Though it’s the fourth book in the series I had no problem following the characters.

Solving crimes and getting a handle on her personal life DC Maggie Jamieson is nonstop trying to solve these cases that land on her desk one after another which surprisingly are connected. Is there a serial killer on the loose, is it a case of wrong place wrong time, a domestic violence, on top of that her missing colleague DCI Hastings is a person of interest.

I enjoyed this fast paced suspenseful police procedural that grabs you from the beginning and doesn’t let go from the first page through the last sentence. You’ll be trying to figure out these cases alongside Maggie and her team.

If you like multiple plot lines, multiple murders, missing colleagues and dark family secrets then pick this one up.

If you haven't at the very least read book three in the series, Dead Perfect, then I would suggest you take a step back and read that as this book picks up exactly where the last book left off. Then again, due to the interconnected nature of these stories, you may want to read book one as well, as the vast majority of characters that we meet were there in book one, and their stories and past are part key to what happens in Dead Secret. It's not essential, but I think you'd get more out of the story if you do. And you may as well read book two then, because it would be rude not to ...

In Dead Secret, Maggie, and the team in Major Crime team at Staffordshire Police, are faced with a series of disturbing murders which see the case take a very personal turn. Alongside this, Lucy Sherwood has her very first client at her women's refuge, a young women who is very badly hurt but also very evasive about her past. Two, soon to be three very perplexing mysteries which will keep you guessing throughout.

I must admit, I never trust evasive people in fiction, and Ronnie, the young woman who turns up at Lucy's refuge, is as evasive as they come. But is she hiding from someone, or from herself? She is a very complex character, but. difficult to get to know, the author playing on the idea that she is keeping secrets, as the title of the book suggests, but taking her time in slowly revealing them to the reader. Nervous, on edge - all classic hallmarks of an abuse victim, but how do you help someone who won't tell you what they are scared of? It was nice being back in the company of Lucy in this book, and her personal experience plays well to this element of the story. Sadly, discovering more about her mysterious new client will not be easy, with her former police colleagues otherwise distracted by their various cases. The mystery adds tension and also informs the pacing of the story, distracting readers at just the crucial times.

In terms of Maggie's cases, not only is she investigating a brutal murder in which the victim is left with ritualistic seeming marks on their body, the team is faced with the disappearance of one of their own and this becomes an increasingly urgent case, resulting in an increasingly pressured situation for the whole team. Despite having great instincts and being a determined investigator, Maggie is a character who is prone to emotional outbursts and frustration, and this time around it is not just the complex investigations that are getting to her. There is the added complication of her growing relationship, however it can be characterised, with reporter, Julie Noble. They wind each other up, Noble knowing exactly how to press Maggie's buttons, but there is a definite chemistry there, even if Maggie is too cautious and doubting to give into it.

Dead Secret is a clever and complex mystery that keep readers on their toes, casting doubt over many a character in turn. There were parts to the story that I had kind of guessed, largely because I am an untrusting soul, but there are many twists and turns in the book and parts of the story really do cause you to question what is happening and who is guilty. The characters are as sharp and well rounded as ever, and really pull you into the story, their relationships and character flaws as engrossing as the murder investigation. The pace is fast, the tension rising and falling as the story needs, and all powering readers to a very unexpected and emotional finale.

And yes ... it will leave you wanting more. I'm coming to think that Noelle is becoming the queen of the cliffhanger ending, as what you read will leave you reeling and desperate to get hold of book five.

DC Maggie Jamison is back! Love this crime thriller series and this might be the best book yet! Each book is a self-contained case and can be read as a standalone, but once you’ve read one you’re going to want to read them all! Maggie is working on a seemingly innocuous murder case until a photograph is discovered that changes it’s trajectory. Lucy Sherwood plays a bigger role in this story then she did in the previous two. I have to say I was really thrilled to see more of her character after getting to know her so well in the first book. Lucy is opening up a home for victims of domestic abuse and her first resident is a bit of an enigma. Now I knew somehow these two storylines had something to do with one another, and I had so much fun trying to puzzle it out. I also really liked getting to no Maggie a bit better and enjoyed her flirty banter with reporter Julie. As always I was completely fascinated by the politics and inner workings of the police department and enjoyed that aspect of the story. This was such a well told fast paced thriller that had me completely invested! I did figure out who the culprit was slightly before the reveal in this book, but wow so well executed! And that ending?!?! That ending has me salivating for the next story in this excellent series!

Noelle Holten’s DC Maggie Jamieson thrillers are spine-tingling crime thrillers that grip like a vice and keep readers engrossed all through the night and in Dead Secret she knocks it out of the park yet again with a dark, chilling and disturbing read I couldn’t bear to put down.

DC Maggie Jamieson should know by now that there is no such thing as a quiet day in her line of work and that certainly proves to be the case when she finds herself crossing paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor comes through the doors of her new refuge desperate for help but unable to speak. Maggie thinks that she has got her hands full with this case, but little does she realise that this is just the start of a labyrinthine series of investigations that might just turn out to be the most challenging of her career…

A young man has just been found murdered, but what is even more curious is the indentation of black dots that have been inked onto this cheeks. Just what is going on here? What do the dots mean? Are they sending a message to the police? What do these dots represent and can Maggie peace together the shattered pieces of this twisted puzzle that seems to be plunging her down one dead end after another? Maggie certainly has her hands full with her current workload, but there are further surprises in store for her that might just push her over the edge…

DCI Hastings has disappeared off the face of the earth and Maggie’s investigating leads to her to a shocking discovery that ends up challenging everything she thought she knew. Entangled in a lethal web of deadly secrets and devastating deception, will Maggie manage to solve these cases? Or will another earth-shattering revelation be made that could push her headlong into danger?

Noelle Holten is a crime writing genius! I picked up Dead Secret and started reading it at night and before I knew it it was 3 am and had polished off the whole book. Noelle Holten once again explores the darker recesses of the human condition and has penned a sinister, menacing and terrifying page-turner featuring the fabulous Maggie Jamieson, who is once again at the top of her game. Someone who takes no prisoners, pulls no punches but is always willing to do the right thing, Maggie Jamieson is a brilliant character I just cannot get enough of.

A superb thriller from a writer who just keeps getting better and better, crime fiction fans will not want to miss Noelle Holten’s outstanding new novel, Dead Secret.

Dead Secret by Noelle Holten is a chilling, suspense novel that keeps you guessing from the start.
From the beginning of the novel, the reader is intrigued by what could be happening and is determined to find out the answers along with the characters.
I appreciated how real the characters seemed in that they had their flaws just as one would in reality and were not written as “perfect”. This always helps to make any book more enjoyable.
With the two separate stories throughout the novel, with Maggie and Lucy, we are continually trying to find the ways in which they are connected, and although I essentially did figure it out pretty early on, Holten still does a great job at making you question how it is possible. The unanswered pieces that are only as you continue to progress through the novel make it seem as though you are working along with the detectives and figuring things out with them instead of having the story narrated to you which I believe make mystery and suspense novels that much better.
Overall, I would give this book three out of five stars because I did really enjoy it, however, I was able to guess a major piece of the plot.
Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review!

Can you actually Adam and Eve it! We are back with Maggie and it is BOOK 4!! Book 4! Wow! It has been an adventure so far and it is no different here. This story is of a slower pace but the murders are no less vicious and the killer (or killers) are way more cold, aloof and quite simply terrifying!

Kate is away, Lucy is opening her haven with her first woman through the doors and Maggie’s boss has gone missing. Everything is happening all at once. However, it is more controlled. Yes, we are against the clock but things are treated carefully when it is the boss involved. I will admit when I was reading about DCI Hastings, there was only one man in my head. I mean it goes without saying at the moment!!!!

I do love a book that has multiple storylines going on because you never quite have that relief. Whilst you have Maggie, Nathan and Kat following the clues for the missing persons but at the same time, Lucy is struggling to help her first lady through the haven.

Even though we are guided through the book at a leisurely pace, that ending is still explosive! It is shocking and it is cold and wow! That is a guttural punch, and it will be interesting to see the fallout with this! And then once you think you are ok, everything semi tied up….six weeks later happens!!!!!!!!! Now I am chomping at the bit for book 5!!!!

I have loved Noelle’s writing since the very beginning. She has created these ballsy women, who have some serious problems. None of them shies away from their issues and they are respected. Well, I respect them! Plus to see their softer more personal sides come out is always a treat. I mean who does not love a bit of flirtatious banter!

I look forward to my next outing with Maggie and the team and equally dread what is in store for them next.

This is a thriller I loved following DC Maggie Jamieson investigating a murder case with a constellation on his cheeks and a domestic violence survivor shows up unable to speak. Balancing the cases is always a consuming challenge and let me tell you this book consumed me!
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There is not a lot I want to say but family secrets never stay buried for long, and the ending of this was absolutely perfect even though I will be waiting very impatiently for the next book!
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Thank you @letstalkbookspromo and #netgalley and #OneMoreChapter for granting me an arc in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I didn't realise it is part of a series.
It was easy to pick up, so I didn't feel like I had missed anything too important from the previous books.
This is definitely a slow burn of a book, and I didn't really get into it until just before half way, and even then, it intrigued me rather than completely gripping me.
I didn't really feel that invested in the story, I guessed the twist pretty early on and the ending confused me.
I won't be in a rush to read any other books in the series as for me, this was just an ok read

This is another gripping read from Noelle.

When a boy is found murdered and then a leading policeman goes missing, DC Maggie Jamieson is once again called into action.

Noelle has created a brilliant series of books that are a must read for any crime fiction junkie! (See what I did there!😅)

Gripping from start to finish Noelle not only gives us a gripping story but shows how the pressure mounts, not only on the police but all the additional agencies involved in investigations. This is where her personal experience shines through and adds authenticity to the characters.

I am really enjoying the character development and am interested to see who Maggie will concentrate on in the new book! The new case for Maggie was excellently set up at the end and I can’t wait to read it.

As always highly recommended.

"Psychopaths can take root in the unlikeliest soil…"

The DC Maggie Jamieson series has become a must-read series for me thanks to the author’s dark, twisty and sharply-written plots and compelling characters. Like the previous installments, this fourth installment doesn’t miss a beat and jumps straight into the action with a heart-pounding and mysterious prologue that sets us up for the tense journey we are about to be taken on.

It was great to be back with familiar characters. Even though these books can be quite hard-hitting, there is a comfort to the familiar characters that makes reading a series so enticing for me. This installment is probably the least hard-hitting of the author’s books so far, focusing more on Maggie’s personal life and how Lucy is coping with running her new refuge than on dark and malevolent characters. And as much as I like the twisted characters I enjoyed this change. But don’t let that fool you, there is still plenty of action and the team spend a lot of time investigating two pressing cases: the murder of a young man and the disappearance of DCI Hastings and his family. And as they dig deeper, they unveil shocking secrets that reveal the cases are connected in unexpected ways.

As with all of her books, Ms Holten addresses some tough topics in this book, including domestic abuse and self harm. While it is always written with honesty, it is also sensitive and real, showing things such as the struggle faced by survivors of abuse. Her villains are always scarily sinister, and this book does not disappoint in that regard. They may only appear for a short time, but they make quite the impact and lasting impression.

An unpredictable, gripping and suspenseful thriller, Dead Secret will have you on tenterhooks from start to finish. The author succinctly catches you up on past events, making it readable as both a standalone of part of the series.

TW: Domestic abuse, self harm

I absolutely love Noelle Holten's writing and there are now four books in the amazing Maggie Jamieson series which seems to be getting better and better. I really look forward to each new instalment and Dead Secret is so good it blew my socks off!

You can definitely read each book as a standalone but what I love about them is the way that each book picks up where the last one ended. Noelle Holten completely nails her endings, which I'd say are more of a hook than a cliffhanger, so series fans are already hooked before the next book is even released. The ending of Dead Secret has a hook and a half and I can't wait to read what comes next.

There are two main threads to the storyline and both are incredibly intriguing: one being domestic violence and the other being murder. Lucy has a drop in at her new refuge and even though she isn't officially open yet, she can't turn the mysterious young woman away. Meanwhile, Maggie is investigating a murder that is linked to her missing DCI and the police must tread carefully to avoid being accused of a cover-up. With so much mouthwatering intrigue, I simply couldn't read fast enough.

Plotted to perfection, Dead Secret is jaw-droppingly awesome. Noelle Holten is a super-talented author and her writing is filled with intrigue, suspense and colourful characterisation. Without doubt a five star read and very highly recommended.

I received a digital ARC to read and review for the blog tour; all opinions are my own.

I will be honest, that is what you want here, right? This book was not one for me. I did not realize it was part of a series when I started it and I think I would have benefited greatly from reading the previous books. I had so many unanswered questions about the many characters and what made them the way they are. I really appreciated the short chapters and how easy this was to read. I also did not clue in to the TJR solution to this case until pretty far into the book which is always a plus.

I have been a definite fan of Noelle Holten's books since her very first book was released 'Dead Inside'. 'Dead Secret' is now the fourth book to feature DC Maggie Jamieson and I have enjoyed every single book, so I knew I was in for a treat as doon as I opened the book.
We see Maggie still trying to get her head round her last case and hoping to have some respite from it all when a young man is discovered dead in the woods and one of her own colleagues has gone missing. Maggie and the team investigate both cases and it soon emerges there may be a link between the two. With they manage to solve these cases before another body is found?
Another book that I managed in a day! Noelle Holten has created a story with characters that you can feel like they are real, this adds to the intrigue of the story. I had my heart in my mouth at times while reading this. You can definitely tell that the author has experience in and around the police field, the realism you experience when you read this series is second to none. I am enjoying watching the characters develop over the series, we begin to see a slight shift in the relationship betweenJulia Noble and Maggie. Only time will tell, but I am watching. The book can be read as a stand alone but I always say that a series as excellent as this is more appreciated when you start from the beginning you can get to know the characters and how they are growing, or not.
An absolutely riveting read that held me from beginning to end with enough twists to make the Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham jealous and a cliff hanger of an ending that makes me need book five soon!! Noelle Holten is definitely continuing as she started with this series. A strong plot and an addictive read highly recommended by me. With thanks to Sarah from Books On The Bright Side, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the copy of the book

Rating: 3/5 stars.

“Dead Secret” by Noelle Holten is the fourth book in the DC Maggie Jamieson series of crime novels. I had not read the previous books so I was not familiar with the characters, though it was still easy to catch up and understand their history with just reading this entry in the series.

The story opens with an intriguing murder case. I was hooked at first, but started to lose interest as the novel went on. The conversation felt a little stilted and awkward at points, and the plot was a little too formulaic. I wish the author had found a way to bring some new ideas to the crime genre. While I really liked the main character, and really appreciated having a bisexual woman as the star protagonist, personality-wise she felt a little two-dimensional and unoriginal. Her characteristics were reminiscent of any cookie-cutter modern female detective.

While the book does have some good twists and turns, but the main twist was obvious to me right from the get-go. The big reveal and explanation of the murderer’s motivations was very well-written, creepy and haunting, and was one of my favourite parts of the novel.

Overall, I did enjoy this book and will check out the rest of the DC Maggie Jamieson series.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book on NetGalley and have provided an honest review.*

Book 4 in the Maggie Jamieson series and it's a cracker.

The plot is full of twists and turns to keep you totally hooked. The trademark cliff hangers at the end of some chapters make these books impossible to put down.

I love the camaraderie between the team members and I'm really enjoying getting to know them.

Noelle Holten has gone straight to the top of my must read authors and I can't wait to read the next one.

A brilliant 5 🌟 thriller.

The series just gets better and better. The characters are becoming old friends and it's really interesting watching the different relationships develop. Noelle Holten has a knack of tapping into raw emotions and her realistic, sometimes almost too realistic!, descriptions draw you into the scene. The result is that you end up thinking about the story long after you finish the last page. I really enjoyed this book but I'm glad I don't live in the author's mind.

Noelle Holten has hit the ball out of the park once again in her fourth in the Detective Maggie Jamieson series. Blisteringly paced with more action than you can shake a stick at and not forgetting all the intensity and drama too. The fact that Maggie is a character who looks out for young women who have been in domestic violence situations makes this a wonderful series and sadly reflects the number of domestic issues we have in the real world. Maggie is one of those people who always takes on too much and is running around like a headless chicken but is also good at putting her all into every situation. A thorough riveting read with plenty of nerve-wracking moments and writing that makes it a pleasure to breeze through. Highly recommended.

DC Maggie Jamison is a great heroine that has a lot to go through while solving crimes and dealing with personal issues. 

For as meticulous and rewarding as her job is, there’s always something new to discover and unveil in the cases she has to find what happened with the victims or criminals. 

Having to face a new challenge, won’t stop her to enjoy her personal love life and I’m so happy that the author has included parts of it in here because I’m always intrigued by strong characters and what’s happening behind the curtains and after the working hours. 

I knew the journalist would be trouble for her cases, and it proves that I was right. The disappearances had all been for an unexpected reason for me and that ending surely left me speechless and with so many questions and willingness to read the next books as soon as they become available. 

Very grateful to the publisher for my review copy through NetGalley

Another book in the D.C Maggie Jamieson series.
When a young man is found murdered the team try to find out what happened to him.
D.C.I Hastings is on sick leave or they are led to believe .
Then it comes to light that he is missing along with his wife and daughter.
Are these two cases connected .
Maggie is also involved with another case of a lady who has turned up at Lucy’s safe house for domestic violence .
With all these cases and not enough staff will she be able to solve them all.
Great read
Thanks NetGalley

I’ve said before that what I particularly love about this series is the character development – but my goodness, this is also a really gripping story. At first, there seem to be disparate threads – a new arrival at Lucy’s refuge, a fairly routine murder investigation for Maggie and the team – but the disappearance of one of their top men adds a level of real complication, with links that slowly become only too clear. It’s wonderfully convoluted as the layers are peeled back, a series of discoveries and revelations (with a few nice red herrings) and it had me entirely absorbed from beginning to end. I’ll admit that I was a step ahead of the investigation as I read, but that always just makes me feel a bit smug – it was good to have my conclusions confirmed, and it didn’t spoil the story (or lessen the tension) in any way at all.

But because of my total inability to write a review of a book like this without being in danger of telling the entire story, I’m going to focus on its wonderful characters. I already loved Maggie, with her focus and determination about her work sometimes leading her to overstep the mark and push too hard for what she thinks is right – but this book has an increased focus on her personal life, and that was something I enjoyed very much. I liked her vulnerability – the tentative start of a new relationship (and one not without its complications), the emotional side particularly well handled. I also liked the support provided by Kate (now at a distance), and the glimpses of her home life with her brother and the cats.

Lucy’s story was told in the first book, and she was always a character that interested me a lot with her complex history – and the slow uncovering of new arrival Ronnie’s story brings back uncomfortable echoes of her experiences in her time with Patrick.

The police team and their relationships is always something that fascinates me, and that’s further developed in this book. Nathan’s now looking rather more comfortable in his role as “boss”, but I like the interplay between him and Maggie – Cat still has no filter (and there’s some nice humour in that), and Bethany’s still working away doing the important screen work that’s so pivotal to resolving every case. I’ve always been a bit of a fan of DI Rutherford, another really strong female character that the author draws so well, and I enjoyed the way her hard exterior cracked a little in this book, with a few more personal insights.

There’s an exceptional feeling of authenticity about everything procedural – the interactions with other agencies, the friendships leveraged and the favours called in. I liked too the rather more spiky relationship with the forensic team, a legacy from an earlier book and nicely done. And I really should mention that although I’ve read all the earlier books, and understanding the relationships and all that had happened before meant I leapt straight into the story, I think this one would be entirely readable as a standalone – but why deny yourself the pleasure of catching up?

As I did with the previous books, I raced through this one – the short chapters and the perfect pace of the storytelling make it impossible not to. And the degree of tension and anticipation kept my heart racing and the pages turning – I loved it. I said when I reviewed Dead Perfect that if all crime thrillers were reliably this good, I might read them rather more often – this book just confirmed that once more, and I recommend it very highly.

(Review copied to Amazon UK - link not yet available)