3.5 stars

This is the first book I've ever read by Remond, and I enjoyed it. She creates strong characters that are easy to connect with, and there was enough mystery to keep me engaged. It was a quick read, and it had a bit of a YA feel to it, which was fine with me. It was a quick read. There were a few lulls, but it all came together later in the book.

Three best friends vanish from a small town. The FBI sends in Shea an undercover cop from Buffalo NY who looks all of 18 years old to join the local Community College and befriend the remaining friend group to see what dirt she can find.

Shea is already “damaged goods” as she puts it after being almost killed previously while undercover catching a serial killer in her own town and has flash back nightmares throughout this story.

Will she discover what happened to those girls?

This book was excellent. It was descriptive, the characters were relatable and terribly missing their friends and family. Shea was an excellent, intelligent cop. You are on the edge of your seat, trying to guess what happened until the very end.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC for my honest review. This was 5 ⭐️ for me. #netgalley #thesecretstheyleftbehind

“Damage attracts damage.“*

Shea is fresh off an undercover assignment for the FBI where she posed as a high school student to catch a serial killer. Without her involvement in the case known, her cop coworkers don’t give her the respect she deserves. Scarred both physically and psychologically by the serial killer case, she is disappointed at not getting an offer to work full time as an FBI agent. Her FBI contact gives her the opportunity to work another assignment by posing as a college freshman in the hopes of solving a case involving the disappearance of three young women. Shea easily slips into friendships with the girls’ friends, but her attraction to Nick, one of the missing girls’ brother just might be her undoing.

As a fan of Lissa Marie Redmond’s Cold Case Investigation series and her strong female protagonists, I was excited to read this stand alone novel. Shea makes a relatable lead. Underestimated and undervalued, she is frustrated in her career. She easily slips into the missing girls’ social circle and into a relationship with Nick. Her biggest obstacles are gaining the trust of the town Sheriff who resents the FBI involvement and dodging the jealous girlfriend of the local drug drug dealer. The serial killer case she cracked adds a nice slice of backstory because it colors the way Shea looks at the world, both from a personal and a professional perspective. Her feelings for Nick also add a great complication.

The mystery of the girls’ disappearance provides a excellent backbone for the story. I only wish that the cast of characters were trimmed down. There are three missing girls, three friends of those girls, two male kids, and two hanger on guys. Of the missing girls, I kept mixing up Emma and Olivia in my head, as well as their friends Maddie and Jenna. The focus is kept on the key players so the extras were only a little distracting.

I enjoyed the story so much, I plan bump up another of Redmond’s Cold Case Investigation novels to the top of my to be read list.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks to the NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books, an imprint of The Quick Brown Fox & Company LLC., for providing an Advance Reader Copy.

*Please note that my review is based on uncorrected text.

As a mystery lover I had a mixed reaction to this book. Shea, a 23 year old police officer in Buffalo, is sought out by the FBI to help with a case, 3 eighteen year old girls went missing together one night and there are no clues. I enjoyed how Shea’s backstory was slowly revealed, she had been used as an undercover agent by the FBI once before, and was nearly killed while flushing out the a serial killer. The writing was great, the plot had a lot of twists, and I definitely didn’t see the end coming. What put me off a bit was Shea’s lack of boundaries with one of the characters. I know she was undercover as an 18 year old college student, and she really is only 23, but I guess I expected a bit more professionalism and a bit less teenage girl in her behavior. That said, I will try more of the author’s books. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the beginning of the novel, but then it turned into a Lifetime movie with a sappy, unrealistic ending.

The disappearance of three girls.

No clues.

Time is ticking.

The Secrets They Left Behind by Lissa Marie Redmond introduces us to Shea O’Connor, a Buffalo police officer who has nothing to lose and all to gain by solving this murder mystery.

Sought out by the FBI due to her youthful appearance, Shea is asked to infiltrate the town of the missing threesome and befriend (or not) those closest to them.

With all players on the board and every move significant, it is up to Shea to find out who is hiding secrets...and why?

To say I loved this book is quite the understatement. ❤️

Mark your calendars: Release Date: April 7, 2020

Thank you NetGalley for the advance readers copy.

Thank you Lissa Marie Redmond for a fantastic read!

This was a great storyline which kept me guessing along the way. Shea was a tough character and it was interesting to read of her undercover work. Overall I thought this was a very good mystery.
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Secrets They Left Behind by Lissa Marie Redmond is a perfect winter novel and reads like a Hollywood thriller. A twenty-three-year-old female undercover officer with her own dark past is investigating the disappearance of three college freshman girls who vanished one night without a trace. When I think of undercover cops, I only think of the comedy films, so I was eager to read the suspense version of this plot.

I thoroughly enjoyed the writing, and it's clear the author has police procedural knowledge because she writes with such vivid imagery. Everything just felt so REAL. It read like a movie (or an episode of your favorite police drama), not like a story penned on paper.

What I enjoyed most about the story was the unpredictable twists and turns. Perhaps I was so enamored with the actual storytelling that I missed all the signs, but I was surprised by the ending. That makes for a much stronger thriller. I absolutely recommend this one!

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest, unbiased opinion.

3.5 stars

I'm pretty much always game for a mystery and I thought this one had an intriguing premise. This wasn't just an ordinary missing person case instead it involved three college age females. They are friends with each other and all 3 vanish without a trace on the same day. What's going on? So right away I was interested in finding out what happened and while I wouldn't say this ranks among my favorite mysteries, it still is a fairly decent one in the genre.

Twenty-three year old Buffalo police officer Shea O'Connor has worked with the FBI before in helping solve a high profile case. Given she can pass for an 18 year old, the FBI wants her to go undercover and pose as a college student in the town where the three women went missing. By infiltrating herself among the women's family and friends, Shea might be able to help crack the case. The pressure is on to find the truth.

Shea was an interesting character but at times I thought she lacked a bit of maturity and was naive. However, I have now come around on my opinion of her and can appreciate she isn't a police officer that is wise beyond her years and can handle every situation perfectly. The author gave her a meaty backstory which you gradually learn about throughout the book. A few times I actually questioned if this was a second book in a series instead of a standalone novel. Definitely not unusual to throw in some character history into the present story, but there was just something about how it was inserted into this book that made me wonder if this was more of a recap and the previous FBI case was featured in an earlier book. I checked and this book doesn't appear to be a part of a series.

In terms of the mystery for this book, I thought it was above average but didn't hit spectacular level. In my opinion the author didn't make it super obvious what had happened until the big reveal although maybe other readers will disagree. I'll admit I had a smirk on my face when my theory started to finally play out but it was quickly erased when I was proven wrong. The writing at the end is probably the weakest of the book and there is a scene that ventures into bad soap opera territory. But overall I did enjoy this book even though it wasn't perfect. If you are in the mood for a mindless but fairly entertaining read, consider checking this one out.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

New Book Alert: The Secrets They Left Behind by Lissa Marie Redmond; Intense Suspenseful Mystery About Going Undercover With PTSD









By Julie Sara Porter



Bookworm Reviews









PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book published in 2020









Spoilers: When police officers and spies go undercover, it's assumed that they will accept their new identities and do their jobs without any issues concerning their old lives. But what if they have issues? What if their previous lives are so haunted, that they can't help but carry that baggage with them on their new case when they are just supposed to act as one of the gang, so they can find leads to solve this mystery?









That is the situation faced by Shea O'Connor, the bright young rookie cop/protagonist in Lissa Marie Redmond's intense and suspenseful mystery and thriller, The Secrets They Left Behind.



Shea is still recovering from a previous case when she was left alone with female serial killer, Terry Roberts. Even though, Roberts was caught, Shea still suffers from nightmares and PTSD from the assault and is seriously considering a career change.





The FBI sees a silver (or blood red in this case) lining in Shea's situation and figures that she would be the perfect officer to go undercover. In Kelly's Falls, a rural Pennsylvania town, three college age girls have gone missing. Shea is assigned to take the cover of an orphaned college freshman and niece of the local police chief. She infiltrates the local college scene including the girls' three other gal pals and one of the missing girl's good-looking brother to find out the truth. Unfortunately, the memories of the Robert's case are still fresh in Shea's mind, leaving her vulnerable to accepting friendship and romance while living under her assumed identity.





Shea makes for an interesting protagonist because she is a flawed character. She is a good police officer, very observant and dedicated to helping others. However, she is not a Mary Sue. In fact her flaws are what make her more interesting. She is emotional and protective of her new friends and feels guilty about lying to them. She falls in love with Nick, one of the missing girl's brother, because her loneliness from the deception and her past trauma makes her vulnerable.





In fact her vulnerabilities are what makes her a good police officer, something her FBI handler notices right away. That's why he refers her for the job. Shea sees the determination in the girlfriends' faces when they make sure that they name drop their missing friends in front of reporters so the girls are not forgotten. She understands the anxiety when parents follow every lead and the despair when the leads don't result in the girls being found. She relates when Nick wants to share news with his sister, Olivia, but is saddened remembering that she's not there to share them with.



She understands because she has been there. Her abduction and torture opened her up to the dark side of human nature. She uses that knowledge to protect others from that dark side.





The suspense is built on the characters' actions. Shea's strongest leads are to look at the secrets the girls left behind. She discovers the hidden lives that the girls shared with friends, family, and other towns residents. She investigates drug rings, bullying mean girls, and former lovers to find out information. In one tense moment, she has to use all her resources to protect a new friend who is alone with a dangerous predator.





The Secrets They Left Behind is gripping thriller with a protagonist as troubled as her investigation. But the trouble gives her the insight to find a solution.

I very much enjoyed this book and the characters. Kelly’s Falls is a small town where everyone knows everyone and is in their business. So when 3 girls go missing without a trace on their christmas break and leave all of their belongings behind, the whole town comes together to try and find them. But teenagers aren’t always willing to reveal all of their secrets.
Shea is a twenty-three yr old cop that could pass for a teenager. She was just undercover and solved another case, but was almost killed in the process. Now the FBI has called her in to go undercover as a college freshman in Kelly’s Falls as the niece of the police chief. Shea befriends the missing girls friends and infiltrates their group. She goes to parties and dates the brother of one of the missing girls. She is trying to act like she is one of them while also trying to keep a clear head and find out who took the girls. The clues keep leading her in different directions but she believes that her new friends know more then they are saying.
I was very surprised by the ending. It had me going in a different direction through the entire book. Thank you netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! I found it quite interesting how she was placed undercover and thought that made a unique story line. The book did seem to drag at times but it still kept me intrigued. I was surprised by the ending and that always makes for a great book!

Buffalo police officer Shea O’Connor is 23 but looks younger, and she is recruited by the FBI to work undercover posing as a college student to investigate the disappearance of three young women. She navigates life as a “student” while trying to identify suspects, remain undercover, not run afoul of her nosy landlady, and occasionally come to the rescue of a neighbor no one else bothered to help. The story is engaging, with Shea having plenty to do and lots of avenues to follow. Trust and betrayal are consistent themes, whether it’s Shea’s past experience with and mistrust of the agent who assigned her to the case, the student’s innocent belief in Shea’s orphan story, or a budding relationship built on a lie. The immersion in the college setting and the romantic subplot make this feel slightly like a young adult novel. I probably would not have felt this way if Shea had spent more time relating to her fellow officers on the police force, but her undercover status essentially forces her to be in a world populated by students and to relate to people as if she were really a teenager. The ending is not a big surprise, but Shea’s path to the solution was enjoyable to follow.

Thanks to Netgalley and Crooked Lane Books for a digital advance review copy.

2.5 stars

I did like the story line of three missing college age students whose disappearance was to be investigated by an undercover student. Shea O' Connor, a homicide detective is called into action. Shea herself suffering from the scars, both external and internal from a serial killer, is sent in as an eighteen year old student, pretending to be the niece of the current sheriff. She needs to infiltrate the small town, its people, and the girls who knew and were friends with the missing girls.

This is a cold case and there seems to be no leads to the missing girls. Can Shea be the catalyst as to their whereabouts and will her life also be in peril?

I think this appeal in this story would be to a YA audience. It had all the makings of one, the handsome hulk love interest, and the girls attending college, drinking their way to oblivion, and other things that seem to happen on the campuses of today. It was a slow story that seem to unfold rather sluggishly, and there was the expected twists and turns.

Thanks you to Lisa Marie Redmond, Crooked Lane Books, and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book, perfect for biography and memoir enthusiasts. This book was generously provided to me through NetGalley. Highly Recommended!

Standalone murder mystery that has a 23 yr old Buffalo police officer going undercover as a 18 year old freshman in college to find out what happened to three college girls who just vanished.

This isn't Shea O’Connor first time going undercover for the FBI. Her previous assignment with them left her traumatized after bringing down a serial killer. Gonna be honest here I would have loved for this book to had been about that case!!

The story is fast paced and keeps you engaged till the very end.

Shea O’Connor is a twenty-three-year-old Buffalo police officer who has worked undercover for the FBI to help them catch a serial killer called Terry Roberts. After the traumatic events of this assignment, she has been mainly doing paperwork and patrolling the streets of Buffalo until Bill Walters -the same FBI agent who asked her to work in the “Roberts case”- asks her to go undercover again. She is reluctant at first, because of how things ended for her in the previous case, but then she accepts.

She is now Shea Anderson, an orphan eighteen-year-old college student and the Kelly’s Falls chief’s niece. She is a freshman at the town’s Community College, so she can blend in with the rest of the students, especially the friends of the three missing girls. Skyler, Olivia, and Emma disappeared two months ago. The police and the people of Kelly’s Falls have been looking for them intensely, but without any results. There isn’t a simple trace of them. Although, they have left the only thing that can help Shea find them: their secrets.

This is a very well-paced story, with interesting characters and a peaceful little town, or at least that’s how it looks like at first. Little by little, Shea realises that there are more secrets than she could have imagined. Definitely, a fast-read novel that keeps you interested all the time.

I loved this book and it's the first book I've read by Lissa Marie Redmond but won't be the last. The author did an amazing job creating characters to connect with and enough suspense and mystery for the reader so I never got bored. I read this book in two nights and have already recommended to friends and followers on my Bookstagram account.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane for the opportunity to read and give an honest review of this book.

Not having read any previous books by Lissa Marie Redmond, I did not know what to expect. Because I enjoy mysteries and thrillers, it caught my attention.

Three girls go missing in a small town in New York. Police woman Shea O’conner is approached by the FBI and asked to go undercover to help them solve this case. Shea has gone undercover in the past, for the FBI, and she helped them bring a serial killer to justice. The case still gives her nightmares.
As this book goes on, the details of Shea’s first undercover adventure are revealed. This helps to explain why this character is the way she is.

In search of clues in the disappearance of the three college girls, Shea goes undercover as an 18 year old college student. She becomes friends with the girls that were friends with the missing girls. She even begins to date the brother of one of the missing girls. All the while, Shea feels guilty about being undercover and basically living a lie.

Shea is a likable and believable character. You are pulling for her to solve the crime and come out unscathed. It isn’t easy to figure out the ‘bad guy’ or ‘bad girl’ in this story. Clues are given, a few at a time. You are left wanting to see Shea continue some of the relationships she has developed in this assignment.
However, you realize that working an undercover assignment makes that impossible. ...or does it?

3 stars
The Secrets They Left Behind by Lissa Marie Redmond

I was drawn in from the very first page. The writing is superior and the author kept me guessing until the end I was not sure if this was the first in a series or a stand-alone because there is back story that didn't get explained until about 1/3 of the way in. The book also lacked completion on multiple storylines, for that reason it makes me wonder if it is a series first or just a bad ending.
I really enjoyed the book, the plot but I could not help but think the book and main character Shea were a bit manipulative. This is a fiction book, however, it was written so well that I had to keep reminding myself that none of this really happened.
I really liked this book and do believe many others will as well; there is one big caveat to that, it needs a proper ending.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. The views given are my own.