Murderous Secrets

Tangled Empires #5

by Anna Harding

I’m often called a genius with a forensic mind. But I never thought marrying the woman I love would depend on solving a murder.

Nikolai Kostrov knows the odds of being allowed to wed his curvy Mafia princess are stacked against him. Still, he’s ready to put emotion before logic—risking everything for the woman who owns his heart.

But persuading the cold Capo dei Capi to hand his sister to the Bratva will take more than love—especially when Nikolai is suspected of killing the man the Mafia intended her to marry.

Now he must uncover the truth before their future is destroyed—because in this world, love isn’t enough to survive.

I’ve been scared of my brother all my life. And now I’m terrified to tell him I’ve fallen in love with his enemy.

As the sister of the Capo dei Capi, Isabella Dinelli is expected to marry for power, not for love. But she longs for the freedom to choose—just as her brother once claimed for himself.

Determined to fight for her heart, Isabella strikes a deal that drags her into the bloody shadows of the Mafia. But when she can’t go through with it, someone else does the unthinkable for her.

Now Isabella must uncover a killer—before murderous secrets tear her and Nikolai apart forever.

438 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 13, 2026

About the author

Anna Harding writes dark romance that cuts deep—psychological stories rooted in pain, power, and obsession. Her work explores the cost of survival, the pull of forbidden desire, and the emotional complexity of characters who live in a morally grey world. With a literary sensibility and an unflinching gaze, Anna crafts narratives that are as emotionally layered as they are addictive.

Her heroines are flawed, her anti-heroes dangerous, and her stories unapologetically intense.

Anna lives in the UK, teaches English Literature, doesn’t believe in housework, doesn’t believe in dieting and sometimes annoys the neighbours by yodelling. She likes walking her dog and also creates poetry under a different name.
Anna believes all her characters deserve a happy ending. But first, they have to earn it…

Reviews

[Crooger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the fact there’s a whodunnit in this one and the author kept me guessing who the murderer was until the reveal. Isabella and Nikolai are so perfect for each other. She’s this bratty princess and he’s this strategic genius. And of course Aurelios the Capo now and doesn’t want his sister marrying into the Bratva.
Theres more humour in this book and it introduces some characters we haven’t seen much of so far. The youngest Kostrov brother and his wedding planning made me laugh. I laughed so much when he put his neighbour’s cat on his enemies list!
I honestly didn’t trust anyone by the end of it.

[Anna Harding]

I didn't set out to write this one as a murder mystery but it worked so well for the plot that I couldn't resist it. Although this is book 5 in the Tangled Empires series, it also works as a duology with book 6 which deals with the aftermath from the fall out of the murder and the people involved.

The core of this book is how far would you go for someone you love. I think it is fair to say that in the case of Nikolai and Isabella, they would go a very long way indeed.