DARK WATERS – Alex Prentiss
Lady of the Lakes , Book 2
Bantam
ISBN: 978-0-553-59298-6
January 2011
Paranormal Mystery

Madison, Wisconsin – Present Day

An ancient Indian legend commands that we pay homage to the Spirits of the Lakes; they must be honored and they must be appeased; they will accept no less...

Rachel Matre owns a successful business in town, Rachel's Diner, but at nightfall, she communes with the Spirits of the Lake who live deep inside the waters of Lake Mendota. These waters of Lake Mendota are Rachel's lovers; they protect her, caress her skin softly, and bring her to erotic fulfillment. The Spirits also tell her how to protect the town, which she does by leading another clandestine life via her laptop and blog. She is a ghost writer; no one knows her real name, but they call her The Lady of the Lakes...

Recently, Rachel was kidnapped and marked by a mad tattooist, but the Spirits of the Lake rescued her. Her new human lover, Ethan Walker, has their approval to love Rachel, but Rachel recently sent him away. Still traumatized from her capture, she isn't sure if she wants to continue in a relationship with Ethan. Right now, she can't think about Ethan; all her energy must stay focused to help her friend, Patty Patilia, and the only way she can do that is to ask the lake spirits to help her.

When Garrett Bloom walks into the offices of Walker Construction and awards Ethan a huge contract to remodel an empty building on the north side of the lake, Ethan is suspicious. He doesn't want to turn down a job—not in this economy—but something about Garrett Bloom's request raises questions. Still, Ethan takes the job. When the ground-breaking ceremony is interrupted by a crazy man who claims to be an old Indian spirit, Ethan is finds himself embroiled in a mystery, and maybe murder.

DARK WATERS brings us the second chapter in Rachel Matre's life. The lake spirits have suddenly deserted her, and she fears it's because of Ethan, or did she go too far with her request to help Patty? And one night, at the edge of the lake, another man appears, pulling Rachel into an erotic tryst that leaves her with a longing that will not be satisfied. No amount of trying can satiate the raging lust she feels. Was that man real, or is he an evil spirit? Ethan complicates things by calling her day after day, but Rachel saw him with his ex-lover, Julie Schutes, at the ground-breaking event. She can't think of Ethan now. Her frustration takes all her time and she walks around in a near catatonic state, not even bothering to turn on her computer and post The Lady of the Lakes blog.

DARK WATERS is a complex weave of Rachel's problems mixed with murder and mystery. Many characters play in the background, among them, Rachel's sister, Becky, who's just been arrested for murder. Marty Walker, Ethan's brother and local cop is back, along with Rachel's best friend, Helena. They're trying to intercede and bring Rachel and Ethan together again. Other new characters, an actor, Kyle Stillwater; an Indian representative, Red Bird; and a woman named Betty are keys to threads of the story. Quick pacing, an addicting plot, and quirky characters all merge to create this second novel and sequel to NIGHT TIDES (January 2010). DARK WATERS can stand alone, but the reader's enjoyment and understanding will be greatly enhanced by reading both novels in the proper order. The erotic content and Rachel's sexual exploits are part real life, part paranormal. And once again, open threads are left for another sequel; however, I haven't been able to locate any information on the next book. In the meantime, I totally recommend DARK WATERS; it's a great story!

Diana Risso