Her Dying Secret
Lisa Regan
393 pages
Bookouture
published May 14, 2024
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About the book
She gently opens the woman’s tightly clenched fist, uncurling each finger to reveal a square of folded paper hidden in her palm. Scrawled in thick crayon, beside a child’s crooked drawing of a red flower, is one word that sends a shiver through the evening mist: HELP
It was supposed to be a routine road accident recovery, but the moment Detective Josie Quinn sees the passenger—pale and painfully thin, a sharp tool lodged in her stomach—it’s clear she was the victim of something far more sinister, and likely dead before the crash. Watching the driver taken away in an ambulance, questions spin through Josie’s mind. Where were these two women going? Was the driver trying to save a life, or hide a body? And—most heartbreaking of all—is there a child in danger, crying out for help with no reply?
Josie quickly identifies the crash survivor as Mira Summers, a singleton and animal-lover on her way home from nearby stables. Mira swears she doesn’t know who the woman in the car beside her is, or how she was injured. And when she’s diagnosed with concussion and memory loss, Josie is forced to back down.
But the discovery of Mira’s prints on the child’s drawing is all the proof Josie needs that Mira knows more than she’s letting on, and a witness saw Mira meeting with a man with a gnarled diamond-shaped tattoo at the stables. In a race against the clock to track down this elusive man, Josie faces danger from the most unexpected places. Pushed to her limit, can she stay alive long enough to catch the killer and save the life of an innocent child?
An absolutely gripping and truly unputdownable crime thriller that will have you racing through pages until the final jaw-dropping twist hits you like a train. From an Amazon, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, and perfect for fans of Angela Marsons, Robert Dugoni and Rachel Caine.
My Review
I have to start with congratulations on book 20 of the series. Now that they’ve finally found someone to fill the vacant spot on the team (I cannot write replace Mettner), I am not loving the team dynamic. But I am sure that is the point. I cannot see where I will ever love Turner like the rest, yet I am also sure there is more to his story that will unfold over time. But I do love his new nickname which seems apt since I cringed every time he said sweetheart. I didn’t need an audiobook to hear his condescension.
I also love that you never know who might pop up in the midst of the story. Luke and Blue showed up to help with a search. And this is why when I normally say all the books stand on their own, that I highly recommend reading the series in order. This surprise is explained in the book, but wouldn’t hold as much weight without having read the early books. The depth and growth of the characters is one of the pluses of the series.
I was such a fan of the last book being Josie centric in such a clever way, and this one felt a little less like a team effort due to more than just a shift in the team. That is one of my favorite things of this series. But don’t misunderstand, I liked this one. The case kept me guessing and I fell for everything I was supposed to so I wouldn’t arrive at the right answer before the big reveal. The tension and pacing were spot on to make me never want to put it down.
While I wasn’t loving the team dynamic, I did love the blend of Noah and Josie’s personal life and how it is progressing. The decisions they have made and the surprise at the end of the book makes me excited to see what happens next for them.
Is it too early to be watching for the next book?
Author Bio:
Lisa Regan is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Detective Josie Quinn series. Lisa is a member of Sisters In Crime, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Master of Education Degree from Bloomsburg University. She lives near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the U.S. with her husband, daughter, and Boston Terrier named Mr. Phillip. Find out more at her website: www.lisaregan.com
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