Published by Thomas & Mercer Genres: Adult Fiction, Crime, Fiction, Mystery, thriller
Format: ARC, eBook
There are SECRETS and then there are SECRETS and then there are SECRETS!
A charismatic entrepreneur/leader/skin care guru/wellness practitioner – is she the real deal or is she a charlatan?
This book opens strong when the body of a young aspiring journalist, Sarah Baker, is found at the bottom of a ravine. Lindsey Jackman, the lead investigator, soon learns that the young journalist was writing an exposé on Marnie Spellman, a famous wellness guru.
Marnie claims that when she was a child, a swarm of bees lifted her up, and spoke to her. She has always stated that her experience with the swarm caused her to have a deeper connection with nature and inspired her bee/honey skin care line.
Let there be no doubt in your mind, Marnie is a queen bee. Her inner circle, made up of women who have walked away from their lives, relationships, and jobs to join her, are known as the “Hive”. She ruled her empire and group of followers using charm, manipulation, and power.
As Lindsey investigates Sarah’s murder, the plot thickens as layer after layer of secrets are uncovered. There is more going on than meets the eye. With everyone interviewed, Lindsey learns that this case is not cut and dry and to solve it she must go back to an earlier case and start there.
This book started strong and instantly had me intrigued. Who could have wanted her dead? There are a lot of characters, and we learn more when each tells his/her story to Lindsey. This slowed the book down for me. In the middle of the book, I wanted things to hurry up and bring on that reveal already! This book takes some patience. Everything will come together in the end.
There are clues along the way, and readers will soon learn that you cannot escape your past. Sooner or later, some secrets are dying to be uncovered.
This book is gripping when it gets moving and more clues are dropped. There are a couple of twists and turns, and revelations along the way. I enjoyed the story but the slowness of each character telling his/her story brought my rating down a little. I would have enjoyed the book more if this had been a little faster paced.
A solid book with a gripping mystery.
3.25 stars
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.