Set on the Isle of Jersey, DI Winter Labey asks forensic psychologist Saskia Monet to consult when the body of a prominent local man is found shot in a disused Nazi bunker. The more they delve into the victim's history, the more secrets and animosity they discover, causing them to shift their attention to their family and close friends. The stakes are raised when one of their suspects is killed in a similar fashion. “Secrets in the Blood” was a great read for me. The plot was well thought out and kept me guessing until the last minute. The novel disappointingly lacks tension, causing it to read more like a mere retelling of the investigation rather than an engaging narrative.
I feel like I've missed out on some meaningful character introductions and relationship building because I didn't read book one. Although the author refers to book one occasionally, I feel like I've been left out a little bit. Furthermore, Saskia's brother David is a psychopath, and she is extremely protective of him, although little information has been revealed about him. I hope to see the character grow in future novels through the author's development.
Overall, an entertaining read.
Many thanks to @GwynGB @NetGalley & @Stormbooks_co for a copy for review.
About the Author
My love of Books: I started writing stories from the moment I could hold a pen. An avid reader, I ran my local library dry of fairy stories before moving on to the likes of Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and then Stephen King. Now I read all sorts, but particularly love books that deal with human stories or a good gripping crime thriller.
Early Career: I wrote my first novella when I was 14 and went on to write several books before publishing ‘Islands’ in 2016. My love of writing led me into a successful career as a journalist, mostly in broadcasting, spending many years as a news reader for national news in the UK for the BBC and ITN. I freelanced for national newspapers and magazines for a while, including The Independent on Sunday and Sunday Express. I also had my own magazine publishing company for a while. When we moved to Jersey I joined the BBC and wrote, produced and read the Channel Islands News for several years. I also went on to write for the Jersey Evening Post and gained diplomas in PR and Digital Marketing, working in PR for several years.
Writing Career: Islands, a women’s fiction title, was published in 2016, under the name, Gwyn Garfield-Bennett, and was incredibly well received, reaching the Amazon Top 20 that year. I then launched the DI Claire Falle crime mystery series as Gwyn GB, with Lonely Hearts and its sequels, Home Help and Death Bond. The first in the Dr Harrison Lane crime mysteries was released in 2021, with the eighth and ninth books due out in 2023, published by Storm Publishing. I will also be launching a new crime thriller series with Storm Publishing in 2023.
The Day Job: While most of my career has been in journalism, I have also worked in PR, digital marketing, and the digital industry. I am now a full-time writer and I have several new releases coming out in 2023.
Where do I live? I’m from the UK but met my Jersey-born husband and we now live in the Channel island of Jersey with our sons, rescue dog and geriatric goldfish (she’s 18!).
Blonde Plotter: In 2016, I joined two local Jersey authors and we became The Blonde Plotters. The three of us meet regularly, supporting each other in our writing careers.
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