Early Review of The Secrets She Kept (Fairham Island, #2) by Brenda Novak

Title: The Secrets She Kept
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: Paperback; 400 pages
Publisher: MIRA (July 26, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0778319067
ISBN-13: 978-0778319061
Author's Website: http://brendanovak.com/
Notes: Received this one at BEA (Book Expo America) from the publisher.



Josephine Lazarow is rich, beautiful, dynamic, and dead. While the police are ready to call her death a suicide, her son doesn't believe it for one minute. Josephine had an ego the size of a small planet and dying naked in a bathtub just wasn't her style. Appearance to her was everything. Plus, the woman wasn't a coward and would never take the easy way out. It soon becomes clear, however, Josephine Lazarow had secrets and they're about to be revealed, but were they enough for her to kill herself?

Josephine Lazarow was a wrecking ball. Anything or anyone who got in her way she considered collateral damage. The world was her oyster and she did as she pleased no matter who got hurt. To see the beautiful woman, one would never realize just how ugly she was on the inside. She kept up a beautiful facade until it suited her otherwise, and then it was too late for whoever she chose to unleash her fury on. Did she have enemies? Too many to count. The pertinent question being who did she enrage enough to want her dead?

This was a suspenseful story that reminded me a little of the board game Clue where you try to figure out who dunnit before anyone else can. There were so many possibilities that one had to wonder why someone hadn't offed this horrible woman sooner. I liked how what seemed like a hopeless case was solved as more and more clues were uncovered as how Josephine spent her last day is slowly uncovered.

Besides the suspenseful murder mystery, we get a side of romance. Keith, Josephine's son, pursues an old flame  Nancy<whom he did wrong, but never forgot. At the time of his departure, he hadn't been in a good place and still isn't sure where, if anywhere, he wants the relationship to go. He just knows he can't seem to stop thinking about her. 

Overall, I enjoyed the story and gave this one 4 our of 5 roses. I found the characters easy to relate to and sympathize with (well, all except for Josephine). The author managed to keep me on the edge of my seat wondering who did the dastardly deed. There were a lot of twists and turns, and suspects were seemingly coming out of the woodwork. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one scored a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.