I want to thank NetGalley and Dundurn Books for the Advanced Release Copy in exchange for my honest review!

I really wanted to love this book! The premise sounded so interesting! Parts of the book really dragged; it felt stiff, dry, and at times lacked urgency even when there was action on the page. I want my thrillers to pull me in and not let go.

There were a lot of characters and suspects, and I had a difficult time keeping track. None of them were particularly memorable so that didn't help either.

If you are looking for "lite" mystery then you might enjoy this but for me, it didn't live up to the hype.

Though the second in the series, this is my first read written by J. J. Dupuis. Cryptozoology fascinates me (I'm a water creature lover!) and was not disappointed in the bits of science and legend presented here. Cressie, the legendary lake monster in Lake Crescent, Newfoundland, has made appearances dozens of times throughout history.

Laura is drawn to this legend and has a personal quest as well. She is the team leader of a cable TV show which flies to NFLD to film locals tell their stories and hopefully catch a glimpse of a huge eel, the width of an adult's thigh. Not only that but there are also rumblings of holes appearing in the ice during winter. Laura and her team go about their business, interviewing and filming, and are at hand when a discovery is made, one of which they had not expected. This discovery adds layers of mystery to the expedition. There are a few back stories involving the team members as well. We are privy to snippets of their inter-relationships and their dealings with the locals. There is even a great food description which is enjoyable.

My favourite aspects of this book are the suspense (though not a psychological thriller level of suspense) and plot. I feel the characters aren't explored as much as I would like but that's a personal view. The chapter headings are also revealing. When on a Loch Ness boat ride in Scotland I fervently hoped for a Nessie sighting, whilst knowing full well it wouldn't happen. Still, legends are fun to read about and leave one wondering...what if?

Intrigued by myths and legends swirling with mystery? Do read this. I look forward to the next book in this series.

My sincere thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this interesting book in exchange as an honest review. Much appreciated.

Laura Reagan is back, this time as the host of cryptozoology TV series, Creature X. On the hunt for "Cressie", a small Newfoundland town's answer to the Loch Ness Monster, she finds more than she anticipated when they fish up a body wrapped in a tarp. Honestly, this was a 3/5 for plot, but there's just so much more that was compelling for me.

Like in the first instalment, this novel is less about cryptids, and more about the way local stories lend themselves to myth with each retelling. Stories become myths that then become communal truths to hide secrets and keep the peace in small towns. As much as these novels are, on their surface, fun cryptid mysteries, I particularly enjoyed the exploration of cryptids as part of creating shared histories.

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Lake Crescent is the second book in the Creature X adventure/mystery series by J. J. Dupuis. Released 3rd Aug 2021 by Dundurn, it's 328 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a well written offbeat mystery written around a podcast group of ragtag journalists and scientists who are looking for proof (or disproof) of crypto-zoological creatures like bigfoot and giant eels and the phenomena surrounding them. They investigate local myths and culture and uncover long-buried dangerous secrets along the way.

The plotting is not at all straightforward. There are several intertwining subplots which meander along side paths adding background information and oral history of "Cressie" (a giant eel in Lake Crescent around whose presence the team's podcast centers). The characterisation is adept and well rendered and I found most of the main characters both distinct and believable. As a small-town mystery, it's full of the usual quirky, unsettling, vaguely threatening secondary characters.

The author successfully combines murder, cryptozoology, reality TV, and investigative journalism and even manages to believably toss some lost pirate treasure into the mix. The climax and denouement were fairly heavily telegraphed throughout the book, so for most readers it won't be a race to the finish to figure out whodunnit and why, but the writing is above average and I enjoyed the ride enough to seek out the other books (one previously released, one upcoming) in the series. The author is adept at his craft.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

A documentary crew searching for a giant eel rumored to live in a remote harbor in Newfoundland get more than they bargained for when they discover not a long-lost creature from the deep, but a dead body. Everyone in town could be a suspect. Can the murderer be brought to the surface before it's too late?

This was a fun book. First of all, Lake Crescent is the second book in J.J. Dupuis' Creature X series with Laura Reagan as the main character. That being said, I had no problem dropping into this one without having read the first. The characters were well established and fleshed out, and although some nods to the previous book were scattered throughout Lake Crescent, they served to entice me to read that book as well without spoiling it in the process! The set up for the book series is that a documentary team is traveling around filming a tv series, Creature X, that is looking for cryptozoological creatures, commonly called cryptids. If you've seen Monster Quest on the "History" channel, you know what I'm talking about. Bigfoot, Nessie, Thunderbirds, Jackalopes, etc. I think it's a great set up. Additionally, the author has added an extra-layer to the story by having the main character following in the footsteps of her cryptid-obsessed father who abandoned she and her mother (Her mother and her? idk let's let it ride. English is a mad language anyways) to go searching for these creatures. What happened to him? Is he still out there somewhere chasing Chupacabras? Is his the body in the cove? The missing dad definitely throws down some great Supernatural season one vibes for me.

The book itself definitely fits into the Cozy Mystery genre with the amateur detective and small town cast of characters. The scientific aspect of the actual hunt for the giant eel said to live in the cove broke up some of the normal features of going around town to talk to the varied villagers, and was enjoyable to me. The "Big Reveal" at the end was very well done and kept me leaning a couple different ways until the final trigger was pulled. A definite recommendation to fans of the genre who might like a little more science sprinkled on the top. Or who also enjoy a good cryptid hunt. The last several years of U.S. politics have ruined the fun of basically all the old standby conspiracy theories, so a good giant eel or Bigfoot hunt helps remind one of gentler, more pleasant times. That being said, I'll definitely be getting my hands on the first book, Roanoke Ridge, and keep my eyes open for the series as it continues. Jolly good show.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

i was hoping for more cryptid content but the mystery was interesting and the premise was fun, def gotta read the first book of the series as well

thanks to netgalley & dundurn books for an arc in exchange for an honest review!