by Barry Finlay
Release Date: September 3, 2024
2024 Keep on Climbing Publishing
Ebook Edition
ISBN: 978-1068837111
ASIN: B0D9WDLJGZ
Genre: Fiction / Mystery
Source: Review copy from author
3.75 / 5 Stars
Summary
Jake Scott, a retired reporter, is on his way to a
peaceful bed and breakfast when his life is suddenly put at risk by a
reckless driver. But his journey takes an even more dangerous turn when
he approaches the bed and breakfast he is staying at and it explodes,
killing all occupants. Homicide detective Dani Perez is determined to
uncover the truth, and she enlists Jake's help to investigate the
backgrounds of the victims. As Jake delves deeper into the case, he
uncovers dark secrets that point to a sinister plot at the bed and
breakfast. With the clock ticking and danger lurking at every turn, Jake
must use all his investigative skills to solve the mystery before it's
too late.
My Thoughts
The Secret Truth is the third book in the Jake Scott mystery series and I enjoyed it quite a bit. I like the fact Jake is a retired investigative reporter who seems to get caught up in things out of his control and is trying hard not to get involved as he wants to enjoy his life and spend time relaxing and enjoying spending time with friends and family. I thought the overall mystery was enjoyable, but having read the previous books in this series, I did feel like something was missing in this one, that bit of tension that really kept me turning the pages in the first two books.
Jake is quite enjoyable as an MC, but I didn’t quite buy into his lack of technology when it came to his phone and other stuff. He is a retired investigative reporter so this lack of technical ability just didn’t work for me. It would work better if he had retired 10, 20 years ago, but only a couple? And not have the ability to navigate social media? No way. Otherwise, he is a fun character to follow and I enjoyed his interactions with the other characters in the story. Although his is book 3, I am still waiting for a bit more character development when it comes to Dani however, and this book displayed a bit more depth to her personality, a vulnerability that we didn’t really see before.
What drew me to this book was the setting, Ottawa. I am very familiar with the city and I currently have family living there, so it was nice to have a book set somewhere I know. And tackles issues related to the city. There were quite a few themes running through this book, if indirectly, and that is where I had a problem as I think there were too many. While I did find the overall mystery to be quite interesting, it did become a bit convoluted with other stuff, stuff that could easily be developed into entire novels in their own right.
Verdict
The Secret Truth had very likeable characters and a story line that was quite interesting. And while Jake’s spontaneous involvement in the case may annoy Dani, I like how she listens to what he has to say and I also like that Jake doesn’t hide anything from her. It drives me crazy when characters hide things from the police when they are investigating (amateur sleuths) and then get annoyed when a police officer won’t tell them what is happening. Jake does have trouble letting things slide, but I think I would too if that was my life career, even if I was retired. And while I did think some of the tension was missing in this one due to an over-convoluted plot, Jake was definitely the highlight of the book and I am looking forward to his further adventures.
Jake is quite enjoyable as an MC, but I didn’t quite buy into his lack of technology when it came to his phone and other stuff. He is a retired investigative reporter so this lack of technical ability just didn’t work for me. It would work better if he had retired 10, 20 years ago, but only a couple? And not have the ability to navigate social media? No way. Otherwise, he is a fun character to follow and I enjoyed his interactions with the other characters in the story. Although his is book 3, I am still waiting for a bit more character development when it comes to Dani however, and this book displayed a bit more depth to her personality, a vulnerability that we didn’t really see before.
What drew me to this book was the setting, Ottawa. I am very familiar with the city and I currently have family living there, so it was nice to have a book set somewhere I know. And tackles issues related to the city. There were quite a few themes running through this book, if indirectly, and that is where I had a problem as I think there were too many. While I did find the overall mystery to be quite interesting, it did become a bit convoluted with other stuff, stuff that could easily be developed into entire novels in their own right.
Verdict
The Secret Truth had very likeable characters and a story line that was quite interesting. And while Jake’s spontaneous involvement in the case may annoy Dani, I like how she listens to what he has to say and I also like that Jake doesn’t hide anything from her. It drives me crazy when characters hide things from the police when they are investigating (amateur sleuths) and then get annoyed when a police officer won’t tell them what is happening. Jake does have trouble letting things slide, but I think I would too if that was my life career, even if I was retired. And while I did think some of the tension was missing in this one due to an over-convoluted plot, Jake was definitely the highlight of the book and I am looking forward to his further adventures.
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