This review is written with thanks to Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read and review Twelve Secrets.

Blurb:

A SMALL TOWN. A SHOCKING CRIME.
YOU’LL SUSPECT EVERY CHARACTER. BUT YOU’LL NEVER GUESS THE ENDING.

Ben Harper’s life changed for ever the day his older brother Nick was murdered by two classmates. It was a crime that shocked the nation and catapulted Ben’s family and their idyllic hometown, Haddley, into the spotlight.

Twenty years on, Ben is one of the best investigative journalists in the country and settled back in Haddley, thanks to the support of its close-knit community. But then a fresh murder case shines new light on his brother’s death and throws suspicion on those closest to him.

Ben is about to discover that in Haddley no one is as they seem. Everyone has something to hide.

And someone will do anything to keep the truth buried . . .

Review:

When I signed up to read Twelve Secrets, it sounded as though it would be right up my street and I wasn’t disappointed. From the very first page, I was drawn into this massively compelling story of a small community and I couldn’t let go. I didn’t want the staves to end. 

Twelve Secrets is a cleverly plotted tale with so many twists and I loved seeing everything unravel. I’m not sure how many secrets there were, but there were definitely more than twelve and I really wanted to know the answers. I’m not sure this novel benefitted from the stave format as having to stop and start in short bursts meant that it was difficult to keep track of complex plot points. If I could, I would have read it in a few sittings! 

Our protagonist is Ben and he narrates the majority of the novel. As we see most of the action through him, we are acutely aware of the impact of the Murders upon not just Ben, but the whole town of Haddley. I felt that the characters were intriguing, although only a few of them were likeable. Most of them had a well developed back story and I enjoyed learning more. 

I understand that the author hopes to continue Ben’s story in a series and I would definitely like to see what the author has in store for him.

Twelve Secrets is available from Amazon.