Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of The Secrets of Good People by Boo Walker and Peggy Shainberg.

I have to say, I held higher hopes for this one a so really enjoyed The Singing Tree by Boo Walker. However, this one didn’t quite hold my attention quite as well. Detective Jones who I would label as the main character, I found even that tough as really the story centered around Dr Frank Overbrook, but without spoiling the story let’s just say the detective played a bigger role. And the doctor’s wife who you thought would have played more of a role really didn’t. There were a lot of characters, which I find hard to follow if not well done. The other piece that I struggled with was the slow start to the book. What helped bring my rating up, is the end did pick up and there was a bit of a twist that I didn’t expect. If you don’t mind books that are a bit slower with a number of characters this one is for you!!

Murder mystery with a ton of suspects. I enjoyed the writing style and the vibes. For me however, this took a long time to get through, possible the mood wasn’t right for this type of book - but it felt very slow and I struggled! I will have to try again when the mood is right.

This book was started by Peggy Shainberg and was presented to Boo Walker by family members of Peggy in the hopes that he would finish the story. It was a very entertaining “Whodunnit” story set in Florida with a set of quirky cast members. I enjoyed trying to figure it out and spent an entire snow day stuck in the house reading it to see how it all played out. If you are a fan of Boo Walker, you will enjoy reading this, as this isn’t his typical genre.

Thank you to NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an early eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I finished The Secrets of Good People yesterday. The characters are with me still. This is an excellent read that hooked me from page one, kept me invested all the way through the story, and left me wanting to know what happens next in their lives. The characters are richly developed. The author tells you enough about them to "see" them and understand them but also writes in such a way that you believe you know even more about them than what was written. These people could easily be people I've known in my real life, and the author nailed their good and bad points in a way that moves the story forward through the crazy plot twists. which I did not see coming.

The story is full of slice of life events elevated by its location in beautiful southern Florida and the time the story was set, the fabulous, anything was possible (we thought) '70s. And just wait until you read what Detective Jones bought for $5 and still received change back. It made me nostalgic for my '70s again.

As I've come to expect from Author Walker, The Secrets of Good People is well balanced in character, story, timing, and descriptions (just enough to paint the picture without bogging the story down with too many words).

This is a story I will read again and again and enjoy it each time.

Catherine Thomas, a medical illustrator, is swept into an unexpected, if slightly tepid, romance with Dr Frank Overbrook, who is 20 years older. An orphan and friendless, she is overjoyed when he proposes. They move to a quiet Florida village where Frank will take over the small practice of his old college classmate, retiring doctor Dr Sandy Westerling, while using the downtime to write a medical textbook.

The couple are welcomed by their new friends in the village. But on the morning after the celebratory party held in their honour, Frank is found dead. Which of their new friends would have wanted him dead?

Was it Miriam Arnett or her husband, the wheelchair-bound David, or the blind sculptor, Sylvie Nye? Or was it Dr Sandy or his nurse Glenna Greely? Or the heavily pregnant Amber and her husband, Levi, who seem to be hiding out here? Or worse, could the killer be Catherine herself? Detective Quentin Jones has his hands full solving this crime.



The book is written in the 3rd person omniscient point of view.



Jones wasn’t impressive in the least. The book is set in February 1970, so much of the investigation is understandably dependent on repeated questioning. But I never got the sense that he owned the interrogation. The manner in which he asks for permission to record conversations could have been handled better.

Also, some of the dialogues were cringe-inducing, causing Jones to come off as a prig. I don’t think that was the intended effect. The entire island showed that they didn’t care two hoots about his authority. He kept making promises to return.

The narrative voice, and even Jones’ boss, make it a point to din it into our heads that Jones is very good at his job because he thinks like a criminal, and that he has an impressive track record of solving cases. But I couldn’t find any evidence of his talents in this case. Thankfully his character improved as the book progressed, and he became slightly less insufferable. Only slightly.

The only two characters I thought were well drawn were Catherine and Miriam. The others were all flat and uninteresting. The characters I liked the least were Sylvie and Quentin. Their interactions took away from the intensity of the book.

The book started off really well, and the murder happened early on, and I found myself settling down for a gripping read. But then the pace slowed down, thanks to the long backstories that were provided for every character, and precious little happened in the present, until more than half the book was done. The story didn’t advance in any way.

Detective Jones himself was introduced to us by way of a long scene at a bar, and an introduction to three old cops and a woman that Jones used to date. This entire scene could have been eliminated. Neither the woman nor the three cops show up again, but the book included their backstories too.

There was a twist at the end, but one that I’d seen coming. So the conclusion wasn’t as satisfying as I’d hoped it would be.

There were a lot of proofing errors in the Kindle edition. At one point, the author says of a newborn baby: “The baby had a churlish smile.” Babies don’t smile until they are some months of age. Besides the factual inaccuracy, the idea of describing a baby’s smile as churlish makes no sense.



I found this line quite interesting:

Every little animal, when set loose for the first time, dashes wildly to be sure it is really free.

This was super hard for me to finish. I was reallllyyyyyy bored throughout honestly. I found my attention wavering basically from chapter one. I did enjoy the throwback vibes of this one, and the setting was excellent… just felt the characters lacked and the writing was stale.

I had a hard time getting into this book. It might be the mood I am currently experiencing. As I have written with other reviews, I am a major mood reader.. I may give this book another shot when I am in the mood for a good thriller.

A murder with sooo many different suspects…a detective who is determined to find the culprit…this is a story that keeps you guessing until finally the truth comes out. This was a slow build but overall a good story.

reading the secrets of good people felt like stepping into the mind of someone nostalgic for a bygone era—a time when life seemed simpler & clues fell neatly into place. per the author’s note, i was right! the original author’s daughter reached out to boo walker to help her edit & publish her late-mother’s novel. it’s a sweet, slightly drawn-out murder mystery, but the twist is definitely there.

This was my first book by Boo Walker., I really enjoyed his writing, the story was simple, but the characters were rich, and their backstories intriguing.
Catherine marries a man she barely knows, and then he is murdered. The island setting makes it a locked room mystery, and there are only a handful of inhabitants/suspects to choose from. Still, I was engaged, and had fun getting to know them in all their glorious dysfunction.
I will read more books by this author.

1970s beach town murder mystery a la Agatha Christie/Clue, complete with a hunt for the murder weapon. Sold.

Quite the cast of characters, really kept you on your toes the whole time. I loved Jones’ relentless pursuit of the truth in a little island’s community of dirty liars. 😂 I’m not gonna lie I felt a little gaslit by some of these characters and their poker faces. Loved the ending.

I’m so glad Boo Walker brought Peggy’s vision to life !

Thanks to #NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

#TheSecretsofGoodPeople #murdermystery

The Secrets of Good People by both Boo Walker and Peggy Shainberg is an interesting compilation of a seamless story written over time by two authors. The plot is fairly straightforward (who killed Frank?) and the book spends the entire time trying to solve the mystery. With an intriguing twist or two, the ending reveals several surprises.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Growing up in the 70s this book appealed to me. I enjoyed the storyline and characters. It was not a complex read but simple and enjoyable. Made me remember and long for the simpler life. I had not heard of this author but I certainly will read more of his books.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the digital advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion

Every time I read one of Boo Walker’s books, I think it’s his best one yet—until I read the next one. He is truly a gifted storyteller. Once I started this book, I nearly read it straight through, picking it back up the next morning and then unable to put it down until I turned the last page.
The story follows Catherine Thomas, a medical illustrator and recluse, who meets Dr. Frank Overbrook while illustrating his book. In a moment of impulsiveness, she agrees to marry him after knowing him for a very short time. Having never even been on a date and rarely venturing out of her Chicago apartment, it was completely unlike Catherine to accept Dr. Overbrook’s proposal and relocate to a small island in Florida, where he would take over the practice of an old medical school friend.
Upon their arrival on the island, Frank and Catherine are warmly greeted at a lobster boil hosted by the local residents, who prove to be an intriguing group. The next morning, however, Catherine wakes to discover that Frank is missing. It comes as a shock to the island's inhabitants when a dead body is found on the beach, identified as Frank.
The case is assigned to Detective Quentin Jones, who quickly determines that Frank was murdered. The island is home to a fascinating cast of characters, all of whom were present at the welcome party the night before. As Detective Jones—who generally goes by "Jones"—begins to interview each resident, astonishing long-held secrets begin to surface. This story takes readers on a wild ride as Jones digs deeper and reveals more about the residents of the island.
I couldn’t put this book down until the very last page. I also recommend that once you finish reading, you continue on to the fascinating Author’s Notes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.
that is identified as Frank.
The case is given to Detective Quentin Jones when it is determined Frank was murdered. There is an interesting cast of characters who reside on the island, and all of them were at the welcome party the night before. As Detective Jones, who generally goes by “Jones,” begins to interview each island resident, some astonishing long-held secrets come to light. This story takes the reader on a wild ride as Jones digs deeper and more is revealed about the residents of the island.
I could not put this book down until the last page was turned. I also suggest when the last page is turned, continue reading the fascinating Author’s Notes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

The story starts off strong introducing the main couple of the story as they move to a small island with a very close-knit community. After the husband is found murdered the morning after their welcome party, the small town is turned upside down by a detective determined to find the truth of what happened. However, the community isn't quick to turn on each other or reveal any secrets of others. Character building to learn about each character slowly through the book was written well all the way to the end.

You get to see from each characters point of view at some point, but sometimes its hard to tell when it switches so you have to be reading closely. I felt the story bounced a lot in chapters due to this. I found myself going back to reread to try and see if I missed anything. There was even a point when a name was mentioned but I think it was an error because it did not follow the context and there was never another mention of them. I agree with other reviews about the ending how it was unexpected. Did not see it coming! I don't think it was a stretch like others say, I think based on all of the characters the story ending makes sense.

Overall I think it was a good murder mystery for those that want something a bit different. The story highlights you never know what happens behind closed doors and things aren't always as they seem.

Small town murder mystery vibes where the newcomers are pit against the locals who all have secrets they would kill to keep.

On a tiny island off Paradiso, Florida, in 1970, neighbors gather to toast two new arrivals: shy Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, who is taking over an old friend’s medical practice. It’s an intimate welcoming for the newlyweds, who have abandoned city life for swaying palms and an ocean breeze. But the morning after is anything but peaceful when Frank is found dead on the beach.

Detective Quentin Jones has his eyes on the island’s residents and the welcome party’s guest list. There’s the retiring doctor and host, as well as his nurse. Volatile marrieds Miriam and her husband, David, constantly at each other’s throats. The Carters, a strangely antisocial young couple. And Sylvie, a blind sculptor to whom Quentin lost his heart years ago.

But which one is a murderer? As the investigation unravels a close-knit group of friends, secrets are exposed—and more than one of them is worth killing for.

Loved it. Will recommend to others.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I like it when a book starts right away, no wasting time just hooks you. Really strong start. Although maybe because of that, the rest of it felt slow. But I must say I was not a fan of the writing style, though I can’t put my finger on why. Sometimes it was “cringe” like the author was trying too hard.
Did not enjoy Quentin Jones or Sylvie. Miriam I did like, same with Catherine.
There was a twist I enjoyed at the end but still, wasn’t enough to make up for the rest.

Murder Strikes..
Murder strikes a Floridian paradise in this twisting whodunit. As good friends and neighbours gather beachside, something heinous is afoot and a body on the beach the following morning brings Detective Quentin Jones to the scene. As the investigation progresses it soon becomes clear that suspects may well be numerous among this seemingly friendly group of people and, certainly, secrets will out. A solid mystery in traditional vein with a deftly drawn cast, a well imagined backdrop, a nicely paced plot and twists aplenty. Engaging and compelling.

I thought this murder mystery set in 1970s Florida had an interesting premise with plenty of twists, but the pacing was a bit slow for me at times. While I enjoyed the characters and the way the mystery unfolded, it didn't quite have the intensity I was hoping for, though the ending did deliver a satisfying reveal.