I really enjoyed reading the first book of this series, Little Girl Lost, earlier this year and I have been keeping an eye out for the sequel ever since. I admit it wasn't love at first sight, but I've grown to like Robyn Parker and the way she isn't afraid to step on a few toes to get things done. In Secrets Of The Dead her detective skills are tested again with another difficult case. It's another serial killer thriller and I think I enjoyed it even better than the first; this book definitely doesn't suffer from the so-called 'weak-sequel-syndrome'. Secrets Of The Dead starts out strong and stays that way until the very end. The writing style is enjoyable, the pace is fast and the many many plot twists will have you on the edge of your seat the whole time. I actually thought I had it all figured out a few times during the story, but it ended up being a false alarm every single time. The sign of a well executed plot twist if you ask me! The serial killer is an interesting one and I particularly liked the fact that you are able to take a peak inside his head in the chapters that are told from his POV. They added to the whole suspense of the story without slowing down the pace and only increased my curiosity about the identity of the killer. I don't want to give away too much of the plot to avoid spoilers, but if you are looking for a well written psychological thriller packed with misleading plot twists and an intriguing case Secrets Of The Dead is calling your name.

‘Secrets of the Dead’ is the second novel in the Detective Robyn Carter crime thriller series set in rural Staffordshire, with all locations set within a few miles of where I live. This time the focus is on a series of chilling murders that appear to be linked and the local Lichfield press is already dubbing the murderer as The Lichfield Leopard, a pseudonym that really appeals to the elusive perpetrator. Yes he is stealthy, brutal and merciless. The name suits him very well.
Robyn is soon on the chase, raring to capture the prolific killer, setting her team the task of trying to find a link between the victims. As the investigation uncovers evidence and information, time is running out and the public are terrified that a mass murderer is able to wreak havoc without any trouble at all, avoiding capture every time. It seems the timetable has been set and the perpetrator is on a mad dash to achieve his target.
Secrets, revenge and a demented mind drive the killer forward in this terrific novel, filled with a host of eclectic characters at every crime location. The storytelling is fast paced, the chapters short, all adding to the drama of the unsolved case. Robyn will not be beaten and at last the pieces of the jigsaw begin to fall into place. She must trust her instincts in order to solve the crimes and take her prize in this, the most challenging case of her career. The tension is ramped up in the most terrifying chase scenes and I couldn’t turn over the pages fast enough. I really admire the character Robyn. She is fragile, yet tough; driven in her mission to serve the public, whatever the risk. Her team are loyal and hardworking. I really hope that this is representative of our police force; dedicated, talented and unwavering.
I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Bookouture for my copy of this novel, sent to me in return for an honest review. This is a really good read and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s a 4.5* review from me.

A few months ago, I read and enjoyed Little Girl Lost, the first book in a new series by Carol Wyer. This author's first crime novel was impressive and I couldn't believe she had never written mysteries before. I devoured it as quickly as I could and I was left wanting for more.

When I saw the second book on Netgalley, I requested it immediately. And Carol Wyer didn't disappoint this time either: Secrets of the Dead was an equally addictive and thrilling crime procedural, featuring a brave and likable detective called Robyn Carter. I love that she's willing to ignore her boss and continue investigating something that she isn't supposed to when her instinct tells her that she's onto something. I wouldn't like her otherwise, and unlike other detectives, I think Robyn always knows what she's doing. And she might be broken, but she isn't rude or particularly cold.

Secrets of the Dead was fast-paced and engaging and it didn't take me long to read. The first death and the following murders were confusing, but it all started making sense after a while when the whole "invoice" thing that had me so intrigued was finally explained. I also appreciated the addition of Robyn's cousin and his wife and I'd love to see more of them in the next installments.

Still, I think Secrets of the Dead was quite different from its predecessor and I want to share my thoughts as to why. Little Girl Lost was a police procedural, sure, but it read like a proper psychological thriller. One of the main characters wasn't the detective and we got to know her pretty well. The focus was on the lives of these characters and what was happening to them. This time, though, Robyn and the investigation were the main focus (along with various chapters from the murderer's point of view), so it wasn't the same. And believe me, I'm not saying I didn't enjoy this book, because you all know I'm a big fan of police procedurals, but I think I missed a bit of the psychological aspect of Little Girl Lost and I was eagerly expecting something similar to it.

Anyway, besides that detail, I must say this series is becoming one of my favorites and I'd love to find out a bit more about Robyn and her personal life. Hopefully soon!

The manager of a local hotel and spa is found dead in the sauna, the temperature is very high which caused him to have a heart attack, the death is ruled an accident but DI Robyn Carter is dubious.

Meanwhile she is called to the murder of a local barman, found on his body is a receipt for £250,000 paid in full. Days later she is called to another killing, a young mother is found dead in her bath, she has the same receipt as the barman. DI Carter and her team need to find out how the deaths could possibly be linked. Meanwhile another death occurs with the same receipt and everything points to the spa being involved.

The story is told from both DI Carter’s perspective and that of the killer, and the reason for the killings. This was a good book with several twists and turns within the story and the reason for the killings comes as a shock. This is the second DI Carter I have read and I am looking forward to the next one.

The is thrilling page turner from Carol Wyer, The 2nd in the DI Robyn Carter series. It can be read as a standalone. A body is found in the sauna of a local spa retreat severely burned. They found that the temperature has been set at a high volume. The body had a invoice in its hand for £250,00. Then other bodies turn up a DI Robyn carter is set to investigate. She struggles to find out what the connection between the bodies are until she gets a breakthrough. The death of Harriet Worth. She is on a race to find out who the killer is otherwise they will kill the owner of the spa.

I really enjoyed this. It was suspenseful and highly addictive. I didn't want to put it down. I thought the story was original and different. As I know there is a lot of novels with female DI's lately, I cant wait to see what Carol Wyer has next in store.

Excellent book. Great main characters and plot. I would recommend this book.

3 stars

Whoever wrote the review for this book has it wrong. Linda Upton was not killed first. But, no matter the result is the same.

This book is told from two points of view: that of the police officers and that of the murderer. The murderer is given away early in the book and then the book transitions to being all about him rather than the more interesting police side of the story.

When bodies start being discovered with a note in their hand or nearby stating they owed 250,000 pounds but marked paid in full, DI Robyn Carter in on the case. Looking for a connection between the murdered people, one a bar manager and the other a young mother, she cannot find one.

The book is a little disjointed. Some of the transitions did not follow. I found myself saying “huh?” more than once. There was too much focus on the murderer and not enough on the police investigation. This made the investigation seem to drag along. While the book is fairly well written, the plotting leaves something to be desired.

I want to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for forwarding to me a copy of this book to read.

This is going to be a harder one for me to review. I'm not sure if I'm just realizing that there are a lot of detective series out there and this one just didn't stand up to par to others that I have read but it wasn't grabbing my interest. I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book. This book starts with a dead man in a sauna and the employee of the sauna's thoughts/narrative. Later in the book, a mom of a young child is attacked in her home and killed by the perpetrator. HAD the book started off with that maybe it would have grabbed my interest sooner and got me excited about the book as I would have had something to relate to, being a mom and having a child. I enjoy DI Robyn's character but need something a little more to get me hooked on this series. Maybe I'm just discovering that I would rather read psychological thrillers instead of detective/serial killer thrillers, so please don't take my review as a negative if you like this genre, many people LOVE this book. I found it interesting when two main characters of the book that hated the name that was given to the serial killer by the media all of a sudden started calling him that at the end. I am still giving this book 4 stars as it may just be me right now and my mood. A huge thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

The book is billed as "a heart-pounding, toe-curling, one-sitting serial killer thriller that will hook you from the first page till the last" and I have to wholeheartedly agree!! This book was fantastic and it kept me gripped from the first page and I read it in a day, I really , really didn't want to put it down, its one of the best I've read so far in 2017 and is superbly written.  The characters were brilliant and the plot was fast paced, just what I look for in this kind of book.  This is the second book in the DI Robyn Carter series and I highly recommend both of the books, Secrets of the Dead was released today so you can grab your copy now!!  Would not hesitate to give the book 5 stars!!

Thank You Netgalley. Loads of twists and turns in this gripping page turner. Equally as good as her first one. Not to be missed.

I'll post my review as part of the blog tour on 1st June.

I love Carol Wyer’s dark side, the story is so well crafted.

I think it flowed better than Little Girl Lost, the first outing of DI Robyn Carter.
I think this could actually be read as a stand-alone, but knowing a bit about her life from before is better, how and why she is tough and strong-willed.

Robyn’s instinct is telling her something isn’t so cut & dried about a seemingly natural death in a sauna at a posh countryside spa.
Then another death is discovered, with a strange receipt. She feels there could be a link, but can’t find one. When yet another body is found, again with a receipt, she knows she has a serial killer in her midst. But how are these deaths linked? This is what she needs to suss out.

It was nice to see her cousin Ross again. He is a private investigator, and an ex-copper. She calls on him to help her out when her boss tells her to butt out of the original death at the spa. She promptly sends him and his wife for a couple of days of pampering….and snooping of course.

It’s a cleverly told story, and the suspense was delivered perfectly along the way.
I enjoyed it as the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle came together as there seemed no obvious link between the victims at first.
I felt I was working on the case myself!
Well-paced and exceptional writing. A pleasure to read. It had me gripped and I took every opportunity to read just one more chapter.
I was even checking out silver Fiat 500’s for back window stickers….that’s when I knew it was getting inside my head!!
Thanks to the publishers, Bookouture, and NetGalley for the copy in return for an honest review.

The community of Lichfield is rocked to the core when the body of a young mother is discovered murdered in her bathtub, clutching a receipt for £250,000, stating “all debts paid”. Who could do such a terrible thing? The case lands on the desk of DI Robyn Carter, who feels like she has bitten off more than she can chew. A few days ago, the mutilated body of a young bar manager had been found with a similar receipt on his body. At first, there is nothing else to connect the two victims, and Robyn is at a loss where to start her enquiries. On top of all this, she is already running a clandestine investigation into the death of a local spa owner, which has been ruled accidental by her colleague (and arch-enemy) DI Tom Shearer but appears suspicious to Robyn. With three dead bodies on her hands and no concrete leads, Robyn feels the pressure as the press are having a field day, dubbing the perpetrator the “Lichfield Leopard” and fuelling public fear. She knows she will have to deliver something to her superior soon in order to save her career – and to prevent the killer from striking again.

There are a lot of detective series out there, and to stand out, a novel needs that certain something to make it memorable for me. I really loved the original idea of invoices found on the victims’ bodies, which added an intriguing element to an otherwise straight-forward police procedural. But whilst I enjoyed the story and the line of the police enquiry kept me interested, I was missing the one gasp-out-loud element that would make the book stick in my mind and put all past and future books in the series on my wishlist. DI Robyn Carter had all the elements of your archetypal flawed detective, and yet it appeared to me as if her demons were forced upon rather than owned by her. Grieving for her dead husband – tick. An over-the-top work ethic which takes over her life – tick. Conflict with a colleague – tick. Employing questionable tactics to get the job done – tick. I cannot put my finger on why these didn’t work for me, when the same elements seem so compelling in other fictional detective characters, such as Rob Bryndza’s Erika Foster, or Jane Casey’s Maeve Kerrigan. Robyn felt constructed to me somehow, lacking the emotional depth her flaws were aiming to give her. Some aspects of her life, such as the relationship to her step-daughter, seemed like unnecessary fillers which added nothing to the story for me. Perhaps I should have read the first book in the series to get the necessary background to her character?

Over years of devouring all kinds of murder-mysteries with an insatiable appetite for new and original characters and plot lines, I have discovered that I am generally not a fan of books where there is too much narrative from the perspective of the killer. I gather from reading reviews of the author’s first book that she likes to give glimpses into the perpetrators’ past to explain their descent into madness and crime. And there are indeed A LOT of chapters from the perpetrator’s POV, starting from his traumatic childhood to his present life. Personally, with a few exceptions, I prefer the killer to remain an enigma that is slowly being unmasked by the police enquiry. Delving into the killer’s childhood in detail may explain the state of his mental health, but do I really need to know his whole sorry life-story? Does it add value to the plot or contribute to the feeling of mystery and suspense? In this case, for me, it didn’t. Giving the killer a mental health issue with overused phrases like “he could feel the red mist descending” just reads like it could have been copied and pasted from countless other similar stories. Not my cup of tea at all, but thankfully all readers are different and no doubt the very things that vexed me will work well for others.

Secrets of the Dead is a solid police procedural with some original ideas which will undoubtedly appeal to a lot of readers. Whilst it made for a pleasant, fast read, it was lacking the elements that make it stand out from the fray, though, and I am not sure if I will come back to read any more books in the series.

Detective Robin Carter series is fantastic. This was my first time to read a book by this author. I will definitely be reading more books by Carol Wyer .This was a gripping thriller that was very well written. Great suspense , so great I finished in one sitting . This book releases May 30th 2017 . Thank you Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review .

Read all my reviews at: https://brainfartsandbooks.wordpress.com

Read all about me at: kristielizabeth.com

DI Robyn Carter’s puzzle piecing skills are put to the test in this psychological thriller about a serial killer. Two bodies are found with receipts on them. One body before that is found without one. Are all three people connected? It’s up to DI Carter to find out. What I found fascinating about this book and the way that Carol Wyer wrote it is that some of the chapters are written from the viewpoint of the killer and the reader is able to gather clues about him but it’s pretty much impossible to guess who the killer is without knowing the connection to the deceased. The story flows nicely and the pieces come together in the end with no loose strings. I enjoy DI Carter’s badass side because she’s willing to do whatever it takes to find her man. She pulls out all the stops. Recommend this one to anyone who loves a good mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carol Wyer, and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The second book in the Detective Robyn Carter series, I really enjoyed the debut - Little Girl Lost and I hoped that Secrets Of The Dead would keep up the high standards. I'm glad to report that it did.

The manager of a hotel is found burnt and dead in the hotels sauna having been there overnight. The sauna is set to a very high temperature, much much higher than for normal usage and Robyn suspects immediately that there may be foul play involved. When it's discovered that the manager suffered with a heart condition that could easily be fatal in the likes of a high temperature sauna the death is ruled as accidental but Robyn isn't convinced.

A young mother is found drowned in her bath. There are signs of struggle downstairs, in the bedroom and in the bathroom. There is a note left beside the body. An invoice for £250,000 stating that her debt has been repaid.

As more bodies turn up with similar invoices attached it becomes clear they have a serial killer on their hands, but what are his motives and what do the invoices mean? What have the victims got in common as it is obvious they are being targeted and not selected at random?

As said in my opening, I really enjoyed Little Girl Lost and was surprised to hear that it was Carol Wyers first crime novel. It had the confidence in writing and story that you would associate with a veteran of the genre. Secrets Of The Dead continues with this and makes this now one of the more exciting series of female detectives series currently out there(and lets face it there are plenty to choose from)

Robyn is a really strong central character who I immediately liked in the first book and she continues to develope here just as strongly. Love her cousin the private detective too, who is another strong character but also a great tool and plot device to get things moving along.

The story here is really well told. I was sucked in from the first chapter and it held me until the last page. The pacing was excellent.

Our killer is a fantastically bonkers character just on the right side of bonkers to remain believable and disturbing rather than being a cartoon character. Some genuinely chilling moments from said killer.

If you enjoy this genre then you are missing a trick if you aren't reading this series. These books are so much fun to read despite the dark subject matter. We have a great lead in Robyn and a string team around her and both stories so far have been fantastically structured, paced and well told and well, are just bloody incredibly enjoyable to read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and Carol Wyer for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Three murders. Three innocent victims. What secrets did they share with their killer?"

I was blown away by Carol Wyer's debut thriller, and the first DI Robyn Carter book, Little Girl Lost. So naturally I was ecstatic to see that she had a book two coming out, and let me tell you, I was not disappointed! Just as thrilling, page turning, suspenseful, and twisty as Little Girl Lost. She packs a punch with book two.

Detective Robyn Carter arrives on the scene of a woman murdered in her bathtub - fully clothed and holding a receipt that said "all debts paid". DI Carter knows the signs when she sees them, and when a second victim is found with a receipt, her fears are confirmed - they have a serial killer on their hands. How are the two victims linked to each other?

With mounting pressure from the press, who have dubbed the killer The Leopard, Robyn is frantically trying to get this case solved. Following the clues then brings her through the manicured lawns and gated communities of the wealthy. Will she discover the shocking motives?

I don't want to give away much more about this book because I don't want to ruin anything! Carol Wyer weaves such an intricate story without any confusion. Everything flows so well. So many twists and turns! Even though this is book two in the DI Robyn Carter series, this could definitely be read as a standalone. Robyn is a great character. She's so human - she's tough, flawed, dedicated, and cares about her coworkers and friends.

I highly recommend this and Little Girl Lost to any thriller fans!

I give this 5/5 stars!

A big thanks to Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of Secrets of the Dead, the second police procedural set in the Midlands to feature DI Robyn Carter.

Robyn is called to the murder of Rory Wallis, found dead in the pub he managed with his throat slit and an invoice for £250 000 marked paid. The investigation has hardly started when another body is found with the same note. With no clues or forensics and no obvious link between the victims the investigation is slow and frustrating, not helped by Robyn worrying away at the death of Miles Ashbrook found dead in the sauna of the spa hotel he managed although her colleague DI Shearer was happy to call it a heart attack and thus a tragic accident.

I thoroughly enjoyed Secrets of the Dead. It is a well paced novel which kept me turning the pages from beginning to end. There is plenty to ponder as the novel goes on, like the link between the victims, will there be more, and what really happened to Miles Ashbrook. Slowly but surely Robyn unravels these questions and a few secrets along the way. The plotting is excellent with plenty of twists and turns.

The novel is narrated mostly in the third person from Robyn's point of view. It also has the almost compulsory chapters in italics with the thoughts of the killer and his terrible upbringing. I very rarely find these insertions helpful or interesting as I like to live the hunt on a level playing field with the detectives. In this case I can see the point of them but think they could have been done better as they are a bit clichéd.

I like Robyn Carter. She is an interesting character, if, again, a little clichéd. Tragedy in her past has led her to become a workaholic so she is dedicated and prepared to break protocol if it gets her a result. The refreshing twist to this is that she is a fitness freak, competing in Iron Man triathlons, rather than the more usual heavy drinking. I like her take on the job and her impatience with some of its petty regulations - it would drive me mad. I look forward to meeting her again in the next novel.

Secrets of the Dead is a good read so I have no hesitation in recommending it.

I read and LOVED the first book in this series. I thought it was perfection and although I was waiting eagerly for this one, I wasn't sure how the author would better her amazing debut. But she has! It is a brilliant, unputdownable, thrilling, addictive page turner. This series is fast becoming one of my absolute favourites and Carol Wyer is right up there in my list of favourite crime authors of all time! Cannot wait for the next!

Carol Wyer IS. ON. FIRE. Her second installment in the DI Robyn Carter series is currently out on NetGalley and it did not disappoint. For those of you who missed book one, Little Girl Lost, do yourself a favor and order it. You can head over to my blog to read my full review on it, but suffice it to say, I LOVED it. Book 2, Secrets of the Dead, picks up with Detective Carter on the trail of a delusional serial killer. Three bodies have been discovered, all brutally murdered, each one clutching a receipt with the words “Paid In Full” scrawled across it. At first glance, there seems to be no connection between the victims, but DI Robyn Carter knows that these cases all contain the signs of a serial killer. Can she put the pieces of the puzzle together before the killer strikes again?

The beginning of this book is not as fast paced as Little Girl Lost, but Carol masterfully spins a tale of obsession with a skewed perception of justice as we get to see inside the mind of the killer as well as the detective who is trying to stop him. One of the many things I love about her writing style is that it is completely believable. No one is going to get shot fifty times and then run up a hill for help. Her characters are flawed but real. Their back stories are tragic, but relatable. The killer uses the element of surprise and everyday items to complete his gruesome tasks. He is a functioning member of society who has learned how to camouflage his irrational thoughts and activities. Is there anything scarier than that? Any one of us could be Harriet, the object of his affection. In fact, at the end of the book Carol writes about how she was actually stalked years ago and what that was like for her. The creep factor and suspense run high throughout the pages and I thought this was an excellent follow up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and towards the end I was reading as fast as I could to see if Robyn would catch her killer or not. Having read a lot of domestic noir recently where no one is quite as they seem and anyone can be the bad guy, it was lovely to return to the safe and ordered world of British Policing and know that the baddie was the baddie and that the police, even the unloved by Robyn, DI Shearer are the good guys.
I work in a civilian intelligence team and my husband is a chef and both careers are accurately portrayed by Wyer. This is a particular bug bear of mine, that the fiction of a book is excellent but not backed up by research and facts. This, apart from obvious creative licence for plot purposes felt authentic and credible throughout.
Without repeating the plot, something I don't like reviewers to do, there isn't much else to say about Secrets of the Dead. A great detective thriller with solidly built and believable characters, especially Robyn and Ross: tension built throughout with chapters that always gave you that 'just one more page' feeling.
I will definitely recommend this book and read more by Carol Wyer.