Nov 15, 20193 min read

A Fatal Secret - Faith Martin

Blog Tour stop for this thrilling classic murder mystery

#BlogTour @FaithMartin_Nov @HQstories @HarperCollinsUK

" A Classic Murder Mystery with a killer twist.."

Synopsis

A family day out at Briar’s Hall ends in tragedy when a young boy goes missing – and his body is found at the bottom of a disused well in the orchard.

It looks like a simple case of an eleven-year-old exploring where he shouldn’t: a tragic accident.

But Coroner Clement Ryder and Probationary WPC Trudy Loveday aren’t convinced.

If Eddie had been climbing and fallen, why were there no cuts or dirt on his hands? Why would a boy terrified of heights be around a well at all?

Clement and Trudy are determined to get to the truth, but the more they dig into Briar’s Hall and the mysterious de Lacey family who live there, the murkier things become.

Could it be that poor Eddie’s death was murder? There are rumours of blackmail in the village, and Clement and Trudy have a horrible feeling that Eddie stumbled on a secret that someone was willing to kill for…

My Review

When the chance to review this book came about , I was utterly taken in by the blurb and could not wait to get stuck in!

I am sorry to say I have not read anything by this author before, I say sorry as A Fatal Secret was an compete treat of a book to read!

A young boy is found dead after a Easter egg hunt his body found down an old well, is a tragic accident or something more?

WPC Trudy Loveday and coroner Clement Ryder work to find the truth of the case, along with there own problems and events from previous case's still an issue.

I completely loved everything about this book, the characters, the setting, this story was a true classic murder mystery, no computers, no advanced science just a true "who done it?" case, solved with leg work and clues!

This book moved at pace and I flew through it in only a few hours, the author gives just enough details and hints that you question what is happening and you NEED to know what happens next the finale came with a huge twist and an ending that leaves you reeling.

Reading this book made me think back to my childhood where I would obsessively watch the Agatha Christie classics Mrs Marple or Poirot on a Sunday night, classic investigators using those little grey cells and huge amount of intuition and gut to solve what seem like impossible cases.

I absolutely enjoyed every second reading this book, I said at the start I was sorry not to have read more before, but lucky me as i have bought the whole Ryder and Loveday Series:-

Book 1: A FATAL OBSESSION

Book 2: A FATAL MISTAKE

Book 3: A FATAL FLAW

So I now have plenty to keep reading an enjoying over the winter nights to come, while hopefully the author is fingers crossed working on book 5!

Author Bio

Faith Martin has been writing for 30 years, and JOFFE BOOKS have reissued all 17 of her popular, million-selling DI Hillary Greene novels in new updated editions, from MURDER ON THE OXFORD CANAL to HILLARY'S FINAL CASE.

JOFFE BOOKS have reissued her classic-style whodunits featuring amateur sleuth Jenny Starling. Awash with clues, red herrings, and a hopefully baffling murder, these are ideal for all fans of a 'proper' English country murder mystery. They have also just finished reissuing her vicar's wife Monica Noble murder mysteries: THE VICARAGE MURDER, THE FLOWER SHOW MURDER and now THE MANOR HOUSE MURDER are all available.

Not only that, but Harper Collins/HQ, have published her brand new series of Ryder & Loveday novels. A FATAL OBSESSION, A FATAL MISTAKE, A FATAL FLAW and A FATAL SECRET are all available now, and next year A FATAL TRUTH will also be published.

Her romance novels, written under the name of Maxine Barry, are now available from Corazon Books. IMPOSTERS In PARADISE, HEART OF FIRE and now THE LYING GAME are all out, and others will very quickly become available in the future.

Her first foray into writing 'spooky' crime, (and written under the pen name of Jessie Daniels) came out in November 2017. THE LAVENDER LADY CASEFILE is published by Robert Hale, an imprint of Crowood Press.