Dead Secret by Noelle Holton is an action-packed, twist-filled installment in the DC Maggie Jamieson series. In this fourth book, Maggie is thrown into multiple mysteries: a young man’s murder, her DCI’s disappearance, and the disturbing arrival of a battered woman seeking refuge at Lucy Sherwood’s new shelter. Each thread is compelling on its own, but Holton weaves them together so well, keeping the reader on edge.

Maggie continues to grow as both a detective and a person, navigating the complexity of these cases while dealing with the absence of her trusted ally, Dr. Kate Moloney, and the persistent interference of reporter Julie Noble. The relationship dynamics—especially Maggie’s camaraderie with her new partner, Kat—bring depth to the fast-paced, procedural elements of the book.

I especially enjoyed Lucy Sherwood’s increased role in the plot. Her journey from a domestic abuse survivor to someone helping others is a strong addition, offering emotional weight to the mystery. The book’s well-plotted twists kept me intrigued, though I did manage to predict the culprit just before the reveal. Even so, the story is executed so well that it didn’t diminish my enjoyment.

While this book is part of a series, it can easily be enjoyed as a standalone. I haven't read the earlier books but I intend to go back and start the series from the beginnning

This is part of a series but can be read independently . I really like the characters and the story. A well written books with lots of twists

A brilliant and gripping read in the DI Maggie Jamieson series. A fast paced and thrilling read in a great series

I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

This is a great police procedural, featuring DC Maggie Jamison. This is the fourth book in the series, and here we are trying to solve different plots/cases, which are all connected somehow to Maggie. I didn't feel like I needed to read the previous three books in order to understand this one. A young man and a woman are found dead, and then Maggie's colleague goes missing. Will she be able to solve the cases?

I really enjoyed this fast paced police thriller, and I look forward to reading more books by this author soon. Highly recommended!

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this book.

There are few things more rewarding as a book blogger than seeing someone you’ve worked with before follow their passion for writing and create truly fantastic books! I have worked with Noelle a few times in her role as the PR and Social Media Manager for Bookouture, and I’ve been reading her Maggie Jamieson series as she added author to her already impressive resume! While some series seem to struggle after book 2, I have to say that after finishing book 4, Dead Secret, Noelle Holten’s books are getting even stronger as they go! This was personally my favorite so far from the series, and I’m excited to keep reading them!

As always with a series, it is great if you can read them in order, but I also would say that since each book contains its own case, you truly can jump into this series at any point without feeling at all like you missed something. Noelle has a great skill with character building, and she makes sure to develop Maggie in each book which definitely makes me feel connected to the story!

In Dead Secret, DC Maggie Jamieson is feeling a bit burnt out in her career after closing a particularly difficult case. She is brought in with her colleague Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor who is unable to speak seeks help. When the murder of a young man with a curious ink marking on his face comes across her desk, Maggie finds herself in the middle of another troubling case. The case gets more complicated when one of her colleagues DCI Hastings goes missing and some evidence points to him as a prime suspect. Are the cases truly linked? Could DCI Hastings really be behind such a terrible crime? And how does the other victim fit into this?

This is a tensely wound story of several seemingly unconnected cases that definitely have a shocking link. I don’t want to give anything away from the mystery so I won’t say much more about the plot. I do want to call out the great characters Noelle has built in this series and in this book. Maggie truly gives her all to every case she works, which is why she runs the risk of burn out. There is no quit in Maggie—she will do everything she can to solve cases and get justice for the victims, to her own detriment at times. Maggie is easy to connect with as a character. We also get to see even more of her personal life which enhanced her as a character. Kate Maloney who had been central in previous books is still present, but she is much more separate from the story than before. I was glad we still saw Kate as a support in Maggie’s life and career. Meanwhile we see Lucy come back in this book (she made an appearance earlier in the series) and I think she adds something different but valuable to the story. The other characters from the team are all present and well-developed in their unique ways.

And of course, a small teaser to say that as usual, Noelle left us with a total WOW ending that definitely has me desperate for the next book to come out!

DC Maggie Jamieson is back and working harder than ever to solve crimes. Noelle Holten has given us the 4th book in this series and it's as good or better than the first three. Each book can be read as a stand alone but they are all well worth your limited reading time. A few of the characters are recurring, all have developed their own personalities and interact with each other so well it makes the story so much better. Opening the cover is like joining friends again. As the tension builds, the pace accelerates and the story races to a surprise ending. What more could anyone want from a thriller?

Dead Secret is the fourth book in the the Maggie Jamieson Crime Thriller series. I haven’t read any of the others, so I read this as a stand-alone and although it alludes to previous storylines, I definitely don’t think you had to have read previous ones! Having said that, I am intrigued by the case of the ‘Living doll killer’ and want to read that one!

I really liked Maggie not only is she is a great Detective she has a huge (strong) personality and that really showed in her relationships with her colleagues, family and of course the reporter!

I enjoy a police procedural and this one definitely ticked the boxes. If you like books by Sally Rigby or Cara Hunter you will enjoy this book/ series!

Really enjoyed this. Maggie Jamieson is a great character. The book is well written and held my attention throughout.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

As you all the Maggie Jamieson series this was fabulous. Smart writing,sharp characters,great storyline,if youre looking a crime series to get into look no further.

Fabulous story that I could not put down. Would highly recommend to fans of this genre. Great writing, and I will look for more from this author.

I didn't know it was a sequel so I wasn't able to enjoy it in its full potential. It was an interesting read, though. Suspenseful and well-written, I'm sure it will be a success.

#DeadSecret #NetGalley Although Dead Secret can be read as a stand alone, it is in fact book 4 in a series and reading the previous books will give readers more of an insight into the main characters

Plenty of action including dual plots, multiple murders, and family secrets kept me turning the pages into the night!

Had no idea this was a series and the 3rd book but it was a fast read. Yes, some background was missing but you still could follow the story

‘Dead Secret’ is the fourth in the DC Maggie Jamieson series, luckily you don’t have to have read the other books to be able to get into this one. We begin with the brutal murder of a young man in a remote location, the murder weapon left beside him. A young woman lands on the steps of a domestic violence refuge in the middle of the night, battered and refusing to talk about what’s happened to her. Maggie’s superior, DCI Hasting’s is missing along with his wife and daughter, his home obviously a scene of a violent struggle. All the clues point to a relationship between these events but what is the connection? It’s a race against time to uncover the murderer/kidnapper and hopefully clear DCI Hasting’s name, as he is number one suspect!

I’m more into the cosy crime, whodunit genre when it comes to murder but I do appreciate a good police procedural story. With the author having worked as a probation officer in a previous life all of the processes and procedures were very well researched and described. However, at no point did I feel bamboozled or overwhelmed with procedural language. I liked the characters, they all felt authentic, if a little annoying at times (yes, I’m looking at you Lucy and Maggie). I had a bit of a soft spot for Nathan and Kat the foul-mouthed new comer to the team. The writing style was good and my only criticism would be that the narrative jumped around a bit in places. Overall, this was a good read with a satisfying ending, if a little sad.

I love this series and this installment did not disappoint. Very suspenseful and was a page turner!
Many thanks to Harper Collins UK and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have to say this was my favourite book by Noelle so far….by a mile! Maggie Jamieson is maybe not a conventional character in some ways but is very enjoyable to read about. The storyline involves the murder of a man clearly murdred but with strange markings on his face.If that wasn’t enough Maggies very own colleague and superior DI Hastings then goes missing and that takes the story up by quite a few notches. Then a woman turns up at a refuge run by Maggies friend Lucy. A lot of the characters you read about have all featured in previous books so as each book passes as the reader you certainly feel more invested in allof the characters.

There is a lot of intrigue and action in this latest book and it took me only a couple of days to plough through it in its entirety. This series seems to be going from strength to strength and even though you can read this as a standalone it always flows better when you have the history of all the characters. I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend it and I am really looking forward to the next installment.

Maggie Jamieson has become one of my favourite characters in detective fiction over recent years, so I was very keen to get back to finding out what was going on in her world. This time, one of their own is caught up in some trouble, just to ramp up the drama.

This book has two distinct storylines to follow. Firstly, Lucy has found an unidentifiable beaten woman at the gates of her as-yet-to-be-opened refuge and feels obliged to take her in. The woman is scared and reluctant to reveal her story; as a survivor herself Lucy sympathises and doesn’t pressure her, but is curious about what she has gone through. Then there is the body of the young man, killed in the woods by a blow to the head. Whilst the investigation into this is going on, it becomes apparent that Maggie’s DCI and his family are missing and may be in terrible danger. Is this enough chaos to keep you entertained?

It definitely was for me as, along with the police, I tried to follow the threads of the different investigations they were juggling. There seemed to be so many loose ends to follow and red herrings to eliminate, and the small team were pulled in all directions trying to follow the different leads, none of which made much sense to begin with. Quite how the author managed to plot all this out and keep it straight I have no idea, in my imagination the plot looks like an impossibly tangled ball of wool with just a few loose ends trailing out which, eventually and with great skill, Noelle manages to gently pull until it all unravels neatly and beautifully into a straight line. So clever.

I was honestly flummoxed through most of the book. I even had a suspicion about someone close to Maggie that has always been one of my favourite characters and now I feel quite guilty about that! Although I did guess one tiny aspect of the outcome, the big reveal I had no idea about and it came as a complete shock, which only happens in the best type of thriller.

Alongside the mystery, we delve further into Maggie’s complex love life and her own tussles with her relationship status and how she feels about it. The portrayal of Maggie as a confused and vulnerable person in her love life contrasts sharply with her confident, maverick work persona and lends her a depth that makes her a more likeable and relatable character. She is someone I become more and more fond of as the books progress, and it parts of what makes me so eager to come back to them each time a new one is released.

All in all, this is an entertaining thriller that makes for compulsive reading. If you are already a fan of the Maggie Jamieson thrillers, this new one will not disappoint. If not, what are you waiting for? Dive one now, you won’t regret it.

DC Maggie Jamieson and squad are back! Lucy is just about to open her doors for domestic abuse victims when she finds one literally on her doorstep. Hurt, scared, unable to communicate Lucy takes her in and calls the cops. Jamieson has a murder case on her hands, a young man found dead and a curious marking to his face. Before long another body turns up, some shocking news hits the team and things really begin to kick off.

If you haven't read the previous books I would urge you to do so as you get more of a feel for the characters and players. You could pick this up as a standalone though but you are missing out, this is book four of the series.

Murder investigation, shocks, violence, death, attacks and we get to see Maggie in a more personal light as she tries to juggle her personal life, sexuality, dating and of course the job. A busy wee book with lots going on to keep the reader hooked and on their toes. A few different storylines that whilst you may make a connection or two will for the majority keep your interest peeked and you guessing, 4/5 for me this time.

A young man is found beaten to death with a strange mark on his face. Does this give a clue to what happened to him? DC Maggie Jamieson is sure it has some significance. Probation officer Lucy wakes up to find a terrified & battered woman on the doorstep of her home & soon to be opened woman's refuge. Although the higher-ups have tried to keep it quiet DCI Hastings has seemingly disappeared. These events are connected but it takes a while to uncover the interwoven strands. This is the fourth in this series. I read the previous book & found Maggie rather irritating & immature. This time I warmed to her a lot more & enjoyed how everything came together. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book. I'm already looking forward to the next one.