This was a fun, mostly fast paced read with a wonderful main character. The mystery was engaging if mostly predictable. I enjoy mysteries that I can mostly guess the ending but still have some surprises I didn't see coming and this was exactly that. Ethel was funny and quirky and likeable. I would definitely read another mystery with Ethel as the main character.

just so long and boring and none of the characters were interesting to me
i wished there was less crypto talk and more ethel focus because omfg crypto is so boring
and the head hopping??? really disjointed
also i guessed the twist from the beginning and i literally hate lisa so much she irked me from the start

Secret Lives
by Mark de Castrique
This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Poisoned Pen Press, and by #NetGalley. I did enjoy the book. At 75 years old, Ethel Fiona Crestwater is one woman you do not want to tangle with...ever. Payback and karma are a real bit@ch.Way to go on this well-written book.

This novel has everything it needs to be 5 stars but I just didn't enjoy the writing style. The plot is very good and I also like the characters.
I love when there is a strong female lead, especially somebody as unexpected as a 70-ish year old.

This book was sent to me by Netgalley for review…thanks to the publisher…I liked this book…I really liked this book…I cannot say enough about how great this story is…it reads like true crime…the protagonist is fantastic…how nice to read about someone who is still contributing in her seventies… not invisible…her cohorts can’t believe her…I could not either…still piloting a plane…I can relate…the story moves quickly with several red herrings…the author is talented and gifted, and I hope writes more about this group of characters. A-series must happen…I cannot say enough…do not miss this mystery.

I absolutely ADORED Ethel Fiona Crestwater ! Diving into a mystery was definitely something new for me but I wanted to try something new. & Mark de Castrique did NOT disappoint.

Cryptocurrency will supposedly one day be the money of the future & it’s already something to die for. Jonathan Finch, a secret service agent who who boards with Ethel has gotten himself tangled in with some dirty agents and Ethel along with her double twice removed cousin are on the case !

Reading this book, I was on the edge of my seat thinking I knew who killed Agent Finch until the very end. One of the last people I suspected per usual & it the mystery was just so fun to follow !

Who knew a 75 year old woman running a boarding house for government agents would be such a force to be reckoned with! "Secret Lives" was the perfect book to pull me out of a reading slump. It is a light-hearted mystery with loveable characters along this winding adventure to figure out who killed Ethel Crestwater's tenant and why.

The characters were the highlight of this book, especially Ethel and her partnership with her young distant relative Jessie. I appreciated that the path to figuring out who is the killer was not very easy to figure out, and it also didn't have the killer coming out of left field. My only criticism for this book was the number of government characters was a bit overwhelming and hard to keep each person straight. A simple chart at the beginning of the book listing each character with their job title would be immensely helpful.

I recommend this book for anyone looking for a light mystery, or who wants to read about the sharpest 75 year old the government has ever dealt with!

Secret Lives is a delightful, mysterious and entertaining read. Ethel Crestwater is a force to be reckoned with! I was drawn to this unique plot of Ethel running a boarding house for government agents, and the twists and turns keep you hooked till the end. Ms Crestwater is 75 years old, but looks can be deceiving, for she's sharp as a tool, adopts a no nonsence approach and is a firm believer in integrity and fairness to get justice done. Leave it to Mark de Castrique to deliver witty dialogue with cliff-hanger chapters that complement a fast-paced premise. Mark provides an impressive balance between setting the geographic scene before luring readers towards Ethel and her crew. I learned that UFOs are real; United Flying Octogenarians, that is. Given the range of characters, I would have loved to have a sheet of the agents involved. The ending ties itself beautifully, making it memorable and heartfelt. A 5-star read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC. This honest review is left voluntarily.

So. Freaking. Good. I couldn't put it down. It's less of a thriller and much more a murder !mystery in which nothing and no one is at seems. Satisfying ending with room for a sequel. Definitely recommend.

This was a great read. Once you start you won’t want to put it down! This is definitely a favorite of mine

Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique 5 stars

Ethel Fiona Crestwater, 75 years old, a trailblazer in law enforcement who looks like a kindly grandmother. However, when a crime happens near the front door of her boarding house she steps into action with the help of her distant cousin, Jesse. Together, they will solve the mysterious death of one of her boarders and obtain justice for the crime.

New to me author Mark de Castrique writes a mystery/thriller that engages the readers. The phrase “looks can be deceiving” cannot be used enough in this instance. The plot was fast-paced and the secondary characters likeable. The ending left room for a sequel, so I hope this is the start of a new series for de Castrique. I will certainly look forward to the next book.

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC.

FBI, friendship, relationships, relatives, secrets, theft, greed, homicide, law-enforcement, trust-issues, verbal-humor, secret-service, pilots, counterfeit-money, boardinghouse, septuagenarian, cryptocurrency, detective, thriller*****

Retired my Aunt Nellie! Ethel and company are terrific!
United Flying Octogenarians is real!
The head of the Secret Service, the head of the FBI, and the Homicide Detective are all leagues behind the woman they know and respect as former agent Ethel Crestwater. Great fast-moving, addictive story that starts with murder of an agent and a gym bag full of counterfeit money!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Poisoned Pen Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. This was great fun, with 75 year-old Ethel running rings round the local police and the heads of the FBI and Secret Service. It reminded me of that moment in one of the 'Red' films where Helen Mirren's character rustles up some bodies from her freezer. The humour is (thankfully) not that of those Scandinavian novels featuring older heroes and heroines - it has a more serious plot than that. I learnt a lot about cryptocurrency, but there was never really any doubt that Ethel would triumph.

Recommended if you're in the mood for a slightly crazy romp.

Oh my goodness I really enjoyed this book immensely. It was well written and kept me hooked from chapter one!

Enter Ethel Crestwater - a 75 year old BADASS lady who owns a boarding house, but not just ANY old boarding house - a boarding house specifically for rooming government agents. Doesn't that already just sound EXCITING? Well, that's exactly how I felt going into this book! The main character being an older lady really peaked my interest into considering reading, as you don't see that very often. Now, a murder happens right outside her boarding home and she's immediately on the case. This book goes through the investigation of figuring out who killed this secret agent. This book consisted mainly of dialogue containing phone calls, texts, and conversations regarding the step by step "unofficial" and official investigations of the murder. Ethel and her cousin Jesse are very much on their own in this case because they find out things that they need to keep secret to protect others. I wouldn't consider this much of a thriller, but there are moments where you are wondering what in the world is going to happen next. The ending wraps up everything very nicely. I was satisfied with how this book ended. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who is looking for more of a run down on the logistics of how to solve a murder case with a great round of characters. I enjoyed the short chapters and the writing, too!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, Poisoned Pen Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Don’t underestimate Ethel, that’s all I’m saying. Enjoy this one.

An amazing mystery that left me wanting for more till the last page.

Ethel.is an old woman of seventy five years though she's quite young at heart. She is often mistaken for fragile and weak. She runs a lodge housing secret service agents. When one of her lovers ends up dead Ethel decides to use her experience to discover the truth and resolve the mystery surrounding his death.

I loved how Ethel was active and involved in finding the murderer and the thrill in the story captivated me to the end.

t age 75, Ethel Crestwater is truly a character to admire, respect, and root for. She runs a boarding house close to Washington, DC which several government agents call home. Her own impressive work experience is revealed slowly, but it is evident from the beginning that Ethel is so much more than she appears to be.

The story starts with a bang, literally, as one of her boarders, a Secret Service agent, is killed right outside of the house. Ethel knows just what to do, and she is not above concealing evidence from the authorities until she has a chance to do some investigating herself. That's when Ethel begins to demonstrate her special talents, most remarkably her keen instincts and analytical skills, not to mention fearlessness. It doesn't hurt that she has maintained important contacts and already has the sometimes-grudging respect of those who are familiar with her former career.

The plot moves quickly, making this a fast and absorbing read. It's a complex story, involving not just the Secret Service but the FBI and the police. The focus is on cryptocurrency, and I wished more than once as I was reading that I had a better understanding of how it works. Ethel involves her grad student cousin (an engaging supporting character) in the action, and the pace is almost unbearably intense as the plot advances. Kudos to Mark de Castrique, who has written a propulsive story worthy of a (hopefully) new series to join his other successful series.

My thanks to NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

"At 75-years-old, Ethel Fiona Crestwater is used to being underestimated. She looks like someone's grandma, though she's never married or had children; petite and a bit frail, she's not a threat to anyone. Or is she...? Ethel runs a boarding house for government agents, and when someone murders one of her boarders, she springs into action-much to the surprise of her distant cousin Jesse, who has recently come to stay with her while he attends university. As he watches her photograph the crime scene, conceal evidence, and speed-dial the Secret Service Director, Jesse realizes that there's much more to Ethel than appearances suggest."

Mark de Castrique does it again! He writes characters who appeal to readers, and does it with a rich, subtle humor. His books are smart, often with well-placed twists you just never see coming.

I hope Secret Lives is the first in a new series. We can always use another de Castrique series!