Ben is on the case again looking for the truth surrounding a 30 year old murder. Madness. And mayhem ensues! Great read. Thank you for allowing me to preview this book.

Thirty years ago, my mother was found murdered. I remember holding my teddy bear close, listening as the police told my father they couldn’t find her killer. She was only two miles from home when she was brutally attacked and left for dead in her car by the forest-lined highway. They said they interviewed everyone in our small town, but no one saw a thing… Every year, on the anniversary of her death, I dive back into the case, hoping to uncover something new. But this year, I receive a note that turns my blood to ice: Stop asking questions while you still can. Don’t make the same mistake as your mother! Great book and series! This book had great suspense, mystery, murder, dark family secrets, intrigue, fantastic characters, and a few crazy twists! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book and series! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I love this series featuring investigative journalist Ben Harper. Nine Hidden Lives was another very twisty page turner that kept me reading late into the night. I feel that we have really gotten to know Ben well through the 4 books so far, he would be who I would ask for help if ai needed it.

This time Ben is working on a 39 year old cold case, of his friend and colleague Alaka Jha, who was murdered. Nobody has ever been caught,, and her daughter still wants answers. Uma ask Ben for help and the pair find themselves in plenty of danger trying to solve the mystery. While Ben is doing all of this, his girlfriend Dani is waiting to give birth to their child.

There is never a dull moment in these books, with something happening all the time. There are a lot of characters and side stories going on but I never feel confused. I loved Pamela being back and having a bigger part in this story. She does make me laugh. It was very clever how this story unfolded and came together, a brilliant crime book.

Thanks so much to Bookouture on NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. Published on April 10th.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the ARC. I really enjoyed the plot of the story and found the characters enjoyable and engaging. I was immediately drawn into the story from the beginning and found myself trying to guess what would happen next. There wasn’t a dull moment. I will recommend this to other people who enjoy the genre.

Heavily pregnant Dani is on leave so Ben needs to work deal with a new detective while working on a 30 year old story that turns into a threat in the present as someone wants to keep it in the past. We see some flashbacks and memories from the older characters, some a little confusing on the timeline and who is who as they are all quite similar. Over the book, the themes start to weave but you still get some twists on who is responsible and how they are involved.

Overall, a good read. Starts with catching up with a lot of characters from the previous books but soon gets into the actual crimes and following up on Alaka's murder.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the advance copy for review.

Journalist Ben Harper writes an article about a journalist Alaka Jha, who was killed decades ago and her daughter, Uma, who refuses to give up the case. Little do they know, but the article and Uma’s continued search for truth bring her closer to danger than either ever imagined.

The plot is engaging and quite intricate, with several characters and subplots that you think are separate but turn out to involve each other in surprising ways. His partner, Dani, is heavily pregnant and expecting to give birth any day. His mentor, Sam, is in touch daily because he used to work with Alaka and wants to help in any way he can with solving that case. Ben’s widowed friend, Pamela, is a patient of Uma’s and makes friends with another elderly women who met with Alaka all those years ago, also hoping to help with the case. And then there’s the woman Uma assisted with rehabilitation who keeps showing up in the worst ways. Whew!

It may seem a bit overwhelming, but most readers should be able to follow the different sets of people and activity, but you have to pay attention. Even the most insignificant mention might be more important than you think! I was saddened to learn in the acknowledgements that this will be the last in the series (I hope that’s not a spoiler). But I do think it ended in quite a satisfactory way. I was definitely tearing up at the conclusion – a perfect ending.

Another awesome Ben Harper book with lots of twists and turns and a cute little present at the end! Love it!

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