Buried Secrets by Irene Hannon

This novel is a romantic mystery. The dominant part of the novel is the romance with the mystery playing a less prominent role. It was a good novel to read but I had been expecting more suspense.

The mystery is a cold case. A construction worker unearths a skeleton and the police chief of the small town is called in. Lisa has been in the town a year, having come from the Chicago police. There is a reason she left the big city, but one kept to herself throughout the novel. Called in to help is a county detective, Mac. He and Lisa sense an immediate attraction and much of the novel is about their potential romance, on hold while they work this case.

It was interesting to read about how the skeleton was identified and how the investigation into the death moved forward. We know how the young woman died from the prologue so there is never a mystery with respect to who did it. There are some clever murders, however, as the investigation proceeds. I was amazed at how the murderer used existing conditions in a person to make the death look accidental. “Exploiting your enemy's weakness is a classic battle strategy – and every enemy has one,” the murderer explains. There is good suspense near the end.

This is a good novel for readers who like to read the thoughts of characters as there is much of it. I would have preferred a little more suspense. There is some character development but we find out much more about Mac than we do Lisa. Since this is the first in the Man of Valor series, I guess Mac is the “man” but I felt the novel focused more on Lisa. Parts of the novel are from each of the viewpoints of Lisa, Mac, and the murderer so we are privy to their thoughts. Knowing the thoughts of the murderer lessened the overall suspense for me.

I do like to learn something when I read a novel and in this one it was about type II diabetes and the dangers associated with it.

I recommend this book to those who like the emphasis on the romance rather than mystery or suspense.

Irene Hannon is a bestselling, award-winning author of more than forty-five novels. She has twice won the RITA award, has three HOLT medallions, a Daphne du Maurier award, a Retailers' Choice award, and more. She has a BA in psychology and an MA in journalism. She and her husband live in Missouri. You can find out more at www.irenehannon.com.

Revell Books, 384 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an independent and honest review.