Her Darkest Secret

Her Darkest Secret by Jessica R. Patch is a Christian romantic suspense novel. The Nursery Rhyme Killer has been on the loose for over seventeen years. Only one victim has survived. FBI Special Agent Fiona Kelly escaped the killer's clutches, but her sister and her friends were not so lucky. Fiona tried to move forward with her life, but her determination to catch the Nursery Rhyme Killer ended her marriage. The serial killer is back, and he wants Fiona drawn back into his web. Fiona's ex-husband, FBI Special Agent Asa Kodiak is in charge of the new case. He must find a way to put aside his feelings so they can work together to catch this killer once and for all. The Nursery Rhyme Killer is watching them, and he has no intension of getting caught. He will use whatever weapons at his disposable to evade his captors and catch his prey: Fiona. When I read the blurb for Her Darkest Secret, I knew I had to get this book. I love dark suspenseful crime novels. The prologue was great and had me itching to read the complete story. Jessica R. Patch writes detailed descriptions. I felt that she provided too much information (driving to scene, getting out of car, closing door, walking up to crime scene, showing badge, ducking under crime scene tape, etc.). This amount of detail slows down the pacing of the story. The mystery was interesting. It was twisty and creepy. I enjoyed following the clues to see if I could identify the guilty party before the suspenseful reveal. There are some interesting and complex characters. We learn something surprising about one of them near the end. It had me wanting to know more about this person (will have to wait for A Cry in the Dark). The characters emotions were palpable and could be felt by the reader. I did feel that the romance element overshadowed the mystery at times. Christianity was woven into the story. It was subtle, but it was evident. I liked reading about Christian FBI agents. We get to see how the light ultimately triumphs over the evil darkness. The importance of faith and the power of prayer. Her Darkest Secret is a story about regret, faith, love, evil, hope, secrets, and redemption. Her Darkest Secret is a twisty romantic suspense with a crazed killer, a steadfast FBI agent, a fractured romance, baffling feelings, curious clues, and an unremitting manhunt.