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Dog Walker #1
The Dog Walker: Secrets
Jane Ashcroft walks dogs under a false name, trying to stay quiet, unnoticed, untouchable.
But in every new town, something pulls her in. A wealthy family with secrets. A romance that isn’t what it seems. A client who might be a killer.
In The Dog Secrets, Jane arrives in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, where the Loomis family reigns over an estate brimming with privilege, power, and carefully buried truths. At first, it seems like the perfect job—steady work, an amazing dog, and an unexpected chance at love. But the deeper Jane is drawn inside, the more dangerous the game becomes.
Smart, addictive, and emotionally layered, The Dog Secrets is a psychological thriller for readers who crave depth, danger, and a heroine who never forgets.
Author’s
While The Dog Secrets is the recommended starting point for the series, the novels can be read in any order. Each story stands alone with new secrets, new dangers, and the same unforgettable heroine. I hope you enjoy all of them!
—D.L. Maddox
But in every new town, something pulls her in. A wealthy family with secrets. A romance that isn’t what it seems. A client who might be a killer.
In The Dog Secrets, Jane arrives in Old Saybrook, Connecticut, where the Loomis family reigns over an estate brimming with privilege, power, and carefully buried truths. At first, it seems like the perfect job—steady work, an amazing dog, and an unexpected chance at love. But the deeper Jane is drawn inside, the more dangerous the game becomes.
Smart, addictive, and emotionally layered, The Dog Secrets is a psychological thriller for readers who crave depth, danger, and a heroine who never forgets.
Author’s
While The Dog Secrets is the recommended starting point for the series, the novels can be read in any order. Each story stands alone with new secrets, new dangers, and the same unforgettable heroine. I hope you enjoy all of them!
—D.L. Maddox
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 15, 2025
268 people are currently reading
8808 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 27, 2025
I just finished The Dog Walker: Secrets, by D.L. Maddox, and I can’t stop thinking about it!
The author is compelling you to enter a world webbed with secrets in a flawless medium. Although this is released at a later stage, the story leads with prequel effects of its follow-up version.
The storyline moves around Jane Ashcroft, who moves to a new place in search of a quiet and fresh start from her shifts. Contrary to her expectations, her new role as the Loomis family’s dog walker quickly turns into a suspense-bound experience. She found that the place was filled with elegance, mystery, and secrets which would be revealed in layers, gradually adding the essence of thriller and presenting the fact that nothing is perfect in this perfectly seemed world. The twists kept me guessing, and the slow unravelling of family secrets made it impossible to put down.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with dark secrets, layered characters, and a touch of romance, this book is a gripping, unforgettable read.
The author is compelling you to enter a world webbed with secrets in a flawless medium. Although this is released at a later stage, the story leads with prequel effects of its follow-up version.
The storyline moves around Jane Ashcroft, who moves to a new place in search of a quiet and fresh start from her shifts. Contrary to her expectations, her new role as the Loomis family’s dog walker quickly turns into a suspense-bound experience. She found that the place was filled with elegance, mystery, and secrets which would be revealed in layers, gradually adding the essence of thriller and presenting the fact that nothing is perfect in this perfectly seemed world. The twists kept me guessing, and the slow unravelling of family secrets made it impossible to put down.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with dark secrets, layered characters, and a touch of romance, this book is a gripping, unforgettable read.
August 15, 2025
‘Everything meant something. You just didn’t always know what until later’ - A thriller!
Adding to the suspense of this psychological thriller is the ‘secret’ identity of the fine author who assumes the nom de plume of D.L. Maddox for creating this excellent second volume of The Dog Walker series, stories driven by emotional realism, layered suspense, and protagonists who confront danger with resilience and complexity. As Maddox offers, ‘Each book in The Dog Walker series follows Jane into a new city, a new set of secrets, and a new danger she didn’t ask for – but can’t walk away from.’
Grasping the readers’ attention, this new volume takes place in Connecticut, and the aura of the main character is captured in the opening lines: ‘The floor creaked when Jane stepped onto the front porch barefoot, a chipped ceramic mug warming her hands. Maple Avenue was still quiet, the kind of small-town quiet that didn’t set off alarms – but never truly felt safe. Not to her. Morning sunlight spilled over the rooflines, catching on the edges of picket fences and lilac bushes in bloom. Her bungalow, if you could call it that, was barely more than a glorified shack…But it was hers. Rented in cash, under a name no one had questioned, with a lease that asked no questions…’ New state, new thrills!
The plot is condensed as follows: ‘At the Loomis Estate, every secret has its price. Jane Ashcroft is starting over in Old Saybrook, Connecticut—new town, new job, same rules: stay quiet, stay useful, stay unnoticed. Her newest client, the Loomis family, resides in a vast estate along the coast, and nothing about them feels ordinary. The matriarch is elegant and exacting. The staff, formal and watchful. And then there’s Graham—the disarming grandson with a sailor’s charm and a past Jane can’t quite decode. She knows better than to get involved. But the pull is real. She tells herself it’s just a job. She’s just the dog walker. But the longer she stays, the more twisted the whispers become. There’s an uncle no one talks about. Rumors that won't stay buried. And eyes—always watching, even when she’s alone. Until Jane isn’t sure whether she’s the outsider… or the target.’
Maddox continues to impress with writing skills that further sustain both interest and admiration. This superb novel stands well on its own, but likely the reader will stay with this entire excellent psychological thriller series.
Adding to the suspense of this psychological thriller is the ‘secret’ identity of the fine author who assumes the nom de plume of D.L. Maddox for creating this excellent second volume of The Dog Walker series, stories driven by emotional realism, layered suspense, and protagonists who confront danger with resilience and complexity. As Maddox offers, ‘Each book in The Dog Walker series follows Jane into a new city, a new set of secrets, and a new danger she didn’t ask for – but can’t walk away from.’
Grasping the readers’ attention, this new volume takes place in Connecticut, and the aura of the main character is captured in the opening lines: ‘The floor creaked when Jane stepped onto the front porch barefoot, a chipped ceramic mug warming her hands. Maple Avenue was still quiet, the kind of small-town quiet that didn’t set off alarms – but never truly felt safe. Not to her. Morning sunlight spilled over the rooflines, catching on the edges of picket fences and lilac bushes in bloom. Her bungalow, if you could call it that, was barely more than a glorified shack…But it was hers. Rented in cash, under a name no one had questioned, with a lease that asked no questions…’ New state, new thrills!
The plot is condensed as follows: ‘At the Loomis Estate, every secret has its price. Jane Ashcroft is starting over in Old Saybrook, Connecticut—new town, new job, same rules: stay quiet, stay useful, stay unnoticed. Her newest client, the Loomis family, resides in a vast estate along the coast, and nothing about them feels ordinary. The matriarch is elegant and exacting. The staff, formal and watchful. And then there’s Graham—the disarming grandson with a sailor’s charm and a past Jane can’t quite decode. She knows better than to get involved. But the pull is real. She tells herself it’s just a job. She’s just the dog walker. But the longer she stays, the more twisted the whispers become. There’s an uncle no one talks about. Rumors that won't stay buried. And eyes—always watching, even when she’s alone. Until Jane isn’t sure whether she’s the outsider… or the target.’
Maddox continues to impress with writing skills that further sustain both interest and admiration. This superb novel stands well on its own, but likely the reader will stay with this entire excellent psychological thriller series.
August 17, 2025
The first book I read in this series, The Dog Walker prequel, was fantastic. It was fresh on my mind when this book came up, and I knew I had to read it. However, I quickly realized that even though this wasn’t the first book out for The Dog Walker series, it didn’t matter which one I read first.
It seems on-brand for Jane, our main character, to find herself doing a relatively regular job (dog walking), but ending up in a completely upside-down situation. Unfortunately, her life of excitement isn’t of the glitz and glamour variety.
Maddox has crafted this universe a little too well. A typical, quiet neighborhood with dark secrets? Yeah, I’m peeking out my blinds and side-eyeing my neighbors. The insidious part of this is that it creeps into you. Excellent work, absolutely recommend if psychological thrillers are your jam!
It seems on-brand for Jane, our main character, to find herself doing a relatively regular job (dog walking), but ending up in a completely upside-down situation. Unfortunately, her life of excitement isn’t of the glitz and glamour variety.
Maddox has crafted this universe a little too well. A typical, quiet neighborhood with dark secrets? Yeah, I’m peeking out my blinds and side-eyeing my neighbors. The insidious part of this is that it creeps into you. Excellent work, absolutely recommend if psychological thrillers are your jam!
October 1, 2025
Jane works as a dog walker, but has a secret past. When she is hired by the very wealthy Loomis family to care for Fable on their estate, Fable is reluctant to warm to Jane. However, Jane keeps working to gain the dog's trust. Graham, the Loomis matriarch's grandson, takes an interest in Jane. But, Jane keeps getting warnings to stay away from the family. With the help of her friend, R, Jane tries to determine what is happening with the Loomis family, the strange uncle Ben, and the women who were supposedly tortured.
A tense thriller which keeps you guessing who are the good ones and who aren't. There are more Jane the Dog Walker books coming in the series - I look forward to reading them.
A tense thriller which keeps you guessing who are the good ones and who aren't. There are more Jane the Dog Walker books coming in the series - I look forward to reading them.
October 5, 2025
A quick fast paced read
Enjoyed it
Enjoyed it
October 5, 2025
The Dog Walker: Secrets: A Psychological Thriller by D.L. Maddox is the second book I have read in this series. While there’s a prequel, each story works as a standalone.
This installment follows Jane Ashcroft to a new city in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Her mission is the same as always, walk the family dog, stay quiet, and keep to herself. But Jane isn’t her real name; she has a past and secrets she is desperate to keep hidden.
She takes a job with the wealthy Loomis family, where things begin smoothly as she earns the trust of their dog and fits in with the staff well enough. In this book she works for the Loomis family, a very wealthy and privileged family. Things start to get complicated when Graham enters the picture, blurring the line between simply doing her job and becoming more deeply entangled with the family.
I enjoyed the deeper development of Jane’s character in this book. The writing is engaging, the pacing is a slow burn, and the suspense keeps you guessing a bit about who the real threat might be. I look forward to reading more books by D.L. Maddox.
This installment follows Jane Ashcroft to a new city in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Her mission is the same as always, walk the family dog, stay quiet, and keep to herself. But Jane isn’t her real name; she has a past and secrets she is desperate to keep hidden.
She takes a job with the wealthy Loomis family, where things begin smoothly as she earns the trust of their dog and fits in with the staff well enough. In this book she works for the Loomis family, a very wealthy and privileged family. Things start to get complicated when Graham enters the picture, blurring the line between simply doing her job and becoming more deeply entangled with the family.
I enjoyed the deeper development of Jane’s character in this book. The writing is engaging, the pacing is a slow burn, and the suspense keeps you guessing a bit about who the real threat might be. I look forward to reading more books by D.L. Maddox.
October 13, 2025
This is the second book I’ve picked up from this series and author. I started off with the prequel and then moved on to this one. What’s great is that each book can be completely read as a standalone, since they’re set in different places. Especially, since it’s even mentioned in the author’s note.
I absolutely loved the start of the book. The way the author draws you in with such detailed descriptions of the scene and what’s happening really helps you picture everything vividly in your mind.
Of course, you read a book like this mainly for the entertainment it offers. It’s a crime thriller with plenty of mystery. If you find yourself wondering how Jane always ends up in these situations, that’s part of the fun. I mean, come on, she’s the heroine, after all, and it is a mystery! You might as well just enjoy the ride. Adding on to that, the characters are easy to connect with, and Jane’s personality makes the story even more enjoyable.
Overall, the book is just as well-written and engaging as the prequel. I really enjoyed it, and it helped pass the time. I usually try to take my time with books, but I kept thinking about what would happen next! So, if you enjoy mysteries with strong female leads and a good mix of crime and curiosity, this one’s worth picking up.
I absolutely loved the start of the book. The way the author draws you in with such detailed descriptions of the scene and what’s happening really helps you picture everything vividly in your mind.
Of course, you read a book like this mainly for the entertainment it offers. It’s a crime thriller with plenty of mystery. If you find yourself wondering how Jane always ends up in these situations, that’s part of the fun. I mean, come on, she’s the heroine, after all, and it is a mystery! You might as well just enjoy the ride. Adding on to that, the characters are easy to connect with, and Jane’s personality makes the story even more enjoyable.
Overall, the book is just as well-written and engaging as the prequel. I really enjoyed it, and it helped pass the time. I usually try to take my time with books, but I kept thinking about what would happen next! So, if you enjoy mysteries with strong female leads and a good mix of crime and curiosity, this one’s worth picking up.
September 28, 2025
I recently finished title 'The Dog Walker: Secrets' by D L Maddox and thoroughly enjoyed it. This well webbed thriller doesn’t rely on constant action but instead builds a steady, creeping sense of unease that kept me hooked till the end.
The story is about Jane Ashcroft, a woman living under a false identity who takes a job as a dog walker for the wealthy Loomis family. What appears to be an ideal work swifltly turns disturbing. Further she uncovers odd rules, hidden cameras, and tense family dynamics which make Jane question her safety while she struggles to keep her own past hidden.
What I loved most was how teh author gradually layers the suspense. Jane's character is drafted well to feel complex and flawed, which makes the story both gripping and unpredictable. There are plenty of thriller sub-plots—secrets, surveillance, forbidden connections—but they’re used in a way that feels fresh.
Some threads remain unresolved, but that ambiguity adds to the eerie atmosphere for me, rather than detracting from it.
I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with depth—more about secrets, identity, and quiet tension than never ending twists.
The story is about Jane Ashcroft, a woman living under a false identity who takes a job as a dog walker for the wealthy Loomis family. What appears to be an ideal work swifltly turns disturbing. Further she uncovers odd rules, hidden cameras, and tense family dynamics which make Jane question her safety while she struggles to keep her own past hidden.
What I loved most was how teh author gradually layers the suspense. Jane's character is drafted well to feel complex and flawed, which makes the story both gripping and unpredictable. There are plenty of thriller sub-plots—secrets, surveillance, forbidden connections—but they’re used in a way that feels fresh.
Some threads remain unresolved, but that ambiguity adds to the eerie atmosphere for me, rather than detracting from it.
I’d recommend this to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with depth—more about secrets, identity, and quiet tension than never ending twists.
August 18, 2025
The Dog Walker: Secrets is the second book in D.L. Maddox’s A Dog Walker series. Jane Ashcroft conceals a secret identity and dreads her wealthy new client discovering her true self. Complications intensify when she begins dating her boss’s grandson, Graham, whose boldness and independence set him apart from his family. Yet the family harbors dangerous secrets. Will Jane find the love she desperately seeks, or stumble into a deadly deception?
D.L. Maddox is an exceptional writer. Reading the prequel in The Dog Walker series is beneficial, but not essential, to enjoy The Dog Walker: Secrets. The psychological thriller keeps you guessing what comes next and which truths will surface. You will remain riveted as Jane confronts the menace lurking nearby. The characters conceal their motives until the final reveal. Overall, I admired how events culminated. You’ll want to order the next book as soon as you finish this one.
D.L. Maddox is an exceptional writer. Reading the prequel in The Dog Walker series is beneficial, but not essential, to enjoy The Dog Walker: Secrets. The psychological thriller keeps you guessing what comes next and which truths will surface. You will remain riveted as Jane confronts the menace lurking nearby. The characters conceal their motives until the final reveal. Overall, I admired how events culminated. You’ll want to order the next book as soon as you finish this one.
November 3, 2025
This is dark very dark book. For anyone in or was in an abusive relationship this book is not for you. Jane takes what looks like a dream come true job as an exclusive dog walker for a wealthy and very prestigious family, There are numerous hints that all is not well within said family and 'incidents'start to happen. Unfortunately by this time Jane has fallen in love with the shining star son but also the dog! jane has her own secrets or so she thought....The more I read the uglier it got and it was to the point just get me to the end please. Gave it 3 stars because while I had problems with the story the writing was good.
December 13, 2025
Finely written.
The author is using a pen name here. I wonder about his identity, because the book shows a level of accomplishment and skill not commonly seen. It's beautifully phrased, and absent are the usual plot themes and turns of style so often clung to by novice writers. Information isn't given gratuitously. It's revealed only when necessary.
The story is gripping, with writing that allows the reader to become engaged. I was captivated and will immediately pick up the next book in the series. Highly recommend.
The author is using a pen name here. I wonder about his identity, because the book shows a level of accomplishment and skill not commonly seen. It's beautifully phrased, and absent are the usual plot themes and turns of style so often clung to by novice writers. Information isn't given gratuitously. It's revealed only when necessary.
The story is gripping, with writing that allows the reader to become engaged. I was captivated and will immediately pick up the next book in the series. Highly recommend.
December 19, 2025
A young woman with a mysterious past that included time in prison becomes a dog walker for a very wealthy family. She meets the handsome son who loves sailing and also his uncle who is kept isolated in a home with a security guard to keep him there. She falls for the son and the very smart Malinois she is caring for at the estate. She begins to learn more about the family and their secrets. Book #1 is a great introduction to the main character who will be back in several more books that spill more of what she is all about.
December 6, 2025
Hidden Secrets Thriller
Who exactly is Jane, the dog walker, and what secrets are hidden at her wealthy employers estate? Well written and expertly plotted, this story draws you in and won’t let go.
Who exactly is Jane, the dog walker, and what secrets are hidden at her wealthy employers estate? Well written and expertly plotted, this story draws you in and won’t let go.
December 21, 2025
I like the writing and the plot is somewhat unexpected but expected right from the start. A lot of "plot-holes" as in no involvement with the death of Ben , and also suddenly introducing this Ben character when Graham want to introduce Jane to Ben.
Fable is my favorite character by far!
Fable is my favorite character by far!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 5, 2025
Really Good Read
Characters are complex and engaging. Plot is complex without being convoluted. Plus there’s a dog!
Looking forward to more books.
Characters are complex and engaging. Plot is complex without being convoluted. Plus there’s a dog!
Looking forward to more books.
December 7, 2025
Good book.
December 19, 2025
Wow is about all I can say was good but ending surprised me in fact shocked me.
August 15, 2025
The Dog Walker: Secrets is a fantastic psychological thriller that pulls back the layers of calm suburbia to discover disturbing realities. The book follows an average dog walker, Jane, whose habitual walks lead to dark, linked mysteries. With clear style and increasing tension, the story effectively mixes suspense and emotional depth. Twists are well placed, and just when you think you've worked it out, another surprise follows. Jane is approachable and fascinating, bringing you into her broken world. This book is perfect for fans of slow-burning thrillers with terrifying twists and complicated, untrustworthy characters. While this book was released second, it is intended as the first book in the series. However, it can be read out of sequence; it's that good. A compelling read and one worth diving into. Recommended.
November 29, 2025
“Paradise Bluff was beautiful, but beauty here had sharp edges. It smiled at you while it kept its secrets buried just beneath the surface.”
D. L. Maddox doesn’t just tell a story, she pulls you into a world that feels quiet on the outside but is crawling with secrets underneath. In The Dog Walker: Secrets, the second book in the series, we’re back in the mysterious suburb of Paradise Bluff, where things look picture-perfect but something is always just a little… off.
This time, there’s a new disappearance, old pain bubbling back to the surface, and a whole new set of clues that pull Margaret deeper into the mystery. The tension builds slowly, which is exactly what makes it so gripping. There are no over-the-top action scenes, just a creeping feeling that danger is closing in, little by little.
It takes its time and makes you lean in, look closer, and question what’s really going on beneath all the calm. If you liked the first book, this one takes it up a notch.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
D. L. Maddox doesn’t just tell a story, she pulls you into a world that feels quiet on the outside but is crawling with secrets underneath. In The Dog Walker: Secrets, the second book in the series, we’re back in the mysterious suburb of Paradise Bluff, where things look picture-perfect but something is always just a little… off.
This time, there’s a new disappearance, old pain bubbling back to the surface, and a whole new set of clues that pull Margaret deeper into the mystery. The tension builds slowly, which is exactly what makes it so gripping. There are no over-the-top action scenes, just a creeping feeling that danger is closing in, little by little.
It takes its time and makes you lean in, look closer, and question what’s really going on beneath all the calm. If you liked the first book, this one takes it up a notch.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews