Emily Clarke is still haunted by the events that unraveled a year ago.
Not having seen or spoken to Lucien, she is struggling to sell her home in Greenwich while using alcohol to help her cope. Arriving home from the holiday, Emily finds a single red rose outside her door, is it Lucien trying to send her a message?
Then… the attacks begin.
The people she cares for are being attacked by a malicious culprit. With Lucien picking that moment to reappear, Emily can’t help but question his motives. Does he know who is behind the vicious crimes? Together, can they put an end to the rash of violence?
Maltese author of psychological thrillers and the Theodore mystery series, starring a tuxedo cat who always seems to find trouble. Lover of books, cats, and dark secrets
Published: September 27, 2022 Black Cat Ink Press Pages: 274 Genre: Thriller KKECReads Rating: 4/5 I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
J.S. Ellis is the author of psychological thrillers and suspense and published her debut psychological thriller in 2019, which was an instant success and received great praise from readers. She writes stories about obsession and betrayal. When she’s not putting her characters in uncomfortable, difficult positions, J.S Ellis likes to relax with her husband and their fur baby, Eloise. They live on the sunny island of Malta.
“Mistrust was an ugly thing.”
Emily is trying to move past what happened. She bought a new house but is having difficulty selling the previous one. She hasn’t seen or spoken to Lucien since everything happened. Her days are filled with work, and her night is filled with wine. She is struggling, but old habits die hard.
Just when I thought this storyline couldn’t get any more twisted! Book two did not disappoint. I enjoyed the dark undertones and emotional weight of this book.
There was a different vibe to this book, and I found that so well played. After everything that happened, the characters have a history that leaves a mark.
Emily’s struggles and method of coping were well used, especially when she started her nosing around again. I enjoyed getting more scenes with Anna; she is such a strong side character.
The tango between Lucien and Emily is ongoing and more complicated than ever. They have so many conflicting emotions, and feelings, the back and forth is dizzying.
The twists keep coming, though, and the methods used are scary! I found how everyone was written in this book brilliant—the secretive and seductive intertwined.
I hope there is another book, and I have to see what chaos happens next!
This is the second book in this series. It’s a super short book and it does continue over from the first book. You need to read them in order. The story of Emilie and Lucian continue in this book as well.
This book is okay. It follows the same pattern as the first and they all have so many problems. I will say that sometimes the chapters do not blend well. It’s seems like sometimes there are pages missing.
I give a solid three stars. It’s worth reading but it’s not really suspenseful and pretty easy to figure out the plot.
This is a sequel book, the first book being The Secret They Kept. There has not been one J.S. Ellis book that I have not thoroughly enjoyed!
Emily Clarke has been on a cruise with her parents after a traumatic event in her life. After returning home, she is once again thrown into a mystery and finds herself at the center. Her old fling, Lucien, a male model with striking features and white, blond hair is back in her life. She comes home one day to find someone has left a blood red rose on her porch with an ominous message attached. She soon discovers Lucien too has received a few of them and thus begins the search for the culprit.
As her life begins to fall apart around her, can Emily find out who is torturing her and Lucien and even worse, who is attacking the ones they care about?
This is another great story! While it definitely can be read as a stand-alone book, I highly recommend you read the first one (and anything else that she has written). The story is written well, with great pacing. I was guessing until the very end! Packed with suspense, jealousy and intrigue this is definitely one you will not want to put down. I received this book free from Booksirens for an honest review.
A story that proves just how dangerous secrets can be!
This was a real suspenseful, entertaining and unputdownable read.
BOOK ONE
Emily seems to be living her best life. Shes just bought her perfect home, has a wonderful boyfriend and her dream job, but that all changes.
Strange unexplained things start happening. Things that really unnerve Emily and she soon forms an unexpected bond with the young man across the street. His family are rather odd bit she finds herself drawn to the mysterious, allusive Lucian, even if his parents aren't impressed.
Emily, curious in nature learns that Lucians older brother went missing 10 years ago, never to be found. Then she is told the woman who lived in her house previously also went missing. And now, her ex boyfriend has disappeared. What is happening, surely they cant be connected... can they?
As the past begins to haunt the present, can Emily find the answers she craves?
BOOK TWO
Still haunted by the events of a year ago, Emily is desperately trying to get her life back on track. Struggling to really move on and drinking too much.
Emily arrives home after a holiday with her parents to find a rose on her doorstep, even though shes had no contact with lucian for a year, she still assumes its him. How does he know where she lives?
Once again her life spirals. Those closest to her and being attacked and when Lucian reappears in her life she realises he is also a victim. Who is torturing them both?
BOOK THREE
Once again Emily is trying to put the past behind her until she revives an invitation to a wedding that she knows Lucian will also be attending.
The day seems to go without a hitch but the following morning Emily awaken to the worst hangover and is covered in bruises with no recollection of what happened.
She then finds out that things didnt quite go smoothly, someone died last night bit Emily cant remember anything! Once again Emily becomes entangled in absolute chaos.
This was one hell of a series that flowed brilliantly. The characters are extremely well executed and brought to life fantastically. The plot is constantly throwing you into freefall with huge bumps along the way and the ending was explosive to say the least.
I would definitely recommend reading in order so that you get the full story but they could be read as standalone.
Many thanks to Booksirens for the advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Emily Clark has moved out of her house because of the bad memories of her ex Ed being murdered. She put the house up for sale, but, not takers. She received a call from a neighbor saying that someone was in her house. When Emily went to investigate she discovered a rose had been left for her, not message, just a rose. Since then bad things had been happening. Her friend Anna was beat up and someone burned down her house. Could this have anything to do with Lucien?? A man that Emily has had a crush on. This is a fast paced, twists and turns book.
A really brilliant second part to this well written, psychological adventure. An excellent continuation of the previous book, high tension, surprising twists & a few dead ends, you are quickly and completely absorbed in this fast paced mystery. An amazing experience that gripped me from the first line & kept me riveted right until the last line! Yes, I do recommend!
Oh my! I think the 2nd book is even better than the first book in this series. I enjoyed the twist and turns. I highly recommend this book if you want a book that will keep you guessing. It can be read as a standalone, but by reading the first book, you'll get a better insight into what happened.
I definitely think you would benefit from reading the first book in the series. This was a great addition to it, but left it open for a third. It was a bit of a strange world and I dont associate with it, but that didnt matter so much - reading is about escapism.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in this series written by J. S Ellis.
I found this to be an intriguing mystery.
After she arrives home from a cruise holiday with her parents, Emily Clarke once again finds herself embroiled in deception and enigma.
She is still haunted by what happened a year ago and has not heard anything from Lucien who surely must hate her. Someone has started leaving her blood red roses with sharp prickles. She suspects Lucien until she finds he is being left them also.
Then people she cares about start being attacked.
This is an enjoyable story. It can be read as a standalone book but I would suggest that you read The Secret They Kept prior to reading this one as it sets the pace for the story.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Secrets and Lies by J.S. Ellis follows the events that take place in book 1, The Secrets They Keep. Emily has moved after drastic events happen (book 1) and is trying her best to move forward with her life until strange things start to interrupt her new life. Emily starts to question if these instances are coincidences or if someone is truly out there stalking her, attacking her friends, leaving her flowers. Who could this person be? Lucien? someone new? which leaves her to question who can she trust?
I have not read book 1, The Secrets They Keep, I received Secrets and Lies as an advanced copy from J.S. Ellis for my review, but never felt like I was missing a part of the story line. I was able to get the info that was needed to understand the story and follow Emily throughout the events. I love when a book like this is filled with all the twists and turns to leave you wonder what will happen next. The suspense. The thrill of needing to know what will happen next.
Suspenseful with twists, jealousy, lies and betrayals. The story got my attention from the very beginning to the end. Have read several books by this author which I enjoyed and this book is no exception. Had suspicions as to who the culprit was but was never certain, which makes a good book for me. This is the second book in a series although it could be read as a standalone, feel it is beneficial to read book one first. There could possibly be a third book coming because I felt some issues were unanswered for me. Book was well written and good character development. Recommend. Received an ARC and this is my voluntary review.
Secrets and Lies (book 2) by J.S.Ellis is a sequel to The Secrets They Kept. Emily is attempting to put her life back together. And she is having a difficult time. There are some strange occurrences taking place in her life. Is someone stalking her? Is that person responsible for her friends attack? How can she trust those in her life that are connected to Lucien?
This is an exciting, intense story filled with twists and turns.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Secrets and lies by J. S. Ellis. Book 2 of The Secret They Kept. Emily Clarke is still haunted by the events that unravelled a year ago. I really enjoyed this book. I liked Emily. I liked Ben too. Lucien I wasn't sure about. I didn’t like Travis at all. I hope there is more to come. 5*.
Secrets and Lies by J.S. Ellis is the second book of The Secret They Kept series with The Secret The Kept being the title of the first book. I can’t help but think there is going to be at least one more book in this series. I felt like Secrets and Lies left me with a lot of unanswered questions. The first book brought overwhelming success hence book two and here’s hoping for a book three!
I really think you should read The Secret They Kept before you read Secrets and Lies. You won’t be sorry. I think you can read book two as a stand alone but, the background and introduction to the characters in book one will lend more richness to the story. I think you would lose a lot if you read book two first and then go back to book one. So, enhance your reading experience and read these books in order.
The characters in these books are a little quirky. They may not be the kind of people in your group of friends but, their beauty and open lives will pull you in. Emily is the main character and is a lot like some of us. I don’t think she sees herself as beautiful and doesn’t always go the extra mile to take care of herself and her home. She was not always like this but, the things that happen in the first book and now the second one have changed who she is as a person. She is drawn to Lucien who is a stunningly beautiful man. Nobody compares. His coloring, clothes and the way he carries himself make him a stand out in any crowd. Emily is also interested in a detective that is prominent in the story. You have to read these books to understand how all of this fits. It’s quite interesting.
I have become a fan of J.S. Ellis. She writes great Psychological Suspense. I rarely know what is going to happen. She weaves such a good story and has characters that just draw you in that you really don’t realize what you are reading. You think you are reading a normal fiction book until the first twist comes your way. Then you just jump right in and fly along because you can’t wait to see what happens.
If you love Suspense, Psychological Suspense, murders that have gone unsolved, A love story or two or three along the way, domestic fiction, you name it, you’ll love this new series by J.S. Ellis.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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⭐⭐⭐⭐ Secrets And Lies by J.S. Ellis is the second book in The Secret They Kept trilogy. This book continues over from the first book so you need to read them in order to understand. In this book, we follow Emilie and Lucian's story again, and as would expect things get messy and complicated. Unfortunitelly this book is not really suspenseful and compared with the first book felt a little bit too flat. I liked that we got answers that were up in the air from the first book. If we are talking about plot twists it felt a bit too far-fetched. I am not sure how I felt about the ending but I have all hopes that the third book will give the necessary answers.
Emilie is ready for a new start so she decided to sell her house Greenwich and move on. Unfortunitelly things are not happening as quickly as she would like. Relationships between Lucien and Emily are complicated. When strange things start to happen they get together to figure out who is behind all the chaos. Can they trust each other is a question that never leaves.
Thank you BookSirens for this chance to read this trilogy!
This is a sequel to the previous book The Secret They Kept and it would be very helpful to start with that book!! Trust me it's a great book also. Emily is the character from the previous book and in this book she is dealing with all the fallout from the first book in the series. Her old flame, Lucien is back in her life and when she comes home one day there is a red rose on her front porch with a horrifying message. Emily discovers her boyfriend has received the same roses and notes.
I like J.S. Ellis' writing. I enjoyed book 1 of this series. I wish I could say the same for this one, but the heroine just rubbed me the wrong way. She spent the whole book in an obsessed alcoholic haze, took no responsibility for her situation, froze her friends out or refused their offers of help, ignored obvious red flags, and drove that BMW (Bitch, Moan, and Whine) till the book ran out of gas. I wasn't surprised by the ending; frankly, Scarlett, I didn't give a damn. This has been an honestly disappointed ARC review.
There are so many secrets and lies among the characters that the reader is almost guessing who is the culprit till the end. The whole thing is, people believe what they want and understand what they want, and most times these actions just lead to disaster. Secrets and Lies is beautifully written, there is suspense and lots of emotion that caught my attention from the beginning. Another good story in the series!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the second book in the series, I recommend reading these books in order. I enjoyed this one even more than the first and found myself becoming more invested in the story. I love the tapestry of intrigue created and watching pieces of it unravel slowly without losing the whole thread is a keystone of great writing.
Picking up a year after the events of "The Secret They Kept" was a great choice as it gave the characters a chance to develop apart so there was more room to grow.
It’s hard to describe how I feel about this book. It is well written but definitely left me feeling a bit unsettled. The characters elicited a range of emotions in me, ranging from dislike to sympathy. There really isn’t any character that I hated or loved. The various relationships in this book were convoluted, made even more so by the lies that were prevalent throughout. Definitely had me wondering what next.
I received an arc of this book and voluntarily provided a review
This was a follow up to The Secret They Kept and I do encourage you to start there! Emily is dealing with the fallout from book 1 events a year later and creepy things start happening to and around her. I had an idea how it would all end but the author threw enough doubt in there to keep it entertaining. I enjoyed the flow and the storyline. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Book #2 in this series can be read as a stand-alone but, I suggest that you start with the first book. This one continues where book #1 left off. This is a great psychological thriller that kept me guessing til the end. It’s well written and the characters are well developed. Some characters are likable and some, not so much! The plot is wrought with twists, turns, betrayal, lies, thrills and suspense. I enjoyed it. *this honest review is based on a complimentary copy*
This is a wonderful addition to this thrilling series! Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start. Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable. Great suspense and action with wonderful world building that adds so much to the story. Such a thrilling read that I couldn't put it down. Can't wait to read more of these. Recommend reading.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
I've read several books written by J.S. Ellis; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.
This is the second book in the Secret They Kept Series; it is a stand-alone book. The story is about Emily & Lucien; after he disappears, people she loves begin being attacked so when he returns she questions if he is behind the attacks.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
I received this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review. This book is a continuation from the first book which made it so easy to follow as I already know the characters. Did I end up guessing who was doing the attacking? Somehow yes! It had to be this person as it made so much sense for it to be. I do wonder what is next for the two of them because of how the book ended. Can’t wait to see how this trilogy ends.
Secrets and Lies is the second book is the series. Emily is struggling still trying to get her life back on track, and having a hard time. What follows is lots of twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I received an ARC from BookSirens, and am leaving this review voluntary. The opinion expressed here are my own.
This was a Great entry in The Secret They Kept series. It was such a well done psychological thriller, it worked perfectly. It had a great tense atmosphere that I enjoyed a lot. I hope there is more by this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This ia a well written easy to read book. The storyline follows on well from book 1, but also works well as a standalone read. The characters are varied and interesting. Well worth reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book has a little bit of everything in it. It has great characters, good suspense, lots of twists and turns, some drama, and a great storyline. Totally worth the read.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The story is interesting enough to keep me reading, but the grammar and punctuation is maddening. I didn't think there was enough story left for a second book, so it will be interesting to see what the next one has in store.