SuitabookHarrow Lake
Kat Ellis
- Reading
- Read alongside a trusted adult if frightening imagery or family-conflict themes may feel intense. Pause after major discoveries to separate what Lola knows from what she suspects, without needing to settle the mystery immediately.
- Themes
- Fear and the unknown: Lola encounters ominous signs, disappearances, a threatening figure called Mister Jitters and events that may or may not have supernatural explanations. The uncertainty appears to be used to build suspense and make Lola question what is happening, rather than to present a settled explanation.
- Family, stories and identity: Lola’s identity is closely linked to her horror-filmmaker father, her absent mother and the film made in Harrow Lake. The book does not clearly resolve its stance on this.
- Community and reputation: Harrow Lake is strongly associated with the film that put it on the map, while locals are described as unusually obsessed with it and strange disappearances occur. The book leaves its stance open to more than one reading.
- Worth knowing
- Consider whether the horror and family-conflict themes may feel intense before reading, particularly the brutal attack, stalking and disappearances.