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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Vanessa Watts

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I must preface this review in first stating that I absolutely loved this book. The character development is well thought out with Jayne’s family dynamic being something we have all experienced at one point or another in our lives.
This book starts out right away with action after Jayne and Meeka her wonderfully trained furry companion end up finding a body on the grounds of her recently deceased grandparents’ property. That is not the only surprise waiting for her when she arrives with the intent to clean stuff up to sell the homestead. Unfortunately, the sheriff doesn’t seem to inclined to investigate the murder on the grounds so Jayne opts to tackle this mystery on her own, after all it is in her blood as a former detective. As Jayne goes about investigating the murder, she learns certain things about her family history that she never knew. Along the way she meets a cast of unique characters and some opposition to her solving just what happened. Some secrets are not meant to be uncovered is this one of them? Can Jayne figuring out what happened, or will she find herself in trouble herself? This is one book you must read; I know I have already purchased the next few books in the series because I love Whispering Pines!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Stephanie Nicole

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire is an amazing murder mystery with lots of drama, suspense, and twists and turns to keep the reader interested from page one to the very end. Jayne has been gone from Whispering Pines for a long time, what will she discover when she goes back? Going back to Whispering Pines is supposed to be relaxing and calming but when she arrives, she discovers a lot of things that make her cap instincts kick in. Will she have what it takes to use those instincts again or will Jayne read and paint while clearing out her grandparents estate? You’ll have to read Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire to find out for yourself.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Amanda Lundin

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, I am hooked. This mystery had me reading at every opportunity possible; then had the nerve to end on a cliffhanger! Thank goodness book two is out!

Jayne is everything I want to be, a total baddy, and even has the same insecurities as me too! I adore their little village and love the details of the quirky residents. I don’t personally know a lot about Wicca but I feel they did a great job describing it in a respectful manner.

10/10 recommend!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by S. Bittles

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you enjoy paranormal and mystery than this is a series to read. This book is very well written and has an engaging plot and storyline. Knowing that this is the first book in a series, you expect there to be information overload and unanswered questions, but, McGuire’s smooth writing style does not make it overwhelming.

This is definitely a page turner book, and warning it does end in a cliffhanger; which makes you have to read the next book. There are 10 books in this series and I’m looking forward to reading them all!

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Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire – Review by Char Wahtomy-Alba

Jayne O’Shea is back in Whispering Pines after 16 long years. She was deemed the one in her family to pack up her grandparents home after her grandmother passes. She thinks it will be a quick trip lasting no more than a few days, but that l goes out the window when she discovers that the home has been vandalized. She is also in for a treat and will need to put her detective hat on to do some investigating when her dog finds a corpse on the family property. Who was this girl and who would want to harm her? The local Sherriff doesn’t want her snooping around, but he doesn’t seem at all interested in finding the culprit. Is he covering for someone or in the worst case himself?

This was a captivating book and kept me hooked. The character building and development of the story was great. I can’t say that I am a huge fan of books that end on a cliffhanger, but I am invested in finding out who is behind the murder and any other mysteries Jayne may uncover.

Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Changley Cavins

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was so good!!!

Whispering Pines sounds like a pretty great place to live. Full of misfits who are just looking to be accepted.

Jayne O’Shae is the main character. A former detective who travels to Whispering Pines to get her grandparents house ready to sell. That’s not at all what ends up happening. Upon her arrival, she finds a dead body and no cell service. When she tries to use the landline to call the local police, she finds her grandparents house has been vandalized.

Who was the dead person really? Were they murdered? Are witches and magic real? Did Jayne really come to Whispering Pines to get the house on the market? What else will she find?!

I felt Jayne was relatable and I loved Meeka, her dog. I loved her realistic apprehension towards Wicca and witches but the author did a great job of painting the reality behind those two things. I loved the small town vibe of Whispering Falls mixed with the mystery, drama, and scandal.

I will definitely be reading the 2nd book in this series- Kept Secrets.

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Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1) By Shawn McGuire Review by Michelle Marlow

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book grabbed my attention right from the start. A wonderful mystery thriller.

We meet our starring character Jayne as she approaches her late grandparents’ lake home in Whispering Pines. The action and suspense is immediately started from right there.

From small town locals to the social outcasts, this is one giant who done it.

I eagerly await the next book!!!!

 

Review by @michellerenee6590

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Kerry Baker

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire is a fantastic book that is full of twists and turns. I found myself hooked on this book as soon as I started reading. I loved the fact that it wasn’t just a mystery story, there were elements of fantasy in there too. The two combined made for a great story.
I thought Jayne had such brilliant development throughout the book. It really felt like you got to know her character the more you read. As a new author to me I found I really connected with how the author wrote her story. This is a fantastic start to a series and I cannot wait for book 2!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Louise Loughran

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this book had me always wanting more the characters were wrote brilliant, I felt like I knew them. The book was easy to read and flowed really well it didn’t haveme trying hard to remember what had being going on.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Tausha Treadway

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire. This book was amazing! I loved every word of it. Its the story of Jayne who has returned to her hometown of Whispering Pines to her Grandparents house. She is in charge of cleaning out her grandparents house and selling everything. In the midst of doing that she uncovers all kinds of mysterious things and then a dead body is found in the back yard. When the cops show up they don’t seem that interested in doing a proper investigation so Jayne decides to do one on her own. While investigating Jayne discovers all kinds of things about her Grandmother including the fact she seems to have been a Wiccan. The whole town has a lot of Wiccan in it so its not totally surprising but still its her Grandmother. The dead woman has a tattoo that Wiccan’s have so more there is more to the mystery. Magic, wiccan’s and death can Jayne figure out the mystery before someone else dies?

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Rayne East

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Quaint, quirky and a little bit more
This is a very different cozy mystery. The setting is a quaint town with a little bit of bizarre. I felt that I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. Jayne is likeable and also a bit on the quirky side. There was enough to keep my interest and I still have some unanswered questions – which makes me curious about book 2.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Nicole Elizabeth

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book took me a little under 2 weeks to read leisurely, but I could have devoured it in a day had I the time to do so. I’d give it 5 out of 5 stars. The characters are extremely well written, and all the interactions were believable and above all, relatable. The story follows a young woman who blows into town to close- up her grandmother’s estate after being gone since childhood after her passing. She soon realizes there’s more than meets the eye in this quaint little witchy town. As she finds her way through her own issues as well as some odd town dynamics that she comes across, she also meets some great people along the way. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the series and seeing how the relationships flourish in the coming books. The storyline was believable and doesn’t end exactly the way you’d think it would- which I love. I wasn’t completely oblivious as to how the story would end but the ending was a good one and set future stories up very well. I think this is a series that will continue to get better and better. I’m really looking forward to reading where this storyline goes and what other interesting characters will be brought into the spotlight. Great, easy read that will have you hooked and keep you coming back to see what happens next. I look forward to reading more of your books Shawn McGuire, blessed be!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Lydia Pelton

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I truly loved this story. I had a hard time in the beginning to connect with Jayne. Though, as the story moved I really started liking her. She came to close on her grandma’s home after a rough couple of months she was ready for a much needed break. Though, she was met with chaos and a dead body. I adored the mystery with sprinkles of paranormal. The little town full of big secrets just sucks you in and doesn’t let go. Be prepared to be in it for the long haul. I know I am!!

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Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire–Reviewed by Jerricka Brown

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love a good cliffhanger. This book was an amazing mystery to me. The characters were beautifully developed. I could not put it down. I wanted to find out more. I love how I felt like I was there, like I was right beside the characters and could feel what they felt. I will definitely be finding out what happens next.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Jo Frizzell

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I adored this book! I really wanted to meet everyone! Meeka was adorable and I wanted to be her friend. I wanted to have the opportunity to walk around the town and meet all the people, and try the cookies! Tripp made me smile and Morgan intrigued me. The conflict was relatable and I really just generally wanted to find answers for her. I really just wanted to know everybody and be a part of Whispering Pines.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by

Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Kerry Carr

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was is a really interesting read. I loved the mixture of crime and paranormal and how they mixed together to create this unique story.

Jayne  has returned to her grandparents house in Whisper Pines. Her job is to clear it out and get it ready the be sold. However that all changes when she finds the home vandalised and the body of a dead young woman outside the property.
Jayne promised herself she wouldn’t get involved in this case but with the local sheriff showing no interest in solving the murder Jayne takes it upon herself to get some answers.

She is then taken down a rabbit hole of Witches, Spells and people who can see when death is coming. As her suspect list keeps growing longer Jayne starts to get warned off this case by the Sheriff. But why? What is the Sheriff trying to hide or cover up?

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Lorrene Huisman

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I could have so much to say on how captivating and amazing this book was in its own way! I was hooked right from the start, and as I read more into it the more I was hooked, trying to plan out who could be the main suspect in all that was happening, but still wondering all in all, if there was more truth than known?

For starters I loved the town, a small town, which seems like such a kind hearted town, but yet filled with dark secrets, and honestly though, how well do you know your neighbors and can you really trust the happy looking ones? The ones that look more not bad intentions, perhaps are the ones you should give your trust to? It all starts off with a murder that randomly happens. From that point on the lead character named Jayne who is there in the town basically for family business, and seriously seemed like she did not want to be back in the town in the first place. Loved her character by the way. She was very skilled as a sleuth and someone who wanted the truth always and no matter what would or could be. As the mystery went further deep I could not help what I truly loved most about this town, and that would be the residents that resided there. Each character was complex, but understandable in their own way. They were unique in the sense I constantly wanted to know more. As I read on, all for the most part came together all in all, that being said though…I loved how it ended, now I need to read the next!

The book gave me all aspects of a supernatural book I truly loved. I really enjoyed the book and how the author underwent with how the plot progressed as well as things that happened as I read on. They very much knew how to keep the reader interested. Seriously this book is a must read!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Jenni Bishop

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire is a cozy mystery with an array of quirky and colourful characters and a twist. This small town is weird and interestingly different and full of hidden secrets and with a hint of fantasy/supernatural. There are those who once had run away to join the circus, Wiccans, and psychics/fortune tellers just to name a few. Whispering Pines is certainly more than it seems. There are some unanswered questions that remained at the end which was a bit frustrating.

As former police officer it’s hard to leave that life behind so when she comes across a crime scene, she can’t help but want to find out what happened and who is behind it. But it just might be her demise.

Reviewed by @jennadb

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by April McCoy

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Shawn Mcguire write a tale of a mystical place with turmoil to spare. Jayne the sleuth gets caught in a mess of trouble. This book was intriguing, twisted, and an all around page turner! If you’re a mystery buff this is definately for you!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Kayla Kearney

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a fantastic read to start spooky season! The suspenseful mystery Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire, first book in the Whispering Pines series, this book will have you hooked from the very first chapter!

A classic whodunit mystery, somewhat newcomer Jayne O’Shea arrives in her grandparents hometown to discover a murder. She meets Tripp, a camper in the village, who helps her with her investigation while also helping fix up her grandparents’ house, which was the reason she came to Whispering Pines in the first place.

As someone who has been questioning her spiritual beliefs over the last few years, reading about the Wiccan religion and witchcraft in general was especially interesting to me and I love how they incorporated it into the story line. It definitely put an interesting twist on things and I hope it remains prevalent in the books to come!

The book leaves some unanswered questions, so I definitely plan to read the rest of the books in this series!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review bye Shelly Kittell

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Family Secrets (Book 1 of The Whispering Pines Mystery) is an amazing mystery. From the first page, I am drawn as Jayne is traveling to Whispering Pines, Wisconsin, to clear out her Grandmother’s house. Little did she know, she would be entering into a town full of drama and secrets. Oh boy, the action is basically wherever she turns. There’s a dead body in her grandmother’s yard to a break-in. She meets a handsome guy, Tripp, who basically tells her the town doesn’t like outsiders. She’s treated like royalty because she’s the Original’s granddaughter. Jayne sees the attitudes of the town and it makes her mad that they treat Tripp this way. I can’t share anymore. You have to read this. It’s so thrilling and full of twists and turns and suspense. The character’s are incredible. Honey and Sugar running a sweet bakery. It fits so great. The towns people make me think of the weird people I have met in Boulder. They just fit the characteristics so well; weird and hippy chic with a hint of spooky. So worth the read, I can’t wait to dig into the rest of the series. I love Jayne and Meeka. Highly recommend.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Kylean Sprosty

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Keeps you guessing right to the very end! I felt like I was investigating with Jayne O’Shea through each part of the story. The end is one I definitely didn’t see coming. Can’t wait to read the next book to see where the story goes. Truly enchanting.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Lianne Probert

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Family Secrets is the first book in the Whispering Pine Mystery series by Shawn McGuire. This is my first time reading anything by this author, but she has won me over already.

Whispering Pines sounds like something out of a fairytale. Jayne arrives back there after 16 years away. She has returned to sort out her grandparents’ property but gets so much more than she bargained for when she discovers a dead body in the garden. She shouldn’t get involved, but once a cop always a cop!
I am already a huge fan of the cosy mystery genre, and the book didn’t disappoint. It has enough mystery and suspense to keep you turning the pages, but it’s also a really easy read. There are quite a few loose ends and unanswered questions, but I’m guessing we’ll get more answers in book 2!

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Piper Foster

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a way to find a house you want to sell of course it has to be me. The people of this town loved my gran as hee granddaughter Lucy seem to be a patriarch of this town. I actually enjoyed reading this more than I though. Jane is extremely relatable and I really like her character. Tripp I like him. I want to read the next book now. This is amazing book 5/5

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Stephanie Colley

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a little slow to begin with, but there is a lot packed in.
Jayne comes back to sell her grandma’s house and finds the house wrecked! And… a dead body! So the secret is out! What happened to this body??
The mystery, the stories and paranormal hook you in for the long haul! The next book will be even better!

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Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire – Review by Ashley Westerman

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Family Secrets: A Whispering Pines Mystery by Shawn McGuire was a great mystery book! I love the author’s creativity in the writing. It had me hooked from the beginning and I was quickly turning pages to find out what happened next. The plot was very well written. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and “seeing” their interactions. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. The book does end on a cliffhanger, but that isn’t the reason I’m excited to read the rest of the series. Regardless of how it ends, I would have read the rest of the series because I am excited to see what else happens!

Reviewed by @mombiex3

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Bobbi Wagner

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this suspenseful mystery story. This is a new author for me which I look forward to seeing what is next for them as well as the next book in this series. I found this book to be fast paced and full of action. The twists and turns had me sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting to see what was lurking in the shadows. This is a well written story about Jane and what happens when she goes to her grandparents lake house. The story picks up when her dog finds a dead body in the backyard and the sheriff has no interest in finding out who did it. I really enjoyed what the characters brought to the story. Their growth as well as the plot throughout the story is great. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into the story as well as kept the story engaging. Jane is a great character that truly made the story easy and entertaining to read. I highly recommend this book.

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Review by @bjwagner

Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire review by Heather Knalls

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jayne has been sent to Whispering Pines to take care of her grandparents house to get ready to sale as her grandmother passed 3 months ago. There are many secrets that lie in Whispering Pines that Jayne has no clue about. She is leaving behind what she feels is a life that she has ruined; turning in her partner, losing an informant, saying no to her boyfriends proposal and quitting her job as a detective at the Madison PD. Whispering Pines is not your typical town, it was established as a Wiccan community after her grandparents purchased the 2000 acres and her grandmother did not like being alone as her husband traveled. Upon arriving in town Jayne and Meeka her K9 partner find a dead young woman on the property and that the house itself has been vandalized. Jayne meets many people along the way to finding out what truly happened on her families property. What does this town and this incident hold for Jayne’s future? Can Jayne keep her detective skills to herself or will she step into something much bigger? This was an amazing start to this series and I can’t wait to see what else Whispering Pines has to offer.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Sarah Vanscoy

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)” written by Shawn McGuire, was a book I couldn’t put down! Set in a small town in Wisconsin, former detective Jayne travels to her late grandparent’s lake house to settle their affairs. As she arrives, her police-trained dog finds a dead body in the yard. Her training has taught her how to handle the situation, and she gives report to the sheriff. Jayne is surprised that the local police do not seem to be worried about the death, and their suspicious behavior leads her to begin investigating on her own. As she investigates the potential murder, she begins to uncover many secrets about her own family, as well as secrets in the village of Whispering Pines.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters, and the small town setting! I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

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Family Secrets (A Whispering Pines Mystery) by Shawn McGuire – Review by Angela Hayes

Family Secrets (Whispering Pines Mystery #1)Family Secrets by Shawn McGuire
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

 

Family Secrets is the first book in the Whispering Pines series by Shawn McGuire. This is a cosy mystery following former police detective, Jane O’Shea as she gets drawn into a murder investigation in her hometown.
This is a crime and investigation story with plenty of suspense, interesting and quirky characters, and more- all woven into a clever little mystery.
Definitely looking forward to following the rest of the series!
Intriguing!

Thank you, Shawn McGuire!

 

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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