their garage and she never knew it throughout their entire marriage and raising two teenagers. Caine nails the tension, making you feel Gina's paranoia and desperation as she changes her name to Gwen and goes on the run with her kids, constantly looking over her shoulder. It's got that gritty, real-feel vibe that keeps you up late, flipping pages like your life depends on it. I was suspicious of EVERYONE that she interacted with, and every chapter had me switching who I thought could be behind the fresh set of evil deeds that were happening to her.
When it comes to serial killers, I’ve always wondered how that person could function in normal society, and how could the people in their lives not know or be suspicious of them. This book explores those ideas, as well as dealing with the aftermath and survival of having been married to a brutal murderer. It also depicts how vicious people can be towards others they don’t even know on the internet. I feel internet mob mentality is real and can absolutely ruin a person’s life. I can’t go into detail without spoiling things, but there were a few choices that didn’t logically make sense so I couldn’t say it was a complete five star book for me, but I recommend going along for the ride without questioning things too deeply because overall I enjoyed it. If you're like me and love crime novels—whether it's about the hunt, the mind games, or the fallout—this one's a must-read. The suspense and emotional punches have me already looking for book two, Killman Creek. We don't have this one at FCLS, so go ahead and put in an ILL request for it if you decide to read Stillhouse Lake.
Side note: On one of the last pages, the author includes a recommended soundtrack for the book. I didn’t love all of the songs, but I love the idea of setting the mood with music. I love music as much as books so the fact that the author did this made me like her as a person.