Member Reviews

City Of Secrets is the fourth installment in the Detective Margaret Nolan series by PJ Tracy. This reviewer hadn't read the earlier books in the series when I received an advance copy of City Of Secrets for review, but I was able to engage with the characters and delve into the story as a standalone. The earlier books would have provided more insight into the politics and nuances of the fictional relationships inside the LA police department, but I was able to enjoy this well-written mystery, nonetheless. I'll probably return to read book one for backstory.

Detective Nolan is a smart, capable, easy to like character with impressive problem-solving skills regarding a complicated murder. Her forbidden romance with another member of the department adds a touch of spice to the story. Readers of police procedurals will likely enjoy following this series.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing an advance copy of this book to read and review. This review will post to Bayside Book Reviews at https://baysidebookreviews.com and its Instagram page. Follow us! *NetGalley Top Reviewer*

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Action packed, suspenseful and page turning. Maggie Nolan takes you on an exciting crime solving journey.

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This is an entertaining, well-written, fast paced, crime thriller. It has an intelligent, strong and capable, likable female protagonist, wit, a touch of romance, murder, mystery, intrigue, kidnapping, twists and turns, and a surprise ending. I especially liked the short chapters. This is the fourth entry in P.J. Tracy's outstanding Detective Margaret Nolan series, and it can be read and enjoyed as a stand alone. Ms. Tracy's loyal readers will appreciate the nod to her other series. St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books, P.J. Tracy, and NetGalley kindly provided me with an ARC of this fantastic novel, and this is my honest opinion.

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This was a very complex story, multiple murders, a kidnapping and drugs. The author led you on a chase trying to figure out who was guilty of what. There was plenty of suspense to keep you engaged with a few twists and turns along the way. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

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I’ll admit a lot of my enjoyment of PJ Tracy’s mysteries comes down to her style of writing. I just really enjoy her way with words which includes a healthy dose of humor.
In the fourth of the Margaret Nolan series, Margaret is called in to investigate a murder of a wealthy man in a dicey part of LA. Is it a carjacking gone wrong? Or was the man on the hunt for drugs or sex? But the very next day, his ex-partner’s wife is abducted. Given the man’s company was about to be sold for big bucks, things got convoluted very quickly. The book moves at a quick pace and there aren’t any down moments. The story is complex but doesn’t rely on OTT scenes. I especially liked that Margaret doesn’t take any stupid risks to put herself in danger (something that has been rampant in other books I’ve recently read). While the series is named for Nolan, chapters include POVs from a variety of main characters which allows for a variety of ongoing cases at the same time. The mix of professional to personal lives of her characters is just the right mix.
Tracy seems to have a real feel for the city of LA and it adds a real depth to her books.
This works best if you’ve read the prior books in the series, although I guess it could work as a standalone. Be prepared that Tracy doesn’t spend a lot of time on her characters’ back stories.
My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance copy of this book.

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City of Secrets is a Margaret Nolan Mystery but can be read as a standalone. There are references to previous events but it is not distracting to the story.
A body is found in a bad part of town and a wife is kidnapped. How are they related and will the police figure it out in time? There are a lot of twists and moving parts which add to the suspense. It is a complicated, compelling thriller. Well worth reading. I like the characters very much and plan to read the series.

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First I have to say this was the first book in this series that I read from this author, while I was able to follow along just fine, I have already decided to go back and read the first three books of the series as I want to know more about the characters. Which to mean is a sign of a great series and writing!

A man is dead in his car with a bullet hole to the head in a very bad part of town and there are no witnesses. Turns out the man is Bruce Message and he is the CEO of a famous pet food company, Peppy Pets. There is no lack of twists and turns in this book and it will make you want to keep turning the page. While there is a lot of information found, you are not sure if they are clues to the murder or something else going on in this sinister part of town. There is deceit, murder, drugs and kidnapping that all take place in this story and it is written so well. I felt for each of the characters and was rooting for Decective Nolan and Remy. (Their background is one of the reasons I NEED to go back and read from previous books to find out how they got into the relationship they have now).

Two things happened at the end that I didn't see coming at all and loved how I was surprised. Not too many books can do that to me anymore.

Definitely a must read when it is released in August 2024.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur books for an ARC in return for an honest review.

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I enjoyed the mystery within the novel —that of the successful entrepreneur and his wife, the miraculous business turnaround and the question of who is out to kill them. It was a tight, well-developed whodunnit.
Unfortunately, the parallel love story of the two cops who are dating in secret was less interesting. It felt to me like an unwelcome distraction. But based on other reviews I’ve read, I am in the vast minority in feeling that way!
The ultimate solution to the mystery was satisfying. I would read more of PJ Tracy, and recommend other mystery lovers check out this book.
My thanks to Net Galley for an advanced galley for review.

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In City of Secrets, you are introduced to the characters and a slice of their life and not sure how it all fits together. Soon, the stories mesh and you are hooked. Nolan of the LAPD is assigned what appears to be a drive-by shooting, but the pieces just don’t fit together. The murdered man is the head of a pet food company which he is about to sell in a major deal; valuable items were left on the body. And who was the mysterious woman who was seen? The victim has an unsavory secret life, but is that the reason he was killed? Or could it be something else?
I enjoyed this mystery and watching as the detectives pulled the various threads together. This was a tense and enjoyable story with interesting characters.
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

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I really enjoyed this book. While it is the 4th in a series, I didn’t need to have read the previous books for this one to be enjoyable (though now I want to read them). The plot wasn’t overly complicated but has layers to it that kept me guessing the whole time. The characters were likable, and it was easy to get invested in their relationships. After reading this book, I feel confident recommending this series to friends.

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I liked this; I didn't love it. This was my first book by the author, and I went in with a blank slate. I enjoyed the dialogue, much of which was clever and funny. I just didn't get totally invested in the story - it didn't grab me. The number of characters and their relationships was a little confusing to me. I think the author writes well and tells a good story, but this one just didn't connect for me.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

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City of Secrets is part of Margaret Nolan mystery series but could be read as a standalone fairly easy. When the CEO of a pet food company is murdered, Detective Nolan and her partner begin an investigation into a twisted mystery where nothing is as simple as it seems. Lies and secrets drive a well written mystery that is unpredictable and unexpected. The characters are likable and intelligent and the mystery will keep you guessing and leave you coming back for more. My voluntary, unbiased, and non mandatory review is based upon a review copy from NetGalley.

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A man is found murdered in his luxury automobile in a seedier section of LA. Turns out he is Bruce Messane, the CEO of a successful pet food company that is about to be bought out in a mega million dollar deal. Detectives Margaret Nolan and Al Crawford have a mystery on their hands that deepens when Messane's former partner’s wife is kidnapped. Their inquiry uncovers possible financial discrepancies in Messane’s life as well as his penchant for dark sexual proclivities. And, is there a connection to the ever present drug trade in LA?

City of Secrets has a creative, complex, but solid story line, full of mystery, twists, some humor, and convivial repeating characters. It is a fast, engrossing read, with the chapters moving along at a good pace.


This is the fourth in the Detective Margaret Nolan series; I have read all of them.While this could be read as a standalone, I think I enjoyed it more knowing the histories of many of the characters. There are quite a few players and some of the backstories are not fully developed. That said, I recommend this book and series for fans of police procedurals and mysteries, particularly those featuring a strong, capable female protagonist.

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In this fourth novel featuring LA Homicide Detective Margaret (Maggie) Nolan, the author manages to economically introduce a large cast from earlier stories in the series with new characters, and to create a complex and compelling mystery.

The story moves from the wealth of Holmby Hills to the deterioration of Culver City, as Maggie’s team and colleagues from other offices work to solve the murder of a wealthy manufacturer and the kidnapping of his former partner’s wife. Personal animosity and international drug cartels weave together as links between people and places start to coalesce.

While the crimes are horrible, the details are not horrific, and in fact, there is much compassion as well as clear thinking among Maggie and her team. As a bonus, for me, the characters also confront the existential issue of consorting with evil to exterminate greater evil. I now have the first book in the series, and am eager to read it.

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This book is a great improvement over the last one. It is fast paced and engaging. I was able to read the whole book on a cross country plane flight. It involves the murder of a company owner whose business was about to be sold and the abduction of his former partner’s wife at the same time. It has interesting twists and turns throughout the book. Overall, a good read.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Goodreads, Net Galley, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.

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City of Secrets by PJ Tracy is fourth in the Margaret Nolan detective series. A murder of the CEO of a pet food company. Mags and her partner Al are assigned to the case. The banter between these two is awesome! The author brings the case bit by bit as if you are solving it along with the detectives. The romance between her and Remy adds another level to the story. Highly recommend this book. I kept the pages turning to see what happens! Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Addictive, fast-paced with a twist at every turn! Another excellent addition to the police procedural series by P.J. Tracy. Books in the series can be stand alone, which I enjoy. If you like female detectives, crime thrillers, and fantastic characters you'll love City of Secrets.

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City of Secrets by P. J. Tracy is the fourth book in the LAPD Detective Margaret Nolan series, and while it didn’t blow me away, it was a solid summer poolside read. ☀️📚

Detective Nolan is called to a scene that appears to be a fatal car-jacking but quickly unfolds into a tangled web involving a multimillion-dollar company, an abduction, and a chilling underworld of sex and violence. As she delves deeper, Nolan encounters whispers of an “Angel of Death,” making this investigation one of her most complex yet.

What I appreciated about this book was its rich portrayal of LA and the multi-layered characters. However, some parts felt predictable, and the pacing was a bit uneven. Still, the intriguing premise and the twists kept me reading.

Overall, City of Secrets is a decent addition to the series and perfect for a leisurely summer read by the pool. 🌊🔍 #BookReview #CityOfSecrets #PJTracy #SummerRead #DetectiveNolan #CrimeThriller

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City of Secrets by P.J. Tracy is the fourth in a series however, this is the first for me and it is written in a way you don't have to read the others to enjoy this stand-alone. The story is of a murder and then a related kidnapping, mixed with a romantic interest with the professionals investigating the crimes. The characters are likable and real. The story is entertaining and fairly believable with enough twists to keep you interested. I appreciate this ARC, thank you NetGalley, and the publishers for letting me read and give my review.

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Another great book in this series. As always PJ takes the reader for a ride as the story plot deepens and takes on surprising twists. What starts as the murder of a Pet Food company CEO turns into a complicated series of different crimes and suspects that keeps the detectives on their toes.
Excellent character development and an awesome story plot make for a fantastic read. This book will keep you turning pages and guessing until the end.
This book is part of a series, but the reader can still enjoy this novel as a standalone.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

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