Read in 2017 - 5: No Such Thing As a Secret

"No Such Thing as a Secret" is the first book in the "No Such Thing As..." series by Shelly Fredman, featuring Brandy Alexander - not the cocktail, but a young woman working as a "puff piece" reporter for a cable news network who starts to privately investigate the murder of a young man after one of her best friend disappears shortly after he told Brandy he may inadvertedly possess a clue to the case.

Brandy grew up in Philadelphia, but left for Los Angeles after Bobby, the love of her life, ended their 10-year relationship on grounds she never really understood. In L.A., she builds a whole new life for herself, including the job for the news network.
Four years later, she is back in Philadelphia for a short break and the wedding of one of her friends - and finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation shortly after her arrival.

The inevitable encounter with Bobby happens under the worst imaginable circumstances: Not only is he a police officer, warning her off the private investigation she has started. He is also married and has a little daughter. Regardless, there is still attraction and spark enough between the two to keep Brandy on her toes whenever Bobby is near.

But there is also the mysterious Nick, who helps with Brandy's investigation and leaves her confused as to what his - and her own - intentions actually are.

Last but not least, there is a murder to solve, and the police seem to be getting nowhere.

You already know that this is a series, so it is clear that Brandy will solve the mystery, and the author leaves enough loose ends to make the reader want to find out what will happen with some of the characters in the next book.

I must admit I did not (and still do not) care all that much for Brandy as a person, but the mystery was something of a page-turner in parts. In fact, one evening after work, I was reading while waiting for my train and so absorbed in the book that I did not look up when a train arrived; I simply got on. Two stops later I realised I was on the wrong train! I made haste to get off, get the next one back to Main Station and then finally catch the right train home.

While I did notice quite a few typesetting errors that could have been avoided with careful editing or proof-reading, they were not so many as to distract too much from the story. I downloaded the book for free from Amazon's kindle shop a couple of years ago, so I should not complain about typos.

Shelly Fredman's website has a lot of background info on herself, her books and characters and Philadelphia. You can find it here.