Daniel G. Miller’s The Orphanage By The Lake is a fun thriller starring an endearing and sometimes comical female lead. For those who enjoyed the Nancy Drew series back in the day, this one is worth picking up.
Thirty-year-old Hazel Cho hasn’t exactly set the world on fire after hanging out a shingle for her solo private investigation business. She’s down to her last client when rich socialite Madeline Hemsley shows up at her unimpressive office and offers a game-changing award if she locates her missing goddaughter within ten days. Six months prior, Mia disappeared from a children’s home, and the police haven’t seemed particularly concerned with finding her. Nor did any of the other private investigators Madeline hired have any success.
Hazel grabs this opportunity. Finally, a way to show her overbearing Korean mother that she didn’t throw her life away by quitting law school!
As one would expect, Hazel’s investigation is thwarted by obstacles. These include an uncooperative headmaster, shady cops, and a lack of resources (except for a Tesla, courtesy of the otherwise difficult Madeline). Despite this, Hazel makes progress in uncovering several clues about Mia’s disappearance, including some suggesting that something larger may be at play.
At a swanky benefit for the school, Hazel also meets the dashing (and exorbitantly rich) Andrew, who seems enamored with Hazel despite her feeling like a knock-off Gucci bag in the roomful of real ones. There’s also the salt-of-the earth Robert, the detective assigned to Mia’s case. At first it seems like the book is setting up to present a subplot of Hazel being torn between the two men, but this isn’t explored further in a missed opportunity. Instead, the narrative focuses on the puzzle pieces of the mystery; and the story is interesting enough to keep turning the pages.
The highlight of the book is Hazel’s relationship with her awkward roommate Kenny. Although his interest in Hazel is unrequited, Kenny is a fun partner in (solving) crime. He and Hazel bond over their Asian heritage, and there are a few sweet moments shared between the two.
The Orphanage By The Lake requires some forgiveness to appreciate. It makes little sense that someone desperate to find her missing goddaughter would insist on an impossibly short deadline. Nor does it make sense that she would hire someone like Hazel given that money is no object to her, or that Hazel would have success if she isn’t even given access to the police file. The execution of Hazel’s reaction to, and relationship with Andrew also reads as if written by a man.
But here’s the thing. Books and movies have issues all the time. Remember how Elle Woods stumbles over her very first cross-examination in Legally Blond, yet somehow elicits a confession in that same line of questioning? We dive into these experiences for an escape, not for complete accuracy.
The Orphanage By The Lake is an escape. It’s fun to investigate with Hazel, who is enjoyable company. Finish this one in two days, then finally get around to reading Anna Karenina.
Sarah Reida is a writer of dark comedy thrillers. Her Kirkus-starred adult debut, Neighborhood Watch, is Desperate Housewives meets Agatha Christie, and it was recently honored as an Amazon editorial pick as one of the Best Books of the Year So Far 2024. If you’re interested in reading a locked room thriller (i.e., a neighborhood) about terrible people getting murdered, click here. And join Sarah’s elite group of Instagram followers here.
