Atmospheric. Riveting. Haunting. Unforgettable.  All these words and many others have already been used to describe Jaime Jo Wright’s newest release from Bethany House Publishers, but I will use them again because you simply cannot explain “The Souls of Lost Lake” without them!  Even though I finished this novel several days ago, just naming the title transports me back into the story that is so masterfully written, I truly felt as though I was there.  I can picture each scene and location vividly, and watch as the characters step out of the mist and into my vision.  It is almost creepy, actually, how real this story feels!

“The Souls of Lost Lake” is not a story for the faint of heart, and yes, it does sometimes get a little gruesome in the descriptions.  After all, it is a mystery about a family allegedly killed with an axe…. But there is a lot more to it than simply a murder mystery.  For example, it is a dual-time novel so the past interweaves with the present in seemingly unexplainable ways.  And the themes and truths woven into this masterpiece are deep and challenging and push us to confront our own inner lives in ways that may be uncomfortable, but are needed nonetheless.  

If you are up for the challenge, reading this story will be an experience you won’t soon forget.  A word of caution is to perhaps read the story when other people are around, in broad daylight, when you have lots of time (perhaps even to read it in one day!).  Why?  Because quite simply, it will scare you – and yet you won’t want to put it down until you reach the end!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”