I hope the reader finds lots of twists and turns along the way and the odd moment which takes their breath away.

Twelve Secrets” by Robert Gold – Book Review | Fictionophile “Twelve Secrets” by Robert Gold – Book Review | Fictionophile

Ben is reluctant to be involved, but when one of the killers is found murdered it seems that there may be more going on than was originally thought. We meet a worker at an aged care facility Corrine and then the mother of the boy killed at the same time as Ben’s brother… as well as some old friends dating back to Ben’s school years. But then a fresh murder case shines new light on his brother’s death and throws suspicion on those closest to him. Investigative journalist Ben Harper is given the story that will propel his career in the stratosphere, one that will see him listed among the nation's best journalists.

Ben has grown up in the shadow of his older brother and friend being murdered by two young girls from their school. I really enjoyed this book, it was a great thriller with loads of characters, lots of inter-connecting stories , I was totally engrossed in it. Initially, Ben has no intention of complying with Wilson's relentless demands, but then he hears about a woman murdered in Farsley, Yorkshire, her killing emulating the exact MO used on Nick and Simon. All harbour secrets, secrets that start to spill, one after another, some downright nasty and some deadly, in this riveting crime read.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold (9780751582772/Paperback Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold (9780751582772/Paperback

With Twelve Secrets there was a lot going on, so even though I’d answered a couple of questions there were still some surprises. Throughout the story, I could see the scenes playing out in front of my eyes and I think it would make an excellent tv show. I really liked Ben as a character, and found him an easy person to spend time invested in, in spite of the dark nature of his past. The goal was to get the reader to match a poem with a painting, produce a treasure map of sorts, then go dig up the treasures.

I love an “old murder mystery hasn’t been fully solved” setup, and I loved that this was in London but not central London, so the location where everything happened had a village feel, and a real sense of community because of it. If i had to select say 5 books that people must read next year then this would definitely be on the list!

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold | Hachette UK Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold | Hachette UK

Like so many people, I loved the ITV series Broadchurch, where lots of secrets were kept hidden - I guess I would aspire to capturing an element of that. He quickly introduces us to Ben and gives us what we need to know about his history… the murder of his brother two decades ago and death of his mother a decade later.

Ben Harper is an investigative journalist whose brother was murdered by class mates 20 years ago and whose mother died ten years ago.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold - Debbish Book review: Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold - Debbish

The team at my publishers (Little, Brown) have been absolutely brilliant and the enthusiasm they bring to the whole publishing process is great. You could really feel his conflict, the turmoil that being back in his hometown creates in him, and the secrets he uncovers about his mother and her past really do hit their mark. He is undecided until a murder at the other end of the country makes him realise that there is a lot more to the stories of his brother and mother. A really addictive psychological thriller that holds the attention throughout and has some excellent characters. As Ben investigates events of the past it's like layers of an onion being peeled away and secrets are discovered.There is oodles of suspense and tension in this well plotted story with its wide ranging cast of characters, including Elizabeth Woakes, Simon's mother, whose life and family were similarly wrecked by the horrors of the tragedy and a care home worker, Corinne Parsons.