The war may be over, but for Molly life is still in turmoil. Uprooted from London after the death of her mother, Molly, her father and younger brother Jimmy are starting again in a quiet village in the countryside of Colchester. Molly dreams of becoming a journalist, finding a voice in the world, but most of the time must act as Jimmy’s carer. Then Molly falls under the spell of local boy Kit. Kit is clever, funny and a natural-born rebel. Rowing on the waters of the lake with him becomes Molly’s escape from domestic duty. But there is something Kit is not telling Molly.

As the village gossip starts building up with whispers against Molly’s father over the matter of missing charity funds, everything Molly thought she knew is turned upside down. And on one stormy night, when she sneaks out of the house to try and put things right, Jimmy vanishes. Never to be seen again.

Decades later, Molly is an elderly woman in care home, still haunted by the disappearance of her brother. When two police officers arrive to say that the remains of a body have been found at the bottom of the lake, it seems like Molly will at long last have her answer…

Praise

‘Masterful storytelling, immersive locations, and characters that inhabit your heart from the first page: this is a novel I know will stay with me for a long time’
Gill Paul

‘Atmospheric and compelling… I loved the touches of myth and fairytale, and the wonderful characters of Jimmy & Molly.’
Tracy Rees

‘A wonderful story of love, family and the things we do to protect both. I loved the post-war setting of a small village rife with secrets and whispers, and Molly, Jimmy & Kit’s story stayed with me long after the last page was turned. A brilliant read for anyone who enjoys books by Pam Jenoff and Rachel Hore.’
Nikola Scott

‘Wonderfully atmospheric, and with an intriguing mystery running through its pages, Secrets Of The Lake is a haunting and compelling tale of family, folklore, and the lingering ripples of tragedy in a quiet English village. Liz Trenow writes such authentic characters you feel as if you know them personally. I enjoyed every beautifully-written page.’
Hazel Gaynor

‘Liz’s writing pulled me in from the first page to the last. This atmospheric book is, on the surface, gently beguiling and evocative, but beneath float sinister undertones. Jimmy was a delight and my sympathies were with Molly from the beginning. The fusion of local legend into the plot, and the story Molly wrote for Jimmy were both clever and charming. I loved it, right up to the poignant end.’
Louise Fein

‘Such a fantastic read, I was completely transported into the post-war world of Jimmy and Molly, and felt as though I was there with them in the vicarage, the small village they found themselves in. The settings were so evocatively drawn, the characters lived and breathed on the page. Liz is an utterly brilliant story-teller and, with her beautiful prose and page-turning plot, has given us another winner. I shall be highly recommending!’
Jenny Ashcroft

‘A triumph…I loved it. I loved how it made me feel and I didn’t want it to the end. Beneath the enchanting descriptions of the Suffolk landscape – the birdsong, the hedgerows, and the bluebells – a more sinister thread is building. It is beautifully layered, and I found the story moving, magical and original. I love anything with a lake and this lake is wonderful. A book with a mystery at its heart, solved very cleverly – no last minute characters here – and unforgettable main characters, especially Jimmy and Molly, Eli and Kit, not forgetting the ‘dragon’, who will stay with me for a long time.’
Dinah Jefferies

‘A great summer read.’
S Magazine