Nasty Little Secrets

Summary: Just when you think you’ve found the killer, another dark secret flips the script.

 Title: Nasty Little Secrets
Author: Gabbie Hanks
Page Count: 320 

MY RATINGS:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Psychological Thriller, Domestic Thriller / Domestic Suspense, Murder Mystery, Small-Town Mystery/Scandals, Crime Fiction 

A bold psychological suspense debut about a fiery true crime writer whose infamous case is blown back open when her sister goes missing—and her bestselling book might be the key to finding her

Rose Dearling’s life changed forever when her older brother was arrested for the murder of his high school sweetheart, Alexandria Hopely. Now, a decade after the crime that ripped her family and her close-knit Florida hometown apart, Rose is the only one who still believes he didn’t do it. So much so that she wrote a bestselling true crime novel about the case, pinning the murder on Alex’s father. This may have gained her a reputation for being a lying, opportunistic bitch, but it has also bought her a new life in Manhattan, far away from where it all began.

Then Rose gets a call that shatters her world for the second her younger sister Hazel has gone missing without a trace. Back home and under the same roof as her family for the first time in years, Rose tries to avoid dark memories as she searches for her sister. But when connections between Hazel’s disappearance and Alex’s murder emerge, Rose realizes the past, and her own book, could hold the answers—including proof of her brother’s innocence. And if he didn't do it, that means the real killer is still on the loose, and they’ve been hiding in plain sight all this time.

Razor-sharp and propulsive, Nasty Little Secrets is a crackling psychological suspense about family secrets and small-town scandal, which keeps its grip on you until the final jaw-dropping twist.

🔍 Crime & murder investigations
🚨 Missing family member / Kidnapping
🩹 Heavy past trauma & painful memories
🤫 Deep-seated family secrets & small-town scandals
💔 All of the people Rose (main character) talks to make you think, "This is the suspect."
❌ Just when you think you’ve found the killer, another dark secret flips the script.
❤️ Perfect for fans of Jennifer Hillier, Alex Finlay, Heather Gudenkauf, Karin Slaughter, Tess Gerritsen, C.J. Box.

🖤 The book cover alone immediately caught my eye.
It speaks volumes! The cover immediately grabbed my attention because it perfectly captures the eerie vibe of the story and teases what’s waiting inside. Since the plot revolves around dark family secrets and small-town scandals, every detail feels intentional. As we can see, a pair of golden scissors is slicing through a house "made of paper." For me, this symbolizes how easily a family's fragile, picture-perfect life can be torn apart. How quickly a fragile home can be destroyed when the truth comes out. I have no doubt that lots of readers will also be hooked by this gripping, psychological web of lies.

🖤 About the book:
Rose is an author who writes a controversial true-crime novel to prove that her older brother (Will) was innocent of killing his girlfriend, Alexandria. I’m not gonna lie, reading Rose’s POV made me feel a mix of intimidation and pure awe. She is just so brilliant, loyal, and fiercely honest about everything. Unapologetically truthful! I just realized that her character has already suffered and been dragged through the mud enough. But the nightmare is far from over. Next thing she knows, she’s getting a sudden call from home with the worst possible news. Her younger sister (Hazel) has gone missing. Despite the traumatic memories haunting her past, Rose is forced to go back home to face her demons and search for her sister.

🖤 Favorite Quote:
I'm an ARC reader and as much as I want to quote some of my favorite lines from this story, the author asked us not to quote directly until the final book is published. So instead, let me give you a glimpse into the twisted mind games of this story.

People buy mysteries for one reason. The big reveal. Clearing an innocent person's name is only half the battle. You still have to unmask the real killer. I love this one because it makes me think that every single character is hiding something dangerous. The thought that you already know who's the mastermind makes the actual twist hit twice as hard. The secrets in this book will give you absolute whiplash.

🖤 I low-key understood the killer??? ☹️☹️☹️
Is it bad that I didn't completely hate the killer? Obviously, murder isn't the answer, but the killer had some serious reasons for causing all this chaos. This book really makes you question your own morals! The author gave the killer such a compelling motive that I actually found myself thinking, “Okay, wait! I see your point.”

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NOTE: This is my personal opinion about the book. My goal is to share my experience, not to change anyone's perspective. Thank you to Gabbie Hanks and Zando for giving me the opportunity to read this early.