FROM TWO-MILLION SELLING AUTHOR JOY ELLIS COMES ONE OF THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED MYSTERIES THIS YEAR.

One moonlit night, the bodies of two young people are discovered lying entwined on a blanket in the woods.

The young man is clutching a red rose. It appears to be a lovers’ suicide pact . . .

Until Detective Nikki Galena and DS Joseph Easter look more closely. Romeo and Juliet, as they decide to call them, were murdered somewhere else and brought to the woods. But why?

Then another young couple are found dead, again beautifully posed as lovers. And Nikki knows they have a twisted serial killer on their hands. Who are the next victims?

Everyone has secrets, but some people will kill to keep them.

This totally gripping mystery is perfect for fans of LJ Ross, Peter May, JD Kirk, Angela Marsons, JM Dalgliesh, Elly Griffiths or Ann Cleeves.

DI Nikki Galena series

Book 1: CRIME ON THE FENS
Book 2: SHADOW OVER THE FENS
Book 3: HUNTED ON THE FENS
Book 4: KILLER ON THE FENS
Book 5: STALKER ON THE FENS
Book 6: CAPTIVE ON THE FENS
Book 7: BURIED ON THE FENS
Book 8: THIEVES ON THE FENS
Book 9: FIRE ON THE FENS
Book 10: DARKNESS ON THE FENS
Book 11: HIDDEN ON THE FENS
Book 12: SECRETS ON THE FENS

An Intricate, Intelligent Puzzle!

This is one of those series that I’ve always meant to read and, to my shame, it’s taken me until now to actually get there.

When two young people’s are discovered dead in the woods, DI Nikki Galena and DS Joe Easter land the case. The bodies are so obviously posed that they quickly dub them Romeo and Juliet. As it is confirmed that they were killed elsewhere then moved to where they were found, another two are discovered in different, but similar, circumstances and Nikki just knows they have a serial killer on their patch. The clock is ticking as the team work to discover who the murderer is before they get the chance to strike again.

It’s not always easy to join a well established series, but this is an excellent stand-alone read with such a lot going on. There is just the right amount of personal and professional in the investigating team which is full of intriguing characters. This isn’t an easy one to solve; with lots of possibilities, Nikki and Joe have their work cut out but they get there by sharing the jobs methodically with the others and they all knuckle down to track the information needed to get to the crux of the matter. As with all the best crime thrillers, they end up with more than one thing on their plate, but work diligently to solve everything. It rather took me by surprise when the guilty party was finally revealed! With the bonus of a side mystery also going on, this is an intricate, intelligent puzzle, all thoroughly enjoyable and definitely a series to follow – who knows, I may even find time to read the previous novels! Recommended, and one I’m happy to give 4.5*.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy; this is – as always – my honest, original and unbiased review.

Tags: crime thriller, police procedural

• Format: ebook, paperback, audiobook
• Size: 352 pages
• Publisher: Joffe Books
• Publication Date: 18 February 2021
• Book Links:
• https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57061975
• https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/Joy_Ellis_Secrets_on_the_Fens?id=AQAAAEDcrXbtuM
• https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/audiobook/secrets-on-the-fens
• https://www.amazon.co.uk/SECRETS-gripping-crime-thriller-Galena-ebook/dp/B08V218HM8

Author Details

I was born in Kent but spent most of my working life in London and Surrey. I was an apprentice florist to Constance Spry Ltd, a prestigious Mayfair shop that throughout the Sixties and Seventies teemed with both royalty and ‘real’ celebrities. What an eye-opener for a working-class kid from the Garden of England! I swore then, probably whilst I was scrubbing the floor or making the tea, that I would have a shop of my own one day. It took until the early Eighties, but I did it. Sadly the recession wiped us out, and I embarked on a series of weird and wonderful jobs; the last one being a bookshop manager. Surrounded by books all day, getting to order whatever you liked, and being paid for it! Oh bliss!

And now I live in a village in the Lincolnshire Fens with my partner, Jacqueline, and our four Springer spaniels. I had been writing mysteries for years but never had the time to take it seriously. Now I write full-time, and as my partner is a highly decorated retired police officer; my choice of genre is a no-brainer! I have an on-tap police and judicial consultant, who makes exceedingly good tea!
I have set my crime thrillers here in the misty fens because I sincerely love the remoteness and airy beauty of the marshlands. This area is steeped in superstitions and lends itself so well to murder!

I am now lucky enough to have joined the amazing Joffe Books team of authors and am really enjoying being able to spend time doing what I love… writing!