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The Deepest Lake
In this atmospheric thriller set at a luxury memoir-writing workshop on the shores of Lake Atitlán, Guatemala, a grieving mother goes undercover to investigate her daughter’s mysterious death.
Rose, the mother of 20-something aspiring writer Jules, has waited three months for answers about her daughter’s death. Why was she swimming alone when she feared the water? Why did she stop texting days before she was last seen? When the official investigation rules the death an accidental drowning, the body possibly lost forever in Central America’s deepest lake, an unsatisfied Rose travels to the memoir workshop herself. She hopes to draw her own conclusion—and find closure.
When Rose arrives, she is swept into the curious world created by her daughter’s literary hero, the famous writing teacher Eva Marshall, a charismatic woman known for her candid—and controversial—memoirs. As Rose uncovers details about the days leading up to Jules’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that this glamorous retreat package is hiding ugly truths. Is Lake Atitlan a place where traumatized women come to heal or a place where deeper injury is inflicted?
Perfect for fans of Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, and Julia Bartz, The Deepest Lake is both a sharp look at the sometimes toxic, exclusionary world of high-class writing workshops and an achingly poignant view of a mother’s grief.
Rose, the mother of 20-something aspiring writer Jules, has waited three months for answers about her daughter’s death. Why was she swimming alone when she feared the water? Why did she stop texting days before she was last seen? When the official investigation rules the death an accidental drowning, the body possibly lost forever in Central America’s deepest lake, an unsatisfied Rose travels to the memoir workshop herself. She hopes to draw her own conclusion—and find closure.
When Rose arrives, she is swept into the curious world created by her daughter’s literary hero, the famous writing teacher Eva Marshall, a charismatic woman known for her candid—and controversial—memoirs. As Rose uncovers details about the days leading up to Jules’s disappearance, she begins to suspect that this glamorous retreat package is hiding ugly truths. Is Lake Atitlan a place where traumatized women come to heal or a place where deeper injury is inflicted?
Perfect for fans of Delia Owens, Celeste Ng, and Julia Bartz, The Deepest Lake is both a sharp look at the sometimes toxic, exclusionary world of high-class writing workshops and an achingly poignant view of a mother’s grief.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published May 7, 2024
About the author
Andromeda Romano-Lax
25 books266 followersAndromeda Romano-Lax worked as a freelance journalist and travel writer before turning to fiction. Her first novel, The Spanish Bow, was translated into eleven languages and was chosen as a New York Times Editors’ Choice, BookSense pick, and one of Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year. Among her nonfiction works are a dozen travel and natural history guidebooks to the public lands of Alaska, from Denali National Park to the Tongass National Forest, as well as a travel narrative, Searching for Steinbeck’s Sea of Cortez: A Makeshift Expedition Along Baja’s Desert Coast, which was an Audubon Editor’s Choice. She is a co-founder of 49 Writers, Alaska's statewide literary nonprofit. She currently lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
March 12, 2024
If you love over-the-top plots as I do, you will really enjoy The Deepest Lake. Mostly what I am looking for when I read a book, is drama that has me holding my breath with suspense, and keeps me reading late into the night with riveted attention to find out what happens next. Any minute that I had to do something responsible (like go to my job) that kept me away from this book, I was just waiting for it to be over, so I could get back to this story.
Our three main characters, Rose, Jules, and Eva, are all strong and interesting women. Watching them interact was fantastically entertaining. Eva’s dangerous charisma is like that of a cult leader, and the whole dynamic of her devotees at her writing workshop is tremendously well written. The psychology of hero-worship fascinates me and that’s mostly what The Deepest Lake is about. It examines how leaders get followers, and why the followers need to idolize someone and how they will do absolutely anything to get their idol’s approval.
Thank you so much Netgalley and R&B media for giving me a free audio download in advance of publication. I really love this book and I’m recommending it to anyone who likes drama!
Our three main characters, Rose, Jules, and Eva, are all strong and interesting women. Watching them interact was fantastically entertaining. Eva’s dangerous charisma is like that of a cult leader, and the whole dynamic of her devotees at her writing workshop is tremendously well written. The psychology of hero-worship fascinates me and that’s mostly what The Deepest Lake is about. It examines how leaders get followers, and why the followers need to idolize someone and how they will do absolutely anything to get their idol’s approval.
Thank you so much Netgalley and R&B media for giving me a free audio download in advance of publication. I really love this book and I’m recommending it to anyone who likes drama!
April 6, 2024
Right from the start, this book sucked me in and held me captivated. I couldn’t put it down.
Jules, a young, carefree, world traveler is excited to work for her beloved author, Eva Marshall, at a memoir workshop in Guatemala. This is her dream job! Her parents, however, want her to finish college, so she keeps them in dark about the specifics of the job.
Rose, Jules mother is devastated when she learns her daughter has drowned in Guatemala’s Lake Aititlán. The authorities have informed her that it’s unlikely Jules’ body will be found because the lake is the deepest in Central America. Rose decides to go there and learn how this could have happened to her daughter.
The story is told from two points of view; Jules’ and Rose’s. I liked that we get to read Jules’ first person account of what happened leading up to the drowning. Her story is slowly unraveled alternating with chapters from her Mother’s investigation.
The story quickly picks up like a roller coaster and everything comes to a hair-raising ending!!
I would have given it 5 stars but the ending seemed implausible. I have so many questions! But other readers may understand it better than I did. Overall, I really liked this book and would highly recommend it!
Many thanks to Andromeda Romano-Lax and Soho Press for the ARC via NetGalley!!!
Jules, a young, carefree, world traveler is excited to work for her beloved author, Eva Marshall, at a memoir workshop in Guatemala. This is her dream job! Her parents, however, want her to finish college, so she keeps them in dark about the specifics of the job.
Rose, Jules mother is devastated when she learns her daughter has drowned in Guatemala’s Lake Aititlán. The authorities have informed her that it’s unlikely Jules’ body will be found because the lake is the deepest in Central America. Rose decides to go there and learn how this could have happened to her daughter.
The story is told from two points of view; Jules’ and Rose’s. I liked that we get to read Jules’ first person account of what happened leading up to the drowning. Her story is slowly unraveled alternating with chapters from her Mother’s investigation.
The story quickly picks up like a roller coaster and everything comes to a hair-raising ending!!
I would have given it 5 stars but the ending seemed implausible. I have so many questions! But other readers may understand it better than I did. Overall, I really liked this book and would highly recommend it!
Many thanks to Andromeda Romano-Lax and Soho Press for the ARC via NetGalley!!!
March 8, 2024
★ 4 Stars ★
"The Deepest Lake" is a poignant drama that revolves around the bond between a mother and her daughter. The story follows a young writer and daughter who travels to Guatemala in search of inspiration from her favorite author. She's thrilled when she gets selected as an intern at the author's unorthodox and pricey retreat but soon finds out it's not what she had expected.
The story is told through multiple perspectives and dual timelines. We also follow her mother's journey as she sets out to uncover the truth about what happened to her daughter. The author's description of the lake and the setting is both enchanting and ominous, and I found myself completely absorbed in the audiobook until the very end. The female characters who attended the retreat were diverse and well-defined.
Thanks to Recorded Books for providing this audiobook through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
#TheDeepestLake #AndromedaRomanoLax #RBMedia #RecordedBooks #NetGalley #justfinished #ARC #honestreview #thriller #drama #bookreviewer #thrillerbookloverspromotions #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #bookworm #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer
"The Deepest Lake" is a poignant drama that revolves around the bond between a mother and her daughter. The story follows a young writer and daughter who travels to Guatemala in search of inspiration from her favorite author. She's thrilled when she gets selected as an intern at the author's unorthodox and pricey retreat but soon finds out it's not what she had expected.
The story is told through multiple perspectives and dual timelines. We also follow her mother's journey as she sets out to uncover the truth about what happened to her daughter. The author's description of the lake and the setting is both enchanting and ominous, and I found myself completely absorbed in the audiobook until the very end. The female characters who attended the retreat were diverse and well-defined.
Thanks to Recorded Books for providing this audiobook through NetGalley. As always, all opinions are my own and left voluntarily.
#TheDeepestLake #AndromedaRomanoLax #RBMedia #RecordedBooks #NetGalley #justfinished #ARC #honestreview #thriller #drama #bookreviewer #thrillerbookloverspromotions #thrillerfriendsunite #thrillerobsessedbookishclub #ReadersOfTheLateArc #TalkWordyToMeTeam #lovetoread #bookworm #lovebooks #booknerd #readaholic #bookstagrammer
March 13, 2024
I received an audiobook of this one on Netgalley in exchange for reading and reviewing it. I liked the narration of the book and I thought both of the perspectives telling the story were brought to life well. The story is also told in two timelines which is always nice. Rose is a mother whose daughter went missing in Guatemala and after weeks of searching was determined to have drowned. Rose knows that her daughter’s employer has answers despite refusing to talk to her and her daughter’s father, so she books a writing retreat with the woman, a famous memoirist who has a fancy retreat that her daughter briefly worked at. Jules wanted to see the world and experience things. After one round of rejections from grad schools in writing she doesn’t finish her applications and instead decides to travel through South America. Eve has always been her favorite author, she has read her first memoir dozens of times since she was in high school. She didn’t dare to hope, but is beyond excited when she gets a job as Eve’s assistant. But as Jules learns no one is only one thing and not all memoirs tell the whole story of a person. The big twist at the end wasn’t super surprising. I didn’t like the epilogue at all. I get it, but I didn’t find it really plausible (or satisfying). The story moved pretty well and it was a story I kept wanting to listen to just a little more of.
February 11, 2024
I have visited Lago Atilán myself multiple times and had to pick this book up! There is something incredibly magical about the deepest lake in Guatemala, in all of Latin America. Surrounded by volcanoes, it is truly a vision. This book is also magical and kept me guessing and fully engaged until the very end!
In this story, Rose has traveled to a writing retreat at a small colony on the lake. Her daughter had been working as an assistant for Eva Marshall - a famous writer who is well known worldwide for her story and her writing retreats. Jules has been missing for many months and is presumed dead, drowned in the lake. The famous Eva claims that she barely met Jules much less had her work for her.
Like most mothers, Rose is determined and travels that many miles, many busses, planes and cars to the lake. She is sure she will find something out and it isn't long before she finds a thread.... Romano-Lax provides Jules' portion of the story, a young college graduate searching for that next step, completely enamored with her favorite writer. How did Jules die? Is Eva culpable? Can Rose find closure? Read the Deepest Lake to find out!
#sohopress #thedeepestlake #lgoaatilan #andromedaromanolax
In this story, Rose has traveled to a writing retreat at a small colony on the lake. Her daughter had been working as an assistant for Eva Marshall - a famous writer who is well known worldwide for her story and her writing retreats. Jules has been missing for many months and is presumed dead, drowned in the lake. The famous Eva claims that she barely met Jules much less had her work for her.
Like most mothers, Rose is determined and travels that many miles, many busses, planes and cars to the lake. She is sure she will find something out and it isn't long before she finds a thread.... Romano-Lax provides Jules' portion of the story, a young college graduate searching for that next step, completely enamored with her favorite writer. How did Jules die? Is Eva culpable? Can Rose find closure? Read the Deepest Lake to find out!
#sohopress #thedeepestlake #lgoaatilan #andromedaromanolax
February 16, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. It’s a thriller that actually has a story to tell. Rose’s daughter Jules is missing in Guatemala and Rose searching for answers as to what happened to her.
The book tells the story from the point of view of both mother and daughter. I found it’s a much deeper story than a typical thriller. This story kept me entertained until the very end. I felt like I was travelling with Rose looking for Jules.
The opportunity to review this audiobook was given in exchange for a honest review. Thank you RB Media and NetGalley.
The book tells the story from the point of view of both mother and daughter. I found it’s a much deeper story than a typical thriller. This story kept me entertained until the very end. I felt like I was travelling with Rose looking for Jules.
The opportunity to review this audiobook was given in exchange for a honest review. Thank you RB Media and NetGalley.
October 29, 2023
The description of this book drew me right in. A disappearance. A high end writers retreat. A successful writer that almost has a cult following. The charm and mystery of Guatemala. All the potential was there but it just didn’t fulfill its promise.
Eva Marshall is a well known memoirist who runs writing workshops in a town near Guatemala’s deepest lake, Lake Atitlan. Jules is a young woman at loose ends. She wants to be a writer but has decided not to submit her applications to graduate school for an MFA quite yet. She has issues with her family, loving as they may be, and feels travel will help her figure out who she is and what comes next. Maybe it will give her something to write about. She wangles a job working as Eva’s assistant in running these famous, pricey workshops with the added promise of getting some writing critique on her own work. This is a big win for her since she has idolized Eva’s work since she was a teenager.
Eva is, of course, not who everyone thinks she is and the depth of her lies, deception, and fraud become apparent to Jules almost right away. We know from the beginning that something terrible has happened to her and the book, at a creeping pace, reveals the mystery.
The book opens with a taste of a drowning.. Jules disappears and after a 3-month police ‘investigation,’ the only conclusion they reach is she probably drowned. Her parents don’t know what happened, no body is found, and her mother, Rose, is troubled by the fact that Jules is afraid of the water. Why would she go out in a boat at night?
Out of grief and desperation, Rose, decides to take the writing workshop and probe the mystery of her missing daughter. This is a big leap for her, and the best part of this book is how she finds her way through whatever insecurities have plagued her through her life and does what she has to do to find answers. Nothing will stop her from finding the truth.
Eva is a nut job. The way she conducted her workshops and how she treated her participants were unbelievable. She could have been the villain without the repeated humiliations foisted upon her vulnerable participants. It seemed that everyone in the story was either so emotionally damaged they would be willing to put up with any kind of abuse or would as blind followers commit crimes, both large and small, on her behalf.
The ending was unsatisfying. While we have the answers we need, the very last of it seemed unreasonable. All the moving parts were there for a great story but it just didn’t happen. Too repetitive. Too many characters thrown in. In its favor, the atmosphere and descriptions of the town and its culture were a plus.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Soho Press for the opportunity to read this book and allow me to give an honest review.
Eva Marshall is a well known memoirist who runs writing workshops in a town near Guatemala’s deepest lake, Lake Atitlan. Jules is a young woman at loose ends. She wants to be a writer but has decided not to submit her applications to graduate school for an MFA quite yet. She has issues with her family, loving as they may be, and feels travel will help her figure out who she is and what comes next. Maybe it will give her something to write about. She wangles a job working as Eva’s assistant in running these famous, pricey workshops with the added promise of getting some writing critique on her own work. This is a big win for her since she has idolized Eva’s work since she was a teenager.
Eva is, of course, not who everyone thinks she is and the depth of her lies, deception, and fraud become apparent to Jules almost right away. We know from the beginning that something terrible has happened to her and the book, at a creeping pace, reveals the mystery.
The book opens with a taste of a drowning.. Jules disappears and after a 3-month police ‘investigation,’ the only conclusion they reach is she probably drowned. Her parents don’t know what happened, no body is found, and her mother, Rose, is troubled by the fact that Jules is afraid of the water. Why would she go out in a boat at night?
Out of grief and desperation, Rose, decides to take the writing workshop and probe the mystery of her missing daughter. This is a big leap for her, and the best part of this book is how she finds her way through whatever insecurities have plagued her through her life and does what she has to do to find answers. Nothing will stop her from finding the truth.
Eva is a nut job. The way she conducted her workshops and how she treated her participants were unbelievable. She could have been the villain without the repeated humiliations foisted upon her vulnerable participants. It seemed that everyone in the story was either so emotionally damaged they would be willing to put up with any kind of abuse or would as blind followers commit crimes, both large and small, on her behalf.
The ending was unsatisfying. While we have the answers we need, the very last of it seemed unreasonable. All the moving parts were there for a great story but it just didn’t happen. Too repetitive. Too many characters thrown in. In its favor, the atmosphere and descriptions of the town and its culture were a plus.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Soho Press for the opportunity to read this book and allow me to give an honest review.
May 20, 2024
When her daughter Jules goes missing while working for an esteemed memoirist who leads a luxury writing retreat in Guatemala, Rose is forced to take matters into her own hands to get the answers she craves. Is Eva Marshall, workshop leader, a literary hero or an opportunist who may know more about Jules's disappearance than she lets on?
Andromeda Romano-Lax does a phenomenal job immersing readers in this unique setting, building tension and atmosphere, while exploring mother-child bonds. Writers will love the behind-the-scenes look at writing workshops that are billed as one thing and turn out to be something else entirely.
I can't wait to see what Romano-Lax writes next!
Andromeda Romano-Lax does a phenomenal job immersing readers in this unique setting, building tension and atmosphere, while exploring mother-child bonds. Writers will love the behind-the-scenes look at writing workshops that are billed as one thing and turn out to be something else entirely.
I can't wait to see what Romano-Lax writes next!
June 8, 2024
This high quality audio is a pov story ss rose goes undercover to try and find out what sctually happened to her daughter Jules who disappeared from a writers retreat abroad. There was no body .
This is a pov story today from jules and roses pov. I would describe this as a mystery written with good dedcription
It felt too long but i eas compelled to listen on to find out the ending. The plot was predictable but the characters were well written . The side characters and the retreat made a good sidestory. The narrator was good. I would recommended this to anyone who like a good mystery but be awate of the length. A solid 4 star. Thanks netgallery and publisher and author and narrator
This is a pov story today from jules and roses pov. I would describe this as a mystery written with good dedcription
It felt too long but i eas compelled to listen on to find out the ending. The plot was predictable but the characters were well written . The side characters and the retreat made a good sidestory. The narrator was good. I would recommended this to anyone who like a good mystery but be awate of the length. A solid 4 star. Thanks netgallery and publisher and author and narrator
October 15, 2023
I LOVED this book! I’m a huge fan of thrillers that include water, and this one uses it to create the perfect sense of foreboding. Throw in a writers retreat full of women attempting to write their memoirs and a mother posing as a writer to find out information on her missing daughter and you’ve got this thrill ride! Looking forward to the next by Romano-Lax.
February 15, 2024
I may have been the wrong audience for this one. I was expecting a psychological thriller or suspense, but this felt more like a slow paced drama.
A mom goes to a writing retreat in Guatemala to retrace her daughter’s last known whereabouts. While that sounds mysterious, it’s more like a mom goes to a woo woo retreat with some unlikeable women trying to find themselves.
I struggled to stay engaged with this audiobook, but other readers may enjoy it.
Narrators- both were ok. I felt like the narrator for Jules was a bit too monotone for my liking and made me nearly fall asleep several times. It was more ASMR than engaging for me.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A mom goes to a writing retreat in Guatemala to retrace her daughter’s last known whereabouts. While that sounds mysterious, it’s more like a mom goes to a woo woo retreat with some unlikeable women trying to find themselves.
I struggled to stay engaged with this audiobook, but other readers may enjoy it.
Narrators- both were ok. I felt like the narrator for Jules was a bit too monotone for my liking and made me nearly fall asleep several times. It was more ASMR than engaging for me.
Thank you NetGalley and RB Media for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 25, 2024
The Deepest Lake is a mystery thriller book that focus on a Mother-Daughter relationship. Two timeline and two perspective. A grieving mother, Rose who didn't accept that her daughter died from drowning without a body found, then went to Guatamela to investigate. Her daughter, Jules who wanted to follow her passion for writing and applied a job to a Memoir writer named Eva. As Rose gets closer to the truth, the stakes get even higher. Can she find out the truth behind Jules presumed drowning and survive? or Will she be like Jules that ended up drowning in a far away home place of Guatamela.
What I like about this book is that the introduction of each characters was done well, and the plot is good but I was not satisfied with the ending I wanted more revelations. And a lovely place like Guatamela was not highlighted more. But overall I like the mystery part of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media and the author for an ARC audiobook of this book.
What I like about this book is that the introduction of each characters was done well, and the plot is good but I was not satisfied with the ending I wanted more revelations. And a lovely place like Guatamela was not highlighted more. But overall I like the mystery part of the book.
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media and the author for an ARC audiobook of this book.
May 27, 2024
I always preface my suspense reviews with "I don't read many suspense stories" because I want to make sure you know that I'm not a hardcore genre reader! I don't love gore or being scared and I don't love super psychotic characters. For all of those reasons, plus the exotic setting, mother-daughter relationship, and the book industry focus, I really really enjoyed this story. Yes it's suspenseful, but it's also a travel story, a family drama, and a juicy look at a famous author-type. I was riveted and loved being able to switch back and forth between my purchased Kindle and Audible copies to finish it in less than a day. I will definitely be looking for more work from this author!
Source: purchased Kindle and Audible editions
Source: purchased Kindle and Audible editions
February 12, 2024
4 stars
If you have seen every cult documentary or docuseries and have been wondering when you can next sign up for midnight volleyball now that you have exhausted all of the related media, this creepy mystery might just scratch your itch. While it's not quite a cult, there are PERSONALITIES at play here, and - much more importantly - there's some fascinating idol worship happening. These connections were unexpected but enjoyable for me.
Jules is a young woman spending some time in Guatemala, which scares her mom, Rose, based on Jules's past decision making (which hasn't always been excellent, in mom's eyes). Since Jules is at a bit of a crossroads - deciding about whether to continue to grad school, how to engage with her writing personally and professionally, etc. - readers also wonder exactly how much of Jules's own demise she might have played a role in (or not). Oh, and in the immediate present, Rose is in Guatemala trying to make sense of her daughter's drowning. Obviously, something has gone very wrong! The novel is told in present day and in flashbacks from mom's and daughter's perspectives, and this really helps the mystery come together nicely. Will there be the greatest twists and shocks of your mystery/thriller reading life here? Probably not, but I do think you'll enjoy the ride.
I enjoyed this listen and recommend the audiobook when and where accessible.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
If you have seen every cult documentary or docuseries and have been wondering when you can next sign up for midnight volleyball now that you have exhausted all of the related media, this creepy mystery might just scratch your itch. While it's not quite a cult, there are PERSONALITIES at play here, and - much more importantly - there's some fascinating idol worship happening. These connections were unexpected but enjoyable for me.
Jules is a young woman spending some time in Guatemala, which scares her mom, Rose, based on Jules's past decision making (which hasn't always been excellent, in mom's eyes). Since Jules is at a bit of a crossroads - deciding about whether to continue to grad school, how to engage with her writing personally and professionally, etc. - readers also wonder exactly how much of Jules's own demise she might have played a role in (or not). Oh, and in the immediate present, Rose is in Guatemala trying to make sense of her daughter's drowning. Obviously, something has gone very wrong! The novel is told in present day and in flashbacks from mom's and daughter's perspectives, and this really helps the mystery come together nicely. Will there be the greatest twists and shocks of your mystery/thriller reading life here? Probably not, but I do think you'll enjoy the ride.
I enjoyed this listen and recommend the audiobook when and where accessible.
*Special thanks to NetGalley and Recorded Books for this alc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
February 20, 2024
I was sucked in from the very start of this book. The way the author showed how the bond of a mother and daughter is like no other. Rose’s search for information about her daughter may at times seem reckless but she needs answers. The contrasting point of view of Jules is just as compelling. I really enjoyed this audiobook. Both narrators did a fantastic job. Thank you to the RB Media, Recorded Books and Net Galley for the advanced copy of the audiobook.
March 30, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley, RB Media and the author for an ARC audiobook of this book.
This book was a wow for me all around- from the story to the characters to the narrators. And what a wild ride. It felt like a mashup of the The Writing Retreat by Julia Hartz and The Last Thing He Told Me by Celeste Ng and I was a huge fan of both of these, and obviously a huge fan of Deepest Lake.
A huge draw for me initially was how culty the story sounded. Daughter disappears after working for writer with a huge cult following and obsessed fans. However- as I started reading, I couldn't be sure of what was going on at the retreat.
The narrators: Susan Bennett and Rebecca Quinn Robertson both did excellent jobs narrating the parts of the daughter and her mother. Both voices really embodied the personality of the characters that they read as, making this a very easy listen.
That being said, I also thought the alternating perspectives between the mother, Rose, and daughter, Jules, really built the mystery and also explored how far a mother will go for her child. Of course our main mystery is what happened to Jules and where did she go after leaving home to work for favorite author in Guatemala in what looks from the outside to be a dream job. With Jules missing, Rose leaves to retrace her daughters steps and find out what happened and whether this beloved author of Jules could have had anything to do with her daughter's disappearance.
Because Jules is missing, we learn of Jules through the past; her arrival on the island and how she met/got hired by Eva (the author), then what it was like working at the writing workshops with Eva. Rose is searching for Jules in the present.
I loved both Jules and Rose, as both seemed to be genuinely kind people, and it was hard to not become invested in them and find Jules.
The twists that this story takes are nothing short of wild. This story went in directions I would have never guessed and cannot even begin to put into words without revealing too much of the story.
This was a 10 out of 10 for me, a please pick up if you like a good mystery, strong female lead, family drama, culty thriller, etc. book. Highly recommend.
This book was a wow for me all around- from the story to the characters to the narrators. And what a wild ride. It felt like a mashup of the The Writing Retreat by Julia Hartz and The Last Thing He Told Me by Celeste Ng and I was a huge fan of both of these, and obviously a huge fan of Deepest Lake.
A huge draw for me initially was how culty the story sounded. Daughter disappears after working for writer with a huge cult following and obsessed fans. However- as I started reading, I couldn't be sure of what was going on at the retreat.
The narrators: Susan Bennett and Rebecca Quinn Robertson both did excellent jobs narrating the parts of the daughter and her mother. Both voices really embodied the personality of the characters that they read as, making this a very easy listen.
That being said, I also thought the alternating perspectives between the mother, Rose, and daughter, Jules, really built the mystery and also explored how far a mother will go for her child. Of course our main mystery is what happened to Jules and where did she go after leaving home to work for favorite author in Guatemala in what looks from the outside to be a dream job. With Jules missing, Rose leaves to retrace her daughters steps and find out what happened and whether this beloved author of Jules could have had anything to do with her daughter's disappearance.
Because Jules is missing, we learn of Jules through the past; her arrival on the island and how she met/got hired by Eva (the author), then what it was like working at the writing workshops with Eva. Rose is searching for Jules in the present.
I loved both Jules and Rose, as both seemed to be genuinely kind people, and it was hard to not become invested in them and find Jules.
The twists that this story takes are nothing short of wild. This story went in directions I would have never guessed and cannot even begin to put into words without revealing too much of the story.
This was a 10 out of 10 for me, a please pick up if you like a good mystery, strong female lead, family drama, culty thriller, etc. book. Highly recommend.
May 4, 2024
In The Deepest Lake, a grieving mother named Rose travels to an exclusive writing retreat on the shores of Lake Atilán in Guatemala, desperate to uncover the truth about her daughter Jules' mysterious death there months earlier. On the shores of the lake, in a memoir workshop headed by the charismatic and controversial writer Eva Marshall, Rose will be forced to face hard truths about her relationship with Jules -- and may find herself in just as much danger as her daughter was.
The description of this novel calls it a thriller, but that wasn't the experience that I had with The Deepest Lake. If anything, this book is more of a slow-burn mystery -- but mostly I'd classify it as a pensive, deeply emotional character study about mothers and daughters and the countless ways they help and (however inadvertently) harm each other. The narrative is told on two timelines from the perspectives of Rose and Jules, and although the pace is often quite slow, I found myself hanging on every thought-provoking word of this story. Both protagonists are richly drawn and authentic, and the narrative drips with lush, verdant atmosphere.
But it's the character of Eva Marshall who is the most fascinating. Through this enigmatic, dangerous woman, Andromeda Romano-Lux explores the exclusionary, often toxic and cult-like nature of high-end writing retreats, the commodification and exploitation of women's most private stories, controlling a narrative by sacrificing the truth, hero worship, and the cost of ruthless ambition. There's also a lot of interesting commentary about the effects of colonization on indigenous populations, cultural appropriation, and the "white savior" narrative.
The Deepest Lake was a riveting reading experience that transported me right onto the shores of Lake Atilán, and right into the heart of a grieving mother. Thank you to RB Media for the early listening opportunity.
The description of this novel calls it a thriller, but that wasn't the experience that I had with The Deepest Lake. If anything, this book is more of a slow-burn mystery -- but mostly I'd classify it as a pensive, deeply emotional character study about mothers and daughters and the countless ways they help and (however inadvertently) harm each other. The narrative is told on two timelines from the perspectives of Rose and Jules, and although the pace is often quite slow, I found myself hanging on every thought-provoking word of this story. Both protagonists are richly drawn and authentic, and the narrative drips with lush, verdant atmosphere.
But it's the character of Eva Marshall who is the most fascinating. Through this enigmatic, dangerous woman, Andromeda Romano-Lux explores the exclusionary, often toxic and cult-like nature of high-end writing retreats, the commodification and exploitation of women's most private stories, controlling a narrative by sacrificing the truth, hero worship, and the cost of ruthless ambition. There's also a lot of interesting commentary about the effects of colonization on indigenous populations, cultural appropriation, and the "white savior" narrative.
The Deepest Lake was a riveting reading experience that transported me right onto the shores of Lake Atilán, and right into the heart of a grieving mother. Thank you to RB Media for the early listening opportunity.
May 7, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
I’ve been into thrillers recently so when this one came onto my netgalley list I had to pick it up. The plot sounded so interesting to me. A writers retreat and a missing daughter. But when I picked it up I couldn’t find myself getting into it. I kept putting it down and reading other books before coming back to this because I didn’t have that interest to finish it quickly like I had hoped I would get from a thriller. The characters weren’t too intriguing to me, besides Jules who was the daughter who went missing and presumed dead. And the ending seemed a bit predictable after a while but it wasn’t a bad book. I think this thriller is particular just wasn’t for me.
lThank you netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review.
I’ve been into thrillers recently so when this one came onto my netgalley list I had to pick it up. The plot sounded so interesting to me. A writers retreat and a missing daughter. But when I picked it up I couldn’t find myself getting into it. I kept putting it down and reading other books before coming back to this because I didn’t have that interest to finish it quickly like I had hoped I would get from a thriller. The characters weren’t too intriguing to me, besides Jules who was the daughter who went missing and presumed dead. And the ending seemed a bit predictable after a while but it wasn’t a bad book. I think this thriller is particular just wasn’t for me.
lThank you netgalley for the arc in return for an honest review.
March 4, 2024
This book was… interesting. I didn’t feel like I truly understood the psychology of characters. Relationships felt superficial. The location felt irrelevant. The plot seemed disjointed. There were moments where the author just skipped scenes that may have just been difficult to write (like a fight scene, a trek, etc.). The premise is a good one, but I dragged on. And that ending… let’s just say, many people will be upset by it.
I listened to the audiobook, and I have minor qualms. Narrator Susan Bennett has too long of pauses in between sentences. How is 1.75x speed simultaneously too slow and too fast? It’s the pauses. Please, Suz. And Rebecca Quinn Robertson makes uncomfortable mouth sounds (clearing throat) that should have been cut out. I liked her cadence though.
Thanks to NetGalley for early access!
I listened to the audiobook, and I have minor qualms. Narrator Susan Bennett has too long of pauses in between sentences. How is 1.75x speed simultaneously too slow and too fast? It’s the pauses. Please, Suz. And Rebecca Quinn Robertson makes uncomfortable mouth sounds (clearing throat) that should have been cut out. I liked her cadence though.
Thanks to NetGalley for early access!
October 23, 2023
Welcome to the memoir workshop from hell. In dual timelines, a young writer looks for creative inspiration in a dangerous paradise and a mother searches for answers about her daughter's last days. I relished this insider's look at the glittering, intimate, and sometimes toxic world of writing retreats. The Deepest Lake is a gripping yet thoughtful novel about overcoming trauma, meeting our inheritance, and what happens when we seize the power to rewrite our own stories.
March 4, 2024
Wow! Fans of Liane Moriarty, this is for you.
Initially, I thought the book would be more focused on women's fiction rather than in the mystery aspect, but I was pleasantly surprised.
We see the story from both Rose's perspective, a mother desperate to find her missing daughter, and Jule's perspective, a young adult struggling to find her place in the world and fulfil her dream of becoming a writer.
The writing was beautiful and even when I thought the mystery would become stale, the smooth and captivating writing of Romano-Lax kept me hooked and I ended up getting more than I expected.
The Deepest Lake was a delightful surprise, as it perfectly captured the personalities of each character. Despite my own complicated relationship with my mother, I could feel the genuine love between Rose and Jules and their strong bond. I am eagerly anticipating the release of this book.
Initially, I thought the book would be more focused on women's fiction rather than in the mystery aspect, but I was pleasantly surprised.
We see the story from both Rose's perspective, a mother desperate to find her missing daughter, and Jule's perspective, a young adult struggling to find her place in the world and fulfil her dream of becoming a writer.
The writing was beautiful and even when I thought the mystery would become stale, the smooth and captivating writing of Romano-Lax kept me hooked and I ended up getting more than I expected.
The Deepest Lake was a delightful surprise, as it perfectly captured the personalities of each character. Despite my own complicated relationship with my mother, I could feel the genuine love between Rose and Jules and their strong bond. I am eagerly anticipating the release of this book.
February 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an early copy of The Deepest Lake by Andromeda Romano-Lax in exchange for my honest review.
Rose's daughter Jules goes missing and is presumed dead, likely swallowed up by the deepest lake in Central America, Lake Atitlan. Rose wants to retrace Jules' steps of her last few days and figure out how she died. Rose joins a workshop where Jules worked in the weeks, leading to her disappearance.
I listened to the audiobook of this novel. The narrators are excellent and really did a great job. Their ability to keep different voices for each character even though it's mostly female is quite a feat. If this story is your type of book then I highly recommend the audiobook.
This book started off as a solid mystery but it did drag quite a bit in the middle. This book is more of a mystery drama while I was expecting more of a suspense/thriller. It was kind of slow in the middle. The ending was very abrupt and not satisfying. I would recommend this if you're into a slow-burn literary fiction with a subplot of mystery.
Rose's daughter Jules goes missing and is presumed dead, likely swallowed up by the deepest lake in Central America, Lake Atitlan. Rose wants to retrace Jules' steps of her last few days and figure out how she died. Rose joins a workshop where Jules worked in the weeks, leading to her disappearance.
I listened to the audiobook of this novel. The narrators are excellent and really did a great job. Their ability to keep different voices for each character even though it's mostly female is quite a feat. If this story is your type of book then I highly recommend the audiobook.
This book started off as a solid mystery but it did drag quite a bit in the middle. This book is more of a mystery drama while I was expecting more of a suspense/thriller. It was kind of slow in the middle. The ending was very abrupt and not satisfying. I would recommend this if you're into a slow-burn literary fiction with a subplot of mystery.
August 6, 2024
Have not read one book by this author that ai haven't LOVED.
June 2, 2024
Compelling
March 6, 2024
The Deepest Lake (audiobook)
3⭐️
Pub Date 07 May 2024 (Tomorrow!)
Jules’s disappearance in Guatemala is ruled a suspected drowning, but that doesn’t sit right with Rose, her mother. Local police and the private investigator have closed the case so Rose is going to take on the investigation herself by traveling to Guatemala. She travels under her maiden name as she doesn’t want her relationship to impact her ability to find answers. She plans to immerse herself in the areas Jules spent time and participates in a writing retreat to look for clues and find people who interacted with Jules prior to her disappearance.
This is a well written novel. It’s another example of a book that just didn’t grab me this time around, but I feel like if I read it at a different time, or with a different mindset, it would hit different in a good way. There was nothing bad with The Deepest Lake, just average for me. It was a slow/causal read for the majority of the book. The ending had a bit of excitement. I recommend people give it a read if you enjoy exotic settings, dual POVs, past/present timelines, female lead characters, and easy-going reads.
Thank you to NetGalley, Andromeda Romano-Lax, and RB Media for providing this audio ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
3⭐️
Pub Date 07 May 2024 (Tomorrow!)
Jules’s disappearance in Guatemala is ruled a suspected drowning, but that doesn’t sit right with Rose, her mother. Local police and the private investigator have closed the case so Rose is going to take on the investigation herself by traveling to Guatemala. She travels under her maiden name as she doesn’t want her relationship to impact her ability to find answers. She plans to immerse herself in the areas Jules spent time and participates in a writing retreat to look for clues and find people who interacted with Jules prior to her disappearance.
This is a well written novel. It’s another example of a book that just didn’t grab me this time around, but I feel like if I read it at a different time, or with a different mindset, it would hit different in a good way. There was nothing bad with The Deepest Lake, just average for me. It was a slow/causal read for the majority of the book. The ending had a bit of excitement. I recommend people give it a read if you enjoy exotic settings, dual POVs, past/present timelines, female lead characters, and easy-going reads.
Thank you to NetGalley, Andromeda Romano-Lax, and RB Media for providing this audio ARC. This review is being shared on NetGalley and Goodreads.
February 13, 2024
Sadly I feel like this title will fall victim to the misguided marketing campaign promising readers a Thriller where in reality it is a sleepy Mystery at best. The book isn't exactly bad overall. It is however way too wordy and too heavy on insignificant details.
An overused format of a dual timeline extends the plot to nearly 400 pages that feel twice as long. Rose's, in the present, a mother who is searching for her missing daughter Jules and Jules' in the near past, whose timeline neatly fills in the details of the story Rose is trying to uncover.
I don't recall ever reading a book that was so jarringly two separate books in one. The two almost don't belong together. In fact, when I got bored reading Rose's parts I skipped over them entirely and just read Jules' parts without missing a tiniest bit of the story.
"The Deepest Lake" is badly overwritten with major plot points being weak and unconvincing. Which is unfortunate because it's not often we get heroines in thrillers who are not gullible and naive. These two are neither but the book is in a bad need of some heavy editing to keep it moving forward. As it is written right now, it stagnates and the parts of the grieving mother and the daughter who may or may not be dead are dueling with each other. The final result nearly put me to sleep.
For how to pull off a nearly identical concept right see Lisa Jewell's The Night She Disappeared
*access to ARC via NetGalley
An overused format of a dual timeline extends the plot to nearly 400 pages that feel twice as long. Rose's, in the present, a mother who is searching for her missing daughter Jules and Jules' in the near past, whose timeline neatly fills in the details of the story Rose is trying to uncover.
I don't recall ever reading a book that was so jarringly two separate books in one. The two almost don't belong together. In fact, when I got bored reading Rose's parts I skipped over them entirely and just read Jules' parts without missing a tiniest bit of the story.
"The Deepest Lake" is badly overwritten with major plot points being weak and unconvincing. Which is unfortunate because it's not often we get heroines in thrillers who are not gullible and naive. These two are neither but the book is in a bad need of some heavy editing to keep it moving forward. As it is written right now, it stagnates and the parts of the grieving mother and the daughter who may or may not be dead are dueling with each other. The final result nearly put me to sleep.
For how to pull off a nearly identical concept right see Lisa Jewell's The Night She Disappeared
*access to ARC via NetGalley
October 22, 2023
I loved this book, intrigue and psychological insight woven into a TERIFFIC page turner! I was interested in the story of a writer's retreat -- and then drawn in by the layers of suspense this book provided. Delving into the many ways women treat women was fascinating: who we relate to, how mean we can be to others, what brings friendship. And most importantly, how as women do we think of and ache for our daughters and their journeys. How we can know and not know what happens in the lives of others, including our daughters.
May 8, 2024
The Deepest Lake is a mystery. The main character’s daughter has disappeared near Lake Atitilán in Guatemala. But it’s much more intense than the traditional mystery form. It’s really an examination of self and relationships.
Most of the story is told in the voice of Rose, the mother who has gone looking for her daughter because she is not satisfied with what everyone else has done. She goes to Guatemala under the guise of registering for a workshop by a famous memoirist using her maiden name. Her daughter Jules worked for the memoirist, Eva, at least for a short time.
We're really learning about three women in this novel. Rose, the mother, is stuck in tradition. Jules, the daughter, is try to break out from convention but has t really found her voice yet. Eva, the writer, uses intimidation to cover her own insecurities. I'm finding it quite a fascinating study of human behavior. And I'm learning just a little bit about writing along the way. I would recommend this book.
Most of the story is told in the voice of Rose, the mother who has gone looking for her daughter because she is not satisfied with what everyone else has done. She goes to Guatemala under the guise of registering for a workshop by a famous memoirist using her maiden name. Her daughter Jules worked for the memoirist, Eva, at least for a short time.
We're really learning about three women in this novel. Rose, the mother, is stuck in tradition. Jules, the daughter, is try to break out from convention but has t really found her voice yet. Eva, the writer, uses intimidation to cover her own insecurities. I'm finding it quite a fascinating study of human behavior. And I'm learning just a little bit about writing along the way. I would recommend this book.
March 2, 2024
3.8⭐️
This mystery leans more toward women’s fiction - not a bad thing but something to be considered
There’s a lot of mystery and unnerving happenings, but it’s predominantly an emotional deep dive
I enjoyed the alternating dual POV between mother and daughter, past and present. But I especially loved the wackado Eva, the author hosting the retreat. She’s clearly eccentric but mother Rose needs to know if she had anything to do with daughter Jules disappearance
The writing workshops seem abusive but in a culty way that people enjoy and was fun to read…. The conclusion, although complete felt a little anticlimactic and I’d have liked to hear from Rose and if the experience had changed her
I enjoyed both audiobook narrators, and felt they did an excellent job. There’s no unique production value, so book or audio would make for an equally enjoyable experience
Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
This mystery leans more toward women’s fiction - not a bad thing but something to be considered
There’s a lot of mystery and unnerving happenings, but it’s predominantly an emotional deep dive
I enjoyed the alternating dual POV between mother and daughter, past and present. But I especially loved the wackado Eva, the author hosting the retreat. She’s clearly eccentric but mother Rose needs to know if she had anything to do with daughter Jules disappearance
The writing workshops seem abusive but in a culty way that people enjoy and was fun to read…. The conclusion, although complete felt a little anticlimactic and I’d have liked to hear from Rose and if the experience had changed her
I enjoyed both audiobook narrators, and felt they did an excellent job. There’s no unique production value, so book or audio would make for an equally enjoyable experience
Thanks to Netgalley and RB Media for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
March 5, 2024
I liked the premise of this one (setting in Guatemala, writer's retreat), but the execution just fell short. The author just did not do a good job of building tension through her writing.....until about the last 25 percent......but then the ending was just flat. The characters were fairly two dimensional, and I did not find myself really rooting for anyone. I just was not really invested in the story overall.
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