Another great book in The Ben Harper Series focuses on his boss, Madeleine, who is kidnapped. She’s not my favorite character but it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Ben is adamant that she was taken by someone she helped convict of murder two decades ago. It makes sense, as she committed serious libel and dared him to sue her when she accused him incessantly in her newspaper. No professional journalist would stake her career on a man’s guilt like that unless she knew more than she was saying. And of course, she did. She unwisely never considered that he or someone close to him would want revenge. Not trusting the police to find her, it’s up to Ben to hunt down her kidnapper before Madeleine pays the ultimate price.

There’s an alternate narrative as well, and it’s not revealed who that character is until well into the story, but you’ll probably have a guess at who it is. It’s a good backstory to help understand why certain characters act as they do and to tie into the current kidnapping case.

Nathan’s character is expanded on in this book, as he deals with the knowledge of who his birth parents are. He has trouble accepting his lineage and sudden exposure in the press, especially in social media. East doesn’t like the exposure either, but he’s quite a jerk about it, mostly with Will bearing the brunt of his husband’s tantrums. No wonder East and Madeleine are good friends, they’re both terrible!

Once again, the author closes out the story with a bang I certainly didn’t see coming. I can’t even say anything without spoiling it and that drives me nuts! But man, what a way to keep readers on their toes. He’s setting a high precedent though, so I’m expecting the next book to be just as packed with surprises and thrills!

Ten Seconds by Robert Gold is Book 3 in the series. It’s a very pulse-pounding crime thriller. The story unfolds from varying perspectives, but all come to a great conclusion. The author creates a compelling story that hooked me from page one and kept me invested in the characters and the outcome.

This installment focuses more on Madeleine, who is a whip-smart journalist. When she doesn’t come back to work after a particularly tense birthday dinner, Ben Harper, her friend and colleague, begins to panic.

Digging into her past, Ben discovers details of a chilling murder case twenty years ago that Madeleine launched into national headlines and put a man away for murder. As Ben presses her friends and contacts for more, a detail lets slip that explains everything: someone else was there the night the murder took place. Someone Madeleine may pay with her life to protect.

I really enjoy this author’s writing style, and I like these characters. There were some shocking and sad moments. I am looking forward to more in this series and seeing what is next for these characters.

#TenSeconds #NetGalley @bookouture

Ben’s friend Madeleine is taken after Sam’s birthday dinner. Ben’s gets a message that if he calls the police, they will kill Madeleine.

As a journalist, Madeleine has made a lot of enemies. But, Sam (Madeleine’s dad) and Ben team up to find to her.

I loved the anonymous person sharing their life, and it made me carefully read those sections for any clues.

Overall, a great book but the beginning was slow and my mind kept wandering.

Good enough.

Thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #TenSeconds in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sphere for my copy of Ten Seconds by Robert Gold.

Although I have read both previous books in the series, it took me a while to get into the rhythm of the book and remember the back story.
I picked enough up from this book so believe it can be read as a standalone.
Once I got into the story I was hooked and could not put it down.
It centres around the small town of Haddley with Ben Harper, an investigative journalist.
When he finds his boss has gone missing he must use all his skills.
This is one of the best books I've read this year and Robert Gold is definitely on my pre-order list whenever a new book comes out.