If you’re searching for an historical thriller to read this fall, I have the perfect title for you. If I could give six out of five for a novel, All That Is Secret would be it. This upcoming title grabbed me from the Art Deco cover and didn’t let go until the end.

The action starts almost immediately, before Annalee has a chance to set foot in Denver. The narrative continues at a fast pace, flying to the point I was surprised to find myself a third of the way through when I first had to put down the book to go to bed. There wasn’t a dull moment, no point at which I wished the story would “get to the point,” and the revelations towards the end aren’t out of place. Raybon includes subtle hints throughout that’ll make you want to re-read her debut novel once you discover the truth simply to see what you might’ve missed.

All That Is Secret is a take on the racial divide of a 1920s city, where non-whites are subservient and the KKK marches without fear. Annalee is known as the “colored professor” in the newspapers, but one gets the feeling it’s a derogatory term rather than a positive one. More than once, however, she’s able to use her “invisibility” to enhance her amateur detective skills. She isn’t well off, but neither is her young white sidekick. Meanwhile, graft and corruption cross the color barrier in the quest for all-important power. There are good and bad people in all sections of society.

All that Is Secret is billed as an “Annalee Spain Mystery,” so hopefully it’s the first in a good series. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next for Annalee and the people around her, especially young Eddie.

Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic Advance Reader Copy of this book from the publisher, the opinions above are my own.

This book surprised me! What a wonderful connection with the characters Annalee, Jack and Eddie.

Annalee is a woman who wants to uncover the truth surrounding her father’s death. The connections she makes along the way and what she has to endure during a time period where women, especially women of color, were not valued. Throw in plot twists, the KKK and secrets that were meant to stay buried snd you’ve got a book that will capture your attention until the end. Certainly a book I would recommend!

This book is wonderful. Fast-paced, but still thorough in its character development. Educational in it’s depictions of American historical events. And, finally, the most lovable heroine that I’ve met in quite some time.
The book has it all… highly recommend!

My interview with Patricia Raybon on the Crime Writers of Color podcast:

Patricia Raybon--Writer of Mystery & Faith and All That is Secret

https://www.crimewritersofcolor.com/cwoc-podcast/patricia-raybon

A historical, romantic mystery filled with intrigue and lots of twists and turns in the plot. Some of it felt disjointed and it was hard to follow the clues at times but still a fun read.

Thanks to #netgalley and #tyndalhouse for this eARC of #AllThatIsSecret

It seems that I'm rediscovering my old favorites. My love for well written Christian fiction. My love for detectives. My love for historical fiction. When I saw this book on Netgalley I was intrigued right away and knew I had to request it. Not only because it's a Christian Historical Detective, more because the book seemed to have a unique setting. As a white European girl it felt like a piece of history I had to learn more about.

This book gives a great impression of the time period. It's not pretty, it's downright scary and really sickening, but Raybon really manages to make me feel that fear, to make me feel how messed up this view on the world is, to make me wonder how people can be like this, even though I know very well that there are still people like this. The book also showed how far spread these ideas were and how much influence these people managed to get.

The atmosphere works so well, because our leading lady, Annalee, is an amazing character. She is determined, she's willing to fight for things, she dares to take risks, but she's also vulnerable at times. She doesn't always know exactly what she's doing, she's doubting herself and wondering why she's doing all this, sometimes she pulls people into situations far from safe. Her anger, her fear, her sadness are however so relatable, that it's not hard to understand why she does all this.

And while we're learning a lot about the dangers of that time (and this time) and while we're experiencing the world through the eyes of a bright black woman, we're also discovering everything that's going on beyond the surface. Not everything is linked to the case, the murder of her father, but it's quite clear that this is a town filled with secrets, dirty laundry and things people wanna keep buried. I will certainly check out the next books in the series when they release!

For fans of complex mysteries

All That is Secret by Patricia Raybon gives readers a mystery to solve through the eyes of an amateur detective. Annalee Spain, a young Black theologian, decides that since no one is going to investigate her father’s suspicious death, she will. She heads back home to her small-town roots, but trouble follows the minute she steps foot on the train to Denver. She meets a lost boy searching for his father, and the two team up with a pastor to uncover clues.

I enjoyed this complicated mystery. Annalee makes an excellent amateur sleuth, fearless at times, like when she faces off with the KKK. At other times she’s a bit naïve, especially when it comes to manners of the heart and Pastor Jack, who captures her interest. I like the quirky characters and the many red herrings as everyone has something to hide. The story is set in the 1920’s, and the only thing I wished for was more of a historical context. It didn’t feel like the 1920’s and felt more modern than historical fiction with the way the characters talked and the setting. Nothing really stood out as being distintly from this time period. But I like that this is the start of a series, because I would definitely want more stories of Annalee solving mysteries with her side-kick Eddie and her love-interest pastor. This combination is clever and I definitely want more.

Overall Rating:
4 stars (I liked it a lot and would definitely recommend)

Suspense Rating:
4 stars (lots of action and suspense to keep me intrigued)

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

“Because our gathering this morning,
my sisters and brothers, isn’t so much
about us —and why we’ve come here
—wearing our nice
clothes and our fancy
hats and our new shoes —”

“Instead,” Jack added, “we gather in this place
—this holy place—
to worship and praise our God.
So draw in the wanderings of your minds,
turning from your concerns and worries,
and let’s turn our attentions solely on him.”

Yes! YEs! YES! Patricia Raybon has created a great piece of historical fiction that leaves the reader primed for more volumes in this series. Maybe not from the first line (as per the back cover) but certainly from the first page “readers will be hooked.” From the moment that Joe Spain finds the baby left on the frozen ground on a ranch outside the city of Denver CO, it is clear that somebody is up to no good.

A year later, in 1923, Joe’s daughter arrives in Denver to discover the truth about her father’s death. The home of the second largest KKK chapter in the USA, Colorado becomes a hotbed of anti-black activity and politics. It is in this environment that Professor Annalee Spain, Joe’s daughter, finds herself looking for his story. With the help of the help of the local AME Pastor, Rev. Jack Robert Blake, an orphaned white lad, Eddie Brown Jr,, and a retired Denver DA, Colonel Sidney Castle, she would seek the answers she sought. The KKK makes its presence known, but they are not the enemy that Annalee is really fighting. Families and politics are far bigger problems - holding secrets that even the best of people do not want revealed.

Intense at times, the book is one the reader will not be able to put down. I spent more than one night staying up to get it read. I give the book five-stars.
______________
This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are mine alone.

All That is Secret, by Patricia Raybon is a fast paced mystery with historical insights about the city of Denver in the 1920's. The author develops her characters throughout the book hitting on the very real questions of faith, truth, honor, hope, and love. Even though not a southern state, the KKK was alive and well in Denver. The book shows how that group influenced laws, businesses and people's personal lives, often keeping secret their unsavory, un- Christian actions. Secrets can harm people in many ways and the author allows her characters to experience the good and bad of secrets that can affect your self-esteem, your inherent worth as a human being, and as a Christian. This book is well worth the time to read. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

One year after her somewhat-estranged father’s maybe-not-accidental death, Annalee Spain leaves her home and job in Chicago to travel back to Denver and seek answers. But the truth won’t be easy to find, even for an admirer of Sherlock Holmes, and even the trip to Denver provides danger and intrigue, as well as a new companion in the form of a young orphan searching for his father.

I’m a fan of mysteries and really liked the idea of a Christian mystery story set in the 1920s. And the prologue was great, ending with such a bang, I was excited to keep going! Sadly, the rest of the book didn’t really hold up to the thrilling start. One of the biggest issues I had was with the protagonist herself. A young, black woman in a nation dominated by white men, Annalee had all the makings of a smart, compassionate, innovative sleuth. Except she told herself, while trying to solve the crime, to stop trying to solve it and let it solve itself…which is exactly what you want from the main character in a murder mystery.

There’s a romance sub-plot in this book, too, which fell pretty flat for me. For one thing, there was mention about falling in love after Annalee and Jack only knew each other for a day or two. There was also a cliched contrivance to push the romance forward, which seemed unnecessary. And I think they weren’t nearly as concerned about perceived propriety as they should have been for multiple reasons, not the least of which is the fact that he’s a pastor, living in the church’s parsonage.

What tipped the scale to the rating I gave is that some things happened in the story that didn’t really make a lot of sense and weren’t explained. One character shows up somewhere in a fairly bizarre scene, and for a while, I suspected she might simply be a figment of Annalee’s imagination. It’s partially explained, but not nearly enough, in my opinion. This looks to be the beginning of a series of books with this MC, and I really wanted to be right there at the start of it. However, while I’m sure many who enjoy mysteries and Christian fiction will like this book, it definitely isn’t for me.

A very good mystery that is engaging and has depth. The authors writing style is great. I was totally both interested in the characters and story. Lots of detail about history made it more interesting!! Highly recommend!!

"All That Is Secret" is a romantic suspense set in Nov. 1923 in America. I was expecting Annalee to be smart, logical, and a Christian. Nope. She knows the Bible but hasn't prayed in a long time. She's more of a philosopher and doesn't follow any of Sherlock Holmes' methods. She tells herself things like, "Stop trying so hard. Let the answers find their way to you." Or when a child pointed out that Goldilocks didn't break in, Annalee's suddenly sure that her father's mysterious key must unlock something that's already open. Huh? She's very impulsive, makes foolish choices, and has scattered thoughts. The author used a lot of short, partial (poor grammar) sentences, giving it a poorly edited feel.

By 20% into the book, I wasn't even sure why Annalee had quit her good job to follow up on a cryptic message that might have to do with her father's murder. Everything seemed so disjointed that it's hard to follow what's going on or put clues together. Her thinking was hard to follow, especially since coherent ideas about the case were kept out of her thoughts until nearly the end. For example, she told someone she needed a distraction, but we're not told why or what she's looking for until her actions show her intent.

I also felt like some things that happened weren't probable for the time period. For example, the pastor knew he was picking up a single woman, and he's a single man, living alone. There's a rooming house within view of his house with rooms available. He didn't arrange a place for her to stay, though, so she ended up sleeping in his bed (with him in another room). Really?!

In the end, Annalee basically solved the mystery by happening to hide from the bad guy and overhear his confession. So many details were never explained, especially things that happened on the train. The Christian element was Annalee starting to pray again as she realized she needed God's help. There was no sex or bad language.

Talk about a wonderful discovery! Set in 1923 America, Professor Annalee Spain is a young Black woman who is a theologian at a bible college who knows God from an academic perspective but has gone her own way for awhile. She has a passion for Sherlock Holmes books and methods. She boards with Mrs. Stallworth who is also a very wise friend and a woman of faith. Annalee's estranged father died a year ago but she is very unsettled about it and believes he was murdered. When a telegram arrives asking her to return home to Denver to solve the murder, she makes a quick decision. Her adventure becomes far more than she had imagined. En route she meets a young white boy, Eddie, who is seeking his father. They make an unlikely but loyal pair.

Annalee tells herself she does not want or need romantic love. But God has other plans. Handsome Black pastor Jack enters her life unexpectedly and has an adventurous side, too. Together, the they and Eddie inveigle and sleuth to seek answers. Layer upon layer of mysteries are revealed and Annalee learns to rely on God and not on herself.

We read about deceit, secrets, KKK, class and racial divisions, faith, hope and love. So much to rave about in this book but one of my favourite aspects is the author's unique writing style. What a storyteller she is! I would love to listen to her narrate this book. I am so glad this is the first in a new series! The Sherlock Holmes quotes at the beginning of each chapter add a nice touch. The details and atmosphere are described beautifully. Though sweet at times, the book is also tough and doesn't gloss over gritty details which are true to life. The author also makes it clear (and this is evident in her writing) that she is only using Annalee's love for Sherlock Holmes in her own way, not to create another spin on Holmes himself. As a Holmes fan I appreciate that.

Historical Fiction lovers who yearn for something original, this book has your name on it It is a true gem and would be a shame to miss. I cannot wait to read more about the characters I fell in love with.

My sincere thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and NetGalley for the privilege of reading this stunning book!

All That is Secret is a beautifully written book. It is far more than your usual mystery novel, written with depth and intelligence. The author captures the emotions of the time and environment in a way that is almost disturbing. It is a captivating read.

Growing up in Colorado, I learned a bit about the state's Ku Klux Klan era in history classes, but Raybon's mystery brought that frightening era to life for me. The backstory of the main character, Annalee, was a bit confusing at first, and her references to Sherlock Holmes felt forced, but the mystery she finds herself in and the Denver setting soon drew me in. The many strands of Black, Western, and Christian culture blended together to create a compelling story. Recommended for both mystery lovers and Colorado readers looking to be immersed in the state's early 20th century history.

“For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.” Luke 8:17
Set in 1920s Colorado, All That is Secret tells the story of Bible college professor Annalee Spain and her search to find answers following her father’s death. The story begins with a bang and the plot continues to be fast paced.
There were two things in this book that felt special or unique to me. First, each chapter begins with a Sherlock Holmes quote as the epigraph, a nod to the original mystery solver and Annalee Spain’s love of his novels. Second, the setting felt fresh to me in the historical fiction genre. The KKK plays a role here, and I learned some surprising (to me) new information about their presence in Colorado.
There is something for everyone here: mystery, romance, faith, identity, and more.

I was drawn in right from the start with the powerful and emotional prologue. All That Is Secret offers a bit of everything - mystery, intrigue, romance, action and danger - which made for a very enjoyable read. I would sum up this novel with a quote from heroine Annalee Spain. "Oh, Mrs. Stallworth, solving a murder is not about crime. It's about finding fear and greed, and well, about lust." I enjoyed Annalee's dialogue with God, her questions, and her search for answers from above. I can imagine Annalee's relationship with God will be ongoing throughout the series, as she grows and learns. This book is a great choice to curl up with, whatever your level of spirituality.


*Thank you for the opportunity to read this wonderful book! I have posted this review on Goodreads and on ChristianBooks.com. I promise to post it also on Amazon and Barnes and Noble on October 5th when the book is released. I wish All That Is Secret much success!!

First off, I really enjoyed Patricia Raybon’s fiction debut! The first couple of chapter took a little getting used to the writing style, but soon I was swept up in the suspense and couldn’t put it down. Annalee is determined to get to the bottom of what she believes to be her fathers murder and will not let anything stand in her way. The history behind the story is one that needs to be heard and it breaks my heart that such things were apart of American history. The ending took me off guard and I cannot wait for the next installment!

This book caught me by surprise, There are some books that really grab you from their first line and this was one of them. From the very first moment, with a dying infant to set the tone, this book was intensely atmospheric and kept a really good pace. It felt like watching a detective show set in the 1920's, Raybon painted the picture very well. The use of Sherlock Holmes quotes at the start of each chapter also helped set the tone.

This book is about Annalee Spain, a theology professor whose father is murdered, a crime she is intent to solve with some unorthodox sidekicks she meets on the way, including an orphan and a pastor.

I loved Annalee, she felt very organic as a character. She was smart, strong, and independent, but without it being her sole traits, she was also vulnerable, insecure, and scared. She felt relatable, even when she went of as an amateur sleuth, which most of us wouldn't. I also really, really enjoyed that when she is being slightly scolded by her romantic interest for going off on her own, she actually stands up for herself and frankly states that what she wants him to say is that he is impressed by her boldness and willing to listen to her side. Which, yes girl! Annalee is no damsel, even if there is a lesson about caution and not having to do things alone, I still salute that she refuses to swoon into some big strong man's arms and rightly stands her ground.

"There are times in a woman's life when things seem as if they should add up but don't. Because they're not supposed to add up. Life will show a woman that, if she's paying attention."

I really enjoyed the writing and pacing of this novel, it never felt like it was being too on the nose, there was subtlety and nuance which I really enjoy. What I enjoyed the most was Annalee reflecting on her flawed relationship to her father, it was very moving and heartfelt.

The mystery itself is also quite intriguing, more names to keep track of than I thought there would be so I had to pay attention.

What I learned from this book is that the 1920's makes for a great atmosphere for a murder mystery, but Lord, let's leave that past in the past, the casual sexism and blatant racism are, naturally, very upsetting and leaves a bad taste in your mouth. I thought Raybon wrote it very well, but I'm quite glad just to read about it, not experiencing it.

If there is one minor gripe I have about this book it is that it uses the word theology a it much, as a theology major myself, I do enjoy theological aspects and points made, however the word itself - when used repeatedly - is a bit clunky. However it might be necessary as familiarity with the term may vary. I also wasn't sure the romance was necessary, but if the relationship continues in future books I may change my mind (I mostly mind when there is a new romance in each story)

Either way, that was a very small complaint from an otherwise excellent mystery. I tend to get very loyal to crime writers, I'll pick an author and read everything they put out if I enjoy their style, I am intrigued where Annalee might go from here (as this case was very personal), so I'm looking forward to seeing where this series will go.

Thank you so much to Tyndale publishers and Netgalley for enabling me to read this ARC. I hope to see it in print soon.

A very nice change from the typical books I've been reading lately!
A mystery, set in the 1920s, with a woman professor at a Bible college who sets out to solve the mystery of who killed her father. As the lies are exposed and the mystery unravels, Annelie has to face things she never thought she would. A fast fast-paced story that will keep your attention!
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance e-book. All opinions are entirely my own.