Twelve Secrets

Thank goodness my wish was granted and I got access to this book. It’s one I’ll be urging people to read when it is eventually released.
I often find a point in most thrillers where I’ve guessed who is responsible or started to put details together. With Twelve Secrets there was a lot going on, so even though I’d answered a couple of questions there were still some surprises. This was refreshing, and definitely one of the many things it had going in its favour.
The story centres on Ben Harper, a journalist of some repute, who is known by many in his town as the younger brother of someone who was brutally murdered. With an anniversary approaching, the press are keen to find out how those impacted by the murders of Nick and Simon by two teen girls are coping. Ben is reluctant to be involved, but when one of the killers is found murdered it seems that there may be more going on than was originally thought. Someone is keeping secrets, and these secrets are going to be very dangerous.
As the story progresses we start to uncover some of the secrets being kept in this small town. Some were deeply upsetting and some made me angry for those affected but they all served a clear purpose in helping to bring together a compulsive read.
I’m hoping this is going be the start of a relationship with the character of Ben Harper…he definitely has more stories in him.

I loved this and eagerly await his next book. I couldn't put it down, found myself completely invested in what happened to the characters and definitely didn't expect the denouement. A recommended read!

OMG! Thank you so much to the publishers for me granting my wish and allowing me access to this read. I was hooked seeing the rave reviews, and glad to say this did not disappoint. I’ve been in a bit of reading slump and this was the perfect pick-up I needed. An absolute five star read.
This is a multi-cast narrative with lots of POVs. We follow a host of characters, but the central figure is Ben. Ben is a journalist, and it’s the 25th (I think) anniversary of the horrific death of his brother and his brother’s BFF. 25 years ago, when Ben was eight, his 15-year old brother was brutally murdered alongside his BFF in the woods. Ben was one of the eye witnesses. He saw his brother following two teenage girls into the woods. The girls were arrested shortly and sent to prison. Then 12 years later, when Ben was 20-years old, his mother killed herself. Poor Ben has been through a lot to say the least. His editor wants him to write an article for the anniversary. Ben is reluctant. Then shortly, the police turn up at his door...His brothers’ killers were set free with new names after serving eight years. And one of them is dead...
I was absolutely hooked! I could NOT put this down. It is a bit confusing at first, with lots of characters. It’s like Lisa Jewell style. You have all these characters, and you wonder how these narratives will come forward. But they do at the end. I thought the characters were fleshed out and so interesting, especially Corinne. A stellar psychological thriller about a small town in South London and the effects of a murder decades later and long kept secrets.

Very enjoyable and engrossing thriller, the author does a marvellous job at engaging the reader and drawing them in. the story develops in a compelling way, revelations keep you hooked all the way though and emotionally invest you as a reader. Really enjoyed this, thank you.

If i had to select say 5 books that people must read next year then this would definitely be on the list!! Its so cleverly written and captivating and it genuinely is one of the few stories that you won't be able to put down and will have you guessing til the end. This book will take over all your free time and you will be gutted when it's ends and wish you could reread it all over again for the 1st time. Very rare for a book to have so many positive qualities going for it. This is what every other thriller aspires to be

When Ben Harper was eight his fourteen year old brother Nick and Simon, his best friend, were brutally murdered in the woods near their homes in Haddley, a fictional small town on the SW edge of London. Ben had found the bodies after he saw the boys sneaking off with two local fourteen year old girls and followed them. The girls were jailed and Ben and his mother, with the help of the local community, carry on with their lives despite the horror. Even when the girls, now women, were released into the community with new identities, Ben and his mother weathered the further heartache and carried on with their work and home lives. At least that was what everyone, including Ben, believed until she committed suicide by jumping in front of a train.
Now, ten years after that event, Ben is an investigative reporter for an on-line news agency and is asked by his boss, Madelaine, to write an article based on the ramifications of the suicide. He refuses, but circumstances affecting the released prisoners and a possible association with his mother force him to start reopening the memories kept by members of the community. That community forms the background, and indeed backbone, of the book. Is anyone, even friends and neighbours he has known all his life, who they seem? What are the connections with the inter-school rugby final that Nick’s team had won shortly before the murders? Are the family from the big house quite as aloof from the town as they appear? Where are the girls now? The questions pile up and the secrets start to explode.
The story is very well written and constructed from two viewpoints, Ben’s, told in the first person and providing the narrative timetable and most of the historical details, and the omniscient viewer’s, told in third person, of course, and providing information about the other characters, their histories and interactions. This is a lot of information – the book is over 400 pages and almost every page provides an item contributing to the complexity of the plot and the crossing timeframes – so the reader needs to be on top of their game. I thought at various points that I’d solved the mysteries, but I didn’t fully get them all until almost the end (and even then there was a solution to a minor mystery than I hadn’t really noted was a mystery). Books this good are very rare.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

A really addictive psychological thriller that holds the attention throughout and has some excellent characters.

A journalist looks into his tragic family past and starts to uncover hidden secrets surrounding the murder of his brother years earlier.

Really well written and plotted Twelve Secrets has plenty of twists and a good sense of the unexpected. Not easily predictable and with some intriguing central themes it is a classic page turner, both entertaining and emotional.

Really enjoyed it. Recommended.

Thank you so much for allowing me access to read this book! This book was one of the best I have read in a long while!! I found it so engrossing and barely put it down until it was finished. Set in a fictional area of London, the book is about Ben Harper, a crime journalist, whose older brother was murdered 20 years ago by two girls in the same class. As the 20th anniversary of the crime approaches another murder brings more evidence to light.
An exceptional debut and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I’ve heard many good things about Twelve Secrets, and this was truly an immersive psychological suspense read.
More than twenty years ago Ben’s older brother was murdered alongside his brother’s best friend by two vicious girls. Then ten years later Ben’s mum killed herself. Now more than nine years later the 25th anniversary of his brother’s death is coming up and Ben’s editor has asked him to cover the story. Ben is reluctant at first but then he finds out that one of the murderers who killed his brother, and already been rehabilitated has been killed. Long buried secrets threaten to surface...
This was a captivating read. Honestly I found the characters engaging, and the plot plausible and compelling. An absolutely brilliant read.

OMG, what an addictive read Twelve Secrets turned out to be. This book isn’t due out until next year, but it’s one I would highly recommend you to add to your wish list right now. Robert Gold has created a story that has more twists and turns than the proverbial roller coaster. Told from multiple POV it’s nigh on impossible to second guess how the characters are connected, but it certainly keeps those brain cells ticking over!

Two classmates murdered Ben Harper’s older brother Nick. Twenty years on, Ben is a crime journalist and happily settled back in his hometown Haddley, But a recent murder shines new light on his brother’s death and throws suspicion on those closest to him. Ben discovers Haddley is a town full of secrets. No-one is as they seem, and everyone has something to hide. As the plot progresses, the secrets of Haddley residents are slowly but deftly revealed. Some are more shocking than others, but it makes for an exciting read.

The characters are a fascinating bunch, some more likeable than others, but they all have something to hide, which adds to the tension tenfold. Books that I’m unable to unravel the mystery are a rare breed, and yet the author kept me guessing almost to the end, with well plotted red herrings and characters that mislead you at every well thought out turn. A real page turner that made for an exciting, binge worthy read. Highly recommended.

A brilliant psychological suspense read. Primarily this follows Ben, a journalist, who is dealing with the upcoming 25th anniversary of his brother’s horrific death. His brother, and his best friend, were both murdered in cold-blood in the 1990s by two teenage girls. Then just ten years ago Ben’s mum killed herself. Now Ben has been asked to write an article as the remaining family member. But it’s not long until past secrets bubble up and Ben wonders whether there’s more to this story than he realised..,
This follows a cast of characters, who together form the full picture. This is set in a fictional town just beyond Wandsworth. It’s close to London, but it feels far away enough to be a village, too. It really has that small town vibe to it, I was hooked! Five stars from me.

When Little Brown Book Group UK and Sphere describe an upcoming release as “the most anticipated debut of 2022” you know you are in for a wild ride!

WHAT A DEBUT!!!

WHAT AN ENDING!!!

HELLO ROBERT GOLD!!!

All the stars for this clever and well thought out plot. Fast moving and full of character interaction. Plenty of surprises, perfectly timed reveals, and a fabulous twist at the end. Cannot wait to read more in the future.

5 Stars – Simply an outstanding read!

Publication Date: 3rd March 2022

Thank you to #NetGalley, #LittleBrownBookGroupUK, #Sphere and #RobertGold for an ARC of #TwelveSecrets in exchange for an honest review.

Thankyou for giving me the chance to read this. I’ve never heard of this author but he didn’t disappoint. A suspenseful thriller which I couldn’t put down. Give it a read. Highly recommended

I thought this was such a cleverly constructed thriller, with multiple threads and characters weaving in together, so that relationships were unexpected and the possibility of working out what had happened was slim to none - it definitely kept me guessing and turning the pages because of it.

I love an “old murder mystery hasn’t been fully solved” setup, and I loved that this was in London but not central London, so the location where everything happened had a village feel, and a real sense of community because of it.

The only thing I thought was a bit lacking was that there were so many characters, I wanted more of a grasp on some of them: it felt like there was a lot more for some of them to give - almost as if Ben, Dani and Madeleine are all set up to be in another book.

Disturbing, heartbreaking in places and with a lot of reveals I didn’t see coming, this was great.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is the best debut thriller I’ve read this year!

It starts out a little confusing with all the characters, and initially I had to turn back the pages a few times to clarify who was who. I also found the first half of the book a little slow going and I felt like I was being spoonfed the details. However, at around the halfway mark it suddenly shifted gear and I could not put it down.

There were multiple threads to follow with MANY twists and while I did guess a few, the major ones were a fantastic surprise. When you stop and gasp and have to reread the sentence – then you know you’ve got a good one!

The storyline is believable as are the characters and this makes it a brilliant story to get lost in. Character development was thorough, and I enjoyed getting to know the various personalities that made up the town. I’ve developed a relationship with Ben – crucial when this is the start of a series. I really do look forward to reading more about him.

If you’re looking for a great murder / mystery / psychological thriller, look no further!

#netgalley #twelvesecrets #robertgold #littlebrownbookgroup

Written in first person present, which normally puts me off, this thriller managed to keep me engaged through to the end.
Small droplets of twists throughout will keep you guessing and the final one caught me by surprise. I didn't see that coming.
A good, solid, and interesting read consumed one rainy weekend and deemed excellent entertainment.
Still not sure why it is called 12 secrets though. May have to go back and count them.....

Twenty years ago, Ben’s older brother, Nick, and his friend were murdered by two schoolgirls, a crime which shook the nation. The girls were sent to prison, but have subsequently been released with new identities.
Ten years ago, Ben’s mother died, seemingly by committing suicide, but it is questionable if that was actually the case.
Now Ben's boss wants him to write a retrospective for the news site at which he works. He is undecided until a murder at the other end of the country makes him realise that there is a lot more to the stories of his brother and mother.
I was fully engaged in this book. It's a great psychological thriller, with plenty of twists and turns. There are a lot of characters so sometimes you need to pause and take stock of who's who.
I deducted a star for the ending. It was a little too Victorian-style melodrama for me, but otherwise an excellent debut.
Thanks to Netgalley and the Little Brown Book Group UK for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall this was an enjoyable read with enough red herrings that when the reveal came I was surprised as to who was involved in the crimes during the time period the book covered. I would recommend this book for those who enjoy a good crime story.

A breathless, twisty thriller that will have you riveted till the very end.

Whilst the plot covers several families, they are woven into the story so neatly that you hardly notice. You may be able to put this one down for the first quarter of the book, but not after that.

Compelling and tragic in equal measure, the book comes to a breathless conclusion.

Thank you Little Brown Brook Group and Netgalley for the ARC of this book.
Most anticipated thriller of 2022 may be going a little too far, but it was a very good book.
Very well written, great characters and good twists - saw part of the ending coming but not all of it so I was impressed with that.
I would highly recommend, but for me it fell slightly short of being able to award it 5 stars, I would have given 4.5 but can't so I'm afraid it's a 4. I would love to read Robert's next book and more by him..

Year after the death of his brother and apparent suicide of his mother, journalist Ben is asked to tell their story. The murder of one of his brother's killers throws everything back into the spotlight, leaving Ben with no choice but to find out the truth before more people die. The story is peopled with characters whose stories are intertwined in unexpected ways that lead to the dramatic conclusion. This is an edgy, well woven thriller where nothing and no one is quite as it seems until the final dramatic denouement. I found this book easy to read and absorbing. The ending neatly removes any loose ends making it extremely satisfying. I would highly recommend Twelve Secrets as a thrillingly enjoyable read.

Ben Harper is a true crime journalist and about to unravel his most shocking story yet…his own. From that premise I was expecting big things from this book and it didn’t disappoint.

A lot happens in this book. There’s secrets, lies, deceit what more could you ask for? It’s gripping, thrilling and will keep you captivated to the end. Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown Book Group and author for the chance to review.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is the first in the Ben Harper series.
Ben is an award-winning True crime Journalist. When he is asked by his boss if he can write about his own family history. When he was an eight-year-old child his brother Nick and his friend Simon was murdered in the woods by two schoolgirls Abigail Langdon and Josie Fairchild. The pair were convicted and served their time. After their release they were given new identities. His mother committed suicide ten years later.
Present day Abigail Langdon body is found she has been murdered. Has it got to do with what happened all of them years ago?
Thank you, Little Brown, for a copy of Twelve secrets by Robert Gold. This story is told in multiple points of view and at first you don’t realise what the significance of each one is until the very end of the story. It is an intriguing story with lots of twists and turns. But I sometimes felt a bit overwhelmed with so many POV’s which left me a bit unclear of what was happening. Overall, it was a good storyline but could be a bit straightforward. 3.5 stars from me.

I couldn’t put this book down once I started it. It’s a gripping page turner that I have been telling everyone I know that they have to read it. It would make a great TV series.

It as been a long time since a book as captivated me so much that I have read it in a day
Could not put it down
Everything from the characters to the plotline
The writing, the twist and turns

This is what a thriller should be AMAZING

THIS AS GOT 2022 BEST SELLER ALL OVER IT

Thank you Robert Gold, netgalley and Little Brown Book Group UK

I really enjoyed this book, it was a great thriller with loads of characters, lots of inter-connecting stories , I was totally engrossed in it. Its told from multiple points of view and stretches over 20 years and I couldn't put it down.

Thoroughly recommended.

This book was amazing, couldn't wait to read it!!
Ben is a journalist who is going to be writing his most explosive story yet his own! The story spans over a number of years and intertwines so many characters. Ben's brother Nick was murdered in woods along with his friend, two girls were arrested for their murder. They were released and have new identities, the problem is, one of them has been found murdered in her flat in exactly the same,way as Nick and his friend were.
Who has done it and why? Somebody else must know that Demi used to be Abigail! Could it be the girl who was called Josie and if so how did she find her?
Will Ben get to the bottom of why his mum supposedly killed herself or did she? Everything starts at their little village and around the time of Nick's murder.
Many thanks to Net galley for letting me read his book and I can see it being made into a film!!

This was such a dream of a thriller I was completely hooked throughout and I have to say I was suspecting everyone! Twelve secrets and slowly they are revealed but nothing is given away easily and for the life of me I just couldn’t guess who was who and who did what. Full of twists this a clever tale and the suspense never lets up and the superb writing by Robert Gold made it completely unputdownable I had to keep reading as I badly needed to know the ending and for me that’s what made this book so brilliant.
So on top of the excellent plot and writing we also have a whole heap of wonderful characters and I was never quite sure about any of them they all seemed to have something to hide and my head was spinning ….oh it really was such a devilish plot to die for !
As you probably can tell I loved this book I love a good thriller and this was definitely that and I’m next in the queue for the next book by this fabulous author who had me on the edge of my seat throughout.
My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group, Sphere for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A solid four star read. Great premise. Well written. Good characters. Page turner. Plenty of suspense and twists to keep me guessing Would definitely read hisnext novel. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review it.

Utterly gripping, I couldnt putit down, it was compelling, engaging and unpredictable. I disnt want it to end and spent most of the book with my heart in my throat. I really enjoyed it.

Fast Paced, Fluidly Written…
A tragic crime that shocked a nation, not to mention a small town. Some twenty years later, a fresh crime and a new outlook. It seems that this outwardly idyllic small town hides dramatic secrets of both past and present and investigative journalist, Ben Harper, is determined to find out just what secrets are being hidden but at what cost? Fast paced, fluidly written and positively brimming with characters that jump right off the page despite the stifling and claustrophobic setting, this twisting, turning thriller is quite impossible to part with until that very last page.

#TwelveSecrets #NetGalley
Awesome.
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.
I seriously was hooked while reading it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Books UK Sphere for giving me an advance copy.

This is a superb crime mystery drama, the first in a series featuring true crime journalist, Ben Harper, who has his own traumatic family history set in London. At the age of 8, young Ben sees his 14 year old older brother, Nick, and his best friend, Simon Woakes, follow schoolgirls, Abigail Langdon and Josie Fairchild, into the Haddley woods. It is Ben who discovers their blood covered dead bodies, leading to the murder convictions of the girls in one of the most sensational national trials, the girls labelled 'evil' by the media. Ben is further traumatised years later by the 'suicide' of his mother when she stepped in front of a train. With a significant anniversary of his brother's killing coming up, his hard nosed editor, Madeline Wilson, who had been involved in the story from the very beginning, a woman who sees exclusives in tragedy, wants Ben to revisit his painful personal traumas and grief and write an article for their news website.

Initially, Ben has no intention of complying with Wilson's relentless demands, but then he hears about a woman murdered in Farsley, Yorkshire, her killing emulating the exact MO used on Nick and Simon. The woman turns out to be Abigail Langdon, living under another name, her death generating little sympathy, as it connects her once again to Haddley. Before long, Ben is questioning whether his mother did in fact commit suicide as he chases the biggest true crime exclusive, his own life story. In a complex and multilayered narrative, the reader is going to need to pay close attention to the numerous characters that form the Haddley and St Marnham local community, and the details of their lives, for they form an intricate web of connections to the long ago historical tragedy and Ben. All harbour secrets, secrets that start to spill, one after another, some downright nasty and some deadly, in this riveting crime read.

Gold is certainly going to make a splash with this, the first of a series, particularly with the creation of his central protagonist, Ben Harper, who has his life derailed as a child with the loss of his beloved brother, Nick, a grief that goes on to be compounded with the loss of the only person he had left, his mother. There is oodles of suspense and tension in this well plotted story with its wide ranging cast of characters, including Elizabeth Woakes, Simon's mother, whose life and family were similarly wrecked by the horrors of the tragedy and a care home worker, Corinne Parsons. I found myself completely immersed and captivated by this dark and engaging crime read, and I can see it doing very well on publication. I think many crime and mystery readers will enjoy this too. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

All I can say is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!
What a riveting read! The story pulled me in from the beginning and spit me out exhausted at the end. What an absolute humdinger of an ending with a twist that I did not see coming at all!

Ben Harper is an award-winning true crime reporter. He is used to being in the public eye since the age of eight when his brother and his brother's best friend was brutally killed. A murder that shocked the nation because it was committed but two 14-year-old girls. It is now 20 years since the murder and 10 years since he lost his mother who committed suicide and his editor Madeline wants him to write a personal story on how the tragedy affected him. Something he's not interested in doing at all but then a murder is committed that seems very similar to his brothers killing. What is the meaning of this and is it linked to the fact that the two girls that killed his brother have been released? What was the true motive behind these killings? Soon Ben finds himself in the middle of the investigation. What will he find out and will it bring closure or more sorrow?

I can't wait for the next book by this author!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book group for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well this book took me completely by surprise. In a good way. a very good way. I'm not sure quite what I was expecting when I started reading, but what I found was a story that was compelling from the off, my interest well and truly piqued as we are introduced to journalist Ben Harper. It's clear from the very beginning that his family history is not that of your run of the mill journalist, and when he is asked to produce a personal piece for his paper on the anniversary of his mother's death, he agrees to do so, but only on his own terms. For Ben's brother was murdered and his mother died in very difficult circumstances, but something inside of Ben is telling him there is far more to the story than the tragedy that the world has so far been told. And boy is there.

I really like the way in which the author has set up the story, and the narrative style he has taken. The lion's share of the narrative is told in first person from Ben's perspective, but to add weight and context to the story, there are scenes in a third person perspective where we meet the other main players in the story, people who Ben and his brother Nick grew up with and who had significant impact on their lives. The story is further broken down into twelve segments, headed by the 'twelve secrets' that follow key revelatory moments in Ben's investigation. They act almost as a pause, a chance to allow those little clues to sink in and serve to heighten their importance in the story. It's quite clever, the literary equivalent of an Eastenders post episode drum beat, driving home the surprise factor.

I really liked Ben as a character, and found him an easy person to spend time invested in, in spite of the dark nature of his past. You could really feel his conflict, the turmoil that being back in his hometown creates in him, and the secrets he uncovers about his mother and her past really do hit their mark. Pacing and tension in the book are spot on, but characters are key and Robert Gold has created a whole cast of people who felt authentic, if not always trustworthy. There is far more to the story than meets the eye, and the author does a brilliant job of keeping the truth just out of reach, introducing different people who clearly have less than honest intent and seem to muddy the water in terms of culpability over what comes to pass. I certainly didn't foresee the ending, but when we got to the truth, it felt believable, and somewhat heart wrenching.

The book is packed with mystery, and a good deal of emotion, based around a story that could easily have been ripped from the headlines. Although never covered in a gratuitous way, the original case, the murder of Ben's brother and his friend, is no less shocking and the repercussions are felt long after the victims have been laid to rest. A story of lies, misdirection and jealousy, this is one that stayed with me long after reading. Definitely recommended.

Twenty years ago Ben Harper's older brother was brutally murdered by two classmates. Years later Ben's mother committed suicide. On the 10th anniversary of his mothers suicide Ben's boss at an online news website encourages him to write an article documenting his side of the story. Ben is initially reluctant to dredge up the past but when the police turn up to ask Ben about a murder miles away it raises questions about the original murder.

This debut novel from Robert Gold had me gripped from the start. A double murder followed by a suicide had me wondering what had happened and intrigued to know more.

Ben is a sympathetic character, you can really feel his turmoil at having to relive the past. As the story develops we understand the devastation his family and friends went through 20 years previously. The unanswered questions following his mothers unexpected suicide have haunted Ben for 10 years.

The setting of the small town of Haddley, a close knit community, offers a range of characters. Characters who've grown up together, suffered the same shock and supported each other. As Ben investigates events of the past it's like layers of an onion being peeled away and secrets are discovered. The main question though is who is willing to commit murder to keep their secret hidden.

This is a new author for me which I look forward to reading more from him in the future. This is a well written, suspenseful story that brought the twists and turns to a new level. I enjoyed the author's use of details to bring the suspense to a level of page turning action. This is a fast paced, engaging story that was hard to put down. The characters are relateable and kept the story engaging. They made the story easy and entertaining to read. This is a story about Ben and how his brother was murdered.. Fast forward twenty years and the past is the past for him until a murder links with his brother's case. He finds himself caught up in secrets and how deadly those secrets can be. I enjoyed his character and what he brought to the story. He is a supportive and strong character that made the story for me. I enjoyed the growth of the plot as well as the characters throughout the story. This is a really great story that I truly enjoyed. I highly recommend this book.

What a brilliant debut to the crime fiction stable!

There is a journalist, Ben Harper, but one with a difference, a man whose family made the headlines themselves because of the horrific murder of his older brother Nick. Nick was murdered by two teenaged girls, alongside his friend Simon. The girls went to prison, were released and life moved on for the village of Hadley after the inevitable fallout.

Many years later Ben is asked to do a piece on his mother who died 10 years earlier by his boss. He refuses at first but then some new information comes to life and he decides to investigate. This book is the outcome.

A twisty thriller that does not follow a predictable path and so feels fresh and exciting. I can absolutely see this being made for a TV series to high acclaim.

A real winner, can't wait to see what the author comes up with next.

I'm so delighted that my wish was granted for this compulsive page turner of a thriller. It's a cracking read about a journalist whose young brother was brutally murdered and whose mother committed suicide. The book takes you on the journey to find the truth behind both of these events and more and it's written really well.

I believe the author has co-authored with James Patterson and this shows in the way you are drawn into all characters lives and also in the pace of the book.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking out for future works by this author.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview this cracking read and I wish the author deserved success.

Another new writer to me and a cracking read! Ben Harper is an investigative journalist whose brother was murdered by class mates 20 years ago and whose mother died ten years ago. A fresh crime in the small town where the murder took place brings historic events back under consideration and the ensuing revelations are mind-blowing. Well written with fascinating characters, I look forward to more of Mr Gold's work.

I never repeat the blurb. A complex but enjoyable read, full of twists and gradual reveals and a shed load of red herrings. Good stuff.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the advance copy of #TwelveSecrets by #RobertGold

A totally engaging book. Twenty years ago Bens 14 year old brother and his best friend were murdered. 10 years ago his mother committed suicide. Ben has become one of the best investigative journalists there is and now it’s time to investigate his own history. You twisty read that keeps you guessing to the end.
I hope this is the first of many.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This has to be one of the best mystery thrillers I have read in a long time. Ben has grown up in the shadow of his older brother and friend being murdered by two young girls from their school. Fast forward to the present and both girls are now living in different communities with new identities. Ben has become a successful crime reporter and following the death of his mother he is asked to write a piece about the effects of the murders on his family but when one of the offenders is found dead he is thrown into trying to unearth the secrets of both the past and present. So many twists on almost every page that kept me guessing right to the end of the last chapter. A fabulous read.

Lots of twists and turns that I didn’t see coming, a page-turner that keeps you gripped. Its a shocking tale of a brother killed by another child and a mother who kills herself, unable to cope with the grief but maybe all is not as it seems and some investigations start ripples in the community. A good read, a proper thriller.

A brilliant crime thriller that had me completely engrossed from the very beginning. A book full of twists and turns with plenty of OMG moments. I loved it.

4.5* --> 5*

Goodness me! There is SO MUCH awesome crime fiction out there right now and this is another goodie! If you like tv series like Broadchurch, then I think you’ll enjoy ‘Twelve Secrets‘ too.

Ben Harper is a true crime reporter. Twenty years ago, his older brother Nick and his friend were brutally murdered by two teenage girls. Ten years later, Ben’s mum jumped in front of a train. And it’s because of that anniversary that Ben’s boss asks him to write an article. Ben is reluctant, happy to finally be living his life away from the spotlight, and with no desire to see his name and face on the front page again. But then, he learns about a murder case. One that has links to his brother’s shocking death.

Nothing in this small town is what it seems. We meet a variety of intriguing characters, many of whom get their own POV chapters, and most of them seem to be hiding something. Actually, there are more secrets than you can shake a stick at! That alone already made this book extremely compelling and addictive because as the reader you’d obviously like to figure out the secrets before they’re revealed to you and how this cast of characters is connected. Yeah, good luck with that!

‘Twelve Secrets‘ is incredibly well written. Throughout the story, I could see the scenes playing out in front of my eyes and I think it would make an excellent tv show. It’s fabulously plotted, very cleverly done, and with truly delightful twists and turns. Most of which I didn’t see coming at all and honestly, that doesn’t happen all that often these days. ‘Twelve Secrets‘ had me hooked from start to finish and kind of took me by surprise. In a good way. While the description sounded really enticing, I was worried that I’d have to pull out my “been there, read that” t-shirt but no! Not even close.

There’s more to ‘Twelve Secrets‘ than just finding the skeletons in the closets and the truth of past events. Delving into his past isn’t easy for Ben but he’s not the only one who’s dealing with grief and loss. There are other topics that are brought up that add a rather emotional side to this crime fiction tale. It feels like there are some loose ends but I think that this might be the first in a series and I’d be very much okay with that. I thoroughly enjoyed this remarkable debut by Robert Gold. Did I mention addictive? Compelling? Binge-worthy? Right then, off you pop to get your copy!