Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It took me a while to get around to it but I’m happy I finally did! I devoured this book in one day over Easter break. I did struggle with the surface level feeling of the book throughout, it felt like I wasn’t really involved in the story and getting a quick overview the whole time. The ending was reached so quickly with what felt like a rushed reason as to why the culprit did what they did.
A great book for a holiday time filler but I wouldn’t rush back to this series.

The second book in the Saskia Monet series. This was an ok read but didn’t really hold my interest, the storyline just wasn’t gripping enough

I love Gwyn Bennet's mysteries and this is a good one: gripping, well plotted. It surprised me and kept me guessing.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Fast Paced.

Secrets in the Blood by Gwyn Bennett is set in Jersey England. Saskia Monet is a criminal psychologist based in Jersey who recently relocated to Jersey from Kent and working in the local prison. She is brought into an investigation by Winter Labey, A local detective, after a body is discovered in an old German bunker. The body is a local farmer who has just been elected to council. But who killed him as there are plenty of people who have a motive from work colleagues to family members as affairs marriages and inheritance are just a few reasons.
Without giving anything away I highly recommend this book. This is a story of revenge and retribution with a remarkably interesting and entertaining plot. A totally gripping story which is fast paced and a total captivating mystery that hooks you from the start. The plot is good as everyone had become a suspect and the actual killer was a surprise. I highly recommend this to those who like a strong female lead in a police procedural. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I liked this book but sometimes it was confusing for me. Liked the storyline and continuity from book one. Thank you to netgalley for giving me this as an arc in exchange for honest review.

Another great book about the Forensic Psychologist Saskia Monet. I loved the first book and this one is also stunning. I read it in just 2 days. It probably helps to have read the first book: The Stolen Ones. In the series to understand the setting and characters i cant wait for the next instalment to learn more about Saskia, David and Winter.

Detective Winter asks for Saskia's help in this second novel set in Jersey. Secrets from the past has repercussion today. Good characters well plotted. A good addition to the series. I received this book from Storm publishing and Netgalley for a review

Detective Winter is called to an abandoned historic bunker, where tourists have discovered the body of a local politician. To help solve this troubling murder Winter calls on forensic psychologist Saskia Monet. Ask Winter and Saskia dig deeper into the case the unearth deep dark family secrets that have the protentional to destroy lives. Just when they think they are getting to the bottom of it, another dead body shows up. Are they related? Saskia has reason to think otherwise but how can she possibly share what she suspects with Detective Winter without giving away her own dark secret?
Gwyn Bennett has me anxiously awaiting the next to come. Saskia and Winter are quickly becoming a favorite crime solving duo of mine. The Saskia Monet series is riveting with some many intertwining sub plots! I can’t wait to find out where Gwyn Bennet goes with them. A definite must read for all thriller series lovers. Although the book is great as a standalone, it is so much better if you have read The Stolen Ones first.

The second in the Saskia Monet series is complex and compelling; set in Jersey, this murder mystery has echoes from the past, which have repercussions for the present. The psychological suspense is immersive; the secrets Saskia keeps from the detective create a suspenseful, menacing undercurrent. I like the secrets, the dynamic between Saskia and Winter, and the character David's unpredictability in the story.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

When two German tourists find a body in one of the abandoned German bunkers on Jersey, Detective Winter Labey investigates. The victim looks as if his death was carried out execution style, this along with the Nazi graffiti, makes Winter suspect this might be important. However the victim is an important political figure on the island & his superiors seem determined that politics must be the motive. Winter called on psychologist Saskia Monet to assist- partly for her expertise & partly because of a growing attraction that he hopes is mutual.

This was an enjoyable read, if not quite as good as the first in the series. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

When Paul Cabot is found murdered the morning after his successful election to island Deputy, Detective Winter Labey and criminal psychologist, Saskia Monet, team up to solve the crime. Was this a politically motivated murder or is there something darker going on, linked to the island’s WWII history and German occupation. As secrets are revealed, and another victim claimed, the duo must unearth that which has been hidden for decades.
A gripping thriller with plot twists and suspense aplenty. One that keeps you guessing until the absolute end.

The second in the Saskia Monet series, I suppose it works as a standalone, though I had read the first book in the series as well and I think it helps if you have. These books are set in Jersey and although there is some history and some descriptions of the island, the book focusses more on the size of the island and the residents which gives an impression of claustrophobia. In the main case, there are a couple of twists, one is revealed quite early on . The way of writing is in some sections preachy and some of the descriptions seem irrelevant to the plot/case.
Alongside the murder of Paul Cabot, a politician, another case is added to which starts in the first book. This involves Saskia's brother . Although this does add some background to Saskia's personal life, I cannot believe that some one working in her position in a prison and with the police (a position of trust) would do what she does in the circumstances.
Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC , I am not sure I will read any more of this series, it misses the mark slightly for me

Set on the Isle of Jersey, DI Winter Labey asks forensic psychologist Saskia Monet to consult when the body of a prominent local man is found shot in a disused Nazi bunker. The more they delve into the victim's history, the more secrets and animosity they discover, causing them to shift their attention to their family and close friends. The stakes are raised when one of their suspects is killed in a similar fashion. “Secrets in the Blood” was a great read for me. The plot was well thought out and kept me guessing until the last minute. The novel disappointingly lacks tension, causing it to read more like a mere retelling of the investigation rather than an engaging narrative.

I feel like I've missed out on some meaningful character introductions and relationship building because I didn't read book one. Although the author refers to book one occasionally, I feel like I've been left out a little bit. Furthermore, Saskia's brother David is a psychopath, and she is extremely protective of him, although little information has been revealed about him. I hope to see the character grow in future novels through the author's development.

Overall, an entertaining read.

Many thanks to @GwynGB @NetGalley & @Stormbooks_co for a copy for review.

Gwyn Bennett wrote a great sequel with Secrets in the Blood, it worked in the Saskia Monet series and flowed well perfectly. It had everything that I enjoyed about the crime thriller genre. The twists worked and am glad I got to read this.

Saskia Money Book 2.

Detective Winter Labey is called to a historic German bunker abandoned after the occupation of the island of Jersey, where tourists have discovered the body of a prominent local figure. Was the execution-style murder connected to the Nazi graffiti daubed on the nearby walls?

Winter calls on forensic psychologist Saskia Monet, whose own childhood gives her a unique understanding of the darkest recesses of the human mind. Can they find the killer before they strike again?

A great book full of twists that keeps you guessing right to the end. I read it in 2 sittings as I didn't want to put it down. Loved it and I'm looking forward to the next one.

This is the first book I've read from Gwyn Bennett and it will definitely not be the last! What a great read!
it is book 2 in the Saskia Monet series and a series I will definitely continue with.

On a Wednesday morning two tourists are exploring Batterie Lothringen, a fortification that was built on the island Jersey by the occupying German forces during the Second World War.
But instead of enjoying the scene they find the body of a man who was shot in the back of the head. It turns out to be the body of Paul Cabot the newly elected deputy of the parish.
He had a small party at his house the previous evening for a handful of people and somewhere in the early hours, he was killed. But why in this specific location and what is the significance of him being shot in the back of the head?
Saskia Monet, a forensic psychologist who works at the LA Moye prison, is contacted by Detective Inspector Winter Labey to help with the profiling of the perpetrator.
It is a high-profile case and they need to deliver results quickly. Surely the killer must have been somebody known to the victim? Was it politically motivated or personal?

On top of it, Saskia must also keep her brother David out of trouble but that is easier said than done. Being the daughter of a convicted psychopath and with a brother who is also a high-functioning psychopath, there is no time for a personal life.
She has always been good at reading people but if it is somebody so close to you, will you be able to pick up on the tells?

I can't wait for the next book!

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

EXCERPT: His brain was slow. Tiredness and alcohol dumbing down his processing despite the adrenaline, but he listened to the darkness, and he tried to talk them out of killing him.
He'd no idea how long it had been, but at some point a strange calmness had come over him. He'd tried everything. Arguing back. Reasoning. Pleading. He'd even sobbed and promised to make things right, but eventually he'd known there was no going back. He would have to pay the price.
He bowed his head, all hope leaching from his body and blending with the wet that had seeped through the knees of his trousers. The stench of damp and urine no longer registering. In the pitch-black darkness, he saw the faces of his family. He imagined their reactions to the news of his death. The last thing in his head before the bullet ripped through it, was what the headline about his murder might be in the Jersey Evening Post.

ABOUT 'SECRETS IN THE BLOOD': A beautiful island scarred by the defences from centuries of war.

Secrets hidden in the blood of generations.

A past that refuses to stay buried.

Detective Winter Labey is called to a historic German bunker abandoned after the occupation of the island of Jersey, where tourists have discovered the concealed body of a prominent local figure. Was the execution-style murder connected to the Nazi graffiti daubed on the walls of his tomb?

Winter calls on forensic psychologist Saskia Monet, whose own childhood gives her a unique understanding of the darkest recesses of the human mind. As Saskia and Winter delve into the case, they unravel a web of secrets the victim had desperately tried to keep hidden from his family. Secrets that, once exposed, could shatter the lives of those closest to him.

Just as they make a major breakthrough, there’s another murder in chillingly similar circumstances. Except now, it’s one of their suspects. Time is quickly running out to catch the killer before they strike again…

MY THOUGHTS: My main problem with this novel is that I felt like I was being told the story rather than experiencing it, which greatly reduced the level of suspense and tension that I should have been feeling.

I liked the historical aspects of Jersey that were woven into the novel, and enjoyed reading the letter from the author at the end of the book in which she talks more about this.

This is not a fast-moving plot. It tends to cover the same ground multiple times, and I thought it very clear from almost the outset that the resolution lay in the past and was not anything to do with politics. In fact, this is made very clear in the synopsis.

I found Saskia's obsession with protecting her psychopathic brother David at all costs both wearing and unrealistic. She is a professional, a forensic psychiatrist, and her actions must surely cast doubt on her suitability and ability to carry out her job professionally. I also had doubts about Saskia's continued involvement in this case as an unpaid civilian which is the main reason I have not classified this as a police procedural. I admit to not having read the first book in this series, so something may have happened in that to bring this course of events about and, if so, it perhaps could have been mentioned in this book.

On the plus side, this is a quick and easy read but the lack of suspense and the unbelievable irregularity of Saskia's involvement and her commitment to playing God in relation to her brother reduced this read to a merely okay status. I doubt that I will continue with this series.

⭐⭐.5

#SecretsintheBlood #NetGalley

THE AUTHOR: Gwyn's always been a writer, initially working as a broadcast journalist and newsreader for the BBC and ITN in London, before she was able to become a full-time fiction author. Gwyn undertakes a lot of research for her books, weaving fact in with the fiction in order to make them relatable to readers. Her favourite days are when she hears from people who have enjoyed her books and meeting the characters.

Gwyn was born in England but has lots of Welsh and some Irish blood in her. She now lives in the tiny Channel Island of Jersey, where her husband was born, with her family, rescue dog, and geriatric goldfish. Apart from being chief dog slave and fish feeder, she enjoys walking, yoga and eating crisps, with a bit of gardening when the sun shines.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Storm Publishing via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Secrets in the Blood by Gwyn Bennett for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

This was an absorbing murder mystery set in Jersey. Having a psychologist involved was really good and useful. Some great characters and non stop action. The conclusion left an open ending. Is there more to come?.

Interesting read, lots of sub plots going on. Set in Jersey, which makes a nice change. Good chemistry between the characters, enough to keep you engrossed to the end. Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy

After a prominent man is found murdered in an historic bunker on the coast of Jersey, Detective Inspector Winter Labey again calls on forensic psychologist Saskia Monet to help investigate.

As soon as I downloaded this, I went ahead and listened to the first book in the series (The Stolen Ones) and loved it. The Jersey setting is unique (I was looking up pictures the whole time) and I really enjoyed Saskia and Winter as characters and think their potential/possible relationship (?) adds a fun extra level of tension. I didn't love the plot of this one as much as The Stolen Ones, but it was still engaging and well-paced. In future books I would really like to learn more details about Saskia's childhood and her life before Jersey and her relationship with her creepy brother. This series has tons of potential for interesting storylines, and I'm really excited to keep reading it!