Martyrs Convent ended up flopping for me as a follow up to the first Ilsa Joyson book. I was so excited to see where Ilsa and Declan were and to dive into a new mystery. But between the writing and pacing which I struggled to follow, it was Ilsa and Declan's inability to communicate that really made me dislike the book. I felt like the growth they had in the first book vanished. The unplanned pregnancy trope was also just a little overboard with the foreshadowing that she was pregnant

Thank you NetGalley and Jody Brettkelly for the eARC.
Journalist Isla Joyson needs a compelling story to get to the next level of her career.
When she gets a phone call from a nun who tells her there'll be a drug drop soon, she thinks that may be what she needs. Especially when the nun's body is found in the Thames river!
The story is a fun read with a good dollop of romance as well as an absorbing mystery.
Jody is feisty and I liked her get-up-and-go attitude and her handling of her boyfriend's daughter, who's an interesting teen.

Martyrs' Convent by Jody Brettkelly is a suspenseful and thrilling mystery that kept me hooked from start to finish. Isla Joyson, a determined journalist, is drawn into a web of intrigue when she receives a cryptic call from a nun about a drug shipment, only to find the nun’s body in the Thames the next day. What follows is a fast-paced race against time as Isla uncovers dark secrets tied to a convent and a manipulative aristocrat.

The blend of suspense, drama, and mystery was well-executed, and I appreciated the layers of tension that built up throughout the story. Isla’s character was compelling, and I enjoyed following her as she navigated dangerous situations to uncover the truth. The atmosphere, especially in the convent setting, added an eerie and gripping quality to the plot.

While the pacing was solid, I felt the ending could have been a bit more satisfying in terms of resolution. Still, Martyrs' Convent is a great read for fans of thrillers with a mix of mystery and societal intrigue. I’d rate it 3.5 stars—entertaining, with some minor areas that could have been stronger.