The Secret Truth

Jake Scott Mystery, #3

by

Barry Finlay

A normal day turns deadly for retired reporter Jake Scott!

The Secret Truth is the third book in author Barry Finlay’s exciting Jake Scott Mysteries, but readers new to the series will easily be able to pick up the storyline without having read the previous ones. With an older, more mature protagonist and a puzzling and compelling plot, I was glued to this story. 

In this third outing for retired newspaper reporter Jake Scott, he is staying at a B&B near his home as he waits for his newly installed custom hardwood floors to cure when he narrowly escapes death twice in one evening. While the official police ruling is an accidental explosion at the B&B, he and lead homicide detective (and Jake’s girlfriend) Dani Perez question if that is true. She encourages Jake to look into the backgrounds of the five people, the owners and other guests, who were killed. What follows is his intriguing search for the answers to who was responsible for their deaths and why they had to die. As Jake works his way through the victims’ pasts, he uncovers secrets that, if made public, would have made their own explosions. 

Jake is an engaging main character who is a relatable and regular guy caught up in extraordinary circumstances. He’s older, with a lot of life behind him, but is starting over after the death of a much-loved spouse, starting with his burgeoning romance with Dani. His relationship with his adult daughter is warm, and she has a secret of her own for her father. As an investigator, he is methodical and determined and still remembers the tips and tricks he honed during his days as a reporter. The truth behind what happened slowly comes out, but much like peeling an onion, there are layers upon juicy layers in the story. 

The author’s writing is smooth and engaging, and he quickly had me invested in Jake’s latest adventure with a fabulous opening chapter. I enjoyed Ottawa’s hometown feeling and the descriptions of local places. All of this really made me want to seek out and read the first two books in the series. 

I recommend THE SECRET TRUTH to mystery readers and fans of the previous books in the series.

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