BOOK DESCRIPTION
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…
The investigation into the murder of a young man who's body had been discovered at the edge of a wooded area near a office complex takes a unexpected shocking turn after evidence is uncovered that links DCI Hastings to the crime. Maggie Jamieson, Nathan and the team don't want to accept that their DCI was capable of committing any form of violence let alone murder. But as the investigation progresses and the evidence against him becomes increasingly more incriminating, the team are forced to confront the shocking truth that maybe DCI Hastings had a hidden dark side. The investigation is made even more complicated by the disappearance of Hastings, his wife Sophia and their teenage daughter Olivia and that there was signs of a struggle at their home. Maggie would have loved to have had Dr Kate Maloney to help her figure out the complexities of the case but Kate had been mentally exhausted after the horrific events of the living doll case and had returned to Ireland with her parents. Maggie could still get her input over the phone and using the Skype app but it wasn't the same as working side by side with her friend. Hasting's disappearance and the possibility that he is a dangerous man causes mixed emotions and tension amongst the members of the close knit team. A situation that is made worse especially for DI Rutherford when a new DCI is brought in to oversee the investigation. Maggie admits that sometimes a fresh set of eyes can be good for a investigation but it can also cause the case to be more complicated than it should be.
In the personal front, apart from missing Kate, Maggie finds herself struggling with her conflicting feelings about a certain irritating journalist. Fans of this series know all about the problems that Julie Noble has caused Maggie during previous investigations and were probably, like me, screaming no Maggie, stay away from her at their kindle's. Maggie knew that she shouldn't get involved with Julie, that she would be in serious trouble if anyone at work ever found out. But there was just something about the woman that Maggie found irresistible and hard to resist.
Meanwhile Lucy Sherwood, a character who reader's had been introduced to in the first book in the series Dead Inside had discovered the battered and semi-conscious body of a young girl on the doorstop of the refuge that Lucy was preparing to open. After her unexpected guest makes it clear that she doesn't want to go to the hospital, Lucy allows her to stay at the refuge and assures the mystery girl who refuses to speak that she is perfectly safe and protected. But who is the young girl? Is she really mute or just pretending to be? The point of a refuge is to keep victims safe from the of outside the gates but there be a possibility that Lucy has invited danger over the threshold and into her sanctuary?
You can always rely on Noelle's killers being twisted individuals and the antagonist in Dead Secret is no exception. A seriously spine chilling character who was very intelligent, cunning, conniving and manipulative. A incarnation of pure evil in the form of a human who didn't show even the tiniest speck of remorse for their actions.
As with the previous books in this incredible series Dead Secret is a extremely well written, intricately plotted, addictive thriller that hooks the reader in with a intense opening chapter. It's a tightly plotted, intelligently written page turner that keeps the reader guessing and glued to your kindle. There was some very fascinating information explaining the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath which is something that has always confounded me and still does if I'm honest. As always the author uses her background in the probation series to its full potential, including in her plot some very informative information about the behind the scenes workings of the probation service. Although this is the forth book in the series, it can be read and enjoyed as a standalone. I wouldn't hesitate in recommended this brilliant series to readers who enjoy reading dark and gritty thrillers that always leave you wanting more. This gripping addition to the series has another jaw dropping ending and I can't wait to find out what happens in book 5.
Author Bio:
Noelle Holten is an award-winning blogger at www.crimebookjunkie.co.uk. She is the PR & Social Media Manager for Bookouture, a leading digital publisher in the UK, and worked as a Senior Probation Officer for eighteen years, covering a variety of risk cases as well as working in a multi agency setting. She has three Hons BA’s – Philosophy, Sociology (Crime & Deviance) and Community Justice – and a Masters in Criminology.
Noelle’s hobbies include reading, attending as many book festivals as she can afford and sharing the booklove via her blog. Dead Inside – her debut novel with One More Chapter/Harper Collins UK is an international kindle bestseller and the start of a new series featuring DC Maggie Jamieson.
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PUBLICATION DATE: 23rd April 2021
PURCHASE LINK.....
THE DC MAGGIE JAMIESON SERIES
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