Reviews

Her Dying Secret by Lisa Regan

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atsellerswhnp's review

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adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

nadenetotallyaddictedtoreading's review

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adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

Her Dying Secret by Lisa Regan is book number twenty in the Detective Josie Quinn series. Once, Regan delivered a gripping tale that weaves a complex web of secrets and lies. Prepare for a wild and suspenseful ride while following Josie and her team as they face danger while trying to unravel the puzzling threads of a chilling case.

Detective Josie Quinn and her Husband Lieutenant Noah Fraley are making preparations for a life-changing event. While Josie is agonizing over this decision, she receives a telephone call which led to her turning up at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. A closer look at the scene revealed that this was not simply a motor vehicle accident. An apparent homicide and the possibility of a missing child has Josie and her team working tirelessly to find answers before it's too late.

The case came with a myriad of secrets and lies. Josie had her work cut out for her trying to decipher the lies from the truth. This is one of those cases where you think you have the answers. However, the deeper into the story one goes, one recognizes that they are way off the mark. The many suspects and the woeful lack of evidence will have readers guessing to the end, this coupled with the suspense and danger made for a page turning read.

While solving the case was the main focus, readers have the opportunity of getting involved in Josie's personal life. It was also interesting to see her trying to adjust to the new member of the team. This was not easy as he rubbed everyone the wrong way, not just once but all the time.

I look forward to seeing if Josie and Noah will realize their dreams. Also, I am keen to see if the new member of the team will eventually gel with the other members. At the twentieth book, the series is still going strong. I highly recommend Her Dying Secret as well as the series to fans of police procedurals.

kaitlyns135's review

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

bethelizabethuk's review

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mysterious tense

5.0

This is still such a fantastic series 20 books in. Although they can be read on their own I recommend reading them in order to understand the full depth of the characters and how the team works. Speaking of the team I love to hate the new guy, Turner. He makes me want to punch him in the face but I can’t wait to see more of him and how or even if he settles into the team. He’s definitely an interesting addition.

The hunt for the killer and a potential missing child was tense and I had no idea how it was going to end. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep you hooked as well as a baffling set of clues.

I also really enjoy seeing more of Josie and Noah’s personal life and although I have no idea how they are going to fit a child into their hectic life I am really rooting for them. I look forward to seeing how their lives develop.

I received a copy of the ebook via NetGalley and this is my honest review

abercrombie1986's review

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mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

I have to start with congratulations on book 20 of the series. Now that they’ve finally found someone to fill the vacant spot on the team (I cannot write replace Mettner), I am not loving the team dynamic. But I am sure that is the point. I cannot see where I will ever love Turner like the rest, yet I am also sure there is more to his story that will unfold over time. But I do love his new nickname which seems apt since I cringed every time he said sweetheart. I didn’t need an audiobook to hear his condescension.

I also love that you never know who might pop up in the midst of the story. Luke and Blue showed up to help with a search. And this is why when I normally say all the books stand on their own, that I highly recommend reading the series in order. This surprise is explained in the book, but wouldn’t hold as much weight without having read the early books. The depth and growth of the characters is one of the pluses of the series.

I was such a fan of the last book being Josie centric in such a clever way, and this one felt a little less like a team effort due to more than just a shift in the team. That is one of my favorite things of this series. But don’t misunderstand, I liked this one. The case kept me guessing and I fell for everything I was supposed to so I wouldn’t arrive at the right answer before the big reveal. The tension and pacing were spot on to make me never want to put it down.

While I wasn’t loving the team dynamic, I did love the blend of Noah and Josie’s personal life and how it is progressing. The decisions they have made and the surprise at the end of the book makes me excited to see what happens next for them.

Is it too early to be watching for the next book?

bookcasebantersteph's review against another edition

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4.0

Congrats Lisa Regan on Josie Quinn #20! You did it again with this book, it hooked me right from the start. I love the Denton police team, minus the new guy, he is so frustrating! The rest of the team, however, are a found family.

When Josie gets called to a routine a routine road traffic accident on her day off (thanks to Turner being lazy) she finds out it is anything but routine. A child drawing with the word “HELP” is found, then the one survivor disappears.

As the team continues to investigate more secrets and lies are revealed. The tension, suspense and danger make this book such a page turner. Lisa does such a great job at blending Josie’s work and personal life into these books! The Josie Quinn series is definitely one of my favorites!

Can’t wait to see what more Lisa has in store for Josie, Noah, and the rest of the team in future books!

Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this book!

zooloo1983's review

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adventurous dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Book 2o! How are we hear? What an achievement! Thank you Lisa for writing this awesome series!

I am still behind on the series as I have still not read books 1 and 2 but I have followed Josie since book 3 and 17 books later I’m still here! I don't plan on going anywhere while this series is still going!

What a bang for book 20..this dark, twisted and extremely realistic storyline kept me hooked. When I wasn’t listening to it i was reading it, I kept flicking between the two medias so I can get the answers and be with the team. I was hooked and needed answers.

We have a host of characters in this book, but I didn't realise how twisted some people were, but seriously after so many books I shouldn't be surprised! The main ones here were despicable, the treatment of people just makes me incredibly sad. It opens with a bang with a shocking accident. One that leads to too many questions.

After I had read book 19, I didn't like Turner…this book cemented it. What a douche. I’m hoping eventually he will either endear himself or transfer out. He can’t behave in the way he does. He's always disappearing, palming cases off and too busy flirting in times of crisis, but I do sense some baggage which will need unpacking. I just want him to eat a bit of humble pie and try, rather than act the way he does.

Still fresh, still solid, still amazing. Josie is forever evolving and I love watching her. Her life is taking a different path and it's exciting!
A solid entry in to the series but a HUGE book 20

cj_mo_2222's review

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mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes

4.0

Her Dying Secret is the 20th book in this excellent procedural thriller series. On a routine call to a car accident, Detective Josie Quinn discovers both the driver and the passenger could be keeping dangerous secrets, and a child's life may depend on Josie figuring out what those secrets are. Josie and her husband, Lt. Noah Frawley both work for the Denton, Pennsylvania Police Department. They work well together and with Detective Gretchen Palmer. Unfortunately, a new detective is so hard to work with, he is often an obstacle to getting anything done. Kyle Turner is not a good fit for this otherwise cohesive team, and I hope he either shapes up in future books or moves on somewhere else!

The case is unusual but is fast-paced and engaging. There are several twists and turns to make the story more interesting, but the ending is a little abrupt. This series has so many intriguing plots, but what I like most is how much the main characters care about each other, which helps me to care about them. This book works fine as a standalone, but you will want to go back and catch up on prior books once you meet Josie and her team.

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Bookouture, but my review is voluntary and unbiased.

anintrovertreads's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

yvo_about_books's review

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

4.25

Finished reading: April 21st 2024

"He always says he'll protect me. He'll do anything to protect me. But who will protect me from him?"

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

I've been following the Detective Josie Quinn series ever since the very first book came out, and it is without doubt one of my favorite detective thriller series. I'm always looking forward to spend more time with its characters, so it's a treat whenever a new sequel finds its way to my kindle. The previous book was quite different than the rest of the series, but Her Dying Secret returns to the same formula I've become used to with these books. And while a certain character kind of put a damper on things, I still had a great time reading what is already book number twenty! of a series that shows no signs of slowing down.

While technically you could read Her Dying Secret as a stand-alone, I personally wouldn't recommend it. This series focused a lot on the personal development of the main characters as well as the actual crime, and it's best to read the series in order both for the character background and because you will avoid spoilers this way. Book number twenty once again offers quite a development in both Josie and her husband Noah's lives, although thankfully nothing negative this time around. The case itself does stand completely on its own though.

The team is back together after a little deviation in the previous book, although we of course have a new team member to deal with: Turner. And here is where it went wrong for me: Turner is such a horrible character, and having to deal with his antics, sexist comments, lack of teamwork and laziness over and over again really started to frustrate me. I get why the author would have introduced him to mix things up, but his negative behavior is way too present and it just isn't believable that he is able to get away with the comments he makes and the things he does in this day and age.

That said, the case itself was intriguing. What seems to be quite a simple case at first glimpse turned out to be so much more complicated... And while I did guess part of the truth, I never saw the whole picture until it was revealed. I had a great time following the investigation, and there are plenty of moments of action and danger incorporated. There are also plenty of secrets to unravel, and the plot twists to enjoy of course. The writing style is just as engaging as always, and I loved the banter between the characters (excluding Turner).

If you are looking for an engaging, fast-paced and suspenseful detective thriller, I can highly recommend this series in general. Things can be said about the credibility, but the entertainment factor is high! I already can't wait to see what Josie and the rest will be up to next (although I can't deny that I'm not looking forward to meet up with Turner again).

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