Objects in Lakes by Rachael Ramas Review| A Suspenseful Tale of Grief & Discovery…
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Please note this title was provided to me ahead of release by NetGalley.
Synopsis
Objects in Lakes follows Olive Wentworth, a mother still living with the grief of losing her four-year-old daughter in a drowning at Duck Lake. The death was ruled an accident, but seven years later, another body is found in the same lake.
As the new death brings old questions back to the surface, Olive begins to look more closely at the people around her, including her husband Richie, a respected oncologist with a carefully protected reputation. The more Olive digs, the more the perfect neighbourhood starts to look much less perfect.
This is an atmospheric novel about grief, reliving the past and discovering what people are willing to hide when appearances mean everything.
Main Character and Key Side Character Info
Olive
We follow the story mostly from Olives POV.
She is still deeply affected by the loss of her daughter.
Richie
Richie is Olive’s husband.
He is a successful oncologist with a strong public reputation which gives him great respect in the community.
Terrance
Terrance is Richie’s best friend and neighbour.
His role brings the past back into the forefront and makes Olive question whether Kate’s death was really an accident.
Colin
Colin is part of Olive’s wider circle as she starts digging into what happened.
His role adds to the uncertainty around who Olive can rely on.
Review
I honestly thought I was going to DNF this book during the first two chapters. The premise grabbed me straight away, but the writing style took a while to settle into. It's very descriptive and quite metaphorical, especially at the start, which kept pulling me out of my reading zone and made me want to put my Kindle down.
I carried on because the setup was too intriguing to drop. A mother still living with the death of her daughter. Another body found in the same lake, years later. A community that seemed a little too perfect. Something obviously wasn't right and that's what keeps you reading.
We follow primarily Olive's POV, piecing together alongside her the fuzzy night she lost her daughter and the weeks leading up to it. She slowly starts to realise that things may not have been as she remembered and that the people around her may be hiding more than they're letting on. Olive has always blamed herself for her daughter's death and watching her put the twisty pieces together kept me swiping through my Kindle.
Despite the pace slowing in the middle, the mystery had enough pull to keep me reading. I needed to know how everything connected. The author's warning that this might be a tough read was fair. The subject matter is heavy! Grief, child death, drowning, addiction and the way Olive is still living with that loss years later.
I will say stories like this, dash my dreams of wanting to live in a lush, lakeside community. If it seems too perfect on the outside then it must be hard and chewy on the inside. Everyone in this town, well almost everyone, seemed a little sinister in their own way. You think you can trust those around you, especially in a time of need…not always the case sadly!
The ending was good, but it did feel a little rushed in that final chapter. After such a slow build, I wanted the last section to give me more. It was still good, but a little more would have been the cherry on top.
Who I’d Recommend This Book To
I’d recommend this if you like:
Domestic suspense.
Psychological thrillers.
Grief centred plot.
Hidden secrets.
Heavy themes.
Verdict
Despite the heavier themes, I never felt overwhelmed. Everything is handled with care and feels essential to the overall story. And while the slower sections do drag a little, you'll still want to keep going. You'll want to stick with Olive as she pieces together the events of seven years ago, chasing the clear picture she's desperately been seeking.
There are several key twists that take place in the book and even though most felt a little obvious by the time they happened, this didn't negatively impact the story at all.
A deep, gritty psychological thriller that you'll struggle to put down once you start.
Objects in Lakes releases 2nd June 2026.
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
You can buy this book on Amazon (Affiliate Links):
Paperback: https://amzn.to/4nAwSPf
Kindle: https://amzn.to/4dACRiA
