The Secret Admirer by Carol Wyer is the sixth book in the Detective Natalie Ward series, and it’s another winner. I've loved this series from the start, and Wyer keeps delivering.

Detective Natalie Ward is back at work after a tragic loss. Her new case involves the murder of a popular student, Gemma, who was attacked with acid. With all her housemates and others under suspicion, Natalie and her team race to find out who would want to harm Gemma. As they dig deeper, the case takes unexpected turns, putting Natalie’s personal and professional lives on a collision course once again.

This series never fails to surprise, and if you’re looking for something addictive and emotionally engaging, you’ll love it. Looking forward to reading the next one in the series !

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review

I love this series! I loved the addition of the notes from the admirer and how it tied into the story. I loved the story progression, pacing, and character of Natalie.

Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book. From the very start I wanted to know who had done this to Gemma and why. Little did I know how complicated it would become! It was only right near the end when I realised one person's involvement. A really good story with great characters that really keeps you guessing as to motive and who's behind it. Would recommend and will read more by this author in the future.

After the toll of the last book I was wondering where Natalie would be and how she was doing so I was glad to re-join her and see how things were. Natalie is still struggling after the events in the last book but is keen to return to work and when a college girl Gemma is killed following an acid attack she decides to return and throw herself into work. It was great to see the team back together although things are still up and down.

Gemma lived in student housing so there are various characters that straight away are thrown into this storyline and the team have their work cur out when trying to work out what relationship the housemates had and why anybody would want to kill this beautiful woman who seemingly had no enemies. The team as ever pull together and thankfully that still includes the forensics guy Mike who Natalie is also building a relationsip with outside of work.

This latest book was slightly slower paced than the last book (but that is not altogether unexpected), but was still very enjoyable and the last third of the book was definitely more fast paced. I am pleased to see that book 7 is already out so I know what I am moving onto next.

Some people are very extrovert, skipping through life surrounded by friends and being part of maybe even being the leader of the popular group at school.

Others are introvert and shy, wishing they could be like the other group and admiring them from afar, but never daring to say something or ask something, longing to be part of their closed circle. Maybe there is another way to express how you feel, but now your are mocked even more...

When you can no longer recover from yet another rejection, you know it's time to teach them a lesson, to make them notice you...

Maybe this was not the best case for Natalie to start investigating after everything she has gone through, but she has decided it's time to come back and bite the bullet. On the other hand maybe just because what she has been through makes her the perfect detective for this case. 

She is determined to see this through, but each time she discovers something she realises there is another layer she has to peel off. In the meantime her personal life is still in turmoil, but there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

Sadly this was the last part of the series and I am going to miss Natalie very, very much. I wish her all the best and who knows, she might come back again? I for one, hope so. A great book I compare with a cake with lot of tiers to devour. 5 stars

Thank you

This is the sixth book in the series but can be read as a standalone. This book was a fast paced and gripping police procedural. The characters were so well written. There were lots of twists and turns and red herrings.
A great book

Another great book in the series. Lots of twists and turns and a unique plot that keeps you guessing. Can't wait for the next case!

This has been my favorite Carol Wyer book so far! It had the perfect amount of suspense, drama, compassion and cliff hangers that girl loves to read in a suspense novel!

Not sure how Carol Wyer keeps doing it but book after book she blows me away!!! Another cracking read from here again!!! Seriously in my opinion one of the best authors out there at the minute for thrillers, I am waiting very impatiently for her next one!

*5 Stars*

ARC kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a really great read, with great characters. Kept me wondering the whole time, and had lots of twists and turns throughout. A surprise ending as well. I love it when a book keeps me guessing.

The previous book I knew would be hard to follow after a couple of revelations in it that were unexpected.

This instalment was just as good and was twisty which is what I love about this series. I can normally guess the antagonist but this ones had me fooled. The various characters all had secrets to hide so I was flummoxed who it would be.

The storyline was really good and I found the lives of the characters intriguing. A revelation a way into the book took a turn I didn’t expect and took the storyline in another direction which was explored well.

Another fantastic instalment to the Natalie Ward series from Carol Wyer. Only one remaining of the current series until book eight is published. I will be going straight to the next book tomorrow. I just can’t get enough of this series!

Another brilliant book in the DI Natalie Ward series. This starts in the aftermath of Natalie’s daughter Leigh’s death - the families lives have been torn apart, she’s living apart from husband David and their son Josh is still blaming her for not being able to keep his sister safe.
Having made the decision to return to work, Natalie is assigned to the case of murdered student Gemma Barnes. She was the victim of an acid attack, and later died. The team get to work, they speak to Gemma’s house mates and her Mum to try and unravel what happened. Running alongside this, the reader can see notes that an admirer sent to Gemma and it’s clear whoever the admirer is, was also responsible for her death. Housemate Hattie is found murdered on university campus, not long followed by Fran. The links cannot be ignored. This was such a good story, and I liked the way a little bit of the case was solved at a time, leaving the reader guessing all the way to the end. Carol Wyer at her very best.

You know you won't be disappointed when reading Carol Wyer!

I love this series, it's always well written, well developed and every story is different.
I love getting to know DI Natalie Ward and follow her investigations book after book.

Those crime stories are like no other! They are tense, full of twists and turns and full of emotions!

Another real page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me access to this wonderful book! This is my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Carol Wyer does it again!

I am a huge fan of this series, following DI Natalie Ward through her work and personal life while solving some of the most horrible crimes.

Wyer’s writing style is just brilliant when it comes to all of the little details that are included while following the case. There is the perfect amount of the characters personal life to remind you they are human and have lives and always leave you wanting more to see where their paths will travel.

A tense, well-crafted read that kept me turning the pages until the end! Thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC,

I have been a fan of Carol Wyer's Natalie Ward series since almost the beginning and though it took me a while to warm to her, she is now one of my favourite detectives. When book 5 "The Blossom Twins" ended with such a heartbreaking twist, I was gutted. And I didn't know how Natalie, whose marriage was already on the rocks, was going to weather the storm ahead.

THE SECRET ADMIRER is the sixth installment and picks up a couple of months after where "The Blossom Twins" ended. There has been tragedy and trauma and, now living in a flat until their house can be sold, Natalie must now pick up the pieces of the life she once knew and loved. Having been on leave for the past few months, Natalie feels she is ready to return to work.

Nineteen year old Gemma Barnes is a student studying languages at Samford University when she falls victim to a shocking acid attack. A witness rushes to her assistance but Gemma dies an agonising death before the ambulance arrives. Who would want to kill Gemma who, for all intents and purposes, appears to be well-liked?

DI Natalie Ward receives the call to investigate this suspicious death and immediately focuses on her housemates, questioning their whereabouts at the time of the attack. They all appear to have an alibi for the busy Friday evening. But as Natalie and her team investigate, they soon discover that some of the housemates are being less than truthful. So what is it they are they hiding?

During a search of Gemma's room, the team uncover a letter addressed to her from "an admirer". Was this a targeted attack? And if so, by whom? Natalie is unable to uncover any other letters, so is unsure if this is just a once-off or if she should be concerned about it.

Then Natalie receives a call from one of the housemates, Hattie, with some information regarding the case and asks to meet her. But when Hattie doesn't show, Natalie starts to wonder if the woman had second thoughts or if something more sinister has taken place. She begins to search for her whereabouts and looking into her background but to no avail. Hattie appears to have vanished. Then her car is found at the railway station. Has she done a flit? Along with any information she had to impart on the investigation? But where would Hattie go? Her only thought is to her father, who is a vicar in a small village, but he hasn't seen her either.

Then a body is found in the doorway of an abandoned shop under a sheaf of blankets. Natalie prepares herself for the victim to be Hattie but is shocked to discover that it is one of the other housemates. With no visual signs as to cause of death, it is soon revealed she had ingested acid which lead to her demise. Who is targeting the women of 35 Eastview Avenue?

The deeper the investigation goes more disturbing details are revealed as another murder is discovered. But things worsen even moreso as Natalie's ex-husband David becomes a suspect when it is found he knew two of the victims. Their marriage may have fallen apart and David may be many things...but is he a murderer? Natalie must put aside her personal feelings and work to establish his role in the murders or eliminate him as a suspect.

I have read a good many of Carol Wyer's books and I love her style and approach. I love her characters, or love to hate them, and I love the complex multi-layered mystery of each book. THE SECRET ADMIRER had a lot to live up after in the wake of that devastating twist at the end of "The Blossom Twins" . It was always going to be hard to move beyond that and get better. I love how Natalie has finally moved out, after to-ing and fro-ing over it in the last books. David was always portrayed as someone we loved to hate after all he put Natalie through, but this book shows a different side to him.

I have to hand it to Carol Wyer because this time I did not guess the killer until near the end, a little before they were exposed. It started to make sense to me and then BOOM! All was revealed. I'm usually pretty good at guessing the culprit but THE SECRET ADMIRER had so many red herrings to steer us off in the wrong direction, it left a more obvious one in the dark. When I say "obvious", it is only that after we know and we're left thinking "Of course! Now it makes perfect sense!"

The chapters aren't as short as usually like, but this series is so enthralling most of the time you don't notice their length. The pace is relentless with a compelling narrative that doesn't let up until the end. The tangled web of secrets, lies and deceit unfolds amidst a tension so palpable that I could not put it down.

This series is by far one of my favourites, despite coming in on just the second book, as I have watched Natalie's family life slowly implode. Although this is a thrilling read, it didn't quite live up to the previous one, but that was a tough one to top. THE SECRET ADMIRER does feature Natalie's personal life a little more due to her recent tragedy as well as David's involvement in the case. Things are still very raw for her as she finds comparisons in almost every situation. I may not have warmed to Natalie at first but I have really come to love her and her team. I missed Murray's presence in the last book as he was (out here) in Australia - I remember a reference to him being at Bondi Beach in wintry conditions, though not as cold as the UK, I'm sure. I was glad to see his return in this one.

Some say THE SECRET ADMIRER suffices as a standalone but I have to disagree. Yes, the reader is given enough information about past events and each book follows a different case, but the entire series is connected throughout and starting from the beginning would give a complete and fuller picture. Besides, reading this one will only spoil earlier books, should you decide to read them, particularly the one immediately preceding THE SECRET ADMIRER.

In all, THE SECRET ADMIRER is a fantastic addition to one of my favourite series by one of my favourite authors with one of my favourite publishers and while not as shocking as the last one, it is still addictive reading that you can't stop until the very end.

Recommended for fans of crime fiction, thrillers and suspense. Basically anyone looking for a gripping read and don't mind starting at the beginning of the series. Or at least "The Blossom Twins" . Fantastic read!!

I would like to thank #CarolWyer, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSecretAdmirer in exchange for an honest review.

No spoilers but after what happened at the end of the previous book, The Blossom Twins it's surprising Natalie can carry on. Another horrific crime draws Natalie back to work. The investigation is complex and full of suspects a personal connection further threatens Natalie's objectivity, but her professionalism shines through.

This book achieves the right balance of investigative and character detail. Natalie's courage and tenacity make her easy to empathise. She's flawed and human and relatable, The plot keeps its secrets, engaging with clues but not revealing all until the end, making it realistic.

I received a copy of this book from Bookouture via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is a great series and this installment was full of twists and surprises. Natalie is a strong character, although flawed and broken. I look forward to #7!
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

You know those series that you absolutely love, the ones where you cannot wait for the next book in the series to come out, but at the same time you’re a little worried that one day that new book isn’t going to be as good as you want it to be, however irrational that concern might be? For me the Detective Natalie Ward series is one of those series. Fortunately for me Carol has never let me down, and I’m so happy to say The Secret Admirer is no exception. It’s another wonderful addition to the series!

The end of The Blossom Twins was traumatic, for me as much as Natalie’s family! So going into The Secret Admirer I was as interested to see how Natalie and her family dealt with that as much as I was to dive into whatever crime came next for Natalie. As ever Carol does an absolutely fabulous job of balancing developing the characters and showing their own personal stories as well as driving forward the case that is the main focus of this book.

As always, the pacing of this book is non stop, from the moment I started until the moment I reached the very end of the story I just needed to keep turning the pages, it was tense and I needed my resolution! The case was definitely interesting, I adored all the twists and turns, and I have to confess I did not see that ending coming.

Now on the sixth book of the series I’m so invested in Natalie and her team’s lives, after the death at the end of the last book I needed to know how Natalie and her family were dealing with it. Throughout the story we get to see how Natalie is dealing with her loss and I was pleased to see her relationship with her son develop over the course of the story.

People who have read any of my previous reviews of the Natalie Ward series will know I’m not the biggest fan of David. There’s a little author’s note at the end of this book where Carol says she hopes that we’re a little more sympathetic towards him. It’s like she was talking to me directly! After the events of The Secret Admirer I probably do feel a little bit more sympathetic towards him but still not a fan #TeamMike all the way! I was very pleased with that little development at the end!

Final Thoughts…
Carol has done it again, with a sixth fantastic addition to the Natalie Ward series! The Secret Admirer is the perfect mix of character development and interesting crime plot. Carol’s note has me a little worried about what’s coming next for Natalie as she’s been through the wringer recently but I’m so ready for book 7! Please just let me have some happy Natalie and Mike… Is it summertime yet?

I love this book and this author and can't wait to read more from her! This book had me on the edge of my seat and I couldn't put it down. If you love thrillers, you'll love this!