The Book:
Bitterroot Lake by Alicia Beckman
Published April 13, 2021 by Crooked Lane Books
Date Read: April 19, 2021
The Characters:
Sarah
Her sister Holly
Her childhood friends Janine and Nicole
Her mother Peggy
Buy it on Bookshop.org | Amazon
The Plot (from Goodreads):
Twenty-five years ago, during a celebratory weekend at historic Whitetail Lodge, Sarah McCaskill had a vision. A dream. A nightmare. When a young man was killed, Sarah’s guilt over having ignored the warning in her dreams devastated her. Her friendships with her closest friends, and her sister, fell apart as she worked to build a new life in a new city. But she never stopped loving Whitetail Lodge on the shores of Bitterroot Lake.
Now that she’s a young widow, her mother urges her to return to the lodge for healing. But when she arrives, she’s greeted by an old friend–and by news of a murder that’s clearly tied to that tragic day she’ll never forget.
And the dreams are back, too. What dangers are they warning of this time? As Sarah and her friends dig into the history of the lodge and the McCaskill family, they uncover a legacy of secrets and make a discovery that gives a chilling new meaning to the dreams. Now, they can no longer ignore the ominous portents from the past that point to a danger more present than any of them could know.
The Spoilers:
Michael’s cousin was the one decorating his cross. She had come to town to see where he died for the first time. She did confront Lucas, but didn’t kill him.
Renee killed Lucas. He was supposed to give her part of some shady property deal, but he screwed her. She also had a grudge against Sarah for the money she had. Sarah killed her in self-defense.
The Review:
I’m a sucker for books that take place at run-down houses that the MC is renovating. The setting of this thriller in a run-down lakeside lodge with lots of history was perfect. I loved Caro’s journals and hearing about the other items Sarah and her friends uncovered during their renovations.
I’ve never been a huge fan of paranormal themes in my thrillers, so the whole idea of a ghost giving Sarah and others dreams of what was to come was a little woo-woo for me. Interesting, just not my normal preferred explanation of why strange things are happening. I prefer real-life explanations!
Overall, this was an interesting slow-burn mystery, my first by this author. I listened to it on audio, which helped me get through some of the slower passages. I enjoyed the narrator and thought her voice was a great fit for these characters and this story.
