Summit Lake - by Charlie Donlea (Paperback)

About the Book

Some places seem too beautiful to be touched by horror. Summit Lake, nestled in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, is that kind of place. But two weeks ago, Becca Eckersley, a first-year law student and daughter of a powerful attorney, was brutally murdered there. Now the town is reeling with grief, and the police are baffled. At first, investigative reporter Kelsey Castle thinks of the assignment as a fluff piece. But the savagery of the crime, and the efforts to keep it quiet, hint at something far more sinister than a random attack by a stranger. As Kelsey digs deeper, despite danger and warnings, she feels a growing connection to the dead girl. And the more she learns about Becca's friendships, her love life and her secrets the more convinced she becomes that walking in Becca's footsteps could lead her out of her own dark past...

Book Synopsis

Set in a small, picturesque North Carolina town, #1 international bestselling author Charlie Donlea's debut suspense novel tells the haunting story of a murdered law school student, the reporter assigned to her story--and the intimate connection that comes when the living walk in the footsteps of the dead...

"A gem of a mystery, fast-paced and suspenseful." --Catherine Coulter, # 1 New York Times bestselling author on Summit Lake

No suspects. No persons of interest. Just a girl who was alive one day and dead the next.

Some places seem too beautiful to be touched by horror. Summit Lake, nestled in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains, is that kind of place. But two weeks ago, Becca Eckersley, a first-year law student and daughter of a powerful attorney, was brutally murdered there. Now the town is reeling with grief, and the police are baffled.

At first, investigative reporter Kelsey Castle thinks of the assignment as a fluff piece. But the savagery of the crime, and the efforts to keep it quiet, hint at something far more sinister than a random attack by a stranger. As Kelsey digs deeper, despite danger and warnings, she feels a growing connection to the dead girl. And the more she learns about Becca's friendships, her love life--and her secrets--the more convinced she becomes that walking in Becca's footsteps could lead her out of her own dark past...

Review Quotes

Praise for Summit Lake

"A brilliant, haunting thriller in which The Lovely Bones meets The Silence of the Lambs--with a bit of Twin Peaks thrown in for good measure! Charlie Donlea weaves a unique, spellbinding tale about a bond between two fascinating women--one living, one dead. Full of unexpected twists and turns, Summit Lake is an irresistible page-turner." --Kevin O'Brien, New York Times bestselling author

"Gripping! This one kept me up late into the night." --Nancy Bush, New York Times bestselling author

A riveting novel, layered with secrets and intrigue...gripping and tense. --Allen Eskens, bestselling author of The Life We Bury.

"The whodunit plot is so clever and compelling . . . For fans of nonstop mysteries with a twist." --Library Journal

"With a soaring pace and teasing plot twists, Charlie Donlea's debut mystery is like a cool drink of water with a twist of lemon. It's refreshing to find a book that has such a well-developed plot and excellent writing to back it up." --Bookpage

"Debut author Donlea keeps readers racing through the chapters...Fans of contemporary suspense will enjoy this brisk read." --Booklist

"This exceptional debut will challenge the most ardent reader to discover the culprit. The buildup to the startling climax is handled with kid gloves, giving away only as much as Donlea wishes to reveal, The ending is a stunner." --RT Book Reviews, 4.5 Stars Top Pick

About the Author

Charlie Donlea is the USA Today, IndieBound, and #1 internationally bestselling author of critically acclaimed, propulsive thrillers including The Girl Who Was Taken, Twenty Years Later, Some Choose Darkness, and Those Empty Eyes. Published in nearly 40 countries and translated into more than a dozen languages, his books have sold nearly 2.5 million copies in the U.S. alone. Donlea has been praised for his "soaring pace, teasing plot twists" (BookPage) and talent for writing an ending that "makes your jaw drop" (The New York Times Book Review). He was born and raised in Chicago, where he continues to live with his wife and two children. Visit him online at CharlieDonlea.com.