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J.J. Graves Mystery #1
Dirty Little Secrets
J.J. Graves has seen a lot of dead bodies in her line of work...
She's not only in the mortuary business, but she's also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it's up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice.
The murders are piling up...
The residents of Blood Mary are dropping like flies, and when a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.'s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he's so well known for. It only clouds the issue and puts her reputation on the line when the attraction between them spirals out of control.
And passions are rising...
J.J and Jack are in a race against time. They discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.'s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her the perfect victim in a deadly game.
She's not only in the mortuary business, but she's also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it's up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice.
The murders are piling up...
The residents of Blood Mary are dropping like flies, and when a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.'s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he's so well known for. It only clouds the issue and puts her reputation on the line when the attraction between them spirals out of control.
And passions are rising...
J.J and Jack are in a race against time. They discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.'s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her the perfect victim in a deadly game.
233 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
5673 people are currently reading
11215 people want to read
About the author
Liliana Hart
201 books3,295 followersLiliana Hart spent five years teaching music in the public education system. She molded America’s youth, busted kids for smoking pot in the restrooms, and broke up illicit affairs behind the stage on a regular basis. (Liliana’s Addison Holmes Mystery Series, about a small town teacher who gets into a whole lot of trouble, is somewhat autobiographical, but she won’t confess to which parts).
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
Liliana began reading romance novels with all her new found free time, and when she ran out of things to read, she decided to write her own novels. The result was a 150,000 word thriller—a dazzling adventure—where the heroine was a thirty-year-old virgin assassin (Yes, you read that right). She couldn’t imagine why people weren’t knocking down her door to read it, but she persevered and began writing a second book. She finally got the hang of things, and eventually learned that losing one’s virginity wasn’t all that romantic after all. All of her books involve some kind of suspense (she just can't help herself), laughter, and a lot of steamy sex.
Since the failure of her first attempt, Liliana’s books have won awards such as: The Daphne Du Maurier, The Suzannah, The Linda Howard Award of Excellence, The Maggie, and many others. Her affiliations include Romance Writers of America and Mystery Writers of America.
Liliana loves to cook, and is addicted to reading, Internet Boggle, kickboxing, and Bones. She lives in a big, rambling house in Texas with a couple of cats to keep her company. She loves to get emails from readers.
Enjoy the Adventures!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,342 reviews
November 30, 2021
Re-read Audio
Still really liked it and that is still a favorite quote!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed this story, it was a fast read and very entertaining. I felt an immediate connection to Jaye and Jake. Their banter was easy going and realistic. Will definitely be reading more of her books!
Favorite Quote:
"I was such a slut. Hallelujah"
Still really liked it and that is still a favorite quote!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I really enjoyed this story, it was a fast read and very entertaining. I felt an immediate connection to Jaye and Jake. Their banter was easy going and realistic. Will definitely be reading more of her books!
Favorite Quote:
"I was such a slut. Hallelujah"
July 21, 2017
Romantic suspense is a favorite of mine and this series has been on my TBR list for a long time. I can’t believe it took me so long to read this terrific book!!
J.J. Graves gave up her life as a doctor when her parents died in a suspicious suicide a year ago. Moving back to her small home town Bloody Mary (excellent name btw ;-) ) to run the family funeral home. But death in Bloody Mary is slow business and hardly ever does a murder occur. Until now…
I loved Jaye and her dry wit and sarcastic outlook on life. She’s a bit closed off emotionally but after losing almost everyone she’s ever loved except for her best friend Jack Lawson, who is also now the town sheriff, you can’t really blame her.
Now the plot was brilliant. For a coroner who has rarely seen any dead bodies the last year, the bodies sure seemed to pile up quickly in this book and it was gripping watching Jack with the help of Jaye trying to figure out who the real killer was, seeing as all evidence tried to point to different suspects. I had my suspicions about who the killer was and I was completely wrong, which was excellent! Then there’s also the secrets from Jaye’s parents that seems to be lurking and with the little hints we are given it’s pretty obvious there’s a lot more to find out and I can’t wait. I also loved all the town’s people, some of who are really eccentric and hilarious and who adds that special something you only get from reading a small town romance.
If I’d had more energy I would have run like crazy from the look in Jack’s eyes. It wasn’t one I’d seen before, and it wasn’t one I was sure I wanted to see.
Hmm. . . Something to think about.
There was a bit of romance with a new stranger in town, a popular mystery writer, whom she has great chemistry with. I loved the attraction between them and the fact that he brought some much needed passion to her life. There also seems to be some spark developing between her and Jack, which I’m not sure how I feel about. On the one hand I’m very happy that the author hasn’t gone the usual route with the best friends’ trope, Jaye hasn’t been pining for Jack forever, and she’s just always seen him as her best friend. And seeing that he’s a bit of a player, but he seems to be the one who’s been carrying romantic feelings for longer, I am despite my reservations looking forward to see what happens next.
A thrilling first installment to a series I’m sure I’m going to love and a definitely must read for all RS fans!
April 21, 2017
Major DNF
I mean, wow. This book took a massive nosedive right around 20% with the introduction of Brody. I stopped reading at ~25% and simply skimmed the rest of the book.
I read Liliana Hart's Addison Holmes series about 2 years ago and loved it. I did a re-read earlier this month and, although I didn't like it as much, it was still pretty entertaining. I then found Dirty Little Secrets on Amazon for free and I just had to read it. The blurb mentioned "best friend" Detective Jack Lawson and I was already rubbing my hands together for a hero who's been in love with the heroine for ages without her knowing. It's one of my favourite tropes in romance.
I was less enthusiastic about Jack's manwhore ways though, especially to see him go on with it even after the story started. I really didn't want to see him freshly out of someone's bed. And that happened pretty often on top of the many references both characters made about his night time activities. The way women were described was also horrible - in JJ's eyes, Jack was a god who could charm anyone into bed, whereas the women saying yes to having sex with him were just common sluts with no morals.
Anyway, I liked the friendship between them and when Brody was introduced, (as cheesy as it sounds) I couldn't wait for Jack to be forced to reveal his true feelings out of jealousy.
But the Brody introduction was a fucking disaster. Literally 5 minutes after meeting, he was described as having a "competitive glare" and "jealousy oozing from his pores" when Jack's name came up. He also made pretty strong moves on JJ and hinted at falling in love with her. You might think I'm exaggerating about the 5 minutes, but I'm really not: they met, shook hands and walked inside her house. From that point on, the whole book sucked with JJ falling in love with him after like, 4 days. It was all terribly forced, unbelievable and just came across as desperate. (JJ also had the audacity to criticise women who slept with Jack after a a lunch date, yet wanted to rip Brody's clothes off mere minutes after meeting him.)
Another thing that annoyed me about that meeting was that she easily showed him the dead body of a woman who was abused by her husband all her life, then raped and murdered by someone and left in a ditch. Brody wasn't investigating the case (he was just a crime author she had the hots for), so I felt it was extremely disrespectful to the dead woman to show her body to some random dude. It was also an ongoing investigation, but JJ never even thought about asking for the police's permission before spilling practically everything about the case to Brody! On top of that, she didn't find it weird that straight after a murder, there was a stranger in town wanting to access the body. Seriously, what the fuck?
Other things I didn't like:
1# - Jack was angry that JJ was seeing someone when he literally had a different woman in his bed every night. Nothing says "I've been in love with you for years" like bedding 80% of the women in Virginia.
2# - JJ whined about how plain she looked and constantly repeated "men like him didn't flirt with women like me" only to have every guy within a 50 mile radius give her appreciative looks anyway. It was fucking annoying.
3# - Honestly, JJ was an uppity bitch. The whole "I'm a hotshot ER doc stuck in Podunk, Nowhere and therefore I am better than all of you peasants" made me want to punch her. She was also horrible to every other person in the town - I don't think there was a single person who was described in a likeable way. Women were either old witches, young brainless sluts, or unattractive spinsters. Men were either creeps or pigs. One was described as looking like "a dried raisin". I love humour but NEVER at the expense of other people, especially is it is to do with the way they look.
4# -
I won't continue with this series and probably won't ever read another from Liliana Hart that focuses on one heroine throughout, since I'm beginning to see a pattern in them that I don't like (whiny Mary-Sue ping-pongs between two guys and can't make her mind up). I am curious about her standalones though, especially her new Gravedigger series (each book focusing on a different story and couple) so I'll probably give those a go. I do like her writing style and her heroes are pretty cool as well, I just hope she gets a better grasp on her heroines and maybe quit with the "closed door" scenes.
I mean, wow. This book took a massive nosedive right around 20% with the introduction of Brody. I stopped reading at ~25% and simply skimmed the rest of the book.
I read Liliana Hart's Addison Holmes series about 2 years ago and loved it. I did a re-read earlier this month and, although I didn't like it as much, it was still pretty entertaining. I then found Dirty Little Secrets on Amazon for free and I just had to read it. The blurb mentioned "best friend" Detective Jack Lawson and I was already rubbing my hands together for a hero who's been in love with the heroine for ages without her knowing. It's one of my favourite tropes in romance.
I was less enthusiastic about Jack's manwhore ways though, especially to see him go on with it even after the story started. I really didn't want to see him freshly out of someone's bed. And that happened pretty often on top of the many references both characters made about his night time activities. The way women were described was also horrible - in JJ's eyes, Jack was a god who could charm anyone into bed, whereas the women saying yes to having sex with him were just common sluts with no morals.
Anyway, I liked the friendship between them and when Brody was introduced, (as cheesy as it sounds) I couldn't wait for Jack to be forced to reveal his true feelings out of jealousy.
But the Brody introduction was a fucking disaster. Literally 5 minutes after meeting, he was described as having a "competitive glare" and "jealousy oozing from his pores" when Jack's name came up. He also made pretty strong moves on JJ and hinted at falling in love with her. You might think I'm exaggerating about the 5 minutes, but I'm really not: they met, shook hands and walked inside her house. From that point on, the whole book sucked with JJ falling in love with him after like, 4 days. It was all terribly forced, unbelievable and just came across as desperate. (JJ also had the audacity to criticise women who slept with Jack after a a lunch date, yet wanted to rip Brody's clothes off mere minutes after meeting him.)
Another thing that annoyed me about that meeting was that she easily showed him the dead body of a woman who was abused by her husband all her life, then raped and murdered by someone and left in a ditch. Brody wasn't investigating the case (he was just a crime author she had the hots for), so I felt it was extremely disrespectful to the dead woman to show her body to some random dude. It was also an ongoing investigation, but JJ never even thought about asking for the police's permission before spilling practically everything about the case to Brody! On top of that, she didn't find it weird that straight after a murder, there was a stranger in town wanting to access the body. Seriously, what the fuck?
Other things I didn't like:
1# - Jack was angry that JJ was seeing someone when he literally had a different woman in his bed every night. Nothing says "I've been in love with you for years" like bedding 80% of the women in Virginia.
2# - JJ whined about how plain she looked and constantly repeated "men like him didn't flirt with women like me" only to have every guy within a 50 mile radius give her appreciative looks anyway. It was fucking annoying.
3# - Honestly, JJ was an uppity bitch. The whole "I'm a hotshot ER doc stuck in Podunk, Nowhere and therefore I am better than all of you peasants" made me want to punch her. She was also horrible to every other person in the town - I don't think there was a single person who was described in a likeable way. Women were either old witches, young brainless sluts, or unattractive spinsters. Men were either creeps or pigs. One was described as looking like "a dried raisin". I love humour but NEVER at the expense of other people, especially is it is to do with the way they look.
4# -
I won't continue with this series and probably won't ever read another from Liliana Hart that focuses on one heroine throughout, since I'm beginning to see a pattern in them that I don't like (whiny Mary-Sue ping-pongs between two guys and can't make her mind up). I am curious about her standalones though, especially her new Gravedigger series (each book focusing on a different story and couple) so I'll probably give those a go. I do like her writing style and her heroes are pretty cool as well, I just hope she gets a better grasp on her heroines and maybe quit with the "closed door" scenes.
January 3, 2016
Holy Macaroni.
This book was soo good.So good.The story is very interesting and well written.Nothing seemed rushed and there are a couple of twists,but I had my suspicions so I wasn't really surprised by the ending.The main character is one sarcastic little shit which means that I adore her.
I have to admit that I didn't expect to find so much humor in this book.Boy,I was laughing my ass off.Jack is my new fictional crush,I mean,how perfect is he?Ugh,I need Jack in my life.The only thing that I didn't like is .I really liked the ending and the writer actually gives you the clues who the killer is,you just have to observe.And when I found out that .I was like:
Overall,an excellent book and I have to read the sequel soon.
Favourite quotes:
''I had to tell him that I was having a wild and crazy affair with you to get him off my back.''
''I haven't had one of those in a while.Was it good?''
''The best I've ever had.'',he said soberly.
''Good to know that I haven't lost my technique.''
''No one had a better poker face than Jack.And unlike me,Lady Luck always smiled on him-probably because she was a damned woman and that's what women did with Jack.''
''My Suburban was parked on the graveled driveway, the dull sheen of the black paint making it look a little worse for the wear. Not to mention the huge dent over the back left wheel where a deer had decided it wanted to commit suicide.''
This book was soo good.So good.The story is very interesting and well written.Nothing seemed rushed and there are a couple of twists,but I had my suspicions so I wasn't really surprised by the ending.The main character is one sarcastic little shit which means that I adore her.
I have to admit that I didn't expect to find so much humor in this book.Boy,I was laughing my ass off.Jack is my new fictional crush,I mean,how perfect is he?Ugh,I need Jack in my life.The only thing that I didn't like is .I really liked the ending and the writer actually gives you the clues who the killer is,you just have to observe.And when I found out that .I was like:
Overall,an excellent book and I have to read the sequel soon.
Favourite quotes:
''I had to tell him that I was having a wild and crazy affair with you to get him off my back.''
''I haven't had one of those in a while.Was it good?''
''The best I've ever had.'',he said soberly.
''Good to know that I haven't lost my technique.''
''No one had a better poker face than Jack.And unlike me,Lady Luck always smiled on him-probably because she was a damned woman and that's what women did with Jack.''
''My Suburban was parked on the graveled driveway, the dull sheen of the black paint making it look a little worse for the wear. Not to mention the huge dent over the back left wheel where a deer had decided it wanted to commit suicide.''
June 24, 2020
4 stars
I was a little slow getting into this one - JJ (h) has some serious baggage (parents/family) and no life (med school, student loans, family funeral business in a small town, medical examiner in a small town). Her best friend, Jack (H) is the sheriff (ex-SWAT), good looking and a good guy. The cases are grisly and intense and the friends to lovers is slow burn. A So after reading this one, I couldn't get enough of JJ and Jack - so I bought the 2 box sets and now I'm on book 4. My understanding is that book 9 is a cliffie about their relationship, so I pre-ordered book 10 due in December. Note: crime scenes are graphic, so may not be good for some readers.
I was a little slow getting into this one - JJ (h) has some serious baggage (parents/family) and no life (med school, student loans, family funeral business in a small town, medical examiner in a small town). Her best friend, Jack (H) is the sheriff (ex-SWAT), good looking and a good guy. The cases are grisly and intense and the friends to lovers is slow burn. A So after reading this one, I couldn't get enough of JJ and Jack - so I bought the 2 box sets and now I'm on book 4. My understanding is that book 9 is a cliffie about their relationship, so I pre-ordered book 10 due in December. Note: crime scenes are graphic, so may not be good for some readers.
March 6, 2019
I need the next book.
Sorry, but I can't remember who recommended this book to me. Whoever t was, I can't thank them enough.
Bit of a cliché, but I got hooked in in first page and was still hooked on the last page.
This is a great story with Fantastic characters, that I hope to spend a lot more time with very soon. The partnership of Dr. J. J. Graves and Sheriff Lawson is very well written with some brilliant banter between them. A very fast pace, wish I had started earlier in the day, so I could have read in one sitting.
Love the great names for a Coroner and law officer.
Now want to read book 2 urgently.
Sorry, but I can't remember who recommended this book to me. Whoever t was, I can't thank them enough.
Bit of a cliché, but I got hooked in in first page and was still hooked on the last page.
This is a great story with Fantastic characters, that I hope to spend a lot more time with very soon. The partnership of Dr. J. J. Graves and Sheriff Lawson is very well written with some brilliant banter between them. A very fast pace, wish I had started earlier in the day, so I could have read in one sitting.
Love the great names for a Coroner and law officer.
Now want to read book 2 urgently.
March 19, 2018
I don’t even know why I bothered to finish this mess. The writing is decent but wow is it unbelievable. As someone who works in Pathology, you would NEVER show a random stranger a dead body and tell them the story behind it! Umm hello?? Because she has the hots for the rando writer who enters town, she not only risks her job but spreads her legs within DAYS of meeting him and is already throwing around the L word. She even brings the writer on scene with her when they find another dead body! Like WTF?? You can’t just bring people for show and tell to death scenes. *face palm*
The author did not do research into how autopsies are performed at all. You don’t do the external exam and then decide to break for breakfast. That’s just not how it works.
The killer is a nobody who means nothing to the story. They are getting no where in their investigation when the killer just shows up at JJ’s house and confesses everything to her? His reasoning makes absolutely no sense!! “It was all about you” WHAT?? Smh don’t waste your time!!!!
The author did not do research into how autopsies are performed at all. You don’t do the external exam and then decide to break for breakfast. That’s just not how it works.
The killer is a nobody who means nothing to the story. They are getting no where in their investigation when the killer just shows up at JJ’s house and confesses everything to her? His reasoning makes absolutely no sense!! “It was all about you” WHAT?? Smh don’t waste your time!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 29, 2014
Synopsis:
J.J. Graves has seen a lot of dead bodies in her line of work...
She's not only in the mortuary business, but she's also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it's up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice.
The murders are piling up...
When a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.'s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he's so well known for.
Passions are rising...
J.J and Jack discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.'s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her a perfect target in a deadly game.
My Thoughts:
I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I loved it. I got completely sucked in and that last 90% punched me right in the face.
I liked J.J. right away. She's sarcastic and self-deprecating, but she still tries to look on the bright side even though life has been kicking her in the kidneys lately. She doesn't always succeed and I thought she was being blind as hell as to the identity of the killer, but man that was a surprise after all. The killer said that J.J. doesn't think of anyone's feelings but her own, but I'm not so sure I believe that. Just because she never noticed a certain type of feeling aimed her way doesn't mean she only thinks of herself. As for the killer's feelings, I wouldn't have noticed those, either. He's a nut, anyway.
I also like J.J.'s best friend Jack as well. He is a bit of a player, but if what's going on with him is what I think it is, that makes sense. Jack's got whatever happened to him in D.C. going on, too and I really want to know more about that. I also want to see if he'll admit to what he's been feeling.
The pacing of the story really worked for me. I was never bored. I thought the killer was so obvious, but man it so wasn't what I expected. Talk about a crazy ass. I liked that the tone of the story could go from grim and dark to lighthearted at times. There are plenty of crazy characters in the small town as well. Talk about some nosy people. I'm actually looking forward to seeing more of the crazy townspeople, though. I'm also looking forward to learning more about J.J.'s parents. She's lonely without them, but she also seems to think they never really loved her. Plus, there's that FBI investigation. What's that all about? I so need to know! We did learn something about their deaths, at least, but I feel that there's more to that.
I am so reading the next two books as soon as I can. I think I've found a new author to obsess over.
J.J. Graves has seen a lot of dead bodies in her line of work...
She's not only in the mortuary business, but she's also the coroner for King George County, Virginia. When a grisly murder is discovered in the small town of Bloody Mary, it's up to J.J. and her best friend, Detective Jack Lawson, to bring the victim justice.
The murders are piling up...
When a popular mystery writer shows up on J.J.'s doorstep with plans of writing his new book about the Bloody Mary Serial Killer, J.J. has to decide if he might be going above and beyond the call of duty to create the spine tinglers he's so well known for.
Passions are rising...
J.J and Jack discover each victim had a shocking secret, and the very foundation of J.J.'s life is in danger of crumbling when it turns out she’s harboring secrets of her own—secrets that make her a perfect target in a deadly game.
My Thoughts:
I am pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. I loved it. I got completely sucked in and that last 90% punched me right in the face.
I liked J.J. right away. She's sarcastic and self-deprecating, but she still tries to look on the bright side even though life has been kicking her in the kidneys lately. She doesn't always succeed and I thought she was being blind as hell as to the identity of the killer, but man that was a surprise after all. The killer said that J.J. doesn't think of anyone's feelings but her own, but I'm not so sure I believe that. Just because she never noticed a certain type of feeling aimed her way doesn't mean she only thinks of herself. As for the killer's feelings, I wouldn't have noticed those, either. He's a nut, anyway.
I also like J.J.'s best friend Jack as well. He is a bit of a player, but if what's going on with him is what I think it is, that makes sense. Jack's got whatever happened to him in D.C. going on, too and I really want to know more about that. I also want to see if he'll admit to what he's been feeling.
The pacing of the story really worked for me. I was never bored. I thought the killer was so obvious, but man it so wasn't what I expected. Talk about a crazy ass. I liked that the tone of the story could go from grim and dark to lighthearted at times. There are plenty of crazy characters in the small town as well. Talk about some nosy people. I'm actually looking forward to seeing more of the crazy townspeople, though. I'm also looking forward to learning more about J.J.'s parents. She's lonely without them, but she also seems to think they never really loved her. Plus, there's that FBI investigation. What's that all about? I so need to know! We did learn something about their deaths, at least, but I feel that there's more to that.
I am so reading the next two books as soon as I can. I think I've found a new author to obsess over.
February 18, 2013
This book was fun, with a likable heroine and enjoyable dialog. There were a few problems - I didn't like that the investigators were down on the psychologist for not handing over files without a warrant. That's not being uncooperative, that's just trying to hang on to your professional license. The relationship between JJ and the mysterious Brody lacks enough depth to be terribly compelling. I will say, however, that the author did a pretty good job of making their relationship steamy without being too tawdry or eye-rolling. Finally, this is one of those mysteries that tries to surprise the reader by having the villain be a character so ancillary that it seems random. Oh, turns out the murderer was Completely Forgettable Unimportant Man! That sort of mystery strikes me as lazy. Despite all that, the JJ character is enjoyable enough that this made for a fun gym read anyway, so I'll give it a generous three stars.
March 29, 2016
This started off on a high note and then something went wrong along the way. Firstly Jaye just met Brody and they only knew each other for what, four days and they already love each other?! We knew nothing about him, other than being a writer. We didn't get a chance to get to know him because he was only there for Jaye to have sex with and declare her love for. There are all these homicides going on in town and she's focused on her dry spell. Not only that, but she knows the people being murdered! Just seems a little ridiculous to me.
I liked parts of this book but it ended abruptly!
I liked parts of this book but it ended abruptly!
January 11, 2016
See my reviews of the book 5 here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
January 16, 2023
رازهای کوچک کثیف
جی(jaye) با فوت پدر و مادرش در یک تصادف شغل خانوادگیشون رو به ارث میبره و این شغل چیزی نیست به جز اداره بنگاه کفن و دفن! و دقیقا کدوم پسریه که دوست داره با یه مرده شور رابطه برقرار کنه؟
جی مجبور میشه تحصیل در رشته پزشکی رو رها بکنه و از بیمارستانی که در اون کار میکنه استعفا میده و به شهر کوچک محل زندگیش برمیگرده.
جی با جک که کلانتر شهره از بچگی با هم دوست هستن و خیلی با همدیگه صمیمی هستن.
جک به جی زنگ میزنه و خبر کشته شدن زنی رو میده که شبانه بهش تجاوز شده و به قتل رسیده. جی که همزمان مسئولی پزشک قانونی شهر هم هست سر صحنه قتل حاضر میشه.
جک و جی با همدیگه ماجرا رو سعی میکنن دنبال بکنن و در همین حین برادی کالینز نویسنده معروف جنایی نویس با شنیدن ماجرا به سراغ جی میاد تا برای کتاب جدیدش از اون کمک بگیره.
داستان جذاب بود برای من و حدسهایی که زدم اشتباه در اومدن. هر چند کتابای خیلی حرفه ای ترو بهتری توی این سبک خوندم اما این کتابم به نوبه خودش بد نبود و ارزش خوندن رو داره.
جی(jaye) با فوت پدر و مادرش در یک تصادف شغل خانوادگیشون رو به ارث میبره و این شغل چیزی نیست به جز اداره بنگاه کفن و دفن! و دقیقا کدوم پسریه که دوست داره با یه مرده شور رابطه برقرار کنه؟
جی مجبور میشه تحصیل در رشته پزشکی رو رها بکنه و از بیمارستانی که در اون کار میکنه استعفا میده و به شهر کوچک محل زندگیش برمیگرده.
جی با جک که کلانتر شهره از بچگی با هم دوست هستن و خیلی با همدیگه صمیمی هستن.
جک به جی زنگ میزنه و خبر کشته شدن زنی رو میده که شبانه بهش تجاوز شده و به قتل رسیده. جی که همزمان مسئولی پزشک قانونی شهر هم هست سر صحنه قتل حاضر میشه.
جک و جی با همدیگه ماجرا رو سعی میکنن دنبال بکنن و در همین حین برادی کالینز نویسنده معروف جنایی نویس با شنیدن ماجرا به سراغ جی میاد تا برای کتاب جدیدش از اون کمک بگیره.
داستان جذاب بود برای من و حدسهایی که زدم اشتباه در اومدن. هر چند کتابای خیلی حرفه ای ترو بهتری توی این سبک خوندم اما این کتابم به نوبه خودش بد نبود و ارزش خوندن رو داره.
January 29, 2014
Read in less than a day. The author has a sense of humor and writes in a similar vein to Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries, but with a bit less physical comedy.
Started out like a pretty good who-dun-it serial killer mystery with a little three-way romance mixed in. Not the kinky kind - the Guy and Girl are friends since childhood but nothing more until the new guy shows up and sweeps her off her feet making the old friend a little jealous….that kind of three way.
The murder mystery clues seemed to be leading somewhere but things are not even close to being wrapped up. Since the clues weren't pointing to anyone in particular but to so many different people there was no way to narrow anything down yet. Then suddenly here's the killer, admitting to everything and wrapping it all up in about a page and a half. The murderer is someone who they never even mentioned in the book until the last few pages. It just didn't make any sense. Of course the main character is attacked by the killer at the end and is of course saved my her long time friend and wakes up in the hospital to see him sitting at her bed-side, before she passes out again. But then BAM! The End!! Books over! I was left feeling cheated by this book. There was no closure!! There was so much more that could have been written and other ways it could have gone that would have made more sense. I think the author was setting up for sequels, because there are three more. But after reading this first book, I may not continue on with the series.
Started out like a pretty good who-dun-it serial killer mystery with a little three-way romance mixed in. Not the kinky kind - the Guy and Girl are friends since childhood but nothing more until the new guy shows up and sweeps her off her feet making the old friend a little jealous….that kind of three way.
The murder mystery clues seemed to be leading somewhere but things are not even close to being wrapped up. Since the clues weren't pointing to anyone in particular but to so many different people there was no way to narrow anything down yet. Then suddenly here's the killer, admitting to everything and wrapping it all up in about a page and a half. The murderer is someone who they never even mentioned in the book until the last few pages. It just didn't make any sense. Of course the main character is attacked by the killer at the end and is of course saved my her long time friend and wakes up in the hospital to see him sitting at her bed-side, before she passes out again. But then BAM! The End!! Books over! I was left feeling cheated by this book. There was no closure!! There was so much more that could have been written and other ways it could have gone that would have made more sense. I think the author was setting up for sequels, because there are three more. But after reading this first book, I may not continue on with the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2018
Dirty Little Secrets is book one in the J. J. Graves Mystery by Liliana Hart. Early one morning Jaye Graves the Bloody Mary, Virginia Corner was woken up by Sheriff Jack Lawson who needed her assistants at a crime scene. However, Jaye Graves did not realise that the murder victim will affect her quite and safe world. The readers of Dirty Little Secrets will follow the twist and turns of Jaye Graves and Sheriff Jack Lawson investigation into the murder of local women in their community.
I was recommended to read books by Liliana Hart, and I am happy that I had listened. Dirty Little Secrets is a fantastic book to read. I love the way, Liliana Hart portrays her characters and entwines then with each other throughout Dirty Little Secrets. I like Liliana Hart description of her settings that allow me to feel like I have visited the little community myself. Dirty Little Secrets is well written and researched by Liliana Hart.
The readers of Dirty Little Secrets will learn about been a coroner and funeral director. Also, the readers will start to learn about the work that is involved in finding a serial killer. Dirty Little Secrets highlights fantastically two social issues of domestic violence and marrying very young.
I recommend this book.
I was recommended to read books by Liliana Hart, and I am happy that I had listened. Dirty Little Secrets is a fantastic book to read. I love the way, Liliana Hart portrays her characters and entwines then with each other throughout Dirty Little Secrets. I like Liliana Hart description of her settings that allow me to feel like I have visited the little community myself. Dirty Little Secrets is well written and researched by Liliana Hart.
The readers of Dirty Little Secrets will learn about been a coroner and funeral director. Also, the readers will start to learn about the work that is involved in finding a serial killer. Dirty Little Secrets highlights fantastically two social issues of domestic violence and marrying very young.
I recommend this book.
September 9, 2016
This isn't the worst book I've read, but I had a lot of problems with it. I am going to read the second one (as I already bought it), but it'll have to be better than this one to go beyond book 2. Hopefully the next one will focus more on the case and less on JJ's personal life.
Up until the killer was revealed, I was enjoying the whodunit aspect of the book. But once that was revealed, it was all "Huh? Who?". Disappointing, and it felt like an afterthought.
The little details made me roll my eyes frequently. They find an envelope with cash in a safe deposit box, and immediately know there's more than $250,000 in there. Even if they were $1000 bills (not likely) that would be a very large stack. $250,000 is a physically large amount of money. The constant going on about below freezing weather and blizzards made me think it should have been set in Alaska or Northern Wisconsin, not Virginia.
Why did Jack and JJ keep discussing the case in front of Brody? Why was he allowed to observe the autopsies? Or hang out at the crime scenes? Right after reading about how Jack's entire SWAT squad was killed years prior, JJ remarks about how she's lost everyone in her life, but Jack's never lost anyone. Is she the most self absorbed person on the planet?
Her reaction to Brody not being ready to make a commitment to her just made her look batshit crazy. They've known each other a few days and their entire relationship is based on sex, no sane person starts throwing around "I love you".
The slut shaming pissed me off. JJ to Jack: "I can't believe she slept with you after being in your presence for ten minutes. What a ho." So, why is she a ho and not Jack? And Jack's caveman antics about who JJ was dating, especially considering he's the town manwhore, make me greatly dislike him.
Up until the killer was revealed, I was enjoying the whodunit aspect of the book. But once that was revealed, it was all "Huh? Who?". Disappointing, and it felt like an afterthought.
The little details made me roll my eyes frequently. They find an envelope with cash in a safe deposit box, and immediately know there's more than $250,000 in there. Even if they were $1000 bills (not likely) that would be a very large stack. $250,000 is a physically large amount of money. The constant going on about below freezing weather and blizzards made me think it should have been set in Alaska or Northern Wisconsin, not Virginia.
Why did Jack and JJ keep discussing the case in front of Brody? Why was he allowed to observe the autopsies? Or hang out at the crime scenes? Right after reading about how Jack's entire SWAT squad was killed years prior, JJ remarks about how she's lost everyone in her life, but Jack's never lost anyone. Is she the most self absorbed person on the planet?
Her reaction to Brody not being ready to make a commitment to her just made her look batshit crazy. They've known each other a few days and their entire relationship is based on sex, no sane person starts throwing around "I love you".
The slut shaming pissed me off. JJ to Jack: "I can't believe she slept with you after being in your presence for ten minutes. What a ho." So, why is she a ho and not Jack? And Jack's caveman antics about who JJ was dating, especially considering he's the town manwhore, make me greatly dislike him.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2018
A great read for murder mystery enthusiasts
Dr JJ Graves has returned to her small home town of Bloody Mary (interesting choice of name for a town) to take over her deceased parents mortuary business and has also become the local coroner. Her best friend since childhood is Detective Jack Lawson and they work together to solve 3 murder cases. Investigation turns up secrets held by the victims and obvious choices for the murderer end up being discounted.
The book is well written, keeping my interest all the way through. The characters are well defined and luckily there are not a multitude of them so its easy to keep track. (I get turned off books that have way too many characters to try to keep track of).
Another aspect I really enjoy is the moments of humour and the interaction between JJ and Jack.
The reveal at the end was a surprise and I perhaps would have liked a bit more background on the murderer, but having said that, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of the JJ Graves mystery series.
Recommended reading for fans o f this genre.
Dr JJ Graves has returned to her small home town of Bloody Mary (interesting choice of name for a town) to take over her deceased parents mortuary business and has also become the local coroner. Her best friend since childhood is Detective Jack Lawson and they work together to solve 3 murder cases. Investigation turns up secrets held by the victims and obvious choices for the murderer end up being discounted.
The book is well written, keeping my interest all the way through. The characters are well defined and luckily there are not a multitude of them so its easy to keep track. (I get turned off books that have way too many characters to try to keep track of).
Another aspect I really enjoy is the moments of humour and the interaction between JJ and Jack.
The reveal at the end was a surprise and I perhaps would have liked a bit more background on the murderer, but having said that, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more of the JJ Graves mystery series.
Recommended reading for fans o f this genre.
May 2, 2015
I am a bit conflicted over this book. I really enjoyed the snarky humorous style of the author & main character JJ Graves and found myself laughing out loud more than once. The murderer eluded me for awhile as my thoughts on Who Done It? wavered between characters. I really liked Jack & the dynamics between him & Jaye. But on the downside, this story never really gelled for me - I tried to grab on & make a connection but it bounced around a little too much for me. I didn't buy into the instant love triangle that Brody brought to the table, felt little if any empathy for the characters...and the ending is abrupt. I want to check out book 2 and see how the series settles in as I do like the humor & style. A good read.
January 5, 2020
Entertaining. I really like the heroine but when Brody appeared I lost interest.
April 29, 2015
Dirty Little Secrets was a really good start to the series, and I'm looking forward to continuing with the other books. J.J. was a great character, and I enjoyed many of the secondary characters as well, especially Jack. The mystery kept me interested, as well as kept me guessing. I enjoyed the setting of the small fictional community of Bloody Mary, Virginia. I thought the town and its residents added a great deal to the story.
J.J. Graves has come home to Bloody Mary, Virginia to take over her deceased parents' funeral parlor. To supplement her income, she also has taken on the role of county coroner. Her longtime best friend, Jack, is the county sheriff, and he needs her help when a local woman is murdered. The husband is the obvious suspect, especially since he's known around town as an abusive man. When things don't seem to add up to his guilt, J.J. and Jack begin to investigate. Before long, another local woman is murdered, and the search for the killer is on. In the meantime, J.J.'s long dormant love life seems to be kicking into high gear when a famous writer shows up to glean material from the murders. As J.J. begins to suspect everyone as the killer, the danger to herself suddenly increases.
I really enjoyed this book, and am very glad that I read it. With the way I feel about it, I believe I am going to like the others in the series, and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next. I am especially curious about how some of the threads that were left hanging will turn out. Great characters, an intriguing storyline, and a fascinating setting - this one had it all.
J.J. Graves has come home to Bloody Mary, Virginia to take over her deceased parents' funeral parlor. To supplement her income, she also has taken on the role of county coroner. Her longtime best friend, Jack, is the county sheriff, and he needs her help when a local woman is murdered. The husband is the obvious suspect, especially since he's known around town as an abusive man. When things don't seem to add up to his guilt, J.J. and Jack begin to investigate. Before long, another local woman is murdered, and the search for the killer is on. In the meantime, J.J.'s long dormant love life seems to be kicking into high gear when a famous writer shows up to glean material from the murders. As J.J. begins to suspect everyone as the killer, the danger to herself suddenly increases.
I really enjoyed this book, and am very glad that I read it. With the way I feel about it, I believe I am going to like the others in the series, and I am looking forward to finding out what happens next. I am especially curious about how some of the threads that were left hanging will turn out. Great characters, an intriguing storyline, and a fascinating setting - this one had it all.
September 16, 2015
Well this was unexpectedly enjoyable! I downloaded this book for free from Amazon and wasn’t particularly looking forward to reading it. Most Kindle freebies are worthless but the reviews for this book were pretty good and I hadn’t read a mystery for while so I thought I’d give this one a try.
I have to say it had been a long time since I enjoyed reading a mystery but here the story was entertaining and the plot was fast paced. So much so that I read the book in one single sitting. I thought I had guessed who the killer was but the author had me fooled and the ending of the book came as a complete surprise, which felt really nice! I didn’t know there would be some romance thrown in (I’d never heard of this author before) but it didn’t bother me much as it didn’t prove too overwhelming.
What I enjoyed most about this book is J.J.’s character. She’s been through a lot, her life sucks but she’s smart and strong. Although she’s no Charley Davidson in the smart-ass department I like her dry sense of humour and she can definitely get snarky and sarcastic. She’s doesn’t quite make it to the kick-butt heroine status but she’s pretty close! Her back story is interesting (it leaves room for development too) and I like the relationship she has with Jack, her best friend and local alpha male. True, we know where this is headed but it’s still an enjoyable ride.
Overall this is a light but very entertaining read. And I think I’m pretty much hooked. I want to know what happens next!
I have to say it had been a long time since I enjoyed reading a mystery but here the story was entertaining and the plot was fast paced. So much so that I read the book in one single sitting. I thought I had guessed who the killer was but the author had me fooled and the ending of the book came as a complete surprise, which felt really nice! I didn’t know there would be some romance thrown in (I’d never heard of this author before) but it didn’t bother me much as it didn’t prove too overwhelming.
What I enjoyed most about this book is J.J.’s character. She’s been through a lot, her life sucks but she’s smart and strong. Although she’s no Charley Davidson in the smart-ass department I like her dry sense of humour and she can definitely get snarky and sarcastic. She’s doesn’t quite make it to the kick-butt heroine status but she’s pretty close! Her back story is interesting (it leaves room for development too) and I like the relationship she has with Jack, her best friend and local alpha male. True, we know where this is headed but it’s still an enjoyable ride.
Overall this is a light but very entertaining read. And I think I’m pretty much hooked. I want to know what happens next!
October 4, 2015
Not bad, but not great, either. I liked it, but didn't love it.
Things I didn't like:
There were several typos and grammatical errors. One I can think of off the top of my head was the use of "peak your interest" as opposed to "pique your interest".
Also, the murderer was introduced earlier in the book, and then never really brought up again, so that when the time for the big reveal came, I was all, "Wait a minute...who's this now?" I felt that character should have been incorporated into the story a bit more, because I had to stop and think about who that character even was.
The insta-love between JJ and Brody. Insta-lust I could have been on board with, but that's not what happened here.
The book ended way too abruptly for me. I felt there should have been a bit more resolution.
Things I did like:
The book's humor. There were several moments where I found myself smiling at an amusing part.
JJ (or Jaye), a small town coroner. She was, for the most part, well written. She's smart and spunky and kind of snarky.
Jack, the town's sheriff, and JJ's life-long best friend.
The friendship between JJ and Jack and the fact that there's the potential for it to be more.
Overall: It was a cute, quick read. One I didn't regret reading, but I am unsure as to whether I am going to continue with the series.
Things I didn't like:
There were several typos and grammatical errors. One I can think of off the top of my head was the use of "peak your interest" as opposed to "pique your interest".
Also, the murderer was introduced earlier in the book, and then never really brought up again, so that when the time for the big reveal came, I was all, "Wait a minute...who's this now?" I felt that character should have been incorporated into the story a bit more, because I had to stop and think about who that character even was.
The insta-love between JJ and Brody. Insta-lust I could have been on board with, but that's not what happened here.
The book ended way too abruptly for me. I felt there should have been a bit more resolution.
Things I did like:
The book's humor. There were several moments where I found myself smiling at an amusing part.
JJ (or Jaye), a small town coroner. She was, for the most part, well written. She's smart and spunky and kind of snarky.
Jack, the town's sheriff, and JJ's life-long best friend.
The friendship between JJ and Jack and the fact that there's the potential for it to be more.
Overall: It was a cute, quick read. One I didn't regret reading, but I am unsure as to whether I am going to continue with the series.
January 21, 2021
JJ or Jaye is a doctor who is back in her Virginia hometown after the death of her parents to run their funeral business. She is also the local coroner. Her childhood best friend and maybe future love interest, Jack, is the sheriff. I should have loved this. It has many elements I love in a good mystery. Unfortunately, I barely even finished it. It's obviously loved by others given the ratings. I'm not sure how anyone could get past the glaring plot holes, the poorly written romance parts, and the badly resolved mystery to enjoy it. To be fair, there were moments when I did enjoy it. For a page or two it would start to get good, especially some snappy dialog. Then, something would happen or there'd be a weird jump in the investigation or JJ would give some vague reference to her parents and their death (which is never clear even after the big reveal at the end) and I'd be rolling my eyes again. I won't be reading more of this series, and as this is my first Hart, I'm not sure I'll be reading any of her other work anytime soon. If you like the basics of a doctor who comes back to her hometown and becomes coroner, then I highly recommend Karin Slaughter's Grant County series instead.
September 26, 2015
I hated the comedic element that was thrown into this story and deleted it 8% in.
She randomly add apostrophes where they're not needed-as in "...about that Grave's girl" or "the citizen's had a tendency"...irritating.Straitjacket morphed into a straightjacket but that might've been how it's spelled in America. I was lost in this passage too-I was hell on morning wood. I thought I knew what morning wood was but didn't get why she mentioned it....
I also found it pretty hard to believe that someone sold drugs on the sly yet the coroner avails herself of penicillin and cotraception pills in this fashion. Really ??
It just wasn't what was described so I was totally disappointed.
She randomly add apostrophes where they're not needed-as in "...about that Grave's girl" or "the citizen's had a tendency"...irritating.Straitjacket morphed into a straightjacket but that might've been how it's spelled in America. I was lost in this passage too-I was hell on morning wood. I thought I knew what morning wood was but didn't get why she mentioned it....
I also found it pretty hard to believe that someone sold drugs on the sly yet the coroner avails herself of penicillin and cotraception pills in this fashion. Really ??
It just wasn't what was described so I was totally disappointed.
September 29, 2021
Not a bad book, but as s Canadian who lives in the cold I know that you don’t see your freaking breathe when its 65 degrees!
You don’t lose feeling in your hands and feet quickly and you don’t freeze to the point if turning blue in a walk across a parking lot.
The writer could tell a story but the issues with the weather, all the way through the book, just pissed me off.
I go out in -40 degree weather and don’t go numb.
You don’t lose feeling in your hands and feet quickly and you don’t freeze to the point if turning blue in a walk across a parking lot.
The writer could tell a story but the issues with the weather, all the way through the book, just pissed me off.
I go out in -40 degree weather and don’t go numb.
November 12, 2018
Yine bir seriyi karıştırıp okumuşum. Meğer bu ilk kitapmış. Şu huyumdan bir vazgeçsem iyi olacak.
Neyse. Kasabanın şerifi ve adli tabibi henüz arkadaş. Küçüklükten beri en yakın arkadaşlar ve davaları beraber çözüyorlar. Sonra kasabaya gizemli biri geliyor. Brody Collins ünlü bir suç yazarıdır. Jaye ile yakınlaşıyor ve cinayetler başlıyor. Jaye herkesten şüpheleniyor. Brody’den, Jack’ten. Yazar sonunda ters köşe istemiş. Çünkü arada birini sorgularken kaçamak bir cevap vermişti. Bu bunu bilemez demiştim ama yazar kasmış ve katili başkası yapmış. Neyse diğer kitaplarına göre biraz daha iyiydi. Ortalama diyelim 🤙🏻
Neyse. Kasabanın şerifi ve adli tabibi henüz arkadaş. Küçüklükten beri en yakın arkadaşlar ve davaları beraber çözüyorlar. Sonra kasabaya gizemli biri geliyor. Brody Collins ünlü bir suç yazarıdır. Jaye ile yakınlaşıyor ve cinayetler başlıyor. Jaye herkesten şüpheleniyor. Brody’den, Jack’ten. Yazar sonunda ters köşe istemiş. Çünkü arada birini sorgularken kaçamak bir cevap vermişti. Bu bunu bilemez demiştim ama yazar kasmış ve katili başkası yapmış. Neyse diğer kitaplarına göre biraz daha iyiydi. Ortalama diyelim 🤙🏻
March 25, 2015
After a string of new adult and adult audiobooks, I wanted something different. I had heard good things about Liliana Hart's J. J. Graves Mystery series, and when I saw it was on sale, I decided that a good mystery was just what the doctor ordered. Not to mention the fact that it's Liliana Hart - I love her MacKenzie Family series.
The thing is, Dirty Little Secrets is completely different from Liliana Hart's other series. J. J. Graves is a completely different heroine. It was a fun departure from what I've been listening to as of late. The characters in this book would be enough for me. They're all interesting and quirky and so full of color and life. But, in addition to the awesome characters, there's a twisty mystery that kept me guessing through the entire story. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was shocked to find out I didn't.
J. J. Graves is the medical examiner/coroner/funeral director in the small town of Bloody Mary, VA. In such a small town, her life isn't all that interesting, even with all the hats she has to wear. That is, until people start getting murdered. Then she and her best friend, the town sheriff Jack, have entirely too much to do.
Dirty Little Secrets really had it all. First, there's a fantastic mystery. One person dies, and you think you know who did it. But, as J. J. and Jack start their investigation, things don't exactly fall into place that neatly. Because, then another person dies. And, once again, you think you have it all figured out. And by the time the third murder occurs, you just throw your hands up and abandon all theories, because every one you come up with is thwarted.
I love mysteries like this. The ones where the who-dun-it sneaks up on you. They're thrilling and they give my brain a work out.
There's also the characters. J. J. is hysterical and cynical and snarky. I love her relationship with her bestie Jack. They've been friends since they were kids and they've been there for each other through all the bad things. Their relationship is unique and special. They go through some more tough times in this book, but you just know that they'll come together again.
Despite the heat we see in Liliana Hart's other books, it's not in Dirty Little Secrets. J. J. has a bit of a romance, but any sexy times are all non-descript and fade-to-black. The focus of the story is truly on the mystery at hand, as well as the mystery surrounding what really happened to J. J.'s parents.
Laura Faye Smith did a fantastic job narrating Dirty Little Secrets. Her intonation and inflection were perfect for all the characters in the story. This was a fantastic audiobook, and a pretty short one too. At less than six hours long, it can be finished quickly. I'm really looking forward to listening to the other books in this series, especially given the events at the very end of this book. I have a feeling some really good things are in store for J. J.
The thing is, Dirty Little Secrets is completely different from Liliana Hart's other series. J. J. Graves is a completely different heroine. It was a fun departure from what I've been listening to as of late. The characters in this book would be enough for me. They're all interesting and quirky and so full of color and life. But, in addition to the awesome characters, there's a twisty mystery that kept me guessing through the entire story. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, I was shocked to find out I didn't.
J. J. Graves is the medical examiner/coroner/funeral director in the small town of Bloody Mary, VA. In such a small town, her life isn't all that interesting, even with all the hats she has to wear. That is, until people start getting murdered. Then she and her best friend, the town sheriff Jack, have entirely too much to do.
Dirty Little Secrets really had it all. First, there's a fantastic mystery. One person dies, and you think you know who did it. But, as J. J. and Jack start their investigation, things don't exactly fall into place that neatly. Because, then another person dies. And, once again, you think you have it all figured out. And by the time the third murder occurs, you just throw your hands up and abandon all theories, because every one you come up with is thwarted.
I love mysteries like this. The ones where the who-dun-it sneaks up on you. They're thrilling and they give my brain a work out.
There's also the characters. J. J. is hysterical and cynical and snarky. I love her relationship with her bestie Jack. They've been friends since they were kids and they've been there for each other through all the bad things. Their relationship is unique and special. They go through some more tough times in this book, but you just know that they'll come together again.
Despite the heat we see in Liliana Hart's other books, it's not in Dirty Little Secrets. J. J. has a bit of a romance, but any sexy times are all non-descript and fade-to-black. The focus of the story is truly on the mystery at hand, as well as the mystery surrounding what really happened to J. J.'s parents.
Laura Faye Smith did a fantastic job narrating Dirty Little Secrets. Her intonation and inflection were perfect for all the characters in the story. This was a fantastic audiobook, and a pretty short one too. At less than six hours long, it can be finished quickly. I'm really looking forward to listening to the other books in this series, especially given the events at the very end of this book. I have a feeling some really good things are in store for J. J.
May 14, 2012
This review is from: Dirty Little Secrets: A J.J. Graves Mystery (Paperback)
I really hate being a copy cat, but I just had to give this book the 5 stars it deserves like everyone else to now has done.
This book had an interesting mix of humor, sarcasm, mystery and romance and an ultra surprising ending.
J.J. "Jaye" Graves is a mortician and she is also the coroner of her small community. At one time she was a Doctor in a decent sized hospital until her parents died together under suspicious circumstances and she came home. (she also is keeping a large secret about her time spent in that hospital!) And home is where she grew up, where she met her best friend Jack Lawson who is now on the Bloody Mary PD. And lately Bloody Mary Virginia is having one of its deadliest week ever. So many suspicious and naturally horridly grizzly murders. Just after the first one an interesting person shows up for Jaye, a crime novelist that wants to sort of tag-along and maybe help Jaye and Jack solve the murders.
Everyone has secrets in this town and some of them are real lulu's! Throw in the typical towns-people that you would find in a cozy mystery, a serial murderer, an evil newspaper reporter, and the fact that Jaye hasn't had sex in about 4 years... and you end up with a fairly explosive mystery. I can't classify this as a 'cozy' mystery, although it does have some of those elements. About the best I can do is say that it is somewhat between the novels of Peri O'Shaughnessy and J.A. Konrath.
The story and the mystery itself is tight and had several very believable red herrings to keep you going, an extremely surprising ending that I didn't see coming, well fleshed out, likable and very believable characters. Excellent Decalogue really helped keep the story moving and although advertised as a "romance" there really is not much of a romantic element to it. No overly-descriptive sex scenes, just a lot of sort of oblique hints and very mild descriptions. the back-round could be Anywhere USA, and I really like that since I am not wasting too much of my reading time trying to imagine everything. We just know that it is a small town in Virginai and leave it at that.
I can't wait to revisit Bloody Mary again and I hope it will be real soon!
I really hate being a copy cat, but I just had to give this book the 5 stars it deserves like everyone else to now has done.
This book had an interesting mix of humor, sarcasm, mystery and romance and an ultra surprising ending.
J.J. "Jaye" Graves is a mortician and she is also the coroner of her small community. At one time she was a Doctor in a decent sized hospital until her parents died together under suspicious circumstances and she came home. (she also is keeping a large secret about her time spent in that hospital!) And home is where she grew up, where she met her best friend Jack Lawson who is now on the Bloody Mary PD. And lately Bloody Mary Virginia is having one of its deadliest week ever. So many suspicious and naturally horridly grizzly murders. Just after the first one an interesting person shows up for Jaye, a crime novelist that wants to sort of tag-along and maybe help Jaye and Jack solve the murders.
Everyone has secrets in this town and some of them are real lulu's! Throw in the typical towns-people that you would find in a cozy mystery, a serial murderer, an evil newspaper reporter, and the fact that Jaye hasn't had sex in about 4 years... and you end up with a fairly explosive mystery. I can't classify this as a 'cozy' mystery, although it does have some of those elements. About the best I can do is say that it is somewhat between the novels of Peri O'Shaughnessy and J.A. Konrath.
The story and the mystery itself is tight and had several very believable red herrings to keep you going, an extremely surprising ending that I didn't see coming, well fleshed out, likable and very believable characters. Excellent Decalogue really helped keep the story moving and although advertised as a "romance" there really is not much of a romantic element to it. No overly-descriptive sex scenes, just a lot of sort of oblique hints and very mild descriptions. the back-round could be Anywhere USA, and I really like that since I am not wasting too much of my reading time trying to imagine everything. We just know that it is a small town in Virginai and leave it at that.
I can't wait to revisit Bloody Mary again and I hope it will be real soon!
October 24, 2014
First of all, let's preface this by saying I don't generally read free books. And by 'don't generally', I mean 'hardly ever'. I mean 'don't even hunt the free book list'.
Why this note into my personality flaws as it concerns reading?
Because I just read a free book that could've been published the traditional way. This was the best bargain book I have ever read.
I have noticed Liliana's A Dirty Little Secret in the free bookstore, of course, usually hanging out at about 70 free in iTunes. It's hard not to notice it--the cover is damn fantastic. Money went into that cover, which is a first indication an author knows the importance of a cover and can afford a good one. Spoiler alert- this often means the author cares about the guts of the book, too. Good sign.
A Dirty Little Secret is about a murder in a small down. It is written in the first person with a voice of a snarky girl down on her luck, but also with that tone of those CSI shows. She helps her childhood friend, Jack, solve the murder by investigation and interesting crime stuff.
I was completely entertained by how she went about figuring out the case. I found the factoids fascinating while not going overboard. The snarky wit and friendly banter kept me smiling and turning the pages, loving the balance.
The ending was surprising and fooled me, though that isn't hard to do, of course. I'm an idiot. But I think it will surprise a great many.
And you know what, it's FREE! This is a great book, and it is freaking FREE!! It's like going into a bookstore and shoplifting. Tee hee!
Get it. Read it. You'll probably find a great new author to stalk.
Why this note into my personality flaws as it concerns reading?
Because I just read a free book that could've been published the traditional way. This was the best bargain book I have ever read.
I have noticed Liliana's A Dirty Little Secret in the free bookstore, of course, usually hanging out at about 70 free in iTunes. It's hard not to notice it--the cover is damn fantastic. Money went into that cover, which is a first indication an author knows the importance of a cover and can afford a good one. Spoiler alert- this often means the author cares about the guts of the book, too. Good sign.
A Dirty Little Secret is about a murder in a small down. It is written in the first person with a voice of a snarky girl down on her luck, but also with that tone of those CSI shows. She helps her childhood friend, Jack, solve the murder by investigation and interesting crime stuff.
I was completely entertained by how she went about figuring out the case. I found the factoids fascinating while not going overboard. The snarky wit and friendly banter kept me smiling and turning the pages, loving the balance.
The ending was surprising and fooled me, though that isn't hard to do, of course. I'm an idiot. But I think it will surprise a great many.
And you know what, it's FREE! This is a great book, and it is freaking FREE!! It's like going into a bookstore and shoplifting. Tee hee!
Get it. Read it. You'll probably find a great new author to stalk.
August 10, 2015
J.J. Graves Series Book #1
*** 2.5 STARS***
For me this book was all over the place. There were aspects that were overload of information, but the information didn't seem relevant to the story or character build. It was like the author was trying to introduce me to every single person that lived in the town and describe what they were wearing and make sure I knew they were all gossips.
The romance aspects just made no sense. I don't mind in these books when the romance moves quickly, but this just didn't make any sense. I kept feeling like I was missing something, wondering if I skipped a chapter, which i didn't.
The mystery gave detail of what happened in the crime, and it felt like the author was telling they were investigating and looking into things, but I never felt like I saw the investigating. This made it feel like it ended abruptly.
I would think for a book that is over 300 pages there would be more... building.
Even with my complaints, I almost am curious to see if it is just a matter of trying to fit too much into a start of series book and would get better in the next books. Almost. I'm just not liking it enough to see if this is just completely the writer's style all the time, or if it is first book blahs.
*** 2.5 STARS***
For me this book was all over the place. There were aspects that were overload of information, but the information didn't seem relevant to the story or character build. It was like the author was trying to introduce me to every single person that lived in the town and describe what they were wearing and make sure I knew they were all gossips.
The romance aspects just made no sense. I don't mind in these books when the romance moves quickly, but this just didn't make any sense. I kept feeling like I was missing something, wondering if I skipped a chapter, which i didn't.
The mystery gave detail of what happened in the crime, and it felt like the author was telling they were investigating and looking into things, but I never felt like I saw the investigating. This made it feel like it ended abruptly.
I would think for a book that is over 300 pages there would be more... building.
Even with my complaints, I almost am curious to see if it is just a matter of trying to fit too much into a start of series book and would get better in the next books. Almost. I'm just not liking it enough to see if this is just completely the writer's style all the time, or if it is first book blahs.
March 22, 2015
I seem to be the only person who disliked this book and I'm not really sure why. The story line had major plot holes, was disjointed and rushed and the characters weren't that relatable. Luckily, the story is a very quick read and didn't take up much of my time.
J.J. Graves returns to her hometown when her parents die, to take over their mortuary business. Business is slow, as they live in a small town where nothing really happens and people rarely die - until a series of murders start to take place around town and J.J finds herself busy at work whilst helping her best friend, the Sheriff, solve the crimes.
Admittedly, the outcome of the story wasn't predictable, but it wasn't an enjoyable conclusion either - it didn't answer the questions I had and I was hoping for something a little more dramatic and closer to the main characters. Dirty Little Secrets is the first in a series that I'm not interested in reading and wouldn't recommend you do either.
J.J. Graves returns to her hometown when her parents die, to take over their mortuary business. Business is slow, as they live in a small town where nothing really happens and people rarely die - until a series of murders start to take place around town and J.J finds herself busy at work whilst helping her best friend, the Sheriff, solve the crimes.
Admittedly, the outcome of the story wasn't predictable, but it wasn't an enjoyable conclusion either - it didn't answer the questions I had and I was hoping for something a little more dramatic and closer to the main characters. Dirty Little Secrets is the first in a series that I'm not interested in reading and wouldn't recommend you do either.
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