Engaged to a Serial Killer

by Steena Holmes

Please note this is a revised version of The Perfect Secret.

I’ve had it all and lost it all. But now I’m finally getting things together. My fiancé seems like the perfect guy. He gave me a job at his landscaping business. He’s on my side. And when he proposed, I couldn’t believe what he saw in someone like me.

But there are red flags.

He says we have to keep the engagement secret. And why does his ex-wife still wear the ring from their ruined marriage?

Now my mom calls me up. She says my fiancé’s on the TV news. In handcuffs. Three charges of first degree murder.

Did he really do what they’re saying he did? And will they come after me next? I’ve been in trouble before. And I’ll do anything to stay out of jail.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Audiobook, Suspense

264 pages, Paperback

First published May 19, 2020

About the author

Steena Holmes is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with nearly 3 million copies of her titles sold worldwide, including The Patient, The Forgotten Ones, and Sister Under the Stairs.

Named in the Top 20 Women Author to Read by Good Housekeeping, she won the National Indie Excellence Award for her breakout novel Finding Emma and the USA Book News Award for The Word Game. Steena has been featured in various newspapers and magazines, websites such as Goodreads, BookBub, RedBook, Glamour, Coastal Living and Goodhousekeeping.

One of Steena's passions is to travel with her readers, so she created her Sweet Tours, where she shares her love for the sweet life with her readers, whether in Paris, Italy, or exploring Christmas Markets.
To learn more about her books and join her on the next Sweet Tour, visit her website at http://www.steenaholmes.com.
You can also find Steena on the web at:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/authorsteenaholmes
Facebook: SteenaHolmes.author

LIST OF HER NOVELS STARTING FROM MOST RECENT:

SHE TOOK MY BABY

THE GIRLS IN THE BASEMENT (follow up to The Sister Under the Stairs)

THE TWIN

ENGAGED TO A SERIAL KILLER

THE SISTER UNDER THE STAIRS

THE PATIENT

THE FORGOTTEN ONES

SAVING ABBY & ABBY'S JOURNEY

THE WORD GAME

Stillwater Bay Series:
Stillwater Shores
Stillwater Rising
Stillwater Tides
Stillwater Deep

The Memory Child & The Memory Journal

FINDING EMMA series:
Finding Emma
Dear Jack
Emma's Secret
Dottie's Memories
Megan's Hope

Reviews

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Gardens Anyone?

How about blood orchids?

What can you expect when a mad horticulturist, an ex con with ties to the mob, and a scheming used car dealer team up? Well, pretty much anything.

Like cross pollinated flowers, genres bled their boundaries into a police procedural, psychological thriller, and a murder mystery. Plus, The Sting. There’s an element of that movie here too except, alas, no Robert Redford or Paul Newman.

This was pure reading enjoyment with spectacularly diabolical plot. Although there are no gory descriptions, the end result is top tier repulsiveness.

If I’m going to be nit-picky, I expected a higher elevation for the sting portion of the story compensating for the amount of belief I had to suspend. Also, it was fairly easy to determine early on ‘Who did it’.

All things considered, this one flew by and I’m still thinking about it!

[Kimberly Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steena Holmes is quickly becoming the queen of dark and creepy villains, and the one in The Perfect Secret is definitely not who you expect. A dark and twisty story filled with secrets—not all of them perfect—and one whopper of a surprise. Say goodby to sleep and read it like I did, in one sitting. A story where nothing is as it seems.

[Danielle-Gemma💜 · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really thought this book would be great, it had the premise, the ability to twist and turn and a good rating on here! But once again here I am on outlier island 🏝️ I can honestly say that I read this book so fast just so it would be over 😂

[Lyn❤Loves❤Listening to Real Voices Only!!!!❤️🎧📚 Addict ON HIATUS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio 4.5 Stars
Story 3.5 Stars

[Susan (The Book Bag) · Rating 5 out of 5]

To this day, I haven't read a book by Steena Holmes that I haven't just absolutely loved. And The Perfect Secret did not disappoint—loved it! And I love the new direction that she seems to be taking with her writing—a little darker, a little more suspenseful.

Starla is a con artist. She was recently released from jail and landed a pretty good job. Things are good, right? Nope, not so much, especially when dead bodies start turning up. And it looks like she is going to have to take the fall for them and everything else that is going on at the company where she just started working.

The Perfect Secret is full of secrets. Everyone involved has secrets. The fun part is seeing all those secrets being revealed, as the cast of characters start revealing their true selves. This is a story that will grab your attention and keep you guessing until the very end.

On kind of a side note, sort of, I love the titles of this book. I don't usually pay much attention to chapter titles. My apologies to all authors, I know you probably put a lot of thought into those. When I turned to the contents page, these titles just jumped out at me and I was intrigued to read further to see what would be revealed in the chapters.

I highly recommend this story! I loved everything about it, even the conniving, sneaky characters who had secrets that I couldn't even imagine when I started the book. You really must add The Perfect Secret to your TBR list. You will not be disappointed!

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Book! A dark, clever, and deliciously evil tale of cat and mouse. As always, Stenna shines and she has outdone herself with THE PERFECT SECRET.

Well done! I purchased the ebook and the audiobook. I highly recommend the audio narrated by Erin deWard and Christina Traister (love her). It was award-winning. To write more later. You will never look at a landscaper in the same way. 😜

[Kathy Brackin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crazy story!! Good from start to ending 🙌🏻🙌🏻

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first books that I read by Steena Holmes were definitely in the women's fiction genre. With her current book, she has definitely moved into writing psychological suspense and has perfected it to the point that this was a perfect book to read. It's full of surprises and hints that make you think that you've figured everything out only to find a few pages later, that you were totally wrong. You are never really sure who is telling the truth and who to trust until the explosive and surprising ending.


Starla Bishop has bounced from foster care to jail. Both places helped her to learn how to con people and win. As the book begins, she is just out of jail and hoping for a fresh start. She accepts
a too-good-to-be true job offer to work as a receptionist for a nursery in a near-by town. Not only was it a great job but it also included an apartment for her to live in. Her job as a receptionist soon expands to being a genera helper - she orders stock, does inventory and helps out on some of the projects for the nursery. And as an extra bonus she becomes engaged to her boss's ex-husband after a whirl wind romance. No wonder it looks like her life is turning around. Until the police show up at her door and take her in for questioning on a murder. The body had been found in a landscaping project that she had helped with. She has spent enough time in the past answering questions from law enforcement so she doesn't say much but she is sure that her fiancé has nothing to do with the murders and is willing to perjure herself to prove it to the police. The only person really on Starla's side is her adoptive mother who goes into major mama-bear mode to protect Starla. As more bodies turn up and her boyfriend looks like he might be guilty, Starla has to decide whether to save her boyfriend or herself.

The book is told in two timelines. In the first time line, we learn about Starla's earlier life and how she ended up in jail. The second time line is current time where we learn about all of the trouble that Starla may be in. The dual time line works perfectly as a way to show us a complete picture of Starla. Even though she was a complicated person, she had a lot of humanity and caring and I was rooting for her all the way.

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the Creepiest Book Villains I've Ever Encountered. Seriously, I can't go into too much detail there without venturing into spoiler territory, but that is arguably the strongest selling point of this book. Literally only two books - of the thousand or so I've read in my lifetime - readily come to mind as being anywhere close to this level of creepy with their villains. (Though, disclosure: I typically don't read creepy books and wasn't really expecting that here.)

But while the ultimate criminal in this tale is super creepy, the book itself has a fairly tight cast and is a somewhat standard ish mystery. A multi-time convict gets another chance at life outside prison walls and is determined never to see the inside of them again. The story follows a present day investigation she winds up in the middle of as well as the last few years of her life from the moment of her last release from prison and joining up with the current timeline. Excellently paced, some of the creepiness is apparent early ish but I did not see the full details coming at all. Even then, the author keeps revealing surprises almost until the last sentence. Excellent work, and very much recommended.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Crap!
This book is not for the faint of heart! It is a well written novel of suspense, gore and just Holy Crap!

Donald Dixon has an old family grown business.
His partner and ex-wife, Alexius is a botanist for this company called "Soil and Springs Landscaping”. She loves to experiment with different “fertilizers” and is doing some outstanding work!
When the company “needs” a receptionist, they join a prison program and hire ex-con Starla Bishop who needs a fresh start.
Starla cannot believe her luck. It is the beginning of a new life for her.
OR IS IT!
She may go back to jail for more than being a con- artist. It may be murder or murders!

You have to read this novel for yourself because you just won’t believe the incredible details and secrets that are happening!
There were quite a few times when I will admit I had to stop reading for a bit to calm my stomach down! I suggest you do NOT read at the dinner table!
Remember- “A LIE IS A LIE IS A LIE.”

[Laurie • The Baking Bookworm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starla Bishop is a woman with a past. Repeatedly in and out of prison, she's decided this will be her last stint in jail, so when she's offered a dream job in a small town, she promises her foster mother that this time she'll make a clean start.

The story follows dual time lines that bounce between the present day police investigation and when Starla is first released from jail. As the two timelines converge, readers are pulled into a plot that is a chilling puzzle where pieces are expertly revealed, leaving readers eager to know what exactly is happening in this small town.

I thoroughly enjoyed the creepy edge that pervades the story, the feeling of not exactly knowing who to trust and Starla's emotional progression. She has a nefarious past and a brash demeanor, but Holmes gives her depth and I despite her shortcomings, I felt myself rooting for her.

I may have figured out a few of the dark secrets but the strength of this book is in its execution. This is a tightly woven story that will keep readers glued to the pages as they try to piece together characters' motives and what's really going on in the town. Filled with twists, an interesting main character, and a chilling story, this is an impressive, fast-paced, and creepy psychological thriller that would be a great pick for suspense fans. Look for it May 19, 2020!

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Hannah McKinnon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark, twisted and packed full of suspense, with a protagonist you’ll root for and creepy villains you’ll love to hate, The Perfect Secret is a diabolical, masterfully told tale. Steena Holmes certainly knows how to grip her readers from the very beginning, and keeps them guessing until the satisfying end. I loved every page and this book isn’t to be missed.

[Kelly Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few nights ago, I finished a book and planned to read a chapter of The Perfect Secret before bed. That was a huge mistake. Several hours later, I was still up, still telling myself I would just read a few more pages.

In my defense, The Perfect Secret really IS just that good. I was suspicious of literally everyone, and at the same time I was so concerned that Starla was going to end up back in prison (either because she should be or because the police were going to conclude that they may as well just blame everything on an ex-con and not on the increasingly creepy man who was a beloved town fixture). 

I would really like a prequel (or an entire series of prequels!) featuring Starla. I absolutely loved her and I would love to know more about her past. There were a lot of very fun hints sprinkled throughout this book, and I'm sure that hundreds of pages could be written.

This is just an incredibly fun (and excellent) story. It's an amazing distraction from what's going on in the world, but it's something I would wholeheartedly recommend even when we're not all staying home.

Highly recommended. (Just start it in the morning. Trust me.)

[Bookstasies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly, this wasn't the best, but i'm a serial killer / anything involving the criminal justice system and psychology fanatic, and I was interested in this from beginning to end.

[Christine Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starla Bishop has had a horrible life up to this point. Being raised in different foster homes, she ended up always hanging with the wrong group of people. She finally ends up in a wonderful foster home with a wonderful mom, but even that isn't enough to save her. After numerous stints in jail, she is being released from jail again. She is offered a wonderful job from Soil and Springs Landscaping to be their receptionist. The company is run by Donald Dixon and his ex-wife Alexius. Starla doesn't know if this is a great opportunity or just too good to be true! This book is a roller coaster ride from beginning to end. This book has everything- an ex-con, multiple murders, and a cast of characters that are anything but trustworthy. I devoured this book very quickly because I just couldn't put it down. Steena Holmes is an auto buy author for me and she truly can write amazing books in any genre! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

[haylz · Rating 2 out of 5]

i thought this was going to be better hahaha

[Anastacia Reads Stuff · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just finished The Perfect Secret by Steena Holmes and this one was just lack luster for me. I didn't find it very thrilling or suspenseful. In comparison to some of the great thrillers I have read this year this one was predictable and repetitive. The characters had zero depth. I was waiting for the shoe to drop at the end since I had a pretty good idea as to who the villain was from the very first few chapters but that didn't happen. It played out exactly the way I predicted. Overall just a meh read for me.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so delightfully twisted! I loved every page of it and couldn’t wait to see what Starla got into next. Don’t get comfy reading this because nothing is what it seems. So good!

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a fast-paced and engrossing read that it was difficult to walk away from it. Starla Bishop is not your ordinary book heroine. Instead, she is a con artist, survivor of the foster care system and an ex-con just released from prison, again. Starla has been around the block more times than most people can count, but this time when she gets out of prison, she is ready to start over and already has a plan. In fact, she has already been offered a job as a receptionist at a landscaping company. Unbelievably, the job comes with a furnished apartment and a car for her to use! She is walking on seventh heaven, but her foster mom keeps cautioning her that this whole set up seems too good to be true. Starla is more or less happy in her new job, although the boss’s wife seems cold to her. Nevertheless, Starla loves the job and has a whirlwind relationship with her new boss. Everything to me seemed way too coincidental, so I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Then, shoes started falling from the sky when bodies started showing up in the yards that had been landscaped by the company. Naturally, Starla was a suspect! The POV varies between Starla and the detective investigating the case. I really enjoyed finding out exactly what Starla and Detective Kaarns were thinking. Part of my enjoyment was that meant of that the book was a winning combination of police procedural and the introspection of Starla as she reflected on how she got herself into this mess to begin with. I journeyed with Starla from the time she left the prison, through her questionable acceptance by Alexius, her boss, and even through her romantic involvement with Donny Dixon. The entire book was like a bizarre trip through a Stephen King thriller! The characters were well-developed, and my favorite was Starla’s mom who continued to be supportive no matter what kind of trouble she kept getting into. I also liked the intuitiveness of Starla, part of which came from her life experiences and part that came from her own intelligence. Starla’s choices were amazingly dumb, but did she keep deserving what happened to her? My eyes almost popped out of my head when I started reading about the dead bodies! Steena Holmes created a whole new kind of horror scenario here that was both realistic and terrifying. Fans of suspense and psychological thrillers will want to read this book for sure, and probably with the lights on.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

[Alexia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read The Perfect Secret to fulfill my prompt "includes a garden" for my 2021 52 Book Club Reading Challenge. This novel definitely fulfills this challenge with the remains of women's bodies and blood being dug up at various gardens professionally landscaped by a local landscaping company run by a highly successful used-car salesman Donny Dixon and his ex-wife Alexius . Somehow, some way, Dixon wants everyone to believe that he is in no way capable of such a hideous crime which includes skinning these women and creating key chains for his business. No. Starla Bishop, his girlfriend who has two stints in jail, is 100% responsible for all of this.

Please.

This is the most ridiculous story ever. For months, Starla doesn't even trust Donny. Then one night, Starla hears Donny in her apartment after she finishes her shower. He has a key because he owns the apartment. Regardless though, that gives him zero right to enter her apartment and she tells him this. Then literally in the next chapter, Starla and Danny are in love and engaged. What?! No explanation, no filler. Throughout their engagement, Starla overhears conversations and continues to sees the relationship dynamics between Dixon and Alexius. A semi truck can literally drive through all the plot holes throughout this story. There were massive red flags throughout and yet supposedly Starla was the hurt puppy when the shit hit the fan with Dixon?

PLEASE!!!

This was a terrible book. There was little to no connection between Dixon and the women he killed. There was a suggestion that other men in his family also did this, but this was never explored. Of course Dixon's ex-wife knew all about these murders.

Do not believe the hype that this is a great read. It is not. It's awful.

[Rachel Hanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced suspense thriller!

This was my first time reading a Steena Holmes book, and I definitely plan on reading more of hers! The Perfect Secret is a suspenseful page turner with a clever twist at the end that will keep you on the edge of your seat! I loved the character development, and the dialogue and descriptions between the characters. I definitely recommend this book to all my suspense/thriller reading friends.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Steena Holmes book I have ever read and I’ve read quite a few. It’s going to keep you glued to your seat until the very end.

“I’LL NEVER TRUST AGAIN. NOT AFTER THIS.” One of my favorite lines in this book.

This is the story of Ada Bishop. She gets out of prison and starts a new life. A new job and in a new town. Her mother worries about her all the time. Afraid she will slip back into the wrong crowd and land back in prison. But Ada has no intention of ever going back. She meets Donald and Alexius Dixon and her life is never the same. She starts a new job at a landscaping company owned by the two and the bodies start stacking up. Donald and Alexius are no longer married but are partners in the business. Donald also owns a used car lot. Alexius is the main owner of the landscaping business and it’s thriving. Donald is more of a silent partner in Alexius’s business but he does some hands on at times.

Donald sweeps Ada off her feet and they become engaged. Ada is happier than she has ever been. Or is she? Is it all a ruse to cover up things? Is anything as it appears. Ada’s mom, Caryn McCoy, does all she can to keep Ada on the straight and narrow. She worries all the time that Ada will fall back into her old ways and end up back in prison. She calls her everyday and checks up on her. They are very close and Ada truly does not want to let Caryn down. Caryn is the only one who ever cared, truly cared, about her. Caryn is a foster mom but they have a closeness that goes beyond a natural mother/daughter relationship. Caryn is the only person in Ada’s life that ever stood by her no matter what. Who was there the day Ada got out of jail and has always been there for her. She worries all the time about what will happen to Ada. When Ada and Donny get engaged Caryn is worried. She doesn’t trust Donald or Alexius. Nothing about them appears to be right. Something is off with their relationship and she wants Ada to see that.

This book is so well written. It’s one of those that will pull you in and have you rooting for the down on her luck Ada all the way. Personally I thought Ada was great. She’s much smarter than anyone wants to give her credit for and she’s just a very likable character. Donald, I didn’t like him from the beginning. From the very start he made my skin crawl. I just didn’t connect with him at all. Alexius was vital to this story and I liked her. Not a lot but she did grow on me and became one of my favorite characters. Officer Kaarns was another of my favorite characters. She was strong and didn’t want to give anyone a break for a while. Once she saw what was going on she could not be stopped. Spikes, the other officer, was also very likable. He believed in Ada from the start while Kaarns didn’t. All these characters will get under your skin. Most in a good way but some not so much. This is a very intense edge of your seat book that will draw you in from the very beginning and will not let you go. When the very last word is read you might be able to breath normal again...

“Never tell all you know-not even to the person you know best.” -Agatha Christie, The Secret Adversary (I love this line at the end of this book)

Thank you #SteenaHolmes, #SHPressInc for this ARC. This is my review given freely.

A huge and I mean huge 5 stars. I highly highly recommend this book to anyone that loves to read.

[Melanie Falconer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first read by Steena Holmes and it won’t be my last! As an ex-con, Starla Bishop should know when something is too good to be true. But, when Donald Dixon offers her a second chance with a job and an apartment, she puts aside her doubts in hopes of starting a new life. Things are not always as they seem at Soil and Springs Landscaping and Starla must find out about the secrets Donald is hiding before she ends up back in jail. The characters were strong and the story was fast-paced. An enjoyable novel of suspense! Thank you to the author and publisher for providing a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

[CassDamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I predicted the ending of this book within the first five pages lol

[Kierstin Carnahan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. The Perfect Secret was crazy! This new book by the author of The Patient comes out May 19, 2020!

The story centers around Starla Bishop, a fresh from prison, ex-con. She falls into a job opportunity after prison that seems too good to be true with a landscaping company. Later, bodies begin to be discovered across her town in gardens and Starla is brought in for questioning. The story mainly takes place during Starla's questioning by police with flashbacks to other times.

I seriously couldn't put this book down. It was truly something else. A little love triangle, a little murder, a little of everything else. It was a murder story unlike anything else I've read before. It can be very dark in some places so prepare yourself now.

Thank you to Steena Holmes for the opportunity to read and review her new book early!

[Danielle Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starla Bishop lived on the wrong side of the law more times than she cares to remember. Growing up in foster home after foster home didn't help either.

Finally out of prison Starla has swore to herself and her mom to keep the straight and narrow. She is given a job through a work release program from the prison with a landscape company. A furnished apartment and car awaits her. She's working for a divorced husband and wife team. Not everything is as it seems. Who can she trust? The weird ex-wife or her fiance?

Will Starla be able to keep herself out of trouble when everything around her starts falling apart? Will anyone believe a convicted felon or will she take the fall for the bodies found in the gardens.

Lots of twists and turns. An ending that you don't see coming. Great who done it novel by Steena Holmes!

[Kristin (Kritters Ramblings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out the full review at Kritters Ramblings (after May 13th!)

Starla Bishop has a checkered past, so if something is going on it could be easy to blame her. She left prison and ended up in the perfect situation with a great job, a car and a place to live, but sometimes things are really too good to be true. Told in almost two different timelines - the current as she has been brought in by the police to be interviewed in regards to her bosses who may be serial murderer and the other timeline goes months into the past when she is exiting jail after four years and she begins this job with these interesting characters.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grateful to the author and publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of her upcoming novel. I am a huge fan of Steena Holmes and her books. This book is certainly about secrets but it is also about rooting for the little guy / girl and hoping he / she can turn their life around ! In trouble all her life , making poor choice after poor choice, has she done it again ? Or has she found Mr. Right ? Is she being played for a fool or is she playing others for the fool ? If you have read other books by this author, you know that she is the master of the epic twist at the end of each book. This is certainly true here. I highly recommend this book ! Enjoy ! #buythebook

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a twisted story!
It was full of secrets and surprises!
I thought it was really good and loved the twist at the end. It was a perfect revenge really.
Thank you for the opportunity to read an early copy

[Harriet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hard to believe this is he author of The Patient

The only reason I chose to read this book was because the author had written The Patient which I loved. I have to admit, the book started out as 5 *s, but slipped by the end to a * or **.

The story was a good one, but probably should have been a short story. It became repetitious, and if one more person cracked his back or vomited, I was going to vomit.

It’s repetitive and badly edited with some sentences that you have to read twice because they are formed in strange ways. There are grammatical mistakes which make it sound like a bad translation from time to time.

Sorry, but I don’t want to reveal the story if you choose to read it anyway; just skim some of the soul searching and back patting for being able to con someone while not being able to be conned.