Once again, Robert Gold did not disappoint! Ten Seconds let me continue to follow Ben and Dani’s story as they unraveled their personal and professional situations. I already liked the characters I had “met” in the previous books and enjoyed learning more about their lives. And once again, the building suspense left me with clues, yet left me guessing until the last piece of the puzzle fell into place! I’m looking forward to see what Nine ?? will be!

I have such mixed feelings about this story. I think it is the best of the series, but the story moves so slow I have a hard time staying engaged with it. The characters are great, the plot is interesting, but the pacing is so slow for me. When there is action/suspense that part moves quickly, but the rest does not. Don't let me dissuade you from reading this book if the blurb sounds interesting to you. This just isn't one for me. It happens.

I really liked the first book in this series, the second was just ok as it seemed so very similar to the first but with less action… so I was hesitant to jump into the 3rd. I was so happy I did. This one was back to being a unique story and a great one at that. I love the characters and this one was full of suspense and twists and turns. It moved at a fast pace and was fun to read. Five stars my fave of the 3

Complex and addictive - this one is relentless! Secrets and sins of the past affecting everyone, love lost and found, neglect, obsession, and revenge - all weave together unravelling everyone, while tying some together. Some intense emotional moments really hit in this one. Not to be missed - a must for all mystery fans.

Excellent thriller. Ben and Dani are quickly becoming my new favorite duo! I can't wait to read more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I'd read a couple of 'heavier' books in a row and needed to get back to some good ol' crime fiction, so opened my copy of Ten Seconds by Robert Gold. I'm sure I've also requested a print copy as it's a series I started collecting - though I should clarify this is only the third in the series (rather than the tenth). Just to confuse readers Gold started with Twelve Secrets, before moving onto Eleven Liars. Kinda like a Twelve Days of Christmas. 'Cept backwards. Either way I'm really enjoying this series featuring online news investigative journalist Ben Harper.

This book opens with a bang as Ben's boss Madeline gets kidnapped while leaving her father's birthday dinner. Sam's an old school newspaper man but very much respects his daughter's creation of the UK's leading online news website.

Ben and Sam are able to trace who's responsible for her kidnapping fairly quickly as it's a murderer Madeline helped put behind bars thirteen years earlier. He's recently been released from jail, but before they can track him down or find Madeline his body turns up.

Another key player in this series is cop Dani Cash who's married to another cop injured on duty. They're still together, though the marriage is over and romance has been brewing between Dani and Ben. (And I'd forgotten that from the previous book.)

We spend a lot of time with one of Dani's boss's here as well. Though Dani's not close to Detective Sergeant Lesley Barnsdale there are glimpses that that relationship might be strengthened by the mutual respect garnered here and the fact Dani sees a (human) side of her boss she's not seen before.

The murder of the kidnapper brings Dani and Barnsdale into contact with Ben who happily shares his own research into the original murder that put him behind bars.

Gold revisits the old case to understand why someone would want to kill the perpetrator when he's already done his time, quickly ruling out revenge for the original victim. The obvious assumption being he had long-kept secrets he could reveal, causing problems for someone in the present.

I enjoyed this though I wasn't sure we needed Dani's background investigation into a series of break-ins as it detracted from the main storyline a little. There were also some extraneous characters (from previous books) who muddied the waters a little for me here - namely the child of one of the women who killed Ben's brother and the woman with whom he'd been involved. Of course it may only be me who finds books with too many characters to be confusing... so others might like the additional colour.

I'm assuming Gold has a story arc in his head that will span twelve books in this series and I like Ben, Dani, Sam and Madeline so keen to see where he takes them next.

Ten Seconds is the third book in the Ben Harper series. Can this series be read as a standalone? I don’t recommend doing that. Read the books in order. There is so much backstory to the main character, Ben Harper, you need to know about.
I do have to say I struggled reading Ten Seconds. Why? I am really not sure. I think it was the pacing of the story that had me struggling a bit.
Definitely the author still delivers a gripping, suspenseful and terrific plot in Ten Seconds.

Another in the Ben Harper series. Ben's boss Madeline is kidnapped, seemingly related to a story she wrote years earlier. I liked this less than the rest of the series. I think the first book was the best and the series has been less enjoyable with each book. 3 stars.

Note: Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and author Robert Gold for the advanced reader copy of this book. What follows is my unbiased review of the book.

This is the third in a series centered around the character of Ben Harper. Ben is a journalist in Haddley, a neighborhood in London, who is now working for an online site. His boss and close friend, Madeline Wilson, invited Ben and Madeline's father, Sam, to celebrate her birthday at a favorite restaurant. Ben sees Madeline leave the restaurant and get into her car, and that's the last he sees of her.

There's a lot going on in Ten Seconds. Although the focus is on Madeline's disappearance, there are other stories at play that are linked back to the two previous books. Robert Gold does a decent job recounting some events, but the problem is that some of the tangents seem unnecessary. They are conclusions of other stories that have no real bearing on events here, and there is plenty going on without it. If you've read the other books and want to keep up with the characters and stories, I can understand. Coming from a place of not having read those books, it's just a distraction.

Being a publisher, Madeline has made enemies. Ben receives a message demanding two million pounds, and no police involvement, which puts him in an awkward position. Ben and Sam soon link her disappearance and the mysterious message to a murder twelve years earlier, which Madeline used her power as a journalist to push the police to solve. Ben's sort of girlfriend is Dani Cash, an investigator with the Haddley Police Department. He and Sam investigate on their own, while Dani and the rest of the Haddley Police chase after a burglar who has been targeting women alone in their homes, along with several other crimes.

The story is told from various perspectives, including flashbacks to the youth of one of the characters. I knew who it was fairly early on, and guessed some of what was going to happen. It gives a lot of background that doesn't really come together until the end of the book. The chapters don't indicate whether it's a first-person point of view or a third-person, so at times I found the beginning of a new chapter confusing until I read a page or so.

The mystery was good, with a lot of twists and turns that I didn't always see coming. I had a hard time getting into the story due to the tangents, but once it grabbed me, I couldn't put it down. It's more the town of Haddley that's the focus here, between the police department, the celebrity chef and his restaurant, the break-ins, the grade school, and the murder on the nearby bridge. There are many things happening that do tie together at the end. I liked the characters, and might have enjoyed this book more had I read the first two in the series before this one. Ben seems to want the relationship with Dani but doesn't want to do the work it requires. His demand seems to be that she has to adjust her being a police officer to suit his life as an investigative reporter. I don't know what's gone on before with them, it's just how it feels here.

I liked Ten Seconds, but it wasn't an easy read, largely due to the structure and ongoing stories from the previous books in the series. I could follow it, but it was hard to know what was important to the story in this book versus what had happened in the past. I rounded the 3 1/2 star rating up to 4 stars since I was feeling generous.

It feels like quite some time ago since I read the first two books in this series (and I loved them) so I was thrilled to get my hands on this third book; Ten Seconds. This book was fast paced, thrilling and full of twists, turns and mis-direction. It certainly kept me on my toes and was the epitome of a "just one more chapter" book.

I have loved Ben Harper in the previous books and continued to do so in this one. This story wasn't as centred around him, but he still played a large role in unravelling the crimes. I did grow a particular soft spot for DS Barnsdale. Not only was she a great detective; meticulous and dedicated but she had a kind and vulnerable side that was shown through her personal life. She had sacrificed any kind of personal relationship for her job and it was sweet to see her develop friendships and a romance.

This was such a quick read. The very short chapters made the book feel moreish and difficult to put down. I loved how multiple crimes and plot lines were in play and I was pushed into guessing how they would all eventually link together. Another great domestic thriller from Robert Gold and I sincerely hope that this isn't the last in this series.

Ten Seconds is book 3 in the Ben Harper series by Robert Gold.
Another intriguing crime thriller that had me hooked immediately.
The character development continues to be great, the way the characters from the other series are being woven through this series feels completely natural.

I think Twelve Secrets was my out of the three I read in this series. I enjoyed each of the endings but these books were not must reads, just ok! I wasn’t a fan of the main characters. But the storylines were good! Thanks!

Intense... that's the first word I can think of to describe the third book in Robert Gold's Ben Harper Series, Ten Seconds. Ben's boss, Madeleine, has been kidnapped, and as a writer, he does what he does best... ask questions. Ben feels this could be connected to a previous case that Madeleine had written about. It was a cloudy time for her when she wrote the piece, and she was even sued for libel. In addition to the police working the case - and Ben doesn't trust them to solve it - he keeps the focus on finding Madeleine. And the ending - hold onto your hat! I cannot wait for book 4!!! Yes, you can start with Book 3, but you will enjoy the series so much more if you start at the beginning. Thank you to Bookouture for an advanced reader of this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

WOW! If this isn't a book to brag about I don't know what is... I started it late last night. Never did I anticipate I would be closing the book at 1am left in complete shock... This book was insane! Loved book 3 the best so far

I didnt realise that this book was the 3rd in a series when I started reading but I found it was fine as a standalone but I would have liked to have read the first 2 books first to get comfortable with the characters.
The story was a good crime drama mystery clearly written, and I really liked the main character, Ben Harper, and will definitely be catching up on books 1 and 2 very soon.
The ending was unexpected, and I didn't see it coming at all.
A new author for me, and I'm very happy to have been introduced😊
thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

This book is intense and had me engaged from the start!
I encourage readers to read the series (5🌟) but this definitely can be read as a standalone book. The author does a fantastic job providing the background with each story. I loved how each one incorporated new and repeat characters. Just love Ben going so rogue in this one. OMG the ending crushed me (literally crying), it was a completely unexpected shock!!!!! This was definitely my favorite of the three and I cannot wait for #4!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Book #3 in the Ben Harper series. As an investigative journalist/blogger, Ben Harper has covered many explosive stories, exposing criminals and their actions in search of the truth, no story more explosive than that of his brother's murder and what he now knows was the murder of his mother too. In TEN SECONDS, the story moves as quickly as a hand of three card monte, every move of a card reveals something shocking. As Ben races to find his kidnapped boss, every door he opens points at another secret that must be exposed to bring her home safe. These characters are ALIVE, their actions and reactions are on point with the crimes they face. As their stories come free, you have to worry if there is anyone left to save. A GREAT read that has left me wondering what Robert Gold has in store for Ben Harper and the citizens of Haddley next.

This is the third book in the Author's Ben Harper series and can , in my opinion , be read as a standalone .

When Ben Harper's colleague , Madeleine , disappears he is soon on the hunt for her .
He is sure there is a connection to an old case of murder that set Madeleine up in her
career in journalism ............ a case that might hold clues to what is happening now .
There is an ongoing narrative running in the background that will help explain why
certain characters are acting the way the are and ties back into the kidnapping of Madeleine
The characters are well developed , although I found it difficult to like Madeleine at
times - which makes for an enjoyable , entertaining , fast paced read with twists and turns around
every corner
I look forward to reading more in the series in the future

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

Another great book in The Ben Harper Series focuses on his boss, Madeleine, who is kidnapped. She’s not my favorite character but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Ben is adamant that she was taken by someone she helped convict of murder two decades ago. It makes sense, as she committed serious libel and dared him to sue her when she accused him incessantly in her newspaper. No professional journalist would stake her career on a man’s guilt like that unless she knew more than she was saying. And of course, she did. She unwisely never considered that he or someone close to him would want revenge. Not trusting the police to find her, it’s up to Ben to hunt down her kidnapper before Madeleine pays the ultimate price.

There’s an alternate narrative as well, and it’s not revealed who that character is until well into the story, but you’ll probably have a guess at who it is. It’s a good backstory to help understand why certain characters act as they do and to tie into the current kidnapping case.

Nathan’s character is expanded on in this book, as he deals with the knowledge of who his birth parents are. He has trouble accepting his lineage and sudden exposure in the press, especially in social media. East doesn’t like the exposure either, but he’s quite a jerk about it, mostly with Will bearing the brunt of his husband’s tantrums. No wonder East and Madeleine are good friends, they’re both terrible!

Once again, the author closes out the story with a bang I certainly didn’t see coming. I can’t even say anything without spoiling it and that drives me nuts! But man, what a way to keep readers on their toes. He’s setting a high precedent though, so I’m expecting the next book to be just as packed with surprises and thrills!

Ten Seconds by Robert Gold is Book 3 in the series. It’s a very pulse-pounding crime thriller. The story unfolds from varying perspectives, but all come to a great conclusion. The author creates a compelling story that hooked me from page one and kept me invested in the characters and the outcome.

This installment focuses more on Madeleine, who is a whip-smart journalist. When she doesn’t come back to work after a particularly tense birthday dinner, Ben Harper, her friend and colleague, begins to panic.

Digging into her past, Ben discovers details of a chilling murder case twenty years ago that Madeleine launched into national headlines and put a man away for murder. As Ben presses her friends and contacts for more, a detail lets slip that explains everything: someone else was there the night the murder took place. Someone Madeleine may pay with her life to protect.

I really enjoy this author’s writing style, and I like these characters. There were some shocking and sad moments. I am looking forward to more in this series and seeing what is next for these characters.

#TenSeconds #NetGalley @bookouture