Buried Secrets

by T.J. Brearton

Newlyweds Brett and Emily Larson have just moved into a new home deep in the countryside, and are overjoyed when Emily finds out she’s pregnant.

Then they discover human bones in their garden.

As the police start to investigate, three things become clear:

The bones are recent.
They are not here by accident.
They are a message.

When the police put three photographs of known criminals on the Larsons’ kitchen table, the couple realize the danger may be closer to home than they think.

As the situation escalates, can Brett and Emily keep one step ahead to protect themselves – and their unborn child?

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Ebooks, Suspense, Contemporary

320 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2017

About the author

Timothy James Brearton lives in the Adirondack Mountains with his wife and three children. He's loved thrillers and police stories for most of his life. HABIT follows broken cop Brendan Healy down the rabbit hole of a human trafficking conspiracy. DEAD GONE delivers Florida cop Tom Lange into a criminal underworld and THE KILLING TIME introduces FBI agent Shannon Ames, a country girl in the big city.

http://tjbrearton.net/about

Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*
Brett and Emily are ecstatic as they start their lives together. A new marriage, a new home, and now trying for their first child. Brett gladly takes on his first DIY project and begins digging a garden for Emily in the backyard. After turning over shovel-loads of earth, he discovers some bones. Are they human? Has someone been buried on their property?

Across the state, Russo is trying to put his life back on the straight and narrow. Unfortunately, he is picked up for an outstanding warrant and he is forced back into the system.

Two totally unrelated stories running parallel until their paths collide, leaving devastation d chaos in their wake. Normally I really enjoy that, but unfortunately, this one fell far short for me.

Actually, I ended up having a lot of trouble with this book. The premise sounded great, but I couldn’t connect with Brett and Emily at all. Brett's quest to find the truth regarding the bones just didn't feel genuine.

While there was a significant twist at the end, it just wasn’t enough to save this read for me. Although there was some great praise for this book, for me, I was left disappointed.

A wonderful reading experience with my Traveling Sisters Brenda, Norma, Sarah, Susanne and Diane!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and T. J. Brearton for a copy to review in exchange for an honest review.

For this review and our full Traveling Sister Review, please visit the Traveling Sister section of Norma and Brenda’s fantastic book blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am going to keep this short and simple, which since I seem to be the lone disenter amidst glowing four star reviews, I think is best. So let's just say this book, the writing, the characters, and the plot line, and I had a missed connection.

Read made somewhat bearable because I read it with some of my sisters from the sister's group. A few of them shared my views.

ARC from Netgalley.

[Holly B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett and Emily Larson are happily married and living in their country side dream home. Emily is enjoying country life and wants to plant a garden. Brett is happy to oblige and begins digging on their property and finds human remains. Brett becomes kind of a investigator himself and begins to uncover secrets that have been buried along with the bones!

I liked the beginning of the book and the build-up to the highly intense plot. The second half of the book was action packed and quite the ride. In fact, the action was so intense at one point that I had to slow down so I didn't miss anything! It was a lot to keep track of and at moments I felt like I was watching all this action from afar.

I enjoyed this fast-paced crime thriller. It was laced with plenty of action and suspense! I was hooked from the beginning and liked the well thought out plot. I did predict the ending, but there was a twist that I didn't see coming.

Thanks to netgalley/Bookouture for the arc
Publication date August 18,2017

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buried Secrets was a Traveling Sister Group Read that we all enjoyed reading together but this was our first book that produced very short discussions although, we did have a few good laughs, overall this story did not work for us.

When we first meet Brett he is digging up buried secrets in his garden which sounds gripping enough but not so much for the Traveling Sisters. Things started to go sideways for us quite early on and we had some trouble connecting with the characters and the storyline. We found the story to be underwhelming with little suspense to keep us wanting to turn those pages.

The story and tension does pick up a bit near the end and has one pretty good twist that made me really see why this book would work for some other readers. I would recommend this book with caution.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and T. J. Brearton for a copy to review in exchange for an honest review.

All of our Traveling Sisters Group Read Reviews along with Kaceey's review for this one can be found on Norma’s and my sister blog:
http://www.twogirlslostinacouleereadi...

[Jill McGill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid intense thriller!

Buried Secrets by T.J. Brearton is an addictive roller coaster thrill ride full of excitement.

Newlyweds Brett and Emily Larson just moved into their dream home way out in the countryside. Their happiness goes full circle when Emily discovers she is pregnant. As they start to embrace the country life, Brett begins to dig a new garden on their beautiful land and suddenly gets the shock of his life - human bones. The police are called in to investigate and unfortunately, they aren't the only ones interested in the bones. Brett starts to investigate on his own and suddenly realizes that the danger may be closer to home than he first thought. Can Brett and Emily protect themselves – and their unborn baby? Will someone's buried secrets start to unravel?

A compelling fast-paced crime thriller that is loaded with twists, turns, action, and suspense - couldn't put this book down!

*I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC.

[Carrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett and Emily Larson are newlyweds that have just moved into what they think will be their perfect home deep in the countryside. The couple are excited to start their new lives and new family when Emily discovers she is expecting. Busy making changes in their new place Brett decided to dig out a garden in the back when he comes across some bones while digging.

Calling in the police not knowing for sure what they've found it is determined that the bones are human so an investigation begins. The police determine that the bones are recent and haven't come to their final resting place by accident. Along with the bones is a box with a hidden message that Brett thinks he's figured out but what he finds is more than he ever bargained for.

Buried Secrets by T.J. Brearton was a decent crime read but for me this one just had trouble standing out and becoming something memorable. The characters were alright, the story line has enough action with the investigation and events but also seemed to be a tad on the predictable side as far as where the story takes the reader.

The story changes the point of view between the newlyweds and a man that has been incarcerated in the opening chapters which led me to come to my own conclusions with how these would become related later on in the read. Unfortunately my guesses were spot on and with the exception of one little twist at the end I didn't guess in advance I felt as if there weren't any surprises for me bringing my enjoyment down a bit. A solid story but I wasn't quite as wowed as I would like in the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....

[Michael Slavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! This was a smooth story. It caught my interest early in the book and kept pulling me along. The authors' knowledge of how the prison system works is impressive and added extra levels of interest to the story.

-Newlyweds find human bones in their new country home backyard in upstate New York, near Vermont and Lake Placid. They call the cops. The newlyweds have their own story too.

-Russo-An ex-con gone straight for 10 years with a new wife and baby goes to prison because he does not have $850 to pay a ticket. He gets out of prison very early and has a big role….all this was developed extremely well. I’ll let you decide if you like this guy or not, but either way, he is a fascinating character.

-There was a series of bank robberies and a lot of money was never recovered. That missing money will get a lot of people killed.

Stuff in the story:
The FBI
The Mob
Landfills where bodies are dumped
Bank robbers
Women getting favors in prison
Shootouts

If you like crime thrillers, you should like this book. I did.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. There is so much excitement that builds and builds as the story moves forward which then all leads to a very enthralling and satisfying conclusion. It is gripping, suspenseful with lots of twists and turns that all come together to make an excellent read. The characters are well developed and it is very easy to put yourself in their shoes, I was disappointed when it ended as I enjoyed it so much.

[Linda Strong · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett Larson is digging a space for a garden. He and his wife, Emily, have bought their first home together, and she is newly pregnant. Everything seems to be working well ... but that changes rather quickly.

Brett finds bones ... human bones ... along side a tin box. Inside the box is a name and a number.

When police start to investigate, Brett and Emily are sure of only one thing. The danger is much closer than they could ever have believed.

This is a fast paced crime fiction with lots of movement, lots of suspense with twists and turns. The characters are memorable. But not everyone is who they seem to be. Emily has secrets that not ever her husband know. Throw in an ex-con who only wants to take care of his family and a cop who may or may not be on the up and up. Lots of bodies fall in this one.

Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the advance digital copy. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and completely my own.

[Sarah Joint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Newlyweds Brett and Emily have every reason to be happy: they've finally moved into their new home in the county after an arduous buying process, they're deeply in love, and Emily is expecting. Life seems pretty good. Normal. Happy. Casual. ...Unsuspecting. Their lives change drastically after Brett finds human bones buried in the yard. He also finds a note nearby that at first makes absolutely no sense. Of course, they involve the police... but Brett can't let it go. He wants to figure out who was buried there and why. There might even be a book in it...

We also follow Russo, a man with a troubling history who's managed to turn things around. He has a wife and a beautiful little girl at home, two excellent reasons to keep on the right side of the law. Money is tight though, and he goes to prison when he can't afford a fine. He's looking at years, too much time that will make him miss milestones his little family will experience. He soon makes friends of sorts in prison who may help him get out... or perhaps stay in much longer.

My very first Traveling Sisters read had potential, but ultimately fell short for me. The beginning was slow, and I felt a disconnect from most of the characters. Little information keeps the reader guessing, but sometimes that negatively affects the story. The second half of the book picks up and features action of an almost breakneck speed. This half of the story is fast paced and exciting, but sometimes I got a little confused over the details. The second half was at least a three, so that's what I'm going with as my rating.

This book has many high ratings, so I'd recommend checking it out for yourself. It seems like the Sisters are the outliers in this one! Thank you to Brenda, Norma, Kaceey, Susanne, and Diane for allowing me to join their discussion in the wonderful Traveling Sisters group! 💜

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Bookouture, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

BURIED SECRETS is a fast-paced crime thriller by author T.J. Brearton.

A newlywed couple, Brett and Emily Larson have just moved into their new home in the countryside, when Emily finds out she is pregnant.

But when Brett starts digging in the garden, he discovers the unthinkable…bones…human bones in a tin box! And inside the tin box is a name and number?

This got my attention!

As the police start to investigate, they soon realise that this is a message for Brett and Emily.

With danger escalating around the corner, can Brett and Emily stay safe and protect their unborn child.

To say more would be to reveal spoilers. This was an enjoyable read, with memorable characters and lots of twists and turns in the plot to satisfy the reader.

Many thanks to Bookouture via NetGalley for my digital copy.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oohh this book ended up being different than what I had expected but I mean that in a good way. I had assumed it would focus on either a cop narrating the story or have a killer as the focus but it was actually told in two separate narratives and not from a cop OR a killer. The first is Brett and Emily a young, newlywed couple who have just moved into a new home. When they decide to start a garden they find human bones and their lives take an unexpected turn. The second follows Jimmy Russo, a man who finds himself in jail when his portion begins due to a past transgression he thought he escaped. I kept trying to figure out how these storylines would merge and I definitely didn’t predict exactly how, or when they would.

The first half of Buried Secrets starts out on the slower side as Russo tries to figure out how to get himself out of jail and back with his wife and baby daughter while Emily and Brett deal with the aftermath of the bones being unearthed. While I found both storylines interesting and engaging, I was more drawn to Russo, both his character and his specific story. There was just something endearing about this rough around the edges man that got under my skin and captured my attention.

By the last quarter of this book I was well and truly hooked as the storylines converged in unexpected ways. It became tense and very action packed as crazy things started to happen and they didn’t stop until the very end. It’s so strange how the discovery of human bones set off a series of events that I never saw coming, this one kept me on my toes. If you’re looking for a different type of thriller told from a unusual perspective, you may like this one.

All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com

[Eva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Newlyweds Brett and Emily have just moved to the countryside. But when Brett starts digging to prepare their new vegetable garden, he stumbles upon human bones and soon they find themselves in a whole heap of trouble. Meanwhile, Russo is sent to jail because he can’t afford to pay an outstanding fine. Someone makes him an offer he can’t quite refuse. How far will he go to protect his family?

As a bit of a gardener myself, remind me never to start digging. It’s quite a believable scenario in that you never know what you may find. Roman relics, treasure or hey presto, a skeleton. To have this young family find themselves in a situation that utterly spirals out of their control, was incredibly compelling and you can’t help but feel for them. For me though, I think Russo was the more interesting character. He’s desperately trying to do the right thing as he now has a wife and child he doesn’t want to lose but circumstances are against him and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his family safe.

Buried Secrets is a fast-paced and action-packed thriller. It sort of reminded me of the good old fashioned cops and robbers stories with a dash of mafia thrown in. There are a few good guys and a whole lot of bad guys. The first part of the book is a little slow going as the scene is set and the characters are introduced but the second half will blow you away. There’s quite a lot going on to keep track of but it’s all insanely engrossing. This is quite an intense ride with plenty of twists, some I saw coming but one in particular was positively brilliant and took me completely by surprise! T.J. Brearton is one to watch!

[Nemo ☠️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

this was more of an action/thriller book than a mystery, which wasn't exactly what i was expecting. they pretty much tell us who the culprits were at around 30% or 40%, whereas i prefer most of the plot to be about the mystery itself rather than the action. i think books which rely mostly on the action don't work a lot of the time; it's a mode more suited to film than books, although it can be done well sometimes. overall, this was okay but rather underwhelming, despite the plot twist at the end (which didn't particularly have much bearing on the overall mystery, really)

[Holly in Bookland · Rating 3 out of 5]

After Brett and Emily move into their house, Brett starts digging for a garden but comes up with more than he bargained for. Bones are discovered and from there their lives are thrown into hell. You'll get Brett's perspective and also a convicts. The two worlds will collide and make sense when all is through. So after Brett digs up the bones, he decides he wants to write a book about it. In the course of his investigation, he will learn things that should have been left alone.

Overall, this was just another ok read for me. Nothing that really stood out. If I'm honest, Brett and Emily were a little cringe worthy. If I found bones in my yard I wouldn't be kissing my husband!! There were some twists--a major one at the end. But for criminals they were pretty dumb.

**Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seventh book of my holiday reads.

What an intriguing opening this book has. A recently wed couple who are settling into their new home only to discover bones and human ones at that.

The author sure knows how to get the readers attention and had me hooked throughout.

It's hard to say to much about the story without giving to much away. What I will say is that I wasn't expecting what was coming. There are certainly a fair few surprises in there that were totally unexpected and made for a really enjoyable read.

If you like a story that will take you on a surprising and gripping journey of which will have you on the edge of your seat, then look no further.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely ADORED this book! Addictive and thrilling, this was a roller coaster of a read with many twists all of which I did not see coming. What I loved was how an ordinary situation - well, not ordinary, but believable - finding buried bones on your premises, escalated into a heart-stopping, palpably tense, extremely fast paced and intense story that I could not put down. Amazing! Felt for and could relate to Brett and Emily. Love this author's writing style. Cannot wait for more!

[Shell Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow...now this is what I call a crime thriller, the whole time I was reading I felt like I was watching a movie...It’s bloody brilliant.

Grabbing your attention from the start and I literally mean the start and keeping you there until the very last page. With Brett Larson discovering human bones while digging in their garden talk about intriguing. So right from the start I wanted to know who whose bones they are. Set in America we get an insight into their police procedure with the police investigating this. It soon becomes clear that The bones are recent.They are not here by accident.They are a message.

With two story-lines running side by side the author weaves them both together taking you on one action packed ride of your life. It is full of twists and turns and OMG moments,where I found myself on tenterhooks. Talk about a very entertaining and engaging read. With Brett and Emily having to keep one step ahead to protect themselves. I couldn't help but will them along. They are likable characters who clearly love each other.

There is so much that I want to say about this book, but I don't want to spoil the plot for anyone.... hence the title Buried Secrets!

Did I mention that this is the first book I have read by TJ Brearton and it won't be my last, that's for sure.

This is without a doubt one of my best reads this year and certainly ticked all the boxes for me. I cannot recommend it enough giving it 5 massive gold stars.

[Donna Maguire · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://donnasbookblog.wordpress.com/...

I really enjoyed this book, it had a great storyline and the pace in the book was spot on, it built up gradually during the first half and was an excellent pace for the second half as it had twists and turns and an ending you didn’t see coming.  I found the main characters of Brett and Emily really likable and there were times that I didn’t want to put it down and I thought it was a really good thriller, one I’d definitely recommend – 4 stars from me!

[Book Addict Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up Buried Secrets on a whim as I am working through the Bookouture books on my NetGalley shelf and I am so glad that I did because it turned out to be one hell of a rollercoaster read and it was one that I didn’t want to end. TJ Brearton is a fantastic author who has kept me gripped over the last couple of days and who kept me guessing the whole time I read this book and kept the twists coming even when I thought the last one had been delivered. You might read this book with some idea of where the story is going to go but you will never uncover everything so prepare to be surprised.

Emily and Brett Larson have recently moved into their first home in the middle of nowhere (cue the scary music). When Brett finds human remains on their property and a mysterious note he soon starts an unofficial investigation of his own, which soon sees him in a fair bit of trouble. Alternating chapters introduce us to Russo who is a man down on his luck who finds himself in prison awaiting trial and his cellmate appears to be taking a keen interest in the discovery of the remains on the Larson property. What follows is a story I couldn’t read quick enough to keep up with, especially in my excitement at wanting to know just how and when these two alternating stories would collide.

Characterisation is very strong here in Buried Secrets. Emily and Brett are on the surface a normal couple. Portrayed as the type you will find all across the world. Excitement at moving into their first home and excitement at Emily finally falling pregnant. Their fear at the discovery of the bones is easy to imagine, as is their fear that it might be something that could be dangerous to them when the police investigation throws up a few anomalies in their minds. Part of me wanted them to run for the hills yet the other part of me wanted Brett to keep sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. The true standout character in this story for me though was Russo. He was a truly believable character, and a likeable one at that. Despite all that he had done in the past, he was an easy character to root for and he was somebody you could see yourself being friends with in real life. He soon finds himself in some unfortunate (to put it mildly) situations and has to make some difficult decisions but despite what these situations are (I am obviously being purposely ambiguous), it is easy to understand them and as a reader you will really be left questioning just how far you yourself would go to protect not only yourself but also your family and Buried Secrets is a thought-provoking book because of that.

The latter half of the book is where things really pick up and become incredibly fast-paced and exciting. There’s a lot of bloodshed and you are left wondering just who is going to come out the other side. Who knew that the discovery of a few bones could lead to something as massive as it does. Just how TJ Brearton brings everything together is just genius and I honestly haven’t got one negative thing to say about this book. How the characters were brought together, and how secrets about some of them were revealed was brilliant, in particular one of the main characters carrying a secret that wasn’t even on my radar. Read this book and expect the unexpected. I loved every minute of it and it has left me eager to read more from TJ Brearton. Buried Secrets is an exciting and action-packed thriller that I highly recommend.

[Rachel (Rae) · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was so easy to be pulled into the story mainly because of how normal everything begins. After a few seemingly ordinary pages the story suddenly switches gears and becomes something else entirely which makes for a compelling story. The interesting thing for me was the fact that there were two stories running side by side and each one had me intrigued. You have Brett and Emily making the horrifying discovery of the bones on their property. Then you switch to Russo who has found himself in trouble with the police. I couldn't wait to see each story play out and to find out if they were going to converge. I thought that both plot strands developed well even though to start with it goes at a steady pace you can feel the tension building as more details are revealed. I was so curious as to what was happening it was a great way to get a feel for both the characters and the situation this way too.

The characters are intriguing and even though at times I wanted to shout out don't do that or do this instead. I was completely focused on these characters and how their lives were spiralling out of control. If I had to pick a favourite character I'm not really sure I could however Russo maybe edges it slightly. It's mainly because he has flaws which always makes for an engaging character but there is also something about him that made me sit up and pay attention. Although I did love Brett's curious nature along with both his and Emily's desire to start a family.

I really enjoyed the build up to before the action starts as this definitely increased the stress levels for the characters and for me reading it. The twists and turns are brilliantly done and also well placed to give the reader that perfect moment for when things become clear. 

Intriguing, twisty and oh so good!

Five stars from me!

With thanks to Bookouture & Netgalley for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brett and Emily are starting their new life, in a new home, in a new place. While digging up the garden, Brett discovers some bones and this starts the police investigation...
A parallel story runs along about Russo taken back into custody. As the pages turn, the 2 worlds do collide and chaos occurs.
The premise of the story, as I am writing it, sounds so good, and I am left wondering about the reasons I didn't like the book.
Thinking back, I realize I didn't connect with anyone, everyone appeared fake to me. I couldn't feel the real emotions between the couple. The book went a little slow. I needed it to be more gripping pulling me into the story... But it lacked in that. I have to admit that I skimmed most parts, as it didn't call to to me.
The writing could have had more depth, at least for me. The story did have its appeal but it falls short in suspense. It is a good read if there is no other book available (which is not possible with such huge piles of TBR books hehe)

[Dee Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brett Larsen and his wife Emily have bought a lovely home, Emily is expecting their first child. Things are perfect…..until they find bones in their garden. Buried beside the bones is a tin box that contains a name and a number.
This book was really fast paced and there were red herrings all over the place and a high body count!
I found myself constantly questioning who to believe and who to trust in this book. Once I picked it up I could not put it down and it literally left me on the edge of my seat on more than one occasion.
Trying to decide how the very different lives of the characters were going to cross paths kept me guessing and this book tied everything up in a nice neat bow.
This is defiantly one to read. Out of five stars??? I give it six!!

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thriller with a twist that actually surprised me

I enjoyed this mystery thriller. It ramped up quickly and once at top speed kept accelerating until the end.

This is also the first book in a long time that had a twist in it that I didn't figure out along the way. Kudos to author Brearton!

Brett and Emily Larson haven't been married long and have moved onto a rural property with their dream farmhouse. Brett is out one day getting an early start on a garden and he uncovers bones - human bones - and a cryptic message.

Intertwined with Brett and Emily's story is the story of James Russo, his wife Fifi and their baby daughter. Russo has a past that he's trying to move on from but circumstances keep intruding.

This was a fun, fast read with believable characters - ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. And also some not-so-nice people. It takes place mostly in upstate New York.

I received this book from Bookouture through Net Galley in exchange for my unbiased review.

[Dee-Cee It's all about the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having only been married for three months Brett and Emily Larson move into a dream home in the countryside. With hopes of having a family one day Brett sets about doing the garden up, digging soil to plant vegetables when he comes across some bones. After informing the police, Emily then finds out she is pregnant and what should be one of their happiest times ends up being a journey that both will never forget.
Meanwhile Jimmy Russo has been arrested and sent to prison, the ex-con has been on the straight and narrow and really trying to keep his hands clean for the sake of his wife and 14 month old daughter. Desperate to get out prison, Jimmy is dealt a get out of jail card, all he has to do is a simple job in return.
The story starts off slowly, giving the reader the chance to get to know the characters and really get a feel for their situations. I really liked Brett and Emily but Jimmy seemed to stand out a bit more for me. I’m not sure why, maybe because he’s an ex-con trying to be good but I really took to him.
The pace then really picked up into the second half of the book and totally knocked my socks off. Getting to know the characters at the beginning I wasn’t sure how this story was going to go. Obviously it wasn’t going to be straight forward but I really wasn’t expecting it to go the way it went.
T. J. Brearton really knows how to tell one heck of story. I found it really easy to picture the scenes so it was playing like a movie in my mind as I was reading and I actually think this would make a great movie.  With the different threads coming together and secrets finally being revealed I felt really satisfied at the end of the book. Everything came together perfectly and after such an intense ride I was pleased to get my breath back. 
Buried Secrets for me was a fantastic read, it was intense in parts and I really didn’t know what was coming next. It was full of surprises and quite a few hold your breath moments. Definitely one I’ll be recommending.

[Clair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brett and his new wife Emily have moved into a idyllic yellow farmhouse and are enjoying the rural lifestyle, tending to their gardens. That is until Brett unearths a bone, and then another….and finally a tin box with a written note inside.

Obviously, Brett gets the police involved but he cannot resist doing a bit of investigation of his own when he discovers that the remains are recent and have been put there for a reason, as a message.

We also meet Russo, a family man who is trying to stay on the straight and narrow. However he finds himself arrested for non-payment of a fine. Russo has a colourful past but now being on the straight and narrow has left him pretty much penniless so he’s been unable to pay the fine and therefore ends up behind bars….where he meets Nate and things start to get a little bit complicated to say the least!

T.J. Brearton has created 2 distinct storylines but seamlessly combines them into a rollercoaster of a book. The first half is fast paced, setting the scene for both the stories and the second half ramps up this pace even further with tons of action, chases and violence. This is predominately a crime thriller but with a bit of gangster style action thrown in which does wonders for the plot as it gives this book edge and builds the tension wonderfully.

I felt so much for Brett and Emily as their dream home was disappearing before their eyes into a police investigation and poor Russo was trying so hard to be a good man to Felicia and their daughter, Zoe.

This is a fast paced book which ticks all the boxes for an action-packed thriller which crosses over between a crime investigation and gangsters – highly recommended.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went back and forth between 3-4 stars decided to go up as it had the page turner pull in a book I like in mysteries. This was all fun crime novel full of lies, secrets, missing money, criminals, and gangsters and oh up in the Adirondacks!

[Lisette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has got two story lines; one about a newly wed couple who dig up a skelet in the garden and the other one about a convict. I liked the first storyline, but didn't really care about the second one. The book has got a strong start, but about halfway when the two story lines came together it all went down hill for me. I thought it was too chaotic and unrealistic.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, the secrets are never ending in this action packed thriller.

Newlyweds, Brett and Emily, are ecstatic about their new house. Lots of room for the kids they are hoping to have and lots of land for the garden that Brett wants so bad. Everything is going their way, that is until Brett uncovers human bones while working on his garden. That is just the first secret that that is unveiled in this unputdownable, riveting, hold onto your horses book that should most certainly be started well before bedtime.

And, just when you think there are no more secrets to be had and the book is winding down - SURPRISE - there's more!

An excellent read that I thoroughly enjoyed!

Thanks to Bookouture and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who likes a good crime novel will like this book. Good characters and a lot of surprises right to the very end!