“THEY BELIEVE HIS LIES. SHE KNOWS THE TRUTH.

You can’t lie to Izzy Lambert. Her highly developed empathic abilities allow her to read people’s emotions with terrifying accuracy – and consequences. As a child her insights sparked her parents’ divorce. As an adult she avoids getting too close to people for fear of what she might learn.

But now young girls are going missing in her town. The police have no suspects but, seeing her old school caretaker interviewed on the news about the story, Izzy comes to a chilling realisation: he knows where the missing girls are. When the police won’t take her seriously despite the lives at stake, she will risk everything to uncover the truth.”

Hello and welcome to damppebbles. Today I am delighted to share my review of No Secrets by David Jackson. No Secrets is published by Viper Books today (that’s Thursday 7th July 2022) and is available in hardcover and digital formats with the paperback to follow next year. I chose to read a free ARC of No Secrets but that has in no way influenced my review. My grateful thanks to Rosie at Viper Books for sending me a proof copy.

I am a huge fan of David Jackson’s books. My obsession started with his DS Nathan Cody series and has continued with his more recent standalone thrillers. Jackson is an exceptional writer and getting my mitts on his latest release is both a priority and a highlight of my reading year. So I was over the moon to receive a copy of Jackson’s latest novel, the brilliant No Secrets.

Izzy Lambert has a gift. Or, as Izzy sees it, a curse. She’s been highly empathic since birth. Able to tell when those she is familiar with are lying. Knowing secret things about family, friends and work colleagues she just shouldn’t know. But when she sees someone she used to spend time with at school on the news, talking about the disappearance of a young woman, she immediately knows he isn’t telling the truth. He knows a lot more than he’s letting on. Pushed by her partner Andy, Izzy turns to the police and to DS Josh Frendy to report her suspicions. But Frendy doesn’t believe her and there’s no evidence to prove what Izzy is saying is true. Determined to save the missing girl Izzy makes it her mission to prove she’s right. She’ll stop at nothing, particularly when it becomes personal. The deeper Izzy digs, the more convinced she becomes. But at what cost…?

No Secrets is a brilliantly written thriller with a fascinating protagonist which gave it a bit of an edge over other books in the same genre. I really liked Izzy. It can’t be easy being her, that’s for sure. I loved her tenacity, her determination to get to the truth no matter what. I sympathised with her as she came up against brick wall after brick wall, dead end after dead end. I was as frustrated as Izzy was, which I think is the mark of a very talented writer. Writing likable, believable lead characters who feel real to the reader is something Jackson does time and time again. Many of the other characters in the book were quite horrible, very unlikable. They really wound me up at times and I absolutely loved it. Although I did find myself unexpectedly sympathising with one particular character when perhaps I really shouldn’t have!

The plot is well paced and grips the reader from the get-go. It’s a truly chilling read at times but Jackson’s trademark humour is ever present, adding a number of lighter moments to proceedings. But the darkness prevails and I enjoyed exactly how twisted things become for Izzy on her hunt for the truth. The ending, after a major revelation which left me reeling, was incredibly tense and I was completely absorbed in this clever story.

Would I recommend this book? I would, yes. No Secrets is a gripping, thrilling, twisty read which I really enjoyed losing myself in. The characters are all very well-written, you’ll love some and loathe others. The plot is perfectly paced with lots of tension and suspense, keeping the reader turning the pages late into the night, desperate to find out if anyone will ever believe poor Izzy! All in all, this is a standout story from a hugely talented author. I love what Jackson has done with this book. I desperately want to say more but run the risk of sharing something I shouldn’t so I won’t elaborate further, but trust me on this one, you need to read No Secrets. Compelling, creepy and oh so good! You really can’t go wrong with a David Jackson thriller. Highly recommended.

I chose to read and review a free ARC of No Secrets. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.

No Secrets by David Jackson was published in the UK by Viper Books on 7th July 2022 and is available in hardcover and digital formats with the paperback to follow next year (please note, the following links are affiliate links which means I receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no extra cost to you): | amazon.co.uk | Waterstones | Foyles | Book Depository | bookshop.org | Goodreads | damppebbles bookshop.org shop |

David Jackson is the author of nine crime novels, including the bestseller Cry Baby and the standalone The Resident. When not murdering fictional people, David spends his days as a university academic in his home city of Liverpool. He lives on the Wirral with his wife and two daughters. Find him @Author_Dave.

Author Links: | Twitter | Website |