Get ready for an evening of suspense with Toronto research lawyer Emma White as she shares the story behind her gripping debut thriller, Venom Lake. When four friends from a true‑crime book club head to remote Snakebite Island for a carefree girls’ weekend, their getaway takes a chilling turn—one of them ends up dead, and the others are left to untangle the danger closing in around them.

Packed with twists, dark secrets, and a tense island setting, Venom Lake is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewell, Lucy Foley, and Ashley Audrain. Join us for a conversation about crafting page‑turning suspense, complicated friendships, and what makes a thriller truly unputdownable.

About Venom Lake

On a weekend getaway for their true-crime book club, four women retreat to the sole cottage on isolated Snakebite Island. But what was supposed to be a fun weekend of getting trashed on rosé and talking serial killers takes a dark turn when a member of the group is found dead on the shore. Murdered. By one of her supposed friends.

Under the surface, there’s turbulence in the group. Blackmail, affairs and addiction. Financial misconduct. A missing husband. All of the women are hiding dangerous secrets, but how far are they willing to go to keep them?

The murder creates a dilemma for the three surviving book club members: report the death and have their own lives shredded by an investigation or use their true-crime knowledge to stage their friend’s disappearance on the lake. The consequences of their decision will ripple outwards, creating new risks and threatening to unravel their entire net of lies.

About Emma White

Emma White is a research lawyer who lives in Toronto. This is her debut novel.

This event is presented in partnership between Words Worth Books and the WPL.