The Family Secret: Completely gripping crime fiction with a jaw-dropping twist

Deflated balloons on the floor. Sandwiches curling on plates. The evidence of a normal birthday party a shocking contrast to the bodies of the mother and her twelve-year-old daughter lying on their beds, their secret taken to the grave...

When Detective Lottie Parker arrives at the devastating scene the day after Freya Healey's birthday party, a wave of sorrow overcomes her. Holding Freya's cold white hand, she vows to find justice for her and her parents lying dead in the next room, killed just after the last guest had gone.

Determined to solve this terrible crime, Lottie rushes to interview the party guests, including Freya's best friend Lily. Shy and tearful, the little girl is unwilling to talk about Freya and her parents, at least in front of her over-protective mother. But when her mother reveals that Lily changed her mind about sleeping over at the Healeys at the last minute on the night they were killed, she feels certain that she is hiding something crucial...

The next morning, she is shocked to receive a phone call from Lily's terrified mother. Lily has been stolen from her home - could the Healey family secret have something to do with her disappearance?

Digging deeper, desperate for answers, Lottie discovers a connection between Lily's father and Freya's mother that chills her to the bone. Do both families hide dark secrets? What evidence can she trust and who is lying to her? And can she find the truth before another innocent little girl is lost forever?

A totally addictive page-turner from bestselling author Patricia Gibney. If you like Rachel McLean, Kendra Elliott and Robert Dugoni, After the Party will have you hooked.

What everyone is saying about The Family Secret:

'I was completely hooked and didn't stop reading until the last page!... just when I thought I had a handle on it... boom... another twist pulled the rug out from under me... so gripping I genuinely couldn't stop reading... fast-paced, heartbreaking, twisty and completely addictive I flew through it and didn't want it to end. The tension builds perfectly and that ending? Absolutely brilliant.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Wow this was explosive! From start to finish it was packed with action and with one amazing cliffhanger, I need the next one immediately!... Highly recommend!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Heart-pounding... intense, fast paced and gut wrenching. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time... Clear your schedule and hope no one interrupts you as delve into The Family Secret.' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Just wow!... insanely good, straight out of the gate... fast paced and didn't let up until the end... I truly believe that each book gets better than the last!' Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐