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No Secrets
THEY ALL BELIEVE HIM
BUT SHE KNOWS HE'S LYING
Izzy is cursed. She has highly developed empathic abilities that mean she can read the emotions of those close to her. And she can always tell when they are lying. As a child she sparked her parents' divorce by revealing her father's infidelity. As an adult she has cut herself off from almost everyone except her partner, the only person she knows who has nothing to hide.
But no matter how she tries, Izzy's abilities cannot be controlled. Young girls are going missing, and the police have no suspects. But when Izzy sees her old school caretaker being interviewed, she knows his story about seeing the latest victim being bundled into a car isn't true. But why would Kenneth Plumley lie? And when the police won't take her seriously, Izzy risks everything to discover the truth herself...
BUT SHE KNOWS HE'S LYING
Izzy is cursed. She has highly developed empathic abilities that mean she can read the emotions of those close to her. And she can always tell when they are lying. As a child she sparked her parents' divorce by revealing her father's infidelity. As an adult she has cut herself off from almost everyone except her partner, the only person she knows who has nothing to hide.
But no matter how she tries, Izzy's abilities cannot be controlled. Young girls are going missing, and the police have no suspects. But when Izzy sees her old school caretaker being interviewed, she knows his story about seeing the latest victim being bundled into a car isn't true. But why would Kenneth Plumley lie? And when the police won't take her seriously, Izzy risks everything to discover the truth herself...
336 pages, Hardcover
Published July 7, 2022
25 people are currently reading
779 people want to read
About the author
David Jackson
16 books514 followersI am the author of a series of crime thrillers featuring Irish-American NYPD Detective Callum Doyle. The first in the series, Pariah, was Highly Commended in the Crime Writers Association Debut Dagger Awards. It is published by Pan Macmillan. The follow-ups are The Helper and Marked, and I am hard at work on the fourth in the series. My writing influences include Ed McBain, Dennis Lehane, George Pelecanos, Robert Crais, Michael Connelly and Harlan Coben, amongst many others. My favourite quote about my work is one from the Guardian, now carried on the front of my novels: 'Recalls Harlan Coben - though for my money Jackson is the better writer.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
July 7, 2022
4.5 rounded up
A chilling game of ‘Simon Says’, Izzy who works in a bookshop who has highly developed empathetic qualities and a school caretaker, Kenneth Plumley who Izzy KNOWS is lying. Can she convince DS Josh Frendy that she is telling the truth?
Wow. This is my first read by David Jackson and it certainly won’t be the last as he sure can write an exciting thriller. I love the Izzy angle and she’s a really good character who tries to do the right thing. There are some great scenes between her and Josh who is also very likeable and with terrific dialogue to boot! The book has some excellent settings especially the bookshop Izzy works in, one particularly lively one!
This is a twisted and twisted tale that is very well written, it’s lively, fast paced and very intense at times making it a hard novel to put down. The tension is almost off the scale in places as a dangerous and blood freezing game of cat and mouse ensues. I do begin to suss it all out but I have to admit only just before the final suspenseful denouement!
Overall, a well plotted and pacy mystery thriller and one to recommend to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
A chilling game of ‘Simon Says’, Izzy who works in a bookshop who has highly developed empathetic qualities and a school caretaker, Kenneth Plumley who Izzy KNOWS is lying. Can she convince DS Josh Frendy that she is telling the truth?
Wow. This is my first read by David Jackson and it certainly won’t be the last as he sure can write an exciting thriller. I love the Izzy angle and she’s a really good character who tries to do the right thing. There are some great scenes between her and Josh who is also very likeable and with terrific dialogue to boot! The book has some excellent settings especially the bookshop Izzy works in, one particularly lively one!
This is a twisted and twisted tale that is very well written, it’s lively, fast paced and very intense at times making it a hard novel to put down. The tension is almost off the scale in places as a dangerous and blood freezing game of cat and mouse ensues. I do begin to suss it all out but I have to admit only just before the final suspenseful denouement!
Overall, a well plotted and pacy mystery thriller and one to recommend to fans of the genre.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
July 10, 2022
I have read and loved a lot of books by David Jackson so I was really keen to read his new one no Secrets. This was pretty different to his other books, in that it was more of a character driven story than a dark and messed up crime story. Don’t get me wrong, there is still that element there, but this had a more in depth look at our main character Izzy.
Izzy was an interesting character. She has the ability to know when someone is lying and is empathetic. She can read people like a book, and she works in a bookstore 😅 Her gift is not always a blessing and she doesn’t like to talk about it, But when she sees a witness to a crime on TV lie about what he saw, she is compelled to tell the police.
The police don’t necessarily believe her, this man is tricky. But she preserves and put herself and those around her in danger. I am not going to say anymore for fear of spoilers, but it was a great read that really hooked me in,
Thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
Izzy was an interesting character. She has the ability to know when someone is lying and is empathetic. She can read people like a book, and she works in a bookstore 😅 Her gift is not always a blessing and she doesn’t like to talk about it, But when she sees a witness to a crime on TV lie about what he saw, she is compelled to tell the police.
The police don’t necessarily believe her, this man is tricky. But she preserves and put herself and those around her in danger. I am not going to say anymore for fear of spoilers, but it was a great read that really hooked me in,
Thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.
August 18, 2023
DNF. Didn't pass my test for audiobooks, if I can leave the room where I am listening (I have stopped using headsets) and still be able to follow the storyline, it is not captivating enough, thus I abandon it.
June 13, 2022
This is a very good read by author David Jackson. Every book I read by this author has me turning the pages as quick as possible in anticipation. What I really like about David Jackson is the ideas he comes up with for his exciting plots. In this one it is a character with the ability to read peoples emotions.
Izzy Lambert is a bit of a loner and has been all her life. Seen as a strange child in her youth and not a lot has changed since. She enjoys her job working in a bookshop but little else happens in her life. She discovered at an early age that she could read peoples emotions and easily identify when someone was lying. Her ability did not endear her to people and she hid it in fear of them thinking she was some kind of oddball.
When a young local girl goes missing the police are hitting dead ends and have no clear leads on the case. But when Izzy’s old school caretaker is interviewed on the news about the story she senses that he is not telling the truth. She becomes convinced that he is telling lies and knows where the missing girl is. The problem is she is going to struggle to get the local police to take her serious when she tries to convince them. With lives at stake she feels it is critical that she makes them believe her.
This was an exciting read, great characters and an intriguing plot. I sort of guessed what was going to happen but it didn’t deter from my overall enjoyment.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Serpent’s Tail for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Izzy Lambert is a bit of a loner and has been all her life. Seen as a strange child in her youth and not a lot has changed since. She enjoys her job working in a bookshop but little else happens in her life. She discovered at an early age that she could read peoples emotions and easily identify when someone was lying. Her ability did not endear her to people and she hid it in fear of them thinking she was some kind of oddball.
When a young local girl goes missing the police are hitting dead ends and have no clear leads on the case. But when Izzy’s old school caretaker is interviewed on the news about the story she senses that he is not telling the truth. She becomes convinced that he is telling lies and knows where the missing girl is. The problem is she is going to struggle to get the local police to take her serious when she tries to convince them. With lives at stake she feels it is critical that she makes them believe her.
This was an exciting read, great characters and an intriguing plot. I sort of guessed what was going to happen but it didn’t deter from my overall enjoyment.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Serpent’s Tail for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
July 7, 2022
Izzy Lambert has something a little like a superpower. Her highly empathic abilities allow her to read people’s emotions. And lies. So when the caretaker of her former school appears on tv as a potential witness to the abduction of a young girl, Izzy knows instantly that he is not telling the truth. Bringing this information to the police is about as useful as banging her head against a brick wall. Nobody believes her. Only one thing remains for Izzy to do. Uncover the truth by herself. But that way lies danger.
To be honest, David Jackson’s books and I haven’t really been getting along that well lately. I was a massive fan of the DS Nathan Cody series but for some reason, Jackson’s stand-alones have been leaving me rather underwhelmed so far. (Sorry, David!) But I’m stubborn and I keep reading his books because I’m hopeful that our author/reader relationship will be restored. Also, come on, who could possibly resist that intriguing blurb?
The main protagonist, Izzy, is a fabulous character. Instantly likeable, she managed to get me completely on her side from the very beginning. Also because, she’s living the dream by working in a bookshop, surrounded by lovely books all day long. I may have been somewhat jealous. Just like I was jealous of her ability to know when someone is telling a lie. At first that sounded infinitely cool until you’re faced with the consequences of, for instance, breaking up your parents’ marriage. Suddenly it’s decidedly less cool and you’re left to wonder : if you *do* know someone is lying, should you always let that fact be known? I do so love it when a story makes me think things through like this.
Izzy’s pursuit of Kenneth, the caretaker, becomes more tense as the story goes on. The reader is also offered an insight into Kenneth’s life. To say it’s a mess seems to be quite the understatement and yet, like the horrible person I am, I found it pretty hard to care about him. Although I suspect I wasn’t really supposed to. Maybe. In any case, as much as Izzy is immensely likeable, Kenneth is most definitely not. Another likeable character comes in the shape of DS Frendy who, for reasons of his own, wants to help Izzy even if it lands him in trouble with his bosses.
I thoroughly enjoyed “No Secrets” but I did have a few niggles. Let me just say this is quite possibly just me being extremely nit-picky because I seem to be turning into somewhat of a curmudgeonly old bat lately. There are moments where a character or two acted so incredibly stupidly that my eyes nearly rolled out of my head. Here comes the vagueness : there is something a certain character does, involving an animal, which I already hated, but that in hindsight also felt completely out of character for that particular character. I’m not sure I used the word “character” enough here. And then there’s the conclusion of the story, which I’m not entirely sure made sense and made me feel as if I should re-read the book.
That said! Did I mention I enjoyed it? Helped by the refreshing premise, I found ‘No Secrets‘ highly entertaining, full of suspense and immensely addictive. This is definitely a binge-read story so make sure you carve out enough time to finish it in one sitting. I’m pleased to say this particular author/reader relationship has been restored and this time I’m definitely not underwhelmed. I’m very much looking forward to David Jackson’s next offering!
To be honest, David Jackson’s books and I haven’t really been getting along that well lately. I was a massive fan of the DS Nathan Cody series but for some reason, Jackson’s stand-alones have been leaving me rather underwhelmed so far. (Sorry, David!) But I’m stubborn and I keep reading his books because I’m hopeful that our author/reader relationship will be restored. Also, come on, who could possibly resist that intriguing blurb?
The main protagonist, Izzy, is a fabulous character. Instantly likeable, she managed to get me completely on her side from the very beginning. Also because, she’s living the dream by working in a bookshop, surrounded by lovely books all day long. I may have been somewhat jealous. Just like I was jealous of her ability to know when someone is telling a lie. At first that sounded infinitely cool until you’re faced with the consequences of, for instance, breaking up your parents’ marriage. Suddenly it’s decidedly less cool and you’re left to wonder : if you *do* know someone is lying, should you always let that fact be known? I do so love it when a story makes me think things through like this.
Izzy’s pursuit of Kenneth, the caretaker, becomes more tense as the story goes on. The reader is also offered an insight into Kenneth’s life. To say it’s a mess seems to be quite the understatement and yet, like the horrible person I am, I found it pretty hard to care about him. Although I suspect I wasn’t really supposed to. Maybe. In any case, as much as Izzy is immensely likeable, Kenneth is most definitely not. Another likeable character comes in the shape of DS Frendy who, for reasons of his own, wants to help Izzy even if it lands him in trouble with his bosses.
I thoroughly enjoyed “No Secrets” but I did have a few niggles. Let me just say this is quite possibly just me being extremely nit-picky because I seem to be turning into somewhat of a curmudgeonly old bat lately. There are moments where a character or two acted so incredibly stupidly that my eyes nearly rolled out of my head. Here comes the vagueness : there is something a certain character does, involving an animal, which I already hated, but that in hindsight also felt completely out of character for that particular character. I’m not sure I used the word “character” enough here. And then there’s the conclusion of the story, which I’m not entirely sure made sense and made me feel as if I should re-read the book.
That said! Did I mention I enjoyed it? Helped by the refreshing premise, I found ‘No Secrets‘ highly entertaining, full of suspense and immensely addictive. This is definitely a binge-read story so make sure you carve out enough time to finish it in one sitting. I’m pleased to say this particular author/reader relationship has been restored and this time I’m definitely not underwhelmed. I’m very much looking forward to David Jackson’s next offering!
May 23, 2022
Another tense page turner from David Jackson, a cat and mouse thriller, beautifully twisty as ever.
Missing girls and a woman who knows when you are telling lies sets the scene, an addictive clever chase across the pages ensues, hugely entertaining throughout.
You always get great characters and unique stories from this author and No Secrets was a great read.
Missing girls and a woman who knows when you are telling lies sets the scene, an addictive clever chase across the pages ensues, hugely entertaining throughout.
You always get great characters and unique stories from this author and No Secrets was a great read.
April 23, 2023
Whipped through this one in 2 days, it is definitely one of those where you can read chapter after chapter. I’ve read a few books by this author now and this didn’t disappoint. Written in his usual style with dark humour mixed in with a great thriller.
November 17, 2024
If this writer wanted to emulate Robotham’s Evie Cormac then it didn’t work, instead Jackson got a pale imitation of Robotham’s main character. If he didn’t know a precedent was there then he was truly unlucky. I have said before that the characters you create can ruin, hurt or elevate the plot, guess what happened…..characters were so weak and childish that although the plot was interesting, I just wanted the book to be over. The “gift” was so incipient in its development that it didn’t add to the main story.
The writing is good but Izzy’s character was unbelievably childlike and immature. I couldn’t find Plumley’s behavior terrifying and Polina and Michael were unfinished.
The writing is good and the plot is interesting and that is why you see three stars. I will not read anything else by this author. Character development is very tricky, especially when you are a man writing female characters, the main character was a fully grown woman, why she comes across as a 13 year old, why her gift was so weak, why the characters were not fully developed?
The writing is good but Izzy’s character was unbelievably childlike and immature. I couldn’t find Plumley’s behavior terrifying and Polina and Michael were unfinished.
The writing is good and the plot is interesting and that is why you see three stars. I will not read anything else by this author. Character development is very tricky, especially when you are a man writing female characters, the main character was a fully grown woman, why she comes across as a 13 year old, why her gift was so weak, why the characters were not fully developed?
July 7, 2022
I read this through my online book club and felt the segments released should have been longer. Izzy is a feisty clerk in a book shop with a special gift. She can tell when someone is lying. Her gift can be a curse that she prefers not to discuss, however when she sees a witness to a crime on TV lie about what he saw, she is compelled to tell the police, particularly as she recognizes him from her past.
Naturally the police are sceptical and although she befriends a detective, her manner of rushing off to investigate the crime while exciting is also silly. The ending felt unsatisfying to me and rushed. 4 Stars.
Naturally the police are sceptical and although she befriends a detective, her manner of rushing off to investigate the crime while exciting is also silly. The ending felt unsatisfying to me and rushed. 4 Stars.
September 24, 2025
Read this on holiday, in two days, and very much enjoyed it. The first couple of chapters there are lots of revelations, it builds up the layers and the suspense.
Characters are relatable, there’s some funny moments, and plenty of tension! I thought the characters were quite developed. In fact towards the last couple of chapters I desperately wanted to finish it and had to keep reading. There was some hope and then a few more twists at the end. “Two minutes” I cried as I tried to whip through it.
Although on reflection, reading this *at the pool* surrounded by families playing with the kids was probably not the best thing! Very chilling. I didn’t see the twist(s) at the end coming actually.
This is the second book I have read recently where the title packs a punch as the last sentence (the other one being It Ends With Us) and it’s quite a powerful ending of giving *all females* the superpower.
I also enjoyed reading a gay character who likes books!
I also made the mistake of bringing the wrong book to the pool, not this one, and I could tell I was enjoying this one because I wanted desperately to keep reading it, and loathed the other book as it wasn’t No Secrets. Will hopefully look out for more of David Jackson.
Characters are relatable, there’s some funny moments, and plenty of tension! I thought the characters were quite developed. In fact towards the last couple of chapters I desperately wanted to finish it and had to keep reading. There was some hope and then a few more twists at the end. “Two minutes” I cried as I tried to whip through it.
Although on reflection, reading this *at the pool* surrounded by families playing with the kids was probably not the best thing! Very chilling. I didn’t see the twist(s) at the end coming actually.
This is the second book I have read recently where the title packs a punch as the last sentence (the other one being It Ends With Us) and it’s quite a powerful ending of giving *all females* the superpower.
I also enjoyed reading a gay character who likes books!
I also made the mistake of bringing the wrong book to the pool, not this one, and I could tell I was enjoying this one because I wanted desperately to keep reading it, and loathed the other book as it wasn’t No Secrets. Will hopefully look out for more of David Jackson.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2024
It was really good. Had it had a more satisfying outcome, it would have probably been a five star. But the story took direction that wasn't the most satisfactory to me
July 9, 2022
Izzy has highly developed empathic abilities. A gift that she finds hard to live with. When I first thought how I'd be if I had the gift to know how people are feeling and could detect wether they are lying. I instantly thought Yes, please that sounds great 👍🏼 however, when you think deeper into it. Would you really want to know when someone lies to you? Would you want to feel the emotions of the person your speaking to pulsing though you?
Also it would be hard to explain to people how you know these things. Which is the position Izzy finds herself in when she realises that Kenneth Plumley isn't being truthful with his version of events about a local missing girl.
How can Izzy convince the police? She has no evidence or proof, all she has is her gift.
I read this book in one sitting, I really enjoy David Jackson's writing. He can pull you in and lead you down a path. Then out of nowhere he just shoves you hard, and makes you realise that you were making assumptions. All completely wrong.
Izzy's character is a bit marmite in my opinion, I found her very interesting and her gift was something I've always been interested in. However, some of her actions and the ways she went about proving things were a bit out there.
I really enjoyed the chemistry that was developing between her and Josh the detective. I could see them pursuing a little side hustle as an investigative duo. Izzy could use her dead pan humour and empathic abilities. Whilst Josh could hone in on his detective skills.
Despite the storyline being crystal clear to us at the start. Kenneth is the killer. Izzy needs to prove that he is. But is this really the case? I had my doubts about everyone in the book. Was I right to be suspicious? You'll have to read the book to find out for yourselves.
No Secrets is a perfect mystery filled cat and mouse thriller. Who will come out on top?
Simon Says you must read this book!!
Also it would be hard to explain to people how you know these things. Which is the position Izzy finds herself in when she realises that Kenneth Plumley isn't being truthful with his version of events about a local missing girl.
How can Izzy convince the police? She has no evidence or proof, all she has is her gift.
I read this book in one sitting, I really enjoy David Jackson's writing. He can pull you in and lead you down a path. Then out of nowhere he just shoves you hard, and makes you realise that you were making assumptions. All completely wrong.
Izzy's character is a bit marmite in my opinion, I found her very interesting and her gift was something I've always been interested in. However, some of her actions and the ways she went about proving things were a bit out there.
I really enjoyed the chemistry that was developing between her and Josh the detective. I could see them pursuing a little side hustle as an investigative duo. Izzy could use her dead pan humour and empathic abilities. Whilst Josh could hone in on his detective skills.
Despite the storyline being crystal clear to us at the start. Kenneth is the killer. Izzy needs to prove that he is. But is this really the case? I had my doubts about everyone in the book. Was I right to be suspicious? You'll have to read the book to find out for yourselves.
No Secrets is a perfect mystery filled cat and mouse thriller. Who will come out on top?
Simon Says you must read this book!!
July 10, 2022
Is Izzy’s gift a curse? How would you feel if you knew when someone was lying? It sounds great but in actual fact it would be a nightmare. It already landed her in trouble when she revealed her father’s infidelity to her mother and triggered their divorce. Now she tries not to get too close to people, because the better she knows them, the more she can see through their untruths.
Talking of untruths, I promised myself I wouldn’t make any comments about politics, but where have you been Izzy? We’ve needed you.
Unfortunately the police don’t believe her when she tells them that her old school caretaker Kenneth Plummer is lying when he says he witnessed the abduction of a teenage girl. She got to know ‘Plummers’ quite well when she was at school (a bit strange – would definitely have been discouraged when I was at school and safeguarding wasn’t what it was back then compared to now), so she can tell he’s making it up.
But why would he lie? The police think Izzy is a crackpot, an attention seeker. Even the lovely DS Josh Frendy is doubtful, though he is the only one who keeps an open mind. Not about Kenneth being involved as Izzy suggests, but about her ‘superpower’.
And Izzy never gives up. She is determined to prove she is correct till even her partner Andy starts getting fed up. Not to mention that trailing someone you suspect of being a murderer is rather risky. Particularly when it includes hanging around his house and following him into dark, lonely places.
No-one writes a serial killer thriller like David Jackson. He can combine kidnapping, abduction, grisly murder and dark humour in one novel without ever veering into the realms of bad taste. One minute you’re burying a body and the next you are laughing out loud.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
Talking of untruths, I promised myself I wouldn’t make any comments about politics, but where have you been Izzy? We’ve needed you.
Unfortunately the police don’t believe her when she tells them that her old school caretaker Kenneth Plummer is lying when he says he witnessed the abduction of a teenage girl. She got to know ‘Plummers’ quite well when she was at school (a bit strange – would definitely have been discouraged when I was at school and safeguarding wasn’t what it was back then compared to now), so she can tell he’s making it up.
But why would he lie? The police think Izzy is a crackpot, an attention seeker. Even the lovely DS Josh Frendy is doubtful, though he is the only one who keeps an open mind. Not about Kenneth being involved as Izzy suggests, but about her ‘superpower’.
And Izzy never gives up. She is determined to prove she is correct till even her partner Andy starts getting fed up. Not to mention that trailing someone you suspect of being a murderer is rather risky. Particularly when it includes hanging around his house and following him into dark, lonely places.
No-one writes a serial killer thriller like David Jackson. He can combine kidnapping, abduction, grisly murder and dark humour in one novel without ever veering into the realms of bad taste. One minute you’re burying a body and the next you are laughing out loud.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole, and my fellow Pigeons for making this such an enjoyable read.
July 31, 2022
The story:
To Isobel Lambert, everyone she knows is an open book. So when she sees her former school caretaker on the news discussing the last time he saw a missing girl, she knows beyond doubt that he is lying.
But what can she do about it, when all she has is her feeling, and a track record of making people uncomfortable with her insights?
When another girl goes missing, this time a close friend of Izzy’s, she is pushed to take increasingly desperate measures. But will she be able to bring the man she’s so sure is guilty to justice?
My thoughts:
I was a bit uncertain about the premise of this book when I began it; the idea that Izzy, the lead character, could tell without fail whenever anyone close to her was telling her a lie. But what I enjoyed about this book is the practicality of it — the author at no time tries to make us think that Izzy has ‘magic powers’, but a heightened sense of empathy for those she knows well.
While you might consider this to be a great skill to have, as we get to know various incidents from Izzy’s life past and present, it becomes clear what a burden it is, and how difficult it is for Izzy to know the right thing to do with her knowledge. It has led to her isolating herself from all but a select group of people around her, choosing a quiet existence surrounded by the books she loves.
But with such an extreme example of a lie confronting her, Izzy feels she has to do all she can to make the police believe her, regardless of her own safety, which made me really enjoy her as a character.
Although a lot of what is going on with the missing girls is revealed to us as it happens, there are still plenty of twists and turns in the tale that kept me on my toes and surprised me! I’d highly recommend this one to all crime and psychological thriller fans and I look forward to reading more by the author now I’ve discovered him!
To Isobel Lambert, everyone she knows is an open book. So when she sees her former school caretaker on the news discussing the last time he saw a missing girl, she knows beyond doubt that he is lying.
But what can she do about it, when all she has is her feeling, and a track record of making people uncomfortable with her insights?
When another girl goes missing, this time a close friend of Izzy’s, she is pushed to take increasingly desperate measures. But will she be able to bring the man she’s so sure is guilty to justice?
My thoughts:
I was a bit uncertain about the premise of this book when I began it; the idea that Izzy, the lead character, could tell without fail whenever anyone close to her was telling her a lie. But what I enjoyed about this book is the practicality of it — the author at no time tries to make us think that Izzy has ‘magic powers’, but a heightened sense of empathy for those she knows well.
While you might consider this to be a great skill to have, as we get to know various incidents from Izzy’s life past and present, it becomes clear what a burden it is, and how difficult it is for Izzy to know the right thing to do with her knowledge. It has led to her isolating herself from all but a select group of people around her, choosing a quiet existence surrounded by the books she loves.
But with such an extreme example of a lie confronting her, Izzy feels she has to do all she can to make the police believe her, regardless of her own safety, which made me really enjoy her as a character.
Although a lot of what is going on with the missing girls is revealed to us as it happens, there are still plenty of twists and turns in the tale that kept me on my toes and surprised me! I’d highly recommend this one to all crime and psychological thriller fans and I look forward to reading more by the author now I’ve discovered him!
July 6, 2022
No Secrets’ had me hooked from the first chapter. This is the third book from the incredible author David Jackson and is his best one yet.
The story follows Izzy, she has an ability to detect emotions from the people she knows even if they are not being truthful. After a girl has gone missing, and seeing her old caretaker lying on television she gets herself embroiled in the case off her own back. There is no secrets when Izzy is around.
This book was filled with tension,mystery, incredible characters and a nice twist. Shocking twist!
While the story mainly follows Izzy. There is also her new detective friend Josh, Kenneth the caretaker and her employer Abel. Each of the characters are very well thought out. Authentic and believable. My favourite character was Abel. Although he only played a small part in the book, his love for books outshone every other character. He was an incredibly kind and generous man. But, that being said I think Kenneth was the most well written. I had the most feelings about him throughout the book, how I felt he was to what the book was telling me he was. He was a sneaky character and I liked it.
Needless to say, this is definitely a book to have on your radar, and it’s out tomorrow!! So you don’t have long till you can get your copy.
The story follows Izzy, she has an ability to detect emotions from the people she knows even if they are not being truthful. After a girl has gone missing, and seeing her old caretaker lying on television she gets herself embroiled in the case off her own back. There is no secrets when Izzy is around.
This book was filled with tension,mystery, incredible characters and a nice twist. Shocking twist!
While the story mainly follows Izzy. There is also her new detective friend Josh, Kenneth the caretaker and her employer Abel. Each of the characters are very well thought out. Authentic and believable. My favourite character was Abel. Although he only played a small part in the book, his love for books outshone every other character. He was an incredibly kind and generous man. But, that being said I think Kenneth was the most well written. I had the most feelings about him throughout the book, how I felt he was to what the book was telling me he was. He was a sneaky character and I liked it.
Needless to say, this is definitely a book to have on your radar, and it’s out tomorrow!! So you don’t have long till you can get your copy.
August 30, 2022
Any new David Jackson's thriller is better than the previous and each of them kept me on the edge, was emotionally charged and full of suspence.
This one is full of surprises, well plotted and riveting. I love the storytelling and loved Izzy.
It's one of those book that keeps always on the edge and full of unexpected twists.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
This one is full of surprises, well plotted and riveting. I love the storytelling and loved Izzy.
It's one of those book that keeps always on the edge and full of unexpected twists.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
June 14, 2022
I flew through this book it was so compulsive I just needed to know the outcome so much so I just ignored real life and read and read until I finished it with a very satisfied smile on my face !
It’s a real twisty story with some brilliant characters and although a dark tale it’s also told with plenty humour and I particularly like the rapport between Izzy and Josh. I have loved all the books I have read by this author and never been disappointed he seems to have a knack of drawing you into a story right from the off and keeping the suspense going throughout.
So a great read and I can highly recommend but be warned once you pick this one up you won’t want to put it down!
My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
It’s a real twisty story with some brilliant characters and although a dark tale it’s also told with plenty humour and I particularly like the rapport between Izzy and Josh. I have loved all the books I have read by this author and never been disappointed he seems to have a knack of drawing you into a story right from the off and keeping the suspense going throughout.
So a great read and I can highly recommend but be warned once you pick this one up you won’t want to put it down!
My thanks to NetGalley and Serpent’s Tail / Viper / Profile Books for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 7, 2025
I got more and more annoyed at Lizzy throughout the book, the ways she decided to plan how to catch Kenneth out just lame…. I got confused at how good / how limited her gift is from start to finish…
Kept picturing Lizzy as a young teenage the way author wrote her character but she’s actually a 24 years old lady.
But was surprised at the twist. Didn’t think the lodger Michael has anything to do with anything.
Was an okay read. Fast paced at least. But not good enough to recommend though. 6/10
Kept picturing Lizzy as a young teenage the way author wrote her character but she’s actually a 24 years old lady.
But was surprised at the twist. Didn’t think the lodger Michael has anything to do with anything.
Was an okay read. Fast paced at least. But not good enough to recommend though. 6/10
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2022
Talk about a page turner! I read this basically in one sitting. David Jackson’s writing style has such a compulsive quality to it you can’t help but just keep reading. I enjoyed the characters particularly the development of the relationship between Izzy and Josh, the added element of Izzy’s empathic gift made for an interesting plot point which gave this mystery thriller a standout element.
My only negative is that I found some parts slightly repetitive, which distracted very slightly from the story line. But this is just a small gripe.
Highly recommend this novel and I will be checking out other books by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Serpent’s Tail/Viper/Profile books for providing early copy in exchange for my honest review
My only negative is that I found some parts slightly repetitive, which distracted very slightly from the story line. But this is just a small gripe.
Highly recommend this novel and I will be checking out other books by this author.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Serpent’s Tail/Viper/Profile books for providing early copy in exchange for my honest review
October 1, 2023
3.5 Enjoyable, fast paced read. If crime /thrillers are your thing, then I would say it's worth a read!
September 29, 2024
The lack of plot twists made me not enjoy it as much as I would have. It was a fun read and I felt a connection to the main character, which doesn’t happen often. I will recommend this
July 3, 2022
Yet again. David Jackson has written another absolutely brilliant read. This author is fast becoming one of favourites. I don’t even read the blurb for his books anymore I just want to read the book. No secrets is basically a crime thriller and it’s one which had me totally engrossed from the very start. A dark and gritty crime thriller and as is the norm with this author some dark humour thrown in at times. Highly recommend.
September 22, 2023
After The Resident and The Rule, what I’ve come to expect from this author is a thrilling pageturner, most likely featuring a creepy bloke. No sooner had I started No Secrets or I could tick those boxes.
Everybody lies and everyone has secrets, and it’s usually not that hard to keep them hidden, but for the people Izzy knows, there are no secrets, she sees right through them. Izzy is something of a natural mentalist. She sort of determines a baseline for a person, based on things like microexpressions and mannerisms, and once she has that, dishonesty of any kind just becomes blatantly obvious to her. She doesn’t even try, if anything she’d rather be rid of this so-called gift that has given her little but heartache over the years.
When a teenage girl goes missing from Izzy’s former high-school, Izzy happens to see a news report in which the school caretaker is interviewed as an eyewitness. To all intents and purposes, he seems quite trustworthy, but Izzy knew him pretty well back in the day, she has his baseline, and she knows everything he’s just said is just a load of bollocks.
Encouraged by her partner, Izzy notifies the police, but they just think she’s either a crackpot or a conspiracy theorist. Or maybe just a silly girl looking for her fifteen minutes of fame. Izzy is none of those things and she can’t let it go. As the days pass and events unfold, she becomes so obsessed that not only she but also the people she loves may be in danger.
Izzy was a breath of fresh air and a fascinating point of view. I always enjoy thrillers with an edge, a bit of pizzazz, a little something that makes them stand out, and that is what Izzy is for No Secrets. I really liked her, I found her very believable as a girl who sees too much and wants to do good only to have it blow up in her face time and again.
No Secrets had me turning the pages as fast as I could and I flew through it in an afternoon, I just had to know how it would all end. Fast-paced and highly entertaining, I had a fantastic time with it and I would happily recommend it to fans of the genre.
No Secrets is out on 7 July in digital formats, audio and hardcover.
Massive thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Everybody lies and everyone has secrets, and it’s usually not that hard to keep them hidden, but for the people Izzy knows, there are no secrets, she sees right through them. Izzy is something of a natural mentalist. She sort of determines a baseline for a person, based on things like microexpressions and mannerisms, and once she has that, dishonesty of any kind just becomes blatantly obvious to her. She doesn’t even try, if anything she’d rather be rid of this so-called gift that has given her little but heartache over the years.
When a teenage girl goes missing from Izzy’s former high-school, Izzy happens to see a news report in which the school caretaker is interviewed as an eyewitness. To all intents and purposes, he seems quite trustworthy, but Izzy knew him pretty well back in the day, she has his baseline, and she knows everything he’s just said is just a load of bollocks.
Encouraged by her partner, Izzy notifies the police, but they just think she’s either a crackpot or a conspiracy theorist. Or maybe just a silly girl looking for her fifteen minutes of fame. Izzy is none of those things and she can’t let it go. As the days pass and events unfold, she becomes so obsessed that not only she but also the people she loves may be in danger.
Izzy was a breath of fresh air and a fascinating point of view. I always enjoy thrillers with an edge, a bit of pizzazz, a little something that makes them stand out, and that is what Izzy is for No Secrets. I really liked her, I found her very believable as a girl who sees too much and wants to do good only to have it blow up in her face time and again.
No Secrets had me turning the pages as fast as I could and I flew through it in an afternoon, I just had to know how it would all end. Fast-paced and highly entertaining, I had a fantastic time with it and I would happily recommend it to fans of the genre.
No Secrets is out on 7 July in digital formats, audio and hardcover.
Massive thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
August 11, 2022
Izzy can tell when people are lying.
Good grief. Can anyone explain to me why I have been stupid enough not to have read David Jackson before? What a talent! I thought No Secrets was absolutely brilliant because it held me spellbound from start to finish to the extent that I put life on hold to gulp it down over a weekend. I loved David Jackson’s writing style. Through variety of sentence and paragraph length, and with natural dialogue, he seems to have a natural ability to convey life incredibly effectively.
No Secrets is so well plotted that I simply didn’t anticipate some of the actions and that element of surprise enhanced my enjoyment immensely. The pace is fast and captivating, with short chapters that create an almost breathless pace. I definitely had willingly to suspend my disbelief at some of Izzy’s actions, but not because David Jackson didn’t make them plausible in the context of the narrative and her ability to know when someone is lying, but because I couldn’t conceive of having her level of doggedness and conviction. This made her fascinating and frustrating – just like a real person.
Indeed, Izzy is a superb character because she illustrates how those who do the right thing for the right reason don’t always achieve the right outcomes. This means that, as well as being a snappy, enthralling thriller, No Secrets is a mature and contemplative insight into morality, our past and how we are affected by the events life throws at us. Whilst I had expected an exciting story, I wasn’t prepared for the level of emotion I felt too, especially with regard to Izzy and Josh. I was thoroughly entertained, but I was emotionally touched too.
On the surface No Secrets is another thriller revolving around missing young women, but it is so much more than that. I’m not able to say too much about plot or theme as both would reveal too much of the story for others, but I loved this book. Simultaneously unsettling, emotional, exciting and witty, No Secrets is a fantastic read that I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend. I’m so glad I’ve finally got round to reading David Jackson’s excellent writing.
Good grief. Can anyone explain to me why I have been stupid enough not to have read David Jackson before? What a talent! I thought No Secrets was absolutely brilliant because it held me spellbound from start to finish to the extent that I put life on hold to gulp it down over a weekend. I loved David Jackson’s writing style. Through variety of sentence and paragraph length, and with natural dialogue, he seems to have a natural ability to convey life incredibly effectively.
No Secrets is so well plotted that I simply didn’t anticipate some of the actions and that element of surprise enhanced my enjoyment immensely. The pace is fast and captivating, with short chapters that create an almost breathless pace. I definitely had willingly to suspend my disbelief at some of Izzy’s actions, but not because David Jackson didn’t make them plausible in the context of the narrative and her ability to know when someone is lying, but because I couldn’t conceive of having her level of doggedness and conviction. This made her fascinating and frustrating – just like a real person.
Indeed, Izzy is a superb character because she illustrates how those who do the right thing for the right reason don’t always achieve the right outcomes. This means that, as well as being a snappy, enthralling thriller, No Secrets is a mature and contemplative insight into morality, our past and how we are affected by the events life throws at us. Whilst I had expected an exciting story, I wasn’t prepared for the level of emotion I felt too, especially with regard to Izzy and Josh. I was thoroughly entertained, but I was emotionally touched too.
On the surface No Secrets is another thriller revolving around missing young women, but it is so much more than that. I’m not able to say too much about plot or theme as both would reveal too much of the story for others, but I loved this book. Simultaneously unsettling, emotional, exciting and witty, No Secrets is a fantastic read that I thoroughly, thoroughly recommend. I’m so glad I’ve finally got round to reading David Jackson’s excellent writing.
June 15, 2022
For those who follow my blog, you will know that David Jackson is one of my “go-to” authors and there is nothing more exciting that being invited onto the blogtour to read his latest standalone crime thriller No Secrets, out on 7th July 2022.
Imagine having the ability to “read people”, to know when they are lying. Well that is the “gift” 23 year old Izzy was born with. She, however doesn’t think it’s a gift – to her it’s a curse so she lives a very insular and quiet life with her partner Andy and works in a book shop.
When a young girl goes missing locally, the media interview the last person to see her, Kenneth Plumley, her old school janitor and Izzy’s spidery skills start to tingle because she KNOWS without a shadow of a doubt that Kenneth is LYING.
Now Izzy finds herself trying to convince the police that Kenneth is lying but with no actual evidence they can’t take her seriously and with more girls disappearing the clock is ticking to solve this case.
No Secrets is a fast paced thriller which David Jackson never fails to deliver. With some fascinating and flawed characters and a heroine with a very dry sense of humour, No Secrets kept me gripped until the very last page.
There are some deeply disturbing scenes in this book and some killer twists which I did not see coming at all.
If you like your books with a dash of darkness, a sprinkling of suspense, a measure of murder and tablespoons of twists then you should buy this book now.
Imagine having the ability to “read people”, to know when they are lying. Well that is the “gift” 23 year old Izzy was born with. She, however doesn’t think it’s a gift – to her it’s a curse so she lives a very insular and quiet life with her partner Andy and works in a book shop.
When a young girl goes missing locally, the media interview the last person to see her, Kenneth Plumley, her old school janitor and Izzy’s spidery skills start to tingle because she KNOWS without a shadow of a doubt that Kenneth is LYING.
Now Izzy finds herself trying to convince the police that Kenneth is lying but with no actual evidence they can’t take her seriously and with more girls disappearing the clock is ticking to solve this case.
No Secrets is a fast paced thriller which David Jackson never fails to deliver. With some fascinating and flawed characters and a heroine with a very dry sense of humour, No Secrets kept me gripped until the very last page.
There are some deeply disturbing scenes in this book and some killer twists which I did not see coming at all.
If you like your books with a dash of darkness, a sprinkling of suspense, a measure of murder and tablespoons of twists then you should buy this book now.
July 9, 2022
No Secrets By David Jackson
David Jackson is different. His books are addictive, his stories are imaginative. He thinks outside the box and this makes his books page turners.
No secrets tell the tale of Izzy, who's gift is reading peoples emotions and the ability to tell when someone is lying. When the caretaker of her former school appears on TV as a potential witness to the abduction of a young girl, Izzy knows instantly that he is not telling the truth and so our story begins.
This is a great read. The writing is good, all the characters are well fleshed out and this is a super cat and mouse thriller.
I flew through this book and couldn't put it down. It was in my hands every spare moment I had. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers.
I would like to thank Netgalley the author, and Serpent’s Tail/Viper/Profile books for providing an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
Well worth your time and hard-earned cash.
David Jackson is different. His books are addictive, his stories are imaginative. He thinks outside the box and this makes his books page turners.
No secrets tell the tale of Izzy, who's gift is reading peoples emotions and the ability to tell when someone is lying. When the caretaker of her former school appears on TV as a potential witness to the abduction of a young girl, Izzy knows instantly that he is not telling the truth and so our story begins.
This is a great read. The writing is good, all the characters are well fleshed out and this is a super cat and mouse thriller.
I flew through this book and couldn't put it down. It was in my hands every spare moment I had. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys thrillers.
I would like to thank Netgalley the author, and Serpent’s Tail/Viper/Profile books for providing an early copy in exchange for my honest review.
Well worth your time and hard-earned cash.
June 19, 2023
I had to read his in one sitting- brilliant. Lots of layers and surprises. Better than the majority of famous authors for plot and quality of writing. Why haven’t I heard of David Jackson before? Luckily there are more!! You need to read this book!
July 30, 2022
Fantastic read with some great humour throughout. Great writing with a twist at the end that I certainly didn't see coming!
March 5, 2024
This one just made me sad haha. great read though.
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