Dead Secret / Richard Milton

Reviewed by: BigAl

Genre: Thriller/Mystery/Paranormal

Approximate word count: 100-105,000 words

Availability

Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: NO Smashwords: NO Paper: NO

Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store

Author:

“Richard Milton is a writer, journalist and broadcaster on a wide range of subjects. He currently freelances for The Daily Telegraph and other papers.” 

Milton is the author of several books, a combination of non-fiction and mystery/thriller.

Description:

“Investigative journalist Tony Gabriel inherits a bizarre mystery when he is left the research papers and books of a long-dead Cambridge historian - and a human skull. With no clue to the meaning of this mysterious legacy, Tony puts his years as a reporter to use to investigate who he really is - and is stunned by what he uncovers.”

Appraisal:

Well, this was sure different. It starts with a mystery that an investigative journalist such as the protagonist Tony Gabriel should be well suited to solve, but then becomes something more with paranormal or supernatural aspects quickly coming to the fore. However, Tony isn’t buying it, not at first. These elements are one of the reasons why this is different. I’ve read paranormal thrillers, yet Dead Secret doesn’t fit what you might expect from one of those, at least it didn’t feel like that to me. (I do think readers who like paranormal thrillers or mystery lovers who are okay with a paranormal element would both find this a satisfying read though.)

The other thing that makes Dead Secret different are two minor story threads that take place at a different time, one around the time of the French Revolution and the other during the aftermath of World War II. These threads, in chapters interspersed with those from the main thread happening in contemporary times, help the reader understand the history of what Tony is digging into and provide fodder for guessing where the story is headed.

Different isn’t always good. In this instance, it was. Dead Secret is a unique and clever story that provided an entertaining and at times thought-provoking read.

FYI:

The author uses UK spelling conventions.

Some adult language and mild adult content.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars