I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: NetGalley
Her Deadly Secrets
by
Laura Griffin
mystery, romantic suspense in an eARC edition that was published by Gallery Books on July 2, 2019 and has 368 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Deadly Promises, Untraceable, Unspeakable, Unforgivable, Snapped, Twisted, Scorched, Exposed, Thread of Fear, Desperate Girls, Total Control
On sale July 2, 2019
Trade Paperback – Price: $16.00 – ISBN: 9781501162435
eBook – Price: $7.99 – ISBN: 9781501162442
Second in the Wolfe Security mysterious romantic suspense series and revolving around the men, the bodyguards, of a premier security company. The couple focus is on Kira Vance and Jeremy Owen and set in Houston.
This eARC was sent to me by NetGalley and Gallery Books for an honest review.
My Take
I do like Kira’s independence and that she stands up for what she wants. Even if it does seem to backfire sometimes…ouch… Her priorities are, mostly, in the right place with those investments in her tools, but I don’t understand why Kira is so broke, if she’s so good at what she does. Then again, maybe I’m leaping ahead, and Kira is finally learning how good she is? Hmmm…then again, Kira doesn’t impress me with her surveillance skills when she and Jeremy head to Ballard Shipping.
As for the bread-and-butter side of being a PI, I can understand why Kira isn’t too happy about deadbeat dads, insurance scams, and the like, but she is the kind of person who simply loves to discover the truth, no matter where it leads, which makes me understand why she wouldn’t want to be a lawyer, lol.
So, Griffin is using third person global subjective point-of-view, which means we see and “hear” from a variety of characters in Her Deadly Secrets. It’s how we learn that Kira is so anti-security when she’s so coolly evasive at the start with no hints, that it starts me wondering. Her grief for Ollie makes sense as we discover how much he’s helped Kira, but he also sounds like the stereotypical jerk of a PI. Jeremy, Spears, Diaz, and Shelly provide their perspectives as well.
Griffin has a variety of ways of informing us that Kira is good, from Jeremy’s observations, from Logan’s determination to hire her, and from Spears’ interest. As for those tiny teasers about Brock’s interest, I do wish Griffin either went somewhere with it or skipped it. I kept expecting something to happen. Why does Diaz think Spears is interested in Logan? I didn’t pick up on any indicators??
I had to appreciate that Jeremy is so realistic about the business side with clients, although the touch-me/don’t-touch-me got a bit tedious.
There are some odd assumptions in here. One is assuming we know who Ken Phan is. Coroner? Officer? Detective? How does Logan have any underdog status to play up if he defends rich people?
Still, it was a fun story that is primarily character-driven with a reasonable pace, even if it doesn’t have the tension I’ve felt in other Laura Griffin stories. I am looking forward to reading more about how Kira and Jeremy make things work.
The Story
Private investigator Kira Vance is through with waiting on Ollie to pay her. This time she’s dropping the report off with him at the client’s house. Only, that’s not all that gets dropped.
It’s luck that Kira is needed with the trial so close, but she’s a fiercely independent woman who doesn’t expect — or want — help from anyone, least of all a high-powered lawyer and his elite security team. And, luckily, Kira Vance spends her days navigating the intricate labyrinth of Houston’s legal world, and she knows all of its shadowy players and dark secrets.
Launching her own investigation, Kira hopes to uncover the answers that Ollie discovered. And she’ll take help wherever she can find it.
The Characters
The outspoken, independent (and insightful) Kira Vance is a private investigator with e-skills, eking out a living. Too bad she can’t borrow Ollie’s van! Ruth Hovis is her parents’ neighbor. Her brother, Jack, is a firefighter in Houston and understands her job. Jack is married to Emily, and they have a son, Aiden, who is prone to ear infections. Gina is Kira’s neighbor and best friend.
Wolf Security is…
…one of the best and owned by a former Marine, Liam Wolfe. The team assigned to Logan’s people includes Jeremy Owen, a former Marine who will be head of Kira’s security detail; Keith; Trent seems to need more seasoning; Joel; and, Erik Morgan (a former Marine; Desperate Girls, 1) are on this job.
The men are sometimes split into teams, Alpha and Bravo. Lopez is on special assignment in Aspen. Cody is sidelined.
Oliver “Ollie” Kovak is Kira’s boss and an almost, maybe partner, who investigates all of Logan’s big cases.
Logan & Locke is…
…a law firm with Brock “Lone Logan” Logan a managing partner who defends wealthy people. Sydney works reception. Bev is his assistant? Neil Gautier is a junior associate.
Mount Logan is the name of Logan’s house. His dad had run an auto-repair shop and beat his kids.
Gavin Quinn, a prominent heart surgeon, is accused of killing his wife, Ava. Craig Collins is Ava’s deadbeat brother. Michael and Margaret Collins are Ava’s and Craig’s parents. Dr Robert Peck is Gavin’s iffy alibi.
Houston PD
Detectives Charlotte Spears and Alex Diaz are partners. Fiona Glass is the best police artist in the country. Lacey is a blonde CSI. Officer Hanlin was on the scene at Logan’s. The territorial Detective McGrath thinks he has Ava Quinn’s murderer for which John Healy is the prosecutor. Detective Goldstein is McGrath’s partner. Officer Gonzales is on the case at Avalon Lofts. Grant is their big-deal fingerprint examiner.
Ken Phan. Glenda is the judge’s clerk. Lorraine Hartman is in Public Records.
Xavier Shipping Company has…
…a warehouse on Channelview owned by Anatoly Markov. Andre Markov is his inept son who was tried for aggravated assault two years ago in front of Judge Erica Farland. Bruno and Sasha Duric are friends of the Markovs.
Bruce Garvis is Kira’s landlord. Ryan Conyers is a pizza delivery guy with secrets. James and Lisa Macey put in an order for pizza. A high tech company, Cloud Corp is run by Leo Rollins. Daryl is a barber with a useful bathroom. Emilio Sanchez, a bail bondsman, has the office next door to Ollie. Guillermo is his excellent skip tracer. Jean Colton owns Post Place and employs her son, Jason.
Michelle “Shelly” Chandler is clerking with Duffy and Hersch and messing around with Andrew Spence, one of the junior partners. Renee “Ren” is Drew’s wife, and Mia is their three-year-old.
The Cover and Title
The cover is intimidating in its black foreground, a very close close-up of Kira’s face coming in from the dark, the center of her face highlighted. The fuchsia title spans Kira’s face, just below her eyes with “A Novel” immediately below her chin. I do wish Griffin had put the series info here instead… The author’s name spans Kira’s neck with an info blurb below that. Both are in white.
The title is all about Kira and Her Deadly Secrets that could put her in jeopardy.
About:
Laura Griffin
Laura Griffin is the New York Times bestselling author of the Tracers series, the Wolfe Security series, the Alpha Crew series, the The Glass Sisters series, and several other novels. A two-time RITA Award winner and the recipient of the Daphne du Maurier Award, Laura lives in Austin, where she is working on her next book.
Connect with the author on the Web:
- Author’s website
- Goodreads author
