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annebrooke's review against another edition
3.0
This is a nice crime drama with a lot of good plotlines and character histories to enjoy - but I just couldn't get past the rather unlikeable and really very rude heroine. I wasn't sure why the rest of the police department put up with her, though she is of course superb at her job. The secondary characters seem much more humane. Still, it's a good fast paced read.
ajcramer87's review
2.0
Just okay
It took me forever to even get into this book, and then forever to finish it (which is a week for me). I do like that it was a mystery but thought there was a lot of unnecessary information included that made it drag on, and many of the characters weren’t fully developed, nor their relationships to each other and the main character, which made it confusing in places
It took me forever to even get into this book, and then forever to finish it (which is a week for me). I do like that it was a mystery but thought there was a lot of unnecessary information included that made it drag on, and many of the characters weren’t fully developed, nor their relationships to each other and the main character, which made it confusing in places
suerae's review
5.0
Welcome to Hamby, Georgia where nothing is at it seems! Rachel Ryder the newest detective is pared with Bob Bishop to investigate a suspicious person’s call only to find a dead body. The medical examiner is quick to rule the death of the Councilman, Troy Light, a suicide. Suicide? Really? Who's going to believe it? Rachel believes it was murder and drags her partner, Bob to help investigate. But Rachel's past is creeping up on her when she gets a call from Lenny, an old friend. Lets hope that Bishop and Rachel can solve the murder before anything else happens.
This story had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the very end with lots of back stabbing, secrets, sex trafficking, and lot of political corruption. Just what we are dealing with in 2021. I can't wait to read the next in the series to find out what is in store for Rachel Ryder. I would highly recommend this book which has wonderful characters, twisted and very realistic.
I was given a ARC of Damaging Secrets in order to give my honest and true feelings about this book.
This story had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning until the very end with lots of back stabbing, secrets, sex trafficking, and lot of political corruption. Just what we are dealing with in 2021. I can't wait to read the next in the series to find out what is in store for Rachel Ryder. I would highly recommend this book which has wonderful characters, twisted and very realistic.
I was given a ARC of Damaging Secrets in order to give my honest and true feelings about this book.
tasigmund's review
4.0
Rachel Ryder is a detective in Hamby, GA. A politician turns up dead in his underwear. I like Rachel, the men are all as*hats. I'd love to see Rachel shove that Ma'am up they're as*es. I like that she has her say when possible. This book had my attention from the beginning of the audio. It's an interesting story to listen to. I like Carolyn Ridder Aspenson's witch cozies and this book is just as good, hope book 2 in the series is good too. Well done Mrs. Aspenson, great writing.
wulfwyn's review
4.0
Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is a favorite cozy mystery author of mine. What made her a favorite was the way she didn’t flinch away from life’s struggles. Her characters had problems, some very real ones. Still the books were cozy mystery and she stayed within those perimeters. It was an amazing balancing act that she made look easy. When I heard she was doing a grittier mystery I was excited. I knew she would do an awesome job and I feel she succeeded.
In Damaging Secrets we meet Detective Rachel Ryder, new to small town Georgia. Rachel comes from Chicago, a place I know well. I could easily picture Rachel as a Chicago detective. Actually, I was picturing a police officer, that I knew there, in my head as Rachel. Ryder has a lot going against her in this small town. The fact that she is a female in a male dominated field there is part of it. You need to be able to trust your partner and have your partner trust you. That’s a tough one without the battle of the sexes. Her experience in Chicago, though, already seasoned her. I really liked Rachel. She absolutely repped Chicago, (even though I’m a Southside Sox girl). Haha. I liked her partner, too, though he took longer for me to warm up to. Another character that I absolutely enjoyed was Savannah. She could be the southern version of Rachel. I enjoyed their friendship and am hoping to see more of it.
The mystery was a surprising one for me. Yes, there was a body and no that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was the mystery deals with a very real issue that is happening everywhere. There was a political slant to it, which my coming from Chicago, was totally believable. Everything in Chi is political. I live in a much smaller town now and politics play here, too, (something I became much more aware of during the lockdown). Seeing how it was handled by the author in this book was interesting. I’m trying not to go deep into the mystery because I really think the book is worth reading and, if I tell too much, why would you need to? The author took a serious issue, and added in realistic political agendas and hidden adult activities of suburbia and small towns to create a mystery you will want to see solved. I couldn’t put it down and I’m betting you won’t be able to either. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I received an uncorrected ecopy of this book for review consideration. I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. The opinions expressed are my feelings as I read the book and how I felt afterwards.
In Damaging Secrets we meet Detective Rachel Ryder, new to small town Georgia. Rachel comes from Chicago, a place I know well. I could easily picture Rachel as a Chicago detective. Actually, I was picturing a police officer, that I knew there, in my head as Rachel. Ryder has a lot going against her in this small town. The fact that she is a female in a male dominated field there is part of it. You need to be able to trust your partner and have your partner trust you. That’s a tough one without the battle of the sexes. Her experience in Chicago, though, already seasoned her. I really liked Rachel. She absolutely repped Chicago, (even though I’m a Southside Sox girl). Haha. I liked her partner, too, though he took longer for me to warm up to. Another character that I absolutely enjoyed was Savannah. She could be the southern version of Rachel. I enjoyed their friendship and am hoping to see more of it.
The mystery was a surprising one for me. Yes, there was a body and no that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was the mystery deals with a very real issue that is happening everywhere. There was a political slant to it, which my coming from Chicago, was totally believable. Everything in Chi is political. I live in a much smaller town now and politics play here, too, (something I became much more aware of during the lockdown). Seeing how it was handled by the author in this book was interesting. I’m trying not to go deep into the mystery because I really think the book is worth reading and, if I tell too much, why would you need to? The author took a serious issue, and added in realistic political agendas and hidden adult activities of suburbia and small towns to create a mystery you will want to see solved. I couldn’t put it down and I’m betting you won’t be able to either. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I received an uncorrected ecopy of this book for review consideration. I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. The opinions expressed are my feelings as I read the book and how I felt afterwards.
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