Margot Phalen is a San Francisco police detective who is also the daughter of the notorious serial killer Ed Finch.

I was hooked with 'The Killers Daughter' so I instantly devoured 'Her Father's Secret' as there were still loose threads with a plot about bodies of women dumped in a national park that I'm dying to know more about. Margot is a bit of a mess. She's dedicated to her job, no dount as penance for the murders her father committed. Throwing herself into cases as her way of coping with her PTSD and anxiety attacks.Strengths of this book is her working relationship and chemistry with partner Wes Fox, who clearly dotes on her.

I read this easily in one sitting. Though I do think, like the first book, there's too many plots threads with the two cases plus the Ed storyline. While I am interested in what other murders Ed is finally confessing to, I can see this becoming repetitious every book with the same frustrating jail visits and Ed's games. For me, series fiction needs to show character growth so I do hope we resolve this plot so Margot can move on from her life (and hopefully start sorting her life out a bit!). I'd like to see more momentum and detective work with Margot and Wes working together as the focus.

Overall, this is another winner and I hope for more Margot and Wes soon because I am greedy for more!


Thanks to Storm and NetGalley for the ARC.

I am going to say that I enjoyed this book much more than the first installment.
We get to learn more of Margot Phalen. Her development in the storyline is good showing that she is accepting her flaws. Wes is a sweetheart and their interactions are the highlight of this book.

Everytime the timeline switches to Ed, it gives me the chills. Kudos to the author for keeping the reader hooked without making it unnecessarily gross. I do hope though that this doesn't turn out into a long series as there is only so much serial killer rants we can take. Also the newer cases added in the book were a good combination.

For keeping me hooked and making me excited for the next, I give this book 4 stars .

I thank NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the E-Arc and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

In this book you learn more about Margot and her life before her fathers arrest through her eyes and thise of her serial killer father.
The psychological tension and the anger she has with him for being who he is, but also the lossmof a father play out in his cat and mouse games withnthe FBI.
The will they wont they between Wes and Margot is a real page turner.
Through in a serial killer, a sniper and potential loss of career and you have a fantastic page turner.

Thank you Storm Publishing and Netgalley for this E-ARC of Her Fathers Secret by Kate Wiley.

This is book 2 of the Margot Phalen detective series. Margot, a detective is called upon a crime scene- a dead girl's body is pulled out of a lake. But this is not an open and shut murder case, and Margot has a chilling backstory of her own. She is the daughter of a notorious serial killer.

This story does shift back and forth from Margot's past to her present, as she is forced to meet and confront her father who's in prison. There are some triggers as gory scenes of murder are described in great detail.

Her father's secret does not disappoint, it is twisty, and the book concluded well.. I felt like there is definitely a few more books to come.

I read this as a standalone, but, I think this series definitely need to be read in the reading order. As there are some Easter eggs thrown in from the first book.

I found it engaging and can definitely see myself reading more should Kate decide to release more in the Margot Phalen series.

This is the second book in this series and I enjoyed just as much as the first book. Margot was such a strong character, that I absolutely love. Total thriller and absolutely a must read!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the advanced reader copy!!

Absolutely spellbinding.
Actually, five stars almost seem too mundane for this incredibly riveting thriller.
Margot Phalen, a San Fran Det. is back answering her serial killer father's demand, from prison, to meet so he can give her and the FBI the details of another missing young woman's death and body location. Her dad is one of the country's most heinous serial killers, responsible for over 50 deaths, that they know of. She agrees to meet with him to help the FBI solve missing persons cases. Each visit takes a horrendous toll on her, both mentally and physically.
While this is going on, she is also involved with her partner Wes, in the search for a sniper
operating in and around downtown San Fran, who gas killed police officers, as well as the beaten death of a sex worker.
Margot is anything but weak and this story continues to showcase the fabulous and relentless strength of character, and determination to move beyond her father's horrible crimes and find her own way forward.
She has a new name, a new life and a job she loves.
This was another great Margot tale with hopefully, more to follow.
Great story development with amazingly intriguing characters.
Bravo all the way.

This is the second book in the series and I was so excited to read this, as I fully enjoyed the first in the series. The story opens with Margot and Wes called to the scene of a murdered woman. Then we segue to the summer of 1988, when her father Ed Finch was in the middle of his serial killing spree. And from there, we are back in the present when Margot and WEs are called to the scene on Pier 39 where there has been a sniper spree. And Margot's father has requested a meeting with her, saying he will reveal where the body of one of his victims is!

So, Margot is having a very stressful day! However, all of this is really written well, with smooth transitions and connections. We get to see the effect of her past (her father) and how it is an important element in who she has become, and how she reacts/handles situations. I was glad to see that the author is developing Margot to acknowledge and deal with her past/present in healthy ways, and Margot is opening up to that. I really like Margot and Wes and the slooooow burn that might possibly be happening, and the other supporting characters. The investigation is interesting and for the most part fast paced. There are some twists- but the main case has a satisfying conclusion.

This is a darker series, and there are some descriptions of victims that I skimmed over. There are also times when Margot is going to do a task- interview someone, check out a place, etc., where she goes into "over explanation" of her thoughts, facts, etc. I counted one time when she was getting ready to phone a witness where there were 4 pages of her internal thoughts about the call she was going to make! This happened quite a few times. I do not mind detail, and feel it is necessary to develop a well written mystery- but this was a bit much and I would skim over those areas. They could have been shaved down a lot. Thus, I detracted 1 star because it would all of a sudden slow my reading and engagement.

Overall, I do highly recommend this series. I feel that overall it is very well developed, and I want to know what is going to happen with Margot, Wes, and her relationship with her father!

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Kate Wiley has done it again! This book hooks you from the very beginning and keeps you there throughout the entire book. I cannot wait until the next book comes out!

Margot is back in the second mystery thriller of this excellent series!! Kate Wiley does it again with another fast-paced plot with shocking revelations and a WOW ending. Highly recommend this series; this book can definitely be read as a standalone too. Cannot wait for the third book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
𝐇𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐛𝐲 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Detective Mystery
𝙿𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜: 322
𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝙰𝚁𝙲 𝙲𝚘𝚙𝚢: Yes

Margot Phelan is back for Book 2

she is is a Homicide detective. Previously she was known as Megan Finch the daughter of a notorious serial killer Ed Finch who murdered 78 + women.

The story again Switches between current time and the past from Eds POV of each killing as well as Margot & the crimes shes solving.

I definitely enjoyed this book but not as much as the first one.

If you love mystery crime novels that are quick reads I highly recommend this series. Looking forward to book 3.

This book releases on June 26th 2024, you can preorder on Amazon.

Title- Her Fathers Secret
Rating-⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The first book in this series, The Killers Daughter, left me craving more. I was thrilled to dive into the next book of the series! This book did not disappoint, with multiple cases that kept me engaged without feeling overwhelmed. Detective Margot Phelan is a compelling protagonist, and I'm excited to see her continue to grow and evolve in the next book.

Synopsis-

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.

>Now, as she sits across from the empty chair waiting for Ed Finch to be led in, Margot closes her eyes and steels herself for what lies ahead. The key to solving one of California’s most infamous missing persons cases is here, in the one place she fears her father’s cell.

But she knows that the deeper she delves into her father’s twisted mind the greater the risk he’ll get under her skin. And retracing the missing girl’s last steps will mean questioning everything she thought she knew about herself and her family's dark history…

Packed with pulse-pounding suspense and shocking twists, this gripping thriller will keep you riveted until the very last page. Perfect for fans of Robert Dugoni, Karin Slaughter and Lisa Gardner.

Detective Margot Phalen witnesses a sniper attack in one of San Francisco’s busiest areas of town. Amid the investigation to find the shooter before any more lives are lost, she receives a message from her father, an imprisoned serial killer, that he wants to see her. He is ready to share a dark secret he has been carrying for years – but he will only share it with her.
After she reluctantly visits him in prison, hoping to hear his secret, she finds he isn’t willing to tell just yet. He is playing her, and she soon finds herself re-visiting her family’s dark history and reliving the life she had with her father. Her life as a detective is now in jeopardy. While the FBI is pressuring her to get answers from her father, she continues to be caught up in the pressures of the investigation of the serial killer.
It's an absolute page-turner. Every chapter is filled with suspense. A must-read!

Margot is a San Francisco Detective, but she is also a serial killer’s daughter. Something she has tried hard to put behind her, even by changing her name. But her father enjoys toying with her by requesting that she visit him at San Quentin. If she does, he promises to reveal where another of his kills is buried.
Fast paced, as the cases begin to pile up, Margot stays on track to hunt down a sniper and walk a fine line by visiting her father and helping the FBI. There is also tension between Margot and her partner. The author keeps the action going and I am looking forward to the next book in this series. Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for an early copy. This review is my personal opinion.

This is not exactly the type of book I’ve been reading lately but Ivery much enjoyed it and will read the next one! Good story line. Serial killer Daddy keeps pulling his police detective daughter back into his life. Iwas immediately pulled into this book and it held my interest all the way thru. I recommend this read!

I loved this book! I love anything that's criminally/thriller related and this hit the spot! Thanks netgalley!

📚 PRE-PUBLICATION BOOK REVIEW 📚

Her Father's Secret By Kate Wiley
Publication Date: June 26, 2024
Publisher: Storm Publishing

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

📚MY REVIEW:

Kate Wiley has done it again! This book pulled me right back into the badass world of Detective Margot Phelan. The intensity of this thriller came at me from the start of this book and continued right up until I read its last words. In fact, its cliffhanger actually left me anxiously awaiting Book Three of this series (coming soon!).

It was less than three months ago that I was first introduced to Detective Margot Phelan. I was instantly drawn to her traumatic past and the ways it impacted her into her adult life. As the daughter of a notorious serial killer, Margot has done everything she can to distance herself from her serial killer father. Yet it seems she's reminded of him and their connection at every turn.

This book brought back all the elements I loved in the first book: the police work, the inter-connections between Margot's police work and her troubled family history, the push-pull of the tangible sexual tension between Margot and her SFPD partner Wes, and the ongoing tension and mystery of the murders Margot faces every day at work. It is all so compelling, so riveting...I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! What an incredible sequel to Book #1, and you can bet I'll be in line to get Book #3 AS SOON as possible!

If you like thrillers with strong female main characters, police work, and fast-paced mysteries -- you need to read this series, like yesterday. A big thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!

#HerFathersSecret #KateWiley #NetGalley #ARC #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #advancedreaderscopy #thrillerbooks #thrilleraddict #booklover #booknerd #bookcommunity

What a great read. Margot has a big secret she has only shared with 3 people in her professional life as a detective. Her father is a serial killer. He wants to see her and give info on another of his victims, and this is affecting Margot’s mental health, as she is also in the grip of multiple cases with her partner Wes.
Couldn’t stop reading this one and looking forward to reading more from author Kate Wiley. Very well written. No lag in the storyline. Flows smoothly and keeps you wanting to read more.

5 stars for this one!! This is book 2 in the Margot Phalen Series by Kate Wiley. The first book was just ok for me but this one was so much better. Margot is a detective in San Francisco Her father, Ed Finch, is on death row in San Quentin and is California's most prolific serial killer. Margot has changed her name and tries to do good to make up for all the bad her father bestowed on the community. unfortunately, her father will only speak to Margot to reveal more secrets, such as names of more victims and locations on where they can find these victims. Every time Margot speaks to her father, she is taken down a dark tunnel into her past and realizes that her entire childhood was a lie. It forces Margot to take a better look at herself. While she is dealing with solving brutal crimes, the sins of her father are always on her mind.

This has become a great series and another book is due out. I'm so excited. I love Margot's partner on the force and hope something happens between them. I truly can't wait for the next book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC. I greatly appreciate it. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Storm publishing and author Kate Wiley for the ARC of this book.

This was my first by this author and I totally missed the fact it was book 2, but having said that it can absolutely be read as a stand alone. I didn’t feel lost at all.

The storyline reminded me of an episode of criminal minds. It was very detailed with respect to interviewing techniques but I feel it lacked somewhat in the ‘thriller’ aspect.

It was a slower but interesting read for me. I didn’t find there to be many ‘oh my god’ moments but it did keep my interest and now I need to go back and read the first book.

The characters were well written and the writing style was easy to follow. I feel a tv show could be made from these books and I would absolutely read more from this author.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a book that absolutely hooked me. The horrendous details of murder and blood and the job of investigating this level of crime is well told. The interviews with a serial killer are excellent and this playing of serial killer and detective whilst also being father and daughter are so great - the petulant teenage answers alongside the cool calm of a mature and well read detective make the book. Reading this book almost made me feel like a voyeur, knowing far too much about a person’s life, her relationship with her boss, her colleague and her father. An excellent, if uncomfortable read.