Dead Secret by Noelle Holten

Because we wouldn’t want her to be left out and miss out on all the blog tour fun, Mandie has also read and reviewed Noelle Holten’s latest Maggie Jamieson book, Dead Secret. You can find out my thoughts on my blog tour review which is found here. Here’s what the book is all about:

About the Book

Psychopaths can take root in the unlikeliest soil…

DC Maggie Jamieson crosses paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor stumbles into her new refuge, unable to speak, desperate for help.

Then another case hits Maggie’s desk. A young man has been murdered, and a curious constellation of black dots has been inked onto his cheek.

That’s when DCI Hastings goes missing and Maggie uncovers a shocking connection that turns the case on its head.

Every family may hide secrets, but not every family buries them…

Mandie’s Thoughts

Dead Secret is the fourth book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series and if there is one thing I am certain of it’s a dangerous thing to be friends with this particular DC. That being said you would still want her in your corner when trouble comes calling.

Maggie is investigating the murder of a young boy when she is also thrown into another investigation when DCI Hastings goes missing. Added to this her friend Lucy Sherwood has just had her first resident at her refuge. She clearly looks like she is a survivor of domestic abuse but seems unwilling to talk about it or give many details about herself. As the investigations into all of these cases progress, she is left wondering if they are all connected and if so how.

This is certainly a frustrating case for Maggie as she knows that the disappearance of DCI Hastings and his family is time sensitive, but the investigation is anything but straightforward. After all she has to be sure of what she finds as this is a reputation as well as a career on the line. Maggie does also finally seem to be making some progress in her personal life… not that this is any less complicated than her work life. There is a definite spark between her and reporter Julie Noble, but she is just not sure how far she can trust Julie not to put her career before their relationship or how much damage it could do Maggie herself. Added to that she is only just really getting over her feelings for Kate, and she misses being able to sound her out face to face when things get confusing.

Dead Secret is another fast-paced book full of twists and turns that will have you guessing right up to the end what the eventual outcome will be. This has definitely become a favourite series of mine and I am looking forward to what comes next for Maggie but based on what I have read so far, I am sure it will test both Maggie and her friends to their limits once more.

About the Author

Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at http://www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and was a regular reviewer on the Two Crime Writers and a Microphone podcast. Noelle worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of cases including those involving serious domestic abuse. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology. Noelle’s hobbies include reading, author-stalking and sharing the book love via her blog.

Dead Inside is her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.