The Perfect Secret by Steena Holmes
Paperback and e-book, 344 pages
Expected publication: May 19th 2020 by SH Press Inc.
Everyone has secrets — some deadlier than others
She was on cloud nine after accepting an offer of a lifetime. A simpler life that what you she was accustomed to. What could go wrong?
Starla Bishop learned to survive in the foster-care-to-jail system in New York City. There she learned the tools and skills she put to work later to con jewel thieves, drug traffickers, and mobsters out their fortunes. Now fresh out of her latest stint in jail, she accepts a too-good-to-refuse offer—a perfect life on a silver platter. Starla has everything she ever wished for: a simpler life, a normal life, a new start with new job, a straight job—a receptionist for Soil and Springs Landscaping run by a famous botanist. And it got even better—a whirlwind romance and engagement to her boss’s charming ex-husband.
But everything comes with a price. When bodies start turning up in the gardens of her employer, Soil and Springs Landscaping, Starla and her fiancé are hauled into jail for questioning. The revelation of Starla's secret, previous life and her special skills make her a prime suspect.
How much does Starla want the perfect life, and did she use her special skills to keep it, or is this just her biggest con yet? The shocking truth is closer than anyone thinks?
My thoughts about The Perfect Secret ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first line.)
First line—"Premonition. Pay attention to that nudge of warning, and it can save your life."
To this day, I haven't read a book by Steena Holmes that I haven't just absolutely loved. And The Perfect Secret did not disappoint—loved it! And I love the new direction that she seems to be taking with her writing—a little darker, a little more suspenseful.
Starla is a con artist. She was recently released from jail and landed a pretty good job. Things are good, right? Nope, not so much, especially when dead bodies start turning up. And it looks like she is going to have to take the fall for them and everything else that is going on at the company where she just started working.
The Perfect Secret is full of secrets. Everyone involved has secrets. The fun part is seeing all those secrets being revealed, as the cast of characters start revealing their true selves. This is a story that will grab your attention and keep you guessing until the very end.
On kind of a side note, sort of, I love the titles of this book. I don't usually pay much attention to chapter titles. My apologies to all authors, I know you probably put a lot of thought into those. When I turned to the contents page, these titles just jumped out at me and I was intrigued to read further to see what would be revealed in the chapters.
I highly recommend this story! I loved everything about it, even the conniving, sneaky characters who had secrets that I couldn't even imagine when I started the book. You really must add The Perfect Secret to your TBR list. You will not be disappointed!
I received an ARC of The Perfect Secret from the author and this is my honest opinion.
About the author
New York Times & USA Today Bestselling Author!
With 2 million copies of her titles sold world wide, Steena Holmes was named in the Top 20 Women Author to read in 2015 by Good Housekeeping. She continues to write books that deal with issues that touch parents heart, whether it is through her contemporary fiction or psychological suspense novels. ~ Amazon
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