THE GIRL IN THE LAKE (2026) - Review

 

THE GIRL IN THE LAKE 
by Lauren Oliver
My Rating 4 out of 5 Stars 
Available: June 1, 2026

The subtitle, "Department of Unexplained Phenomenon No. 1", should have been my first warning, but I had asked for the book from NetGalley and they recommend a feedback of 80%. My current rating is 50% because I am very behind on reading and reviewing. It's given me a new goal on which to focus.

The story caught my eye though and I enjoyed reading it. Author Lauren Oliver grew up in a family of writers. She has written a number of well received Young Adult titles. "The Girl in the Lake" is considered an adult thriller and supernatural mystery.  

FIRST SENTENCE: "They were lying side by side on beach towels flung out over the grass."

THE STORY: "Kate Willis, a consultant for the University of Virginia's Division of Perceptual Studies, is sent to interview six-year-old Henley Haskell. Henley claims to have vivid memories of a past life that mirror the disappearance of Kate's best friend, Becca McGuire, who vanished 24 years earlier from a summer camp in Stockbridge, Massachusetts."

WHAT I THOUGHT: Author Lauren Oliver brings back all the times and places we remember from our teenage summer camp experiences. Her description of the setting draws the reader in. I personally found Becca a less than useful best friend in Kate's eyes although the relationship has driven her entire life. Oliver's books have appealed to many readers although this is my first.

BOTTOM LINE: RECOMMENDED with a caveat about reporting death.

DISCLAIMER: A copy of The Girl in the Lake was provided to me by Thomas & Mercer  / NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.