What Lies in Darkness - (Jess Lambert) by Christina McDonald (Paperback)

About the Book

"Late Christmas Eve, the Harper family's car crashed on a desolate stretch outside Black Lake. Sixteen-year-old Alice was found injured by the side of the road--alone. It was as if her parents and younger sister, Ella, had simply disappeared. One year later, Alice is still dealing with nightmares and unanswered questions when she and her friends find Ella's bloodstained backpack in the basement of an abandoned home. As Detective Jess Lambert investigates, she uncovers dark secrets that put her on a collision course with her past. Jess's only witness is haunted by her own ghosts--ghosts that might ultimately be connected to Jess. Jess will do anything to find out what happened to the Harpers--no matter how deep she has to dig. Because neither the living nor the dead are giving up their secrets easily"--

Book Synopsis

A missing family. A traumatized detective. The past and present collide in a riveting novel of suspense by the USA Today bestselling author of These Still Black Waters, Do No Harm, Behind Every Lie, and The Night Olivia Fell.

Late Christmas Eve, the Harper family's car crashed on a desolate stretch outside Black Lake. Sixteen-year-old Alice was found injured by the side of the road--alone. It was as if her parents and younger sister, Ella, had simply disappeared.

One year later, Alice is still dealing with nightmares and unanswered questions when she and her friends find Ella's bloodstained backpack in the basement of an abandoned home. As Detective Jess Lambert investigates, she uncovers dark secrets that put her on a collision course with her past. Jess's only witness is haunted by her own ghosts--ghosts that might ultimately be connected to Jess.

Jess will do anything to find out what happened to the Harpers--no matter how deep she has to dig. Because neither the living nor the dead are giving up their secrets easily.

Review Quotes

Praise for What Lies in Darkness

"Utterly compelling. In Detective Jess Lambert, McDonald has captured the perfect mix of gritty determination and haunted soul. With twists and turns everywhere, What Lies in Darkness delivers the kind of page-turner you don't just read, but devour." --Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author

"A cleverly-crafted thriller, packed full of atmosphere and emotion, with sucker-punch twists that will knock you sideways. And--wow--what an ending!" --Lisa Gray, Washington Post and Wall Street Journal bestselling author

"What Lies in Darkness is a riveting story about the love of family, the devastation of loss, and the secrets we keep. And it has earned Christina McDonald a place in the pantheon of thriller-writer greats. Change your plans for the night because you won't be able to put this one down." --Alex Finlay, If Something Happens to Me

"Jess Lambert is my new favorite detective! Christina McDonald's What Lies in Darkness is a must-read. Every single character leaps off the page. The story grabbed me on page one and didn't let go until the last shocking, twisty page!" --Debra Webb, USA Today bestselling author of All the Little Truths

"What Lies in Darkness is both a smart and edgy mystery and a searing portrayal of loss and betrayal. In Detective Jess Lambert, McDonald has gifted crime fiction with an unforgettable lead, a woman both in love with and struggling against the ghosts that haunt her. I tore through this, mesmerized by the dueling perspectives, hypnotized by McDonald's prose, and shocked by twists that kept coming all the way to the very last page. This is the perfect book for readers who love their thrillers fast paced and deeply emotionally intelligent." --Ashley Winstead, author of Midnight Is the Darkest Hour

"Eerie and evocative, Christina McDonald's genre-bending police procedural / paranormal mystery masterfully (and beautifully) explores grief, loss, longing, and healing. The stakes are high, the tension is palpable, and the secrets are explosive. Be prepared for breath-hitching twists you never saw coming." --Marcy McCreary, author of The Summer of Love and Death

"With richly drawn characters and striking imagery, Christina McDonald delivers a taut, thick-with-atmosphere puzzler that doubles as a meditation on resilience in the face of trauma and an exploration of the sacrifices we make for those we love. Don't miss it!" --E. G. Scott, internationally bestselling author of The Rule of Three

"Shocking, atmospheric, and tense, What Lies in Darkness is an emotionally powerful and twisty page-turner. With rich prose and multi-faceted characters, McDonald has expertly crafted a genre-bending supernatural thriller, making it an absolute must read!" --Jeneva Rose, New York Times bestselling author

"What Lies in Darknessis a smart, twisty thriller you won't soon forget. Expertly crafted, with complex and fascinating characters. I am hooked on the Jess Lambert series. It keeps getting better and better." --Samantha Downing, internationally bestselling author

"What Lies in Darknessfollows Jess Lambert through a perplexing case when a family goes missing, leaving one girl behind. Skillfully plotted with finely tuned prose, this compelling thriller will leave readers wanting more from McDonald and the flawed but wonderfully human protagonist she's created!" --Wendy Walker, nationally bestselling author of What Remains