Her Fathers Secret
By: Kate Wiley

5 Stars

Wes and Margot won me over in book 1. They are an awesome crime fighting duo. Book one was thrilling and mysterious, and this book just added more to make this a promising series.

This book was very well done. It was captivatingly written, as well as it being thrilling and action-packed. I think I enjoyed it more than the first one because it seemed more fast-paced. Ed Finch once again makes a serial killer interesting. In this story, Margot is wrapped up in a few different cases that will have lasting effects on her. Her visits with her father may solve an old crime of his, while leading her and the FBI to even more that he committed. Margot never knows who she will get or who she will be when it's all over.

I loved the ending and can't wait to read more from Margot, Wes, and yes, even Ed Finch.

*I want to thank Netgalley and the author for this book in return for my honest review*

Stormi Ellis
Boundless Book Review

A very intense and emotionally charged book. Simultaneously Margot has four different cases going on. She’s not having a good week. Her father, a convicted serial killer is playing games with Margot. I held my breath a lot throughout the book. It’s a roller coaster of a ride book. Lots of action and suspense. It’s masterly written and I highly recommend it. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Kate Wiley's Her Father’s Secret is a gripping thriller that delves deep into the psychological complexities of a detective haunted by her past. The story follows Detective Margot Phalen, who is confronted with the grisly discovery of a girl's body in a lake. The sight of her childhood toys alongside the body drags Margot back into a nightmarish reality she has tried to escape: her father is a notorious serial killer.

From the outset, Wiley masterfully sets a chilling tone, immersing readers in a world where the past is never truly buried. Margot is a compelling protagonist, characterized by her determination and the heavy burden of her lineage. Her struggle to forge her own identity while being the daughter of a monster is poignantly depicted, adding layers to her character that go beyond the typical detective archetype.

The plot thickens when Margot receives a message from her father, Ed Finch, who offers to reveal his darkest secret. This proposition sets the stage for a tense and emotionally charged narrative. Margot’s journey back to her father’s cell is fraught with dread, not just because of the secrets she might uncover, but because of the psychological toll it takes on her. Wiley excels in portraying the internal conflict Margot faces, torn between the need to solve the case and the fear of letting her father get under her skin once again.

Ed Finch is a menacing figure, his presence looming over the story even when he is off the page. Wiley’s portrayal of him is chillingly effective, capturing the manipulative and sinister nature of a serial killer who knows exactly how to push his daughter’s buttons. The interactions between Margot and Ed are some of the novel’s most intense moments, filled with psychological mind games that keep readers on edge.

The narrative is intricately woven, with Margot retracing the steps of the missing girl and delving into her family’s dark history. Each revelation is carefully placed, building suspense and keeping the reader guessing. The themes of the novel – the struggle with one's identity, the impact of a traumatic past, and the quest for truth – are explored with depth and sensitivity, making Margot’s journey resonate on an emotional level.

Wiley’s writing is taut and evocative, capturing the eerie atmosphere of the settings and the tension of the investigation. The pacing is well-maintained, with each chapter ending on a note that compels the reader to keep turning the pages. The use of Margot’s toys found with the body is a brilliant narrative device, tying her personal history to the current investigation and heightening the stakes.

Her Father’s Secret is not just a thriller; it is a psychological exploration of the effects of living in the shadow of a monstrous parent. Margot’s character is relatable in her vulnerability and admirable in her strength, making her a protagonist readers will root for. The supporting characters, though seen through Margot’s perspective, are also well-drawn, adding depth to the story.

Kate Wiley’s ability to blend a compelling crime narrative with a deep psychological profile of her protagonist sets Her Father’s Secret apart in the thriller genre. The novel’s exploration of dark family secrets, personal identity, and the haunting legacy of a serial killer father provides a rich and engaging reading experience.

Her Father’s Secret is a standout thriller that keeps readers hooked with its blend of suspense, emotional depth, and psychological complexity. Wiley’s skillful storytelling and her nuanced portrayal of Margot Phalen make this a must-read for fans of the genre, offering a haunting and unforgettable journey into the heart of darkness.

The Margot Phalen series has quickly become one of my absolute favorites this year. I was lucky enough to have received an ARC for the first book and fell in love with the characters and I'm so thankful and happy to have been able to read an ARC of Her Father's Secret

The characters have continued to grow on me, the premise and plot is intriguing, and I love the writing style. The dual POV between Margot and Ed Finch in his killing days were interesting and added a lot of depth to the story. I think Kate Wile does an excellent job portraying complex trauma, character arc growth, and a strong FMC who is 100% human.

I can honestly say that Kate Wiley has become an autobuy author for me. I absolutely cannot wait for book 3 to release!

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the author Kate Wiley for my arc in exchange for my honest review :)

When I requested this book, I did not realize it was the second in a series. That did not trip me up at all, thank goodness.
I was immediately drawn in to the life of Megan/Margot, who is currently a detective for the SFPD, and also the daughter of a convicted serial killer. She changed her name for anonymity, and her boss and therapist are the only people in her everyday life who know her true identity.
While doing her normal job (no stress there) she is also pulled in by the FBI to help solve a cold case. A cold case her father fessed up to, but he will only give up the location of the body if she will meet with him in person.
This was a wild ride that I’m glad I got in line for! I will definitely go back and read the first in this series, and am eagerly awaiting the third.

I am loving this series! I read the first book right before this one and it’s safe to say I’m hooked!

While the twists in this book didn’t necessarily shock me, per se, there were still a lot of jaw dropping, WTF moments. Kate has a way of writing simply and giving you justttttt enough bait to keep you reading, but not more than that. She gets you with that slow burn. Her writing is addictive and I wish the entire series was already published so I could binge the whole thing right now 😅

I did feel that this second book got to be a bit too slow at certain points and I found myself losing interest at times (which was not the case for the first book). The pace could be picked up just a little 🤏🏼

Also, I am sooo looking forward to seeing how Margot and Wes’s relationship grows and (hopefully) blossoms over the course of this series 🥰 the tension is killing me.

Kate Wiley has quickly become of my most liked authors for this genre and I’m already waiting on the edge of my seat for the third book to be announced 😍

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC!

Kate Wiley (Sierra Dean) does it again! I really enjoyed this book. The story picks up a few months after the last book. Margot once again has to deal with Ed. He dangles another missing girl in her face and of course she takes the bait. As I said with The Killer's Daughter (Book 1) I love Margot. She has sass and her banter and relationship with Wes gives me life. I feel revived after reading this one as I did with last one. I for one do not care for Andrew though, there's just something there that I can't put my finger on.

This is a very easy read. I flew through this one. However, some of the chapters are quite long but with all the information you are given it is needed. If you make the chapters shorter it wouldn't flow as well. This story has the same writing from the first book. If you haven't read book 1 you need to read that one first, this is not a stand-alone book. A lot the information from book 1 you will need for this one.

I highly recommend this book. If you read and liked the first one, you will like this one as well I would give this book 4.5 ⭐️

Her Father's Secret will be available June 26, 2024.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book started out a bit slow but once it picked up, it really picked up. I enjoyed the characters and the interaction. I would be interested in reading more in this series just for the characters.

I really enjoyed this novel. Even though it's book 2 in a series, I have never read anything by this author. I loved the author's writing style and the pace was just right with lots of twists and turns. It also had a good cast of characters. I will definitely be reading more by the author, I highly recommend it.
❤️ Thank you to storm publishing, netgalley and the author for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Her Father's secret. Good book which held my interest. Was a quick read and I felt the characters were very relatable. I would read the other books in this series just to see where the relationships led.

I did enjoy this book but there was a bit too much going on. Too many cases to keep track of. A lot of characters. I found myself confused at times.

I was so excited to see the second book! I loved the first one and I reviewed that I would loooove to read more about Ed, as that part was the best!

the "then" Ed part : LOVE IT! I really enjoy reading from his POV and still it was not enough - I need more about Ed Finch! there are over 70 victims so there would be a lot to read about that time.

the "now" Ed part: He was quiet annoying this time and he didn't really offer much more. and it ended with a cliffhanger..

The actual case was great and solved pretty tights. There is still another case going on.

Based on all this, Margot is a great character, you can really feel what she is feeling and it makes her authentic!

I just hope that the Ed cliffhangers won't be a way to just get to read the next book and that in book 3 we really receive more from him.

Thank you Netgalley!

Great series. Interesting to delve into Margot’s family history more and the side stories were a good way to mix it up.

I look forward to reading the next one in the series.

3.5 stars

"The sun is beginning to set as Margot watches the dive team haul the girl’s body from the lake, untangling the bag that had been used to weight it down among the rocks and the reeds. But it isn’t the cool evening air that chills Margot to the bone as the bag is opened up. It is the glimpse of its contents. The old toys. Margot’s toys. Detective Margot Phalen has spent years running from her father’s shadow – and the awful truth of her own past as the daughter of a serial killer. But then she receives a message from him. He’s willing to share his darkest secret – but only with her."

The author wrote a very well constructed book that kept me interested. The mystery was well written with a few shocking twists and turns that all raced towards a very satisfying conclusion. The characters were well written and easy to connect to. The book featured flash backs to the past that were interwoven really well. This book definitely set us up for book 3 and I am looking forward to reading that one also. My only minor complaint was that I felt that at times there were a few too many pages dedicated to her inner thoughts on the case and I found myself skimming through those.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc review.

Her Father’s Secret

Kate Wiley is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! I loved the first book in this series and the second book did not disappoint! I love that there are 3 overarching stories in her books. The current case they are working on at the time. The case in the woods that has not been solved is continued into the 2nd book. And of course, the start of the show is the story line with Margot and her father giving her tidbits of information to find more of his victims. If this book was a man, it would be my type. I love the tension between the main character and her partner, all the cases she is working on and of course her serial killer father. I cannot wait for the next book in this series, and I hope the publisher decided that we need more books in this series than they were planning. I recommend this book and enjoyed this 5 star read!

Thank you, Net Galley, the author, and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I learned after the fact that this was book two of a series. I had no idea going into this and throughout the read, which I was grateful that this is. as series that can be picked up and read out of order. However, like any series I do recommend starting at the beginning with book one. Overall, despite not reading book one, and jumping into this book, I was pleased how easy the book was to get into and understand. I personally took away how real life the book played on from a detective point of view, detectives do not work just one case at a time, and this was the first book in a long long time that portrayed that element of a true life detective working multiple cases. And the writing, to include multiple cases that did not have one thing to do with the other and the book flow so expertly was highly impressive to me. The ending however was unimpressive to me. After reading the exquisite intricateness of the other cases and the build up of the main case/plot, I was expecting the ending to be a big bang, and I felt the ending is where the book fell flat from giving that feeling. This however would not deter me from going back to book 1, and continuing to follow the series for any further books that are published later.

So, so good! Margot is neck deep in cases again. How she actually manages to keep it together most of the time is astonishing to me, most people would be in pieces. This time we have a domestic violence case, a sniper spreading terror through San Francisco, and a murdered sex worker. And, of course, her father. The scenes with him are just seriously creepy. He's dangling another carrot, another victim in front of Margot and the FBI. Despite all her misgivings, Margot meets with him again. This was another woman who just disappeared but was never really thought to be one of Ed's victims. All these things happen in the space of one week from hell. And she's taking another look at the case that went cold in book 1. Margot is a great character and a much stronger woman than she realises. I'm curious to see if anything develops between her and Wes! A very fast paced, well put together story. I read it in one sitting! Looking forward to book 3.
Thanks to Netgalley, Storm Publishing and Kate Wiley for the free ARC in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! I was a little apprehensive at first because I requested the ARC without realizing that it was book 2, but I was able to figure out what was going on quickly. There were a couple references to book 1, but I don't think much was spoiled.

I think this was my first detective book and it was really interesting. I liked how Margot had several cases at a time to solve as it kept the story going, all while the overarching serial killer father story went on. It was intriguing to read Ed's POV from Margot's childhood in tandem with her interactions with him in the present, trying to unravel all the murders he committed. I think in all there were 5 mysteries/crimes to solve?

I really liked Margot's character, she was very hardworking and smart--not unrealistically smart when it came to solving cases, but clever enough that the story flowed well. Wes seemed like a great character but wasn't super fleshed out--I may have missed that in the first book. I liked the small hints of romance between Margot and Wes and hopefully it plays out a little more in the next book!

I really need to track down book 1, I very much want to read it now but am having a hard time finding it.

Thank you to NetGalley + Storm Publishing for the ARC!

This is the second book in a series, but my first by this author. I can honestly say I have transferred her name to my list of favorite authors and it did not take me long to do this. 

As soon as I opened the book, I was sold. I loved the characters, the writing style and the premise.

Margot is a strong woman. Not only does she still have to come to terms with her personal life, but she also has a few cases to solve together with her partner. 

She is a detective in heart and soul and when a dangerous situations presents itself, she dives straight into it even though it might be a big risk to her own life. 

She has an immense sense of duty and protecting others is on the top of her list. 

I liked Margot a lot. She is like a brick wall on the outside, when sometimes she dies on the inside. To the outside world she is unstoppable, but she cannot forget to unwind from time to time and there is one person who might be the one to turn to.

I cannot wait for the next book. 5 stars

Thank you

Having read The Killers Daughter (book 1) in the series, I could not wait to start Her Father's Secret and again it did not disappoint at all.

We are back with main character Detective Margot Phalen, her side kick Wes and Margot's infamous father - serial killer Ed Finch.

Margot aka as Megan has only visited her father once, after having had to live with the aftermath of his murders and he has once again enticed her back when he reveals he has information of a missing person.

The chapters switch between Margot trying her best to survive, be a good detective and live with the knowledge of who her father is and then Ed's chapters detailing himself and his victims.

Kate Wiley's writing style is addictive, fast paced and such good and well rounded characters. I hope that there will be a book 3.

Thanks to Netgalley, Kate Wiley and the publishers for allowing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review.