Jesus, Mary and Joseph and the wee donkey, could DCI Hastings actually be guilty of murder?

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.

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.

DC Maggie Jamison is back! Love this crime thriller series and this might be the best book yet! Each book is a self-contained case and can be read as a standalone, but once you’ve read one you’re going to want to read them all! Maggie is working on a seemingly innocuous murder case until a photograph is discovered that changes it’s trajectory. Lucy Sherwood plays a bigger role in this story then she did in the previous two. I have to say I was really thrilled to see more of her character after getting to know her so well in the first book. Lucy is opening up a home for victims of domestic abuse and her first resident is a bit of an enigma. Now I knew somehow these two storylines had something to do with one another, and I had so much fun trying to puzzle it out. I also really liked getting to no Maggie a bit better and enjoyed her flirty banter with reporter Julie. As always I was completely fascinated by the politics and inner workings of the police department and enjoyed that aspect of the story. This was such a well told fast paced thriller that had me completely invested! I did figure out who the culprit was slightly before the reveal in this book, but wow so well executed! And that ending?!?! That ending has me salivating for the next story in this excellent series!

Noelle Holten’s DC Maggie Jamieson thrillers are spine-tingling crime thrillers that grip like a vice and keep readers engrossed all through the night and in Dead Secret she knocks it out of the park yet again with a dark, chilling and disturbing read I couldn’t bear to put down.

DC Maggie Jamieson should know by now that there is no such thing as a quiet day in her line of work and that certainly proves to be the case when she finds herself crossing paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor comes through the doors of her new refuge desperate for help but unable to speak. Maggie thinks that she has got her hands full with this case, but little does she realise that this is just the start of a labyrinthine series of investigations that might just turn out to be the most challenging of her career…

A young man has just been found murdered, but what is even more curious is the indentation of black dots that have been inked onto this cheeks. Just what is going on here? What do the dots mean? Are they sending a message to the police? What do these dots represent and can Maggie peace together the shattered pieces of this twisted puzzle that seems to be plunging her down one dead end after another? Maggie certainly has her hands full with her current workload, but there are further surprises in store for her that might just push her over the edge…

DCI Hastings has disappeared off the face of the earth and Maggie’s investigating leads to her to a shocking discovery that ends up challenging everything she thought she knew. Entangled in a lethal web of deadly secrets and devastating deception, will Maggie manage to solve these cases? Or will another earth-shattering revelation be made that could push her headlong into danger?

Noelle Holten is a crime writing genius! I picked up Dead Secret and started reading it at night and before I knew it it was 3 am and had polished off the whole book. Noelle Holten once again explores the darker recesses of the human condition and has penned a sinister, menacing and terrifying page-turner featuring the fabulous Maggie Jamieson, who is once again at the top of her game. Someone who takes no prisoners, pulls no punches but is always willing to do the right thing, Maggie Jamieson is a brilliant character I just cannot get enough of.

A superb thriller from a writer who just keeps getting better and better, crime fiction fans will not want to miss Noelle Holten’s outstanding new novel, Dead Secret.

Dead Secret by Noelle Holten is a chilling, suspense novel that keeps you guessing from the start.
From the beginning of the novel, the reader is intrigued by what could be happening and is determined to find out the answers along with the characters.
I appreciated how real the characters seemed in that they had their flaws just as one would in reality and were not written as “perfect”. This always helps to make any book more enjoyable.
With the two separate stories throughout the novel, with Maggie and Lucy, we are continually trying to find the ways in which they are connected, and although I essentially did figure it out pretty early on, Holten still does a great job at making you question how it is possible. The unanswered pieces that are only as you continue to progress through the novel make it seem as though you are working along with the detectives and figuring things out with them instead of having the story narrated to you which I believe make mystery and suspense novels that much better.
Overall, I would give this book three out of five stars because I did really enjoy it, however, I was able to guess a major piece of the plot.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review!

Can you actually Adam and Eve it! We are back with Maggie and it is BOOK 4!! Book 4! Wow! It has been an adventure so far and it is no different here. This story is of a slower pace but the murders are no less vicious and the killer (or killers) are way more cold, aloof and quite simply terrifying!

Kate is away, Lucy is opening her haven with her first woman through the doors and Maggie’s boss has gone missing. Everything is happening all at once. However, it is more controlled. Yes, we are against the clock but things are treated carefully when it is the boss involved. I will admit when I was reading about DCI Hastings, there was only one man in my head. I mean it goes without saying at the moment!!!!

I do love a book that has multiple storylines going on because you never quite have that relief. Whilst you have Maggie, Nathan and Kat following the clues for the missing persons but at the same time, Lucy is struggling to help her first lady through the haven.

Even though we are guided through the book at a leisurely pace, that ending is still explosive! It is shocking and it is cold and wow! That is a guttural punch, and it will be interesting to see the fallout with this! And then once you think you are ok, everything semi tied up….six weeks later happens!!!!!!!!! Now I am chomping at the bit for book 5!!!!

I have loved Noelle’s writing since the very beginning. She has created these ballsy women, who have some serious problems. None of them shies away from their issues and they are respected. Well, I respect them! Plus to see their softer more personal sides come out is always a treat. I mean who does not love a bit of flirtatious banter!

I look forward to my next outing with Maggie and the team and equally dread what is in store for them next.

This is a thriller I loved following DC Maggie Jamieson investigating a murder case with a constellation on his cheeks and a domestic violence survivor shows up unable to speak. Balancing the cases is always a consuming challenge and let me tell you this book consumed me!
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There is not a lot I want to say but family secrets never stay buried for long, and the ending of this was absolutely perfect even though I will be waiting very impatiently for the next book!
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Thank you @letstalkbookspromo and #netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for granting me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I didn't realise it is part of a series.
It was easy to pick up, so I didn't feel like I had missed anything too important from the previous books.
This is definitely a slow burn of a book, and I didn't really get into it until just before half way, and even then, it intrigued me rather than completely gripping me.
I didn't really feel that invested in the story, I guessed the twist pretty early on and the ending confused me.
I won't be in a rush to read any other books in the series as for me, this was just an ok read

This is another gripping read from Noelle.

When a boy is found murdered and then a leading policeman goes missing, DC Maggie Jamieson is once again called into action.

Noelle has created a brilliant series of books that are a must read for any crime fiction junkie! (See what I did there!😅)

Gripping from start to finish Noelle not only gives us a gripping story but shows how the pressure mounts, not only on the police but all the additional agencies involved in investigations. This is where her personal experience shines through and adds authenticity to the characters.

I am really enjoying the character development and am interested to see who Maggie will concentrate on in the new book! The new case for Maggie was excellently set up at the end and I can’t wait to read it.

As always highly recommended.

"Psychopaths can take root in the unlikeliest soil…"

The DC Maggie Jamieson series has become a must-read series for me thanks to the author’s dark, twisty and sharply-written plots and compelling characters. Like the previous installments, this fourth installment doesn’t miss a beat and jumps straight into the action with a heart-pounding and mysterious prologue that sets us up for the tense journey we are about to be taken on.

It was great to be back with familiar characters. Even though these books can be quite hard-hitting, there is a comfort to the familiar characters that makes reading a series so enticing for me. This installment is probably the least hard-hitting of the author’s books so far, focusing more on Maggie’s personal life and how Lucy is coping with running her new refuge than on dark and malevolent characters. And as much as I like the twisted characters I enjoyed this change. But don’t let that fool you, there is still plenty of action and the team spend a lot of time investigating two pressing cases: the murder of a young man and the disappearance of DCI Hastings and his family. And as they dig deeper, they unveil shocking secrets that reveal the cases are connected in unexpected ways.

As with all of her books, Ms Holten addresses some tough topics in this book, including domestic abuse and self harm. While it is always written with honesty, it is also sensitive and real, showing things such as the struggle faced by survivors of abuse. Her villains are always scarily sinister, and this book does not disappoint in that regard. They may only appear for a short time, but they make quite the impact and lasting impression.

An unpredictable, gripping and suspenseful thriller, Dead Secret will have you on tenterhooks from start to finish. The author succinctly catches you up on past events, making it readable as both a standalone of part of the series.

TW: Domestic abuse, self harm

I absolutely love Noelle Holten's writing and there are now four books in the amazing Maggie Jamieson series which seems to be getting better and better. I really look forward to each new instalment and Dead Secret is so good it blew my socks off!

You can definitely read each book as a standalone but what I love about them is the way that each book picks up where the last one ended. Noelle Holten completely nails her endings, which I'd say are more of a hook than a cliffhanger, so series fans are already hooked before the next book is even released. The ending of Dead Secret has a hook and a half and I can't wait to read what comes next.

There are two main threads to the storyline and both are incredibly intriguing: one being domestic violence and the other being murder. Lucy has a drop in at her new refuge and even though she isn't officially open yet, she can't turn the mysterious young woman away. Meanwhile, Maggie is investigating a murder that is linked to her missing DCI and the police must tread carefully to avoid being accused of a cover-up. With so much mouthwatering intrigue, I simply couldn't read fast enough.

Plotted to perfection, Dead Secret is jaw-droppingly awesome. Noelle Holten is a super-talented author and her writing is filled with intrigue, suspense and colourful characterisation. Without doubt a five star read and very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

I will be honest, that is what you want here, right? This book was not one for me. I did not realize it was part of a series when I started it and I think I would have benefited greatly from reading the previous books. I had so many unanswered questions about the many characters and what made them the way they are. I really appreciated the short chapters and how easy this was to read. I also did not clue in to the TJR solution to this case until pretty far into the book which is always a plus.

I have been a definite fan of Noelle Holten's books since her very first book was released 'Dead Inside'. 'Dead Secret' is now the fourth book to feature DC Maggie Jamieson and I have enjoyed every single book, so I knew I was in for a treat as doon as I opened the book.
We see Maggie still trying to get her head round her last case and hoping to have some respite from it all when a young man is discovered dead in the woods and one of her own colleagues has gone missing. Maggie and the team investigate both cases and it soon emerges there may be a link between the two. With they manage to solve these cases before another body is found?
Another book that I managed in a day! Noelle Holten has created a story with characters that you can feel like they are real, this adds to the intrigue of the story. I had my heart in my mouth at times while reading this. You can definitely tell that the author has experience in and around the police field, the realism you experience when you read this series is second to none. I am enjoying watching the characters develop over the series, we begin to see a slight shift in the relationship betweenJulia Noble and Maggie. Only time will tell, but I am watching. The book can be read as a stand alone but I always say that a series as excellent as this is more appreciated when you start from the beginning you can get to know the characters and how they are growing, or not.
An absolutely riveting read that held me from beginning to end with enough twists to make the Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham jealous and a cliff hanger of an ending that makes me need book five soon!! Noelle Holten is definitely continuing as she started with this series. A strong plot and an addictive read highly recommended by me. With thanks to Sarah from Books On The Bright Side, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the copy of the book

Rating: 3/5 stars.

“Dead Secret” by Noelle Holten is the fourth book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series of crime novels. I had not read the previous books so I was not familiar with the characters, though it was still easy to catch up and understand their history with just reading this entry in the series.

The story opens with an intriguing murder case. I was hooked at first, but started to lose interest as the novel went on. The conversation felt a little stilted and awkward at points, and the plot was a little too formulaic. I wish the author had found a way to bring some new ideas to the crime genre. While I really liked the main character, and really appreciated having a bisexual woman as the star protagonist, personality-wise she felt a little two-dimensional and unoriginal. Her characteristics were reminiscent of any cookie-cutter modern female detective.

While the book does have some good twists and turns, but the main twist was obvious to me right from the get-go. The big reveal and explanation of the murderer’s motivations was very well-written, creepy and haunting, and was one of my favourite parts of the novel.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and will check out the rest of the DC Maggie Jamieson series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

Book 4 in the Maggie Jamieson series and it's a cracker.

The plot is full of twists and turns to keep you totally hooked. The trademark cliff hangers at the end of some chapters make these books impossible to put down.

I love the camaraderie between the team members and I'm really enjoying getting to know them.

Noelle Holten has gone straight to the top of my must read authors and I can't wait to read the next one.

A brilliant 5 🌟 thriller.

The series just gets better and better. The characters are becoming old friends and it's really interesting watching the different relationships develop. Noelle Holten has a knack of tapping into raw emotions and her realistic, sometimes almost too realistic!, descriptions draw you into the scene. The result is that you end up thinking about the story long after you finish the last page. I really enjoyed this book but I'm glad I don't live in the author's mind.

Noelle Holten has hit the ball out of the park once again in her fourth in the Detective Maggie Jamieson series. Blisteringly paced with more action than you can shake a stick at and not forgetting all the intensity and drama too. The fact that Maggie is a character who looks out for young women who have been in domestic violence situations makes this a wonderful series and sadly reflects the number of domestic issues we have in the real world. Maggie is one of those people who always takes on too much and is running around like a headless chicken but is also good at putting her all into every situation. A thorough riveting read with plenty of nerve-wracking moments and writing that makes it a pleasure to breeze through. Highly recommended.

DC Jamieson has her hands full. She meets Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood again when a domestic violence survivor is once again in need of help. Another case ... a man has been murdered and he's found with a multitude of black dots inked on his chest. And then her DCI goes missing.

This one is full of action ... twists and turns around every corner. It's a well-plotted police procedural with surprise after surprise. There are suspects roaming everywhere .. some more evil than others. As the book blurb says ... Every family may hide secrets, but not every family buries them. Although 4th in the series, this is easily read as a stand-alone, however, I do recommend reading in order. DC Jamieson is a unique character to follow.

Many thanks to the author / Harper Collins UK / One More Chapter / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

DC Maggie Jamison is a great heroine that has a lot to go through while solving crimes and dealing with personal issues. 

For as meticulous and rewarding as her job is, there’s always something new to discover and unveil in the cases she has to find what happened with the victims or criminals. 

Having to face a new challenge, won’t stop her to enjoy her personal love life and I’m so happy that the author has included parts of it in here because I’m always intrigued by strong characters and what’s happening behind the curtains and after the working hours. 

I knew the journalist would be trouble for her cases, and it proves that I was right. The disappearances had all been for an unexpected reason for me and that ending surely left me speechless and with so many questions and willingness to read the next books as soon as they become available. 

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

Another book in the D.C Maggie Jamieson series.
When a young man is found murdered the team try to find out what happened to him.
D.C.I Hastings is on sick leave or they are led to believe .
Then it comes to light that he is missing along with his wife and daughter.
Are these two cases connected .
Maggie is also involved with another case of a lady who has turned up at Lucy’s safe house for domestic violence .
With all these cases and not enough staff will she be able to solve them all.
Great read
Thanks NetGalley