Daughters of the Lake by Wendy Webb

☆☆☆☆
Kindle Edition, 317 pages
Published November 1st 2018 by Lake Union Publishing
About the Book:
After the end of her marriage, Kate Granger has retreated to her parents’ home on Lake Superior to pull herself together—only to discover the body of a murdered woman washed into the shallows. Tucked in the folds of the woman’s curiously vintage gown is an infant, as cold and at peace as its mother. No one can identify the woman. Except for Kate. She’s seen her before. In her dreams. One hundred years ago, a love story ended in tragedy, its mysteries left unsolved. It’s time for the lake to give up its secrets. As each mystery unravels, it pulls Kate deeper into the eddy of a haunting folktale that has been handed down in whispers over generations. Now, it’s Kate’s turn to listen. As the drowned woman reaches out from the grave, Kate reaches back. They must come together, if only in dreams, to right the sinister wrongs of the past. 

But some stories, especially peculiar, hidden ones involving murder and mystery, have a way of bubbling to the surface, especially when wrongs need to be righted. They make themselves heard despite efforts to keep them silent.

This book has two timelines, at the turn of the 20th century and the present. I have to say that as much as I enjoyed this book, it was reading about the past that kept me turning pages. This is a beautifully written story and in each of the time periods visited, connections are discovered that intertwine. I found myself trying to figure out some of the connections and was delighted to learn of ones that I had not expected.

There are two main characters in this novel and they each brought depth and variation to the story. While it does take a little bit of time to get used to, the author manages to maneuver them all effortlessly. Behind the characters, is the gorgeous backdrop of the landscape and house, which is brought vividly to life. The recurring theme of abandonment or loss in some form is prevalent. There are plenty of real life struggles and some of the tragedies pull at your heart strings.

I found it hard to put this story down and read the whole thing in a couple sittings. There's some mystery, romance, heartbreak, and more. If you enjoy beautifully written, heartfelt, epic sagas add this one to your wish list, Wendy Webb is a creative and gifted storyteller.

Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Wendy Webb for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

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