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    Open Secret
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    Open Secret
    Unavailable
    Open Secret
    Ebook110 pages5 hours

    Open Secret

    By Deryn Collier

    4.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    A riveting new Bern Fortin mystery from the author of Confined Space.

    Deryn Collier’s debut mystery, Confined Space, was called an “intelligently conceived, suspenseful, and elegantly written story” by The Toronto Star. Now Coroner Bern Fortin is back in a riveting new mystery.

    After the abrupt end to his military career Bern has settled into an uneasy peace in his new life in Kootenay Landing—a peace he knows can’t last. Out for a fall hike, he discovers Dr. Juniper Sinclair, the town’s lone doctor, attempting to revive small-time drug dealer Seymour Melnychuk, who has been shot in the forehead. In a seemingly unrelated incident, Gary Dowd abandons his van while crossing the US border. Gary is a local father of two, an accountant, and a steady, predictable guy. He’s also been best friends with Seymour Melnychuk since elementary school.

    Bern knows the two disturbing events must be related and works with police constable Maddie Schilling to uncover the hidden ties that connect the two cases. Why was Dr Sinclair already on the scene? Why is there no exit wound on Seymour’s body? Why did Gary Dowd disappear while trying to cross the border? Who truly controls the hills and forests around Kootenay Landing? Amidst the chaos of the case, Bern’s military background comes back to haunt him, forcing him to confront the secrets of his own past that he has long sought to keep buried.

    As Bern and Schilling close in on the killer, each is drawn into the case personally and the stakes are higher than anyone can imagine. Everyone has something to hide, and no one in Kootenay Landing seems willing to talk. But Bern Fortin is well aware that no secret can remain buried forever—not even his own.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherTouchstone
    Release dateApr 8, 2014
    ISBN9781476716817
    Unavailable
    Open Secret
    Author

    Deryn Collier

    Deryn Collier grew up in Ottawa and Montreal and is a graduate of McGill University. She now lives in Nelson, British Columbia, with her family and welcomes visitors to her blog at DerynCollier.com.

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    Reviews for Open Secret

    4.5/5

    3 ratings3 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Every section of Open Secrets is crafted to get us further into each character, as well as to move the story (mystery) forward. I was always engaged, and never bored.
    • 5/5
      Upon receiving notification that I had won this book as part of the First Reads program, I ran out and picked up Confined Space, which is the first novel in the Bern Fortin series. That was a good book and I hoped the next book would live up to my expectations. No worries there, because Deryn Collier surpassed my hopes. At this point, she is well on the way to being added to my short list of authors for whom I read new novels within a couple months of release -- currently only Chris Bohjalian and Joseph Boyden. What can I say that won't reveal the secrets too early? First, there is an underlying story about why Bern Fortin left military service under a bit of a cloud. We learn enough about this main character to completely pique my curiosity (see my earlier comment about reading new releases). Second, the primary story is told through several streams that converge at the climax. Contrary to many new authors, she delicately maintains the flow in her writing and resolves enough of each thread to keep the story moving. Third, I love (love, love, love) how the complementary streams are advanced at the end of each chapter with a letter or a short glimpse.Please, more!
    • 4/5
      The Good Stuff Bern is a truly fascinating character. Author does an excellent job of creating a character who is obviously still dealing with PTSD Interesting ti get a little bit more about Bern's backgrounds Storyline was fascinating and had me hooked Some of the story broke my heart as the characters felt all too real Author has a gift for recreating a small BC town - again the setting feels authentic and the characters are realistic with many flaws - so basically like those in any community Need to find out more about Bern's past and those of the rest of the town An intelligent thriller - you really need to pay attention to all the little detailsThe Not So Good Stuff Story jumped around a lot from the past to present and it often felt a little disjointed Not enough details Favorite Quotes/Passages"Word was that his mother was now in a wheelchair and his father was serving a twenty-year sentence in the US for pot trafficking. Americans took their marijuana seriously.""Bern locked eyes with the younger man and marveled that even the Canadian army count not reach inside some men and stamp out their will.""The silent partners in this tragedy were the gangs at work behind the scenes. The master puppeteers. Their fingerprints were everywhere, they were to blame for everything, and yet they remained invisible. Perhaps he could find them while there was still something of a soldier left in him." 3.75/5 Dewey's I received this from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an honest review If you are interested in meeting Deryn Collier - she will be at the Calgary Public Library on March 18th along with Andrew Pyper and Nick Cutter (craig davidson) For more info