Dead Secret: A gripping crime thriller with shocking twists you won’t see coming (Maggie Jamieson thriller, Book 4)

If you haven't at the very least read book three in the series, Dead Perfect, then I would suggest you take a step back and read that as this book picks up exactly where the last book left off. Then again, due to the interconnected nature of these stories, you may want to read book one as well, as the vast majority of characters that we meet were there in book one, and their stories and past are part key to what happens in Dead Secret. It's not essential, but I think you'd get more out of the story if you do. And you may as well read book two then, because it would be rude not to ...In Dead Secret, Maggie, and the team in Major Crime team at Staffordshire Police, are faced with a series of disturbing murders which see the case take a very personal turn. Alongside this, Lucy Sherwood has her very first client at her women's refuge, a young women who is very badly hurt but also very evasive about her past. Two, soon to be three very perplexing mysteries which will keep you guessing throughout.I must admit, I never trust evasive people in fiction, and Ronnie, the young woman who turns up at Lucy's refuge, is as evasive as they come. But is she hiding from someone, or from herself? She is a very complex character, but. difficult to get to know, the author playing on the idea that she is keeping secrets, as the title of the book suggests, but taking her time in slowly revealing them to the reader. Nervous, on edge - all classic hallmarks of an abuse victim, but how do you help someone who won't tell you what they are scared of? It was nice being back in the company of Lucy in this book, and her personal experience plays well to this element of the story. Sadly, discovering more about her mysterious new client will not be easy, with her former police colleagues otherwise distracted by their various cases. The mystery adds tension and also informs the pacing of the story, distracting readers at just the crucial times.In terms of Maggie's cases, not only is she investigating a brutal murder in which the victim is left with ritualistic seeming marks on their body, the team is faced with the disappearance of one of their own and this becomes an increasingly urgent case, resulting in an increasingly pressured situation for the whole team. Despite having great instincts and being a determined investigator, Maggie is a character who is prone to emotional outbursts and frustration, and this time around it is not just the complex investigations that are getting to her. There is the added complication of her growing relationship, however it can be characterised, with reporter, Julie Noble. They wind each other up, Noble knowing exactly how to press Maggie's buttons, but there is a definite chemistry there, even if Maggie is too cautious and doubting to give into it.Dead Secret is a clever and complex mystery that keep readers on their toes, casting doubt over many a character in turn. There were parts to the story that I had kind of guessed, largely because I am an untrusting soul, but there are many twists and turns in the book and parts of the story really do cause you to question what is happening and who is guilty. The characters are as sharp and well rounded as ever, and really pull you into the story, their relationships and character flaws as engrossing as the murder investigation. The pace is fast, the tension rising and falling as the story needs, and all powering readers to a very unexpected and emotional finale.And yes ... it will leave you wanting more. I'm coming to think that Noelle is becoming the queen of the cliffhanger ending, as what you read will leave you reeling and desperate to get hold of book five.

I have been a fan of Noelle’s work for a little while now-in fact ever since I had the good fortune to pick up a copy of her first book ‘Dead Inside’. Since then I have read and loved each and every book that she has released. ‘Dead Secret’ is Noelle’s fourth book and it was released as an e-book on 23rd April 2021 and it is due for release in paperback on the 22nd July 2021. ‘Dead Secret’ is another corker of a read, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading but more about that in a bit.It didn’t take me long at all to get into this story. In fact the synopsis was enough to draw me in and the story within the book’s cover just sealed the deal as they say. As soon as I started reading, I just knew that there was no point planning to do anything else for the rest of the day because I knew that I wouldn’t be able to put the book down. I must be psychic (or psychopathic?) because once I started reading the book, I just couldn’t stop. I became so wrapped up in the story that I lost all track of time and just how quickly I was getting through the story. All too quickly I reached the end of ‘Dead Secret’ and I had to bid a temporary farewell to DC Maggie Jamieson. I found ‘Dead Secret’ to be an unputdownable, page turner of a read, which kept me guessing and which kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.‘Dead Secret’ is superbly written but then I have thought that to be true of all of Noelle’s books to date. She certainly knows how to draw you into the story and take you on one hell of a journey. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintained a fast pace throughout. Reading ‘Dead Secret’ felt like being on a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns along the way. Just when you thought that you could take a minute to catch your breath then off the action would go again. I felt as though I was part of the story and that’s thanks to Noelle’s very vivid and realistic storytelling.In short, I thoroughly enjoyed every single minute of ‘Dead Secret’ and I would recommend it to other readers. This is a series that just keeps getting better and better and goes from strength to strength. I will certainly be reading more of Noelle’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.