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Buried Secrets
Buried Secrets picks up with a jolt. The book throws Samantha Jordan and Detective Nick Ballard straight into a chaotic mix of protests, an explosion at a construction site, and a buried set of bones that kick off a genuine mystery. The plot widens fast. What starts as a fight over Comanche remains becomes a deeper story involving political pressure, corruption within law enforcement, tribal tensions, and a startling discovery tucked inside the concrete foundation of an old grocery store. The book follows Samantha and Nick as they clash, cooperate, and dig into a crime that was literally cemented over. The stakes climb fast, and so does the tension between them.
I felt myself reacting to this one in a more personal way than I expected. The writing moves with confidence, and the pacing is punchy. It felt like watching fireworks go off one after another. Some scenes made me grin because the banter hit just right, and then others had me tense because the danger felt close. Samantha and Nick have a dynamic that made me laugh and sigh. They get under each other’s skin in that messy, irresistible way that makes their partnership crackle. I liked how Samantha carries her knowledge like armor. She never apologizes for it. Nick, on the other hand, is a storm of frustration and loyalty and old wounds. Seeing them work through their differences while everything around them blew up kept me rooting for them.
The ideas sitting under the plot also caught me off guard. The book digs into how politics twist simple decisions until nothing is simple anymore. It touches on greed, identity, and the uncomfortable ways power gets used when no one is watching. I liked how the story made space for that without slipping into heavy language. The scenes in the medical examiner’s office felt eerie and sad. The discovery of the young woman’s remains pulled the story into a darker place, and I could feel my stomach drop when the characters realized what it meant. The writing captures that dread without drowning the reader in it. It reminded me how crime fiction can make you feel the weight of a life even when that life isn’t on the page anymore.
Buried Secrets is a great pick for readers who love crime novels with emotional punch, fast pacing, and characters who spark off each other. It felt to me like Buried Secrets carried the same mix of tension and character chemistry that you get in The Lincoln Lawyer, only with a sharper emotional pull and a mystery that hits closer to the heart. This book is perfect for anyone who wants mystery mixed with humor, tension, and a touch of romance that doesn’t feel forced.
Pages: 279 | ASIN : B0DKB3NBZ8
Burning Secrets
Burning Secrets drops you straight into danger and never really lets go. The story follows Adelaide Reese, a sharp-minded chemical engineer who gets tangled up in a mill explosion, a web of corporate denial, and a town slowly breaking under the weight of polluted water and rising fear. The book moves fast. It blends environmental suspense, legal tensions, and a simmering connection between Adelaide and Brock Emerson, a man who is far more complicated than he first appears. The stakes grow chapter by chapter until the personal and the political crash into each other in a way that feels both messy and real.
As I read, I found myself pulled into the heat of the scenes. The writing has a directness that works well for the high-stress moments. Sometimes I felt the pacing sprint ahead of me, but that breathless rush fit the tone of the story. Adelaide’s point of view struck me right away. She is capable and stubborn and worn down by a world that constantly underestimates her. I related to the weight she carries and the way she fights through it with grit instead of speeches. There were moments when I caught myself holding my breath as she pushed through the chaos at the mill or tried to get answers from people who clearly wanted her kept in the dark. I also appreciated how the book shows the loneliness that follows a woman who works in places that do not want her. It hit harder than I expected.
My feelings about Brock shifted constantly. At first, he felt like trouble wrapped in a perfect smile, and honestly, those characters usually annoy me. Then the story let me into his doubts and his guilt, and it surprised me. I started rooting for him even as I questioned his choices. There is a real spark between him and Adelaide. Some scenes almost felt too warm for how dangerous the situation around them was, but that tension gave the book a nice heartbeat. I found myself thinking about them long after I put the pages down. The bigger ideas behind the story also stuck with me. The book digs into environmental harm and corporate neglect without lecturing. Watching the community suffer made me angry in the best way. It made the fight feel necessary instead of abstract.
Burning Secrets delivers a fast, emotional story that blends danger, romance, and small-town desperation into something that kept me hooked. I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy romantic suspense, legal thrillers with heart, and stories where the environment itself becomes a character. It is especially good for anyone who likes imperfect heroes, tough heroines, and a plot that never stops tightening. If you want a book that keeps your pulse up and your emotions stirred, this one will do the job.
Pages: 274 | ASIN : B0DH44X9NQ
Intricate Mysteries
Stolen Secrets follows a determined ranch manager with a deep-seated distrust of oil companies who reluctantly forms a partnership with a former special ops man when vandalism and murder show up on her doorstep. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The book is a fictionalized mash-up of three separate situations that occurred in different parts of the state in different decades.
Down in South Texas in the late 1990s, I had the privilege of taking a lease from a severed mineral owner (only in this case, a very nice person). The surface owner and ranch manager was a super- smart, capable woman who was an ardent environmentalist and totally hated oil companies. She was not a happy rancher when I came along. She has since passed away, but I was lucky to have known both her and the person I took the lease from.
I spent a lot of time in West Texas in Menard County, Texas, where the annual festival is Jim Bowie Days. Everyone in the two counties in every direction has heard about the lost silver mine. I loved the story.
The terrible corruption comes from Duval County in deep South Texas, where George Parr, and later his son, Archer Parr, and Archer’s one-time henchman, Clinton Manges, ruled the county with horrendous corruption from the 1940s through the 1980s. George and, later, Archer were called the Dukes of Duval. Archer went to prison and then committed suicide. Clinton died penniless in a nursing home in San Antonio. One of my closest colleagues worked for the Trustee as the land manager for the Manges Liquidating Trust when the ranch was forced into bankruptcy and liquidated to pay Manges’s creditors.
I enjoyed the romantic enemies-to-lovers relationship between Sarah and Ethan. How did their relationship develop while you were writing it? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
I am not a pantser. I can’t imagine how mysteries can be written without clue maps, chapter outlines, scene details, etc. Every aspect of the story is planned to the nth detail before I ever start writing. I have a fantastic editor who helps me box the entire outline into shape, scene by scene, before I even write the first sentence.
How did you balance the action scenes with the story elements and still keep a fast pace in the story?
Pacing is not my strong suit. I rely on my editor, Laura Barth, to crack the whip on me for pacing. She’s a task master on story structure and keeping things moving. I tend to meandering wordiness without adult supervision.
When will Book Two be available? Can you give us an idea of where that book will take readers?
The whole trilogy is out. All three books are standalones featuring women in science, heroes who think they’re cool, and intricate mysteries inspired by events in my career or experiences of my colleagues. They can be read in any order. They are all enemies-to-lovers stories.
Book 2, Burning Secrets, is the story of a chemical engineer working to shut down a polluting paper mill in East Texas. To save the town, she is forced into an uneasy alliance with the undercover PI hired by the mill’s lawyer to stop her.
Book 3, Buried Secrets, is set in my hometown of San Antonio. It is the story of a straight- laced architect/city historic preservationist dealing with the discovery of old (and new) skeletons during excavation for new construction in the historic King William area of town. To identify the victims, she is forced to work with a disgraced homicide detective whose career is hanging on by a thread.
All three books are available individually on Amazon and as a box set.
The hero and the Deputy Chief of Police in Buried Secrets carry over to the new Iris Raines mystery series, and both appear in the series debut novel, Hell to Pay.
Author Links: GoodReads | X (Twitter) | Facebook | Website | Amazon
Her brother is missing. Her ranch is burning.
And the only man who can save her…is the one she swore she’d never trust.
🔥 Enemies-to-Lovers
🔥 Forced Trust
🔥 Romantic Suspense
When West Texas rancher Sarah Chandler finds herself battling an oilfield fire and the sudden disappearance of her brother, the last person she wants by her side is Ethan Tanner—a former special ops soldier turned oil company man with secrets of his own.
But when a murderer strikes on her land, Sarah and Ethan are forced into a dangerous partnership. Every step closer to the truth puts them deeper in the killer’s crosshairs—and every stolen glance ignites a passion neither can resist.
As the fires close in and the killer circles closer, will Sarah and Ethan uncover the truth before it consumes them both?
Love edge-of-your-seat suspense, enemies-to-lovers tension, and the rugged grit of Texas? Stolen Secrets delivers heart-pounding danger, fiery romance, and a story you won’t forget.
Dive into Stolen Secrets, Book 1 of the Deadly Secrets Texas Trilogy today—and discover a complete, standalone romantic suspense series you won’t want to put down.
🏆Award-Winning Finalist — Next Best Read Writing Contest, June 2025
🏆Gold Book Award — Literary Titan Book Award for Fiction, December 2025
Defusing Theories
In Serial Obsession, a journalist-turned-cold case investigator discovers new information in the case of a serial killer and sets out to uncover the truth behind a wrongful accusation. How were you able to strike a balance between suspense and romance?
I always want my novels to be plot-heavy and use the sex and intimacy as just a part of what’s really going on. I want there to be purpose for the relationship, and that purpose will usually be that the main characters find it more advantageous and a lot more fun to work as a duo. Naturally, this arrangement creates depth in the relationship and helps it develop into something almost surreal. The danger and the unknown seem to pull the lovers in even closer, making their connection not only fiery but also a testament to mutual respect and loyalty. Serial Obsession is a great example of how a story creates the relationship, and the lovers’ romance enhances the story.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of writing a series? The most rewarding?
The Map Dot Series is different than most book series because the books are actually stand-alones. We call it a series because every book has a common thread—the action takes place in a little Midwestern map dot town. The town is real, and even the locations such as Whittle’s Pub and Grub from Serial Obsession are real, but the story and the characters are entirely from my overactive imagination. These books have no reading order and are only numbered to show the order of release. So, in this case, my challenges were minimal.
Honestly, I spend a lot of time defusing theories about who’s who because everyone thinks there’s a little truth woven into the plot and characters. But that’s just not the case. I just like to build my stories around the places I know best because it helps me visualize and keeps me from taking too many liberties with the flexibility of fiction. Most definitely, the most rewarding aspect of creating this series is going to the little towns, talking with the people there, and getting feedback on the books.
Can you give us a glimpse inside Book 3 of the Map Dot series? Where will it take readers?
Desperate Measures, Book 3 in the Map Dot Series, comes out this spring. This time, the unassuming little map dot town is Argenta, Illinois, and the location is partially the town pub, Bargenta. This book was inspired by my upcoming participation as an attending author on the Love Lit Cruise in February 2026. The main character is a romance novelist who suffers tremendously with the details of her own love life. And, yes, she is embarking on an adventure on the high seas aboard the Love Lit Cruise early in the book. But let me remind you, my characters are not based on anyone real, despite the fact that everyone will assume I am Poppy Wallcroft (sigh). This superficial description of the book might seem like I’m venturing into a more traditional romance subgenre; however, Desperate Measures contains my signature female power character, plot twists that will have your head spinning, and thrilling danger that makes you gasp. Words Matter Publishing and I are shooting for an April release.
Author Links: GoodReads | Amazon
“I’m so sorry, I just came out here half-dressed like I owned the place.”
“…please don’t apologize for making my day,” he said, flashing her a look from those sexy blue eyes. “I never knew that old t-shirt could look so good.”
Camille Hargrove is a serious cold case investigator. When a tip leads her to Lake of the Ozarks to reopen the Kelcee Meyer rape and murder case, Camille vows to find justice for Kelcee and her family. In the process, she encounters Ross Paine, the innocent man framed for the crime. The investigation heats up when Camille and Ross give in to their fiery attraction and become partners in more ways than one. When they expose Shane Simpson, the real killer, Camille becomes his target, and they discover that Shane’s connection to Ross is more complicated than they ever suspected. Unravel the mystery and catch a killer with this sexy duo in Serial Obsession, Marcy Bialeschki’s second stand-alone novel in the Map Dot Series.
Serial Obsession
Serial Obsession is a romantic suspense novel set around the Lake of the Ozarks, and it opens with a chilling hook. A serial killer named Shane Simpson hunts a young woman, Kelcee Meyer, and frames an innocent man, Ross Paine. When journalist turned cold-case investigator Camille Hargrove stumbles onto new information, she heads into the small Midwestern “map dot” towns to uncover the truth. The story weaves between a murder mystery, a wrongful accusation, and a slow-building connection between Camille and Ross, all against the backdrop of a community shaken by fear and rumor.
I felt pulled in by how grounded the world was. The lake towns feel authentic. People work long shifts, drive beaten-up cars, and deal with messy families. The author leans heavily into the genre’s blend of romantic suspense, giving us both danger and desire, and she doesn’t shy away from intensity in either direction. Sometimes the scenes get gritty, sometimes tender, and sometimes downright chaotic, but that unevenness actually made it feel more like real life. I liked that Camille isn’t a perfect detective. She’s passionate, stubborn, and occasionally a hot mess, and that combination kept her relatable.
The book moves quickly from plot to plot: murder, investigation, flirtation, danger, repeat. I realized the speed mirrors Camille’s own momentum. She throws herself into things whether she’s ready or not, and the narrative matches her energy. Ross, meanwhile, is written with this quiet heaviness that lingers. You feel the injustice hanging over him. The contrast between his guarded calm and Camille’s spark gives their scenes a natural tension. Even the villain gets space to be more than a shadow. We see the twisted logic behind his actions, which made the thriller element feel more unsettling.
By the end, what stayed with me wasn’t only the mystery but the themes simmering under it: how communities rush to judgment, how a rumor can ruin a life, and how hard it is to rebuild trust once it’s been shattered. The romance adds warmth, and the suspense keeps the pages turning, but there’s also this thread of “fairness” running through the story that gives it more weight than your typical thriller.
If you like romantic suspense that leans into both sides of the genre, with small-town atmosphere and characters who feel bruised but determined, I think you’ll enjoy Serial Obsession. Readers who want a gritty mystery wrapped in a relationship-driven plot will probably get the most out of it.
Pages: 356 | ISBN : 978-1968542061
Reservations: A Samantha Wright Crime Series
Reservations follows FBI profiler Samantha Wright as she’s pushed back into the hunt for a serial killer after the sudden death of her mentor and closest friend, Dr. Edmond Sampson. The story opens with grief, then moves fast into danger as Sam takes over the RESERVATIONS case, a string of murders involving young boys on reservations across the American West. Her past traumas, messy romantic entanglement with Special Agent Charlie Falken, and deep loyalty to Dr. Sampson color every choice she makes. The book blends crime, trauma, culture, and romance in a way that feels raw and intimate, almost like sitting beside Sam as she thinks her way through every dark corner of the investigation.
I liked how emotional the writing feels. The author doesn’t rush through Sam’s pain. She lets it sit there, real and jagged. Sam grieves her mentor with this quiet, private sorrow that feels heavy and familiar. At the same time, the pacing snaps between slow internal moments and sudden shocks. The memories of the BAKER’S DOZEN case are especially rough. The writing keeps things personal. It doesn’t pretend Sam is made of steel. She’s brilliant, but she’s tired, haunted, and sometimes unsure, and I liked her more because of that.
The mix of genres also surprised me in a good way. The romantic scenes with Charlie are blunt, sweaty, flawed, and full of emotional landmines. They’re not polished or dreamy. They feel like two people clinging to each other because they don’t know what else to do with their hurt. Then the story swings into investigative mode with sharp detail and a steady buildup of dread. The casework feels grounded and tense, especially when Sam revisits crime scenes or pieces together old trauma with new evidence. The writing is vivid.
I’d recommend Reservations to readers who enjoy crime fiction with strong emotional depth and a protagonist who feels human in all the best and hardest ways. It’s especially fitting for people who like stories that dive into trauma, culture, identity, and the complicated ties we form with the people who shape us. If you want a thriller with heart and heat, something that grips you and makes you feel a little raw by the end, this book will get you there.
Pages: 332 | ASIN : B0FHYLFVBZ
Secrets from an Older Generation
All Fired Up follows two strangers who meet on the way to a small island in the Pacific Northwest and discover a shared history while trying to solve an old mystery shrouded in dangerous secrets. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Secrets that can’t stay hidden forever. Once they are discovered, they can trigger an avalanche of trouble, including rekindling long-held resentment. In my story, these are secrets from an older generation. My main characters, Jack and Marianne, discover that their grandfathers knew each other and did something long ago that now has repercussions, and another individual feels it’s time to get even.
I enjoyed the slow-burning romantic relationship between Marianne and Jack. How did their relationship develop while you were writing it? Did you have an idea of where you wanted to take it, or was it organic?
It was very organic. Although I knew that in the end, I wanted them to be together, I didn’t want it to be easy or rushed, and I didn’t always know what would happen next. I understood each of my characters, but I didn’t always know how their personalities would respond to each other. I would write a scene and initiate some action, and see how each personality responded to it and to each other. They became real people to me. But I did have some control. 😊 I wanted them to be tempted, but I didn’t want them to play around with each other. They are two mature adults with responsibilities, and they led two very different lives. So, I tried to write about their relationship as it might be in real life, with two people circling each other cautiously, feeling that there is a connection, but also reeling a bit because this came at them out of the blue: this connection. I also wanted them to be aware that it might not work with the others’ lives being incompatible with theirs at present. Jack is used to life in special ops, never being home and he wants to return to the army because it’s a life he is familiar with and one he does best. Marianne is realizing she wants a home life and her own family. I used the comforts of a home, meals together, and a homeless teenager to further connect Jack and Marianne, giving them both another purpose in life other than what they each currently pursue. It’s what could happen in real life for two people, life showing them what really matters and what truly fuels the heart.
Was there a reason why you chose this location as the backdrop for your story?
Yes. I love the San Juan Islands, and Orcas Island is one of those in that chain of islands in the Pacific Northwest. When I was young, my family would go boat camping around these islands. We would go into the Deer Harbor marina on Orcas to use the laundromat and buy supplies. To this day, I still visit Orcas Island for hiking or a weekend getaway. The ferry ride from Anacortes takes just over an hour to get to Orcas, and during that time, the world just slows down, and you are transported to another pace of life. It’s magical. It’s also beautiful with the wildlife, the evergreen trees, and the rocky beaches. I also like the idea that a serene-looking island can have its secrets.
I hope the series continues in other books. If so, where will the story take readers?
The series will continue. There are currently four friends in The Barefoot by Moonlight writers’ group, and each gets their own story. The next book, All You Desire, is set in LaConner and is due out in 2026. In book 1, you met Marianne’s brother Ian Dunaway and her best friend Fiona Sanchez, who is also a member of The Barefoot by Moonlight writers’ group. Ian and Fiona had their eye on each other in book 1, and we’ll see what happens next when a mystery brings them together in the idyllic town of LaConner. Books 3 and 4 are in development, where you’ll meet the other 2 writers in the group, where they, too, will discover a romance and a mystery.
Author Links: GoodReads | Instagram | Website | Amazon
When Marianne and Jack meet on the ferry to Orcas Island, it couldn’t be more awkward—for Marianne, that is. Jack has no problem with a woman landing on top of him. It’s a case of opposites attract. But they each have their reasons not to get involved.
But on this small island, avoiding each other isn’t to be.
An old tale of stolen jewels has resurfaced, revealing a dangerous secret kept by both of their grandfathers. It will take Marianne and Jack together to uncover the truth before one of them gets hurt. But solving the mystery means working out an arrangement. Jack needs a place to stay. Marianne has rooms to spare.
In close quarters, it’s soon apparent that solving the mystery might be easier than trying not to fall for each other as they realize that they both long for the same thing.
Who says nothing ever happens in a small island town?
Romance and mystery readers alike will love this page-turning romance set in the ruggedly beautiful Pacific Northwest where an island slowly gives up its secrets.
Stolen Secrets-Book 1 (Deadly Secrets Texas Trilogy)
In Denise Diana Huddle’s first installment of the Deadly Secrets Texas Trilogy, Stolen Secrets, we are plunged into the volatile world where West Texas ranching meets the high-stakes drama of the oil and gas industry. The story centers on Sarah Chandler, a determined ranch manager with a deep-seated distrust of oil companies, and Ethan Tanner, an enigmatic landman sent by the formidable White Stag Exploration to manage the local drilling conflicts. After a catastrophic blowout on a leased property, Sarah and Ethan find themselves reluctantly bound together, navigating threats that rapidly escalate from vandalism and corporate deceit to murder and a full-blown manhunt. The novel deftly weaves a modern-day conflict over water and land rights with a historical treasure hunt tied to Jim Bowie and the legendary Lost Silver Mines of San Saba, forcing the protagonists to race against the clock and the local corrupt power structure to uncover the truth behind a missing brother and a vast, generations-old conspiracy.
I found the book’s pacing and narrative momentum to be exceptional. It captured my attention immediately and held it throughout the story. The author’s background as a landman and private investigator shines through in the detail of the setting. From the descriptions of caliche roads and the challenges of managing exotic game to the specific, technical realities of an oil rig blowout, it all felt rich and authentic. This expertise lends a tangible grounding to the plot. It makes the world of Logan County, Texas, feel less like fiction and more like a lived-in reality. The dialogue is often sharp and witty (especially Sarah’s quick, sardonic comebacks), but occasionally veers toward heavy exposition, particularly when delivering crucial historical context or complex backstory. This is a small price to pay for the sheer depth and complexity of the conspiracy being unveiled.
What resonated with me were the ideas explored beneath the thriller’s surface. Huddle takes on themes of forgiveness, personal scars, and the damaging cycle of bitterness. I was moved by the emotional core of Sarah and Ethan’s relationship. Sarah’s refusal to let go of the past, her anger stemming from the loss of her father and the devastating car accident, is a powerful counterpoint to Ethan’s quiet quest for redemption following his own tragic history. Watching their layers peel back, particularly in moments of high stress like the harrowing escape from the burning house, allowed me to genuinely root for their connection, even as I was conflicted by Ethan’s initial deception. The book succeeds not just as a mystery, but as a tender look at how two damaged people, both scarred emotionally and physically by irresponsible actions, find healing in mutual reliance and truth.
Stolen Secrets is a triumph of plot over pretense. It is a perfect read for fans of Texas-based romantic suspense and corporate thrillers, specifically those who enjoy the blending of contemporary action with intriguing historical mysteries. If you enjoy authors who build genuine chemistry between competent, high-stakes protagonists while providing a deep dive into an authentic and well-researched setting, this book is for you.
Pages: 206 | ASIN : B0DDJ8B7QG
LITERARY TITAN 