Beginning with a car accident, a stabbing and a missing girl, this book kept me riveted to the pages as I tried, along with Josie and her team, to guess where a missing child would be and who would treat people in such a despicable and hateful way. With themes of abuse, control, and mental illness, this book was hard to read but also hard to put down. Josie is dealing with her own personal problems in seeking to become a mother, but she and Noah put that quest on a back burner while they try to discover what happened to their missing accident victim and if there is also a missing child. The police procedural and investigation were compelling parts of the story as Josie goes about methodically questioning and sorting clues, reaching conclusions and then backtracking to add to or change her conclusions once more evidence came to light. There are plenty of suspects, lots of red herrings and false trails and some really quirky characters in this book. In the interest of full disclosure, I won a contest with the author online and got to name a couple of characters. So, the parts where my daughter and granddaughter were being questioned had me glued to the page and hoping that they weren’t the killers. I loved the story and its switchbacks, and I especially enjoyed the fast pace of the investigation. With a missing and possibly endangered child somewhere, Josie and her team could not afford to take a break, so their frantic pace matched the theme of finding a missing girl. I enjoyed the characterization which was spot on and just what I imagined for the different personalities being portrayed. Mettner’s replacement is annoying and one of those people that I would have liked to deliver a swift kick to. I look forward to finding out more about his motivation for his absurd behavior in future JQ books. Right now, I just think of him as obnoxious, arrogant and lazy. He did add to the story, though, because he is a good foil for Josie’s meticulous investigating while he is the opposite, kind of bumbling around and every once in a while proving to be actually helpful. With a fast pace and a gripping story, along with nail-biting suspense and escalating tension, this book is one of the best Josie Quinn books ever.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Her Dying Secret: Detective Josie Quinn, Book 20
4.7 | 2,152 ratings
Price: 21.83
Last update: 07-25-2024
Top reviews from the United States
Vickie Watts
Fast Pace with a Gripping Story and Escalating Tension
Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2024
A book lover
A book lover
Reviewed in the United States on June 25, 2024
Elena
No. 20 did not disappoint
Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2024
I am
I’m giving it all 5 stars and impatiently waiting for the next one.
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2024
I am
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2024
In true Lisa Regan fashion, this book is fantastic. Fantastically plotted and fantastically presented. I never get tired of these characters, and the new detective is such a jackass; I love to hate him. Lol Not kidding! I can’t wait to see how he develops over time. He really adds to the joy of reading this story.
In this book, Josie has to solve a murder first presented as a car accident— and the crime is so complex it’s not even worth trying to figure out before you read the end. Seriously, I never had a chance. I made so many bad guesses as to who was guilty. It was embarrassing. Sometimes, the bad guys are obvious, and sometimes, they’re people who have made some mistakes. In this book, you have a little of both.
The crime, though… the real crime is so frightening that you’ll almost want to believe it’s a lie, but it’s not. Starvation, torture, spending a year in a virtual cave—it’s the stuff of nightmares. Add to that manipulation and fear-mongering. That’s a lot. This book is a lot. You won’t be able to stop reading once you start. It’s a rollercoaster of thrill and emotions, but it’s so intense and fun you won’t want to get off the ride.
There is a lot to love about this book, especially if you’re into crime procedurals and thrillers. I’m giving it all 5 stars and impatiently waiting for the next one.
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Amazon Customer
The story continues
Reviewed in the United States on July 3, 2024avid mystery reader
not as great
Reviewed in the United States on June 10, 2024Kindle Customer
Again!
Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2024Penny Laster
Suspenseful ,and on the edge
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2024