Ben Harper is an award winning journalist who writes about crimes. In his past he has suffered several loses. First when he was eight and his older brother Nick and his best friend Simon were brutally murdered by two female classmates in the woods at Haddley. The two girls were arrested and charged with the murders. Ben had been the one to find the bodies.

Ten years ago Ben's mother was killed when she jumped in front of a train. Ben has never believed she committed suicide.

His editor Madeline wants him to write an article about losing his brother and mother, at first he is adamant that he will not do this as it will bring back painful memories and again turn the attention on to him as a victim.

When someone with a connection to the case is murdered then he starts to investigate. But Haddley is a village with many secrets and the shocking revelations regarding his friends and neighbours will change his life forever.

This has to be hands down one of the best mystery thrillers I have ever read. I loved how every chapter was from a different person's POV.

A must read that I would highly recommend reading.

Worth much more than 5 stars!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a gripping start to a new series! Meet Ben Harper, an investigative journalist. This novel sets the series up brilliantly, introducing the variety of many characters in the small town of Haddley, making up the tight-knit community, all knowing the background to and supporting Ben.

The plot, a new murder, reflects back onto the murder of Ben’s older brother twenty years before. And so the story starts to draw in people and their role in the current community, and the questions and the pace picks up.

I was involved from the start, following all the threads and clues and felt I was on the trail of solving the mystery. Nope! How wrong was I? The tension and the urgency are, at times, quite palpable.

Another brilliant read and one I would strongly recommend, looking forward to following this series and rejoining Ben and his friends for another exciting investigation.

⭐️ 4 ⭐️
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Twelve Secrets is a fabulous read and a stellar debut.

I really enjoyed Gold’s writing style and thought his characterisation was excellent, particularly the main character, Ben Harper. The dialogue between the characters always felt believable and authentic.

The cleverly plotted story is twisty and tense with a couple of stinky red herrings thrown in to knock you off scent.

A thoroughly entertaining read. Looking forward to the next one!

This book has been sitting patiently on my kindle since it was published last year and I kept seeing so many recommendations that I knew I had to move it up my toppling TBR pile and see what all the fuss was about.

Twelve Secrets is the first in a series featuring Ben Harper. Ben is a true crime journalist with a tragic past, one he is not keen to revisit, but unfortunately the murder of a woman he is connected to brings the past back into the present with devasting consequences.

Twenty years ago Ben’s much loved and idolised older brother was murdered by a pair of schoolgirls when he was only 14 years old. This tragedy has plagued him and his mother ever since and on the anniversary of his mothers death, his boss wants him to write an article about his family.

The story is set in a fictional small town called Haddley in the UK and nearly all the residents have a past full of secrets they’d rather stay hidden. With a very large cast of characters it was a little tricky to keep up with all the drama and try to work out who is connected to who and what secrets they were keeping. However the author skilfully brings each character to life and ties everything together in a clever and sometimes shocking way.

If you are looking for a twisty tale full of secrets and lies with a fascinating cast of characters, then grab yourself a copy of Twelve Secrets.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere for this unique story. I was really surprised by everything, mystery, twist and all connections. So really entertaing and different at the same time

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for approving me for this book.

I felt the writing was done well in this book but there was just something missing for me and I couldn't get into it and enjoy it as much as I hoped I would.

A perfect read that I have been pulled into and unable to put down.
This is a gem to read and one that’s taken me on a rollercoaster.

Twelve Secrets is a phenomenal thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out Twelve Secrets today.

Thanks to Little, Brown UK and NetGalley for ARC.

This great debut has an intriguing premise - investigative journalist Ben Harper is asked to write about a notorious historical murder, after a recent murder brings it back into the spotlight. He was close to the original crime, which happened in his tight-knit home community. When he goes back, he discovers that everyone (everyone) has something to hide about that awful time twenty years ago, and some people would stop at nothing to keep their secrets safe and their status intact.

This held together remarkably well, despite a little early confusion for this reader trying to hold all the strands in her head.. It's a shocking crime, with a shocking denouement and overall a very satisfying read.

This was a fast paced read with an excellent storyline and great characters. The twists and turns within, together with a unique storyline were a winning combination. Highly recommend this title.

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere and NetGalley UK for the review copy.

A really good novel with great character development and twists that i did not see coming. Thought the pace of the novel was fast and it kept me wanting tp read on

An enjoyable read with a wide variety of interesting and unusual characters. I liked how the author weaved an intricate web of lives and dark secrets. Some characters I'd love to see again, especially Ben's boss Madeleine!

It's very rare for me to find a thriller now which is completely unique, but I was blown away by Twelve Secrets and absolutely loved everything about this book. The concept was so fresh and exciting, lots of characters and multiple perspectives made the story so addictive. I raced through it but this doesn't mean that it was an easy read - the plot was very complex with lots of twists and lots of different elements which had been weaved together so skilfully, combining the death of Ben Harper's brother twenty years earlier with the events taking place in the present day.

I was so excited to read that Ben Harper would be returning in a second book - I can't wait to see what he gets up to in the next instalment!

Gripping and complex psychological thriller telling the story of the aftermath of the murder of 2 teenage boys by 2 teenage girls. Quite a lot of characters to remember however the plot is interesting enough to make up for this

A small town with a big crime is always a good story in my books. It's gripping, face paced and full of twists to keep you hooked

I was excited to read this one. The synopsis sounded just up my street and the fact it had been highly rated by one of my most favourite authors James Patterson drew me straight in.

Unfortunately to my dismay I was left feeling what I can only describe as underwhelmed.

In my opinion there were WAY too many characters which didnt give the author any chance to give them any real depth of character. Personally I have to connect with at least one character within a story/series but they all just felt flat.

The writing style wasnt one I enjoyed, it felt lacklustre in all honesty (personal opinion) and just didn't gel with me.

1..5*

Thanks to netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the ARC.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Ben Harper, true crime journalist, is about to unravel his most shocking story yet . . . his own.

The day his older brother was murdered was the day Ben Harper's life changed forever.

In one of the most shocking crimes in national history, Nick and his friend were stabbed to death by two girls their own age. Police called the killings random, a senseless tragedy.

Twenty years on Ben is one of the best true crime journalists in the country. He has left the past behind, thanks to the support of his close-knit hometown community.

I had read fantastic reviews going into this book but I just found it difficult to follow. There were too many characters and the plot kept jumping around. With a slow pace this book took me quite a few sittings to finish. I believe that this is a debut novel which is apparent in the writing.

Rating 3/5

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is the first book in the new Ben Harper series, and it was an excellent read especially as Robert is a new author to me. This book had everything I needed for a great start of a new crime thriller series it was cleverly written from the beginning till the end and was addictive I could not put Twelve Secrets down once I opened my kindle to read it. I loved it and looking for his next book from Ben.

Ben is an award-winning True crime Journalist and this book was a 5 star read. I highly recommend it.

Big thank you too Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere, Robert Gold, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read. This review is my unbiased opinion.

A compelling mystery about a years old murder being revisited by the bystanders and families linked to the original crime. The reveals are a bit like the layers of an onion which makes it intriguing and confusing at the same time. I didn’t count the “twelve secrets” and am not convinced the title does the book justice.

A SMALL TOWN. A SHOCKING CRIME.
YOU'LL SUSPECT EVERY CHARACTER. BUT YOU'LL NEVER GUESS THE ENDING.
Ben Harper's life changed for ever the day his older brother Nick was murdered by two classmates. It was a crime that shocked the nation and catapulted Ben's family and their idyllic hometown, Haddley, into the spotlight.
Twenty years on, Ben is one of the best investigative journalists in the country and settled back in Haddley, thanks to the support of its close-knit community. But then a fresh murder case shines new light on his brother's death and throws suspicion on those closest to him.
Ben is about to discover that in Haddley no one is as they seem. Everyone has something to hide.
And someone will do anything to keep the truth buried . . .

What a belter! Great thriller, pacy, twisty and very engrossing. A real page-turner. Ben's older brother and his pal were murdered by two girls from school when they were teenagers. It was front page news and the whole country knows the story and how the girls were imprisoned then released with new identities. The close-knit community rallies around Ben and supports him, he lives in the same place surrounded by friends and neighbours who look out for him. Now a journalist, a recent murder case changes how he looks back on the events of the past and where suspicions might lie. Whilst Ben is the man protagonist, we are also given insights into other characters lives and their pasts. Just when you think you know what's going on,more is revealved. Great plot, all the secrets held together really well and the ending didn't disappoint. The claustrophobia of keeping secrets within a small community was tangible as well as the expolsive after effects. Highly recommend!