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Jo Beckett #1
The Dirty Secrets Club
Introducing the writer Stephen King trumpets as “the next suspense superstar”
Recently Stephen King devoted an entire Entertainment Weekly column to Meg Gardiner, proclaiming her “as good as Michael Connelly and far better than Janet Evanovich.” How is it possible, he wondered, that this Californian was published only in Britain? Starting now, suspense fans on this side of the pond can get their fix right here: Dutton is proud to introduce Gardiner’s brand-new series heroine, Jo Beckett, in The Dirty Secrets Club.
An ongoing string of high-profile and very public murder-suicides has San Francisco even more rattled than a string of recent earthquakes: A flamboyant fashion designer burns to death, clutching the body of his murdered lover. A superstar 49er jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. And most shocking of all, a U.S. attorney launches her BMW off a highway overpass, killing herself and three others.
Enter forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, hired by the SFPD to cut open not the victim’s body but the victim’s life. Jo’s job is to complete the psychological autopsy, shedding light on the circumstances of any equivocal death. Soon she makes a shocking discovery: All the suicides belonged to something called the Dirty Secrets Club, a group of A-listers with nothing but money and plenty to hide. As the deaths continue, Jo delves into the disturbing motives behind this shadowy group—until she receives a letter containing a dark secret Jo thought she’d left deep in her past, and ending with the most chilling words of all: “Welcome to the Dirty Secrets Club.”
Recently Stephen King devoted an entire Entertainment Weekly column to Meg Gardiner, proclaiming her “as good as Michael Connelly and far better than Janet Evanovich.” How is it possible, he wondered, that this Californian was published only in Britain? Starting now, suspense fans on this side of the pond can get their fix right here: Dutton is proud to introduce Gardiner’s brand-new series heroine, Jo Beckett, in The Dirty Secrets Club.
An ongoing string of high-profile and very public murder-suicides has San Francisco even more rattled than a string of recent earthquakes: A flamboyant fashion designer burns to death, clutching the body of his murdered lover. A superstar 49er jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. And most shocking of all, a U.S. attorney launches her BMW off a highway overpass, killing herself and three others.
Enter forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, hired by the SFPD to cut open not the victim’s body but the victim’s life. Jo’s job is to complete the psychological autopsy, shedding light on the circumstances of any equivocal death. Soon she makes a shocking discovery: All the suicides belonged to something called the Dirty Secrets Club, a group of A-listers with nothing but money and plenty to hide. As the deaths continue, Jo delves into the disturbing motives behind this shadowy group—until she receives a letter containing a dark secret Jo thought she’d left deep in her past, and ending with the most chilling words of all: “Welcome to the Dirty Secrets Club.”
368 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
249 people are currently reading
4096 people want to read
About the author
Meg Gardiner
35 books2,245 followersMeg Gardiner is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of seventeen thrillers. Shadowheart, her latest novel, is part of the UNSUB series featuring FBI agent Caitlin Hendrix. The Real Book Spy calls it “A mind-trip of a story.” Booklist says, “As always, the writing is exquisite and the story is perfectly crafted.” UNSUB, the first novel in the series, won the 2018 Barry Award for Best Thriller. The Dark Corners of the Night was bought by Amazon Studios for development as an hour-long television drama.
Heat 2 is a prequel/sequel to the film Heat, co-authored with the film’s writer/director, Michael Mann. Booklist’s starred review calls it “Riveting… the fully fleshed human stories support and even transcend the often-breathtaking action.” The Associated Press says, “Slick as a Neil McCauley heist and as intense as a Vincent Hanna chase, ‘Heat 2’ is just dynamite.” It debuted at #1 on the NYT best seller list.
Meg is the author of the Evan Delaney series, the Jo Beckett novels, and several stand alones. China Lake won the 2009 Edgar award for Best Paperback Original. The Nightmare Thief won the 2012 Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense audiobook of the year. Phantom Instinct was one of O, the Oprah magazine's "Best Books of Summer."
Meg was born in Oklahoma and raised in Santa Barbara, California. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she practiced law in Los Angeles and taught writing at the University of California Santa Barbara. She's also a three-time Jeopardy! champion. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Find Meg on Facebook: Facebook.com/MegGardinerBooks Twitter: @MegGardiner1 and Instagram: @Meggardiner1.
Series:
* UNSUB
* Evan Delaney
* Jo Beckett
Heat 2 is a prequel/sequel to the film Heat, co-authored with the film’s writer/director, Michael Mann. Booklist’s starred review calls it “Riveting… the fully fleshed human stories support and even transcend the often-breathtaking action.” The Associated Press says, “Slick as a Neil McCauley heist and as intense as a Vincent Hanna chase, ‘Heat 2’ is just dynamite.” It debuted at #1 on the NYT best seller list.
Meg is the author of the Evan Delaney series, the Jo Beckett novels, and several stand alones. China Lake won the 2009 Edgar award for Best Paperback Original. The Nightmare Thief won the 2012 Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense audiobook of the year. Phantom Instinct was one of O, the Oprah magazine's "Best Books of Summer."
Meg was born in Oklahoma and raised in Santa Barbara, California. A graduate of Stanford Law School, she practiced law in Los Angeles and taught writing at the University of California Santa Barbara. She's also a three-time Jeopardy! champion. She lives in Austin, Texas.
Find Meg on Facebook: Facebook.com/MegGardinerBooks Twitter: @MegGardiner1 and Instagram: @Meggardiner1.
Series:
* UNSUB
* Evan Delaney
* Jo Beckett
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews
September 12, 2023
*3.5 stars *
This is one of those novels that as an action movie would probably be terrific. But purely as a novel I find the plot predictable (although it has to be admitted it does have a few good twists) and the characters typical Hollywood stereotypes. Not the monkey, though. The monkey’s great.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist, who doesn’t examine bodies but attempts to read their minds. She is still mourning the loss of her husband, a paramedic who was killed in a helicopter accident a few years ago.
Full use is made of the spectacular backdrop of San Francisco. Jo is called out by Lieutenant Amy Tang to a serious traffic accident at the Stockton Tunnel. This accident has already been described to us in graphic detail through the eyes of Patrolman Pablo Cruz. A BMW has hit the railing above the tunnel at full speed. The two women in the car are believed dead. The driver is a very well known prosecution lawyer, Callie Harding, who is as beautiful as she is clever. When Jo approaches the car, the passenger, who apparently was trying to jump out of the car immediately prior to the crash, blinks. Jo calls the paramedics into action and the young woman, who worked with Callie at the Attorney’s Office, is rushed off to hospital.
Jo meets up with Amy Tang, a tough cookie who explains that she is investigating an outfit called The Dirty Secrets Club, whose members, all from the high-flying elite, apparently set one another sensational dares in order to move into the higher echelons of the club. Amy needs Jo’s psychiatric experience to help unmask the members of this club, some of whom have died in mysterious circumstances. She gives her 48 hours.
Jo discovers that Callie Harding was a member of the club. The plot thickens when a famous sporting celebrity commits suicide by leaping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge during rush hour. Someone is running a vendetta against the members of The Dirty Secrets Club. The readers are told who he is, but none of the reasons why.
The action gets faster and ever more furious, including the odd earthquake. By the way, don’t forget the monkey, who has more brains than the rest of them put together.
This is one of those novels that as an action movie would probably be terrific. But purely as a novel I find the plot predictable (although it has to be admitted it does have a few good twists) and the characters typical Hollywood stereotypes. Not the monkey, though. The monkey’s great.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist, who doesn’t examine bodies but attempts to read their minds. She is still mourning the loss of her husband, a paramedic who was killed in a helicopter accident a few years ago.
Full use is made of the spectacular backdrop of San Francisco. Jo is called out by Lieutenant Amy Tang to a serious traffic accident at the Stockton Tunnel. This accident has already been described to us in graphic detail through the eyes of Patrolman Pablo Cruz. A BMW has hit the railing above the tunnel at full speed. The two women in the car are believed dead. The driver is a very well known prosecution lawyer, Callie Harding, who is as beautiful as she is clever. When Jo approaches the car, the passenger, who apparently was trying to jump out of the car immediately prior to the crash, blinks. Jo calls the paramedics into action and the young woman, who worked with Callie at the Attorney’s Office, is rushed off to hospital.
Jo meets up with Amy Tang, a tough cookie who explains that she is investigating an outfit called The Dirty Secrets Club, whose members, all from the high-flying elite, apparently set one another sensational dares in order to move into the higher echelons of the club. Amy needs Jo’s psychiatric experience to help unmask the members of this club, some of whom have died in mysterious circumstances. She gives her 48 hours.
Jo discovers that Callie Harding was a member of the club. The plot thickens when a famous sporting celebrity commits suicide by leaping off the San Francisco Bay Bridge during rush hour. Someone is running a vendetta against the members of The Dirty Secrets Club. The readers are told who he is, but none of the reasons why.
The action gets faster and ever more furious, including the odd earthquake. By the way, don’t forget the monkey, who has more brains than the rest of them put together.
June 18, 2014
"If you read Sue Grafton, Lee Child, Janet Evanovich, Michael Connelly or Nelson DeMille, you're going to think Meg Gardiner is a gift from heaven." -- Stephen King
I was in hell's waiting room and by the time I reached page 70, I gave up.
This was the second novel I'd read in a week based on Stephen King's Reading List Part II. I'm trying to hold my inner snob in check here, but I'm learning how little enjoyment I get from airplane novels. If this book is any indication, I can place each of the genre authors King mentions above on "ignore".
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist, an expert called in to determine not how a person died, but why. Murder, suicide, accident. A wave of high profile and bizarre murder-suicides are sweeping San Francisco every 48 hours and Jo is the only woman who can stop them!
I identify an "airplane novel" not only by the authors King mentions (and I exclude King, a under-appreciated wit, from that category) by a plot driven book you can consume between your departure and your arrival. Airplane novels are cheaply bought, easily transported, rapidly read and instantly forgetten. Most contain fantastic plots you're curious to follow through to the end, but once the puzzle is revealed, there's no need to give the book any further thought.
The Dirty Secrets Club had me rolling my eyes until they were about to fall out of my head. Jo is the archetypal thriller heroine. She's single, as a result of some great tragedy that will be revealed later in the book. She lives in a Victorian mansion, where she's wakened by a foghorn, has a million dollar view of the Golden Gate Bridge (from the roof) and takes the trolley to her morning java stop. In other words, it's lifestyle porn so far removed from reality as to be ridiculous.
As I mention, the plot is even more ridiculous than the heroine. I don't know how this one ends -- I'm not on an airplane -- but when you want someone dead, you drive by and shoot them. Nobody except Dr. No, Dr. Evil or Dr. Giggles goes through this much trouble to kill their victims. It's just so ridiculous.
My favorite books involve ridiculous conceits: vampires, werewolves, time travel. But each of them, several written by Stephen King, drill deep and hit a nerve that I feel throbbing long after, whether the book is dealing with urban decay, alcoholism or genocide. There's a social commentary and a human commentary lurking in there, something for me to wrestle, something for me to want to read the book again to confront.
I'd be willing to go easier on this novel as a case of "I'm not the demographic for this" if Gardiner was a good writer. The opening chapter is way too frantic. Her descriptions are flabby. She drops pop culture references, which only reminded me how much better her reference was than her own book. Elmore Leonard can get away with referencing Reservoir Dogs at age 76, but Gardiner has a long, long, long way to go.
I was in hell's waiting room and by the time I reached page 70, I gave up.
This was the second novel I'd read in a week based on Stephen King's Reading List Part II. I'm trying to hold my inner snob in check here, but I'm learning how little enjoyment I get from airplane novels. If this book is any indication, I can place each of the genre authors King mentions above on "ignore".
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist, an expert called in to determine not how a person died, but why. Murder, suicide, accident. A wave of high profile and bizarre murder-suicides are sweeping San Francisco every 48 hours and Jo is the only woman who can stop them!
I identify an "airplane novel" not only by the authors King mentions (and I exclude King, a under-appreciated wit, from that category) by a plot driven book you can consume between your departure and your arrival. Airplane novels are cheaply bought, easily transported, rapidly read and instantly forgetten. Most contain fantastic plots you're curious to follow through to the end, but once the puzzle is revealed, there's no need to give the book any further thought.
The Dirty Secrets Club had me rolling my eyes until they were about to fall out of my head. Jo is the archetypal thriller heroine. She's single, as a result of some great tragedy that will be revealed later in the book. She lives in a Victorian mansion, where she's wakened by a foghorn, has a million dollar view of the Golden Gate Bridge (from the roof) and takes the trolley to her morning java stop. In other words, it's lifestyle porn so far removed from reality as to be ridiculous.
As I mention, the plot is even more ridiculous than the heroine. I don't know how this one ends -- I'm not on an airplane -- but when you want someone dead, you drive by and shoot them. Nobody except Dr. No, Dr. Evil or Dr. Giggles goes through this much trouble to kill their victims. It's just so ridiculous.
My favorite books involve ridiculous conceits: vampires, werewolves, time travel. But each of them, several written by Stephen King, drill deep and hit a nerve that I feel throbbing long after, whether the book is dealing with urban decay, alcoholism or genocide. There's a social commentary and a human commentary lurking in there, something for me to wrestle, something for me to want to read the book again to confront.
I'd be willing to go easier on this novel as a case of "I'm not the demographic for this" if Gardiner was a good writer. The opening chapter is way too frantic. Her descriptions are flabby. She drops pop culture references, which only reminded me how much better her reference was than her own book. Elmore Leonard can get away with referencing Reservoir Dogs at age 76, but Gardiner has a long, long, long way to go.
June 25, 2021
Where has Meg Gardiner been hiding? This was fabulous! It’s been a while since I’ve been so taken with a new (or new to me) suspense writer. The action in this book starts almost immediately with a crazy dare and the death of a U.S. Attorney. Jo Beckett is a really interesting character with a profession that I haven’t seen explored before (if it actually even exists!) — forensic psychology. Instead of determining how someone died, it’s Jo’s job to determine the why, not only to help with the official police investigation, but also to provide closure to the family of the victims. There are tons of twists in this story as it unfolds, along with a solid cast of characters. Each one is their own person, from Jo’s quirky next-door neighbor to the spunky detective she’s working with to the paramedic with a tie to Jo’s tragic past. And what is this club really about? Sex? Money? Revenge? The relief of unburdening oneself? This will most definitely not be the last Meg Gardiner book I read.
February 27, 2016
I'm surprised that this book received such low reviews. I really enjoyed it. Not everything is what it seems in The Dirty Secrets Club. Jo Beckett, a shrink for the dead, is a unique character. I thought the creation and imagination of The Dirty Secrets Club was brilliant. Suspense was evident all the way through the book and there was enough sweet revenge to keep me smiling at the end. Secrets all around and bound to keep you reading if your curious enough. Jo's neighbor is amusing to say the least and it involves a service animal that just makes you laugh, the 'little monkey'.
This is my first book by Meg Gardiner and I think I'll be reading more of her works soon.
This is my first book by Meg Gardiner and I think I'll be reading more of her works soon.
February 22, 2020
“Te has portado muy mal. Te doy la bienvenida al Club de los Secretos Sucios…”
“Juegos perversos”, primera novela de la serie que protagoniza la psiquiatra forense Jo Beckett, fue elegida por Amazon como uno de los diez mejores thrillers de suspense del año 2008, y ganó el Premio RT Reviews a la mejor novela procesal ese mismo año.
Me ha sorprendido enormemente esta autora, con una historia que atrapa desde la primera página y mantiene la intriga a lo largo de todo el libro. Una novela policial con buenas dosis de suspenso y otras dosis de momentos más amenos, donde la muerte es la constante.
La prosa de la autora es sencilla, sobretodo en lo referido a detalles y descripciones. Los 41 capítulos del libro son bastante cortos y fluidos. No hay prólogo ni epílogo, aunque el primer y último capítulo buen cumplen el papel con el mismo resultado.
El libro lleva a la reflexión en torno a los secretos y cómo cada persona los lleva, los muestra o los oculta, y lo que es capaz de realizar para expiarlos u enterrarlos para siempre.
Es mejor no decir mucho más, y que cada lector lo lea, vale la pena!
100% recomendado
“No psicoanalizo mentes: psicoanalizo almas (...) Soy psiquiatra forense.”
“Juegos perversos”, primera novela de la serie que protagoniza la psiquiatra forense Jo Beckett, fue elegida por Amazon como uno de los diez mejores thrillers de suspense del año 2008, y ganó el Premio RT Reviews a la mejor novela procesal ese mismo año.
Me ha sorprendido enormemente esta autora, con una historia que atrapa desde la primera página y mantiene la intriga a lo largo de todo el libro. Una novela policial con buenas dosis de suspenso y otras dosis de momentos más amenos, donde la muerte es la constante.
La prosa de la autora es sencilla, sobretodo en lo referido a detalles y descripciones. Los 41 capítulos del libro son bastante cortos y fluidos. No hay prólogo ni epílogo, aunque el primer y último capítulo buen cumplen el papel con el mismo resultado.
El libro lleva a la reflexión en torno a los secretos y cómo cada persona los lleva, los muestra o los oculta, y lo que es capaz de realizar para expiarlos u enterrarlos para siempre.
Es mejor no decir mucho más, y que cada lector lo lea, vale la pena!
100% recomendado
“No psicoanalizo mentes: psicoanalizo almas (...) Soy psiquiatra forense.”
May 26, 2023
I really liked this book. It’s a good solid mystery thriller, and I really like Meg Gardiner, especially her UNSUB series. The heroine who is introduced here is Jo Beckett who is a psychiatrist, but she works with the police to determine if the victim intended suicide or if they died accidentally, etc. This process is called a psychological autopsy. She is mourning the death of her beloved husband, lives in San Francisco, is a rock climber, has a hypochondriac neighbor who has a monkey as a support animal-yes, the monkey features rather prominently in the book, and Jo is as smart as a whip. I was surprised at the lower ratings that this book received, saying it was predictable. It sure was not for me.
December 23, 2019
3.6/5
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 3
Pace: 3
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 4
Quality of writing: 4
Plot development: 3
Pace: 3
Characters: 4
Enjoyability: 4
Ease of reading: 4
October 2, 2008
‘Each flash of the camera was a silent shriek’
This novel kept me turning the pages so rapidly that I didn’t actually stop to analyse the story. Which is probably a good thing: I’m not convinced that the various elements hang together well enough to provide a totally satisfying whole. Does it matter? Well, not to me. I was looking for an escapist novel and this book delivered.
There is a lot of action in this novel: not always coherent and not always believable. That will matter to some readers, and ordinarily it matters to me. But sometimes, it is good to suspend reality and just hop onto the rollercoaster.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist who profiles victim’s lives in order to try to help solve their deaths. Lieutenant Amy Tang calls Jo Beckett to the crime scene after a high speed pursuit in San Francisco ends with four people dead and five injured. So, why did Callie Harding drive her car through a bridge railing? What is the Dirty Secrets Club, and what can Jo do to try to prevent what appear to be a related series of murder/suicides by high profile people? Jo herself looks to be an interesting character as do many of the other ‘good guys’ in this novel.
This was the first Meg Gardiner novel I’ve read, and it probably won’t be the last. I’m intrigued without being totally hooked.
This novel kept me turning the pages so rapidly that I didn’t actually stop to analyse the story. Which is probably a good thing: I’m not convinced that the various elements hang together well enough to provide a totally satisfying whole. Does it matter? Well, not to me. I was looking for an escapist novel and this book delivered.
There is a lot of action in this novel: not always coherent and not always believable. That will matter to some readers, and ordinarily it matters to me. But sometimes, it is good to suspend reality and just hop onto the rollercoaster.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist who profiles victim’s lives in order to try to help solve their deaths. Lieutenant Amy Tang calls Jo Beckett to the crime scene after a high speed pursuit in San Francisco ends with four people dead and five injured. So, why did Callie Harding drive her car through a bridge railing? What is the Dirty Secrets Club, and what can Jo do to try to prevent what appear to be a related series of murder/suicides by high profile people? Jo herself looks to be an interesting character as do many of the other ‘good guys’ in this novel.
This was the first Meg Gardiner novel I’ve read, and it probably won’t be the last. I’m intrigued without being totally hooked.
December 24, 2020
Pretty silly concept used for this here "suspense" yarn. I've enjoyed a majority of Gardiner's more recently written works, but this early one here was just plain......silly.
March 9, 2025
This book has been on my physical TBR for a long time, because of the Unsub series by this author. That series is great.... this however was pretty mid.
I had a bit of high expectations and from the start, it was definitely holding my interest. The whole concept of the "dirty secret's club" was not anything to what I was expecting and I was totally enthralled in it but it slowly had me rolling my eyes as most thrillers do nowadays.
I had a bit of high expectations and from the start, it was definitely holding my interest. The whole concept of the "dirty secret's club" was not anything to what I was expecting and I was totally enthralled in it but it slowly had me rolling my eyes as most thrillers do nowadays.
August 13, 2008
With an endorsement by best-selling author Stephen King and a vast majority of those writing suspense fiction today, you have to wonder why Meg Gardiner hasn't broken through in a big way here in the United States. From what I understand, she's published several successful novels in the UK, all of which are being published here over the next several months.
After reading "Dirty Secrets Club," I can see why she has the ringing endorsement of Mr. King and others. And I can definitely see her being the next "big thing" not only in the mystery/suspense genre but also in the publishing world as a whole.
Set in San Francisco, "The Dirty Secrets Club," is a secret society of people, all of whom have a dark secret from their past that they've shared with members of the group. Run in cells to keep one person from having too much power, members of the group are dying at the rate of one every three days, all in spectacular fashion and in a way that looks like suicide. The latest victim works for the district attorney's office and is one of the founding members of the club.
After her death, the case is given a high priority to be solved, leading to foresnic pyschologic Jo Beckett being brought onto the case. Beckett's job is to explain the why of the death and the pyschological state of the victim of a crime. But just like the victims, Beckett has her own secret from the past she doesn't want brought into the light of day.
Fast paced and exhilerating, "The Dirty Secrets Club" is one part pyschological drama, one part character study, one part suspense thriller and one part mystery. Gardiner shifts efortelessly from scene to scene and follows several characters in the story, weaving together a story that is suspenseful, exciting and one hell of a good read. I will warn you that this is not a book to read as you're getting ready to turn out the light and need to be up early the next day. Not only can Gardiner draw you into her universe with the story unfolding, but her writing style is effortless and addictive to read. You'll find yourself up way past bedtime, just wanting to read one more chapter to see what happens next.
Along the way, there are revelations, twists and turns to the story all of which are surprising and well set up by the early stages of the story. Nothing comes entirely out of left field, making the reader roll their eyes. Instead, the twists will shock and then begin to make sense based on what we know about the situation and the characters.
Meg Gardiner could be the next big thing in the writing world. But don't let it be a dirty secret...share her writing and this great novel with not only yourself but everyone you come in contact with. This is a great book and I highly recommend it.
After reading "Dirty Secrets Club," I can see why she has the ringing endorsement of Mr. King and others. And I can definitely see her being the next "big thing" not only in the mystery/suspense genre but also in the publishing world as a whole.
Set in San Francisco, "The Dirty Secrets Club," is a secret society of people, all of whom have a dark secret from their past that they've shared with members of the group. Run in cells to keep one person from having too much power, members of the group are dying at the rate of one every three days, all in spectacular fashion and in a way that looks like suicide. The latest victim works for the district attorney's office and is one of the founding members of the club.
After her death, the case is given a high priority to be solved, leading to foresnic pyschologic Jo Beckett being brought onto the case. Beckett's job is to explain the why of the death and the pyschological state of the victim of a crime. But just like the victims, Beckett has her own secret from the past she doesn't want brought into the light of day.
Fast paced and exhilerating, "The Dirty Secrets Club" is one part pyschological drama, one part character study, one part suspense thriller and one part mystery. Gardiner shifts efortelessly from scene to scene and follows several characters in the story, weaving together a story that is suspenseful, exciting and one hell of a good read. I will warn you that this is not a book to read as you're getting ready to turn out the light and need to be up early the next day. Not only can Gardiner draw you into her universe with the story unfolding, but her writing style is effortless and addictive to read. You'll find yourself up way past bedtime, just wanting to read one more chapter to see what happens next.
Along the way, there are revelations, twists and turns to the story all of which are surprising and well set up by the early stages of the story. Nothing comes entirely out of left field, making the reader roll their eyes. Instead, the twists will shock and then begin to make sense based on what we know about the situation and the characters.
Meg Gardiner could be the next big thing in the writing world. But don't let it be a dirty secret...share her writing and this great novel with not only yourself but everyone you come in contact with. This is a great book and I highly recommend it.
May 26, 2008
Wow! Just read the ARC of this one from bookstore. US release is next month, June. Jo Beckett is a forensic psychologist who helps police with the "why" in cases of uncertain death. I gather that Gardiner is long since published in UK but we've only just got her in the US, and I don't know what the holdup was!
The book's a tight, well-written roller coaster ride from the opening page to the finish. Fantastic! This woman is one of the most talented I've ever read at edge-of-your-seat suspense. Great characters, neatly and deeply drawn in a few sentences just a bit at a time while the action proceeds at a fast clip.
It didn't hurt that the book is set on my home ground in San Fran and surrounding area. I wonder how out-of-towners might like that, as she clearly writes with an intimate knowledge of this area.
Great stuff. An author to watch!
The book's a tight, well-written roller coaster ride from the opening page to the finish. Fantastic! This woman is one of the most talented I've ever read at edge-of-your-seat suspense. Great characters, neatly and deeply drawn in a few sentences just a bit at a time while the action proceeds at a fast clip.
It didn't hurt that the book is set on my home ground in San Fran and surrounding area. I wonder how out-of-towners might like that, as she clearly writes with an intimate knowledge of this area.
Great stuff. An author to watch!
May 18, 2017
3.5 stars. Forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett is called to the scene of a wreck by San Francisco detective Tang. An up and coming assistant US attorney ran her BMW off a bridge at a high rate of speed onto the roadway below resulting in several deaths. The prosecutor had DIRTY written in lipstick on her leg. Jo is informed of previous deaths of a doctor and a fashion designer in unusual situations. As Jo begins to pick apart the victims lives, she discovers evidence that they are all members of a secret and exclusive club called the Dirty Secrets Club. Someone seems to be killing the members and Jo digs to find out who is behind the killings.
This book is the start of series with a good character of Jo Beckett. I give credit to the author for writing creative death scenes. We were told near the beginning who was masterminding the kills but I did not suspect who organized the club.
This book is the start of series with a good character of Jo Beckett. I give credit to the author for writing creative death scenes. We were told near the beginning who was masterminding the kills but I did not suspect who organized the club.
December 6, 2020
Libro que va de menos a más y el final es muy bueno. Seguiré a la autora.
December 21, 2008
San Francisco is experiencing an earthquake when the 49ers star receiver, Scott Southern, is sneaking into his attorney's evacuated officer tower with an assistant district attorney, Kallie Harding. He's there to complete a dare and she's there to witness it and provide the proof. It's all part of "The Dirty Secrets Club." But when Kallie drives off a bridge, Scott jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge, and other high-power members of the club also end up dead, Jo Beckett, a forensic psychiatrist, makes it her mission to find out what exactly is going on with this mysterious club.
I listened to this book on audio (please excuse me if I've misspelled names) and it was read by Susan Ericksen. Not only do I find her to be the best female reader I've encountered so far, but she is among the best overall. Her distinctive voices for all the characters coupled with her perfect balance of dramatic effect made the book a joy to listen to.
The characters and plot in this book were rather time-appropriate considering the members of the "Dirty Secrets Club" are all people in position of power who essentially believe they can get away with anything BECAUSE of their positions. Despite its tie-in to current events, it's still a disturbing facet of human...or at least American psyches.
There were a couple elements about the plot that bothered me as far as logic went, but it still made for a great crime fiction story. The ending got a little carried away, I thought. Without exposing too much, it was just a case of every time you thought the end had come, some other disaster struck Jo Beckett. The poor woman couldn't cut a break to save her life. And after awhile I found myself thinking, "oh, come on already!"
While there wasn't a lot of humor in the book, there was Ferd. I LOVED Ferd and his monkey Mr. Peebles. For me they stole the show. The image if Jo carrying a duct taped monkey into a computer supply store, her hair and clothes covered in shampoo was just too funny.
I listened to this book on audio (please excuse me if I've misspelled names) and it was read by Susan Ericksen. Not only do I find her to be the best female reader I've encountered so far, but she is among the best overall. Her distinctive voices for all the characters coupled with her perfect balance of dramatic effect made the book a joy to listen to.
The characters and plot in this book were rather time-appropriate considering the members of the "Dirty Secrets Club" are all people in position of power who essentially believe they can get away with anything BECAUSE of their positions. Despite its tie-in to current events, it's still a disturbing facet of human...or at least American psyches.
There were a couple elements about the plot that bothered me as far as logic went, but it still made for a great crime fiction story. The ending got a little carried away, I thought. Without exposing too much, it was just a case of every time you thought the end had come, some other disaster struck Jo Beckett. The poor woman couldn't cut a break to save her life. And after awhile I found myself thinking, "oh, come on already!"
While there wasn't a lot of humor in the book, there was Ferd. I LOVED Ferd and his monkey Mr. Peebles. For me they stole the show. The image if Jo carrying a duct taped monkey into a computer supply store, her hair and clothes covered in shampoo was just too funny.
June 2, 2010
if ever there was a book designed specifically to hit my personal reading kinks, this is it. (if it had been in new york and gotten everything as right as she did about the bay area, we might have hit the trifecta.)
jo beckett is a forensic psychiatrist. as in, she "shrinks the dead". jo is called in to determine whether a suicide is a suicide, or if there is foul play.
the concept of "suicide autopsies" has long been something that interests me, ever since i stumbled on Edwin Schneideman's work in suicidology. then add a really well thought out thriller, a beautifully researched book (driving times were accurate, the sense of the bay area made me wonder if the author had lived there extensively, the facts on suicide were all in line) and a kind of broken protagonist, not to mention the concept of confession and secrets and who you tell and why, and you've got a book i love.
my only complaint is the ending - i didn't think the last bit was necessary, and i'm not sure if it made complete sense to me. i might have to reread it. (what a pity.)
but i'm so pleased with the setting, with the way the characters fleshed out over the course of the story, that there was development (possibly a little lacking in the big bad guy, and also skunk - i never really got his motivation or connection) but i still want to read more and more and more.
i mean, the cypress viaduct! there aren't many people who know what that is, much less use it as character backstory, but i remember that moment like the back of my hand, thinking my parents were there, watching the news before cnn became what it is today. so i might be a little sentimental about it, but it's a quality read regardless.
jo beckett is a forensic psychiatrist. as in, she "shrinks the dead". jo is called in to determine whether a suicide is a suicide, or if there is foul play.
the concept of "suicide autopsies" has long been something that interests me, ever since i stumbled on Edwin Schneideman's work in suicidology. then add a really well thought out thriller, a beautifully researched book (driving times were accurate, the sense of the bay area made me wonder if the author had lived there extensively, the facts on suicide were all in line) and a kind of broken protagonist, not to mention the concept of confession and secrets and who you tell and why, and you've got a book i love.
my only complaint is the ending - i didn't think the last bit was necessary, and i'm not sure if it made complete sense to me. i might have to reread it. (what a pity.)
but i'm so pleased with the setting, with the way the characters fleshed out over the course of the story, that there was development (possibly a little lacking in the big bad guy, and also skunk - i never really got his motivation or connection) but i still want to read more and more and more.
i mean, the cypress viaduct! there aren't many people who know what that is, much less use it as character backstory, but i remember that moment like the back of my hand, thinking my parents were there, watching the news before cnn became what it is today. so i might be a little sentimental about it, but it's a quality read regardless.
August 17, 2012
I struggled with how to rate this book because the first two thirds of it was a real page turner. But the final third of the story ran off the rails and truly ground to a halt trying to tie everything together. The author seemed desperate to make sense of her own story, to explain who did what and why it all happened and how it happened and when, with the characters doing all the explaining to one another. Never a good sign in a book. Another bad sign being that the characters needed to essentially act like puppets to bring the story to its conclusion. I really hate it when the bad guys pause in the middle of killing people or abducting them so that their victims can conveniently make a getaway and get chased into another confrontation that is supposed to thrill the reader. Yawn. And the guilty secret that had been torturing the main character for years, it did not ring true to me. It seemed contrived and was resolved with a few minutes of deep reflection. Yawn.
Still, I found Jo Beckett to be an engaging character and wanted to learn more about the mysterious Gabe Quintana. I plan to read the next book in the series, hoping it elaborates on these characters and that it does not run out of steam at the end and land itself in a muddle of contrivances.
Still, I found Jo Beckett to be an engaging character and wanted to learn more about the mysterious Gabe Quintana. I plan to read the next book in the series, hoping it elaborates on these characters and that it does not run out of steam at the end and land itself in a muddle of contrivances.
June 2, 2009
I listened to the audio version of this book and I think the narration really detracted from my enjoyment of the story. The narrator read in a melodramatic, on-the-verge-of-hysteria sort of manner that was very annoying.
June 20, 2011
Nice to read a new author for a change. The main character is a forensic psychiatrist. Interesting. Of course she solves the murders, not the police. But the police are there to help.
this is the first in the series so I will be looking for additional books!
this is the first in the series so I will be looking for additional books!
February 19, 2020
4,5 stars
This was, so far, the first book closer to 5 stars this year. I really enjoyed this reading, it got my interest in such a big way that I read most of it in only one day.
This book is about very disturbing people that commited acts of great violence and, that violence allowed them entry into a special Club. Some of them are looking for redemption, others not so much. And when an application went deeply wrong, well, it led to a spree of horrendous murders, inicially disguised as accidents and suicides, that forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, joining Lieutenant Amy Tang, will investigate.
I liked Jo Beckett, she's a tough woman and very determined in finding the truth. And she's got a Samurai sword, how cool is that?! And you should see her dealing with a monkey. Seriously! LOL
This is also my first book by Meg Gardiner and I can't wait to read more.
This was, so far, the first book closer to 5 stars this year. I really enjoyed this reading, it got my interest in such a big way that I read most of it in only one day.
This book is about very disturbing people that commited acts of great violence and, that violence allowed them entry into a special Club. Some of them are looking for redemption, others not so much. And when an application went deeply wrong, well, it led to a spree of horrendous murders, inicially disguised as accidents and suicides, that forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, joining Lieutenant Amy Tang, will investigate.
I liked Jo Beckett, she's a tough woman and very determined in finding the truth. And she's got a Samurai sword, how cool is that?! And you should see her dealing with a monkey. Seriously! LOL
This is also my first book by Meg Gardiner and I can't wait to read more.
April 12, 2018
Very good thriller. Set in San Francisco. Jo Beckett, a forensic psychiatrist, is asked to help the SFPD analyze what has happened following several supposed suicides. Could they be murder? Suspenseful, with interesting characters.
April 29, 2021
This was an average novel, a compilation of many familiar tropes, not horrible but not fantastic. There’s trouble for those in The Dirty Secrets Club, individuals who find pleasure in revealing their nastiest sins to become a member. Of course, things go askew. 2.5 up to 3 stars.
September 20, 2024
Prior to this book, I had only read Meg Gardiner’s UNSUB series. This book starts a 4-book series that predates the UNSUB series. This first-in-the-series is a terrific ride! with well-drawn characters, a complex plot, and is set in San Francisco and the Bay Area and provides a very good “sense of place”. It is about a forensic psychiatrist who investigates lives to try to determine why people died, particularly suicides. Now looking forward to reading the rest of this series!
April 19, 2017
I had a hard time getting into this book, but once I did it was really engaging. I hope to read the next one in this series.
July 7, 2017
What happens when people have more money than brains.
June 9, 2010
3.0 out of 5 stars Don't join this club..., June 16, 2009
This review is from: The Dirty Secrets Club (Jo Beckett) (Hardcover)
First in a new series, this book starts out interesting and then sort of devolves into pedestrian suspense thriller fare. Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist called in to examine a spate of high profile deaths that involve the rich and famous and that appear to be spectacular murder/suicides. Jo is paired with SFPD detective Amy Tang as they start interviewing all of those connected to the most recent case of US Attorney Callie Harding - who seemingly ended her life in a spectacular auto crash. Touted by some as a saint, it appears that she was the originator of a private group called the Dirty Secrets Club. This club was a haven for those who had committed severe transgressions in their past lives and now wanted - that's the question - were they looking for absolution? Penance? Or perhaps, even PRAISE? It soon becomes apparent that the members of this club have been targeted by someone for extinction - and in very cruel and sadistic ways. Who is behind these deaths and why are the club members being killed? Jo and Amy race against the clock, even as a series of earthquakes strike San Francisco, to expose the diabolical plot and capture the killer(s) before it's too late.
This book was OK but went on a little long. The characters were mildly interesting but I found the flipping between past and present annoying as details were revealed only in snippets. We knew who the killer was and his motive very early into the story but all in all, it was sort of thin and I couldn't work up much energy to really care about any of the characters in the book. I will read the second in the series to see if further exposure provides more depth and a more interesting story.
This review is from: The Dirty Secrets Club (Jo Beckett) (Hardcover)
First in a new series, this book starts out interesting and then sort of devolves into pedestrian suspense thriller fare. Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist called in to examine a spate of high profile deaths that involve the rich and famous and that appear to be spectacular murder/suicides. Jo is paired with SFPD detective Amy Tang as they start interviewing all of those connected to the most recent case of US Attorney Callie Harding - who seemingly ended her life in a spectacular auto crash. Touted by some as a saint, it appears that she was the originator of a private group called the Dirty Secrets Club. This club was a haven for those who had committed severe transgressions in their past lives and now wanted - that's the question - were they looking for absolution? Penance? Or perhaps, even PRAISE? It soon becomes apparent that the members of this club have been targeted by someone for extinction - and in very cruel and sadistic ways. Who is behind these deaths and why are the club members being killed? Jo and Amy race against the clock, even as a series of earthquakes strike San Francisco, to expose the diabolical plot and capture the killer(s) before it's too late.
This book was OK but went on a little long. The characters were mildly interesting but I found the flipping between past and present annoying as details were revealed only in snippets. We knew who the killer was and his motive very early into the story but all in all, it was sort of thin and I couldn't work up much energy to really care about any of the characters in the book. I will read the second in the series to see if further exposure provides more depth and a more interesting story.
February 10, 2012
Goodreads Description- An ongoing string of high-profile and very public murder-suicides has San Francisco even more rattled than a string of recent earthquakes: A flamboyant fashion designer burns to death, clutching the body of his murdered lover. A superstar 49er jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge. And most shocking of all, a U.S. attorney launches her BMW off a highway overpass, killing herself and three others. Enter forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett, hired by the SFPD to cut open not the victim's body, but the victim's life. Jo's job is to complete the psychological autopsy, shedding light on the circumstances of any equivocal death. Soon she makes a shocking discovery: All the suicides belonged to something called the Dirty Secrets Club, a group of A-listers with nothing but money and plenty to hide. As the deaths continue, Jo delves into the disturbing motives behind this shadowy group - until she receives a letter that contains a dark secret Jo thought she'd left deep in her past, a secret that ends with the most chilling words of all: Welcome to the Dirty Secrets Club.
I love the idea of a forensic psychiatrist! What a different way to tell a mystery story. It must be hard for mystery writers to come up with something new and unique and this is the first I have read of someone who does a "psychological autopsy". The book had me sucked in right from the start. It is action packed with lots of plot twists. I had a very hard time putting it down. I am definitely going to be reading more of this series. 4 stars!
I love the idea of a forensic psychiatrist! What a different way to tell a mystery story. It must be hard for mystery writers to come up with something new and unique and this is the first I have read of someone who does a "psychological autopsy". The book had me sucked in right from the start. It is action packed with lots of plot twists. I had a very hard time putting it down. I am definitely going to be reading more of this series. 4 stars!
January 25, 2016
“The Dirty Secrets Club” by Meg Gardiner, published by Dutton.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – July, 2008.
The first question that came to my mind was, “What is a forensic psychiatrist”? It is not someone who does an autopsy but when who looks into the life of the deceased to see if they can help determine the reasons for their death.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist in San Francisco and is faced with multiple murder-suicides. The first and most baffling is an attorney who drives her BMW at breakneck speed and kills herself and three others. Just before this occurs she asks a police officer, who has been chasing her, for “Help”. The third attempt is made by a star 49er football player who jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Jo tries to figure out what made these people, who seem to have everything to live for, commit suicide. She discovers that they all belong to “The Dirty Secrets Club”. The Club is made up of individuals who have damning secrets in their past lives. It also has another nefarious distinction as being part of a government operation.
Jo must get to the bottom of the murder-suicides before the next person becomes a victim of a heinous murder plot.
A different and exciting read that is fast paced and baffling as Jo Beckett sifts through peoples lives to solve the case.
Category – Mystery/Thriller Publication Date – July, 2008.
The first question that came to my mind was, “What is a forensic psychiatrist”? It is not someone who does an autopsy but when who looks into the life of the deceased to see if they can help determine the reasons for their death.
Jo Beckett is a forensic psychiatrist in San Francisco and is faced with multiple murder-suicides. The first and most baffling is an attorney who drives her BMW at breakneck speed and kills herself and three others. Just before this occurs she asks a police officer, who has been chasing her, for “Help”. The third attempt is made by a star 49er football player who jumps off the Golden Gate Bridge.
Jo tries to figure out what made these people, who seem to have everything to live for, commit suicide. She discovers that they all belong to “The Dirty Secrets Club”. The Club is made up of individuals who have damning secrets in their past lives. It also has another nefarious distinction as being part of a government operation.
Jo must get to the bottom of the murder-suicides before the next person becomes a victim of a heinous murder plot.
A different and exciting read that is fast paced and baffling as Jo Beckett sifts through peoples lives to solve the case.
July 25, 2009
Awesome read! I enjoyed the audio version of this book and had a hard time pulling the plug. I found myself listening to this book at any and all moments of the day because I couldn't put it down! This was my first Meg Gardiner and I know that I'll be checking out other books by her in the near future.
I never knew about that there was such a position as a forensic psychiatrist, so Jo's job in this book was eye-opening. It was interesting and she was such a great character. While there were many characters in the book, Jo is the main one and the only one that is truly developed. In fact, I can't even remember the names of many of the side characters. They just weren't that critical to the story. But, that's not a negative. I liked getting to know Jo and really enjoyed the plot line of this book. It was something different but not so far fetched that it was unbelievable. I find that the more mystery/suspense books I read, the more they all seem to run together, but this one wasn't run of the mill for me. I'd like to listen to this one again, or read it the second time around just to see if I'd pick something up that I missed the first time.
Overall, great book! Fun, fast and entertaining. I highly recommend it!
I never knew about that there was such a position as a forensic psychiatrist, so Jo's job in this book was eye-opening. It was interesting and she was such a great character. While there were many characters in the book, Jo is the main one and the only one that is truly developed. In fact, I can't even remember the names of many of the side characters. They just weren't that critical to the story. But, that's not a negative. I liked getting to know Jo and really enjoyed the plot line of this book. It was something different but not so far fetched that it was unbelievable. I find that the more mystery/suspense books I read, the more they all seem to run together, but this one wasn't run of the mill for me. I'd like to listen to this one again, or read it the second time around just to see if I'd pick something up that I missed the first time.
Overall, great book! Fun, fast and entertaining. I highly recommend it!
August 4, 2008
Let me start by saying that Meg Gardiner is a great up and coming author. I have read all of her Evan Delaney mysteries and would encourage anyone to seek them out. They are not available in the U.S. at bookstores, but you can order them from amazon or other sources. I suspect they will be published in the U.S. if DSC is a success.
The Dirty Secrets Club introduces us to a new Gardiner character, a forensic psychologist. The book has a brilliant premise and was headed for classic terrioty for the first two-thirds. Unfortunately the last act hinges on such a ridiculous coincidence that it almost ruins the novel. Add a monkey gimmick that starts out humorous then adds to the contrivance of the climax, and you walk away a little disappointed. BUT, this is worth a read for the intricate, original plot, great main character in Jo, fun, peripheral characters like Ferd, tension-filled action, and a sweet, developing romance. I would definitely read another book in the series, as the Delaney series got better with time. The ending to DSC seemed forced and unresolved. This is a good read, just not the OMG it could have been.
The Dirty Secrets Club introduces us to a new Gardiner character, a forensic psychologist. The book has a brilliant premise and was headed for classic terrioty for the first two-thirds. Unfortunately the last act hinges on such a ridiculous coincidence that it almost ruins the novel. Add a monkey gimmick that starts out humorous then adds to the contrivance of the climax, and you walk away a little disappointed. BUT, this is worth a read for the intricate, original plot, great main character in Jo, fun, peripheral characters like Ferd, tension-filled action, and a sweet, developing romance. I would definitely read another book in the series, as the Delaney series got better with time. The ending to DSC seemed forced and unresolved. This is a good read, just not the OMG it could have been.
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