Monday, June 19, 2017

Review of DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS: Lilliana Hart



Mystery / Thriller
Date Published: December 29, 2013

REVIEW

Unique, Funny – A Rich Complex Suspense/Thriller

Mortician J.J. Graves doubles as coroner in a town called BLOODY MARY. It isn’t much of a town, but then Graves isn’t much of mortician/coroner. The death of her parents prompted her to take over the family business. In other words, the mortician stint is strictly money-driven. It’s not nice to live in poverty and a girl does what a girl’s got to do to survive, but the discovery of Fiona Murphy’s battered body disrupts the routine. Fiona was evidently leaving her abusive husband George, and he must have been unwilling to say goodbye. But the strange marks and DNA samples lead J.J. Graves in a less obvious direction, and Sheriff Jack Lawson agrees—at least until gorgeous Brody Collins shows up on her doorstep. The successful writer is getting her juices flowing, and we’re not talking the turkey cooking in the oven kind. But now there’s another body that’s turned up, and Jack is acting kind of jealous, and J.J.? She’s about to break the long draught of self-imposed celibacy.

Thoroughly enjoyed Liliana Hart’s DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS. Very smartly written, this mystery/suspense thriller was just the thing to get me through the night. Intriguing enough to hold my attention, it’s also laugh out loud funny! Yes, the character J.J. Graves is downright hilarious, and I looked forward to all her acerbic observations.  

The plot is complex, so this one does require thinking. The suspects are introduced at a good tempo, and there’s just enough space in between to fit a backstory and give us time to consider whether they could be the scumbag that’s killing all those people … cheesh!

There’s also J.J. Graves non-love life to consider. Sheriff Lawson (the hunky sheriff) and Brody Collins (the hunky writer … meow!) would both do nicely … so what’s a girl to do? Liliana Hart knows and cuts her some slack. The murderer ain’t goin’ nowhere (hopefully), so there’s a little bit of respite that allows Graves to get her sexy on. In fact, the line she says when she wakes up the morning after is priceless and had me chuckling for days.

What’s not to love? You have great writing, wit, charm, murder, a very likable heroine, two studly men, suspense, a plot that’ll keep you guessing, and a very dramatic ending to boot. It’s all crammed into those pages and it makes for some great entertainment.

Definitely recommending DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS and giving it 4.2 stars!

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