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The Secrets We Shared
Not yet published
Expected 3 Nov 26Five are dead. You're next.
Five strangers board the London Eye for an exclusive VIP experience. Locked inside a private capsule, they rise into the summer sky. But when the capsule returns to the ground, all five are dead.
Eve Brennan was supposed to be with them, the migraine that made her cancel had saved her life. Now, detectives are at her door, asking whether her absence was a lucky coincidence or part of a violent plan. Determined to uncover the truth, Eve takes on an investigation of her own.
As she delves into the victims' lives, meeting the families they left behind, she searches for the one connection that could explain why they were targeted. Because whoever planned this is still out there...and they want Eve dead.
Five strangers board the London Eye for an exclusive VIP experience. Locked inside a private capsule, they rise into the summer sky. But when the capsule returns to the ground, all five are dead.
Eve Brennan was supposed to be with them, the migraine that made her cancel had saved her life. Now, detectives are at her door, asking whether her absence was a lucky coincidence or part of a violent plan. Determined to uncover the truth, Eve takes on an investigation of her own.
As she delves into the victims' lives, meeting the families they left behind, she searches for the one connection that could explain why they were targeted. Because whoever planned this is still out there...and they want Eve dead.
354 pages, Paperback
Expected publication November 3, 2026
About the author
M.L. Davis
2 books12 followersM.L. Davis is a novelist from South West England.
She has a passion for writing thriller/crime novels and finds inspiration in big cities, long train journeys, and the vulnerability of human nature.
In 2022 she graduated with a degree in Literature and Creative Writing and is now studying for a Masters in Health and Wellbeing. She works as an Operations Manager in a busy NHS GP Practice.
M.L. Davis also runs a blog with advice, tips, and inspiration on writing;
www.mldavis.co.uk
Vanishing Act is M.L. Davis' debut novel.
She has a passion for writing thriller/crime novels and finds inspiration in big cities, long train journeys, and the vulnerability of human nature.
In 2022 she graduated with a degree in Literature and Creative Writing and is now studying for a Masters in Health and Wellbeing. She works as an Operations Manager in a busy NHS GP Practice.
M.L. Davis also runs a blog with advice, tips, and inspiration on writing;
www.mldavis.co.uk
Vanishing Act is M.L. Davis' debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Review of advance copy
Five strangers step into a private capsule on the London Eye, but when it completes its rotation, all five are dead. Reverend Eve Brennan was supposed to be the sixth passenger, only a migraine kept her at home. The Secrets We Shared has such a solid setup, and I needed answers straight away. How the heck did this happen? Who killed whom? Talk about chaos at close quarters.
Given Eve’s narrow escape, she ends up working alongside the police and speaking to the people closest to each victim, hoping something in their lives might explain why they were all brought together. Getting to know each of them outside of that night, through the people who knew them best, was one of the more intriguing parts for me. There are plenty of details in their pasts that raise questions, but it does get quite busy once family members, partners and friends are added into the mix, and there were definitely times I had to stop and remind myself who belonged to who.
The middle does slow down a little as Eve goes from one person’s story to the next, and some of the backstories felt more detailed than I personally needed. The writing can be fairly descriptive at times too, although I did enjoy the changing locations, particularly Brighton, Newquay, Belfast and, of course, the London Eye itself, which helped give the investigation a broader feel.
The more we learn about Eve, the more obvious it becomes that she’s got her own can of worms waiting to be opened. There had to be a reason she was meant to be in that capsule too, so I was just as curious about what she was hiding as I was about what connected the five victims. I liked the way the book builds that web of lies around her past, especially with all the guilt, half-truths and things that have been kept buried for years.
Things really start flying once the bigger reveals kick in, and there is a lot packed into the last part of the book. A few things stretched believability for me, and it does get pretty tangled, but the story answers the questions it sets up. By the end, I knew why these people had been chosen and, most importantly, what really happened inside that London Eye capsule. Piecing it all together was half the fun, and even with a few wild turns, I thought the payoff was satisfying.
Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Given Eve’s narrow escape, she ends up working alongside the police and speaking to the people closest to each victim, hoping something in their lives might explain why they were all brought together. Getting to know each of them outside of that night, through the people who knew them best, was one of the more intriguing parts for me. There are plenty of details in their pasts that raise questions, but it does get quite busy once family members, partners and friends are added into the mix, and there were definitely times I had to stop and remind myself who belonged to who.
The middle does slow down a little as Eve goes from one person’s story to the next, and some of the backstories felt more detailed than I personally needed. The writing can be fairly descriptive at times too, although I did enjoy the changing locations, particularly Brighton, Newquay, Belfast and, of course, the London Eye itself, which helped give the investigation a broader feel.
The more we learn about Eve, the more obvious it becomes that she’s got her own can of worms waiting to be opened. There had to be a reason she was meant to be in that capsule too, so I was just as curious about what she was hiding as I was about what connected the five victims. I liked the way the book builds that web of lies around her past, especially with all the guilt, half-truths and things that have been kept buried for years.
Things really start flying once the bigger reveals kick in, and there is a lot packed into the last part of the book. A few things stretched believability for me, and it does get pretty tangled, but the story answers the questions it sets up. By the end, I knew why these people had been chosen and, most importantly, what really happened inside that London Eye capsule. Piecing it all together was half the fun, and even with a few wild turns, I thought the payoff was satisfying.
Thanks to BookSirens for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 30, 2026
Highly recommended
I love a good mystery thriller, especially one with an unexpected twist. Well, this book had more twists than a liquorice stick! I absolutely loved it. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another surprise came along. I had no idea how it was going to end until I turned the very last page, which, incidentally, I finished in the early hours of the morning. A real page-turner that kept me guessing right to the end.
I love a good mystery thriller, especially one with an unexpected twist. Well, this book had more twists than a liquorice stick! I absolutely loved it. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another surprise came along. I had no idea how it was going to end until I turned the very last page, which, incidentally, I finished in the early hours of the morning. A real page-turner that kept me guessing right to the end.
Review of advance copy received from Author
When five strangers are murdered in a private capsule at the London Eye, Eve is called on to find the connection between the strangers because she was supposed to be in the capsule. Eve is devastated yet determined to figure out the connection and who wanted her to be in the capsule! This is a fast-paced popcorn thriller. Once the characters were introduced, I was engaged in the story. There were so many connections, and as the story moved on, I had so many questions that kept me flipping the page. I enjoyed how Eve’s past was integrated into the story. The ending was a bit too far-fetched for me, but I enjoyed the ride. I enjoyed the dual timeline, and the past was a very interesting story. If you love a mystery that connects seemingly unconnected strangers, this is your next read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
The story was based around five strangers who were invited on a VIP experience on The London Eye. When the capsule returned all five were dead.
Reverend Eve Brannan should have been the sixth person on the capsule but due to a migraine didn't make it and this may have saved her life.
When Detective Michael Turner turned up at her door asking questions her wasn't sure if Eve was lucky or part of a violent plan.
Eve assisted the police in looking into the victims background I feel mainly to try and clear her name and find out where the links were between her and the victims, if any. The book isn't fast paced at the beginning but for me this made it better as when Eve started visiting the victims families and asking questions the Author's great descriptive writing gave you an in-depth knowledge of both the families and the victims backgrounds.
When each family was talking to Eve it also flipped between the families feelings, thoughts and experiences with their loved ones and what was going on in the victim's life before they died, sometimes unbeknown to the family. This is what made the book so good for me as I didn't know who was the most likely suspect as they all had their own struggles and they all had secrets they wanted to be kept hidden.
The writing was brilliant, I felt tense every time Eve went into a family's home as the person who organised the attack could still be out there. The plot twists later in the book just kept coming, they were shocking, brilliant and unexpected.
This is M.L. Davis' second book, I read her first book The Vanishing Act that was equally as good. I recommend this book if you love a good Mystery / Thriller book.
Reverend Eve Brannan should have been the sixth person on the capsule but due to a migraine didn't make it and this may have saved her life.
When Detective Michael Turner turned up at her door asking questions her wasn't sure if Eve was lucky or part of a violent plan.
Eve assisted the police in looking into the victims background I feel mainly to try and clear her name and find out where the links were between her and the victims, if any. The book isn't fast paced at the beginning but for me this made it better as when Eve started visiting the victims families and asking questions the Author's great descriptive writing gave you an in-depth knowledge of both the families and the victims backgrounds.
When each family was talking to Eve it also flipped between the families feelings, thoughts and experiences with their loved ones and what was going on in the victim's life before they died, sometimes unbeknown to the family. This is what made the book so good for me as I didn't know who was the most likely suspect as they all had their own struggles and they all had secrets they wanted to be kept hidden.
The writing was brilliant, I felt tense every time Eve went into a family's home as the person who organised the attack could still be out there. The plot twists later in the book just kept coming, they were shocking, brilliant and unexpected.
This is M.L. Davis' second book, I read her first book The Vanishing Act that was equally as good. I recommend this book if you love a good Mystery / Thriller book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to ML Davis for the copy of her book!
Five strangers meet at the London Eye for an exclusive VIP capsule experience. By the end of the ride, they're all dead- except for one guest who decided at the last minute to forgo the experience. Fate seems to have spared Eve Brannan, a vicar in a small community outside London, from death when she is pulled into the action by detective Turner arriving at her door to question her. Is Eve responsible in some way for the murders? How is she connected to the five strangers? Will she be targeted next?
What an immersive, thoughtful book. It's suspenseful while at the same time exploring guilt and life-time secrets that cause regret and immense pain.
I loved the premise that Eve becomes involved with interviewing the families in order to find a connection between their lives that would explain why the event occurred. At the same time, she lives out the regret and shame she holds for a secret that could be revealed about her past. All the characters’ lives coalesce into a wrenching narrative that you can't put down.
Twisting accounts from multiple points of view, exciting scenes with sinister characters, unknown motives, and the emotional toil of Eve and the survivors' families carries this book forward at a great pace and pulls the reader into the story.
When all is revealed the entire book becomes an intense story of survivors’ guilt wrapped in layers of baleful characters and their attempts at finding answers that may or may not be involved with everyone in the capsule.
I loved it!
Five strangers meet at the London Eye for an exclusive VIP capsule experience. By the end of the ride, they're all dead- except for one guest who decided at the last minute to forgo the experience. Fate seems to have spared Eve Brannan, a vicar in a small community outside London, from death when she is pulled into the action by detective Turner arriving at her door to question her. Is Eve responsible in some way for the murders? How is she connected to the five strangers? Will she be targeted next?
What an immersive, thoughtful book. It's suspenseful while at the same time exploring guilt and life-time secrets that cause regret and immense pain.
I loved the premise that Eve becomes involved with interviewing the families in order to find a connection between their lives that would explain why the event occurred. At the same time, she lives out the regret and shame she holds for a secret that could be revealed about her past. All the characters’ lives coalesce into a wrenching narrative that you can't put down.
Twisting accounts from multiple points of view, exciting scenes with sinister characters, unknown motives, and the emotional toil of Eve and the survivors' families carries this book forward at a great pace and pulls the reader into the story.
When all is revealed the entire book becomes an intense story of survivors’ guilt wrapped in layers of baleful characters and their attempts at finding answers that may or may not be involved with everyone in the capsule.
I loved it!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews