Dark Secret effortlessly blends police procedural with psychological thriller
Dark Secret By Janice Frost Joffe Books Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date: February 22, 2016 Review Janice Frost effortlessly blends modern British police procedural with psychological thriller. The end result is a suspenseful novel with a chilling and somewhat surprising conclusion. I always enjoy police procedurals, but part of what especially attracted me to this novel is DS Ava Merry. She is a strong, intelligent female lead who thinks outside of the box. Her relationship with her superior DI Jim Neal is a bit rocky (due to events in previous novels) but they work well together. The murder of Gray Mitchell is a difficult case. He was well liked and suspects are few. It is only after a second murder that secrets begin to come to light. Mental illness plays an important role in the novel, and Janice Frost does an excellent job portraying the challenges individuals with mental illness and their families face. Neal and May don't take the easy way out, they investigate thoroughly. The end sequence is both thrilling and terrifying. After reading Dark Secret, I am anxious to read more of Janice Frost's novels. If you like British police procedurals, Dark Secret is a thrilling read. 5/5 I received a copy of Dark Secret from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. --Crittermom Description THE EAGERLY AWAITED NEW MYSTERY BY BEST-SELLING AUTHOR JANICE FROST Who killed Gray Mitchell? Gray Mitchell’s body is found buried under fresh snowfall in the early hours of the morning outside Stromford Cathedral. D.I. Jim Neal and D.S. Ava Merry are called in to investigate. It seems that a number of people had motives to kill him, including Mitchell's partner. Then another shocking act of violence occurs, also connected to the cathedral. Detectives Neal and Merry’s investigation reveals an intricate web of secrets connecting the crimes. But there is something the detectives have missed, the dark secret which can break open the case. In a breathtaking climax, Jim Neal fights for the life of someone very close to him.
