Thank you to the author for the advanced e-copy of Where Her Secrets Lie in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: August 1, 2026
Summary:
From the bestselling author of Dark August comes a tense, moody thriller about a reclusive grandmother forced to confront her darkest fears to protect her family from a ruthless foe.
Seventy-year-old Lenny Bird lives in a cage of her own making. It’s protected by a strong will, stubborn habits, and hidden secrets—like the crime-scene photos in her basement. And the body in her backyard.
Lenny shut down long ago, when her daughter was murdered and her husband committed suicide. But fifteen years later, a court has ordered her estranged grandson Juls to move back in with her when he’s arrested, courtesy of his notorious paternal grandfather. Juls has crossed the wrong people and his criminal world comes crashing through Lenny’s door, along with his twin daughters.
Lenny’s sanctuary overrun, she and Juls clash over long-held grudges. When she delves into his shady world, Lenny realizes he’s more pawn than player. But when her investigation threatens to dredge up her own dark past, Lenny must fight a ruthless crime boss—and choose between protecting her private purgatory … or breaking free to save the family she loves.
My thoughts:
I’ve read the first book in Katie Tallo’s Gus Monet series and really enjoyed it and have been meaning to get back to it, but I was thrilled when she reached out to me about this book, a new stand-alone.
This book, while a bit slow to start, ended up being one of those that was hard to put down once I got into it. The secrets had me as well as the complex family dynamics – I’m such a sucker for all that! This book is dark enough to not be considered a cozy but not that dark to give you nightmares – it walked that line just right and the twists really kept me guessing as to what was going to happen next.
I am definitely a fan of this author and look forward to seeing what she writes next. I sure wouldn’t mind seeing more of Lenny Bird…she is a character I would love to spend more time with, for sure!
Purchasing from the link below supports independent bookstores and my blog!
