Oooh. Nasty! Set in Oxford and quite a convoluted network of connections for DI Nikki Gill to unravel in the death of students at the uni. And unfortunately the web surrounds her personal life. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Fatal Secret"
by M. L. Rose
Pub Date: Jun 23 2025

Fatal Secret by M.L. Rose is book 3 in this fantastic series. I've not read books 1 or 2 but had no problem reading this as a stand-a-lone. A page turner, a 'just one more chapter' book. The story switches between the past and the present, the story never lets up from the first chapter until the last. A quick engaging thriller set in the UK

Synopsis: When Detective Inspector Nikki Gill discovers a young Oxford student dead at the base of New College’s ancient walls, she assumes it’s a tragic accident. But everything changes when a note is found in the victim’s pocket – mentioning Nikki by name. As she investigates the death of Chloe Pierson, Nikki uncovers the student’s secret quest to find out what happened to her mother who vanished years ago.

Many thanks to #FatalSecret #NetGalley and #StormPublishing for providing me an E-ARC of this book.

Will the secrets of the past catch up with DI Nikki Gill? A college student falls to her death in the college grounds, was she pushed? A note inside the victims pocket says ASK DI NIKKI GILL, what happened? Is this personal? Nikki and the team need to put the pieces of the puzzle. When a second college student is found. Who is doing this and why? A link to Nikkis past could be the answer or could it? I really enjoyed this book.

This series is such a cleverly woven set of reads. i love every one of them and have already found myself caring about our heroine. she is so compelling to read and each time we enter a new book im already tense with wondering if she will be ok! the books are always whip smart and clever plots and character developments done to perfection throughout. i have genuine excitement when anew M.LRose book comes out. truly i do.
in this book a student is found dead. was it an accident? DI Nikki Gill is back and on the case. but this one hits close. too close, because in the pocket is a note with her name on it. her name! but this isnt where the connection to Nikki ends. and the rest is....read iiiiiit and find out.
the plot is fast paced that feeds you info as you try and read more and more to keep the twists and turns coming. it hits right to the emotional and more Psychological kind of vibe.
i also love how with each book we get to know our Nikki more.

Fatal Secret is book 3 in the Detective Nikki Gill series. A young student was found dead and it is up to DI Nikki Gill to figure out whether it was an accident or a murder. This book was twisty and thrilling.

Book 3 in the DI Nikki Gill series had me gripped from the start. The pace never let up right from the first chapter to the last. I really liked the plotting, unique and switching between two time frames which worked very well. Nikki is investigating the suspicious death of a young student which appears to have a link to her past. I liked the characterisation, although I would have liked more development but overall this is a very good psychological thriller which I really enjoyed. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

This was a fast-paced thriller with some solid twists and turns. I liked the tension and the way the mystery slowly unravelled. The main character had grit, and I was rooting for her the whole way.
That said, some parts felt a bit predictable, and the dialogue didn't always land for me. Still, if you are looking for a quick, suspenseful read to binge over a weekend, this one delivers the drama.
Would I read another in the series? Probably!!

DI Nikki Gill is back. A young Oxford student is dead but has she been murdered? When another is found under the same circumstances the case starts to get personal.
Brilliantly written and another great episode in the life of this fabulous Dectective.
Loving this series and looking forward to more.

It did not take long for me to realise that this was not the first DI Nikki Gill case and I would like to have read the previous two. In this case she is called out to a suspicious death in Oxford college grounds, plus a cryptic note in the body.

Not the best police procedural book I have read, but enjoyable.

Thanks to Net Galley and Storm Publishing for the chance to read and review.

3.5/5 This was a quick engaging thriller set in the UK. Investigation into the death of a college student. Enjoyed the current and past timeline. The tie in with DI Nicki's mother was a good addition to the plot. Overall a good read and I will be reading more of her books. Thank you to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC.

A good introduction to this author but I found it a bit rushed. I liked the premise of the story but I felt that there were parts of the plot that just weren’t dealt with. There were some good plot twists and I liked the main characters and would happily read another book on this series.

thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I unfortunately hated this. I usually love a book set in the UK but this was almost *too* UK for me… the dialogue was insane😖 the plot felt scattered, the transitions were not smooth, details got repetitive, and the characters seemed dull to me😭 sorry M.L. Rose:(( it didn’t work for me friend. 1/5.

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this ALC.

This was a great book! I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery kept me reading, I wanted to find out what happened and I was engaged the whole read. Didn’t guess the twists and the story pulled together nicely at the end.

I would definitely read more by M L Rose!

I’ve always loved a police procedural set in Oxford and this was no exception. Our DI was born and reared here but finds herself investigating a case that seems to be connected to her. A young women dies falling off a building but why did she have a note with our investigating DI’s details in her pocket? A great procedural that portrays teamwork and camaraderie in the best way. I’d recommend this one. Thanks to the author and publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

4* Decent introduction to this author, and a solid tale set in good old UK, despite some Americanisms creeping in.

This is a decent tale set in Oxford uni, with the death of a student that puts to bed an old mystery, as well as solving the current situation. It's low key and nicely done, and the policing relies heavily on modern-day life's CCTV.

But, we don't use 'vacation' in the UK, nor the other 2/3 Americanisms that crept in. And the drugs cache wasn't explained, nor was the stepmother's...racism?

Still, not a bad read.

ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Storm Publishing for my reading pleasure.

Fatal Secret by M. L . Rose is the 3rd in the series. Set in Oxford and main character Nikki Gill is on the case. Students keep turning up dead and its up to Nikki and her team to solve it. An enjoyable read. Thank you for advanced copy.

Firstly I would like to thank netgalley and storm publishing and the brilliant author M.LRose for an early copy of her book to read

This is book 3 in this fantastic series. I really enjoyed reading all three books.A young college student found dead was she murdered or an accident. DI Nickki Gill on the case she discovers a note in the victims pocket with her name on it..has this anything to do with her. Chloe the victim mother disappeared when she was young. Another student dies is there a connection. And the past comes to light..was hooked on this read a five star read and looking forward to reading the next instalment.

This book will be reviewed on Amazon and goodreads.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

Fatal Secret by M.L. Rose is the third book in the detective Nikki Gill series. It is a gripping crime thriller that keeps you on edge with its suspenseful plot and unexpected twists. The novel follows Detective Inspector Nikki Gill as she investigates the mysterious death of an Oxford student, Chloe Pierson, whose body is found at the base of New College’s ancient walls. A cryptic note in Chloe’s pocket mentions Nikki by name, making the case deeply personal.

As Nikki delves deeper, she uncovers Chloe’s secret investigation into her mother’s disappearance years earlier. When another student dies under eerily similar circumstances, Nikki realizes she’s dealing with a calculating killer connected to her own past. The story blends themes of justice, memory, and hidden truths, forcing Nikki to confront painful memories while racing against time to stop the murderer.

I really enjoyed this story full of twists and turns and it keeps you guessing until the end!

Enjoyed this story set in Oxford where DI Nikki Gill investigates the murder of a student. The plot races along and it’s easy to rip through this book in just a couple of sittings. I look forward to reading more of ML Rose’s books.

This was a great addition to the series.
I read this very fast, the twists were great
Can't wait till the next installment