Secret Lives brings the skills of ex-Intelligence agent Ethel, now a rooming house landlady, back into the pilot's seat when one of her lodgers is killed outside her house. Jesse, her double cousin twice removed, is one of her only lodgers not in the Game, but as a computer science student, he sheds light on some complex maneuvers in the cryptocurrency world. Betrayals, hidden secrets, and ACTION propel the story along and I can't wait to read the next installment.

3.5 stars

This book was a very enjoyable read. It reads like an episode of a police procedural, and the best part is that the charismatic "detective" who refuses to follow the rules is Ethel Crestwater, a 75 year old former FBI agent who personally knew J Edgar Hoover. I absolutely loved Ethel and how she leveraged her many years of experiences and connections to solve the murder of the secret service agent killed in front of her boarding house where he was a renter.

This book is the plot reader's dream. It is wall to wall non-stop plot which I really appreciate when I am in a certain mood as a reader. It also has an interesting mystery element which I loved solving along with Ethel, and the author gave enough clues that I felt really good when we got to the reveal at the end and I get to shout "I knew it!". Of course having such a a fast paced plot means that character work has to be squeezed into small spaces between the action scenes so Ethel feels a little like a walking trope of the rogue detective with the gimmick of her being 75, but I don't mind that. I could have used more scenes with some of the quirky side characters like the Octogenarian pilots who help Ethel out but I understand that this is the start of a series and perhaps those characters will be explored more in other installments.

The one thing I will warn potential readers about this book is that while reading this book you are going to learn about cryptocurrency whether or not you want to . The author clearly did research on bitcoin and how crypto is used illegally, and it is definitely key to the plot, but the way the information was communicated to the reader didn't always come across seamlessly, and it was incredibly repetitive. The number of times that it was pointed out that people losing the key to their digital wallet meant they couldn't access any of their bitcoin became a little bit laughable by the end.

I recommend this book to people who like police procedural type stories with a mystery that you solve alongside the sleuth.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me a free eARC in exchange for my honest review*

Many people underestimate Ethel, 75 years old, petite, frail... but she runs a boarding house for government agents, and when one of them is murdered, she springs into action. Her cousin Jesse, that she houses while he attends uni, is surprised to realize that there is more than meets the eye about Ethel...
This was a fast-paced murder mystery, with a touch of humor and engaging characters, but I never really could sank my teeth into it despite all the twists and turns.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Seventy five year old Ethel Fiona Cresswater runs a boarding house in Arlington, Virginia, where many of her tenants are government agents on temporary assignments in DC. Her distant cousin (double second cousin twice removed), Jesse also boards with her while he attends grad school. Ethel might look like a sweet, little old lady, but she is actually a retired FBI agent who still has quite a few tricks up her sleeve. In addition to being fiercely intelligent and whip smart, she keeps in top shape by way of her daily Ruth Bader Ginsberg exercise regime.

When one of Ethel’s boarders, Secret Service agent Jonathan Finch is murdered right outside her boarding house, Ethel springs into action. After calling the police, she alerts the heads of both the Secret Service and the FBI, takes photos of the crime scene and hides the bag of cash Jonathan was bringing into his room. Jesse is taken aback by the decisive actions of his elderly cousin, but goes along with what she instructs him to tell the police.

Ethel Cresswater is well known to both the heads of the FBI and the secret Service and they know they’ll need to keep tabs on her as she undoubtably carries out her own investigation. However, Ethel is determined to find who killed her boarder and is more than equal to the task, roping in Jesse as her accomplice. Armed with a lifetime of spycraft, Ethel has no trouble knowing when she’s being tailed or how to deal with it and has many unique skills and useful contacts of her own. Their investigation leads them into a complex web of corruption involving counterfeit money, cryptocurrency, cybercrime and the dark web.

This is a refreshingly different crime novel with a delightfully unique woman leading the charge. It was amusing to watch the inter-agency competition and to see Ethel run rings around the agents trying to keep tabs on what she was up to. Jesse made for the perfect sidekick to Ethel and also made a delightful connection to Jonathan’s little son Davie, who suffers from brittle bone disease, and is keeping secrets of his own. The intricacies of cryptocurrency and virtual wallets were also well explained for the novice. There’s a lot packed into this fast-paced thriller with lots of twists, plenty of action, and a number of surprises as well as a good dose of humour and amusing asides from Ethel. It all made for an addictive and engaging read and I would love to see Ethel and Jesse back in action again in the future.

When CIA agent Jonathan Finch is murdered outside of Ester‘s boarding house her young cousin at first once to protect her from the horror but when she starts taking pictures and video to preserve evidence and then tell himm what to say to the police and goes inside to call the head of the CIA Jesse doesn’t know what to think then when he notices how friendly she is with the head of police and the Director of the CIA he knows there’s more to his cousin twice removed then he initially thought. Because soon he will find himself helping his cousin investigate the murder there’s double dealing, backstabbing and double dipping happening at the CIA because of the suicide they know one of the players but he’s just one of the team before it’s over Jesse and Esther‘s life will be in danger but the threats do not stop at them but can they solve this murder before the truly innocent get hurt if thieves or stealing from thieves where does the trail end? I am really enjoying these books about senior citizens not acting the way we become a custom to senior citizens acting and that includes solving crimes on par with the CIA which is what Esther does. This was a great book and it was so detailed and although the talk of cryptocurrency at points confused and dismayed me I got the jest event and enjoyed the mystery. I definitely wouldn’t called is the cozy mystery because it seems so much more than that so if you like bona fide mysteries you really need to check out“Secret lives “ it truly is a top notch read although there was one thing in the book that caused me to pause and it was win someone made a comment about Jonatha stealing the money they insinuated that because he was desperate he was less of a criminal but in the words of William Shakespeare a rose by any other name is still a rose. I highly recommend this book I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for this arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

Well that was a pleasant surprise! I love stories featuring older protagonists. 75 year old Ethel Fiona Crestwater is used to being underestimated and regarded as a somewhat frail older woman - but you do so at your peril. She is still very capable and possesses a razor sharp mind. Ethel, a former FBI agent, runs a boarding house for government agents from a range of agencies. Currently she also has her double first cousin twice removed (apparently it’s a thing), Jesse, a student, staying with her. She has the Head of the Secret Service, Cory Bradshaw, on speed dial, but then he used to be one of ‘her boys’ (boarders).

So when one night a current boarder, secret service agent Jonathan Finch is gunned down outside her house she snaps into action- recording the scene on her phone, issuing instructions to Jesse, and phoning Bradshaw. Ethel will share her information but she also likes to have a couple of aces up her sleeve!

This case is all about money! The Secret Service is responsible for monitoring counterfeit currency. And there has been a sneaky little scam running where bundles of counterfeit bills are sold for bit coin, then the sellers ambush the buyers and end up with the original duds plus the bitcoin. But on this night something went horribly wrong. There is also an FBI team looking into the disappearance of $20 million of real money after some shady character killed himself 6 months ago.

Things get quite convoluted and Ethel and Jesse aren’t really sure who they can trust except each other!

This lively story is well worth a read. Ethel is a most engaging character Jesse is not too shabby himself. Of the others - you’ll have to make your own mind up. Although Davie, Jonathan’s 9 year old disabled son is also very endearing. The plot is pacy and after more deaths it all gets a little dangerous! I really enjoyed this and can recommend it.

Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique is a spy thriller revolving around septuagenarian & all around badass, Ethel Fiona Crestwater. She is the owner of a boarding house for government agents, but trouble appears when one of her tenants is found killed. She joins forces with her roommate & distant, younger cousin, Jesse, who is attending university. Combining Ethel’s wisdom with Jesse’s computer skills, they try to tackle the solving of the murder with the police, FBI & CIA all wanting a piece of this case. I was not exactly sure where this case was going, which I enjoyed.
I loved the fact that an older woman was at the forefront of this book. She’s awe-inspiring & a force to be reckoned with. There was an interesting & lovely dynamic between the cousins. I don’t want to give away too much but this story was in-depth & complex.
Spy thrillers aren’t my go-to genre usually because they tend to be more serious & less personable & I enjoy characters & their arcs typically. But this book hit with the deliverance of Ethel & overall, this one kept me entertained. I also enjoyed how everything came together.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Poisoned Pen Press for giving me the opportunity to read an arc of this! All thoughts & opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: This book mentions &/or contains murder, gun violence, break-in, fraud & assault.

A great spy thriller mystery revolving around cryptocurrency and multiple government agencies. Ethel and Jesse, her double first cousin twice removed, make for a great duo that keeps you interested as they sort out who murdered the secret service agent and how $20 million in cryptocurrency involved. Ethel with her FBI-adjacent past manages to keep everyone on their toes as she gets closer to the truth. Would recommend to anyone who likes murder mysteries featuring an older cast of spies and agents.

When a government agent is murdered at a boarding house for government officials, the landlady Ethel immediately calls the director of Secret Service. Her distant cousin Jesse is shocked because she seems so normal. Soon, he is attacked and a bag of counterfeit money goes missing. Ethel puts her famous sleuthing abilities to work.

I had trouble connecting with this book. It was a lot more spy-esque in terms of the mystery (like cryptocurrency, shady government offiicals, etc.) than I normally like. The writing itself was good, just not for me plot wise!

A spy thriller with a difference, Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique features a seventy-five-year-old female sleuth who cannot be underestimated. Ethel Fiona Crestwater runs a boarding house for government agents when one of her boarders is killed returning to his room. Together with a distant cousin Jessie, who resides with Ethel whilst he attends university, is surprised when she begins taping the scene and ensuring their stories agree. With police, FBI and CIA all involved in the money fraud heist, Ethel decides to solve the case, aided by her computer-savvy cousin Jessie. An enchanting spy tale with a warmth that makes for a four star read rating. With thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and the author, for an uncorrected advanced reader copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

This was a pretty good “whodunit” murder mystery story for me. It was the premise that kept me interested the most – FBI agents and secret service under a government agency. I enjoyed the fast-paced plot of the story, which I was kind of surprised that I finished it in less than a day. I was familiar with cryptocurrencies, but it was my first time to know more about how the system works. The book seamlessly discussed it in the story. Although we had found how convenient to transact cashless; in reality, the adoption of digital payments were fast growing globally. However, how good it is to invest in the crypto market? Which cryptocurrency is best to invest in? It seemed like digital money would be the main means of trade in the future.

Overall, the book had a lot of potential. There were times I had difficulty to follow the characters, because I built up a lot of speculations of who could be the suspect. I liked how the story ended though. I loved it given the fact that this book gave value with good family relationship.

If you’re a fan of mysteries, give this book a go.

Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for and eARC of this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Poised Pen for sharing this ARC. This is a new author to me, but after this, I’ll be investigating his back catalog. It seems to a trend- mysteries with an older cast of ex-spies and detectives. But I’m enjoying the trend. The plot was good if not entirely new. I really enjoyed the main character, Ethel and her double second cousin, Jesse. I would recommend this especially for anyone who enjoyed the Slough House series either in print or recently on Apple TV.

At 75-years-old, Ethel Fiona Crestwater is used to being underestimated. She looks like someone's grandma, though she's never married or had children; petite and a bit frail, she's not a threat to anyone. Or is she...? Ethel runs a boarding house for government agents, and when someone murders one of her boarders, she springs into action-much to the surprise of her distant cousin Jesse, who has recently come to stay with her while he attends university. As he watches her photograph the crime scene, conceal evidence, and speed-dial the Secret Service Director, Jesse realizes that there's much more to Ethel than appearances suggest.
But when Jesse is assaulted and the gym bag full of cash Ethel had hidden is stolen from the basement, the pair decides it's time to launch their own unofficial investigation. With no one to trust but each other, these double first cousins twice removed form an unlikely bond, and learn that the only thing truly worth risking your life for is family.
Really enjoyed this book totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press
I just reviewed Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique. #NetGalley

“When you fly under the radar, they never see you coming.”

Smart, feisty, loyal and determined, 75-year-old Ethel Fiona Crestwater is a force to be reckoned with. She’s used to being underestimated and uses it to her advantage. When one of her boarders is murdered outside her boarding house for government agents, and a duffle bag of counterfeit money goes missing, Ethel forms an unlikely bond with her “double-first-cousin-twice-removed” and launches her own unofficial investigation. Jesse watches wide-eyed as his distant cousin springs into action. You’ll need to read to discover that there’s more to Ethel than meets the eye!

I was hooked from the first page! I don’t think I’ve read a book about cryptocurrency, ransomware attacks, virtual wallets, the Dark Web, backup drives and KryptoFolds before…and I liked it. I smirked reading about ‘the suits’ getting all bent out of shape about jurisdictions and collaborations, I giggled imagining Ethel doing her RBG fitness workouts and hiding “a convention of Benjamin Franklins”, and my heart was softened reading about the bonds of friendship she forged.

A refreshingly different novel exploring the idea that everybody has something to hide and that family is the only thing truly worth risking your life for.

I was gifted this copy by Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

A 75 year old woman’s boarding house is home to a variety of special agents from the secret service to now FBI agents. When one of her tenants is murdered in front of the house, Ethel once again leaps into the action. It’s a slow build story that ultimately finds the actual action in the last 20 percent. It seems like there’s a very large cast of characters that the reader doesn’t really get a chance to get to know. However, I learned after finishing this book that it’s supposed to be the first in a series. Perhaps this is a personal criticism, but I feel I have to warn others at just how much discussion there is about cryptocurrency… If you conveniently already find the world of cryptocurrency fascinating then definitely grab this one! But if like me you’re not interested in this (or other technology discussions, this author really loves Apple and MacBooks!) then it may not be the best one for you. Because I loved Ethel SO much I will definitely read at least the second book in this series also.

Such a fun premise that pulled me in, that unfortunately had a relatively disappointing execution. Not sure if I would pick up something by de Castrique again, but his premises make me want to if the execution improves a bit!

75-year-old Ethel Crestwater runs a boarding house for government agents, and when someone murders one of her boarders, she springs into action-much to the surprise of her distant cousin Jesse, who has recently come to stay with her while he attends university. But when Jesse is assaulted and the gym bag full of cash Ethel had hidden is stolen from the basement, the pair decides it's time to launch their own unofficial investigation.

This was such a fun mystery. I absolutely loved Ethel, she's who I want to be when I grow up. I loved reading about her quick thinking and shenanigans as she and Jesse launched their own investigation into the murder of her boarder. And did I mention that she has the Director of the Secret Service and the FBI on speed dial? She also is the kindest person. I loved getting to know her background story, how she's with Jesse and the family of the dead agent, and how much she values and remembers each of her boarders. I cannot wait to read more about her adventures.

The mystery itself was full of twists and turns, and I gotta say, I learned something. The main mystery centers around cryptocurrency, which goes straight over my head, but its explained in such a way that you definitely can follow along - and come up with lots of viable suspects. The ending definitely was shocking and it caught me by surprise - looking back I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN!!! The pace of the book is a little on the slow side, but the payoff is for sure worth it!

I have read several books recently starring a little old lady in her mid-seventies who goes about solving crimes. I have enjoyed the previous ones and I have thoroughly enjoyed Secret Lives by Mark de Castrique as well.

Ethel Fiona Crestwater runs a boarding house/dormitory in the northern Virginia suburbs of D.C. Her boarders are all government agents except for Jesse her double cousin twice removed. As the story unfolds the reader learns that Ethel is not someone who should be underestimated. Her past is rich in experience and her skill set surprising. When one of her boarders (a Secret Service agent) is murdered in front of her home, Ethel begins her own investigation. Soon the heads of the FBI and the Secret Service as well as a local PD detective become involved in jockeying to solve the complex crime. However, Ethel decides to enlist her cousin Jesse and a couple other septuagenarians in tracking down the killer rather than tip her hand to the official investigators. The crime revolves around counterfeit funds, cryptocurrency and double crossing colleagues. Ethel has learned at a young age that integrity, fairness and justice should reign supreme in crime-solving as well as life. She and Jesse successfully solve the crime while maintaining all three. Let's hope this is only the first of a series where Ethel sticks to her principles and solves more crimes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for my chance to read this delightful book!

What is it lately with the books I am reading? Marple: Twelve New Mysteries, Killers of a Certain Age, and now Secret Lives, they all seem to feature feisty ladies of a mature age. Maybe the universe is trying to tell me something? Or perhaps people are finally realizing that women with experience can kick some serious butt. Yeah, that's probably it.

So...take a boarding house in the DC area, fill it with operatives from various agencies, and then have the owner/operator be a retired FBI agent. Shake slightly (don't stir), and you will find yourself with a delightful cocktail of interdepartmental competition, overlapping jurisdictions, gunshots, large sums of currency, trips to the ER, and related pastimes.

75-year-old Ethel Crestwater is far from the quiet little old lady that strangers might take her for at first glance. She can spot a tail in heavy traffic, fly an airplane, has contacts in offices throughout the District, and starts each day with her RBG workout (inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg). Although she has no children or grandchildren, her double-first-cousin-twice-removed is one of her boarders. For some things it is best to depend on family.

This book keeps you on your toes. Where do everyone's loyalties really lie? Are all these agents really working under orders, or are some of them off the reservation? Does Ethel know more than she is telling her cousin and the authorities, or does she just have better instincts from all her years of experience? You find yourself hoping that she and cousin Jesse both survive, because then they can have further adventures and he can learn from her example.

Those who are familiar with DC and the surrounding counties will recognize many of the landmarks and areas mentioned; it grounds the setting of the story very well. Between the place, the people, and the pace of the action, there are no dull moments.

3.5 stars

I am a fan of the author's other two series. This one features a female protagonist, a fit 75 year old retired FBI agent, Ethel Crestwater. She is capable and smart and cunning. She runs a boarding house for federal agents and has Secret Service and FBI personnel as boarders, along with her cousin (really more like a grandson) Jesse who is studying complicated economics and crypto currencies.

Ethel is widely remembered and respected. When one of her boarders is gunned down in her front yard, there's no chance she's not getting involved. From the first scene, you realize this isn't your average senior citizen. She commands Jesse while she videos the crime scene.

There is a nicely drawn ensemble of characters, many of them old contacts from Ethel's days as an agent. The plot is complex, involving cryptocurrencies and a lot of inter-jurisdictional intrigue. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.