Title: Dirty Little Secrets
Author: Liliana Hart
First published July 1, 2011
307 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781481158640 (ISBN10: 1481158643)
Rating: 4.06
Overview
As the coroner for King George County, Virginia, J.J. Graves has seen her fair share of death. But when a murder rocks the small town of Bloody Mary, she finds herself in the center of a twisted game.
With the help of her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, J.J. sets out to catch the killer before anyone else meets their demise. As the body count rises, J.J. is forced to confront her own secrets and desires when a mysterious and alluring stranger arrives in town with plans to write about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer.
With so much at stake, J.J. must decide if she can trust this stranger or if he’s just another pawn in the killer’s deadly game. Passions will rise, and secrets will be exposed as J.J. and Jack race against time to catch the killer before he strikes again.
About the Author
For five years, Liliana Hart dedicated herself to teaching music in public schools. She played a crucial role in shaping young minds and keeping them out of trouble, often finding herself busting students for smoking weed in the restrooms or intervening in illicit affairs behind the stage.
Her Addison Holmes Mystery Series, which features a small town teacher who gets into all sorts of trouble, is partly based on her real-life experiences, although she remains tight-lipped about which parts are autobiographical.
With newfound free time, Liliana turned to reading romance novels, and when she exhausted her supply, she decided to try her hand at writing them. Her first attempt resulted in a 150,000-word thriller, an action-packed adventure featuring a 30-year-old virgin assassin as the heroine.
Despite her confidence in the story’s appeal, she struggled to find an audience. Undeterred, Liliana persevered and eventually found her footing, learning that losing one’s virginity wasn’t quite as romantic as she once thought.
All of her books feature suspense, humor, and plenty of steamy sex.
Since that first attempt, Liliana’s books have garnered numerous awards, including the Daphne Du Maurier, Suzannah, Linda Howard Award of Excellence, and Maggie, among others. She is a member of both the Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
When she’s not writing, Liliana enjoys cooking, reading, playing Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and watching Bones. She lives in a sprawling Texas home with her feline companions and loves hearing from her readers.
Join Liliana on her thrilling adventures!
Editoral Review
Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart is a thrilling mystery novel that follows the story of J.J. Graves, a medical examiner in the small town of Bloody Mary, Virginia. First published on July 1, 2011, Hart’s novel highlights the genre of mystery, weaving suspense and intrigue with complex themes of love, betrayal, and redemption.
One of the strengths of the book is the author’s detailed development of the characters, particularly J.J. Graves, who is a strong and relatable protagonist. She struggles with her own past and the secrets that surround her family, and the reader can’t help but feel invested in her journey towards discovering the truth.
The setting of the small town of Bloody Mary is also exceptionally crafted, adding to the book’s eerie atmosphere. The plot of Dirty Little Secrets centers around the investigation of a murder in the town, which leads J.J. Graves to uncover dark secrets about the people she thought she knew.
Hart’s pacing of the plot is impeccable, keeping the reader hooked and engaged from the first page to the last. The themes of the book are also relevant to current times, as Hart tackles issues of corruption and abuse of power.
However, there are a few flaws in Dirty Little Secrets, such as the occasional predictable plot twist and some underdeveloped supporting characters. These limitations are minor in comparison to the book’s many strengths, and do not detract from the overall quality of the novel.
Fans of mystery novels will undoubtedly enjoy Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart. The novel provides a thrilling and engaging reading experience, with well-crafted characters and plot twists that will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
The book is well-written and tightly structured, making for a compelling read from start to finish. Considering all of the above, we award Dirty Little Secrets by Liliana Hart four out of five stars.
It sets a high standard for the mystery genre, with a compelling story, intriguing characters, and excellent writing. Anyone interested in mysteries, thrillers, or crime fiction would be remiss not to read this book.
