The Suburbs Have Secrets

Sadie McIntyre Mystery #1

by Barbara Wallace

Blackmail And Murder and Lies - Oh My!

When Sadie McIntyre gives a drunken Marylou Paretsky a ride home on a rainy night, little does she realize it's the last time anyone will see Marylou alive.

Tragic accident? Or Murder?

The following morning, Marylou is found dead at the bottom of her staircase. What first appears to be a drunken tumble becomes far more complicated as Sadie discovers Marylou wasn’t as sweet and timid as everyone thought. Turns out Marylou spent her spare time digging up dirt on her neighbors and left behind a list of their secrets. Much to her horror, Sadie’s name is right on top.

Eager to keep her past buried, Sadie, with the help of her best friend Rob and Dan Bartlett, the town’s sexy new chief of detectives, sets out to who on the list was desperate enough to kill. Will she discover the answer before the truth gets out?

Or will the killer find Sadie first?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Cozy Mystery, Amazon

236 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 11, 2017

About the author

Bestselling author Barbara Tanner Wallace makes her living making up stories. When not writing, she's either reading, crocheting or bowing to her cats' whims.

She's a life-long New Englander with two hundred years of Yankee history behind her. She currently lives just outside of Boston with her husband. They have one son who lives in the middle of nowhere and apparently likes it.

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbara Wallace’s The Suburbs Have Secrets is a great start to the new A Sadie McIntyre Mystery series. The story is full of secrets, twists, and turns that made the story unfold at a quick pace in cozy mystery style. Once Sadie McIntyre finds herself on a suspect list for helping a friend, she wastes no time getting in the middle of the investigation. As Sadie tries to figure out who the killer is, she soon learns that she is not the only one hiding secrets. Between Sadie’s friend Rob and the Yoga Posse, the list of suspects grows, and Sadie knows she needs to figure out who did it before her own secret is revealed.

I thought Sadie was sneaky in her sleuthing when she gets a little help from her police officer son, Tim, and the new chief of detectives, Dan Bartlett. However, the story kept me guessing, and as secrets start to be revealed, Sadie’s amateur sleuthing gets intense. The suburban cliché’s are comical and the characters are relatable. I enjoyed reading The Suburbs Have Secrets, and I will be looking forward to the next book in the series to see if Sadie is able to keep her secret hidden. I received a free copy of the book in return for my honest opinion.

[Penny Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

After writing an impressive collection of romantic fiction, author Barbara Wallace decided to try her hand at cozy mysteries. And I'm SO happy she did!


THE SUBURBS HAVE SECRETS is an adorable cozy debut, filled with likable (and bitchy!) characters, a very sexy chief of police, a Boston suburb much like my own, and a lot of coffee from the local cafe.


In fact, this town is so very similar to my own Boston 'burb, I sometimes felt like Barb was in our very own Starbucks.


My town also has the gorgeous blonde mummies in their big black SUVs filling up a French Roast frequently throughout the day.


And I know for a fact they have secrets, too!


Not as exciting as the secrets in Barb's book, however.


My favorite things about this book?


1. Sadie the heroine


She is a widow who is struggling with a career in real estate and firmly enmeshed in the suburban lifestyle...sort of against her will. She is likable and authentic, and I love her witty and often snarky observations about life in the 'burbs.


2. Chief of Police Dan Bartlett


Yum! Super yum! The sexy new police chief is a romantic interest for Sadie, and their sexual chemistry is delicious. I love how he gets all protective of her. My favorite kind of fictional hero!


3. The town


I love the juxtaposition of pretty tree-lined streets and Boston 'burb charm with the sometimes sleazy stuff that goes on behind closed doors. Nice contrast. And perfect setting for mysteries!


4. The Bitchy Girls


This is so spot-on it's scary. Tight yoga pants and plenty of mean girl-attitude make for LOTS of possible suspects in a murder mystery.


5. Sadie's side-kicks: her best buddy Rob and her son Tim


I don't want to spoil all the quirky details in this book, but suffice it to say Rob--who is a flirty British billionaire--has a hilarious secret of his own. And Tim is the son with an interest in prepping survival skills. I hope they get more air-time in the next book. Both have a ton of potential for this series.


6. The fantastic and unexpected twist at the end


IT'S A SECRET I CAN'T TELL YOU.


I loved it.


THE SUBURBS HAVE SECRETS has all my favorite things in one cozy mystery...an intriguing setting, an adorable heroine, pitch-perfect writing and a nice tight plot, lots of colorful characters, spots of snarky humor that made me laugh out loud, and best of all...for this romance-lover!...a budding romance with a delicious and protective hero. SWOONY!


Grade: A


I cannot wait for the next installment!


Off for my afternoon Starbucks French Roast...


Penny

[JoAn · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets by Barbara Wallace is the first in a new cozy series that started off with a solid introduction to this small town, Sadie, Rob, Marylou and the Yoga Posse that meet each morning at the coffee house.

The plot moved quickly and I was drawn into the book from the first chapter. Sadie is a real estate agent "of a certain age" that has a secret. After the suspicious death of Marylou, Sadie finds that all of the morning regulars have secrets. Sadie feels guilty that she didn't help Marylou more the night before her death so determines that she needs to help the police to catch Marylou's killer. All of the characters are well developed and the Yoga Posse is an adult version of the teen age "mean girls" which meant that I couldn't wait to find out what their secrets were as the story progressed. I confess that I loved Rob's secret the best; and Sadie's secret which isn't revealed until the end was astonishing.

So many suspects, so many secrets and plenty of twists that kept me guessing until the reveal. A very enjoyable read and I look forward to spending more time with Sadie and Rob in the next book.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. All of the above opinions are my own.

[Sandee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this book and will definitely be reading the next. This is the first book in the Sadie McIntyre series of cozy mysteries. The characters are varied, interesting and familiar. A group of people, who like the same coffee shop, become intricately involved in the murder of one of their number. I enjoyed the personal interactions, both friendly and catty. Solving the murder is well-plotted and the while the culprit wasn't a complete surprise the ending was perfect and perfectly sets up the next book and the series. I'm looking forward to reading more about this characters.

[Donna Alward · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty and wonderful! With The Suburbs Have Secrets, Barbara Wallace has moved into mystery territory and I'm so glad she did! The first Sadie McIntyre mystery is populated with complicated and relatable characters, including those "mean girls" from high school, a best friend who takes advantage of free coffee, flirts like a champ, and is utterly loyal, a by-the-book police officer son, and a sexy as hell detective who gets in the way in the best way possible. I laughed out loud at several sections and really was never sure how the story would end. 5 stars.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone has a secret side they hide from the world. And everyone has a secret or two that they don't want to get out. But would you resort to murder to keep that secret quiet? The Suburbs Have Secrets: A Sadie McIntyre Mystery by Barbara Wallace is the debut novel in this series, which should prove to be a hit.

I enjoyed reading this mystery and learning about Sadie McIntrye and the “coffee klatch” characters. Barbara Wallace has created a likable cast of characters with good character development. The storyline and intrigue kept me reading and emotionally connected to the characters. The author did an excellent job of giving just enough insight into possible secrets that had me guessing and second-guessing myself. For one particular character, the ending secret was shocking for me! I will follow this author to read more from her and the Sadie McIntrye Mystery Series.

I would recommend this book if you like a small-town feel, with a believable storyline, and good character development, plus a solid mystery.

I willingly provided an honest review after receiving a copy of this book.

[PugMom · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Suburbs have Secrets is the 1st book in the Sadie McIntyre mystery series. After reading this one I will definitely be looking out for the next!
This book is categorized as a cozy mystery...but don't let the treacly cover fool you! This isn't a fluffy cozy with cute kittens and puppies and cupcakes! And, although many scenes take place in the requisite neighborhood coffee shop, after reading this book you will be rethinking your next Frappuccino!
The characters are interesting since many of them have secrets. A good dose of blackmail and a bit possible romance thrown in makes for an engaging story. Sadie is sharp and determined. No stranger to the police department because of her family ties, she takes it upon herself to start investigating the “accidental death” of her friend. Throughout the book a host of secrets and lies come out. The reader isn’t sure who to trust and is drawn deeper into the story. Sadie has to determine who’s a real friend and who is out for revenge before it’s too late.
A fast paced, well-planned mystery! And, you won’t believe what you read on the very last page!
I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
I received a copy of this book which I have voluntarily read and reviewed.

[Vicki May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Real Estate Agent Sadie McIntyre thinks she lives in a quiet town similar to Stepford. Little does she know that when she nearly runs over one of her "coffee friends" one night that fact that quiet, hyper organized Marylou is on a drunken rant in the middle of the road is the least of the surprises coming her way. When Marylou is found dead the next morning, Sadie not only feels guilty for not staying with her the night before but finds herself in the middle of murder, blackmail and fear for her own life, all while helping organize a fundraising walk. Quiet life in the suburbs is disrupted with suspicions of which of the "popular girls" wanted Marylou out of the way and a handsome detective who is always watching Sadie. I highly recommend The Suburbs Have Secrets, it's a fun mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.

[Melanie McKinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Suburbs have Secrets is the 1st book in the Sadie McIntyre mystery series. After reading this one I will definitely be looking out for the next! Sadie McIntyre is your average realtor in small-town Woodbridge Massachusetts. She thinks she lives in a quiet town, but she learns that this is not quite the truth! Sadie runs into a drunken Mary Lou and helps her home. Mary Lou is rambling and suspects her husband is having an affair and is very upset. Sadie leaves her and then finds out the next morning that Mary Lou fell down stairs and died. Sadie goes and comforts Mary Lou's husband and then find herself trying to solve the murder much to the dismay of the new police chief Dan Bartlett. Sadie then finds some shocking secrets. Sadie then discovers that the suburbs certainly do have secrets, serious secrets. The question is are they the key to finding out why someone ended up dead at the bottom of a staircase and what is Sadie McIntyre hiding? Appealing characters, a crime not easily solved, danger, humor, romance and an unexpected twist right at the end. I can't wait to read the next book in this new series!

[Sue Slade · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets by Barbara Wallace checks all my boxes for a great Cozy Mystery plus some.
• A small-town coffee group of interesting characters that are not really friends, but all regulars of Cuppa Joe’s, each hiding a big secret.
• An amateur sleuth/ real estate agent, who is a mother of a “certain age” with a gay, rich best friend and sleuthing partner with his own secret.
• A handsome, new Chief of Detectives.
• There was some blackmail, an affair, danger, surprises, and humour.
• There were lots of twists that kept you interested and guessing until the end.
• I even detected a bit of Romance as well.
I am very much looking forward to reading the next installment in the Sadie McIntyre series, especially after the revelation at the end.

[Jen Robley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets by Barbara Wallace is the first Sadie McIntyre Mystery . Sadie is likeable and relatable as are the rest in the group that congregate at the local coffee shop . Most in stylish yoga wear . One of them ends up murdered in her own home and the antics that follow keep the pages turning . I laughed out loud a few times at Sadie and her sidekick Rob. Not to mention there’s a hunk of a detective on the scene that seems to be smitten with Sadie who’s husband passed away . He was also a cop as is her grown son. She’s just so darn relatable and fun !
I’m starting the second book in the series today and can’t wait to see what’s going on with the yoga pant wearing group of Woodbridge.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie McIntyre is your average realtor in small-town Woodbridge Massachusetts. Her life is full working at Renee Drake Realty showing listings and still being a mom to her adult son, Tim. A few of her friends like to gather a Cuppa Joe to hash out the local gossip in Woodbridge. Mary Lou Paretsky never fit into any clique and was always watching from the outside. Sadie runs into a drunken Mary Lou and helps her home. Mary Lou is rambling and suspects her husband is having an affair and is very upset. Sadie leaves her and the next morning is shocked to find out that Mary Lou fell down the stairs and died. Sadie goes to comfort Mary Lou's husband Paul and tries to investigate the death. What starts out as a drunken fall down the stairs turns into something more with the clues and suspects piling up. And it doesn't help that the new police chief Dan Bartlett is not a fan of her sleuthing. Sadie continues to delve further and discovers some shocking secrets. This was a nice mystery where desperate housewives meets Nancy Drew. I would recommend this book.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets: A Sadie McIntyre Mystery by Barbara Wallace opens with Sadie, a middle-aged mother of a newly hired police patrolman in the Boston suburb of Woodbridge, MA, is driving home from her open house. As a real estate agent of nine years this is hardly an unlikely scenario. All of a sudden someone wanders out in front of her car. Sadie manages to stop in time and trips outs of her car to offer assistance. To her embarrassment she discovers a very drunken Marylou, a friend of sorts. Sadie, and Rob, her good friend, meet for coffee every morning and so do Marylou, Jenn, Erin, and Andrea. They are not exactly together, but not exactly apart. Never expecting this to happen, Sadie finally gets Marylou into her car and safely home. This random meeting sets off a series of events so odd and so confusing that it takes all of them to solve the problem, including Sadie's son Tim, and the new chief of detectives, Dan Bartlett.

The biggest clue Sadie has is the crumpled up piece of paper Sadie finds later with a list of names and one or two word clues to what appear to be referring to secrets each of the locals had. Her own notation scared Sadie so badly that she burned the paper. She knew it was wrong to destroy evidence, but this was so deadly...

There are so many charming things about this novel that it is hard to know where to begin: Sadie is a solidly middle-aged widow, with a grown son. Not your typical heroine in a cozy. Her best friend is a British gay man with a very mysterious past, who gets free coffee and such from other gay men hoping to make a connection, but is the biggest flirt (men and women both) in town. Again, unlikely. Sadie is attractive, but not stunning and supremely aware of all the put-together younger women around. This doesn't appear to matter to Dan Bartlett, her son's nemesis on the police force, who creates feelings in Sadie she hasn't felt since losing her husband several years before.

Another interesting feature is the reveal, at the very end of the novel, of some unlikely elements of Sadie's past that promise to lead to interesting developments in the future. This is, indeed, a series to watch.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this story of Sadie McIntyre and all her odd friends and neighbors in this small town of Woodbridge, Massachusetts. There everyone knows or thinks they know everyone else's business and personal life. When poor Marylou Partsky is found dead at the bottom of the stairs in her house by her husband, the rumors are sailing! It also doesn't help that Sadie took Marylou home, drunk as a skunk before she was found dead. Then poor guilt-ridden Sadie has Detective Bartlett to deal with. A rather arrogent, but easy on the eyes detective. He is also Sadie's son's boss. Can Sadie help or hinder the investigation of Marylou's death? Was is murder or an accident? Read this wonderful story to find out. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. The review is my own thoughts of the story.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets is the first book in the Sadie McIntyre Mystery series written by Barbara Wallace. Sadie McIntyre is a local Real Estate agent in Woodbridge, Massachusetts. Throughout the story, Sadie is discovering more and more that she may not know the friends she has been drinking coffee with at the local cafe every morning for the past almost year. Sadie has found herself stuck in the middle of a murder investigation where she begins to do her own sleuthing to help a local murder mystery. The Suburbs Have Secrets is an incredibly written story that has unpredictable twisting and turning of events. As a reader I was unable to put down The Suburbs Have Secrets because I was wanting to continue to read to find out everyone’s secrets. I look forward to reading Barbara Wallace’s other books. For my honest review, I received a copy of this book.

[Laurie Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed Barbara Wallaces romance fiction and wanted to try her new mystery. I loved the characters in this book; they felt so real! I could just picture the book unfolding in my mind. I loved all the twists leading up to the reveal at the end. Sadie was an intelligent, funny character.

As a romance reader, I appreciated the touch of romance between Sadie and Chief Bartlett. Loved this hero; he's tough but kind.

Recommended for readers of cozy mysteries!

[Miki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this read but I did have a hard time staying engaged with it. Tons of plot twists, some predictable but all added to this being a great mystery. Loved the characters and their stories. The end has me excited to read the next book the series!! 4 stars, would recommend, would reread

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The suburbs certainly do have secrets, serious secrets. The question is are they the key to finding out why someone ended up dead at the bottom of a staircase and what is Sadie McIntyre hiding?

This book is filled with interesting characters that you can relate too. You'll find yourself cheering for Sadie and even the intense detective Dan Bartlett who is the bane of her son's life. Curiosity will drive you to finish this story and the ending will leave you wanting more in this series. I hope the next Sadie McIntyre Mystery comes out soon.

I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book, we meet Sadie Mcintyte, who is a real estate agent. She thinks she lives in a quiet town, but she learns that this is not quite the truth!

This book has plenty of twists and turns! I found this to be an enjoyable cozy mystery style book and look forward to reading more in this series !

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

[Jerri Cachero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sadie McIntyre lives in a town full of blonde women, high incomes, soccer fields, secrets and murder.

After picking up a very drunk friend, MaryLou, who is on a rant about secrets, Sadies's life will change for the bad and oh so good! Sadie takes Marylou home & gets her settled. The next morning, Marylou has taken a fall down the stairs and is dead. At first, the police rule accident but when it comes to light that Marylou's hubby Paul was having an affair and Marylou has a list of secrets - the case is ruled a murder! Now, Sadie and her best friend, the hilarious Rob, have to find the killer before both their secrets are exposed and they become the next victims!

I loved Sadie! She is the widow of a police officer, the mother of a rookie officer, has a down to earth attitude and a kind heart. The arrival of Detective Bartlett, the new supervising officer in the town, adds a romantic interest for Sadie. Her friendship with the charming and handsome Rob is genuine and their dialogue is witty & entertaining.

The mystery kept me guessing (I had three guesses and they were all wrong!), the description of the town was cozy but a little suspicious and the characters were larger than life and I guarantee you'll recognize some of these folks , in your life!

Let me say that the secret Marylou knew about Sadie is a doozy -I never saw it coming and I can't wait for the next book!!

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great mystery

I picked this book up to read, because I have book 2 to review and I needed the back story. I am so glad I did, because now it all makes sense.

Sadie is a widow and mother to a rookie cop. She is smart and sweet and catches the eye of the new detective in town during a murder investigation.

Sadie discovers not all secrets stay buried. Those secrets becomes someone else’s greed, which in turn lead to death and danger. With a twisted plot, this book will keep you guessing till the end.

Overall this book has a great mystery to solve, along with the chills you get a bit of thrills. The characters are fun and charismatic. The plot twist has a really oh dang ending. This ending will have readers excited to continue on Sadie’s adventures.

So on to the next adventure.....

[Yvonne Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun, cute, mystery book with a dead body and filled with a cast of characters that will have you rooting for some of them . And then you have those characters, that you just wish you could get into the story, so you can shake them and just say “UGH”!. Yes, those pesky “girls” from the HS days that are just a pain in the …. those are he ones I am talking about.
Sadie has a little of “Lucy” and is a blast and of course, let’s not forget Dan, the hunky chief of detectives.
In the midst of it all, do we know how safe is Sadie from the possible murderer?
If you are looking for a mystery that will have you not only guessing, but also laughing out loud, this one is for you. And who doesn’t need a good laugh?
I was gifted this copy. The opinions expressed are solely my own.
,

[Linda Grimaud · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turned for sure

This was a great read. The story got better and better each chapter. The writer kept a good pace all the way to the end. Some books begin to drag.or speed up too fast at the end, but this book kept me hooked right to the end! I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one!

[Ruby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad

I would not go as far as to say this is similar in anyway to murder she wrote, it definitely has its own style, I will be checking out the second book in the series but I’m not entirely sure if I enjoyed the series as a whole, the mystery was OK, the characters were OK, nothing really stood out, but nothing was terrible

[Katherine Trick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read. The imaginary New England town reminded me very much of my own little New England town and charming community. The characters were well written and developed. The story line kept me interested right to the end. The very last chapter was an intriguing little surprise. I definitely will be picking up the next book in this series.

[Faye Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Worth reading

I gave this book 5 stars because the plot was interesting. The characters were believable. Just a touch of Romance. And an interesting twist that I did not see coming.

[Patricia Gligor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last night, I finished reading "The Suburbs Have Secrets" by Barbara Wallace and I thoroughly enjoyed the book. A strong plot and a cast of "interesting" characters combined to create a good story. I highly recommend this book.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read, entertaining story....good mystery twists! I have never read her romance books, but B. Wallace has made an excellent move to mystery writing. Will definitely pick up another of her mystery books!

[Mauri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great first entry in this mystery series -- well-paced and well-written. I really liked the shocker at the end! Looking forward to the next installment.

[Liberty Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Suburbs Have Secrets is a fun read. The characters are enjoyable, the story easy to follow. A good summer read.