I am not sure whether this is a police procedural with a private investigator slant or more of a psychological mini thriller. The important aspect is that this book kept me engrossed from beginning to end. There are multiple storylines that parallel and cross and then mesh beautifully. Walking a tight line that sometimes wavers over the edge you have to keep thinking about that old ends vs. means conundrum. Was it all lies? Remember “There was no way to find the truth until you understood what you knew was a lie.”

Well done Ms. Webb for tackling a difficult and thorny moral dilemma and offering an ingenuous solution. Thank you Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for a copy.

Thank you NetGalley and Debra Webb for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am so glad that this book had more details on Findley's husband. Not only did it give you so much more detailed information about who he was but it also gives you closure. I think this closure will help in any possible future books with Findley's job.

This mystery was also a different one which actually became kind of difficult to follow. In the end, some might say that no justice was had, but I disagree... sometimes the best justice is revenge served cold. I enjoy the way that the author has written Findley's thought process throughout the whole book. It is so perfect that way so that every little detail is put together for you to follow along with the thought process of the mystery.

I do think that at some points in this book, it is very dry or slow and not much use to the story in my opinion. It is just more of thought rambling through the characters head.

4.5 stars.

Love this series now! Really enjoyed the continuation of Finley’s story. This one had my attention even more than the first one in the series - so it definitely will be one I continue reading, especially because I need to know more about Finley’s story!

This is the second in the Finley O'Sullivan series (trilogy?). It is a quick paced thriller that is an easy read.

You do not need to have read the first in the series to understand this novel, but there are some small background information that will help the overall understanding. Finley tends to take unrealistic actions and seems to face no consequences for it. The MC is flawed but in an understanding, and relatable way. It seems as though every character has their own secrets that are revealed as the novel progresses. The MCs relationship with her mother, Jack, and Matt are built upon, and the reader finds themself routing for her to make the best of each one. The twist at the end makes the reader wonder how the MC got away with some of the things she did.

I want to thank Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC.

It's just so-so for me. My biggest problem is that, I haven't read the first book in this series, and apparently this is not really a stand-alone.

Why I said not really stand alone?
Cause, The cases between the first book and the second book are unrelated; however, in order to fully understand our main character's background (Finley), you have to read the first book. Since I haven't read it, I am a bit puzzled and cannot grasp fully to the story itself.

So, dear other reader, if you want to read this book, please read it in order. I received this second book as an ARC, so that's why I haven't read the first one. I didn't even know at the first place this was a series.

For now, I will stick with 3 stars, but in the future, I will read the entire book of the series (1-3), and who knows, I will change my rating.

HERE'S MY MOOD WHEN I READ THIS BOOK;
#{1%-10% }
>Ow, I was so engrossed in this book. I love the way the author starts this story. (Here is the thing that you need to know about me: I don't like to read crime/mystery/thriller fiction when I need to read at least more than 50% of the book just to get to the synopsis.)

#{11%-30%}
>I start to lose my enthusiasm, and slowly I get bored. (Started to think, "Shall I just DNF it?")

#{30%-60%}
>I fucked up 😵‍💫(during this part, my mind went blank, and I had to <s>force</s> motivate myself to finish it)

#{61%-100%}
>Finally, I did it. I passed that dark time, and now things are getting interesting. But still, something is missing.

MY THOUGHTS:
•I do like this series, and I want to see how it ends. And what will happen to Finley and Matt? (Well, I shipped them🤓).
Btw, this book <b><u>is not</b></u> ended with a cliffhanger, but the story about Finley and Matt still continues until the third book, which is the last one.

•We have an Outrage's problem in this book like these:
1. "<b>Outrage</b> belted her, but she bit it back."

2. "Another bolt of <b>outrage</b> rushing through her, she flung the cushions from the sagging frame."

3. "Why? What had he been doing? Her <b>outrage</b> sparked."

4. "Some other emotion she refused to name kicked the <b>outrage</b> aside."

5. "<b>outrage</b> simmered inside her."

6. "<b>outrage</b> roared through Finley"

7. "But it wasn’t,” she argued, renewed <b>outrage</b> blasting through her."

8. "A new surge of <b>outrage</b> belted her."

To be honest, there's one more outrage, but I'll leave that out since that's not Finley's outrage😜. Can you see that?
Clearly she had an anger issue if she kept having outrages.

•Jarrod, our dead guy, reminds me of the guy from the Netflix documentary "The Tinder Swindler." It scarred me how a man like Jarrod actually exists in real life. And yes, they're aiming for smart, independent women. Love and affectation can fool someone.

•And the ending uhmmm... I'm 85% statisfied.
I love this part; this book teaches you to not be greedy. Because you could have ended up with nothing.

Favorite Quote:
"Never bite the hand that feeds you"

CREDIT:
Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer, for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Man, although this one started off strong, I really struggled to finish it; to the point where I found myself reading it before bedtime because I knew it would help me fall asleep. And while I hate saying that about any book, I especially hate saying it about a book written by an author that I normally enjoy a lot more.

I think part of the problem was that not only was the plot itself extremely slow going, but there was a lot of repetition when it came to every little detail. I also found the characters hard to empathize with, especially Finley. I get it, she was lied to by her ex and also traumatized by his murder, but the way that she was constantly thinking of that when she was supposed to be interviewing people eventually became more annoying than anything else.

I did enjoy the two different plot lines that ran parallel to one another and the way the ending came about in a way that I hadn't expected, I just wish this story had been edited more to decrease the repetition. I feel like had that been done, the story would have felt more on the edge of your seat and less, oh, we're still here?

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

Well, I think I have a new favourite author. This was an incredible story that had all the makings of a great thriller. I really loved the protagonist (Finley) and supporting characters (Matt & Jack), but I ended up also loving characters that I DIDNT expect to like, a result of incredible plot & character development by Webb. This was a complex mystery due to a lot of characters in and out of the story, so I did find myself confused at times (😂) but generally speaking, it was intricate and webbed in a way that still made sense. I cannot wait to read more in this series!

This is one intense series! We met Finley in the first book and found out how she has been put through the wringer. After losing her husband a year ago to a murder and being attacked herself, she quit her job as Assistant District Attorney to join her godfather Jack's law firm as an investigator. Finley is tough and very good at her job as she was as an ADA. Jack acquires an interesting new case that sends them on a twisty and windy course to find answers. This involves the murder of the husband of the owner of an all-women's financial firm, and she is the accused. On the side, Finley is watching two of the men who attacked her and killed her husband. In the first of this series, one of the men is killed. Two are left. I really like Finley, although I feel her life is depressing and she relies on alcohol too much, but she lives a depressing life. I like Jack, her father, and her best friend Matt. I am pulling for them to get together. Her mother, the Judge, is pretty intense and daughter and mother are too much alike to get along. This is a four-star read with a five-star ending that I really enjoyed. Lots of surprises and resolutions. I am hoping that there will be another story for Finley and what is coming next in her life.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts and opinions.

Wow! I've been glued to this book for the past two days, not able to put it down. This is the second book in the Finley O'Sullivan series and it can be read as a standalone.

Finley is recovering from a devastating tragedy that upended her life in many ways. She's working as an investigator for a defense attorney while attempting to find out who murdered her husband. Currently working on a case involving the murder of a man with a dubious background, she's also involved with off-the-books activities in her own investigation. She's compelled to follow a certain course of action with regard to her past, and struggles with it at the same time. But she can't stop. I really liked this part of her character. She's driven by her demons and knows it's going to get her in trouble (or dead) and she does it anyway.

The murder mystery is thoughtfully crafted and presented. I liked how the details were revealed a little at a time as Finley investigates. There were a few times I held my breath as things became serious as a result of Finley's actions.

I loved everything about this book. The characters are interesting and easy to connect with, even the slightly-creepy Ellen Winthrop. There's plenty of emotional content here too -- it's not just all investigation. Finley's struggles in her professional and private life are moving and thought provoking. And I wanted more of the cast of supporting characters.

Overall, I liked the characters and their journey, the well-crafted murder mystery, and the page-turning pace of this story. Left me wanting more of Finley O'Sullivan.

This is the second book in the Finley O'Sullivan series, and it is even better than the first! I listened to the first book in the series - The Last Lie Told. It gave a lot of background on Finley, all of the major charaters in her world, as well as great thriller/mystery. I highly recommend reading the first book before this one. Also, I really like the audiobook narrator of this series!

Finley works as an invetigator for one of the best criminal defense attorneys in Nashville, Jack Finnegan. She is an invaluable member of his team. This time around they are defending a wife whose husband is murdered. Their goal is to eliminate her as a suspect in the eyes of the police. The wife, Ellen Winthrop, is a very successful and well-connected businesswoman. But as Finley begins her investigation, all is not how it seems. What follows is a story full of twists and turns that lead Finley on a chase to find the truth. She is also continuing to deal with the murder of her own husband, and all of the questions that were left unanswered.

I absolutely adore Finley. She is smart, savvy, and she never takes no for an answer. Her life outside work is also fascinating. She has issues with her Mom, a high profile judge, a wonderful relationship with her father, and then there's her best friend Matt. I really want to learn more about him. Finley's relationship with her boss Jack is also very interesting. I love their conversations, and how they bounce ideas off of one another. Finley is very good at her job and she thrives on finding new clues and putting all of the pieces together. Her trauma is also very real, and the author handles it with great care. I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the advanced reader copy of this book! I am new to Debra Webb's books, and I love finding authors who are new to me. If you love a good mystery/thiller with a real human touch to it, pick up this series!

A story full of secrets and some worth killing for. Love the twist and the ending. Definitely love the cover especially the title which really suits the story.

With her husband's death and betrayal, Finley lost everything. She now works for her uncle as an investigator and her latest case comes really close to home in more ways than one.  Get ready for a roller coaster ride of secrets, lies and betrayals. 
A man is murdered after he and his wife had words about his embezzling money from her. It seems that's not his only crime, he was also having an extra marital affair. Is this a crime of passion that is being covered up by hiring one of the best defense attorneys in town.
Of course, the wife a prominent businesswoman pleads innocent, but the more Finley investigates the more it becomes likely that their client might in fact be guilty of murder. In the course of her investigation, Finley also uncovers her own family secrets and more information about her own murdered husband.
The story is well told with a new twist around every corner that will keep readers panting to keep up. The suspense is masterful, and the truth will floor you. 
Excellent story, I highly recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a free digital version of The Nature of Secrets by Debra Webb for an honest review. Finley O'Sullivan, a legal investigator, works to protect the firm's clients and defend their innocence. Her new client, the wealthy Ellen Winthrop's, husband ends up murdered in the Winthrop house. Can Finley keep her from being charged with murder while dealing with the murder of her own husband? Plus, the men that murdered him are still following Finley and the more Finley digs the more she finds Ellen's story has holes. I really enjoyed this story. It was very exciting and kept me turning pages. I'd never read a book by Debra Webb and I loved it! Will definitely be picking up another one!

Fast Pace!

This book has it all: people with money, murder, embezzlement, all clues point to the wife but there are many other suspects to review.

This was a page turner in every sense of the word.

This was book 2 of a series (wish I had known that first) but it can standalone. This book does reference things from book 1 to give you a better understanding of the character in this book (still will probably ready to get his background story).

This one will keep you guessing until the end.

GO BUY READ

So I wish I knew this was the second book in the series before reading it lol BUT you don't necessarily have to read the first one because this one speaks of what happened in the first one.

Finley is a private investigator whose firm is hired by mega millionaire Ellen Winthrop to represent her in the murder case of her husband. Ellen's husband was not only brutally murdered with a weapon only Ellen had access to, but it was also revealed that he was embezzling money from Ellen (MILLIONS of dollars).
As Finley continues her investigation, she begins to doubt Ellen's innocence.

I gave this book 3 stars because it a bit slow in some parts, and other parts dragged on for no reason. The book could've wrapped sooner than it did, but I did appreciate Finley and Ellen's characters. Reading this felt like 2 stories in 1 because Finley is investigating Ellen, but also trying to find out why her own husband was murdered.
I did like the ending because it wrapped everything up very smoothly and the book was written very well.

I will definitely read the third book to see how Finley's story wraps up and catch up on the first too! Overall, it was a good read so I'll definitely continue the series.

The Nature of Secrets, by Debra Webb, is a very well-written mystery-thriller and the second entry in the Finley O’Sullivan series. Once again, I confess that I did not know this was part of a series, and I hope I will backtrack to the first novel to get a better feel for the main character. Although this story is presumably built on the foundation of the first book, it is so carefully constructed that I did not feel lost among the complex and compelling network of characters engaged with a very complicated plot. The novel is unusual in that it focuses on the defense investigation of the presumptive suspect before she is charged. It also forces the reader to consider a provocative issue that underlies much of our current news. To what extent do justice and law overlap or deviate from each other? To which do we owe loyalty and when? This was an entertaining quick read with unexpected depth. With a proviso that you will be better served starting with the first book in the series, I heartily recommend the second. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity to read a digital ARC.

Webb does not disappoint. This is probably my favorite of her series; I really love Finley. I am curious to see where Webb goes with the next Finley O’Sullivan story.

This was a complex and very intriguing mystery. I had to really pay attention, but it was so well worth the effort and I can’t wait for the next book. Former Assistant District Attorney Finley O’Sullivan is working as an investigator for one of her favorite attorneys and godfather. She is still recovering from her attack and her husband’s murder the previous year. She knows who is responsible and she will take them down. The first man is dead, but there are still two more, make that three more to go. She knows the men are watching her as she is watching them. The firm is hired to defend Ellen Winthrop, a woman who is accused of murdering her husband. The husband had stolen several million dollars from her accounts and was cheating on her. Ellen is the driving force of a tight knit group that worked with her to start her financial business and she trusts them implicitly, or does she? Finley interviews the many people involved in Ellen’s life while piecing together what she learns, but will this lead her to the killer? I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

Finished ✔️ The Nature of Secrets by Debra Webb

4 ⭐️’s
Kindle Unlimited: Yes and listen
Thrilling
Well connected woman who stands accused of her husbands murder
Brilliantly written and excused story
Enjoyed the characters a lot
Kind of felt like an Law & Order episode
Yes, I’d recommend

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A 4.5 stars read for me. I read some of this author books before and I always love and enjoy it, so I was expecting a lot with this one and I'm glad that I enjoy this one too, although I didn't know that this is book 2 of a series, but I didn't feel like I missed something, so this one can definitely read as standalone.

What I like:
- The mystery. Everyone's lying and all have their own secrets and I love that, it's intriguing and a page-turner, it's just like I can't trus anybody.
- The suspense. That last few chapters is wow and I love those "OMG something bad will happen" feelings this book brings.
- Multi POV. Mostly from Legal investigator Finley O’Sullivan, but the multi pov really upped the mystery, it keeps me guessing, it keeps me wondering what that character will do next, "is this character the murderer?", "why she did that?", "is he involved?", "is she/he a good person or not?"
- All the feelings, at some point I got teary, frustrated with what really happening.
- Finley O’Sullivan, I admire this strong amazing woman, after all she's been through she's come back stronger, not an easy journey but still amazing, I just root for her and love her journey to heal.

What I don't like: it's a bit slow at the beginning

Recommended: yes, if you're looking for crime mystery thriller read with amazing heroine. You definitely need to check this one out.