I've just finished "Secrets of Good People" and really enjoyed it. Although I don't usually like Agatha Christie-type books, this one held my attention from the first page, and the ending really surprised me. I was skeptical about whether Boo’s writing and Peggy's would flow seamlessly, but I was wrong. However, when I read these lines, I knew they were Boo's: "Jones cracked a grin, thinking he should write fiction. It couldn't be that hard." Thank you for making it look easy; it takes a lot of skill to make it look effortless. Your books are always a great escape and a joy to read!

This was a great book! There were parts that I found a little boring and drawn out but overall I would recommend

Reads like a murder mystery dinner party. A bit different style than I’m used to with this author, but an enjoyable read!

My first book by this author. It is set in the 1970’s in south Florida. It kept me interested from the beginning. It had me guessing. I did find it hard to follow at times. Overall I thought it was a good book. I will check out his other books.

DNF this book. The beginning was so bland.....and didn't make any sense. You have 2 overwhelmingly awkward people that keep to themselves that get married. Then they move out of state and are "whisked" away to a neighbor party? I'm on the shy side and can't be whisked anywhere.

This novel has a touching backstory—Boo Walker completed and refined a manuscript originally started by Peggy Shainberg, fulfilling her family's wish to see her story brought to life. While this isn’t Boo Walker’s typical style, the result is an engaging murder mystery set in the 1970s on a small island off the coast of Florida.

The story starts off strong, introducing Frank and Catherine, a newlywed couple who relocate to a small, tight-knit island community. Frank is set to join his med school friend’s medical practice, and the couple is welcomed with a party thrown in their honor. However, the night takes a dark turn—by morning, Frank is found murdered on the beach, turning the island’s tranquil atmosphere into a hotbed of secrets and suspicion.

A determined detective arrives to investigate, but the island’s residents are reluctant to turn on one another or reveal hidden truths. Meanwhile, Catherine is left in shock, struggling to remember what happened that night. She admits she isn’t much of a drinker, yet after numerous champagne toasts, her memory is fragmented—she recalls walking back with Frank but has no recollection of what happened after. When she wakes, his side of the bed is untouched, and soon after, his body is discovered. What really happened that night? And why?

The novel does a great job of slowly unraveling each character’s backstory, keeping the suspense alive until the very end. The multiple points of view allow readers to get inside different characters’ heads, adding layers to the mystery. However, the transitions between perspectives aren’t always clear, making it easy to lose track of who is narrating. I found myself rereading sections to confirm whose perspective I was following. Additionally, there was a moment where a name was mentioned out of context, possibly an editing error, which added to the occasional confusion.

One of the most notable aspects of this book is its ending—unexpected yet, in my opinion, fitting. While some readers may feel it came out of nowhere, I believe it makes sense when considering the characters and their motivations. The novel reinforces the idea that things are never as they seem and that every small-town community harbors its own hidden truths.

Overall, this is a solid murder mystery with an engaging plot, intriguing characters, and an atmospheric Florida island setting. If you enjoy mysteries that explore human nature, secrets, and deception, this book is worth picking up. While the shifting perspectives and occasional inconsistencies may make it a bit tricky to follow at times, the story’s depth and the emotional tribute to Peggy Shainberg make it a rewarding read.

The author’s tribute to Peggy Shainberg at the end was incredibly moving. It added an extra layer of meaning to the novel.

I received both the audio and eBook for this novel, and I enjoyed both versions. I seemed to get more into the story when I was reading vs when I was listening.
This wasn't a bad read, it's just that the story line as a whole was a bit slower than I am used to. The beginning hooked me, so I was hopeful, but it unfortunately fell flat in the middle.
I feel like if you enjoy slower paced mysteries, then you would like this one.

Thank you, NetGalley & Lake Union Publishing, for the opportunity to read and listen!

I was hooked from the beginning!!
I devoured this book.
It was amazing, addictive, and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

I just started reading Boo Walker books last year and have read all of them. This book did not disappoint either. Loved the time era
of this book and great characters.

This book was quite the read. It is a co-written story by the authors Boo Walker & Peggy Shainberg. The story unravels and takes us to Osprey Isle, close to Paradiso in Florida. The people living in the Isle are a colorful mix and from different backgrounds. The main characters are Frank and Catherine Overbrook who came to the Isle as newly weds, and from there on there are mysterious happenings and a crime that needs to be solved. The story gets a grip of the reader and when you follow a track you will quite quickly find yourself down another path. I did enjoy the way the author Boo Walker developed the story full of mystery. Detective Jones takes up the case that needed to be solved, he had to keep up the pace to find clues, investigate and resolve the crime. The storytelling was really good, entertaining and not predictable. As a conclusion one could say that everyone has their secrets.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read this book and can recommend it to those who enjoy mysterious crime stories from the past.
Charlotte N

Walker Shows Impressive Range. I've been reading Walker's books for a few years now, and this is a first for him in my experience with him (though he notes in the Author's Note that he had written a few books of this type prior to when I started reading his books). A laid back mystery of a form I call a "Gulf Coast Mystery", almost like a more serious version of D.P. Lyle's Jake Longley books - and set decades prior to those books. (Ok, so Ray Longley (Jake's dad) and Quentin Jones crossing paths could have been interesting - just sayin', Walker and Lyle. ;) )

Walker, who has spent time living in many different places even in the few years I've been following him, among which was this particular region of Florida described in the book, captures the setting well - perhaps added by Shainberg's original text, which Walker notes (again in the Author's Note) was much of the tale up to Chapter 12.

Being set in the 1970s, this book has some things that will offend "modern sensibilities", including quite a bit of cigarette smoking (virtually unheard of in many places in the 2020s) and even one particular situation that even hints of in the 2010s and beyond in particular tends to be vilified to the nth degree, and indeed gets snide comments even now in the 2020s even when everything plays out perfectly legally. I'm not going to indicate how it plays out in the text just because that would be a spoiler, as the tension of this particular situation plays into the overall narrative.

Speaking of which, Walker does a particularly good job of sticking to the old adage of "if you show a blue shoe on page 2, that blue shoe better play into the end game". (Ok, so I absolutely butchered the quote, but the point being to show *exactly* what you want shown and *nothing* else.) Meaning that this is one of those tales where everyone has secrets... and, well... how everything comes together can get quite a bit thrilling...

Seriously, this was perhaps the more interesting aspect of this book is that even as a women's fiction/ mystery blend - the men's fiction side of it tending to be something Walker has excelled at in my reading of his work these last several years - Walker really does manage to do the thriller and even romance sides particularly well, particularly deep into the text.

Overall truly one of Walker's better books from several different angles, both in showing more fully his range and in his ability to work with what another author had begun and finish it out in a way that seems true to that original author's vision - which could provide Walker a path forward, should he ever run out of his own ideas. :)

Very much recommended.

Another smashing success from Boo Walker! New love, mystery and murder on a Florida island in the 70’s will have you on the edge of your seat! The twists and turns were just perfect. I could not put this one down!

"The Secrets of Good People" has an intriguing premise—an isolated island, a suspicious death, and a tangled web of secrets among its residents. Boo Walker and Peggy Shainberg do a great job of creating a vivid 1970s Florida backdrop, and the setup promises a compelling mystery.

Unfortunately, the story moves at an incredibly slow pace, making it difficult to stay fully engaged. While a slow-burn mystery can be effective, this one drags in places, with long stretches where little happens. Adding to the struggle, none of the characters feel fully developed or particularly likable. They have secrets, but little depth, making it hard to care about their fates or motivations. The twists, while interesting, are predictable, and the resolution lacks the impact needed to make the journey feel worth it.

That said, the writing is immersive, and the setting is well-crafted. If you enjoy atmospheric mysteries and don’t mind a slow pace with distant, unrelatable characters, this might still be worth a read. A solid three stars—decent, but ultimately forgettable.

Wow, what to say about this? I absolutely loved this story! Even when you think you know who dunnit, bam! Just kidding! You don't. I love mysteries like this where I am constantly on the edge of my seat and thinking it could be any of the characters. This was very well done, and I applaud you Mr. Walker for picking up a story and making it hard to put down.

This book was certainly full of surprises!
I did think the mystery was good and kept me guessing to the end. I did think it was rather a very long drawn out story. It could have ended hundred pages earlier.
It seems like it took me forever to read this book.
I can’t say it’s my favorite book by this author. Sorry

This is an Agatha Christie-type ensemble mystery that is a fun and interesting read. There are lots of intertwined relationships, close calls, eccentric characters, and a well-paced plot. It deviates from Boo Walker's usual stories, and one has to hand it to him for finishing a that had already been started by another author (who passed away.)

Excellent mystery thriller! Touching epilogue by Mr. Walker about Peggy Steinberg. This could have been a great series starring Detective Jones.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

this wasn’t the typical mystery/thriller I was expecting in the sense that I was not on the edge of my seat for much of the book. In fact, I was somewhat bored and indifferent to what was going on. There seemed to be a lot of fluff present in this story, and the “detective” of the story was the least interesting person of the story which definitely created a problem for me in terms of wanting to figure out the mystery. Eventually, I just wanted the story to end. This story just wasn’t up to the standards of the mystery/thriller genre.

2 Stars
One Liner: Didn’t work for me

1970, Florida
Catherine and her taciturn husband, Dr. Frank Overbrook, arrive at the tiny island of Paradiso for Frank to take over the local practice from a friend. The couple attends a welcome party arranged in their honor only for Frank to end up dead by the next morning.
Detective Quentin Jones is assigned to the case and immediately realizes that nothing is as it seems. Everyone is hiding a secret and could have a motive. He has to find them all to identify the killer.
The story comes in the third-person POV of multiple characters.

My Thoughts:
This is my first book by the author, and maybe I didn’t pick the right one.
Since I’m new to the writing style, I took my time to settle with it. Of course, the pacing was also slooow, so it’s not as if I could rush anyway. However, the narration didn’t improve as the story progressed.
While the characters were rather distinct and colorful, none of them made much impact. I could feel sad for Mariam for a while but even that didn’t last. Sylvia was annoying when she should have been inspiring. Something about her cheerfulness seemed fake and forced.
Catherine had potential like David. She did manage to make a better impression in the last quarter but it was too late by then.
The inspector, Jones, was so darn annoying. For all the talk about him being good at his job, the dude was pretty clueless and hormonal like a teenager. Though the book was set in the 70s when the police didn’t have a lot of modern technology, the mystery was pretty boring. Given that he was trained for the job, much of it sounded like amateur sleuthing.
I did like the various backstories and the setting. But that’s it, I guess. It’s not often that I debate on DNFing a book multiple times. I would have if this was an ARC.
The detailed author’s note was quite informative and helped me understand why the book ended up the way it was. As much as I admire and respect the emotions and hard work that went into the project, I can’t say I enjoyed the end product. Sorry!

To summarize, The Secrets of Good People is a slow-burn mystery with an interesting premise. A lot about the book didn’t work for me but it may give better results for you. Check out the other reviews too.
Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Who murdered Frank the morning after his wedding? That's the crime Detective Jones must solve in this mystery set on an island in 1970. Frank's bride Catherine didn't do it- or did she? No spoilers from me but know that this is one where you likely will figure things out before Jones does. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. Over to others.