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Blake Wilder FBI Mystery Thrillers #21
The Inmate's Secret
It should be the season of joy, but one inmate has a secret he's taking to the grave…
FBI agent Blake Wilder is basking in the holiday spirit.
When she receives a phone call from an old high school friend regarding a murder case.
She reluctantly agrees to visit him in prison. There he begs her to investigate his case to prove his innocence.
He is currently serving a life sentence for a murder he claims he did not commit.
While glossing over his case, Blake notices that there are potential discrepancies in the original investigation.
It seems her friend, the inmate, has been keeping secrets from her.
And as Blake dives deeper into the case, she finds a trail of illicit affairs, abuse, incompetence, and a shocking twist that no one saw coming.
Lust, pride, envy, deception, and murder. Some have secrets they’d kill for.
This inmate has a secret worth taking to the grave.
FBI agent Blake Wilder is basking in the holiday spirit.
When she receives a phone call from an old high school friend regarding a murder case.
She reluctantly agrees to visit him in prison. There he begs her to investigate his case to prove his innocence.
He is currently serving a life sentence for a murder he claims he did not commit.
While glossing over his case, Blake notices that there are potential discrepancies in the original investigation.
It seems her friend, the inmate, has been keeping secrets from her.
And as Blake dives deeper into the case, she finds a trail of illicit affairs, abuse, incompetence, and a shocking twist that no one saw coming.
Lust, pride, envy, deception, and murder. Some have secrets they’d kill for.
This inmate has a secret worth taking to the grave.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2024
About the author
Elle Gray
166 books770 followersElle Gray lives in a small town with her 2 cats, and her handsome husky.
As a girl, she was obsessed with crime novels and thrillers.
Today, she loves writing and creating thrilling novels with courageous, strong heroes/heroines and dangerous psychopaths. She invites you to join her exciting world of detectives and FBI agents that take down killers and kick butt.
As a girl, she was obsessed with crime novels and thrillers.
Today, she loves writing and creating thrilling novels with courageous, strong heroes/heroines and dangerous psychopaths. She invites you to join her exciting world of detectives and FBI agents that take down killers and kick butt.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
December 31, 2025
This was a really good one!!!! Perfect book to end 2025!
December 25, 2024
great story
A change of events that kept me guessing until the end. Very thought out, well- written novel as Christmas is approaching and the team is supposed to be on some well-deserved time off. But not for Blake!
A change of events that kept me guessing until the end. Very thought out, well- written novel as Christmas is approaching and the team is supposed to be on some well-deserved time off. But not for Blake!
March 2, 2024
An amazing series
If I could give this series 10++ stars, I certainly would! It is an absolutely amazing series with awesome characters, lots of humor, drama, angst, mystery, suspense, and crazy unexpected twists. It will hook you from the start, so be prepared for a lot of binge reading!! Lol! Seriously though, it is a series that I have loved since the first book, and even though there are so many stories, they're all completely unique and intriguing. Elle Gray has really outdone herself with this one, as well as all of her other series (which are fabulous as well!!)! It's definitely a must read series for those who love thrillers.
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and exceptional author.
I hope that there will be many, many more stories in this series, and the others too!
If I could give this series 10++ stars, I certainly would! It is an absolutely amazing series with awesome characters, lots of humor, drama, angst, mystery, suspense, and crazy unexpected twists. It will hook you from the start, so be prepared for a lot of binge reading!! Lol! Seriously though, it is a series that I have loved since the first book, and even though there are so many stories, they're all completely unique and intriguing. Elle Gray has really outdone herself with this one, as well as all of her other series (which are fabulous as well!!)! It's definitely a must read series for those who love thrillers.
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and exceptional author.
I hope that there will be many, many more stories in this series, and the others too!
May 6, 2026
4.5 Stars
The Inmate's Secret is Book #21 in the Blake Wilder FBI Mystery Thrillers series by Elle Gray. This is a binge-worthy cocktail of high-stakes suspense, emotional depth, and relentless twists. Across the sprawling series, we follow Blake Wilder (a fiercely intelligent FBI agent with a shadowy past as well as a personal vendetta) as she hunts killers, unravels conspiracies, and confronts the ghosts that refuse to stay buried.
What made this series stand out for me was the great balance of grit, intrigue, and emotion. The cases are sharp, fast-paced, and satisfyingly unpredictable, but it was Blake’s personal journey - her resilience, vulnerability, and razor-sharp instincts - that hooked me and had me completely invested in her and the outcome of each story.
If you love strong, complex heroines, morally tangled mysteries, and a series that keeps upping the stakes without losing its emotional core, then this is sure to be your next obsession.
A gripping, fast-burning thriller series that’s as much about justice as it is about survival - and it was impossible to read just one.
Happy Reading…
The Inmate's Secret is Book #21 in the Blake Wilder FBI Mystery Thrillers series by Elle Gray. This is a binge-worthy cocktail of high-stakes suspense, emotional depth, and relentless twists. Across the sprawling series, we follow Blake Wilder (a fiercely intelligent FBI agent with a shadowy past as well as a personal vendetta) as she hunts killers, unravels conspiracies, and confronts the ghosts that refuse to stay buried.
What made this series stand out for me was the great balance of grit, intrigue, and emotion. The cases are sharp, fast-paced, and satisfyingly unpredictable, but it was Blake’s personal journey - her resilience, vulnerability, and razor-sharp instincts - that hooked me and had me completely invested in her and the outcome of each story.
If you love strong, complex heroines, morally tangled mysteries, and a series that keeps upping the stakes without losing its emotional core, then this is sure to be your next obsession.
A gripping, fast-burning thriller series that’s as much about justice as it is about survival - and it was impossible to read just one.
Happy Reading…
February 12, 2025
It should be the season of joy, but one inmate has a secret he's taking to the grave…
FBI agent Blake Wilder is basking in the holiday spirit.
When she receives a phone call from an old high school friend regarding a murder case.
She reluctantly agrees to visit him in prison. There he begs her to investigate his case to prove his innocence.
He is currently serving a life sentence for a murder he claims he did not commit.
While glossing over his case, Blake notices that there are potential discrepancies in the original investigation.
It seems her friend, the inmate, has been keeping secrets from her.
And as Blake dives deeper into the case, she finds a trail of illicit affairs, abuse, incompetence, and a shocking twist that no one saw coming.
Lust, pride, envy, deception, and murder. Some have secrets they’d kill for.
This inmate has a secret worth taking to the grave.
FBI agent Blake Wilder is basking in the holiday spirit.
When she receives a phone call from an old high school friend regarding a murder case.
She reluctantly agrees to visit him in prison. There he begs her to investigate his case to prove his innocence.
He is currently serving a life sentence for a murder he claims he did not commit.
While glossing over his case, Blake notices that there are potential discrepancies in the original investigation.
It seems her friend, the inmate, has been keeping secrets from her.
And as Blake dives deeper into the case, she finds a trail of illicit affairs, abuse, incompetence, and a shocking twist that no one saw coming.
Lust, pride, envy, deception, and murder. Some have secrets they’d kill for.
This inmate has a secret worth taking to the grave.
September 13, 2026
There is no secret worth keeping; eventually, they all come out into the light.
No secret is really kept secret. The case was very heartfelt and emotional to Blake and her readers. The guilt of not being close enough to know what her friend must have put up with all those years, putting on a smile to help others before she helped herself. So sad, but many women out there do the same things—put up with it—but why do we do it? Life really throws you a curveball. If you don't step out in time, you get hit full force with reality. I hope and pray that other women can learn and change their lives before it is too late. It doesn't mean that when you are a good friend you think you know what the other person is going through; don't blame yourself for not being there. Would she have changed anything? That is why secrets are never good in the end.
No secret is really kept secret. The case was very heartfelt and emotional to Blake and her readers. The guilt of not being close enough to know what her friend must have put up with all those years, putting on a smile to help others before she helped herself. So sad, but many women out there do the same things—put up with it—but why do we do it? Life really throws you a curveball. If you don't step out in time, you get hit full force with reality. I hope and pray that other women can learn and change their lives before it is too late. It doesn't mean that when you are a good friend you think you know what the other person is going through; don't blame yourself for not being there. Would she have changed anything? That is why secrets are never good in the end.
February 25, 2024
always like Blake Wilder stories
This Blake Wilder story was a bit different. I really enjoyed it because it had a little less of the typical serial murders she and her team usually investigate.
In this story she was asked by a man in prison who she knew from her past asked her to prove his innocence. She took the case to prove to him she knew he was guilty. She was joined by three other FBI women agents on her team. They work so well together and enjoy working as a team. Great story.
This Blake Wilder story was a bit different. I really enjoyed it because it had a little less of the typical serial murders she and her team usually investigate.
In this story she was asked by a man in prison who she knew from her past asked her to prove his innocence. She took the case to prove to him she knew he was guilty. She was joined by three other FBI women agents on her team. They work so well together and enjoy working as a team. Great story.
April 14, 2024
The Inmate's Secret(Blake Wilder FBI Mystery Thriller Book 21)
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book was so worth the wait. You get to see a part of Blake's past, her best friend from college was murdered and her friend's husband has been in jail for more the 10 years for the crime. Blake gets a call from him, swearing he is innocent and sets Blake on a quest to prove that he is guilty, she learns more then she ever wants to and solves the case.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This book was so worth the wait. You get to see a part of Blake's past, her best friend from college was murdered and her friend's husband has been in jail for more the 10 years for the crime. Blake gets a call from him, swearing he is innocent and sets Blake on a quest to prove that he is guilty, she learns more then she ever wants to and solves the case.
April 16, 2026
winner, winner…
Another gripping installment in this fine thriller series. It gets better with every book but you must start at book one to get the full flavor of these stand-up characters and winning setting(although I will admit to a bias on that front because I am Seattle born so every time I see a reference to a familiar place, I get a little happy charge and brief detour down memory lane).
Another gripping installment in this fine thriller series. It gets better with every book but you must start at book one to get the full flavor of these stand-up characters and winning setting(although I will admit to a bias on that front because I am Seattle born so every time I see a reference to a familiar place, I get a little happy charge and brief detour down memory lane).
February 25, 2024
absolutely great !!
I've been following the Blake Wilder series since I picked up the first book and was totally engrossed by it ! I absolutely love all the characters in all the books I have never been disappointed would highly recommend this to anyone to read ! Lots of twist, and turns and guessing to the end.I loved it !
I've been following the Blake Wilder series since I picked up the first book and was totally engrossed by it ! I absolutely love all the characters in all the books I have never been disappointed would highly recommend this to anyone to read ! Lots of twist, and turns and guessing to the end.I loved it !
February 26, 2024
this one tugged the heartstrings
Straightforward (more or less) “I’m innocent of the murder somebody else did it” dig through an old case, as the convicted killer of Blake’s best college buddy ends up persuading her to take a second look at the investigation into his wife’s murder.
Nicely coherent storyline.
Straightforward (more or less) “I’m innocent of the murder somebody else did it” dig through an old case, as the convicted killer of Blake’s best college buddy ends up persuading her to take a second look at the investigation into his wife’s murder.
Nicely coherent storyline.
February 29, 2024
Excellent story!
Blake, and her crew, are my favorite characters! Her series is fantastic and I think most of Elle's readers would agree. The stories are full of suspense and intrigue with riveting plots. Aside from some brutal subject matter, the language is mostly clean, and some subtle innuendo, makes for a wide audience. Well done!
Blake, and her crew, are my favorite characters! Her series is fantastic and I think most of Elle's readers would agree. The stories are full of suspense and intrigue with riveting plots. Aside from some brutal subject matter, the language is mostly clean, and some subtle innuendo, makes for a wide audience. Well done!
March 1, 2024
Another good one!
I may have said this in previous reviews, but I love the Blake Wilder series! The banter, sarcasm and humor with her team is very uplifting. This book was a little more personal for Blake then the usual on edge caught in the crossfire, but it was still a great read. Looking forward to the next.
I may have said this in previous reviews, but I love the Blake Wilder series! The banter, sarcasm and humor with her team is very uplifting. This book was a little more personal for Blake then the usual on edge caught in the crossfire, but it was still a great read. Looking forward to the next.
April 9, 2024
Guilty or Not Guilty?the reading
Very interesting story. Blake friend was murdered and she had a number of unsolved issues. She thought her friends husband was guilty as charged. However when he asked her to examine the murder she did with the help of her staff. What a surprise was in store upon the investigation.
Very interesting story. Blake friend was murdered and she had a number of unsolved issues. She thought her friends husband was guilty as charged. However when he asked her to examine the murder she did with the help of her staff. What a surprise was in store upon the investigation.
August 12, 2025
When Blake Wilder receives a calk from a prison she knows exactly who it is. Cooper MacMillan was married to her best friend. He is in prison for life for her murder. He claims he is innocent and wants Blake to investigate to help get his sentence overturned.
This is a fast paced page turner. One of the best in the Blake wilder FBI series.
This is a fast paced page turner. One of the best in the Blake wilder FBI series.
February 24, 2024
Blake and crew really pulled it off this time. Stepping on all those who did her friends wrong. The payback was perfect, walking away from those that did her wrong. Finally family closure for herself and lost friends, and she had a really nice Christmas miracle.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2024
I liked the story of solving an old case giving so many closure where maybe the wrong person was accused. A different look and feel from the other Blake Wilder stories. I have read them all and look forward to the next one.
February 26, 2024
The Inmate"s Secret
This is an an amazing thriller. I could not put this book down. This book keeps you in suspense till the very end. I highly recommend this book and series. Can't wait for the next book in this series
This is an an amazing thriller. I could not put this book down. This book keeps you in suspense till the very end. I highly recommend this book and series. Can't wait for the next book in this series
March 3, 2024
Elle Gray keeps doing it
Elle Gray manages to keep winning with her Blake Wilder series. Yet another great story that keeps the reader interested and intrigued. Elle Gray, I’m ready for the next one!
Elle Gray manages to keep winning with her Blake Wilder series. Yet another great story that keeps the reader interested and intrigued. Elle Gray, I’m ready for the next one!
March 5, 2024
Another great I stall ment of chief wilder!
Great story. Kept a grip. Sorry I have to wait for the next one. Typical character depths expected. Easy to follow. Elle keeps the interest
Great story. Kept a grip. Sorry I have to wait for the next one. Typical character depths expected. Easy to follow. Elle keeps the interest
March 15, 2024
inmate’s secret
Of all the suspects , why did you wait till the last few pages To identify anything about the killer??? I wish Blake had more positive support from her bosses. Fun read !!
Of all the suspects , why did you wait till the last few pages To identify anything about the killer??? I wish Blake had more positive support from her bosses. Fun read !!
July 16, 2024
Another wonderful book from Elle Grey.
This is an interesting book from beginning to the end. I had a really hard time putting it down. I think Elle Gray's books are some of the best.
This is an interesting book from beginning to the end. I had a really hard time putting it down. I think Elle Gray's books are some of the best.
September 18, 2024
It keeps you guessing
A story that keeps you on edge the whole time like a who done it novel. I recommend it for all mystery readers and especially roles fan. Keep up the good work.
A story that keeps you on edge the whole time like a who done it novel. I recommend it for all mystery readers and especially roles fan. Keep up the good work.
October 12, 2024
love it as always
The entire series is well written. A true page turner.im an avid reader of crime and detective novels I must say these have been my best. Please keep writing them !!!!
The entire series is well written. A true page turner.im an avid reader of crime and detective novels I must say these have been my best. Please keep writing them !!!!
January 5, 2025
Elle Gray, fantastic as ever
A gripping story that keep you on the edge of your seat wondering who the real perpetrator is. As always justice is delivered. Thanks Elle for another great story.
A gripping story that keep you on the edge of your seat wondering who the real perpetrator is. As always justice is delivered. Thanks Elle for another great story.
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April 22, 2025Fantastic......
fantastic. Can't wait to read next book. Suspense with twist and turns. Makes it hard to put the book down but at the same time reluctant to finish it, because you want to read more.😎
fantastic. Can't wait to read next book. Suspense with twist and turns. Makes it hard to put the book down but at the same time reluctant to finish it, because you want to read more.😎
May 22, 2025
Everyone that enjoyed this book as much as I did should read both books titled "Parables and Perils from the Pen" by Ray Baer. Ray captures the spirit of the inmates as they share their stories (perils) with the prison Chaplains.
November 5, 2025
It was ok. The build up sucked and a lot of the book was filler.
It could’ve been so much better.
Another who dunnit and wasn’t surprised it was one of Cooper’s girlfriends. I was hoping for a twist with the detective or the best friend.
It could’ve been so much better.
Another who dunnit and wasn’t surprised it was one of Cooper’s girlfriends. I was hoping for a twist with the detective or the best friend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2026
After reading 20 of this series books...
I am surprised at how this ending warmed my heart ( possibly more than the first 20). Oddly, it was the resolution of the original detective's character that reached me most!
I am surprised at how this ending warmed my heart ( possibly more than the first 20). Oddly, it was the resolution of the original detective's character that reached me most!
August 27, 2026
I am enjoying this series very much. Blake and Astra are the best. Each book keeps getting better and this one was top of the line. Keep up the good work Elle Gray, you're making this senior citizen wish I had it to do all over again!! ☺️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews