Her Dying Secret (Detective Josie Quinn #20), by Lisa Regan

Her Dying Secret by Lisa Regan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really enjoy Lisa Regan’s Josie Quinn novels. Regan almost always succeeds in crafting intricate plots and compelling characters. After the previous instalment’s short departure from Josie’s usual haunts, I wondered where “Her Dying Secret” would take us. Thankfully, it is firmly set in the familiar world of Josie Quinn and her friends and colleagues in Denton.

As for her friends, most of them are absent: Misty and her son, Harris, are mentioned a few times but play no role. The same is true for her parents and her twin sister, which is slightly sad but doesn’t detract much from the novel’s overall appeal.

Regan’s prose continues to channel an atmosphere thick with suspense and emotional tension. This is especially the case since the story opens with a car accident, the body of a murdered woman in the car, and a child in danger.

A recurring issue in Regan’s works, however, is the narrative ending way before the book’s actual last page. This time, it’s at 88%, and the remainder of the book are advertisements and excerpts. One can’t help but feel a bit short-changed, which leads to the subtraction of one star.

All in all, if you like Josie Quinn, you’ll certainly get your “fix” out of this one. It can also be read standalone but it’s certainly not the best starting point for this series.

Four out of five stars.


Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam



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