Heather Peck – Secret Places

‘Secret Places’ by Heather Peck is a crime mystery with a an unexpected kick. When I was invited on the tour this book cover stood out and I was curious before I read the synopsis.
Secret Places is set not too far from me on a farm in North Yorkshire and Heather Peck has actually used the local dialect within the story, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Goat farmer Tristan Smith (female in case you wonder), has a skeleton found on her land and finds herself in the spotlight, not only with the media but with the police too, when they start by thinking her a suspect. Luckily they start to look into previous owners of her farm and she finds herself drawn into the search for the truth behind the skeleton. Simultaneously in a different part of the U.K, the Norfolk Broads, we meet Rachel Wade, wanting a new start but torn with leaving Coombe Farm, will she walk away?

This is as I said a crime mystery with a kick. The kick being the underlying topic of Domestic Violence and the effects it has on the victim and everyone around them too. Heather Peck has brought this into the story in a way that doesn’t overpower the actual main thread and she has found the balance with this terribly sensitive topic and I applaud her for that alone. Domestic Violence is very close to my heart as I have suffered forms of it and gone on to volunteer for a DV Helpline in my past.

Back to the book, the characters were nicely drawn with the domestic abuse helping to make me care for them. The one character that touched me was Rachel, she embodied a few women I have helped and yes I wanted to knock some sense into her head but I also understood. There are some colourful characters in this story and they made this a story that could have been written about a village anywhere in real life.

A book that I really enjoyed, for the main story of a crime and for the excellently dealt with the topic of Domestic violence too. An interesting and entertaining book for me.

Thanks to Random Things Tours and Heather Peck and Silverwood Books for my copy of the book and my place on the tour.