Secrets Never Die#NetGalley #
Melinda Leigh

Melinda Leigh’s books are all about the characters and adventures that they have. This book had it all: romance, mystery, adventure and that edge of your seat suspense. It is easy to follow all her storytelling with no changes in the setting and the time period. The women in her novels are empowered to be the best they can be and get the job done! You are taken on quite an adventure and it leaves you with trying to put all the puzzle pieces together. The ending is not too hard to figure out, the reading moves right along and you will probably end up reading it in one day, I totally recommend this book to all my friends and family. A solid 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy read of this book for an honest review.

Morgan and Lace are back in another fantastic book. This was another book written by Melinda that was filled with mystery, suspense, romance, family, and connections. Evan comes home to his stepfather being shot, but the police are looking at him as the murderer. Is he or was he in the wrong place at the wrong time?

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

Secrets Never Die is Book 5 in the Morgan Dane series by Melinda Leigh. These books stand fine on their own but if you have a chance to read the first 4, they blend together nicely and are provide the full back story.

These stories keep getting better and better, which is no easy feat! This book was one the best yet. Filled to the brim with action, adventure and edge of your seat suspense. Highly recommend.

Enjoyed the book. I always love reading about Morgan Dane and her very hunky private investigator boyfriend Lance (now fiancé) and the always health conscious Sharp. They always have some type of case to solve and of course it's something dangerous. Morgan, Lance and Sharp need to invest in some type of life insurance, with the amount of times someone tries to kill them. Somehow they always seem to survive, even the craziest situations. This wasn't my favorite book in the series, but it was still a fun read. I blame it on Tina and Sheriff Colgate. I give Colgate the award for worst Sheriff. He completely messed up with Evan and the previous case. He assumed Evan was guilty from the start. Tina had so many secrets and had an incredibly horrible life growing up. I loved when everything was finally revealed and Morgan and Lance show up to save the day. i didn't suspect who was behind everything right away.

I can't wait for the wedding, although I foresee something crazy happening that threatens the event actually taking place. I love that Sharp finally has a love interest. She seems perfect for him and even gets him to eat something other than his healthy shakes. Lane is wonderful with Morgan's girls. Will there be a baby in their future????

Definitely recommend the book and the whole series. I can't wait to read the next one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Montlake Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well crafted as are most of her books, Melinda Leigh embarks on the fifth Morgan Dane/Lance Kruger mystery with Secrets Never Die. Morgan and Lance are settling into domestic life together since becoming engaged and Lance’s house burning to the ground.
Lance experiences a grueling introduction to fatherhood with Morgan’s three little girls coming down with a very messy variety of the flu. After the girls seem recovered, Morgan and Lance have hopes of a full night’s sleep. Wish on mes amies, wish on.
The phone rings, Tina Knox, newly married to a recently retired deputy sheriff has just found her husband shot to death in her home and her son, Evan Meade is missing. Lance is Evan’s hockey coach and has established a strong relationship with the troubled son. Since Morgan is a defense attorney she accompanies Lance to the murder scene, both of them arriving before the police.
It isn’t long before Evan becomes suspect # 1, despite evidence that Evan has been wounded and may be on the run from the killer rather than being the killer.
Once again, Morgan, Lance and Lance’s friend and partner, Lincoln Sharp find themselves opposing the sheriff and district attorney.
The book then becomes a thrilling escape story of Evan and the ensuing chase by Morgan and Lance to save Evan; and a full court press by the police to arrest him. After all one of their own has been murdered.
At the same time Lincoln Sharp, Lance’s partner in their detective agency is investigating Tina’s lies and omissions that have come to light. Linc is aided by the reporter Olivia Cruz, much to Linc’s dismay and secret delight.
Maybe in later books their developing relationship will replace the totally missing heat from Morgan and Lance; hotness level around zero in this book.
As I wrote earlier, the escape and chase were thrilling, while at the same time Tina’s developing story was unexpected and took the story in a surprising direction. Lance’s total immersion into the joys of fatherhood was both amusing and touching. He is such a natural that I hope there might be other children. Yes, these characters live for me. So sue me.
My major quibble is that at times the writing seemed a bit dumbed down; especially with the ‘Perils of Pauline’ ending of some of the chapters.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a very well paced who done it. Its the 5th book in the Morgan Dane series.
Retired Deputy Sheriff Paul Knox is murdered in his home and his step son Evan has witnessed it all. Evan goes on the run he can’t trust anyone because the murderer is a cop. Evans mother turns to P. I. Lance Kruger who is also Evan’s hockey coach. Lance along with his fiance Morgan try to find Evan, protect his and his mother’s rights. The Sheriff is looking to pin the murdet on Evan. As the investigation continues new secrets are discovered that lead you to think of other possible scenarios. This book is an attention grabber. You do not need to have read the previous books to folliw this story. Enjoyable read.
Thank you #netgalley #secretsneverdie

Secrets, lies, deception, a retired deputy sheriff murdered, a missing teen who may or may not be involved, corrupt cops, drug dealers and a power play for control, inclement weather conditions, an undeserving sheriff with a chip on his shoulder, a pushy ADA and harrowing life and death situations is some of what you will find in this intriguing crime thriller. The mystery surrounding the who done it was even-paced and storyline was gripping and suspenseful all the way thru the read. There were several twists and turns to keep you flipping pages and a few edge-of-your-seat moments to keep you engrossed from beginning to end. The only thing that was a slight disappointment to me was the relationship aspect with Morgan and Lance. The story does show the progression to them living together and starting to intertwine their lives more – they are a great power couple – and a few sweet moments with Morgan’s girls, but it felt like it was lacking a bit. I would have liked to have seen a bit more revealed on the home front regarding the couple’s wedding plans and more romantic development between the two. There were touches of romance and a brief internal dialogue showing Morgan’s conflicted emotions regarding the wedding planning and her avoidance of it but it was swiftly brushed away without much thought or even a conversation with Lance over her doubts. That would have made it feel more real and connected to me. Romance and relationship drama aside, it was still another great installment to the series. I look forward to seeing what awaits them next.

*I received an advanced copy from the publisher via NetGalley and am providing my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are strictly my own.

Morgan Dane and Lance Kruger are back at it again when one of Lance's soccer players ends up the suspect in his stepfather's murder. But nothing is ever as easy at it seems! Unlike her previous books, the active story line in this installment seemed to get a bit convoluted for me and some of the events and results seemed a bit farfetched, even for fiction. I do like that at the same time Morgan and Lance are busy solving crimes and helping people out, they are still dealing with the every day life part of raising three young children. Even in their it-takes-a-village household, priorities are set and life goes on. I think this provides a great balance to the stories and keeps her characters feeling human. As I have previously said, despite this series being published by a romance group, the romance plays second fiddle to the mystery and action. I like that!

This is a fifth series of Morgan Dane an attorney and her partner/ fiancee a PI Lance Kruger. I have not read the other books in the series but didn't find it hard to follow.
The story is about many people trying to find a young teen who went missing. Some people are well intentioned, some not. There are many high tension scenes and edge of your seat places where your just not wanting to put the book down.
There are just enough of ups and downs, obsticles to overcome to make this book exciting.
I was given this book as an advanced copy from Netgalley to write an honest review. My honest opinion is that I do recommend this book to those that enjoy fast pace " who done it" mystery books.

This is the fifth book in the Morgan Dane series. Retired Deputy Sheriff Paul Knox has been murdered in his home, witnessed by his stepson Evan. Now Evan is on the run as he believes that it was another cop who killed his stepdad…who can he turn to? Evan’s mother is desperate for her son’s safety and contacts Lance Kruger, Evan’s coach and a private investigator. Lance will begin the search for Evan along with his fiancée Morgan. Morgan will step in to protect the rights of both Evan and his mother. As details emerge, not only did Evan have a contentious relationship with his stepfather, but his own father was just recently released from prison and he hated Paul. His mother has a dangerous past as well and could this be coming back to haunt them? Find out in this thrilling addition to this amazing series. You won’t want to stop reading after you start! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

This series just keeps getting better. Melinda Leigh gives us smart and likeable protagonists. Morgan and Lance balance each other out perfectly and love each other deeply. They are engaged now and Lance is living with Morgan and her family and learning to be a dad. This provides some of the sweetest moments in the book as Lance is clearly in love with Morgan's 3 little girls. Melinda expertly weaves normal, happy family life into this story of a family in trouble. Evan is on the run hiding from the man who killed his stepfather But the sheriff is sure that Evan is the one who killed him. Lance and Morgan are trying to find him first. What follows is a non-stop, pulse pounding search involving plenty of bad guys... and an exciting water rescue that had me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy smart romantic suspense... this is the series for you.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Secrets Never Die is an excellent title for Melinda Leigh latest book. If I had paid more attention to the titial I might have been less surprised by the ending. However what really got me involved in the story was the struggles the family and their friends had dealing with the local police department .The police made everything so painful and much harder. I'm not going to give away the ending but it was a pleasant surprise and everything worked out well for all the major characters.

This fifth book in Melinda Leigh’s series about defence attorney Morgan Dane, her partner - PI Lance Kruger - and his boss and their mutual friend Lincoln Sharp, focuses on a tautly written mystery plot involving a murder and a missing teen while also taking an insightful look at the challenges of parenting young children and finding a practicable work-life balance.When Secrets Never Die opens, we meet sixteen-year-old Evan Meade as he’s returning home – later than he should be - from an evening out with a friend.  He’s surprised to see there are no lights on inside the house; his mother, a nurse, is still at work and his stepfather, Paul, a retired sheriff’s deputy, always leaves a light on for her – but the place is in total darkness.  Cautiously – and still feeling guilty for being out late and having ignored Paul’s concerned texts earlier – Evan is making his way through the house when he hears a loud pop he thinks must be a gunshot.  He stands in the doorway of the den, frozen in terror at the sight of Paul lying on the floor, covered in blood, as a large man carrying a gun stands over him and shoots him again, this time between the eyes, execution style.  As Evan watches, horrified, he sees the man is wearing a gold badge clipped to his belt and he’s wearing gloves - is he a cop?  After that final shot, the killer’s eyes fix on Evan – who turns and starts running for his life.Morgan and Lance have had a particularly difficult and exhausting few days.  Morgan’s three daughters  – all aged six and under – have been ill which has meant disturbed nights for both of them (something I’m sure all parents will be able to identify with!) and they’re both running on empty when Lance gets a call in the early hours from Tina, Evan’s mother, who tells him she returned from work to find her husband shot dead and her son missing.  Lance, an ex-cop turned PI, also coaches a hockey team of at-risk youths, which is how he knows both mother and son.  He and Morgan think it’s a bit strange that Tina has called them before dialling 911, but they nonetheless head over to the house, arriving at the scene before the County Sheriff and his team, which gives them a chance to look over the house for evidence before they’re told to butt out.When Sheriff Colgate does arrive, it’s clear he’s not pleased to see Morgan and Lance already there, but accepts their explanations that they’re friends of the family and allows them to remain while he and his team start documenting the crime scene.  The discovery of blood on the handle of the back door and on the cell phone they find on the other side of the back fence indicates that Evan must be injured, although it’s impossible to tell how badly.But it rapidly becomes clear to Morgan and Lance that there are things the sheriff isn’t telling them, and that he is pursuing his own agenda.  They know Evan is innocent of the murder of his stepfather but with him still missing, his past history of being in trouble with the law and evidence pointing to his relationship with Paul having been an acrimonious one, the difficulty is going to lie in proving it.Long buried secrets, police corruption, a crimelord recently released from prison… author Melinda Leigh skilfully interweaves her various plotlines and clues into a tightly-written, fast-paced mystery that credibly combines the suspense elements with a look at the day-to-day difficulties of parenting young children alongside having a demanding and sometimes dangerous job.  Morgan and Lance are engaged now – although Morgan has become a little skittish and has so far refused to set a date – but there’s no big melodrama involved, and they act like sensible, mature adults and talk things through so that by the end of the book, things are back on track.  There’s only a whiff of romance in this one, though, which is provided by Lance’s boss, Sharp, whose reluctant crush on reporter Olivia Cruz (who helped out with the investigation in the previous book, What I’ve Done) hasn’t abated.  I always like a romance between older protagonists (Sharp is fifty-three, Olivia is in her forties) and Olivia is a great addition to the cast; she’s funny, she’s clever, she’s vivacious, and she’s got Sharp’s number – plus, I can never resist characters who lob quotes from The Princess Bride at each other ;). Olivia proves herself to be one tough cookie when she and Sharp find themselves in a perilous situation when they follow up on a new lead - and I hope to see more of her in the next book.This novel works perfectly well as a standalone, although one of the real strengths of the series is the closely knit ‘family’ of characters the author has built up around Morgan, all of whom have important parts to play in her life and the stories.  It’s not necessary to have read the previous books in order to enjoy this (I’m still working my way through them), but doing so will definitely provide a little more insight into the various characters and their relationships.  Secrets Never Die is an intriguing mystery that grabs the attention from the opening chapter and keeps you turning the pages through the twists, turns and life-or-death situations until the very end.Buy it at: AmazonVisit our Amazon Storefront

This was another great installment from Morgan Dane’s Series. I love the way Melinda Leigh develope every one of her stories. All the details of Morgan’s cases and life situations are impressive.

In Secrets Never Die we continue the life of Lawyer Morgan and PI’s Lance Kruger and Lincoln Sharp. Another unexpected murder takes this team to action. This one been more close to Lance’s heart. While dealing with all the work drama and constant annoyance from the sheriffs department, we get to have more of the daily life of Morgan and Lance. I love this duo. They are an incredible team in and out of work.

Even though I love this book and it was pretty fast paced, I felt that was missing some of the intensity from previous books. That said I still can’t wait to have the next book of this series.

Retired Sheriff's deputy Paul Knox has been shot to death in his home, and all signs point to his troubled 16 year old stepson Evan. Evan's mother Tina calls private investigator Lance Kruger to the house before she calls 911. Lance's fiance Morgan Dane, a defense attorney finds that extremely odd. Because Paul was a cop, all law enforcement has came out to help find his killer, who they all believe is Evan. As Lance and Morgan investigate further, there is way bigger PROBLEMS.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read another melinda leigh book...they are simply the best

and this one keeps you on your toes trying to find out who did it

again we meet loveable characters that we have come to know and love but they are up against it this time with a cop killer about and the only suspect is the stepson, who is missing and police are saying armed and dangerous...

but lance and morgan think otherwise and start to investigate.....

its brilliantly written and what we expect from the author we are taken on a brilliant ride through this story that will have you wanting more...i cant wait for the next one in this series...

Melinda Leigh is one of my favourite authors. I have to say I didn't enjoy this book as much as I have done her other ones. The book is fast paced and the worth reading just not up to her usual standards in my opinion.

I was so glad to read this next adventure of Morgan Dane and Lance Kruger. They are both such fantastic characters that I would like any storyline the author wrote about them. This one had a great mystery, and I really loved seeing Morgan and Lance working together to figure things out. As usual, the family members of Morgan and Lance gave an extra, great layer to the story.

Tina came home from work one night to a completely dark house. That was unusual- her husband Paul always left a light on for her when she worked the late shift. She entered her home anyway, only to find a disaster had occurred. Not only was Paul deceased, but her son, Evan, was nowhere to be found. Tina had no idea what happened in her home, but she knew she needed help from someone who would find Evan quickly and keep his best interests at heart. So she called Lance- the Scarlet Falls P.I. who just happened to be Evan’s hockey coach. The police might treat Evan as a suspect, but she knew Lance and Morgan would look out for him. Now if only they can find him first.

I’m a huge fan of this series, and this one did not disappoint. As usual, Lance and Morgan use their wits and their resources to come to smart conclusions. They have a great cast of support- from Sharp to Morgan’s grandfather and Lance’s mother. I also think Olivia Cruz has been a great addition for the last two books. I love the back and forth with her and Sharp, as well as the Princess Bride references.

While there is character and relationship growth as the series progresses, there is not really a continuing mystery storyline through the individual books. So if this is the first one you can get your hands on, go for it. You’ll probably end up wanting going back to get the rest of the series though. The writing for the entire series is fantastic. The research is fantastic. Typically,mysteries do not earn a fifth star from me as that usually takes a good bit of emotion for me too. But i feel like the work Ms. Leigh has done merits rounding up now and again. i can't wait for the next installment.

I have run out of superlatives with which to describe Melinda Leigh’s Morgan Dane series, now in its fifth outing with SECRETS NEVER DIE. Ms. Leigh does police procedurals to perfection, and SECRETS NEVER DIE is no exception-- and is, perhaps, one of her most engrossing and unpredictable cases to date. On top of the perfectly-paced action and stellar writing, Lance (be still, my heart!) and Morgan (I want to be you when I grow up) and their relationship are icing on the cake… even when the relationship doesn’t feature very prominently (if you’re looking for true romance/RS, or heat, look elsewhere). Sharp and Olivia’s budding romance is an added bonus, and I can’t wait to see how that plays out. SECRETS NEVER DIE is not officially even out yet and I’m already impatiently waiting for the next one in September!

**ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review