I have read all of the series to date and when I saw that the latest was available on Netgalley, I requested it straight away despite having it on preorder, The books get better and darker as they are being written and this one gripped me from the start, what I love most is not guessing who the suspect is and although I thought I had guessed a few times, I never came close. The ending which ended on a cliffhanger means that there’s another book or more to come and I’m impatient already for book five. If you haven’t already read any of the series, what are you waiting for??

DC Maggie Jamieson and the team have not got much respite after the last big case. Maggie’s friend, Kate, is recovering in Ireland with her parents. Maggie is torn with her affections towards the reporter, Julie, but just maybe once the next case is solved then she can maybe pursue her.
The next case is one that will encounter one of the most chilling killers that Maggie (and I) has encountered.
This is another fantastic instalment in this series and Maggie is juggling her feelings for Julie and missing Kate.
A massive thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely love this series. The books just get better and better. Bit disappointed with this one as there is one line that makes the killer obvious but didn't detract from my enjoyment

Love, love, love this series of books. What more can I say? The quality of writing improves with each book and the stories are gripping.

I really enjoyed this, Maggie is a great character and one that I found refreshing. The style of writing is good, more like informal than the usual procedural books I come across lately.

Maggie is given the case of a young man who has been murdered, his head smashed in with a hammer. Who could've done this? Then her DCI goes missing, and when she starts looking into it, she finds that his family have also vanished. Has he been taken by the man he convicted of murder, who swore his revenge. Or is there more than meets the eye?

I'd highly recommend this book. I read it quickly and can't wait to read more from this author.

Wow! What a series! What a book! This book had everything and made me have to keep reading on well into the early hours of the morning. I needed to know what had happened and why.

We have three seemingly unrelated events that Maggie is dealing with in this book. It starts with a an abused woman arriving at a refuge centre, then a body of a young man is discovered and then Maggie’s DCI and his family go missing. Can Maggie and her colleagues solve these disparate mysteries.

This book really had its teeth into me from the very beginning. The book moves along at pace with strong characterisation and superb plotting. It is one of those books as a reader you can get your teeth stuck into as you try to work out what’s happening, especially as the tension builds. One of my favourite reads in this genre in a long time. Maggie is far from imperfect and can at times be a bit of a loose cannon, but boy is she tenacious and I’d want her on my team.

This book also dealt with many of Maggie’s insecurities with herself, her life and any possible relationship. I like the way it has dealt with this and introduce a possible new relationship with an initially unlikely source. Once again weaved into the story excellently.

I have read all four books in this series and it is certainly one of my favourite series, but this book has to the best so far. I highly recommend this series to those that love great crime fiction. A big thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with a review copy of the book in exchange for an open and honest review. Now just to wait for the next book!

Ooh, ‘Dead Secret’ had me on the edge of my seat! My tension levels rose, the pages flashed by and I don’t know where time went when I was reading. I also really enjoyed the Lucy strand of the story which brought so much intrigue to the table.

DC Maggie Jameson is a likeable central character and I particularly enjoyed the small romance element that crept in through this book. The conflicts involved just added to the drama.

As for the crimes, they were suitably gruesome making for a fantastic investigation and when a certain person (no spoilers) came under suspicion, I was like, OMG!

Loved it, and I’d thoroughly recommend ‘Dead Secret’ to everyone who enjoys a police procedural. It’s a must read. Noelle has knocked it out of the park with this one!

I've now read all four books in the DC Maggie Jamieson series by Noelle Holten and have to say that this series is getting better and more intriguing with each new installation. Dead Secret is full of twists and turns and kept me hooked from start to finish.

This book starts exactly where book three had left us but it can be read as a standalone just the same. An injured young woman in distress with her face all bruised and bloody arrives at Lucy Sherwood's new shelter for domestic abuse victims. This woman won't say a word and seems terrified of someone. It's evident that she's on the run from somewhere. Who is this woman? Where did she come from? What happened to her? Who did this to her?

DC Maggie Jamieson is faced with more than one baffling case in this book. First the body of a teenage boy is found in the woods. He's been bludgeoned to death. Who was this boy? Who has done this to him? Why did the killer leave their weapon behind? And what do the strange markings found on the body mean?

Then DCI Hastings and his family disappear without a trace. No one knows what happened to them, until a gruesome discovery is made at the DCI's home. With the clock ticking and fearing the DCI's and his family's well-being, Maggie, Nathan and the rest of the team, with the input of Dr Kate Moloney from Ireland, are drawn into a frenetic search for clues and evidence. But these two cases will prove a tough nut to crack and by the end no one will be the same.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout as we have so much going on: the murder, the disappearance of an entire family, the mysterious woman at the shelter. Plus we have Maggie finally and seriously thinking about her personal life, trying to decide what she really wants. The tension never stops and the plot's momentum is pacy. The characters are all life-like and the dialogues realistic. Though the plot is complex it is not confusing and with skill the author kept me guessing till the end where I came across a couple of mind-blowing surprises I wasn't expecting. Once again, this book ends with a massive cliffhanger and now I can only plead with the author to hurry up and publish her next 'Dead' book asap.

'Dead Secret' is yet another engrossing addition to the series and I highly recommend it. An intriguing plot, great characterisation, more than one baffling mystery, all in all an entertaining read. What more could a reader wish for?

With thanks to One More Chapter for approving my request to read an ARC of this book through Netgalley.

Noelle Holten; Dead Secret

The DC Maggie Jamieson series just gets better and better! When the series started, Maggie came across as a little standoffish and difficult to get to know. She still holds her cards close to her chest, but I felt that in Dead Secret, she comes out of her shell slightly more and there are a few personal developments for her and this was fabulous to see.
It was also great to catch up with Lucy, who readers first met in Dead Inside. It was interesting to see how her plans for the refuge had progressed. Through the refuge, Holten is able to explore the theme of domestic violence. It is clear that this is a subject the author knows well and her knowledge gives her characters authenticity and allows readers to really engage with the plot.
The plot is full of intrigue. It has a few different strands to it and it wasn't until the very end that I was able to see how they would come together. There are lots of twists and turns before we discover the answers and I found it very difficult to put this book down, especially as the tension keeps rising!
As always, Dead Secret finishes on a cliffhanger which leaves me screaming for the fifth book in the series! Holten has set it up perfectly and I cannot wait.

Wow this series gets better with every book! Absolutely fantastic I loved this book, actually I devoured it. The story was thrilling and edgy and kept me guessing. I did pick the bad guy pretty early on but in no way did it spoil my enjoyment. The ending just confirmed my status as armchair detective! A really great book that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Ooh! Where do I start with this book?

This will be a hard to review, I want to give it justice but not sure my words can portray how wonderfully dark and twisted it turns out to be!

Noelle Holten has really outdone herself with this next instalment. It’s got all the crime thriller traits you want in a novel of this genre.

I love the storyline and character relationships that develop with each book and find those endings such great cliffhangers that when finishing you have to curse the author for making us wait for the next. There must be a way she can get them published quicker surely?

I’m not going to go into specifics about the storyline but if you’ve read the previous books in this series you are going to want to pre-order this ready for its release!

If you haven’t read this series yet... why the hell not?

Outstanding!

Oh wow, what can I say? Am I allowed to write a review that says, “Just go buy the damn book!” Noelle Holten sure knows just how to get readers eating out of the palm of her hand with this series. Each chapter in Dead Secret is delivered wrapped in tension and intrigue; each word is laced with menace and leaves your head spinning as you try to work out just who you can trust.

I was delighted to be back in Lucy Sherwood’s company here, fans of the series will know her well from book one. She is one of my favourite characters, a woman who has lived through so much but still stays standing. But of course it’s not all about Lucy, DC Maggie Jamieson is at the core of this series and once again she is being put through her paces, murder, missing colleagues and a whirlwind of conflicting emotions running through her head when it comes to her personal life.

This is one of the features I love about this series; a cast of characters who pop in and out of each book, some featuring more than others depending on the storyline. It creates what feels like a mini TV series with a cast of characters who feature throughout. So there is a real sense of getting to know them, becoming caught up in their lives and their worlds, and when you pick up one of the books you feel as though you are a part of it.

Almost immediately you are immersed in the storylines and it is a pleasure to watch them merge and weave together to a conclusion that is both satisfying but also leaves you wanting more. There is a real authenticity about this series and it is clear the author knows her stuff. The multi-agency approach that exists in the real world is portrayed to perfection here, of course with some artistic licence, meaning it isn’t bogged down in procedure.

And of course the twistiness that we have all come to know and love from this author is out in force. There is a real dark mind at play here, lacing each page with tension and providing the reader with the dark thrills they seek, the pacing will see your heart race as the truth is uncovered. And that ending, Noelle definitely knows how to leave her readers desperate for more! Lovers of darkness, you will not be disappointed!

A brilliant addition to the series which is up there with the best of crime thrillers. There was so much going on that my head was spinning trying to keep up. I love Maggie, she is such a brilliant character and has to juggle her workload to keep up with everything that is thrown at her. She is determined to get the answers that are eluding her and solve the brutal murder of a young man found on the edge of woodland. This is only the start and much more is to come. Highly recommend

This book is fourth in the series of DI Maggie Jamieson mysteries. I still believe it could be read as a stand alone book.
I have enjoyed all of Noelle Holten’s books in the series and this one didn't let me down

Maggie is called to the murder of a teenage boy. Meanwhile her friend Lucy Sherwood, a probation officer, takes in a terrified girl to her new refuge.
While starting the investigation into the boys murder DCI Hastings goes missing.

The plot is believable and has quite a few twists and turns which kept me reading into the night.
The mainstay characters are quite endearing and after the first three b oaks I am invested in finding out how their lives proceed
I would definitely recommend this one to lovers of procedural mysteries

I’ve read previous books by this author and loved them. This was excellent, great characters, nail biting story and a great writing style. Highly recommend

This series just gets better and better. I love Maggie as a character and everything she represents.

Shes strong, but doesn't lack compassion for others. She's courageous, but isn't afraid to show her faults. She isn't ashamed of who she is and embraces her sexuality rather than hides it, apart from her parents.

I come back to this series not just for the fabulous writing style or the brilliant storylines but for Maggie herself. It's just like checking on on a friend, seeing what's new in her life.

This book produces so may questions while you are reading. And you find yourself thinking like a detective trying to piece everything together. I may have guessed this perpetrator quite early on this time, but that didn't detract from everything coming together. I cant wait for the next book as once again Noelle has left the book on a massive cliffhanger!!!

This is a must-read series to me. Maggies close relationships are getting even more complicated, if possible. Maggie is not the easiest person, she knows it herself as well, but some pretty incredible people want to stay in her life if she lets them in. While she's trying to figure out how to deal with her relationships, she has an appalling case on her plate. A colleague's wife has been murdered, The colleague and his daughter are missing. He is the prime suspect.

Well-written, intriguing, and insightful. I'm slowly really growing to like Maggie. I wonder how hard it would be to be part of her life in reality, but I think once she lets you in, you're in. Under the hard shell there is a bit of a softie, methinks. What draws me back to a detective series is the main character. If the main character doesn have that certain something, the whole series is doomed. This is most definitely not the case with Holten's books. The book ends on a cliffhanger and I need to know what happens next! Always excited to see a new book being published.

My thoughts about Noelle Holten's brilliantly gripping suspense police procedural thriller,4th book in the DC Maggie Jamison series Dead Secret, was just what can I say beyond excellent. Author Noelle Holten does it again with its amazing story and characters that truly deserves appreciation, the suspense that builds up from the start till the end is well crafted. In Dead Secret we see
DC Maggie Jamieson crosses paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor stumbles into her new refuge,unable to speak, desperate for help.Then another case hits Maggie’s desk. A young man has been murdered, and a curious constellation of black dots has been inked onto his cheek. That’s when DCI Hastings goes missing and Maggie uncovers a shocking connection that turns the case on its head, to find out the connections it's was a race against time for DC Maggie Jamison,which was fantastic, to find out the truth was just remarkable, in the end when the truth gets revealed it definitely takes your breath away. Author Noelle Holten has not only written a fantastic suspense mystery thriller, but the tension she builds is magnificent, take a bow Noelle you have indeed scored again with this outstanding thriller, that packs a punch highly recommended. I would like to say thank you to Author Noelle Holten, Publishers One More Chapter And Netgalley for giving me a chance to read and review this outstanding thriller. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐💥💥💥💥💥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Maggie is tasked with several cases that need solving. The most recent one keeps her guessing. It is up to Maggie to uncover secrets that people are hiding. This book was well written

I read the previous novel in this series and wasn’t fully drawn to the series although I sensed there was a lot more to come from both this series and author Noelle Holten. Well I am glad I decided to read another book in this series as after getting introduced to the characters in the previous book I was now ready to dig deeper into the characters. DC Maggie Jamieson is an exciting character and is growing on me so I fully intend to read the other books in this series.

DC Maggie Jamieson crosses paths once again with Probation Officer Lucy Sherwood when a domestic violence survivor stumbles into her new refuge, unable to speak, desperate for help. Then another case hits Maggie’s desk. A young man has been murdered, and a curious constellation of black dots has been inked onto his cheek. That’s when DCI Hastings goes missing and Maggie uncovers a shocking connection that turns the case on its head.

Fast paced thriller that is exciting from the start with excellent twists and turns.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Harper Collins One More Chapter for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.