I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. Wow! What a ride this book was! There was one twist after another and so many secrets revealed throughout. Sarah is a nurse who has empathy for her patients but seemingly detached to everyone around her,including her husband. As the story unfolds we slowly begin to understand Sarah's reasons for being the way that she is. Nick is a cop from Sarah's past who is investigating a series of murders while dealing with demons from his past. This book will keep you guessing who the real murderer is. You think you know,then you think it's someone else,then your mind is changed yet again. If you like a good who-done-it,you will enjoy this book!

3.5 stars rounded up 🌟

The prologue and first couple of chapters were amazing! Enough to make me not want to stop reading. Unfortunately, there was a little too much police procedural stuff for my taste which made for quite a slow reading experience. The last few chapters did salvage it though, hence me rounding up 😊

The Nurse’s Secret by Liz Lawler is a psych thriller that self-identifies as a police procedural. The result is….well, read on.
I thought the premise was good. I mean, a story should be good when it starts with a murder, right? And obviously, nurses are supposed to help people, so the title indicates that this may not be the case.
The story unfolds from three points of view, Sarah, Nick, and Charlie. It’s an interesting choice, because as a psych thriller, I would have thought more would have been from Sarah and another character’s point of view.
Nick and Charlie are both law enforcement, investigating the murder, so their perspectives are more similar to each other. And since they make up two-thirds of the story, I think that’s why I got a definite police procedural vibe.
That’s okay, but it wasn’t what I was expecting.
Additionally, there’s a history between two of the main characters (not saying who), so that complicates some of the aspects of the story.
There are also a lot of extraneous characters. Some of them, we get to know, and some are already out of the picture before the story even starts.
This means there are a lot of balls to keep in the air, and a lot of connections to try to keep straight. Add this to the detailed police info, and it all of a sudden isn’t a page-turning psych thriller. It’s more, “I hope I can keep everything straight” and “Wait, who is that again?”
It also doesn’t help that the murderer is pretty obvious from early on. The motives are only revealed in the last 10-15% of the book, but by then so much has occurred, it’s almost a throwaway.
And that’s another thing: the pacing is uneven. There are long sections that seem to serve no purpose and then everything happens very quickly at the end. That’s fine, but I prefer stories to be more evenly paced.
If you’re looking for a traditional psych thriller, The Nurse’s Secret isn’t it. However, if you understand that there is mystery upon mystery and convoluted motives, along with a hefty focus on police work, then Liz Lawler has written the book for you.
I think I would have liked it more if I had known the latter.

I was so pleasantly surprised by this book. Not only is it a psychological thriller but it also features a procedural side to it making it something of a crime thriller as well. They inclusion of both aspects complements the entire story perfectly as we, the reader, try to unravel the tangle of secrets going on and just who is keeping what from who. I wasn't surprised by the who as they were my number one suspect pretty much the whole way through. But that didn't ruin it for me because I enjoyed everything else about it as well.

The prologue opens with a scene that is enough to grab your attention as you wonder just where it will lead us. It was also a heart rendering moment that someone could be so callous as to let someone lay there helpless until they took their last breath.

And then we meet Sarah, a ward sister who, whilst helping laying out a recently deceased patient, tragically learns the fate of her newlywed husband. She had been worried about him when he didn't answer his phone or the landline and so she called the police. A bit of an overreaction, maybe? It seems not because when the police answered the call for a welfare check on the said husband, William Shaw, discovered him in the bedroom shot through the mouth. Suicide? Unless he hid the gun after the event, it seems not.

Sarah is speechless. More than that, she appears to be in shock because she sheds not a tear. Is that normal for a new wife? Shouldn't she be distressed at his untimely death? Or will that come later when the reality sets in as to what has actually happened and just three months after their wedding, she now finds herself a widow?

Charlie is a veteran police sergeant who is pleased with the return of DI Nick Anderson who fled to London a year ago without a word. Now he is back and heading up the investigation into William's murder. When Charlie broke the news to the man's wife at the hospital where she works, he didn't envision her turning up to the house and barging her way in. Sarah took one look at her husband and screamed. Is this the emotion they have been waiting for coming through?

And then there is Kathleen, Sarah's colleague, who takes the younger woman under her wing and into her home where she proceeds to mother her. She continually reminded Sarah that she had them now (her and hubby Joe) to take care of her and not to worry about a thing. She never had to return to that home and she had a home with them for as long as she liked. Sarah had no clothes of her own, not even the uniform she'd been wearing as she'd stepped into a crime scene and had to hand over what she'd been wearing. So Kathleen happily gave her some clothes to wear...all inappropriately too small for her but Kathleen seemed not to notice. Sarah has no idea why Kathleen suddenly saw it as her mission to take care of her as the women had never been friends nor did they know anything about each other. But now that she was living there it seemed Kathleen wanted her to stay. It all seemed a bit creepy to me.

Soon the police were knocking every day looking to Sarah for answers about her husband and who might want him dead. Enquiries lead them to the school in which he taught as well as to the hospital where Sarah worked.

But little did any of them know that every one of them were hiding a secret. Sarah, Kathleen, Nick and Charlie. But what were their secrets and how did they affect what had happened? Nick's was a secret to all but the reader as we learnt that he and Sarah had once been involved for several years and she was the reason he fled to London a year ago. But how will that affect the way he conducts this investigation? Surely it's a conflict of interest and he should recuse himself? And Charlie? We are drip fed enough information to work out what his secret is though we don't learn till nearer the end. That leaves Sarah and Kathleen. So what are their secrets and what have they to do with William's murder? If anything?

THE NURSE'S SECRET is packed full of secrets, lies and deception to keep you turning the pages until the very end. It is compelling reading even if most of the characters are unlikeable. I did like Nick and Charlie and felt for them both. Sarah felt very detached so it was hard ro get a read on her or feel anything for her. Kathleen was an overbearing presence that blew hot and cold. There are a handful of others that added to the story as well - both likeable and not.

The plot itself is a little complex and busy but easy enough to follow. Many have their own backstories and agenda as we try to figure out what. I enjoyed this thriller more than I had anticipated and I liked the ending somewhat which was a combination of happy and sad...and somewhat bittersweet.

Overall, an enjoyable read that moves at an even pace and keeps you guessing throughout.

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

This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.

This book was long. Several character POV’s and it sometimes got jumbled and hard to follow. The police procedurals were a lot to follow and got boring for me. The ending was predictable. I had figured out who the killer was about 25% into the book. This was my first read from this author. I am not opposed to trying another one of her books, although this one was not for me.

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for this ARC in turn for an honest review.

2.5⭐ rounded up.

Featuring ~ multiple 3rd person POV, murder, police procedural, secrets, slow moving

Sarah's husband is found dead in their home. Charlie and Nick are the detectives on the case. Sarah and Nick used to be in a relationship.

Meh, didn't love it. Maybe because there were 3 narrators and 2 of them were both detectives on the case 🤷‍♀️. I wasn't invested in much of the story or characters really. Kathleen gives off creepster vibes. Yeah there were some secrets, but nothing impressive. I did like the why of why something was done though. I bet that doesn't make too much sense unless you read it.

I was fortunate enough to receive a kindle copy and the audiobook to review. I started out reading it, then switched to audio, which is how I tackled most of it.

Narrated by Sarah Durham for 11 hours and 7 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. She didn't even try to do male voices, and I suppose that's okay since it's told in 3rd person. Luckily the chapters were labeled with names, so we knew who was talking.

The blurb drew me in but the story for me was slow and I found myself dipping out, its hard for me to follow these characters or get attached to them but I do say try it for yourself because it might be a book you love.
Thank you to Netgalley/Bookouture/Liz Lawler for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This book started off strong and held my attention at the beginning. I enjoyed some of the suspense/thriller/gore descriptions and that it was somewhat of a “medical drama”. However many parts seemed unnecessarily drawn out and the last chunk of the book contained a trigger warning that didn’t sit well with me. Some may enjoy this if you’re looking for suspense or thriller novels

I’d like to thank Bookouture and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Nurse’s Secret’ by Liz Lawler in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Sarah Shaw is a nurse and has been married to William for four months but while on duty she’s tried contacting him but he isn’t answering the phone. She’s worried as he’s recently received anonymous letters and rings the police who call at their house and find him dead in bed from a gunshot wound.

‘The Nurse’s Secret’ tells of a newly married couple and the secrets that are kept hidden. The story is told through the eyes of Sarah, DI Nick Anderson who was previously in a relationship with Sarah, and Sergeant Charlie Bowden of the Major Crime Investigation Team. I’ve enjoyed the last four novels by this author and was looking forward to reading this latest one but unfortunately although the first quarter held my interest the story was mediocre, the characters were unlikeable, there was a lot of unnecessary narrative that slowed it down until I wanted it to end. I couldn’t work up any enthusiasm even though the ending had a bit more of a spark, but although it may not have gripped me as I’d expected it won’t put me off reading more by this author.

This book has you running around wondering who...great police procedural book. .
Death, suicide, let loves, new loves, memories of those lost, how we grieve.. has it all!!

Thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release of this book.

Lawler, is one of my favorites. It never fails. I know when I open her books up I'm opening up an amazing story.

The Nurse's Secret by Liz Lawler was so good.
I enjoyed the mystery behind the death of Sarah's husband William.
This is a classic whodunnit. And you don't know who to believe or who's telling the truth here.
The storyline was brilliant and instantly I became so hooked to the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed this. It's one of those books that pulls you in from the first page and does not let go. The characters were so well written, it's a well-written storyline with a lot of tension and I had no idea which way the story was going to end.
Liz Lawler has created a brilliant and riveting story that will have you turning the pages wanting to know more.

"Loving wife. Caring nurse. Liar."

Bookouture,
Thank You for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this eARC!

This is a very slow book with unlikeable characters.
This had such an interesting premise that I was excited to read it, plus I’ve loved this author’s work in the past. However, once past the first couple of chapters, the story settles down into mediocrity. It just plods along with the investigation into William’s death but doesn’t seem to get anywhere. Nor does it feel like the police are asking the right questions or being very proactive.
Nick’s storyline was tough to follow initially; he’s been away and returned, but no one seems to know anything about his life. Not his friends, work colleagues or the person that has known him since he was a little boy. Then his actions towards the end are just bizarre; he just runs off stage away from his boss and his problems. It was very amateur and childish for someone in his position.
Charlie is another strange character. It is written like he is 70 and near to retiring. However, we find out he is only in his 50s, and this alone is shocking.
Sarah seems like a straightforward character, but she is so dull. Nothing about her makes me interested in anything she does or says. As she is the main female protagonist, this made the book very hard to read.
There are many over-the-top police procedural explanations, and I found that all overwhelming and hard to follow.
The ending was predictable, and I’d guessed who the killer was and why very early on; Sarah’s past was the only interesting thing that held the story together. However, even that was overcomplicated.
I felt very dissatisfied at the end; I didn’t feel as if I got all the answers or even really understood everything that was going on. Whereas at the same time, it really felt like the ending dragged on, and I just wanted to be done with the book. Not a good read for me, I’m afraid, which is such a shame as I have enjoyed all previous books by this author.

Did Sarah kill William? The police think she might have done it but did she? Told from her POV as well as from the POV of the investigators, this is a classic story of secrets and lies which are deadly and dangerous - but not in the way you might think. Sarah is reluctant to tell her story to the police, knowing that she's got darkness in he background that might make things worse. But she's a nurse and drugs are missing. No spoilers from me. The pacing on this is a but uneven but keep reading and you'll find it's a good story. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

After having trouble lately getting sucked into books, The Nurse's Secret grabbed me hook, line and sinker.
The Nurse's Secret has more twists and turns than a road of roundabouts.
I definitely did not see the direction that this book went and how it all came together to confuse me, and then,come full circle to completely make sense and make you feel for the characters.

I have read all books from this author and enjoyed them all and I was really looking forward to this one but unfortunately I didn't like it.

I couldn't get into the storyline and sadly it was a DNF for me at 25%

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC .

This is an interesting thriller based on the expectations that help form an investigation.

I found it a little mediocre and there were not enough points in the story that you could grip on to and enjoy.

I have previously enjoyed this authors books but I found this difficult to read and was a dnf for me,the story seemed intriguing but disjointed in how it was presented and at 10% knew wasn’t for me,apologies

I loved this book
Excellent storyline
Edge of your seat. Couldn't put it down
I really recommend this Author
Not the usual

This book was just okay for me. I did find the level of details in re to procedure and medical aspects to be well written and researched. The writing was well done. I would give this author another go.

The blurb made me really want to read this but it started off slow and I struggled to keep wanting to read it. I did finish it but felt it was lacking somehow.