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Seven years ago, an engaged couple vanished on their way home from dinner, leaving three children to fend for themselves. Their disappearance remained an unsolved mystery until a submerged car containing their bodies is found three hours away in Denton, Pa., the jurisdiction of Detective Lisa Regan. When it is discovered they were murdered, Lisa and her team reopen the case to find the culprit. As the investigation unfolds, surprising secrets are revealed.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Josie is trying to establish a relationship as a new guardian of a teenager (the cliffhanger ending of the last installment of this series), dealing with husband Noah’s PTSD, and planning a vow renewal ceremony with him.

Cleverly plotted, this is a compelling, twisty mystery with elements of psychological thriller and family drama. Readers will be privy to more and more of the personal aspects of Josie and Noah’s life as well as gaining a little insight into the relatively new character of Turner, annoying enigma that he is.

I enjoy seeing Regan’s characters show growth and change with time and experience. I like Josie. She is a capable, intelligent, though vulnerable young woman.

This is book #23 in the series and I have read all of them, as it is one of my favorites. Regan does a good job of filling in pertinent information in characters’ backstories so it does work as a standalone, although I do recommend trying to read some if not all of the prior stories.

If you like well written, gripping, police procedurals/thrillers, I highly recommend this book/series. I can’t wait for #24.

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The Couple's Secret is gripping from start to finish and had me in a chokehold.

Josie Quinn and team are called into a scene where a car is found at the bottom of the river.

It has been there for a very long time.

Could this possibly be the missing couple that went out to dinner seven years ago and never came home.

The team invesitgates and add a few suspects to their evergrowing list.

A Couple's Secret is a relentless mix of secrets, lies and jaw dropping twists.

Josie and Noah are also adapting to being guardians of Wren who just grows on you with every book.

Be prepared to binge read The Couple's Secret. It is almost impossible to put down.

I cant wait to see what Josie and Noah face in their next case.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a heartpounding read in The Couple's Secret one of my favourite series.

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Detective Josie Quinn is called out to investigate a car that has been submerged in the river for almost a decade.
The couple in the car have been identified and it seems it was not an accident. They were a loving and beloved couple - who would murder them?

I have followed the Josie Quinn series from the beginning and am still loving every book!
She is one of my favourite detectives, and through the series, I have seen a big change in her. She has really softened emotionally, although she kept a tight rein on her emotions.
Now she is guardian to a young teenage girl who has also had a tragic life, and refuses to get close to anyone.

Loved this book, and looking so forward to the next.

5/5 stars from me, one of the biggest fans of Josie Quinn!

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This was my first book to read by this author and I love it!!

Even though it's book #23 in the series, I'm so thankful the author wrote it in such a way that I didn't feel lost. The character build up was great and it dove right into the storyline.

The book focused on the story but sprinkled enough of the characters and their personalities to just make it so enjoyable!

Great book!!

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Another wonderful addition to the Josie Quinn series. Totally love. these characters and this one kept me guessing to the very end. Josie and Noah are as tight as ever despite dealing with repercussions of his recent kidnapping and the arrival of Wren in their home. The case they are working keeps them busy as they try to unravel what happened 7 years earlier and ends in a new tragedy. Hope these books keep coming

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Thank you, Bookouture for providing the copy of The Couple’s Secret (Detective Josie Quinn Book 23) by Lisa Regan. I’m a big fan of this series, and the books keep getting better and better. This one in particular was filled with emotion, not just Josie’s, but the other characters’ stories had an emotional base. While that might not be everyone’s preference, I love a good thriller that makes me feel, and this one did. I loved the numerous characters and all of the red herrings; I never knew who to trust, and the big reveal came as a huge surprise. If you want to be immersed in a great book, this is the one! 5 stars

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This is one of my all-time favorite series and I was especially looking forward to this one because the author was supposed to use my husband’s name in it. She did and it was so great seeing his name. Fast-paced with multiple POV, it was full steam ahead to a shocking conclusion. Can’t wait for book 24 in this amazing series!

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Written by a favorite author, I really like this series. Great characters who keep the story moving quickly. Suspense…red herrings…guessing…family and friends…murder and mayhem…the recipe for a good story. Secrets abound…parenting…thanks Netgalley.

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I devoured The Couple’s Secret in a single day, my poor dog Finn was completely neglected because I could not put this book down! I’ll be making it up to him with extra carrots, but wow, what a ride. Lisa Regan once again delivers a tightly paced, twisty procedural that had me second-guessing every assumption I made.

When a couple who vanished seven years ago is found murdered in a submerged car, Detective Josie Quinn reopens the cold case, only to discover their perfect life was built on secrets. As the body count rises, Josie must untangle the truth before a killer strikes again.

I genuinely didn’t see the final reveal coming. With my hopelessly romantic lens, I completely ruled one character out, and while another had me suspicious (thanks to my endless hours watching crime dramas where the husband is always suspect #1), I never came close to putting all the pieces together. I love when a thriller surprises me, and this one did it again and again.

Wren was a standout for me. Writing teens that feel authentic is so difficult, and Lisa nailed her voice. She was sharp, believable, emotional, and never once did she feel like a caricature. I genuinely enjoyed every scene she was in, even when she was being a brat. On the flip side, Noah was harder for me to stomach this time around. Some of his behavior was triggering, and I found myself yelling “girl, RUN” more than once. But Josie’s grounded, loyal nature is part of what makes her such a strong and steady protagonist, and it’s a testament to Lisa’s character work that I can still root for them even when I struggle with their dynamic. It’s also a testament to how much Josie has grown as a character since Vanishing Girls; she’s more self-aware, more emotionally open, and that growth makes her journey all the more compelling.

Turner, though, TURNER. That subplot hit me right in the chest. I had a hunch something was going on with him, but Cassidy’s reveal still knocked the wind out of me. I’m begging, BEGGING for more of his backstory. He’s layered (like an onion; a pickled onion, definitely vinegary), complex, and unexpected, and I want all of his secrets peeled back. Please tell me he’s getting a bigger spotlight soon!

What I always love about this series is how Lisa balances intense, emotional investigations with these soft slices of domestic life. The moments with Shannon and the non-work crew bring so much humanity and texture to the story. They make Josie feel like a person, not just a detective, and that emotional depth is what keeps me coming back.

The mystery was taut and compelling, the twists were genuine gut punches, and the emotional stakes were higher than ever. I’m still reeling over Riley. 😭

This one blew me away. Another knockout in an already stellar series.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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From the very first page, Josie’s life is a whirlwind. Now the guardian of a teenage girl, she has two full-time jobs and a full life. She’s not positive that she’s great at the guardian part, but she’s learning and wants to help Wren deal with the massive loss she’s had in her short life. If anyone knows grief, it’s Josie, so she yearns to connect with the girl, even as Wren is slow to warm up. But, as always happens in Denton, a new case comes across Josie’s desk in the midst of all this. Or should I say a new old case? A cold case, we could say. Very cold. Like something hidden in the depths for years that has once again seen the light of day and must be solved.

The moment Josie is called out to the river, this mystery pulls the reader into a perplexing case where a perfectly happy couple enjoying dinner vanishes into thin air. But we all know that doesn’t happen, nor is every couple perfectly happy. Everyone has a secret life behind closed doors, and Tobias and Cora are no exception. However, with a case that is now seven years old, there are no apparent clues and no witnesses to help guide the investigation. Not even Tobias and Cora’s kids know what happened to their parents that night.

Josie knows she can piece this puzzle together if she’s dogged enough to follow the evidence and ask the hard questions. Lisa Regan skillfully peels back the layers of Cora and Tobias’s life like an onion, revealing some surprises that the reader won’t expect and some people who may know more than they let on about that night seven years ago. Josie’s mantra has always been that someone always knows something, and that keeps her on the trail of a seemingly useless circle of nothingness until she begins to uncover a web of deception that is years in the making. Tobias and Cora harbored many secrets, not just from their children but from each other. Once Josie gets a bite of that, it transforms her case into a thrilling exploration of hidden truths and the complexities of human relationships, both seen and unseen.

The Couple’s Secret is a must-read for anyone who loves a suspenseful, twisted, cold-case mystery with a psychological mind twist. As always, the pacing is excellent, and the slow reveal of Cora and Tobias’s secrets will keep you guessing until the very end. Josie’s methodical yet intuitive approach makes for an engaging read every time. Her team always has her back and I love seeing the growth and depth of the team, despite Turner’s involvement, and how they work together until the bitter end. What I loved most about The Couple’s Secret was the personal growth of Josie in caring for Wren. She hurts for her, and she learns very quickly what motherhood is all about. Josie puts her entire heart and soul into everything she does, including her family. Seeing her with Noah and Wren as they begin a life together as survivors was the best part of this entire book. After twenty-three books, Josie has learned to find happiness in all the messiness, and that is something we can all learn from her when it comes to life.

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WOW.

I’m not even sure where to start. Y’all this is book 23 and Lisa Regan still manages to blow my dang mind.

For me the theme of this book is HEART. Book 22 was so pulse pounding. Book 23 is subtle with the mystery and then when it all starts to come together your mind is blown. I mean I was seeing a bit of what was happening but man when you start seeing it all click…WOW. It is wild.

And while Josie is trying to figure out this twisted murder mystery her life is so very complicated. And I absolutely loved seeing all the complexities of what she was dealing with. Lisa Regan has weaved a complicated, twisted mystery while simultaneously giving us long time readers more and more depth into Detective Josie Quinn. We also see the perfectly imperfect world that surrounds her. I want to elaborate but I don’t do spoilers of any kind. Suffice to say that I loved how the author is taking this series. And if you truly know Josie you know that this is her path.

So I’ll leave you with this…There is sooooo much HEART in this book. It’s absolutely AMAZING and it never ceases to amaze me how talented this author is. I could not put this book down. And now I can’t wait to get back to Denton.

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