For 15-year-old Daphne Ann Post, the summer of 1976 at Lake Carlson should be filled with new friendships and carefree late-night parties. But something darker lurks beneath the surface-her chilling premonition that someone is going to drown.
Wishing she could escape the shadow of her fractured family and her mother's too-soon rebound relationship, Daphne reluctantly heads to the family lake house in Northern Indiana. The tension with her mother is thick-especially when Daphne is the only one who knows her mom's boyfriend is hiding a dangerous secret. But Daphne's burden is far heavier than family drama. She harbors an unsettling gift-an ability to know the hidden truths of anyone she touches.
Last year that same intuition failed her when her best friend ignored Daphne's warning before a tragic accident. Now everyone at school blames Daphne for what happened. Haunted by guilt, Daphne is determined to keep her ability a secret.
When she meets the Vaughans-cool, popular, and effortlessly perfect next-door neighbors-Daphne is drawn into their world, seduced by the thrill of fitting in. Over the summer, whispers of danger from the lake grow louder. Her intuition screams someone will die, and not even the haze of weed can numb her fear.
The clock is ticking. Daphne knows that to save a life, she'll have to confront her darkest secret and risk losing everything she's worked so hard for. Can she stop the inevitable without exposing her truth? Or will the lake claim a victim-this time, someone she loves?
About the Author :
Tracey has played the piano since age three. She considers herself a serial artist who is an avid gardener, musician, piano teacher, artist, and author. She writes psychological thrillers and romantic suspense. Her debut, BEST KEPT SECRETS (Crooked Lane Books, 2019) won a Hugh Holton Award in 2018. She is a two-time finalist for the Claymore Award for best unpublished novel in '22, and '23. Her short story, Forbiddance was a finalist for Writers' Digest Genre Fiction awards. In 2020 she created Blackbird Writers, a community of like-minded mystery authors. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and like some of her characters, she occasionally speaks with spirits on the other side.
Review :
FOREWARNED is a masterpiece of characterization and tension. Every element of the book-its setting, mood, plot, dialogue, inner thoughts, and beautiful prose-melds into a perfectly orchestrated symphony. Though the protagonist, Daphne Post, was a fifteen-year-old, I completely identified with her, and as her heart was laid bare, so was mine. By the end of the story, I rose to my feet, applauding, in a standing ovation.-Saralyn Richard, Author
A haunting and evocative coming-of-age tale where the line between intuition and danger blurs. Forewarned kept me turning pages late into the night!" -Sheila Lowe, author of the Beyond the Veil series
FOREWARNED is a thrilling and immersive journey that draws readers into its vivid, multi-sensory depths. Tracey Phillips masterfully crafts a narrative that flows like a powerful river, carrying you along on surging tides of emotion and suspense. This novel showcases Phillips's exceptional talent for weaving suspenseful plots and highlights her ability to create deeply compelling characters. I wholeheartedly recommend FOREWARNED to anyone seeking a meticulously crafted tale brimming with intrigue and excitement. - Laurie Buchanan, author of the Sean McPherson thrillers
Because of Daphne's psychic premonitions, her high school peers shun her and call her a freak. When she arrives at her family's summer lake house, she's thrilled to find friends in her neighborhood, even if they are troubled teens. But her eerie visions warn her that someone will drown this summer, and she can't tell who it will be-maybe it will even be her. In Forewarned, Phillips weaves together a taut suspense filled with interesting and challenged characters and a tense foreshadowing of upcoming disaster. Find a comfortable seat when you sit down to read this book; it will keep you on edge, and you won't want to stop turning pages! Margaret Mizushima, author of the Timber Creek K-9 Mysteries, including Gathering Mist
"Forewarned" is a thoroughly fascinating blend of 1976 nostalgia, page-turning suspense, and paranormal intrigue interwoven with the most well-developed plot I've read in ages. The author achieves a stellar balance between the seemingly idyllic summer lake setting and the raw truths each character harbors. Whether you remember the summer of '76 personally or not, the fine attention to detail will immerse you immediately in that era. Even though the fabulous storytelling hints at the terrible thing that's coming, you still won't be ready for the heart pounding finish. Simply terrific!! -Valerie Biel
A coming-of-age story for every generation! I read this in two sittings. It was a bit like watching a train wreck - I could not look away. I so wanted to mother and lecture those children! Absolutely amazing. The characters were so real - like watching my siblings make all the stupid mistakes they made when we were young. Phillips expertly weaves the uncertainties of puberty, friendship, and acceptance into characters whose secrets conflict and collide in a deadly climax. The summer of 1976 setting comes alive, nostalgic in its innocence and heartbreakingly accurate in its crumbling family values, sucking the reader in and never letting go. Sharon Lynn, author of the Bath Mysteries
