After some lackluster books, this was a breath of fresh air. Sometimes, you just need a really fast paced crime thriller to get back on track. TWELVE SECRETS (also loved that this coincidentally was my 12th book read for July) is book one in the Ben Harper series. Have no fear, if you’re a reader that dreads waiting for the next book in the series, you won’t have to! Books two AND three are out now (book three released in May), so you’ll be able to continue with the thrilling series immediately.

This is a great introduction to the series and instantly pulls you into the story. What’s better than true crime? Having our protagonist, a true crime journalist, have a past that falls under the umbrella of true crime. With a traumatic past involving the murder of his brother and best friend, and later the death of his mother, Ben Harper is faced with the fast approaching anniversary. With his editor wanting him to share his story things take a turn when someone related to his past case turns up dead.

I will say, I was pleasantly surprised with how this story progressed. A lot of times these types of crime fiction novels can become very predictable (especially for those that frequent the genre), but this book did keep me guessing. Lots of questions and lots of intrigue from start to finish. I’m glad this was a journalist and not just another police procedural! I can’t wait to start book two!

I really wanted to like this one more, based upon the synopsis, but it just didn't click with me. I'm willing to give the rest of the series a shot, but not going to dive into it immediately.

Thank you to Bookouture, #partner, for an advanced e- copy of Twelve Secrets in exchange for my honest review.

There is nothing I love more than discovering new authors, especially when I find out they have a new series in the works. While this book has apparently already been out elsewhere for some time, I think it is soon to be released in print form in the states soon.

I love a good crime fiction series and I have a feeling this one is going to be a good one. This first book, while very dark in nature, really kept me engaged and captivated from start to finish. Give me all the true crime plots any day, but when you add in a journalist who has his own tie to what he is asked to write, I can’t help but be intrigued. This book is full of unpredictable twists and secrets.

There are a lot of moving parts to this story, including a ton of characters, so it was a bit slow-going at first, but once I got everything straight, I flew through it. I appreciated that each chapter was told from a different character’s point of view. It really is such a clever book and I am looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series.

This was a great start to this series and I've already started selling it in my store and recommending it! I've sold several copies already and gotten good feedback from customers who liked it just as much as I did! The character development was very well done and the plot was cohesive. Excited to read more

This story had a lot of moving parts, and I must say so many secrets. I will also say I never saw the end. I knew who the bad guy was or so I thought but wow there was so much more to it all. This for me was a bit of a slow move but wowza, when it all came together my mind was shook.

Holy thriller! Ben Harper's 'Twelve Secrets' was excellent. I couldn't put it down. Murder, small-town intrigue, and twelve unexpected twists made for a captivating read. While the trauma and tragedy were difficult to navigate, the unfolding of dark secrets kept me hooked. Growing up in a small town added to the authenticity of the experience. The characters were well-developed, and the story was expertly constructed. Twenty years of hidden secrets help Ben, a crime journalist, unravel the mystery of his 14 years old brother's murder. This is a must-read, as the twists and turns will keep you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to Bookouture for the advanced readers copy! I'm so ready for book two!

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is an explosive start to a new thriller series. Ben Harper journalist, the best in the field, is asked to write a front-page story about a childhood tradegy too close to home. At first, Ben is reluctant, but as secrets are revealed he can't help but investigate.

This was a great start to a new series. I can't wait to get my hands on book 2. The twists and turns in the novel never stopped. What a page-turner.

4⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for a copy of Twelve Secrets.

Ben a true crime journalist is no stranger to writing about horrible acts of violence but when his boss wants him to write about personal tragedies he has experienced everything he thought he knew about his life comes crumbling down. When Ben was young his older brother Nick and his friend Simon were brutally murdered by two girls they went to school with. Then years later his mother takes her own life or did she? Ben will do whatever it takes to find out the truth.

I really enjoyed this book. It was hard at first trying to keep all of the characters straight but it got easier as I read on. I did not see the twist coming at all!

This is going to be an interesting series, but I am not sure it's for me. This story has a lot of really good twists and unexpected discoveries, but the story moves really slow. The characters are great, and the plot is interesting, and the villain is good. I struggled staying engaged with the story because the pacing is slow. When there is action/suspension it moves fast, but the rest of the story does not. Before I say this series isn't for me, I am going to try the next book. If the blurb for this book catches your attention you should definitely read it.

This was an extremely well written story! The main character thought he could put his brother's murder behind him, after all the killer was in prison. But then circumstances changes everything...from what the police tells him to his own mother's letters written during that time. Could it be true? Read the book and find out for yourself. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

Twelve Secrets is a page-turning mystery that I couldn’t seem to put down. We are dropped right into the mystery as soon as the book begins. I enjoyed getting our main character’s perspective on things, and being able to follow along as he uncovers more about the tragedies surrounding him. I also appreciated reading from the perspectives of some of the side characters. It added depth and complexity to the story.

I will say, I felt there were a few too many characters; and a LOT going on besides our main mystery. It felt like we were trying to follow 8 or 9 different plot lines. At the end of the book, most of these make sense to our story, but there were a few that I feel didn’t need to be included.

Overall, this was a very fast read because I was invested in knowing what happened to our characters. Robert Gold did a good job of making me care about them, and dropping bombshells that kept me turning the pages!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Robert Gold for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Loved this book! The suspense built up chapter by chapter and the twelve secrets kept me guessing until the end! I think I actually counted more than twelve! I’m looking forward to following Ben as he solves the rest of his cases.

Just wow, a must read for murder mystery fans! Complex plot that is well thought out and woven into a tapestry of lies, betrayals, murder, control, and layers of secrets within secrets. You may guess something, but you won't guess it all - felt like Jaws blowing up at the end, and yea, they swim to shore.

This is the first in a series featuring true crime journalist Ben Harper. Sadly, the pace was far slower than I expected for this genre. There are a lot of details, as well as numerous characters. It takes time for the author to reveal their backstories and show how they are connected. This did lead to some confusion at times. I did enjoy the fact that the story is told through multiple points of view. However, the number of POV's is a bit much at times. This is okay read, but I'm not sure if I would check out future books in the series.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is a mystery novel filled with secrets, family, twists, and protecting your loved ones.

I want to start by saying that I think this is a re-release, as it looks like it had been published in 2022. Also, a couple of places list it is the first book in the Ben Harper series, while others have it as book three. While I'm not positive, I believe this is the first in the series, as the titles on the follow-up novels go down in number.

That said, this was a quickly paced murder mystery with a lot of twists. Although not much really seemed to be happening, the plot moved forward nicely, dropping puzzle pieces here and there if you can put them together. There were A LOT of characters, and at some point it became too much to remember who was who and how they all connected so I just gave up (and I was even writing them down as I went along!). You need a board with names and string to keep them all straight in your head.

Now, this doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book, it was still 4 stars. The writing was good and the pacing was quick. I didn't see the twists coming, and everything came together at the end.

All in all, a great beginning to the Ben Harper series. If you enjoy small town mysteries, with family secrets, loyalty, and lots of twists and turns, then I think you'll like this series.

Thank you to @Bookouture and @NetGalley for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

Ben Harper's fourteen year old brother being murdered in such a sensational and brutal way piqued my interest right away. The apparent suicide of his mother was another mystery. There were several POVs that I figured were connected in some way and that I'd find out how eventually, but it took a long time to get them all to intersect. I ended up skimming some just to move the story along quicker. The reveals were a bit over the top, as well. Still, it was entertaining and I was curious enough to finish the story.

A copy was kindly provided by the publisher. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Talk about secrets….Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold is filled with them and Robert hands them out one at a time. Ben Harper is determined to get the answers to his mother’s death. Was it really suicide? Or did someone push her in front of the train.

Ben Harper has been haunted by secrets and death. Will he write the story?

Every time I turned around, I was met with another surprise, more danger. How many bodies will fall before all is exposed? Sure kept me guessing. The more I read, the more curious I became. I do love a fast paced novel filled with mystery and intrigue, and Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold fits the bill.

I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold.

See more at http://www.fundinmental.com

A story full of secrets and intrigue.
The main character, Ben, is a very complex person.
A very suspensful read for sure.
If you are in the mood for a very twisty crime thriller, you should pick up Twelve Seconds!

Ben has experienced a lot of tragedy in his life and as a journalist he has never published anything about his past. He finally starts asking questions and now he’s uncovering a lot of secrets. What happened all those years ago?

This one has a lot of characters and some with two different names so making sure to keep everyone straight was tricky. Overall, learning about everyone’s secrets and trying to piece together clues made for a quick read.

I love a good cold case novel, and this book reminded me of a true crime show, like Dateline. This book had me hooked from the first chapter with a fast-paced plot and a true crime investigative journalist out to discover the truth. This book is actually fairly long, but thanks to the short chapters and intriguing plot I flew through it. There are quite a few characters so it took me a little bit to keep them all straight, but it didn't stop me from reading or enjoying this book. I can't wait to continue this series to see what happens next!