A Fatal Secret By Faith Martin

‘A Fatal Secret’ is the fourth book in Ryder and Loveday series by Faith Martin.

A family day out at Briar’s Hall ends in tragedy when a young boy goes missing – and his body is found at the bottom of a disused well in the orchard. It looks like a simple case of an eleven-year-old exploring where he shouldn’t: a tragic accident. But Coroner Clement Ryder and Probationary WPC Trudy Loveday aren’t convinced. If Eddie had been climbing and fallen, why were there no cuts or dirt on his hands? Why would a boy terrified of heights be around a well at all? Clement and Trudy are determined to get to the truth, but the more they dig into Briar’s Hall and the mysterious de Lacey family who live there, the murkier things become. Could it be that poor Eddie’s death was murder? There are rumours of blackmail in the village, and Clement and Trudy have a horrible feeling that Eddie stumbled on a secret that someone was willing to kill for…

Even though this is the fourth book in the series, it was the first one for me and I found it to be a highly enjoyable and suspenseful story.

Set in 1961 we follow Trudy Loveday and Clement Ryder as they investigate the death of a little boy that everyone thinks is an accident but they suspect murder. As they delve into the history of the de Lacey family, owners of the land that the little boy died in and as they delve into the past they’re uncover some secrets that people would like to remain hidden.

This is a real murder mystery that the reader can really sink their teeth into. The story is cleverly plotted with complex and suspicious characters that really makes for interesting reading. Set in the 1960’s, the story highlights the female officers were treated back then in regards to equality and respect. The relationship and friendship between Trudy and Clement is also quite interesting, only starting out in the police and with Clement being old, we see the difference in viewpoints from the generations and how the pair of them work together to solve the crime.

A short novel that can be gobbled in one sitting, this book was an engaging story from the beginning. With a great plot, complex characters and drama throughout, ‘A Fatal Secret’ is an addictive page turner of a crime novel.

You can buy ‘A Fatal Secret’ from Amazon.