Thasia is ruled by the Others, a dominant predatory race older and more powerful than humankind. They’re shifters, blood-suckers, and ancient forms so frightening they are spoken of in hushed whispers. They control Thasia. They decide which humans live and die. They should not be underestimated.

The Jumble, situated on the shores of Lake Silence, consists of a main building and a few remote cabins near the town of Sproinger, and Vicki DeVine received it as part of her divorce settlement. She longs for peace and quiet after years of marital turmoil, and she’s hoping the Jumble will not only be her haven but a profitable business as well. Everything is fine until the day she walks in on her lodger, Aggie Crowe, heating a snack – a human eyeball – in the wave cooker. It turns out Aggie isn’t human after all; she’s one of the Others.

When the rest of the body is discovered, police detectives attempt to implicate Vicki in the death, though it’s obvious the killer wasn’t human. Pushing her, trying to scare her, the detectives continue to hound Vicki far beyond what would be considered reasonable. It’s almost as if they want her to run.

Meanwhile Vicki’s ex-husband, Yorik Dane, has put in motion a plan to illegally evict Vicki from her property by any underhanded means necessary. Once he’s reclaimed the Jumble he and his new business partners will tear it down and build a fancy resort on the land. Yorik pays little attention to the original land agreement, the one that states the Jumble is in territory controlled by the Others.

Through it all, the Others watch, and a fight begins to brew between those aligned with Yorik and the older, and far more powerful, beings who have claimed Vicki as one of theirs.

The Others series is one of my favorites, and although Lake Silence takes place in a new town, with all new characters, the magic of that world is intact. The worldbuilding in Lake Silence is more understated, but doesn’t assume readers are familiar with the series. The plot captivated me immediately with a very effective hook, and the plot continued at a steady pace that made it difficult to actually put the book down. Bishop has a talent for character development as well, and draws them deftly with omniscient narration, subtly filling in back story as needed.

I highly recommend this to fans of The Others, fantasy, and mystery. Lake Silence is book six of The Others series, but it can be read as a standalone. Characters from the first five books are very briefly mentioned but prior knowledge of who they are, why they’re important, etc. is not necessary.

Return to Homewood Library’s Adult Blog Page