Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch

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.

Paperback, 352 pages

Expected publication June 28, 2022

 by Love Inspired Trade

4/5 stars

This book grabbed me right away and did not let go. The open scene paves the way for intrigue with likeable characters, secrets and dark pasts.

Her Darkest Secret is told mostly from Fiona’s POV.  Her past is shadowed with violence that remains unresolved. It ruins a marriage and friendships but as the person responsible for her sister's death strikes again will she finally have closure?

I was given an arc from Harlequin with the label Love Inspired reading, I wasn’t expecting dark and violent (but not graphic) that this was. I am not complaining because I enjoy dark and twisty, multilayered stories. This book kept me on my toes but it was also heavy in details and not all were required. At times I wish I had my own evidence board with clues and who was who just to keep everything straight.

Amidst the mystery/suspense the witty bantering was a nice touch. As were the characters who delivered them. It wasn’t a lot but enough tension relief.

This is also Christian Fiction which worked nicely here.

The ending was one I didn’t see coming and that was a nice treat. But it did pave the way for book 2 in this series, A Cry in the Dark which releases Feb 2023.

My thanks to Harlequin for a print arc in exchange for honest review.