Harbour No Secrets

DI Winter Meadows #8

by Cheryl Rees-Price

When a young woman is found in a lake, murdered, the police become intrigued by the strange dynamics within her circle of friends.

It’s Alys Pugh’s birthday and her mates are organising a little surprise for her. When she doesn’t show up, they realize something’s wrong. Later, her body is found in the cold waters of Llyn y Fan.

On searching Alys’ house, detectives discover an array of seaside objects and suspect they are some sort of message left by the killer.

With everyone seemingly harbouring a secret, tempers fray and suspicion grows. And when similar trinkets are found in another of their houses, those underlying tensions bubble to the surface.

Then someone else in the group is killed.

Unless Detective Inspector Meadows can salvage the truth from the murky depths of the past, they may not be the last victim.

HARBOUR NO SECRETS is the eighth standalone mystery to feature DI Winter Meadows, set in South Wales. It can be enjoyed entirely on its own but look out for the other books in this bestselling series. The full list

1. THE SILENT QUARRY
2. FROZEN MINDS
3. SUFFER THE CHILDREN
4. A KNOT OF SPARROWS
5. LIES OF MINE
6. RISE TO THE FLY
7. WINTER’S CRY
8. HARBOUR NO SECRETS
9. THE CRIMSON HARVEST

If you like fiction by LJ Ross, Pippa McCathie, and Cara Hunter, you’ll love these books!
FREE with Kindle Unlimited and available in paperback!

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Crime

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2023

About the author

Cheryl Rees-Price was born in Cardiff and moved as a Young child to a small ex-mining village on the edge of the Black Mountains, South Wales, where she still lives with her husband, daughters and two cats. After leaving school she worked as a legal clerk for several years before leaving to raise her two daughters.

Cheryl returned to education, studying philosophy, sociology and accountancy whilst working as a part time book keeper. She now works as a finance director for a company that delivers project management and accounting services.

In her spare time Cheryl indulges in her passion for writing, the success of writing plays for local performances gave her the confidence to write her first novel. Her other hobbies include walking and gardening which free her mind to develop plots and create colourful characters.

Reviews

[Jacky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you The Book Folks for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Harbor No Secrets is a detective novel through and through. There are times where I just want cut and dry crime scene intrigue and I definitely got it from this story.

This is the 8th book in the DI Winters series but each book acts as a standalone. In this story a group of friends gathers to celebrate one of their birthdays and is horrified when the birthday girl is discovered hours later, dead in a lake. Seaside objects were left in the victim’s house. The more the police press the friend group about what the objects might mean, the more secrets begin to emerge from each friend.

What I liked:
While there were brief sections where the story followed the friend group involved in the murder the minority of the story followed the detectives. The detective sections were my favorite and I realized while we needed the friend POVs to progress the story I think I would have put the book down if it was all told by the friends.

What I didn’t like:
Not a ton. One or two of the friends were really unlikeable and it made it a tad harder to care about their livelihoods but most of the time there was enough going on to distract from them.

The ending was a little cheesy and I saw one of the ending plot points coming but overall the whodunnit made enough sense.

A solid detective story overall! I’d be curious to try another book in the series to see how they compare.

[mommy_and_books · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first encounter with the work of author Cheryl Rees-Price. After reading "Harbour no secrets: A Welsh murder mystery with a huge twist", I definitely want to read her other books. This is part 8 of Detective Winter Meadows. It was a pleasure to read such a unique work. This crime story kept me in suspense until the last moment. I saw so many twists and turns here that I still can't believe it. At the very end, I got an exciting ending. It was an interesting surprise for the reader from the author herself. I didn't expect this ending.
I enjoyed the investigation into the disappearance of a young girl, Alys Pugh. I wondered why it had to happen and who was behind it. I was betting on one character appearing in this book. Of course, I made a mistake, because the author covered her tracks perfectly and confused the clues.
What happens when one girl goes missing and her friends receive suspicious text messages? Will they tell everything to the police? Or will they rather hide something from them?
 The perpetrator's ideal motive. I'm curious if you can guess the perpetrator right away. As you already know, I didn't succeed.
This book is the perfect crime story. This is where the crime happens. There is a well-conducted investigation. I experienced many different emotions here. There were also tears.
She met interesting characters, including: Iola Young, Macsen Llyod, DI Winter Meadows and DC Ben Harvard. Of course, I didn't like all the people. Some of them literally got on my nerves.

 I recommend reading this crime novel after dark. I guarantee that after reading "Harbor no secrets" you will carefully check your homes before going to sleep.
Congratulations to the author of such an interesting work.

 Ps.

This book is read from cover to cover. You literally can't stop reading. This story is a treat for all crime fiction fans.

[Amy Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a young woman is found in a lake, murdered, the police become intrigued by the strange dynamics within her circle of friends.
It’s Alys Pugh’s birthday and her mates are organising a little surprise for her. When she doesn’t show up, they realize something’s wrong. Later, her body is found in the cold waters of Llyn y Fan. On searching Alys’ house, detectives discover an array of seaside objects and suspect they are some sort of message left by the killer. With everyone seemingly harbouring a secret, tempers fray and suspicion grows. And when similar trinkets are found in another of their houses, those underlying tensions bubble to the surface.
Then someone else in the group is killed.
Unless Detective Inspector Meadows can salvage the truth from the murky depths of the past, they may not be the last victim.

I thoroughly enjoyed Harbour No Secrets. While it is book number eight in the DI Meadows series, it can be read as a standalone - I haven’t read any previous instalments and don’t feel this has affected my enjoyments of the book at all (even though I will certainly be going back to start the series from the start because I anticipate it will be a new favourite series for me).


I found the writing to be clear, enough description to set the scene without being too wordy. There is a clear distinction between character personalities along with coherent and definite development as the book progresses. The story flowed smoothly and I found I just couldn’t put the book down. It kept me guessing all the way through up until the dramatic ending.

Whether you’re a fan of murder and crime mysteries, or just looking for your next ‘can’t put down’ read, I would recommend Harbour No Secrets.

[Joe Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great stuff, this series continues to go from strength to strength. Every Time I get hold of the latest story, it feels like slipping into a warm bath, or like I'm watching an episode of Vera or Frost. Although the books are great as they are, it would be fantastic to see them made into a TV series, it seems perfect for it. I love the constant second guessing, and I can usually work out what the twist is in similar books, but with these it's always a welcome surprise, and it's very telling that I find myself unable to put the book down. My main criticism of this particular story would be the big climatic scene at the end. I felt it was over too fast. I understand that it's a fast paced scene, but it just felt like it was over too quickly , I would have liked it drawn out a bit more. This doesn't detract from the quality of the story, just my own preference. I'd have liked to have seen the grief of the team explored more in the wake of Harvard's demise and maybe a bit more emotion from Winter during the last interview with Christie, I know he's a professional but her lack of remorse should have angered him more in my opinion. Either way, looking forward to the next one from Meadows and the team. Cheryl Rees-Price should be very proud of her creation.

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 8th in the DI Winter Meadows standalone series and I read this book as such. I loved this authors writing style. The mini cliffhangers at the ends of chapters and it was easy to keep the friend group of six straight. There were a lot of investigators apart of Meadows group and they were a little harder to keep straight, some had bigger roles than others. It was was fast paced and I loved how the secrets were hinted at but never revealed until the police uncovered some information. There were a couple of the friends that I really liked and one that I could not stand. The twists had me shocked, I was way off on multiple counts. What happened when they caught up to the killer I wasn’t expecting as well as feeling the amount of emotion I did. The ending wasn’t rushed at all and the why behind the crime was explained well. I want to read the rest of this standalone series.

Thank you @the_book_folks and @cherylreesprice for the gifted copy.

[karla_bookishlife · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars Blurb: A superbly executed thriller amongst a group of friends who are all harbouring deep secrets and a shady past. Although this is the eight in a series, this twisty murderous read can be read as a standalone.
When Alys Pugh fails to arrive at her own birthday dinner, her friends raise the alarm and she is later found in the cold waters
of Llyn y Fan.
Detectives find a strange collection of seaside shells and sand around her house and believe they have been left by the killer as a message. The friends are also finding similar seaside offerings and tensions soon grow and another of the friends falls victim. Detective Inspector Meadows wades through the unspoken and deep seated secrets of the past to get to the truth. This thriller kept me reading furiously until the final pages. #harbournosecrets #cherylreesprice #thebookfolks

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Alys fails to show up at her birthday celebration, her friends realize something is terribly wrong. Her body is later found floating in the waters of Llyn y Fan. Strange items are discovered in her home, leading Detective Inspector Meadows to wonder what significance the array of seaside items play in Alys’s life. Then someone else in this group of friends is also murdered, with similar items left behind. This intriguing and complex mystery is gripping from the beginning. Secrets from the past play a part in the murders of the future, and as the secrets unfold, the suspense becomes even greater. This well written crime novel does have some continuing characters but is a standalone mystery.

[Staceywh_17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

How have I managed to miss out the first seven books in this series? This was so addictive and I flew through the pages in one sitting, it had me book, line and sinker!

Although it's part of the DI Winter Meadows series, the book is centred on an individual case, so read easily as a standalone.

Although I didn't work out who the killer was, I had my suspicions, I failed miserably...again!

The plot is fast paced, twisty, with secrets and lies aplenty. The cast of characters is fairly small and although they appeared to be a close-knit bunch of friends, they all had their hidden agendas.

Highly enjoyable, entertaining with Rees-Price being an author I'm looking to reading more from in the future.

[J Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story of DI Winter Meadows and his team.


An exceptional story concerning a group of Millenials who all have secrets. After one of those is killed Meadows and his team delve into the evidence and the backgrounds and eventually discover a shocking four year old case that has not been solved but is clearly connected. The book faces to frantic conclusion that includes a tragedy.
You don't need to have read the delirious in the series but once you've read this one you'll want to go back to them as they are that good.

[Elva Cartwright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harbour No Secrets: (DI Winter Meadows Book 8)

What a book!! It was so twisted and backwards and forwards in time it lent an air of mystery to the plot. One simple mistake cause a ripple to open over the years and finally become the punishment. To Fester and grow such hatred was understandable and it was left to the very last chapter to explain. I really enjoyed reading this tale of rage, spite and hatred that multiplied with each passing year until the end was a surprise for all who read this book

[Jackiesreadingcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 8 in this detective series, I normally like to start with book one as I like to see how the characters get on etc. However this is easily read as a stand-alone what I did like is that the author put a list of the characters at the back of the book, so all the detectives and their ranks as well as the other characters. I sometimes find when I am writing a review I’ve forgotten what rank an officer was or their first name.

Five friends are going to celebrate Alys’ birthday she will be 25, they all met up at Christie’s house, all except Alys that is, Christie had put balloons up and they had a birthday cake when Alys hasn’t arrived they decide to go by her place but she isn’t in so they assume she is going to meet them at the restaurant where they are going to eat. But when they get there Alys is not there. Where could she be? Mascon her boyfriend calls her parents but they haven’t heard from her since the day before.

A body is found in a popular tourist spot Llyn y Fan, the victim has either committed suicide or been drowned. It’s not long before the detectives on the case find out who the victim is as her car is parked in the car park. It’s Alys, but what was she doing there? Who would want to harm her, she seems to have been a very popular person.

DI Winter Meadows is heading this case along with DS Edris, DS Blackwell, DC Valentine DC Harvard who is a trainee investigator who is in wales for his final 3 months of training. There are a couple of other detectives but these are the more prominent. I liked the camaraderie of the team they have taken DC Harvard on and he is quickly made to feel like a part of the team.

The detectives need to find out more about Alys, and what better than her 5 friends. But as they start asking questions it’s clear that the questions aren’t being answered truthfully several of them are keeping something back. But what? As the detectives dig deeper it seems like they are going in circles. Someone had sent false messages as Alys had been invited to go to Llyn y Fan by Macson her boyfriend, but Macson says he never sent the text, the others have also received texts supposedly from Macson asking them to meet them but even Macson had had a message to meet one of the others in a place he couldn’t find. Why and how could someone send these messages? When checking Alys’ house the detectives find and in her fridge, red roses in her bin along with a card signed from the initial J in the bathroom there are sea shells and sand in the shower. Is this someone sending a message?

I read through this really quickly, the pace is just how I like it fast, the characters are all well developed they were believeable and you could relate to them. The story will have you engrossed trying to guess who the perpetrator is. There may be tears. The twists and turns will make your head spin, just as the detectives think they have got a step closer something changes with the evidence and their thought processes. Overall an engaging, gripping read especially after death number two, who else could be next? Can the police catch the killer before they kill again? who is J? Why is it the friends re holding back on?

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this for free, to review as part of a book tour with The Book Folks.

I was drawn into this book from the first few pages. I found the prologue quite eerie, and the story was already coming to life in my mind. I was interested in the characters, and found them relatable, even if I didn't find them all likeable. It was an entertaining mystery and quite gripping, while still maintaining the little element of cosiness that I always find appealing

Thank you to The Book Folks, and to the author, for the opportunity to read and review this.

[Dawn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a brilliant read. For some reason, I worked out who was behind it all very early on but that didn’t spoil it - after all, I could have been wrong. The prologue gave me my first clue but it’s not obvious. Once I had worked it out it was an act of faith to stick with it as the evidence seemed to point in several different directions

I love these books and this one is just as good as all its predecessors. I just hope this talented writer can keep up the momentum

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and enjoyed all books in the series and love the police team and setting in Wales. This book centered on a group of friends with many secrets for Meadows team to unravel. The reason for rating this one with 4 stars is that the plot went round in circles around the group of friends and I missed the usual details about the setting and the involvement of the personal lives of the police team.

[Mandy Innes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic book in the series. A group of friends with secrets, that they aren’t willing to divulge even when one of them is murdered. I did figure out who the killer was quite early on, but it did not detract from my enjoyment of it.

I love the police team’s dynamics, there is usually at least one member of the team in this genre that is extremely unlikeable, but that is not the case in this series.

[Mrs Anita Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheryl Rees-Price has excelled herself with this book in DI Winter Meadows series,though it can be read as standard alone I have read the series to date.
With an initial group of 6 aside from police there is plenty to keep guessing then due to secrets being kept other's enter as possible suspects. I thought I had finally worked out who the killer was until an unexpected twist reveals the actual along with why. Throughly enjoyed reading and look forward to more cases for DI Winter and team

[Bud Mallar · Rating 4 out of 5]

enjoyed, like all the others in this series.

Not overly long, essentially the same cast of characters. Some of their personal lives to add to how you feel about them.

Good whodunit... Really good, lots of options, reasons, etc. I certainly didn't get it when most of the time it seems to be one of 'group' of friends.

Shorter than most whodunits, reads quickly, and sadly, looks like it ends in #10, so 2 to go.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favourite in the Winter Meadows series so far. The story was well written and full of suspense. It held my attention throughout. Twists in the plot but not too complicated and unlike some of the other titles there were not too many characters. The stories are really well described and the atmosphere is really good. I think I could live in the commune quite happily myself. Good stuff, I will be reading more of this series.

[rachel brennan ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another hit

Felt we didn't see much of meadows personal life as we usually so, that's. Makes it more loveable. Love him and rain and the commune. Great book all the same and being a cardif f girls who now lives in England these books always make me feel nostalgic. Well done Cheryl x

[Jackie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read!

This book is full of great characters and suspense. I usually can guess the culprits in murder mysteries quite early on, but not in this one! It had me gripped until the end and I could not put it down! I have really enjoyed all of this series and look forward to many more. Thank you Cheryl, you have written fantastic books! Jacqueline

[Mary Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was totally different from earlier ones. I like Meadows but this book failed to develop his and any other characters. The story was convoluted and far too long and it was a real effort to be bothered to read to the end- pointless too as I identified the killer half way through…

[Shannon Janson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keeps you guessing

This is a well written mystery. Excellent characters. Many twists and turns as the story develops. Just as you think you know, new information comes. Definitely suspenseful!

[David Lawrence · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read and fits perfectly with the others in the series. This can be read as a stand-alone, but for those that have read the rest of the series it flows well and demonstrates the growth in Meadows and his team.

[Marsha Metz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disgusting

Bunch of spoiled brats with too much time to drink, lie, and act promiscuous,
. In the end, the bad persons won and the good ones died. I will think twice before reading another book by this author.

[Julian Tremayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cheryl Rees-Price just gets better and better. Likewise Winter Meadows and his team who all put aside personal considerations and give 100% effort to solve an absolutely horrible series of crimes. Plenty of lies and deceit! On to the next.
Julian Tremayne, Cromer, Norfolk

[Eric Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read nothing special

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best one yet!

I like that the author is keeping it real. This book made me mad, sad, laugh and cry. So it's a good read!

[brenda evans-morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Suspence at its best

From beginning the end the author got you wondering who was a killer I thought I had it right was shocked at the end well written

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with every other book in this series it was well written and I got the murderer wrong !

[Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winter Meadows

This is the eighth book I read and I never been disappointed. I highly recommend them and I would give it 10 out the 10