Review - - Every Single Secret

Every Single Secret

by Christina Dodd

Publisher: Canary Street Press

Release Date: March 5, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Never whisper the truth. Never reveal the past.

In an isolated lighthouse on the California coast, Rowan Winterbourne lives a solitary life with only her secrets for company. For she has a mission that drives her—to avenge herself against Gregory Torval, the powerful drug and arms dealer who murdered her mother and vowed to eliminate everyone in her family.

Then Joe Grantham arrives at her door and, for the first time, Rowan lets her guard down—a dangerous mistake when he blackmails her to go with him to Torval's private island. There Torval’s decadent birthday celebration rages, and while Joe pursues his own agenda, she’ll provide the perfect distraction.

On Raptor Island, Torval’s will is law and Joe, the closest she has to an ally, is an enigma she can’t trust. One false move, one careless word, and Rowan will die. As dark truths are uncovered, one by one, Rowan recognizes her last chance for the revenge has come. But is it worth everything she must sacrifice to get out alive?

PJ's Thoughts:

Christina Dodd is a master of the plot twist and Every Single Secret is littered with them, beginning with a doozy in Chapter One. It sets the tone for this suspense thriller that had me on the edge of my seat for the entire book. Who to trust? Who not to trust? What's the truth? What's not? And when the truths begin to surface? Yikes! How could things get any crazier than this? Well, this is Christina Dodd and her creative imagination is off the charts. There's still more to come, right up until the very end which, for me, came around 3:15 AM. I challenge you to put this book down before you finish because, for me, that was just not going to happen.

Rowan and Joe are multi-faceted characters who drew me in with their secrets and their hidden layers. Both are well developed, intriguing, and practically begged me to be in their corner. But can they be trusted? They're the primary focus of this book but by no means the only characters with significant roles. Dodd surrounds them with a secondary cast that is anything but wallpaper, giving depth and texture to several secondary characters who generate doubt, conflict, danger, poignant emotion, unlikely support, and offbeat humor. Even in the most dire of circumstances, Dodd has the ability to sneak in her quirky humor...which I love. 

Every Single Secret is going to my Dodd keeper shelf (yes, she has enough keepers to warrant her own shelf) where I'll no doubt revisit it when I'm in the mood for twisty suspense, wry wit, and characters who pull me in and refuse to let go. If that's your jam, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of Every Single Secret.