Official Review: Deadly Secrets by Robert Boris Riskin

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AnaF
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Latest Review: "Deadly Secrets" by Robert Boris Riskin

Official Review: Deadly Secrets by Robert Boris Riskin

Post by AnaF »

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Deadly Secrets" by Robert Boris Riskin.]
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Deadly Secrets is a mystery novel written by Boris Riskin and is the second installment of a series that tells us the adventures of Jake Wanderman, an atypical retired teacher and Shakespeare expert.

In the past, he got tangled up with the Russian Mafia and assassins but he managed to come out triumphant. This time it's his childhood friend that needs his help. His long-lost daughter is one of the main suspects of a crime investigation and when she flees to London, Jake's help is needed. The clues he encounters will lead him not only to a mysterious suicide and past crimes, but also to a secret group of people that seem very interested in his investigating skills.

I really enjoy reading mystery novels. It's always fun to follow the different clues given by the author and try to figure out the puzzle that is put in front of us and find out who did what and why. But that's not all. Most of the times, the detective/investigador in charge of the case is someone a bit unusual, someone who has some quirks. Whether it's because of the way they talk and carry themselves or the way they think and crack the case, they always end up being somewhat peculiar but intriguing and captivating at the same time.

Fortunately, I found all of these elements in this book, making it an enjoyable read. Jake, as a main character and as an investigator, just grabs our attention from the beginning of the story until the last page of the book. The fact that he could make Shakespeare's quotes work in a myriad of situations amazed me. Also, I liked how methodical he was and how good he was thinking on his feet and quickly figuring out what he had to do next. However, and even though I understood his grief after losing his wife, I couldn't help but feel that he was a bit repetitive and that it didn't always played out that well with the fact that he was falling in love with someone else. He seemed to be ready to move on but, at the same time, seemed to be too caught up on his past and unable to throw himself back into another relationship.

As for the villains, I loved the fact that they were mainly women. I like strong women, especially when they kickass and aren't afraid to get what they want. Also, Sienna - the detective in charge of this investigation - was great, especially because of her chemistry with Jake. I just wish she had been featured a bit more and that she had interacted more with Jake during the investigation.

As for crime investigation itself I think that it had its highs and lows. It started really well but then there were some parts towards the middle that seemed to drag a little bit. However it picked up in the last eighty pages and it was really good until the end.

Overall I give this book a 3 out of 4 stars. As a mystery novel I think this book is worth checking out and even though this is the second installment of a series, you can definitely start with this one without feeling that you're missing half the story. There are a lot of great elements in this story and if you're looking for something that has that great balance between crime investigation and romance, then this is a perfect pick.

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Latest Review: "Deadly Secrets" by Robert Boris Riskin
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ALRyder
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Post by ALRyder »

I think something any author of a series should strive for is to not confuse new readers. There are always going to be readers who pick up a book later in the series than they should. It's good to know that you were a new reader, and you still got what was going on.
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Timea
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Post by Timea »

"The clues he encounters will lead him not only to a mysterious suicide and past crimes, but also to a secret group of people that seem very interested in his investigating skills." I'm really curious now what that secret group is all about... liked the review! :)
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angeel
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Post by angeel »

I like the fact that when people write books in a series that they are completely different as it makes the reader to enjoy book and not be lost that they have to go back to the beginning or it makes no sense
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Stasia
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Post by Stasia »

Thanks for this review. I'm gonna add this to my summer reading list! I love crime thrillers!
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angellola549
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Post by angellola549 »

me too

-- 25 Jun 2014, 17:19 --

:D :D me too
milyjohnson37
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Post by milyjohnson37 »

I love mysteries that have clues for the reader to figure out. I love when mysteries are like that. You really made this book seem like a good read. Thanks for sharing.
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