Member Reviews

I like Audrey. She’s a journalist, so she’s got a legitimate reason to be nosey.

I got to wonder how large Chattertowne is. I mean, town hall has a separate desk to apply for passports and there’s a receptionist manning that desk (meaning there is another person that takes the applications and hands out the passports?). What kind of traffic is the passport desk getting? Is it open for a only a few hours each week? Does the receptionist get very, very bored at her job?

Anyway, good mystery, lots of intrigue. Can be read as a stand-alone, but contains major spoilers for the first mystery in the series. Which is actually very realistic: the first book deals with a major scandal and multiple murders; people are bound to be still talking about that six months later.

Just one minor gripe: Cole, Holden and Levi all make Audrey focus by merely saying “Audrey”. There could’ve (should’ve) been more variety there.

Was this review helpful?

A good mystery but I lost interest about one fourth into it. Maybe because there were so many characters. I did finish the book. There was more romance than I like in a cozy. But overall an enjoyable read. Thanks #Netgalley and #LevelBestBooks for the eARC in exchange for a honest review. All opinions are mine.

Was this review helpful?

This unfortunately fell flat for me. I felt like there was too many characters to keep up with and it never quite held my attention. Apparently there is a book before this one (which I didn’t know about) and maybe reading that would’ve helped me connected with the characters more.

Was this review helpful?

Secrets In Pink is the second book set in the small town of Chattertowne, that has reporter Audrey O’Connell as the protagonist.

The town has gone through some major changes, a new mayor was elected, and an out of state Police Chief was called up, that have caused some animosity among the towners. So, when some mean graffiti against the mayor were found on the new parking lot asphalt the culprit seems obvious, until it’s not anymore.

I liked Audrey and the new Chief, Cole, bantering. They despised each other since their first encounter, but this investigation calls for both of their knowledge and insights and in order to solve the mystery they start to cooperate. This occasion lets them know each other better, bringing them closer and resulting in a nice friendship.

"When it comes to love, choose the one who chooses you. Otherwise, you'll spend your life chasing for something that will never be yours, not really."

The author wrote an interesting and enjoyable story, with a good mystery, a humorous and sassy heroine, and an unsufferable, but gorgeous, police chief who will test our heroine patience and physical attraction.

This is a book I highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

The story was interesting. I didn’t read the first book in the series, but I felt that I could still follow along the events that happened in the previous book.

Maybe because I didn’t read the first book I felt that the characters were not well developed. It was hard to follow along their decisions sometimes. Also, it doesn’t help that we only get to see one characters point.

Being a romance mystery, I found that the mystery part was ok. The clues weren’t necessarily there so you could have figured out on your own, but it makes sense once more context is provided and the culprit is exposed. For the romance bit, I felt it a bit lacking. Unfortunately we do not see a conclusion on this, so I hope there is another book that will pick up the story.

Was this review helpful?

Another great cozy mystery in the Chattertowne series! Reporter Audrey O’Connell is back to crack a new case, this time with the new police chief, Cole Loveland. Their relationship starts off with some animosity, but develops into a partnership, and then into the start of something more. I loved the romantic subplot of this book—the love triangle between Audrey, her friend Holden, and new-comer Cole. As Audrey finds herself torn between her feelings for the two men, the three of them work together to solve Chattertowne’s latest mystery.

Threatening political pink graffiti throughout town is suspected to be the work of CROCCC, a group that disagrees with the town’s mayor and council. Arson follows with the burning of the old mill and then a barn on a property recently sold to the town. When a body is discovered in the barn, vandalism escalates to manslaughter. And things only get worse from there. It’s homecoming week in Chattertowne and the crowds bring out the gossip mongers and plenty to gossip about, culminating in murder.

Author K. B. Jackson adds just the right touch of humor to the story through her main character’s clumsiness and misadventures. While on the lookout for clues and suspects, Audrey encounters raccoons in the basement and pet ferrets; she tumbles into thorn bushes and down river embankments. The banter between Audrey and her sister Viv, as well as with Cole and Holden, brings levity to the tragic events in Chattertowne.

A great small-town setting and engaging characters make Secrets in Pink a fun read. Plenty of suspects and lots of twists kept me guessing till the end with its shocking reveal. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with romance and humor, pick up this series. Looking forward to the next book!

Was this review helpful?

Audrey and the new Sheriff Cole work together to solve a series of vandalism and murder in their small town. Touches of local politics and lots of suspects make for a fun read. Hard to put down. Highly recommend.

Was this review helpful?

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Was this review helpful?

Have you ever read a book and forgot who's who? This is one of those books. There were so many characters and names packed within Secrets in Pink that I kept forgetting who the characters were, who was married to whom and why they were necessary in the first place.

The story failed to grasp my attention, it became quite boring in parts. A disappointing read.

Was this review helpful?

Vandalism,arson and murder all in this story. Struggled to finish as it lacked something.
Plenty of twists.

Was this review helpful?

K.B. Jackson’s Secrets in Pink: A Chattertowne Mystery is a gripping and atmospheric novel set in the charming yet enigmatic town of Chattertowne. The story follows Emma Blake, a tenacious investigative journalist who returns to her hometown after the suspicious death of her childhood friend, Lily. As Emma delves into the investigation, she uncovers long-buried secrets that threaten to unravel the town’s facade of tranquility. Jackson’s skillful storytelling, rich character development, and clever plot twists make Secrets in Pink a compelling read for mystery enthusiasts seeking both suspense and emotional depth.

Was this review helpful?

Small town politics, gossip, manipulations, and agendas intertwine in a fun and complex mystery that will keep you hooked and chuckling. On the cozy side and some romance brewing, definitely keeps things interesting!

Was this review helpful?

To be honest, I chose this book on Netgalley because I loved the cover. I am not usually a cosy mystery reader but the summary sounded good. I started reading the book almost as soon as I downloaded it. This is my first KB Jackson book and I was about 1/3 of through when I realized that there was a book prior to this one (Secrets Don't Sink). Having not read the first story didn't hinder this one but I feel I would have a better connection and understanding of the main character (who I did like a lot though) and some references would've made more sense.
This was a well-done plot that had a good pace and no "flat" spots. I interest was kept all the way through. I could see the scenes in my imagination very well. There was some good humour throughout. The bonus was I did not guess the ending or "who did it"!
An all 'round great read that I would recommend to anyone looking for an easy, and sometimes light-hearted, mystery read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Level Best Books for the opportunity to discover a new author. I will be watching for #3 of this series.

Was this review helpful?

While I don't typically gravitate towards mysteries, the promised blend of romance, mystery and humor was enough to get me to pick this book up, and I am glad I did! I didn't realize that this was the second book in a series until part way through the book, and I feel as though this held up well on it's own. I still felt connected to the characters, the town and the mystery. Overall, the book was quick and enjoyable to read and had it's fair share of twists to keep me hooked!

Was this review helpful?

When graffiti start showing up in Chattertowne, look up reporter Audrey O’Connell crosses paths with the new sheriff. The two hit it off right from the start, but not in a good way. so a while Audrey has a story to cover, she has no need for the sheriff.

When things take a turn and graffiti soon progresses to murder, Audrey and Cole find that they actually could solve this by working together. Can they set aside their differences? Or will a killer catch them off guard and kill their search for clues permanently?

If you like cozy mysteries with sexual attention between the protagonist and a lot unfortunate figure, along with a solid mystery, then this is for you! I found it to be a quick and enjoyable read and will definitely be more in this series.

Was this review helpful?

"Secrets in Pink" is a delightful blend of cozy murder mystery, suspense, romance, and humor, making it a truly unputdownable read. The author's writing style is engaging and witty, weaving a tale that's both entertaining and clever.

This was my first experience with K.B. Jackson's work, but it certainly won't be my last. I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of their books in the future. If you're a fan of mysteries with a dash of romance and humor, do yourself a favor and pick up "Secrets in Pink" - you won't regret it!

Was this review helpful?

There’s a new sheriff in town, and local reporter Audrey O’Connell has already gotten off on the wrong foot–er, boot–with him. A recent transplant from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Chattertowne, Washington’s handsome new Police Chief Cole Loveland has been brought in to restore community confidence following the scandals which had rocked City Hall and resulted in the firing and/or incarceration of several prominent government officials! Good book! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! This book had suspense, intrigue, action, murder, mystery, a great who done it and some crazy twists and turns! The storyline was very interesting and kept me glued to my kindle! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

Was this review helpful?

I was captivated by the charming cover and intriguing title of "Secrets in Pink" by K.B. Jackson, and I'm so glad I decided to dive in! This book exceeded my expectations in every way. While I wasn't sure what to expect at first, I was quickly hooked and devoured the entire story in just one day.

"Secrets in Pink" is a delightful blend of cozy murder mystery, suspense, romance, and humor, making it a truly unputdownable read. The author's writing style is engaging, and witty, weaving a tale that's both entertaining and clever.

This was my first experience with K.B. Jackson's work, but it certainly won't be my last. I'm eagerly looking forward to exploring more of their books in the future. If you're a fan of mysteries with a dash of romance and humor, do yourself a favor and pick up "Secrets in Pink" - you won't regret it!
www.goodreads.com/booksssoverpeople

Was this review helpful?

This was such a good book! And look at the gorgeous cover! It’s a whole vibe! Don’t miss this one! Another five star read!

Was this review helpful?

5 ☆

i’ve recently started using netgalley and to get my percentage up, i’m choosing books that i don’t need to request and boy am i glad i chose this one! a thriller/mystery isn’t typically the kind of genre i normally go for but i started reading this and could not put it down!

let me start by saying, i got 50% into this book before i realised there’s actually a first book to this (secrets don’t sink) so i suggest reading that one first. i can’t say not reading that book made reading his one any less enjoyable but i did come to realise i was thrown into a book where the characters were established and introduced in to the first book, but the mystery itself was completely different, it didn’t follow on from the first book.

secrets in pink is about a small town, who some of the residents don’t agree with some choices that are being made, they don’t have faith in the mayor to make the right decisions about their town. in the beginning, there’s graffiti and vandal, it then escalates to arson, and not long after there is a murder. the new chief of police and a journalist team up to try and solve all these crimes, unravelling more secrets about the people in chattertowne.

there’s a sprinkle of a love triangle, that doesn’t really go anywhere, but was fun to read in the midst of trying to figure out who was committing these crimes.

『 tropes 』
• multiple murders
• nosy reporter
• small town
• broody police officer
• strong female lead
• romance;
- love triangle

『 plot 』
i enjoyed the premise of this book so much, the plot was interesting and i found that it never fell flat or slowed down, it was fast paced, easy to follow and had the right amount of drama and twists to keep you intrigued throughout the whole book. there was also funny scenes in the book that literally had me laughing out loud (racoons under houses) that scene was so silly and fun. the book wasn’t predictable and had me second guessing my thoughts every time a new lead or new information was introduced. it honestly was just such a fun read. i enjoyed every page of it.

『 characters 』
like i mentioned previously, i feel the characters were established in the first book but i still loved the majority of the characters.

• audery o’connell; she’s the local reporter who loves getting involved and antagonising the new chief of police. she’s strong willed, opinionated, a little rash, loyal and funny. she’s likes to push boundaries and has great gut instinct when it comes to figuring things out. she was a great main female character.

• cole loveland; the new chief of the police, only been in the job and feels a little like an outsider, he comes in to try and fix the police department (after the scandal in the first book) and forms an unlikely partnership with audrey, they push each other to be better, even at times when they don’t realise. he’s a little closed off in the beginning but starts to open up the most him and audrey become more friends than acquaintances. you can feel some tension between them also, which was fun to read

• holden; from what i can gather he was a political figure in the first book that was involved in a scandal that debunked his reputation, and he also had some kind of feeling for audrey but in this book, they’re not together and they’re a little awkward around each other but in an angsty kind of way, he helps alongside cole and audrey to try and figure out who is doing the crimes. there’s some tension mixed in between the three of them, which was nice little break in between the murder mystery

• the CROCCC group people; some were very shitty people with shitty views, some felt like that had no option but to go along with their leader (chet buchanan) some fell for his manipulative charm and some were threatened by home, some just really wanted to keep their town as it is. but all go about it the wrong way.

• viv, adurey’s sister; from what i can gather she was a big part in the first book as she is in a relationship with someone part of the scandal. she was a good side character, she is chief cole’s receptionist, and loved her dynamic with her sister and the banter she had with cole

『 writing style 』
i enjoyed the writing style, it was easy to follow and flowed nicely, it never felt like there were gap fillers or pointless dialogue, it all either linked to the plot or was a nice addition to lighten the mood and make you laugh.

『 overall 』
i honestly and truly loved this book and devoured it in one sitting, a hidden gem in my opinion! i will definitely recommend this to anyone that will listen to because i feel it deserves to be read far and wide.

Was this review helpful?