Secret Places

"Zoe’s book nook

I would like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful and lovely Anne Cater and Random Things Tours ( I would also like to apologise at how late this post has come out… excuse me I will go and lie in my box of shame) I would also like to say a huge thank you to Silverwood books publishing for allowing me access to read the digital copy of this intriguing book, I am always extremely grateful. A massive thank you also to the creative talent that is the author of this thrilling novel, Heather Peck thank you so much. What is this book all about? lets head over to the blurb and find out.

WE ALL HAVE SECRET PLACES – SOME IN THE WORLD, SOME IN OUR HEADS. PLACES WHERE WE CAN GO WHEN IT ALL GETS TOO MUCH. OR A PLACE WHERE WE HIDE THE UNTHINKABLE.

Goat farmer, cheese maker and weaver Tristan Smith is working on her North Yorkshire smallholding when a chance visit by archaeologists exposes a skeleton in an abandoned WW2 bunker. But it’s not a wartime casualty.

Tristan becomes involved in the search for the truth about her predecessors, as DI Greg Geldard follows a trail from North Yorkshire to the Norfolk Broards. He is seeking justice for a long dead victim; but another casualty is hunting for a new life and a safe place to start again.

Wow this held me enraptured and enthralled from the first (digital) page, I was hooked and engaged in this fascinating and intriguing story. One in which a lot of women sadly find in their daily lives a controlling and abusive relationship, regardless of gender, but in this case male. Instead what we find out is that the victim may not be who we think, and that the abuser has become the victim. We follow to begin with both Tristan and the detective Greg (and his team) in working out what the hell went wrong up in the farm house and who the skeleton and why and how did it end up in the bunker.

We then watch events unfold in North Yorkshire and whilst that is going on we also follow another character, who is experiencing for the first time freedom and finding out her who she is and what she can do with her liberation, but from what? and who?. I loved this wonderful, thrilling and intriguing book. The characters just jump out from the page and I can clearly see them walking around, breathing and laughing right now. This book isn’t just about death and murder its about all of those things but also the hidden undercurrents that do not show themselves when a death happens, until you find out from the person who witnessed said death or did it. This is about horrible amounts of abuse that are both psychological and physical to the point where to her closest family, The main character, becomes someone with whom they don’t recognise and also don’t get to see that much.

This could be seen in many homes across the world sadly with men who feel they need to control and bring down the people they should trust, love and support, but for some reason they need to feel empowered by making someone vulnerable, miserable and I guess like a barbie doll to ‘their’ needs. As we get to know the main character and how she manages to escape not one controlling and manipulative man but two, we feel so much for her and empathise and I am sure there are plenty of women who will also sympathise with her situation and how easy it can be to fall back on someone who can hide their true selves with a veneer of charm and yes that dreaded word niceness. My heart kept breaking and being mended and broken all over again, and I felt that whatever happens to her I hope she doesn’t get sent away. We, from, this book are fighting against two sides, one that urges a murder to be rectified and have justice for, but on another and more stronger side say no why should that man get more control over her life in his death she needs to feel at peace and safe, where she never had that before.

This is unique and fascinating novel that really delves deep into society’s murky depths of marriage, abuse and power and how if someone keeps poking a slumbering dragon, before too long that dragon will awake and smash or kill that abuser. I won’t go any further as I don’t want to spoil this book for you, but another thing I did love was the use of sailing and a dog who was my favourite character out of them all. Please go out and get this fabulous book, its unique and just so brilliant that I want more of DI Greg Geldard and his team, I also hope to see more of Tristan and her alpacas (yes you did see that lol).

Chopper crime books

Another great read to share with you. Domestic Violence is very much a pertinent and real issue in today’s society. Please do not assume this terrible subject matter only happens behind certain doors or closed curtains. It happens everywhere and in any environment, you would be surprised. If anyone is experiencing it speak up people can help you. Family dynamics are tough and they require a balance and compromise, but never control, manipulation or overpowerment. Heather has interwoven this terrible theme into the story with great skill. Not just another crime story!

I have never visited Norfolk or Yorkshire so having a guided tour around these areas does make me wonder whether a visit in the future is in order! I love it when writers do this.

The plotting for a first time novel was fantastic. The turn of events around a skeleton found in a farm house and what led it there are masterful. The protagonist guiding us through the story is yes another Detective, but an intriguing one and of course a good one. Greg Geldard is a brilliant name by the way. The other character lead, won’t give anything away is leading a different life elsewhere and you cannot help but read on to establish the links. It is very well planned and thought out. Great stuff.

I hope to be reading more Geldard stories in the future and of course with equally powerful subject matters. They are important and should not be shied away from.

Highly, highly recommended.

Bookworm 1346

I have to be honest with this book. It is quite a short read. Intriguing at the start. Around 60 pages in, I thought I had the novel all figured out and it was going to be a predictable detective novel! However, I was wrong and I must apologise for this. The author throws a great twist in the book! The book is told through multiple points of view and as most people are aware, I am a huge fan of this as it adds to the suspense and the book. Overall, a great book and I will look out for the rest of the series! 

@silverwood_books 

Featzreviews.com

Secret Places is a crime mystery, with a strong message below the surface. The author subtly highlights the effects domestic abuse has on not only the victim but also on the people around the victim. Heather Peck ends the book with contact information for any reader who may find themselves in a similar situation and requires help – this was a nice touch which shows that Heather Peck cares. However, the story does not heavily focus on abuse – it’s a soft underlining message that does not overpower the extremely entertaining main story.

Secret Places is set in a farming village in North Yorkshire and the author writes in the local lingo. Living on the other side of the world, and having never experienced this way of speaking before, I at first thought there were spelling mistakes all over the book – but after being a few pages in I pick up on the local speech patterns. The author did a marvellous job with this and I found myself imagining what these people would sound like if they spoke to me.

When a skeleton is discovered on Tristan Smith’s goat farm her world is turned upside down by the media attention, especially when the police consider her to a suspect. However, soon everyone’s attention is turned to the previous owners of the farm and Tristan finds herself involved in the search for the truth. At the same time Rachel Wade is in the Norfolk Broads, looking for a new start, but will she be able to leave Coombe Farm behind her?

Once I had my ear tuned to the local lingo, I found myself emerged in this story, eagerly turning the pages to see what would happen next. The characters were fantastic and the way the author drew the topic of domestic abuse into her story moving and had me caring for the characters rather deeply. Anyone who loves animals’ rate highly with me and Heather Peck stole my heart with her clear passion for animals.

I started reading the book because of Tristan Smith (already explained) – but several characters stand out for me – Rachel Wade; this woman broke my heart, I wanted to reach into the book and hug her while at the same time wanting to shake some sense into her. Ben Asheton was interesting, and I look forward to the next book – Glass Arrows – simply because he will be included. Amy from the tea shop was lovely, but my favourite character was Sharon Dyble – the village gossip – we all know at least one person just like Sharon – she was brilliant!

This book was not your standard mystery thriller – the author successfully included an underlining message which was not allowed to overpower the story – I loved this book, and the animal love alone added a star to my rating…… Brizo while being a collie cross, shared a lot of personality trait with my terriers – she was a dog anyone would be privileged to share their space with!

This book will work well for mystery fans, but animal lovers and women’s fiction enthusiasts can add this to their TBR’s as well. It is a quick read, with colourful characters and an underlying message to highlight domestic abuse.

Would I recommend this book? YES! It is an astounding tale that is guaranteed to keep you entertained to the very last page.

Sslovesbooks

I enjoyed this book, it was quite an unique storyline. I liked the main characters and I felt that the story being told from different viewpoints in different times was very engaging. Tristan who finds herself embroiled in a hunt to find out what happened to the skeleton found in a wartime bunker on her farm is a likeable character and her determination to keep a farm running is a great role model for female characters. Brought into look into the case is DI Greg Geldard whose journey into finding out what has happened leads him to not only listen to locals in the area with a story to tell but to journey to the Norfolk Broads to dig a little deeper and solve this crime. Then we have Rachel who is living on a houseboat and for me is a character who finds herself in a situation where she risks loosing everything that she wants. Her experiences have left her seeking solace but unfortunately she in unable to find that peace she so desperately needs. As her backstory is slowly revealed it becomes apparent why she is living the life she is and I had a lot of sympathy for her, although my fear for her was that history was repeating itself.

There was some significant topics discussed in this book and I think they were dealt with in an intelligent and empathetic manner. The descriptions of one of the main characters coping mechanisms was well described and therefore some of the content comes with trigger warnings. There was vivid descriptions of farming and the author’s knowledge of this was very interesting and made the setting on the farm excellent.

I enjoyed this book, I would recommend it to those who like a good murder mystery, although there are triggers for some relationship issues. Many thanks to the author, the publisher and Random Things Tours for a place on the blog tour.

Karen and her books

Review

I found this book a little slow to start with but it soon picked up and it was a really good read.

I found the characters really likeable and well developed.

I was really invested in this book and was excited to find out more of what happened.

I'm really looking forward to reading more of Heather's books. Thank you @annecater14 for my place on the #randomthingstour and to the author for my #gifted copy of the ebook.

Donnas book blog

I was really intrigued by the blurb for this book and I do love reading a book that is based in areas I know and having visited both North Yorkshire and the Norfolk Broads many times (my husband used to live in a village in the Broads called Martham) – I knew it was one for me!

I thought that the plot was well developed and there was the perfect amount of mystery to have me guessing. It was well written and I found that the characters were well developed, I liked the personalities and mix of characters within the book too. 

The pace for the book was a little slower in places than I am used too but that was in keeping with the plot for this one and it worked really well. This is a book that gives you more than you expect and the plot is not quite as straight forward and simple as it sounds – it is very well done.

It is 4 stars from me for this one, well written and I will definitely be coming back to read more from this author – highly recommended!

The book lovers boudoir 

This is the author’s debut and the first in a series. I really enjoyed Secret Places and would definitely check out the next book. I enjoyed the setting of the book, Yorkshire and Norfolk Broads, for some reason I’ve read a lot of thrillers and crime fiction set in and around both places, remind me not to visit without a weapon of some kind and never venture out alone. The title of the book is what got my attention, harking back to my childhood when I carved my own secret places in the world alone and with friends, though a different kind of secret place is the focus of the book. I got pulled into the book from the start and it gripped me until the final page.

The b00kreader

I'm not quite sure how to describe this book other than using the word different. For me, it was different to my usual reads even though it was still a thriller. The vibes felt different, but it was a good different!

I was interested in the story, the plot and the characters and just wanted to know what would happen next! I was hooked!

There was a few slow scenes, but I enjoyed the story all the same.

4/5✨

My thoughts – This is a brilliantly written book, that successfully explores the subject of abuse and the repercussions that it can have.

The divine write

When a body is found on Tristan’s farm she is in shock, found in an old WW2 bunker, it is assumed the body dates from that period. However after further investigation it is found the body has been left in the bunker far after the 1940’s.

So who does the body belong to and why has it been left unfound in a bunker for over fifty years? The story unfolds through different people’s perspective that finally answer the question.

Such a great debut I really do hope it is the first in the series for DI Greg Geldard, I really liked his character and would like to know more.

Kate Rutherford

I can be a bit of a sheep when it comes to books; I love to read the latest releases and the ones with the quotes on the back from my favourite authors. When I had the chance to read this I loved the sound of the blurb and was intrigued enough to want to read it. It doesn’t have a lot of hype it’s just a genuinely well-written book – much like a piece of hidden treasure. The book itself has a very striking cover and the most beautiful quality paper! I immediately started reading and before I knew it I was more than 50 pages in without a second thought of pausing at the end of a chapter or needing to re-read anything I didn’t take in at first glance.

The writing flows so well, I was completely absorbed in reading about Tristan, and the skeleton found by chance on her land. The setting was so thoughtfully described that I could picture the surroundings. The author uses her knowledge to describe the farming practices, managing the land and the animals with a lot of care and detail. The characters were brought to life for me and I despised one of them because of their behaviour very quickly!

The plot was very clever and I enjoyed the twists that allow you to think you know what’s happening but, then to be taken on a different path.

The case of the history of the skeleton and how it came to be buried on Tristan’s farmland introduced us to some complex characters and difficult encounters. I wanted to know who the body was and how it got there, and this kept me gripped right until the final page.

Since reading I have discussed this book with several of the other readers on the blog tour who really enjoyed it too, I will definitely be recommending this book to others. I was very pleased to discover that the author has another book on the way and will look forward to reading it.

My fiction book reviews

The story is set around a goat farm in North Yorkshire. When Tristan Smith receives a phone call from Roger Field asking if he can take a look around her farm. They discover a secret WW2 staybehind base. When a body is found there it obvious from the start it's not from the war. The police are called in and the story unfolds as we find out what happened. 

I really enjoyed this story. It's told from several points of view and it has flashbacks to the past. It starts as a slow burn read and builds into quite the page turner. There is an element of abuse which tugged at my heartstrings. I found it quite emotional. I wasn't expecting this and I was left thinking about this book long after I had finished. Highly recommended.

Sharonbeyondthebooks

Secret Places’ by Heather Peck is a crime mystery with a an unexpected kick. When I was invited on the tour this book cover stood out and I was curious before I read the synopsis.

Secret Places is set not too far from me on a farm in North Yorkshire and Heather Peck has actually used the local dialect within the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Goat farmer Tristan Smith (female in case you wonder), has a skeleton found on her land and finds herself in the spotlight, not only with the media but with the police too, when they start by thinking her a suspect. Luckily they start to look into previous owners of her farm and she finds herself drawn into the search for the truth behind the skeleton. Simultaneously in a different part of the U.K, the Norfolk Broads, we meet Rachel Wade, wanting a new start but torn with leaving Coombe Farm, will she walk away?

This is as I said a crime mystery with a kick. The kick being the underlying topic of Domestic Violence and the effects it has on the victim and everyone around them too. Heather Peck has brought this into the story in a way that doesn’t overpower the actual main thread and she has found the balance with this terribly sensitive topic and I applaud her for that alone. Domestic Violence is very close to my heart as I have suffered forms of it and gone on to volunteer for a DV Helpline in my past.

Back to the book, the characters were nicely drawn with the domestic abuse helping to make me care for them. The one character that touched me was Rachel, she embodied a few women I have helped and yes I wanted to knock some sense into her head but I also understood. There are some colourful characters in this story and they made this a story that could have been written about a village anywhere in real life.

Toomanybooksneverenoughtime

My Thoughts…

A skeleton found in an old WW2 bunker – a bunker that’s been used as a dumping ground for dead sheep and cattle over the years. How and when did the body get there? Who hid it? A very promising start to a murder story.

I enjoyed the characters of Tristan, Rachel and in particular Bristo. I was a bit disappointed that Tristan didn’t feature more in the story as I felt that she would have been a strong lead character in solving the crime. Rachel selling up and starting her life over on a barge, looking for a slower paced fresh start, an escape from her previously abused life – will she fall into the same patterns as before?

A quick enjoyable read with an unexpected, disturbing yet satisfying conclusion. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Scintilla

One of Hitchcock’s many masterpieces was the movie Rope. Following an intriguing cinematic formula, the story took place in real time and appeared to be taken in a single camera shot. Hitchcock used tricks like close-ups on a character’s back as the camera panned (allowing the camera operators of the time to change film while the actors froze in place until the action began again). The result was an almost seamless revelation of the story, with both celluloid characters and living audiences appearing to learn things together.

 I was reminded often of Rope as I read Secret Places by Heather Peck. Obviously there are significant differences between a film noir and a novel. But Peck shifts quickly and seamlessly from perspective to perspective, allowing the readers to see the investigation unfold from the view of the police, the suspects, the actual perpetrator, and others with a connection to the plot. The basic plot device is simple enough: archeologists discover human remains in a hidden World War II bunker in Yorkshire which had been used as a dumping site for dead farm animals. The body has been there no longer than a decade, meaning the death occurred long after the war had ended. The farmer who owns the land denies any knowledge of the body. The previous owner of the property cannot be found. Police need to find out who the dead person is, who may have wanted him dead, and the other typical questions investigators ask.

 Peck brilliantly shifts from the grizzled (yet happily married) lead detective to the worried farmer whose life has been upended to the farmer’s friends who are supporting her during this challenge to junior investigators assisting on the case to the previous landowner to even the victim himself. Like a close up of the back of a man’s suit, the transitions sometimes flow without an obvious break from one perspective to the next. The presence of “tourists” visiting the scene of the crime may get commentary from the police and from the farmer and from her friends. Each perspective provides a new focal point on the immediate action as well as opening new windows to reveal the overall story. Unlike some other contemporary authors (whom I have also reviewed), Peck uses long chapters to bring depth to the scene and to the plot. The result is a wonderful collection of lenses that eventually focus on the trial and verdict and shocking twist at the end of the book.

 Secret Places is about a body in a secret place. But it is also about the secret places we keep within ourselves, those hidden areas of our psyches that either prevent us from going insane or possibly cloak the insanity that strives to escape. The book may reveal both of them, but the real joy of exploring secret places is not just the discovery but also the search. This is a book I will savor thinking about for a while.

Midnightangelbookheaven

The story follows DI Greg Geldard and a body has been discovered. The book has a twist with some emotional elements throughout. With the different point of views the story was easy to follow especially with the flash backs to the past

Jen travels alongmybookshelf

I thoroughly enjoyed this very unexpected novel. Initially I thought this was going to be a great police procedural type story with Tristan, the goat farmer, helping to solve the crime. I was drawn to her character quickly, she is solid and warm and has a friend Ben, who is ex-police and I thought, ok, I know where this is going. BUT…..BUT……

𝑾𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒔 - 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅, 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔. 

Early on it is made clear that the skeletal remains belong to one of the previous owners, who is meant to have run off and left his wife, Rachel several years before.

The story is told from multiple POV’s and events are experienced through the eyes of different characters but mainly Rachel, the previous landowner. As the story progresses it changes to a story about new life and escaping the past - it is much less formulaic and much more interesting.

𝑰 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔 𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒖𝒑 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑰 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒕 𝒖𝒑 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒆.

The narrative then swings away unexpectedly and concentrates on Rachel the previous owner- telling her story in flashback and slowly revealing what happened to her and led to the discovery of the body on the farm. There are tough subjects tackled here including abuse, coercive control and manipulative bullying which could be triggering for some readers.

This novel was not what I expected and did not go where I expected it to go but it was an excellent read and I look forward to the next in the series!

Cheryl m-m

Tristan Smith is a woman determined to succeed despite being ridiculed for trying to do a job dominated by men in an area of the country where everyone can see each mistake she makes. She thinks nothing of letting two archaeologists search her property for a secret bunker from the war. She certainly doesn’t expect them to find a the remains of human in there.

The author shines a light on the complex issue of domestic abuse and the reactions of victims, which often appears incomprehensible from the outside. It is however an incredibly complicated psychological and physical situation, and people who have never been a victim of domestic abuse tend to victim blame and misunderstand the actions and reactions of said victims.

That’s why the court case in this story may pull readers in different directions. Was it trauma or intent? Was it planned or someone acting on pure survival instinct? Should you feel pity for the dead man or is he the real victim in this scenario?

It’s an interesting domestic thriller with topics some readers could find hard to read. I found the last page quite brutal, perhaps because it makes the inhumane human and at the same time lets a worm of doubt wriggle into the story.

Either way it’s a compelling story that plays upon biases, rumours, assumptions and also the fact that we look the other way far too often. In equal measures the topic of domestic abuse is still one that is grossly misunderstood and the victims still don’t get enough support.