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Dana Greer Mystery #1
Unholy Secrets
A child's body is found in a marshy bog on Cape Peril, an island off Maine, in 1952. Private investigator Dana Greer, running from a cold case and a failed marriage, is intent on finding the murderer. A series of long kept secrets complicate the case: an illicit love affair; a self-inflicted abortion; and the possibility of Church involvement in a baby-marketing scheme. UNHOLY SECRETS provides a dark, twist that will boggle even the more experienced sleuths. UNHOLY SECRETS looks at good versus evil: no one is exempt from falling off a pedestal of grace into sin’s darkness.
406 pages, ebook
First published April 1, 2018
50 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
About the author
Delphine Boswell
14 books19 followersDelphine describes her love of writing in the words of John Steinbeck, "I nearly always write as I nearly always breathe." To date, she has published numerous short stories, most in print anthologies. She has also been published in nonfiction. A look at her life as a writer can be found on her web page at: www.delphineboswell.com.
UNHOLY SECRETS is her debut novel in the Dana Greer Mystery Series. SILENT BETRAYAL, the second book in the series, will be available this October.
Presently, Delphine is working on her next book, taking Dana to new locations with more crimes to solve.
Delphine lives with her husband and three dogs in the Pacific Northwest and writes in a small studio in the woods. When not writing, Delphine teaches writing to online graduate students.
UNHOLY SECRETS is her debut novel in the Dana Greer Mystery Series. SILENT BETRAYAL, the second book in the series, will be available this October.
Presently, Delphine is working on her next book, taking Dana to new locations with more crimes to solve.
Delphine lives with her husband and three dogs in the Pacific Northwest and writes in a small studio in the woods. When not writing, Delphine teaches writing to online graduate students.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 18, 2021
I received a copy from Voracious Readers Only and am voluntarily leaving a review.
(Actually, my copy wouldn't open, but I found it on Kindle Unlimited. My copy had some formatting issues, which made for a slightly strained reading experience. That's no fault of the author,of course, though.)
As a Catholic, I couldn't resist this one. It goes without saying that I'm a sucker for punishment- I can't help myself. I see a mystery involving my religion and curiosity gets the better of me. Sometimes they're great, handled with objectivity and realism. Sometimes they're essentially hit pieces that make me cringe. This was more the former, thankfully!
But ok, here's the thing. I could tell right away that this was written in a style that I'm not fond of. It is incredibly descriptive. Some people will love it. It's just a matter of taste. (I think part of it is, some people, apparently, "see" what they read, visualizing it like a movie in their head. I don't. At all. So "lush prose" and lots of description is wasted on me.)
Here is a sample from early on to give an idea of the style. It is consistent throughout.
" “Beautiful place you have here.” The woman, who looked to be at least ten years Jay’s junior, resumed her position behind her husband, appearing almost as a child playing peek-a-boo. Probably shy. After all, Dana thought, here she was a total stranger to the Cape, come to investigate a murder, and planned on living in the Harrisons’ home.
Loretta spun a lock of her curly brown hair, which looked mousy and lacked luster, around her index finger. “Excuse me.” The woman stared at the Oriental rug beneath her feet. “I was just getting ready for bed,” she said. Dana glanced at her watch. Seven-thirty.
“We’re happy you’re here,” Jay said. “Let me show you to your room.” He grabbed Dana’s bag, and she and Jay followed Loretta up the creaking steps, winding around the turret like the letter S. The young woman turned into the first room at the top of the stairs and closed the door, never bothering to say goodnight to either of them. Jay led Dana to a large room located at the front of the home, where gold and crimson flowered paper covered the walls.
“Tomorrow, you’ll get to appreciate a view of the cove,” he said, gently pushing aside the cream lace curtain, pointing out the large bay window. A red velvet window seat enhanced the early 19th century look. A pillow of embroidered daisies sat on a yellow-painted rocking chair. Next to it stood a bookcase, its shelves filled with miniature porcelain dolls dressed in various Victorian fineries.
A faint smell of a sweet floral perfume lingered. A lace crocheted canopy and a matching spread graced the large bed in the middle of the room. Covering the bed, from end-to-end, sat stuffed bears of various sizes and colors. Other than in a toy store, Dana had never seen so many in one place as they toppled over one another as if trying to gain a position of prominence."
You see what I mean? That degree of detail was present start to finish. It took some getting used to for me, but it wasn't a deal-breaker, because the story ended up being pretty wild and very hard to put down. The pulpy writing style added to the sense of setting, lending an authentic feel.
I liked the protagonist, who was a genuinely competent investigator, and I got a kick out of the secondary characters who really did feel like they were ripped from a florid 50s pulp novel.
The plot was way more compelling than I anticipated, and oh boy, it really went there! Taboos were broken, that's for sure. But, refreshingly, the solution wasn't the obvious one when dealing with a dead, sexually abused child who went to Catholic school. I really appreciated that. The author was able to shine a light on some the shameful parts of Church history without ham-fistedly villainizing the entire religion. No strawmen, here!
I liked it and I plan on reading the rest of the series.
(Actually, my copy wouldn't open, but I found it on Kindle Unlimited. My copy had some formatting issues, which made for a slightly strained reading experience. That's no fault of the author,of course, though.)
As a Catholic, I couldn't resist this one. It goes without saying that I'm a sucker for punishment- I can't help myself. I see a mystery involving my religion and curiosity gets the better of me. Sometimes they're great, handled with objectivity and realism. Sometimes they're essentially hit pieces that make me cringe. This was more the former, thankfully!
But ok, here's the thing. I could tell right away that this was written in a style that I'm not fond of. It is incredibly descriptive. Some people will love it. It's just a matter of taste. (I think part of it is, some people, apparently, "see" what they read, visualizing it like a movie in their head. I don't. At all. So "lush prose" and lots of description is wasted on me.)
Here is a sample from early on to give an idea of the style. It is consistent throughout.
" “Beautiful place you have here.” The woman, who looked to be at least ten years Jay’s junior, resumed her position behind her husband, appearing almost as a child playing peek-a-boo. Probably shy. After all, Dana thought, here she was a total stranger to the Cape, come to investigate a murder, and planned on living in the Harrisons’ home.
Loretta spun a lock of her curly brown hair, which looked mousy and lacked luster, around her index finger. “Excuse me.” The woman stared at the Oriental rug beneath her feet. “I was just getting ready for bed,” she said. Dana glanced at her watch. Seven-thirty.
“We’re happy you’re here,” Jay said. “Let me show you to your room.” He grabbed Dana’s bag, and she and Jay followed Loretta up the creaking steps, winding around the turret like the letter S. The young woman turned into the first room at the top of the stairs and closed the door, never bothering to say goodnight to either of them. Jay led Dana to a large room located at the front of the home, where gold and crimson flowered paper covered the walls.
“Tomorrow, you’ll get to appreciate a view of the cove,” he said, gently pushing aside the cream lace curtain, pointing out the large bay window. A red velvet window seat enhanced the early 19th century look. A pillow of embroidered daisies sat on a yellow-painted rocking chair. Next to it stood a bookcase, its shelves filled with miniature porcelain dolls dressed in various Victorian fineries.
A faint smell of a sweet floral perfume lingered. A lace crocheted canopy and a matching spread graced the large bed in the middle of the room. Covering the bed, from end-to-end, sat stuffed bears of various sizes and colors. Other than in a toy store, Dana had never seen so many in one place as they toppled over one another as if trying to gain a position of prominence."
You see what I mean? That degree of detail was present start to finish. It took some getting used to for me, but it wasn't a deal-breaker, because the story ended up being pretty wild and very hard to put down. The pulpy writing style added to the sense of setting, lending an authentic feel.
I liked the protagonist, who was a genuinely competent investigator, and I got a kick out of the secondary characters who really did feel like they were ripped from a florid 50s pulp novel.
The plot was way more compelling than I anticipated, and oh boy, it really went there! Taboos were broken, that's for sure. But, refreshingly, the solution wasn't the obvious one when dealing with a dead, sexually abused child who went to Catholic school. I really appreciated that. The author was able to shine a light on some the shameful parts of Church history without ham-fistedly villainizing the entire religion. No strawmen, here!
I liked it and I plan on reading the rest of the series.
March 26, 2022
I received a copy of this book from Voracious readers only in exchange for an honest review.
Generally enjoyed the story and found it a compelling read. However, I did find some of the descriptions a bit of a stretch. Jay is described as "suddenly irritable, sarcastic and arrogant" His wife Loretta as "radiating a sense of abandonment" and "the nun's voice spoke of a bit of narcissism" . . .I reread each of these sentences and the preceding sentences several times to see what I had missed. In the end, I was unable to interpret the character's words or behaviour the way the author described and just moved on.
A few annoying plot devices were included which did not contribute to the story. For example, although I liked the idea of the notes Dana kept for herself, we didn't read about her answering her own questions as the plot progressed. A pity. Dana's own story of abuse was alluded to, explained, and then dropped after one particular scene. Seemed strange it would be on her mind so much and then just dropped. The presence of the tarot card reader was an interesting approach early in the book. I had visions of her being included throughout but this character was also dropped without resolution of the cards she had read for Dana.
Dana the protagonist, was a strong female character in this 1950's era mystery without a love interest which was extremely refreshing! Logan the police sergeant was supportive without a misogynist bone in his body which although unlikely, for the era, was appreciated by this reader.
Generally enjoyed the story and found it a compelling read. However, I did find some of the descriptions a bit of a stretch. Jay is described as "suddenly irritable, sarcastic and arrogant" His wife Loretta as "radiating a sense of abandonment" and "the nun's voice spoke of a bit of narcissism" . . .I reread each of these sentences and the preceding sentences several times to see what I had missed. In the end, I was unable to interpret the character's words or behaviour the way the author described and just moved on.
A few annoying plot devices were included which did not contribute to the story. For example, although I liked the idea of the notes Dana kept for herself, we didn't read about her answering her own questions as the plot progressed. A pity. Dana's own story of abuse was alluded to, explained, and then dropped after one particular scene. Seemed strange it would be on her mind so much and then just dropped. The presence of the tarot card reader was an interesting approach early in the book. I had visions of her being included throughout but this character was also dropped without resolution of the cards she had read for Dana.
Dana the protagonist, was a strong female character in this 1950's era mystery without a love interest which was extremely refreshing! Logan the police sergeant was supportive without a misogynist bone in his body which although unlikely, for the era, was appreciated by this reader.
June 17, 2023
Rounded down from 2.5 stars.
This was ok, the mystery was intriguing enough and I did feel compelled to finish it but there were just a few issues for me.
Firstly, this may just be an issue for me but I was not a fan of the descriptions of the female characters in this book. It felt like every female character was either a horrible person, extremely naïve, described using negative physical attributes or in the case of Loretta and Mia Godfrey victims of their circumstances with no real agency (this may have been the case for the male characters as well but it really stood out for the female characters for me) whereas Dana is a detective so is presumably intelligent, is said on multiple occasions to be attractive and has a history of abuse. It felt like she was a little too perfect which always irritates me anyway and then was made even more obvious given how the other characters were portrayed.
I agree with other reviewers as well that there were certain plot points that were introduced for seemingly no reason and dropped. Dana's abuse seemed to make some sense since it at least tied into the story but I don't understand the inclusion of the fortune teller, especially since it was never explained why her card ended up at the murder site. Another reviewer also mentioned the fact that the crime being solved seemed to hinge on confessions, and I agree it did make the ending a bit more unsatisfying.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
This was ok, the mystery was intriguing enough and I did feel compelled to finish it but there were just a few issues for me.
Firstly, this may just be an issue for me but I was not a fan of the descriptions of the female characters in this book. It felt like every female character was either a horrible person, extremely naïve, described using negative physical attributes or in the case of Loretta and Mia Godfrey victims of their circumstances with no real agency (this may have been the case for the male characters as well but it really stood out for the female characters for me) whereas Dana is a detective so is presumably intelligent, is said on multiple occasions to be attractive and has a history of abuse. It felt like she was a little too perfect which always irritates me anyway and then was made even more obvious given how the other characters were portrayed.
I agree with other reviewers as well that there were certain plot points that were introduced for seemingly no reason and dropped. Dana's abuse seemed to make some sense since it at least tied into the story but I don't understand the inclusion of the fortune teller, especially since it was never explained why her card ended up at the murder site. Another reviewer also mentioned the fact that the crime being solved seemed to hinge on confessions, and I agree it did make the ending a bit more unsatisfying.
I received a free copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2021
An interesting, multi-layered mystery. I won't say this is impossible to put together yourself, but it is pretty well written, barring some editing errors. A religious aspect adds to the intrigue, deception and sins. Female investigator Dana is thorough, smart and respectable, fitting for a 1050s heroine. All the characters are unique and described fully enough you can imagine them easily. Well worth the read for a clean mystery. There are situations and descriptions that are mildly racy, but a necessary part of the story. One should expect these from the story description.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2021
A great whodunit with lots of twists and potential suspects! Dana Greer is the specialist brought in to solve the murder of a young child. Her character has depth and the story has a lot of detail but doesn't seem to weigh the mystery down. The ebook has some editing errors but easy to figure out what the author intended to write. If you like mysteries and the '50s this book is for you.
I received a free ebook via Voracious Readers Only for my honest review.
I received a free ebook via Voracious Readers Only for my honest review.
March 7, 2021
This is a vastly entertaining book with, considering the era, has a strong willed, clever, female character. Dana, without all of our present day means of detection, solves a horrific murder.
The fact that some discount a mere woman is used by her as an advantage. Interesting look at the role that religion had on the murder, murders and the means to solve it.
Many thanks to Delphine Boswell for the complimentary copy via Voracious Readers Only
The fact that some discount a mere woman is used by her as an advantage. Interesting look at the role that religion had on the murder, murders and the means to solve it.
Many thanks to Delphine Boswell for the complimentary copy via Voracious Readers Only
February 22, 2022
*****ARC*****
Decent mystery, while not as well paced as higher tier mysteries such Agatha Christie, Patricia Cromwell, or Tara French, the writing is serviceable and story at the center complete.
My review may be slightly skewed by the Advanced Review Copy needing to be edited tighter and errors reduced but the story that was there was proficient
Decent mystery, while not as well paced as higher tier mysteries such Agatha Christie, Patricia Cromwell, or Tara French, the writing is serviceable and story at the center complete.
My review may be slightly skewed by the Advanced Review Copy needing to be edited tighter and errors reduced but the story that was there was proficient
May 11, 2022
This was a good read. It left you a lot of clues along the way to help put large pieces together but some seemed to be misdirection. I appreciate how Dana figured out so much of it but I wish there would have been more than just confessions that completely solved the case.
Side note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
Side note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2019
Won this in a Goodreads Giveway. Set in the 1950's, it follows the story of a six year old girl found murdered. The book keeps your interest with many characters involved in the mystery. Start of a good series
December 21, 2020
Unholy Secrets is loaded with red herrings. Take yourself back to 1952 and investigate with Special Investigator Dana Greer. This is a well-written mystery set in the days of phonographs, Brylcream, and poodle skirts. Bet you can’t guess the solution to Dana’s murder investigation.
March 9, 2021
I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read other things by this author
March 18, 2021
A free book from Voracious Readers thank you
Brilliant! So well written that the ending has a twist that will leave you stunned.
An excellent read
Brilliant! So well written that the ending has a twist that will leave you stunned.
An excellent read
March 27, 2022
This book kept me on the edge the whole time. Every opportunity i got i read to finish this. Well written and will for sure read her other books!
Read
June 15, 2018The story involves a female detective in the 1950s chosen to solve the murder of a young child in a predominately Catholic community. Detective Dana Greer stays with a local family as she conducts the investigation through interviews with school personnel, community leaders, and family members. The investigation process takes many twists and turns as one nugget of information leads to another question; ultimately ending after the murder is solved.
I love a good mystery and this one did not disappoint. More than once I thought I had it all figured out, but Delphine Boswell took me on turn after tune as Detective Greer and I discovered new information together. I enjoyed 'being a part' of an investigation without the technology we have available today - And I couldn't help but compare how much the world has changed in the last sixty [seventy??] years. It was also interesting to see how this professional woman was treated differently solely because of her gender.
And while there's still some of that in the workplace today, we've come a long way baby, as the saying goes...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but will admit I was a little put off by the presence of the tarot card reader; 1] I avoid anything having to do with mystics so I almost stopped reading it, and 2] I failed to see how it really contributed to the story. I enjoy reading books that realistically portray human nature so it was interesting to see how the basic principles of manipulative people is the same regardless of the decade they live in.
Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher.
All opinions are my own.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery - and having it in a mid-century modern setting is just the icing on the cake [for me!]
The good news is that there are more books coming! [Y'all know I love sequels!]
This is Delphine Boswell's first published novel - she shares on her blog, Detective Greer, "will travel to wherever there is a crime involving a child and the Catholic Church." She states that the story was conceived from a lingering memory from her own childhood when a school mate was murdered and that the overall theme of the books, " will be that even the godly can fall into the depths of sin."
Pick up your copy here -
I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did!
I love a good mystery and this one did not disappoint. More than once I thought I had it all figured out, but Delphine Boswell took me on turn after tune as Detective Greer and I discovered new information together. I enjoyed 'being a part' of an investigation without the technology we have available today - And I couldn't help but compare how much the world has changed in the last sixty [seventy??] years. It was also interesting to see how this professional woman was treated differently solely because of her gender.
And while there's still some of that in the workplace today, we've come a long way baby, as the saying goes...
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, but will admit I was a little put off by the presence of the tarot card reader; 1] I avoid anything having to do with mystics so I almost stopped reading it, and 2] I failed to see how it really contributed to the story. I enjoy reading books that realistically portray human nature so it was interesting to see how the basic principles of manipulative people is the same regardless of the decade they live in.
Note: I received a free e-copy of this book from the publisher.
All opinions are my own.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery - and having it in a mid-century modern setting is just the icing on the cake [for me!]
The good news is that there are more books coming! [Y'all know I love sequels!]
This is Delphine Boswell's first published novel - she shares on her blog, Detective Greer, "will travel to wherever there is a crime involving a child and the Catholic Church." She states that the story was conceived from a lingering memory from her own childhood when a school mate was murdered and that the overall theme of the books, " will be that even the godly can fall into the depths of sin."
Pick up your copy here -
I think you'll enjoy it as much as I did!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews