Published: Dec. 03, 2011
Words: 88,462 (approximate)
Language: English
ISBN: 9781466053427

Short description

Mapleton Police Chief Gordon Hepler would rather be on the streets than behind a desk dealing with budgets and the town council. When a fatal accident seems connected to two of Mapleton's most beloved citizens, he gets his wish. When he ties the accident to a grisly murder, he's afraid he's getting more than he bargained for. Can he solve the crime without revealing the secrets of his citizens?

Extended description

Mapleton, Colorado's police chief, Gordon Hepler, would rather be on the streets than behind a desk dealing with budgets and the town council, but he promised his late mentor he'd accept the position. And to Gordon, a promise is a promise, even if the person you made it to isn't around anymore. However, doubts creep in, and he wonders if he was shoved into the job because his mentor thought he couldn't cut it on the streets.

Everything changes when a fatal traffic accident well outside Mapleton seems connected to elderly Rose and Sam Kretzer, two of Mapleton's most beloved citizens. The arrival of Megan, the Kretzer's grown ward, and Justin, their grandson add to his troubles when Megan is mugged. In addition, Justin is renovating his grandparents' house despite their objections, and then someone breaks in and the house is ransacked. When Gordon ties the car accident to a grisly murder in Mapleton—the first anyone in town can remember—he's afraid he's into more than he bargained.. (Read more) Mapleton, Colorado's police chief, Gordon Hepler, would rather be on the streets than behind a desk dealing with budgets and the town council, but he promised his late mentor he'd accept the position. And to Gordon, a promise is a promise, even if the person you made it to isn't around anymore. However, doubts creep in, and he wonders if he was shoved into the job because his mentor thought he couldn't cut it on the streets.

Everything changes when a fatal traffic accident well outside Mapleton seems connected to elderly Rose and Sam Kretzer, two of Mapleton's most beloved citizens. The arrival of Megan, the Kretzer's grown ward, and Justin, their grandson add to his troubles when Megan is mugged. In addition, Justin is renovating his grandparents' house despite their objections, and then someone breaks in and the house is ransacked. When Gordon ties the car accident to a grisly murder in Mapleton—the first anyone in town can remember—he's afraid he's into more than he bargained for.

His fears are realized when his investigation seems to link the Kretzers to a Nazi war criminal. Can he work with the big-city detective brought in to assist? Will he be able to solve the crime without revealing the secrets of his citizens?

DEADLY SECRETS revolves around a secret journal kept by a Nazi during WWII, and the lengths people will go to protect those they love. Set in a small Colorado community, Deadly Secrets deals with people trying to do what they think is right while protecting those they love.
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Tags

mystery, police procedural, detective, colorado, holocaust survivors, small town police, mapleton mystery

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Reviews

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Review by: Susan Larsen on Jan. 13, 2013 : (no rating)
Good writer with interesting characters. The storyline was a bit far fetched. The follow up novel has a better story.
(reviewed within a week of purchase)

Review by: jules103 on Jan. 14, 2012 :
This book is categorized as a mystery, but includes a number of scenes which reflect the author's background as a romance writer. I found the "romance" (sex) scenes distracting and not moving the story forward.

The main characters are Gordon, the poice chief; Megan, a professional woman who returns to the town where she grew up; and Justin, the grandson of Megan's adoptive parents. However I couldn't identify with any of them. My favorite characters were Sam and Rose, often referred to as Opa and Oma (German for grandpa and grandma), an older Jewish couple who lived through the Holocaust.

The extended description of the book includes references to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. If I hadn't been curious about how that was going to be included, I probably would not have finished this book.

If you like genre romance and want to expand into mysteries you will probably like this book. If you are looking for a mystery that isn't interrupted by descriptions of one character's physical attraction to another and how that progresses, Terry Odell's book will probably not be your cup of tea.
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

Review by: Sarah Butland on Jan. 07, 2012 :
Facebook has been an amazing way for me to meet and learn from new authors. Most recently, I connected with Terry Odell and am so very grateful for the opportunity.

2012 is my year for writing and making a name for myself so I’m honoured to start it off with my review of Terry Odell’s mystery novel – Deadly Secrets (Mapleton Mystery).

Her first “true” mystery after many well-received romance novels, Deadly Secrets (Mapleton Mystery) tells the story of several characters in a beautiful way that doesn’t have the reader confused. Switching from Megan’s vacation and return home to Chief Gordon’s search for the criminal and then his feelings for Angie, Justin’s story is the one I actually connected with most. Mixed with all of them was Oma and Opa and their sordid past that they never discussed.

My connection to Deadly Secrets (Mapleton Mystery) first came with the introduction of Oma and Opa as I have grandparents from Holland who went by that. Although this Oma and Opa came to America from Germany their stories were interesting, offering the same comfort as my own grandparents.

But Justin went through some life changes, struggled with expectations and being the outcast but came out on top, or so it seems. His story of overcoming personal grievances and being accepted for what he had to offer made me root for him and his innocence but you’ll have to read it yourself to know who he actually turned out to be.

A must read for any mystery fan!

Thanks for reading,

Sarah Butland
author of Sending You Sammy, Brain Tales – Volume One and Arm Farm
(reviewed within a month of purchase)

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