Stayed up late to Read this in a night, I really enjoyed this book. I would read more books by this author

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.

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.

When a nun turns up dead in the Thames, Isla Joyson has a race against time to find her story.

This is book 2 in the series and it is filled with drama and plenty of wows.

I really liked this book. It is an pacy exciting read and the plot is well planned and the characters all added something to the tale.

I enjoyed the setting if the creepy convent and come the end I was happy with how it all turned out... is there a book 3? Can't wait..

Book Review: Martyrs’ Convent by Jody Brettkelly

Overview
Martyrs’ Convent is the second installment in Jody Brettkelly’s Isla Joyson series, plunging readers into a gripping blend of investigative journalism and dark historical secrets. Following Bay of Plenty, this novel sees protagonist Isla Joyson entangled in a chilling mystery that bridges past atrocities and present dangers. Brettkelly’s sharp prose and meticulous research shine, though the narrative occasionally struggles to balance its dual timelines.

Themes & Execution (4.2/5)
Brettkelly deftly explores themes of trauma, resilience, and the weight of history. The convent setting—a nexus of faith and violence—adds gothic gravitas, while the journalist-as-detective angle keeps the pacing taut. Some thematic threads (e.g., martyrdom’s legacy) feel underexplored in favor of plot momentum, but the moral ambiguity of uncovering buried truths resonates powerfully.

Character Development (4/5)
Isla Joyson remains a compelling lead—tenacious yet vulnerable—with her personal stakes deepening in this installment. Supporting characters, particularly enigmatic figures tied to the convent’s past, are vividly drawn. However, a few relationships lack the emotional depth needed to make climactic revelations land with full impact.

Pacing & Structure (3.8/5)
The novel’s dual timelines (past convent horrors vs. present investigation) create suspense but occasionally disrupt flow. Brettkelly’s journalistic eye ensures crisp dialogue and immersive detail, though some middle sections sag under exposition. The final act’s twists, while shocking, risk feeling rushed.

Originality (4/5)
Brettkelly elevates familiar crime-thriller tropes with fresh historical context and a haunting setting. The blend of true-crime intrigue and gothic atmosphere distinguishes it from generic mysteries, even if certain plot devices (e.g., hidden documents) feel conventional.

Overall Rating: 4/5
A dark, atmospheric thriller that will satisfy fans of investigative dramas and historical mysteries. Brettkelly’s strengths—research-rich storytelling and a flawed yet fierce heroine—make Martyrs’ Convent a standout, despite minor pacing hiccups.

Acknowledgments
Thank you to NetGalley and Jody Brettkelly for providing an advance review copy. This critique reflects my unbiased evaluation.

Note: This review is based on an ARC; minor changes may appear in the final publication.

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 to netgalley and the publishers for the advanced reader copy. I enjoyed the books plot and character development. The story line was carried through and never felt like it stalled. I enjoyed the dialogue between the characters and felt it wrapped up well. I will definitely be checking out more by the author in the future.

I stayed up till 3:30 in the morning to finish this book last night.
It's a sequel to another book but is easily read as a stand alone with the writing giving enough context and explanation without being a rehash or " where the heck did this character come from".

“Martyrs’ Convent” by Jody Brettkelly is a chilling and atmospheric thriller that pulled me in with its haunting setting and slow-burn suspense. The writing is rich with detail, and the eerie mood of the convent looms over every chapter like a ghost in the shadows.

There’s a quiet intensity to the way the story unfolds, layer by layer, secret by secret, and it kept me curious throughout. The characters felt grounded and real, each with their own secrets and scars. At times, the pacing dipped just a bit for me, but the overall payoff made it worth the wait.

This one is perfect for fans of gothic suspense and stories where the setting becomes a character of its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Read the first book a while ago and was so hooked, so delving into the immersive story of the second instalment in this series was no challenge.

Jody Brettkelly explores themes of historical secrets, allowing the reader to be hooked by the story since the first page.

The themes of trauma explored felt so incredibly natural and realistic, making the story and the plot far more interesting and engaging.

The lead travels through the story alongside the reader, a character who is compelling as she is strong, yet still holding an element of vulnerability.

The twists and turns of this mystery held me from page 1, causing me to fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole that was the plot.

Martyrs’ Convent by Jody Brettkelly starts with potential, especially with its intriguing mix of crime, dark secrets, and a touch of drama.

Journalist Isla Joyson is a relatable character who is determined and ambitious, which makes her journey engaging. The initial call for help from the nun sets an exciting tone, and the immediate shift from hope to tragedy holds your attention. However, as the story unfolds, parts of it feel a bit slow. I had difficulty connecting with some of the characters or believing their interactions. While there are tension-filled moments, there are also sections that lag, filled with exposition that detracts from the pacing.

Overall, the book is a decent read with some compelling ideas and twists, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark as a standout thriller for me.

#NetGalley

Really enjoyed the writing style of this one! Fast paced and easy to get in to. I didn't realise this was the second in the series but now I'm excited for this series to continue!

I loved this fast paced story! I was guessing right up until the end and I didn’t have a clue what would happen. I was satisfied with the journey as well as the destination. Excited to read more of Brettkelly in the future!

I have not read the first book I this series, so was not familiar with the characters. This started out well, an intriguing and original premise of a murder involving a nun in a closed convent in London. The main characters Isla, the journalist, and Declan, the budding Parliamentarian, are in a romantic relationship, as they have been since the first book.
Very quickly, the story becomes less and less credible, and more and more improbable. It begins to read like a Girls Own adventure novel, with Isla, who appears to be very scatty and disorganised, determined to solve this monumental crime single handedly. She has no care for her own safety, or anyone else’s in her efforts to ‘save the women’ because ‘only she can save them’ It dipped pacing significant in the middle with Isla telling Declan so many lies, then feeling guilty about it, but not enough to stop her in her tracks for a second. She gets into so many crazy unbelievable scrapes, dangerous situations etc. but always escapes.
The accidental pregnancy had me rolling my eyes - really?!
The denouement of the crime was beyond ridiculous, then the ending was pure Mills and Boon. We never did get to hear what happened to Cassius?
Some glaring errors too, like the nurse with the long, beautifully painted nails, alluded to twice in the story. Nurses are absolutely not allowed to have long painted nails, they would not be able to carry out the many intricate procedures required of them otherwise. Sadly disappointing.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Mystery thriller book 2. featuring investigator journalist Isla Joyson, I was on the edge of my seat reading this novel, very gripping thriller based in London high society with a slow burn romance. I was such a fan of Isla and Declan, and hurt that Isla wouldn't or couldn't trust Declan with her job investigation. He was hurt that his daughter got caught up in the middle. Drugs, Castle, Duke and Nuns hit Convent oh my. Yeah to Isla she got her story you have to read the book to see if she got what she wanted. Great read.

I really wanted to like this book, I really really did and to some extent it was ok, hence the 3 stars, but I found the pacing very odd, some story lines way too unbelievable and the stereotypical portral of lying, feeling bad, accidents happens etc... to not be my cup of tea. I like strong female main characters and I felt like our fmc here wasn't that unfortunately. She lied and felt bad and tried t be independant, but came across as just a bit of a airhead to me.

I think this book will sit well with lots of people, but with this being my main genre of choice it makes it incredibly tough to compete with some of the other books I have read which is why it fell abit flat for me I think.

I really enjoyed this book until I got three quarters of the way through where some plot holes became obvious and it tipped into unbelievable territory. Normally when this happens it makes me downgrade my score but as this happened so late in the book combined with how much I was absorbed by most of the story, I have left it at four stars.

I read Martyrs’ Convent in one afternoon, gripped by the mystery of how a nun ended up dead in the Thames and journalist Isla Joyson’s blundering attempts to uncover the truth. I was really unsure who Isla should trust and who she should avoid until the end. Though there were some minor plot holes, the writing is engaging and the main characters are relatable, even if the relationship between Isla and her significant other Declan is a little too much at times. Nonetheless, this fast paced read was a good escape on a summer day.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for early access to a digital copy of Martyr’s Convent.

I didn’t realize this was book 2. I don’t think you need to read the first to understand the second. The book describes the characters past so you aren’t lost. Nice quick read. Enjoyed the characters and the storyline.

Martyrs’ Convent is a gem of a book: part thriller, part of on-com, all page-turner. Our heroine, Isla, is an investigative journalist looking for her next big story, and thanks to a phone tip-off, she may just have found it.

Unfortunately her informant is found dead before Isla can come back to her with more questions. Suspicious that this was not an accident, but a murder, Isla starts to look into the nun’s life, along the way encountering her mysterious brother the duke, Cassius.

Isla’s boyfriend, Declan, has his own troubles to deal with while this is all happening, as his teenage daughter, Sephy, has to be withdrawn from her boarding school and come to live with him. But he’s not so distracted as not to notice that Isla’s new acquaintance with Cassius is potentially dangerous. Unsure whether Cassius is really as bad as Declan makes him out to be, or whether a twinge of jealousy is causing him to exaggerate in order to prevent her getting closer, she continues her investigation, almost getting Sephy hurt in the process.

With the backdrops of a swanky family estate in the Cotswolds and chic parts of London, there is plenty of glamour in the book, but it doesn’t truly conceal the seamy unpleasantness Isla uncovers as she moves ever closer to the truth.

Isla is a fun, relatable heroine, while her boyfriend Declan is pleasingly real despite the good looks. Their relationship is one you root for throughout the book, even as the friction between their lifestyles threatens to pull them apart. I don’t know whether there will be a subsequent book featuring Isla and Declan, but I would absolutely read it: there is certainly plenty of scope in his work and hers to provide a juicy plot. For now, though, this is the perfect summer read.

Well that was a great surprise. This is book 2 in a romantic suspense series that spans between the UK and New Zealand, which is a novel setting for me. I unfortunately was not able to read book 1 of this series (thanks to Amazon geolocation restrictions) but book 2 easily catches up and the details of book are seamlessly written into the plot.

I like Isla and Declan, their relationship was interesting and featured many “grown up” discussions, especially with his teenage daughter entering the picture

The suspense plot was interesting and paced quite well. I am not the biggest fan of “war of drugs” stories but this was easy to follow.

Thank you Jody Brettkelly and Netgalley for the ARC. I am looking forward to future books in this series.

This was a riveting and suspenseful story that kept me glued until the very end! It was an amazing read with all the twists and turns, incredible characters, and intriguing mystery happening. I couldn't put it down. This story is the definition of a page-turner! I loved it!

How far do you go to tell a story? When a nun is found in the river, the main character decides to investigate where the police do not. What follows is an outrageous and wild adventure that takes the reader on a murderous path through the aristocracy. The story was a little outlandish in parts but makes for a good spy story. Not a bad read overall for what it is.