What a fantastic series debut! I was hooked on to the story and could not put it down until the end. This fantabulous debut has a perfect blend of character introduction, mystery, series-plot setting and scene setting. I absolutely loved every bit of this story. Anita Waller is a master storyteller, no doubt about it.

Apart from the murder mystery - which had a pretty mind-blowing conclusion, I also loved the main characters' side stories.

At times, this didn't feel like a series debut. It felt like I have been following this series for a long time and this was the next installment. Absolutely brilliant storytelling and character development. Multiple twists in the second half of the story made it difficult for me to identify the killer before Matt could. So, if you are like me and love to play sleuth, do yourself a favor and give your deerstalker hat a break. Sit back, chill, and let Matt and friends do the sleuthing. Have a cuppa.

If you are looking for an engrossing and intriguing police procedural, I recommend you to give Fatal Secrets by Anita Waller a try.

4.5/5

A solid story but was repetitive and drawn out through the various love stories and the resolution of the main plot line. Is the start of a new series which has future promise with likable characters and a good mystery to solve.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

So this book one in the new Forrester Detective Agency by Anita Walker an author who I have not read before and it was a mediocre read for me.

I started off by enjoying the the book but then felt it fell a bit flat, my preferred genre is mysteries and thrillers and to me this was not as intense as my usual reads.

There were some parts that I felt didn't fit and that I was just waiting for it to step up a gear I was cruising rather than accelerating!

This book is a very cleverly written serial killer thriller. It has many different story lines that all connect. It is amazing to see how the story unfolds and how intricate the crime network is. I love her books and get excited each time a new one comes out. I also like how Matt and Steve found their perfect matches and there is some humor tossed in to make this an awesome read.

I'm a huge fan of crime fiction and Anita writes it so well. You really feel like you are working the cases with thr characters.

This is the third of Anita's books I've read and possibly my most favourite. Anita's writing keeps you invested and I really wanted to know what happened, desperate to know more.

This book is fast paced, moving even faster towards the end as the case is wound up. Can't wait to read the next one Anita ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood Books for an advance copy of Fatal Secrets, the first novel to feature the Forrester Detective Agency, set in Sheffield.

Matt Forrester has followed in his father’s footsteps as a Detective Inspector, but his priorities change when his father is murdered. He will be investigating, no matter what, with the help of his friend Steve and his sister Hermia, even if turns out to be a dangerous proposition.

I thoroughly enjoyed Fatal Secrets, which is a fast paced investigation with several murders and a lot of danger. It is told from the investigative point of view, so the reader can attempt their own investigation, probably fruitlessly, as the main suspect keeps a low profile.

This is quite a difficult novel to describe because it has elements of a cosy, but is far too violent for that genre. Basically the bad guy is a gangster and that’s apparent almost from the start, so the question is which one and why. The answer may lie in David Forrester’s files or his past, but it may not. It’s interesting to follow Matt, his friends and unofficial police sources as they gradually get closer to the truth. The resolution, when it comes in a flurry of violence, feels hollow and a bit of a letdown after all the previous excitement of the journey to that point.

There is a fair amount of romance in this novel with both Matt and his sister Hermia starting new relationships. Neither are particularly convincing, especially so soon after a bereavement and the plot doesn’t need it.

Fatal Secrets is an easy way to pass a few hours so I can recommend it.

Lively Mix…
The first outing in a new series - The Forrester Detective Agency Mystery Series - finds Matt Forrester with an appalling case. He has followed in his fathers wake and risen up police ranks to DI and now that father has been murdered. Hermia, Matt’s sister, has determined to help Matt find their father’s killer and the pair will soon find themselves deep in danger. A lively mix of personal background, police procedural and a nicely flowing narrative makes for a promising start to a new series.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this eARC.

I haven’t read a lot of books by this author and liked the premise of this book which sounded intriguing. I really enjoyed this book, it was smoothly written and after a great start I soon became hooked in the storyline, characters and plot. I liked the author’s writing style, and thought the book flowed seamlessly and I loved the intrigue and suspense. When Matt’s father is murdered he and his sister are determined to leave no stone unturned in finding out why and by whom. Their findings put them both in danger along with those they care about. I enjoyed the glimpses into both Matt and Hermia’s personal, home and love lives. For me, this read combines both police procedural and a private investigation and I have to say both merge well together and fit into the story and plot line effortlessly. I felt the ending was a bit rushed though, and that once or twice the book felt a little too long. These are only minor things and didn’t take anything away from what I thought was overall a thoroughly enjoyable read and a good start to a new series. I’ll definitely be interested to read the next book and would recommend this if you’re a fan of police procedurals, crime, mystery books.

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An excellent read in this new series, well written as always with good characters and the storyline kept me involved from the beginning to the end.

As The Connection Agency draws to a close a new one begins and I look forward to reading more in this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Boldwood Books for this ARC which I can thoroughly recommend.

Well now, I was having withdrawal symptoms from The Connection Agency, but Anita Waller has certainly scratched the itch with the first book in The Forrester Agency series!

This book starts off with violence and sadness, and progresses to a well-written, thoughtfully plotted story which kept me gripped from the first senseless murder, right through to the satisfying conclusion.

Not only did I love the characters and the story, I am so excited that there will be more books in this series.., I'm hooked!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Boldwood Books and Anita Waller for the opportunity to read an advance copy of FATAL SECRETS, to be published 8 February 2023. This was a UK police procedural and the first of a planned series for the detective agency that the protagonist inherits early on in the book. The characters are real and believable as well as stimulating and refreshing. Anyone who enjoys reading intense police procedurals will likely enjoy this novel. #NetGalley #BoldwoodBooks #AnitaWaller #FatalSecrets

I had trouble getting into this one. I usually love British police procedurals but this one felt like it was written in another era and felt a little clunky. For example:

“Steve stood and moved to the cooker. ‘Is this a two breadcake decision, or one?’
‘Steve!’ Hermia’s shock at registering her brother’s words was evident in that one word. ‘Don’t encourage him. Matt, what do you mean?’”

It just felt perhaps like a play from the 1920s at times?

It was still a good book and I’m sure it will be well liked by many.

Matt Forrester has followed in his dad's footsteps, climbing the police ranks to become a DI. But when he receives an urgent call for help, Matt has to rethink his career. His dad has been murdered, and Matt will not let this case go. It doesn't help that his current boss is sleeping with his ex-wife.

I love these types of covers. They draw me in right away. I enjoyed the police procedural and how the author laid out the clues to find the culprit(s).

However, inconsistencies and annoyances dropped my rating to 4 out of 5 stars. Here are some examples. Sometimes it was a bit annoying with the head-hopping. For example, the scene starts from Karen's perspective and then in the next paragraph, it's Matt. It was also irritating in Chapter 22 when Harry arrived at Matt's house, and even though Matt said he would take Harry back to his mom's house, the characters kept changing it to taking him that night and then in the next sentence saying they would take him the next day. Pick one and stick with it. Another inconsistency was Diana was at the police station and the police said they found her at home, but earlier, she had actually gone to the Hilton to stay.

The story was good overall, but the ending felt a bit rushed and was weirdly wrapped up, in my opinion. I'm not sure it made 100% sense.

All in all, Fatal Secrets was a good read, a good police procedural with solid characters. A 4 out of 5 stars for me.

#FatalSecrets #NetGalley @BoldwoodBooks

You know you're in safe hands when you open Anita Waller book. She is a master craftsman who meticulously crafts each detail with supreme artistry. Her plotlines are intricate and varied and always exciting. I think this is her best book yet. A retired detective duo working as private investigators, are found bludgeoned in their office in Sheffield. Wheelchair bound Dave is dead and his partner at death's door, soon to follow him. Dave's son is a serving police officer but being ordered off his dad's case by the D......d superintendent who had stolen his wife, Matt quits and vows to solve the murders and continue the private investigators agency. His best friend Steve joins with him along with his sister Herms, who is also targeted by the killers, ably assisted by police officer Karen who has secretly been in love with Matt for some time. The storyline is involved, the action fast paced and the characters believable. Anita dives into the murky waters of gangland culture rife in Sheffield-I'll never look at that city the same again! She does her homework, her characters are fully fleshed human beings rather than cliches and it all leads to the most engaging, absorbing read. This brilliant author is a consummate professional who never fails to deliver.

Wow! What a fantastic start to a new series, I related to the characters straight away and really cared about their individual stories as well as the overall plot. Really looking forward to the next in the series.

Fatal Secrets by Anita Waller.
Matt Forrester has followed in his dad’s footsteps, climbing the police ranks to become a DI. But when he receives an urgent call for help, Matt has to rethink his career. His dad has been murdered, and Matt’s not going to let this case go. It doesn’t help that his current boss is sleeping with his ex-wife.Hermia Forrester didn’t follow her brother into the police force, instead she works in research at the university. But, she’s not going to let that stop her from helping her brother find out what happened to their dad.But the siblings soon find themselves surrounded by more danger than they ever imagined. Can they both survive this case or will there be more of their family in the morgue?
Brilliant read. Love this author. Love Matts character. 5*.

This novel had everything as far as I was concerned. Strong characters who were protective of one another, a storyline which gripped the reader and a flow that kept me interested. I hope this is the start of a series of Forester detective agency novels

First I've read by this author and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I liked the characters, the flow of the story, it totally kept my interest. At some points, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to see what was going to happen next. Well done!

I look forward to reading the next one in this new series by this author.

Thank you #netgalley and #boldwoodbooks for the eARC.

Good book! This book had a bit of everything! It had high suspense, intrigue, action packed, murder, mystery, a bit of a who done it and many crazy twists and turns and great detective work! The storyline was very interesting and had me glued to my Kindle! I highly recommend reading this book as it was well worth reading! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Matt and Hermia, main characters…murder and intrigue…secrets…family and friends…what will Allen next? Who murdered? Who is innocent? Questions and secrets…thanks to the publisher and innovative author for this book which was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review… the characters come alive on the pages of this novel…fiction that reads like nonfiction at times…enjoy…