The House of Secrets is a very well-written historical mystery and one I am certain you will enjoy reading. If you like mysteries with secrets, ghosts, and a spy then this is the book for you.

You can't help but want to get to know Sarah as she takes a job in order to help figure out the mystery behind the sorrowful spirit that has attached itself to her.

Definitely a page-turner. Can't wait to read more by this author.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* story line is pretty good, the way some things are written are oddly lacking, will read the next one tho

Not an easy book to get into. I was 39% of the way through it before I couldn't put it down. After the fact, I learned that this is second in the Sarah Bennett series - I think I would have definitely fared better if I had read the first book. I just couldn't get into the characters OR the story until it was almost half done. Once I got passed that point, I couldn't put it down. It had the distinct vibe of the Preston & Child Pendergast vibes to me. I look forward to the next one.

Thank you Netgalley, for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2678003896

I am not entirely sure how I feel after finishing this book. It started as a slow burn type of read. The author did a good job of building the story. Somewhere along the way though, she began to speed the story up quickly and I felt like things started happening too fast. With the story being so steeped in the characters believing in God's, parts of it felt like a quick overview rather than getting a good feel for why they believed what they did. The ending did leave me wanting more.

I really loved this book in a new to me author. The characters and location really and to the story. I can't wait to read the next one. This book keeps you guessing until the end.

Thank you Netgalley, HQ Digital and Terry Lynn Thomas for free e-Arc in return of my honest review.

Story of Sarah Bennett is unique. Not only she is in love with the spy and just went through a horrible legal procedure against her stepfather, she also sees ghosts. She had hard time find sincere people and fair work to escape journalists. She find employment in mental care private house where she accidentally acts as detective with paranormal abilities.

Overall, fast-paced paranormal thriller is full with turns and twists, some are quite unexpected. The love story is sweet and I cold have a little more of Sarah and Zeke, but better underwhelmed than overwhelmed with love adventures. The low of the narrative is smooth and very enjoyable.

I liked character evolution. All important parts of the story were very nicely presented and their background was given in various chapters.

However, while reading I had a feeling of rashness of the story, like author's process was faster than her ability to write everything down.

I love a good supernatural book and this one didn't disappoint. I found out that this is the second book in the series but it didn't matter I was still able to follow the story and enjoy. I will however read the first book now.

I'm not usually a fan of supernatural or ghost stories but I enjoyed this one. I was not famiiar with the author before this book but I will be looking out for more in the future. It kept my interest and I enjoyed the cast of characters.

I definitely need to read the first book in this series to fully understand the backstory. This woman sees spirits since what I understand was an accident. There was some kind of trial that happened in the first book from what I understand. She starts to work for a psychiatrist who knows she is in contact with his sister since the trial. The doctors sister wants to help him but, Sarah must take medication to keep the voices calm. So she must stop and finally understand what she is trying to say. In the mean time there is a woman who is in this hospital who fears her husband isn’t dead and is stalking her and threatening her. Sarah must help everyone and hopefully mend the relationship with the one she loves.

I didn’t realise this was the second book in a series but it was enjoyable. Atmospheric paranormal read but I don’t think I was hooked enough to want to read the series

Second book in the series. Haven't read the first but made no difference. Great book, suspenseful plot and good characters. Will definitely read the first one now.

Oh I loved it. It had all the feels. I highly recommend. The story line was wonderfully written. Very easy to follow. This book does follow the book "Spirit of Grace" - I recommend this book!

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed this well-written and suspenful story. I will be looking for the first book in the series so that I can catch up on the back story. That being said, I had no issues following the story .

This is the following novel to Spirit of Grace, but can easily be read as a stand-alone.

Sarah Bennett, still traumatised by her fathers murder trial, she takes a job working for a psychiatrist, Dr Matthew Geisler..

He has an interest in the supernatural and says he can help with her visions…..so Sarah takes the job, she can also keep an eye on her ex fiancé, Zeke, who is there for treatment for his injuries..

She befriends, Minna, who is struggling at the institution…..she also claims to see ghosts…and there are threats of harm to Dr Geisler……just who is intent of doing him harm?

“My mind went to my pocket book where the glass bottle that held the opium tincture waited for me, the panacea for situations such as this. Two drops in eight ounces of water, and whatever I heard, whomever I saw, would disappear.”

This is a supernatural historical fiction mystery with a touch of romance too and I found it to be well plotted and certainly entertaining with a clever ending that brings all the pieces together. A thoroughly entertaining read.

Thank you to The publishers, the author and NetGalley for a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.

Loved this book so much. The story was intriguing from the start and I found myself pulled into the lives if the characters. Really good

The House of Secrets is the second book in the Sarah Bennett Mysteries and my introduction to its main character, Sarah Bennett.

I will try not to give anything away about what happens as I don’t want to spoil it.

I know I have been saying this a lot but from page one, I was well and truly hooked. My to-do list got abandoned for the day as I settled in and read this in pretty much one sitting.

I immediately loved Sarah. She is a strong female character who is also facing many internal conflicts as well as external ones. She’s very intelligent, has great instincts but is battling in the court of public opinion since the trial of her father ended.

Despite the fact that I have not read the first novel in the series, it is obvious she has been through a lot. Not reading the first novel, The Spirt of Grace, didn’t put me at too much of a disadvantage as all the information needed is mentioned at various points. However, reading the first one obviously means you know more about Sarah’s past when you meet her again at the beginning of this book.

This appealed to my interest in the idea of whether there is something beyond life. There is a real feeling of the gothic and it is captured so well in the description of the house and the ‘sightings’ Sarah has.

This book really pulled me in. There’s a myriad of characters in this book; some I liked more than others. There was one I was particularly cautious about from the start. There is a love story yes but it is a lot more than that.

Overall, such a compelling, exciting, mysterious plot in a setting that is both warm and scary at the same time. If you’re looking for a new series to read, I recommend this one. I’m off to read the other two books, The Sprit of Grace and The Drowned Woman (in case you were wondering.)

A spine-tingling thriller laced with mystery, terror and intrigue, Terry Lynn Thomas’ The House of Secrets is a chilling, captivating and nerve-twisting tale guaranteed to keep readers absolutely riveted to the page.

Sarah Bennett is a woman who has two shocking secrets which she keeps very close to her chest. Sarah would be in great danger if these secrets were ever to be revealed, so she keeps mum about them and tries to live her life without arousing comment or suspicion. Sarah is not only madly in love with a spy, but she also has the ability to see ghosts. Sarah is able of making a connection to the spirit world and when a sorrowful spirit attaches itself to her, she realizes that she needs help to understand this unfathomable gift. Sarah’s new employer Dr Matthew Geisler is an occult expert who offers to help her to comprehend the reason why she is being haunted by this anguished ghost. However, Sarah soon realizes that she needs help not only with the dead, but also with the living as she runs into the man she hasn’t seen in six months: Zeke…

Zeke is a man with secrets of his own. The past six months have been anything but easy for him as he is recovering from injuries he had sustained during an accident. But is Zeke telling the whole story? Is there more to his story than meets the eye? Can Sarah trust this man who has come to mean everything to her? Or should she tread with caution where he is concerned? As an attack is made on Geisler’s life, Sarah realises that she is going to need all of her wits about her if she is to keep herself and her employer safe. Caught between two different worlds, will Sarah solve the mystery of the soul that is haunting her and find out who is behind the attack on Geisler? With danger edging closer and closer, will Sarah succeed in her quest for the truth? Or has she got herself tangled up in a web of deceit, jeopardy…and murder!

Wonderfully evocative, hugely enjoyable and hard to put down, The House of Secrets is a heart-pounding tale rich in atmosphere, menace and suspense that sends chills down the spine and holds readers in thrall desperate to find out what happens next. Gripping, enthralling and scintillating, Terry Lynn Thomas’ The House of Secrets features the indomitable and redoubtable Sarah Bennett in a compelling and captivating mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat desperate to find out what happens next.

The House of Secrets is a unique blend of historical, mystery and paranormal. Admittedly, I wish I had read book one first. This works okay as a standalone, but I did feel a little behind.

However, I really enjoy Terry Lynn Thomas’ writing. Her character development is superb. Sarah is an inquisitive soul, even after all she has been through. She’s under a lot of pressure, but her determination is inspiring.

The supernatural element is here, but I think this is less about that and more about solving the mystery. I actually like that about The House of Secrets. The paranormal element doesn’t overshadow the historical mystery elements, and that makes this plot really unique and interesting.

I enjoyed The House of Secrets, and now I intend to go back and read book one. Highly recommended if you enjoy historical/mystery/paranormal!

Following on from Sarah Bennett’s father’s murder trial, Sarah gets given a job working with psychiatrist Dr Matthew Geisler. With his fascination into the supernatural, Sarah sees it as a chance to escape the public eye.
Whilst I have read The Spirit of Grace, you don’t have to, to enjoy this story. Anything that was relevant from book 1 was explained in detail, without spoiling the flow. I liked that Sarah was still inquisitive and even having suffered a life-threatening accident, it didn’t stop her trying to help Minna, who was having a really bad time at the Geisler’s Institute. Although there were times that Sarah was put under a lot of pressure from Zeke, Dr Geisler and even Alysse, she was still determined to find out who was behind the threats.
Whilst Zeke being housed in the hospital for his injuries pleased Sarah, as he was so close to her, there were moments that she doubted the real reason he was there. At times it did get annoying as Sarah knew what Zeke did for a living and should have understood that there were occasions that she could not be his No1 priority. However, this did not detract from the mystery and they did work well together.
Whilst the story centred around the characters already mentioned, there were some other characters, that had their own story to tell. Mr Collins, an accomplished pianist, Cynthia Forrester whilst being Sarah’s friend was also a reporter from the San Francisco Chronicle and Aunt Lillian, an eccentric older lady who was Cynthia’s aunt.
The supernatural element was stronger in this story as Sarah was adjusting to her gift and it helped that she had a fan in Dr Geisler. The mystery was well plotted and whilst I had my suspicions who was behind the threats, I could not work the reasons behind them. The story built up to a dramatic ending, with everything explained in detail.
This series can keep going and I hope there will be more to come. If you like historical fiction with an element of supernatural then this is a series for you.

House of Secrets is the second book in the Sarah Bennet series and follows Sarah’s journey after the events of her father’s, Jack Bennet’s trial. Excluded from society for daring to speak out against her father, Sarah ends up taking a job with psychiatrist Dr Matthew Geisler at his family’s home, turned hospital as his secretary. Immediately upon arrival she discovers that not only is Zeke there, but Dr Geisler is aware she’s special, and would like to help. He has experience with the paranormal and has been following her story with interest. Throw in the fact Sarah has been haunted by the sounds of weeping since Jack was found not guilty, and you have an interesting, captivating ghost story set in WW2 San Francisco.
As this is the second book in the series, typically I’d tell you here to stop and read The Spirit of Grace, the first book, before continuing, and while I whole heartedly recommend reading the books in order, you won’t be lost if you choose not to. Thomas writes in a way which summarizes without heavy exposition, filling the reader in with ease. Of course, there is character building and growth with you’d be missing out on, but the plot of House of Secrets is incredibly well constructed to be read as a standalone. Likewise, if you’re not worried about having the ending spoiled, you could even start here and read The Spirit of Grace after, as I did. Both are fantastic, and I highly recommend reading them both if you read one of them.
The book is written in 1st person, following Sarah as the main POV throughout, allowing us to become fully invested in her, and discover the story as she does. A lot of care has been put in to ensure Sarah doesn’t randomly know things she shouldn’t, and a great example of this when Sarah is sitting at her desk with her window open. The people she can hear talking also have their window open, but the wind doesn’t carry every sentence, and as soon as they shut the window, she’s excluded from their conversation. This air of realism was lovely, and a theme Thomas carries through the entire book. Sarah may occasionally be at the right place at the right time, this is a fictional story after all, but that doesn’t mean real life isn’t getting in the way. Another example I enjoyed, which isn’t one moment, but an overlaying sentiment tied into my point, is that this is the 1940s, and Sarah’s gifts could and would land her in an asylum. She’s putting a lot of faith in Dr Geiser but is incredibly mindful to keep her abilities quiet to the rest of the household. It’d be too easy for Thomas to set the story in the past, but with modern ideals, and I appreciated her keeping to the setting in such an appropriate way. It was captivating and allowed me to sink me teeth into the plot without being jarred by anything inappropriate to the 1940s. If you’re a fan of this type of realism tied with a curious plot, then you can’t go wrong with House of Secrets.
The pacing is also good. Fluid, and naturally moving, we’re given time to take in every new mysterious detail with a helping of the everyday excitement and sadness of the time. We’re treated to warm scenes in the kitchen, to titbits of rationing, stolen kisses between maids and diaper deliverymen, and rich world building that throws us straight into the era. Thomas has not only taken incredible care with her world building; she’s applied a lot of thought into the ebb and flow of storytelling, and through this has captured the tension and unease of the time. This isn’t an action novel, nor is it a thriller, it’s a mystery, and she’s tackled that fact with attention and care. To add to this point, I also found the ending extremely satisfying. It’s period appropriate, warm, and took its time. I find a lot of novels feel stunted at the end, as if the author was scared, we’d be bored as soon as the action finished, but exactly as with the rest of the novel, House of Secrets ends when and as it should, and no sooner.
I didn’t expect to review another so soon, but this is another ghost story, and exactly as with Forms of Things Unknown, I greatly enjoyed the supernatural element to this story. It’s louder than in the other book, and Sarah is not as comfortable with the occult as Lillian was, but through the natural course of the plot, she finds her footing and a confidence within herself. I loved the way Alisse ensures she’s heard, and there’s a scene towards the end where it’s abundantly clear she will get her message across however she needs to, and this fervour was a fantastic opposite to the radiant love we witness in an earlier scene. Every character, even the ghosts, have personality, and are effortlessly true to themselves, especially Sarah. My favourite character, as you know I always have one, is easily either Minna, the beautiful, graceful lifelong friend of Dr Geisler, or Mrs McDougal, the motherly housekeeper with a heart of fire and care. I loved Sarah, and I loved her development, but I’m always drawn to the side characters. If an author can give their SCs the same love and growth as their MCs, it’s a testament to wonderful style in my opinion. I’d also be a liar if I didn’t add Alisse to the list, as well as Dr Geisler. They both have a ferocity for the truth, though Matthew isn’t as… loud. Truth be told, character wise, this is one of the strongest casts I’ve read for the dynamics and a lack of fear to create ugly moments. The big twist comes to mind as I make that point, and without spoiling anything, even at the very end, the character holds themselves with the same air they’ve held throughout the novel. I know that’s cryptic, but if you read this, I hope you know what I mean by that.
If I had to give one critique about this novel, it’d oddly be toward Zeke. I felt he took a back seat in this, though with reason, but seemed to want to swoop in and act like he’d been just as active as Sarah throughout the plot. I found him interesting, and with personality, but… a little meh plot wise, as I’d expected more from him by that point. I fully agree it would have changed the dynamics, and I’m not suggesting this is held against the plot, I just wasn’t sure what he brought to the table for him to act like he’d brought it all. That’d be my only negative and am sure it makes a lot more sense as the rest of the series continues. Of which, I’ll be reviewing the third novel sometime later this month, so can let you know if I warmed back to Zeke.
All in all, this is a fantastic example of how paranormal doesn’t have to mean horror, and will be a hit with fans of mysteries, historical dramas, and curious plots you can really lose yourself into.
Just to wrap up, I’d like to thank Terry Lynn Thomas, Netgalley, and Rachel from Rachel’s Random Resources for the opportunity to read this novel and give it an honest review.