When Ellen Winthrop discovered her brutally murdered husband’s body in their home in Nashville, she became the police’s number one suspect despite her seemingly water tight alibi.

Ellen had only been married to her husband Jarrod Grady for two months, but had recently discovered that not only had he been cheating on her, but had also siphoned millions of dollars out of her accounts. Ellen is a successful business woman who, in a rags-to-riches story, founded a highly successful Fortune 500 company, Winthrop Financial Consulting Group. All her employees are women who she has carefully hand-picked and nurtured, considering them her friends and equal partners. Consequently, they are extremely loyal and will do anything for her.

To protect herself from a murder charge, Ellen hired legal investigative service, the Finnegan Firm, founded by criminal lawyer Jack Finnegan. It would be the Firm’s job to discover any evidence the police and the DA’s office could use against her. Jack’s investigator (and goddaughter) Finley O’Sullivan previously worked in the DAs office so knows exactly what they will be looking for. In a strange parallel coincidence Finley’s husband Derrick was murdered 12 months ago and she has recently discovered he was keeping secrets from her. During the attack Finley was almost killed herself and determined to get her revenge, she now keeps track of the three thugs who carried out the attack, as well as the man she is sure sent them.

Finley delves deep into the Ellen’s marriage, her finances and her colleagues and she feels something is not ringing true but it’s hard to put her finger on what it is. The deeper she digs the more she finds out that Jarrod is not who he seems to be. She often puts herself in the path of trouble, particularly in her own investigation of the attack that killed her husband, Derrick, and is lucky to have Jack and her best friend Matt Quinn to watch her back. Matt worked as a liason between the chief of police, the DAs office and the mayor and had been her stalwart since Derrick’s death.

Although this is the second book in the series, it reads well as a stand-alone novel with plenty of Finley’s backstory included. Finley is a strong, resilient women with a talent for investigation, particularly good at spotting lies and nosing out everyone’s deepest secrets. The novel is a compelling read, fast paced with plenty of intrigue and suspense and finishing with a lovely final twist that leaves Finley in a better place.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and I really enjoyed it. The characters were very interesting and I enjoyed the story line. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books. Highly recommend.

There are a lot of reviews that sound like a summary of the story line. After reading the ARC I would like to recommend this newest set about Finley and Co. Book 1 introduced us and book 2 further developed the plot and characters. The author once again displays her mastery of the written word. I always enjoy the carefully introduced groundwork, the slowly developing characters, the subtle action that holds the readers' interest, the innuendo that suggests something is going on.... I own a lot of this author's books and I reread them. If you aren't familiar with this author start anywhere and be prepared to want the rest

This is the second book in the Finley O'Sullivan series. As Finley tries to prove that a popular business woman in Nashville didn't kill her husband, she is haunted by her own husband's murder and the similarities of them. As the twists and turns of this book leave you feeling like being on a rollercoaster of the best kind, you will get the answers that you have waited for. This is another fast paced, page turner by one of the best, Ms. Webb. I can't wait until the next one.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This was not what I was thinking or hoping it would be. Not saying it was a bad story, the author did a good job paralleling the stories of the client and the main character. The pacing was okay. It might have been a little slow in some areas, but it worked for this story.

The main character is Finley O’Sullivan, a legal investigator. As a reader, I did not connect with this character as much as I wanted to. I felt she was a little flat and could have developed a little more. This maybe because this is going to be a trilogy, or a series and the author plans on developing more throughout. What I did like was reading how Finley talked out loud to herself and her employer about the research she found and how it could fit within the client’s case.

The rest of the cast members were okay. Each one held their own and helped move both plots forward. This is where reading book one would have come in handy, as there were some crossing-over to this one and I could not connect with the reactions, because they meant little to me as a reader.

The story was interesting enough to hold my attention. But I feel like it needed some clarification on which plot was the main and which was the sub. This is book two, but it can be read as a standalone. I have not read book one but will go back because there are some twists that might have made sense if I had read it.

If you like crime, thriller, mystery, and suspense, I recommend reading this.

Finley O'Sullivan is Amazing Character, she's strong, independent, and full of secrets . Secrets stemming from the first book, she's still dealing with the tragedy ,loss and betrayal of her late husband. While on a mission to right the many wrongs from that year, she is also trying to defend a woman who is accused of killing her husband, a woman with many secrets of her own .This is a Thrilling suspense that will keep you turning the pages .

The Nature of Secrets
by Debra Webb
4 stars

Ellen Winthrop is a wealthy woman who discovered her husband has been stealing her money. After coming home and finding him dead, she hires Jake and Finley to defend her. Finley is all about finding everything she can on a client and as she gets deeper into Ellen's case, she uncovers a bunch of secrets. Finley is still dealing with a lot after her husband's death, but she is bound and determined to watch each of the men that killed her husband die, she wants revenge.

This was fast-paced and had a lot of information, also need to pay attention as it's not only Finley's POV. I love Finley and how true her character is she breaks down, but she keeps pushing forward sometimes with the help of people around her. I did get a little lost at times trying to figure out who was who since I wasn't paying attention at one point, oops. If you love Whodunnit books this is right up your alley it will keep you on your toes.

Thank you, Net Galley and Thomas and Mercer for the eARC for an honest review.

The Nature of Secrets is the second installment in the Finley O'Sullivan series and while there were a lot of loose ends tied up from The Last Lie Told, I thought there was just a little too much going on to be able to fully enjoy Finley's current adventures.

Finley is an investigator for her uncle Jack and the firm is asked to take on the defense of Ellen Winthrop in the murder of her husband. At the same time, she continues to investigate the murder of her husband, Derrick and the secrets surrounding his murder.

The story ends on a positive note for Finley, her future career aspirations and relationships both familial and romantic. I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to provide my honest feedback.

Thank you to the author, Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second in a series, and the first book I've read by this author. This fast-paced mystery with a tinge of police procedural has a strong female character at its center. As most strong characters do, she has a blind spot - and in the protagonist's case, an imperviousness to volatile and dangerous situations (that the author manages to mostly credibly get her out of). The two strands of the story don't intersect as such, but are both cast from the same mold and are both resolved in quite a satisfactory manner at the end of the book. Some of the plot dragged a bit, some was fairly implausible, but on the whole it was well-rounded and had depth. Although I had no problem reading this as a stand-alone, reading the first in the series would be a good idea to get the full backstory.

The second installment of the Finley O'Sullivan series brings us a new murder mystery to solve. Ellen Winthrop is a woman of means. A woman in the financial world that is dominated by men. Runs a company with women and for women that is accused of killing her husband. He was found in their mansion, dead. Jack, Finley's godfather who she works for, takes the case. Ellen believes only Finley can find the real killer. Each new clue brings Finley closer to thinking maybe Ellen did do it. Finley is still trying to figure out the murder of her own husband and why she is being followed. The twists and turns that bring Finley closer to finding the truth always seem to bring her trouble, but she is unrelenting.
Debra Webb knows how to write a story that grips you from the very first line. She takes you on the investigation along with the Finley and the clues that bring her closer to the truth of what really happened the night her husband was murdered. She keeps you coming back for more with each and every book. I can't wait for the third installment in the series. I highly recommend this book and any book written by this author. She knows how to draw you in with every page. You can read this one as a stand- alone, but I enjoy following the series in order. Thank you Debra Webb for another AWESOME series I never want to put down!


#NETGALLEY
#THOMAS&MERCER
#THENATUREOFSECRETS

Happy Pub Day! Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.  I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
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This book follows Finley Sullivan, an investigator at a Law firm, she was previously an ADA, but she's taking a break because of her murdered husband.
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Finley was an amazing character and I was rooting for her throughout the book, she literally saw her husband being murdered and was also raped. So, I was happy that she was able to face her trauma and let go of the pain.
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I really love legal Thrillers so I was eager to read this and I was in disappointed, I loved about the author was clear about differences between LAW and JUSTICE because they're two different things.
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I loved the suspense and mystery, it had a twist I did not see coming. I also loved the characters especially Ellie Winthrop, I misjudged her and I'm happy I was wrong.
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I also loved that Finley was able to get closure on what happened to Derrick.
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I hope that this book is the first in a series because I want more and more of Finley Sullivan. You should read this ASAP

The Nature of Secrets is the second book in The Finley O’Sullivan Series by Debra Webb. Ms. Webb is a master at storytelling and she does not disappoint with this one! She gives us a fast paced mystery thriller that will take you on a roller coaster ride of twist and turns and many secrets. The characters are strong and well developed yet flawed. Ms. Webb gives another intriguing story with a compelling plot. This one also adds a little more besides a murder mystery thriller, she adds some family drama, unforeseen loss, some forgiveness and starting over. Questions are answered and she gives us some closure, but always leaves it open for the next book!!! I am so looking forward to it!!

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Debra Webb for another satisfying story to read and review. The opinions expressed are my own.
#netgalley #thomasandmercer #thenatureofsecrets. #debrawebb. #arc

The Nature of Secrets by Debra Webb is the second book in the Finley O’Sullivan series and in this book Finley is faced with some more of the truths about her husband’s death while her and Jack are working on a case where a very well off woman in the financial world is accused of killing her husband. In this case it iJack and Finley’s job to keep her out of prison and try to find out what really happened when their client seems to be keeping a lot of things from them.
I really enjoyed this book because so much came out about what was really going on with Finley’s husband when he died and maybe she will be able to get some closure and move on with her life. I can’t wait to see where Webb takes this series and the characters next.
The Nature of Secrets gets five out of five stars from me.

The second book in the Finley O'Sullivan series and the main character is still a bit lost and trying to deal with her husband's murder and her own rape. When the attorney she is working for is hired to represent a wealthy woman suspected of murdering her new husband, some of what Finley finds feels too close to her own situation. It was nice the way this book was able to use both situations to compare and contrast and help Finley make her way through both crimes. At times I also wondered how long we were going to have to wait for Finley and Jack to learn and/or disclose their own personal mysteries. I was happy to see some resolution since so many series seem to drag that out to the point of annoyance. I will say, there was a hint as to where the 3rd book in the series is going and I hope it was wrong. I like this Finley. But, I am looking forward to reading it to find out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
This book is the second one in the Finley O'Sullivan series. In it, Finley deals with the aftermath of her husband's lies and murder while she is hired to represent Ellen Winthrop, who is accused of murdering her husband.
The pacing was fairly slow in the beginning and middle of the book and only picked up in the last quarter of the story.
Having particularly enjoyed the first book, I will definitely continue with this series.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer! exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer!

Finley is a smart strong woman but everyone has their limits. This is the second book in a series but the first book I read. I will definitely be reading the rest of the series and anything else Debra Webb writes! This book kept me up late into the night reading. Finley is an amazing character and extremely relatable. She is dealing with a tragedy from her past while investigating a current crime where her friend Jack is the defense attorney for the prime suspect. Finley is working with Jack to uncover things about the prime suspect before the police do.

This is one of the best book I’ve read in awhile. It has crime, emotions, family, close friends, heartbreak, strength and so much more! If you love a story with a strong female protagonist who fights for what she believes, you will enjoy this book!

I rode the struggle bus with this book! First and foremost, I adore Finley O'Sullivan. She is stubborn and careless at times, but she has such a big heart.
The pace of this book was just too slow for me. Everything felt overly predictable and drawn out. I like watching Finley work out everyone's secrets and it was wonderful to get closure on her husband's murder. I think if it had been 50-60 pages shorter I would have enjoyed it more.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced copy of The Nature of Secrets. I received an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review, all opinions are my own.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

This story wll have you picking it up and not quitting until you have finished it.

Finley whose husband was killed and who also had to go into rehab after the murder, has been watching the three individuals who were involved for awhile. One of this has already died, so there are only two remaining. Finley who was an ADA previously is now working as an investigator in a law office. She has just gotten a new case and it has similarities to her husband's murder. The client also had her husband die and she has hired the law firm to represent her since she is the most likely suspect. Finley's job is to discover what information which might be an issue if the police discovered it. Information for Ellen, the client, was had to come by. All she could find related to the later years.

As Finley is searching, she is also looking into Derrick, her dead husband, and found that what she believed was wrong. This was also the situation with Ellen's husband. As she got closer to finding the truth people around her were getting injured.

The conclusion will answer all questions that relate to Jarrod, Ellen's husband as well as give Finley closure regarding Derrick. This definitely a book you must read.

The Nature of Secrets by Debra Webb is a highly recommended investigative thriller and the sequel to The Last Lie Told (2022).

Finley O’Sullivan is a legal investigator for her friend and mentor, attorney Jack Finnegan. She is still recovering from her husband's murder a year ago, which caused her to leave the district attorney's office. Their new client is wealthy businesswoman Ellen Winthrop. She is the head of a financial consulting firm in Nashville, Tennessee. Ellen is accused of killing her new and much younger husband, Jarrod Grady. Ellen had recently discovered her husband had wiped out her bank accounts, which is a clear motive for killing him in their home. The murder weapon was a titanium hammer which was given to Ellen from a friend to mark her breaking into the Fortune 500, so naturally she is the main suspect. It is Finley's job to learn everything about Ellen so the firm can defend and protect her

This complex and engrossing investigative thriller is a sequel to 2022’s The Last Lie Told. There are plenty of secrets people are holding and they aren't all cooperating as much with Finley's investigation. At the same time, Finley is still trying to uncover information about her husband's murder. She knows he was lying to her, but she needs closure to move on. The Nature of Secrets is an intricate, fast-paced thriller that will grab your attention and will hold it throughout. You will root for all the many secrets to be exposed and see the light of day.

The main characters, especially Finley, are flawed, but fully realized. Finley is a wonderful, tenacious character that should appeal to most readers. This holds up as a stand-alone, but reading the first novel will likely provide more background and additional information about the characters and especially Finley's ongoing investigation into her husband's murder. The ending ties up all sorts of loose ends and provides closure.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Edelweiss, Google Books, and Amazon.

The Nature of Secrets, by Debra Webb, is the 2nd book in the fast paced legal suspense, featuring Finley O’Sullivan. I really enjoy this series and getting to know the main character, as well as her friends & family.
Finley O’Sullivan's had a terrible time of it ever since her husband was murdered recently. Keeping busy, working as a legal investigator, helps keep her mind off of the tragedy. But the firms latest client is giving her all kinds of bad vibes.
Ellen Winthrop's life's work is to empower women. So far, she's been very successful, as well as helping others at being successful, in the financial market. Unfortunately, she's been under investigation ever since her husband was murdered in her home.
The more Finley discovers, the less sure she is in Ellen's innocence.