When a cold-case serial killer returns, FBI special agent Fiona Kelly has one last chance to stop him before he claims the prize he’s always wanted—her.
The sight of a goose feather at a murder scene modeled after a children’s poem is enough to make FBI special agent Fiona Kelly’s blood turn to ice. Almost two decades ago, a feather was left with her sister’s body—and with every subsequent victim of the Nursery Rhyme Killer. Now he’s back. Only this time, his latest gruesome murder is a message to the only one who ever got away: Fiona.
Finding “Rhyme” is an obsession that’s fueled Fiona’s career—and destroyed her marriage to fellow FBI agent Asa Kodiak. Now Fiona and Asa have to put their past tensions aside and work together one last time. But Rhyme is watching and catching this killer may force Fiona to reveal her biggest, darkest secret…the one only he knows.
“Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch grabbed me in the first scene of this edge-of-your-seat suspense and didn’t let go until the end!”—Patricia Bradley, author of the Memphis Cold Case novels (less)
Publishers Weekly Bestselling author Jessica R. Patch is known for her dry wit and signature twists whether she’s penned a romantic suspense, a cold case thriller, or a small-town romance. When she’s not getting into fictional mischief with her characters, you can find her cozy on the couch in her mid-south home reading books by some of her favorite authors, watching movies with her family, and collecting recipes to amazing dishes she’ll probably never cook. Sign up for her newsletter “Patched In” at http://www.jessicarpatch.com. Jessica is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary Management.
Publication Date: June 28, 2022
Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09BL7JSPS/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i8
‘She’d been learning to think like a killer much longer than her career with the FBI.’
This book is so worthy of more than the allowable 5 stars. From the prologue, the book is absolutely
un-put-downable! I have been a Jessica Patch fan since I read her first book. I’ve read all of hers, some of them twice, and I’ve never tired of them one bit. With this one, however, Patch’s talent has only grown, and greatly. In fact, I was astounded at how great it was! I was captivated from page one, and it never wavered.
Patch has created characters that seem to just leap off the page and into the reader’s mind. And their emotions practically ping into your heart. One such scene was so intense, it had my heart hurting for them. Never have I seen such raw emotion from a book character. This writing is brilliant and crazy good!
‘The killer had declared war. Asa would give him the fight of his life and hope it was enough.’
Patch has created an insanely bad villain. The story is gritty, chilling and so frightening. I found myself gasping numerous times during the reading. Patch ratchets up the suspense all along and races toward an ending no one will envision. No one! I was completely taken by surprise by it. She manages to weave everything together perfectly to write the very best suspense novel I’ve ever read. Bar none.
I especially enjoyed how Patch has the FBI team operating so seamlessly. The secondary characters are also very real to this reader. This is WAY better than any crime show. Hands down.
‘God had proven once again that Fiona wasn’t worth listening to.’
Let me also mention that the spiritual thread, while subtle, was very powerful indeed. I loved how the author ties this in with the horrific things that happen in this book. One reviewer called it a taut psychological thriller and I completely agree. Taut and intense are two adjectives that describe it perfectly. I am so looking forward to more books in this series. Bravo! Well done!
My thanks to Love Inspired Publishers for a copy of this book via the Net Galley platform. The opinion in this review is expressly my own.
Simply Susan 