Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Aug. 20, 2024
“City of Secrets” is the fourth novel in the Detective Margaret Nolan series by author P.J. Tracy, best known for her Monkeewrench series of novels. I was introduced to Tracy and her Nolan series with the third novel, “The Devil You Know”, so I have some background although I have no doubt missed major plot points by not reading the first or second Nolan novels.
Margaret Nolan and her partner are called out to a car jacking in a derelict part of Los Angeles, however when they arrive, Nolan immediately recognizes that something is way off. The murder victim is the multi million-dollar owner of a pet foods company and, when his business partner and his business partner’s wife are abducted the next day, Nolan knows something deeper is going on. As the investigation brings in many other police and federal agencies, the dangers only increase and it is up to Margaret and her team to solve it before more bodies fall.
As stated, it is highly recommended that these novels be read in chronological order. Although I read the third and fourth one as stand-alones, it’s entirely possible, but I always felt a step behind as I made my way through book four. Margaret is a strong protagonist, and if you’re familiar with female-detective police procedurals, “Secrets” is in your wheelhouse.
There are a multitude of characters in “Secrets”, beyond the detectives, officers and government agency officials. The criminal collection alone is rather lengthy, so be prepared to pay close attention to the who’s-who. Although Margaret is the primary narrator, other characters (some shady and some not) will get their chance in the spotlight, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story from both sides.
The ending has some nice twists, unexpected and not, and there is non-stop action to get you there. The plot of “Secrets” is wrapped up nicely, with all the I’s dotted and t’s crossed.
Margaret and her team are brave, funny, emotional and human (I love Ike and his passion for red licorice) and I enjoyed following their journey. I look forward to more Nolan, and hopefully in the meantime I’ll have time to catch up on the Tracy books I have missed!

City of Secrets by PJ Tracy is a good installment in the Margeret Nolan series.
A CEO is killed a drive by shooting. When his ex-partner’s wife is kidnapped, Nolan knows something sinister is going on.
I really like the supporting characters, Nolan’s partner AL Crawford, Remy Boudreau, and Sam Easton. Since this is the fourth book in the series. I enjoyed learning more about Nolan and the rest of the main characters.
The writing was very good, and I like the turn of phrases Ms. Tracy has in her books. I really enjoyed the Monkeywrench series she wrote with her mother. I am glad she is writing a new series which is just as good.

I think this is the best book so far in the series. This is a terrific crime thriller with a kidnapping, murder, lots of mystery and twists. I hope there is a fifth book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm going to have to admit this author isn't for me anymore. I loved the books she wrote with her mother but I think her mother made the biggest contribution. The solo books are less organized, the people are less believable and less likeable, and there is nothing logical about the sequence of events. A lot of the time a bad guy would do something terrible to hide something else terrible, but not only is that lazy writing, irrational and violent reactions are a good way to get caught.
When something bad happened, the reactions were the same sort of melodrama, but people are more complicated than that. The initial premise sounded interesting but the plot ended up not really following.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

n the verge of selling his company for 100 million dollars, owner and co-founder of Peppy Pets Bruce Mesane is found murdered in a bad neighborhood of L.A. Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner are having trouble finding any forensic evidence and the people of the neighborhood are afraid to talk. A lot of different pieces of information will have to come together to solve this crime. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I love the story being told from different points of view and I love the twists in the story. There is a line in the book about how cases can be simple or like a 5000-piece puzzle with missing pieces without a picture. This is more the later. I found the story fascinating.

Margaret Nolan and her partner are called to the scene of what looks like a fatal car-jacking, but things aren't adding up. The victim is Bruce Messane, the owner of a multi-million-dollar pet food company that is on the verge of being sold for a huge sum. The neighborhood isn't one where that man would normally be found.

Then, Bruce's former partner Rome Bechtold's wife is kidnapped. And shortly thereafter Rome is kidnapped too.

Meanwhile, Nolan boyfriend Remy, who is also a homicide detective, is dealing with the self-inflicted death of a former plastic surgeon who lost his job for selling opioids. The dead plastic surgeon was a friend of Bruce Messane.

This twisty thriller, told from multiple viewpoints, was a fast-paced story. I liked the way the various viewpoints came together to tell the story. I also liked that gritty nature of the story where drugs and crime were rife and where sometimes the police looked the other way in the name of justice.

I really enjoy the Detective Margaret Nolan series. Well paced, quick read, police procedural with engaging characters and a few surprise twists. This is the fourth book in the series and can easily be read as a stand alone but you'll get spoilers for the developing relationships between the recurring characters. I strongly recommend starting with "Deep in the Dark" and reading the entire series in order. I also recommend P.J. Tracy's Monkeewrench series which currently has 10 books. Highly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advanced reader copy

This is the second P.J. Tracy book I have read, and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite mystery writers. City of Secrets was a well-written mystery that kept me on my toes. While I did guess what would happen and what would happen (to an extent), I was completely surprised by the ending. I am eagerly looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books for the copy of City Of Secrets by P. J. Tracy. It took me a long time to get into this book. The basic story was really good, but some of the substories were distracting, and there were so many characters it was hard to keep track of how they all fit. I Like the various reveals, but I’m not sure this book was really for me. If you already love this series you will love this book.

This was my first book in the Detective Margaret Nolan series, and I can confidently say that I plan on picking up other books in the series. The book started out with an apparent carjacking, but the author wove a nice story where more mystery and intrigue was added in an appropriate way. It kept me interested in the book, and I can appreciate the writing style of the author. I am looking forward to learning more about the main characters in the series and to read about their other mysteries.

City of Secrets is another heart pounding entertaining read that has you turning the pages as quickly as you can.

Detective Maggie Nolan is back with the usual team behind her racing against the clock to find out who killed well known business man Bruce Messane.

City of Secrets has it all: kidnapping, murder, psychopaths, twists and turns and an ending I did not see coming.

Although this is the 3rd book in the series it certainly can be read as a stand alone but I predict you will want to go back and read the other three.

P.J. Tracy had me hooked from cover to cover and I cant wait to see where she and Maggie will take us next.

I will be first in line for my copy.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur books for the privilege of reading and reviewing City of Secrets.

City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy is a thrilling, twisty novel with surprises that keep revealing themselves as layers are peeled away to reveal a core of criminal activity spanning a wide variety of crimes.
Well-written and full of suspense, Tracy weaves a complex tale that involves a wide variety of characters both from the law enforcement world and the criminals they pursue. By the end, the manner in which all of the disparate threads come together is surprising and skillfully woven together for a satisfying conclusion.
I look forward to reading more of Detective Margaret Nolan's adventures.
I am happy to have received an ARC of #CityofSecrets from #NetGalley.

City of Secrets
By P.J. Tracy

This is the fourth is a series of crime thrillers starring Detective Maggie Nolan and her partner, Al Crawford. In this one, the murder victim is one Bruce Messane, co-owner of pet food company and sex addict. His body is found in his luxury car in a shady area of LA, far from his multi-million dollar home.

Bruce's partner, Dr. Rome Bechtold, receives a text showing that his wife, Nicole, has been kidnapped. Coincidentally, Nicole has been having an affair with Bruce!

Added to all this is the fact that fentanyl is found in pet food boxes produced by Peppy Pets, their company. The timing couldn't be worse; Peppy Pets is in negotiations for a massive buyout.

This book has everything: sex, drugs, humor, romance. Solving the case along with Maggie and Al is like solving a complicated jigsaw puzzle. Great fun for readers, especially if you like puzzles!

City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy is a captivating tale featuring intricately developed characters who grapple with their tumultuous pasts. Each individual is portrayed as deeply flawed yet undeniably human, facing the challenge of overcoming their haunting histories.

Book Title: City of Secrets
Series: Detective. Margaret Nolan #4
Author: J.P. Tracy
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press. Minotaur Books
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: August 20, 2024
My Rating: 3.5 rounded up
Pages: 305

Maggie Nolan and Al Crawford her partner are called to the scene of a murder of a wealthy man in Culver City - an area near Los Angeles where one doesn’t want to get lost.
Was it a car-jacking gone wrong or perhaps he was on the hunt for drugs and/or sex?
Maggie finds out the man is Bruce Messane, the CEO of ‘Peppy Pets’ a successful pet food company that is about to be bought out in a mega million dollar deal realizes. The next day his partner’s wife – a woman whom has had an affair with Bruce is abducted.

Although a tad on the slow side it was still a rather quick read.
True I was somewhat warned that there were a lot of characters. They did keep me involved as I was trying to check as to - who was who and what was really going on. However most were unlikeable so it became difficult to care.
I live near LA and was hoping for something positive and less foul language.

Maggie Nolan is a detective with LAPD. She has worked cases that involved LA’s rich and famous as well as those living on the streets.

Author: P.J. Tracy is the pen name for the mother daughter team PJ and Traci Lambrecht. Unfortunately PJ died December 2016 but daughter Traci continued.
This is Book #4 in the Detective Margaret Nolan series. I read and enjoyed all the stories in this series: " Deep into the Dark", "Desolated Canyon" and "The Devil You Know".

Want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Book for granted me this early uncorrected Digital Galley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 20, 2024

This was an interesting story and a fast paced read. There’s a lot going on within these pages, along with a large cast of characters. The book mostly focuses on LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and her latest case, along with her love life. There are twists and turns all throughout and I ,was left guessing how everyone tied in, but the story comes (somewhat) full circle in the end. This is the first book I’ve read from the author and I was aware that it is part of a series. There is some backstory of other characters mentioned, though I am unsure if they are storylines in the previous books in the series. Either way, I found it easily be read as a stand-alone.

Detective Nolan and her partner, Al, try and solve the murder of a wealthy business man whose body was found on the wrong side of town. While investigating, they learn the wife of his associate has been kidnapped. Detective Nolan and her colleagues from various agencies work together to connect the crimes, but will they find the killer before it’s too late?

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin’s Press for this ARC of City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy. This is the fourth book in Tracy's Detective Margaret Nolan series, but I was able to read and enjoy this just fine without having read the previous entries. I do think I'll go back and read them though. Tracy did a great job with City of Secrets and I find myself excited to read more of Tracy's work! I'm sure if you've previously read the earlier books in the series, your experience of reading this one would only be enhanced. But if you find yourself interested in this book specifically then in my opinion, don't be afraid to jump in here!

This book is perfect for people who love police procedural mysteries, but if you enjoy any type of mystery I think you'll be impressed by how well-done this book is! I found it very engaging and hard to put down. So many twists and turns and suspects and honestly everything you could hope to have in a crime mystery book! All around City of Secrets is a really enjoyable read!

I also personally loved the side plot of secret dating/ forbidden romance between Detective Nolan and her fellow detective Remy! They're part of the reason I want to go back and read the earlier books! These characters are great as individuals as well. Margaret Nolan is my favorite but there is no shortage of well-written characters in this story! And Tracy has done an awesome job bringing LA to life with this book. Definitely a mystery book I wholeheartedly recommend!

Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner are called to the scene of a fatal carjacking in a really bad part of town, right in front of Poppy's Garage. The officer on the beat grew up in the neighborhood and has a rapport with Poppy and he tells Nolan there was no reason for the millionaire owner of a big dogfood company to be in the area. Then Poppy is gunned down in a drive-by shooting, so Nolan is convinced there is more going on than meets the eye. Then, the wife of the former partner in the dogfood company is kidnapped and so is he. And where did the Mexican cartels start showing up? A lot of intrigue and plot twists keep this an entertaining read. I like Tracy's style, but I do miss the Monkeewrench Gang.

Mimi calls the owner of Peppy Pets, Bruce Messane, in the middle of the night asking him to meet her. The next morning he is found in a bad part of LA murdered in his car. Detective Margaret Nolan is called to the scene. The tires have been stolen off the car, and the man in a nearby store says a very well dressed woman came and went into the car and emptied his pockets. Nolan soon finds out that Messane's company had been for sale, and that Messane was a sex addict, and there may have been some financial shenanagans in the company's finances A few years before, Rome Bechtold, his former partner, had retired, and he is supposed to inherit the company if Messane dies. Shortly after learning about the death, Rome's wife is abducted. Nolan finally hears from the coroner that the single bullet to his head was not traceable, but, he had been beaten with something that tore and scarred his back deeply probably about 6 months previously, and never got treatment!

The book becomes very exciting as Margaret Nolan has her work cut out and a lot of help. I thank Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC so that I could read the book before publication.

P.J. Tracy's City of Secrets (Minotaur Books 2024), Book 4 in the Detective Margaret Nolan Series, involves a crime that is tougher than most for LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan and her partner to solve. It starts as a murder mystery--the wealthy founder of a company about to be sold for millions is killed in his car, but shortly after, the obvious prime suspect's wife--the partner set to inherit the company--is abducted and then, he too disappears. The trail is complicated with little that makes sense, but exactly the type of crime Nolan excels at.

The story has a lot of threads, each told well with enough detail and emotion to draw readers in. Tracy is a good storyteller, maybe over-impressed with her wordslinging skills which are excellent. So why was I underwhelmed? One reason: I was 27% into the book before any progress was made on solving the murder. Another reason: Each plot piece was enticing and could stand alone as a scene. That sounds good, but in fact, they became so separated from the rest of the story, I wondered how all those pieces would work together into the big picture. I was well over half way through the book before that started to happen.

Overall, a good read from a talented writer some claim to be "one of today's finest crime writers". I think many readers will enjoy it more than I did.