Dark Secrets 1 by Elizabeth Chandler

Author: Elizabeth Chandler

Pages: 431

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Series or Standalone: Omnibus-- 1^st and 2^nd in series

Genre: Mystery, Thriller

Reading Level: 14+

Significant Themes: Death

Two girls haunted by the past...and destined to relive it
In Legacy of Lies, Megan has to stay with the uptight grandmother she wants nothing to do with. She's determined to get through the visit without any drama, but when she falls into a twisted love triangle with potentially fatal consequences, Megan may be caught up in her family's legacy in more ways than she realizes.
In Don't Tell, Lauren knows that by returning to the town where her mother drowned seven years ago, she'll be reliving one of her most haunting memories. When she arrives, she is propelled into a series of mysterious events that mimic the days leading up to her mother's death. Maybe her mother's drowning wasn't an accident after all...and maybe Lauren is next.

I’m a very big fan of Elizabeth Chandler. She has a way of creating such complex and emotional characters to coincide with her twisting plots, and still make everything believable. She certainly knows how to spin a good thriller. Fans of Kissed by An Angel will devour this book, leaving no page left unread.

Legacy of Lies is a startling story. Megan moves in with her grandmother and cousin Matt (she and Matt are not blood related) and instantly both dislike her. She has no idea why. Weird things start happening, and it’s up to her to figure everything out. I really like this story, more than the second one, although I did like the second one as well. Matt was my favorite character, he was… he was like a puzzle that needed to be figured out, but there’s that one damn piece that’s lost under the couch somewhere. The novel has dark undertones, but also has threads of romance and friendship that relieve the suspense a little.

Don’t Tell was the creepier of the two. It dealt more openly with death, and murder, and the writing quality was just as good as the first one. Plot-wise, I think this book was better. Then entire time, I was trying to figure things out along with Lauren, and I sympathized with her for losing her mother. This novel is darker, but again has the same undercurrents of romantic relationships, family, and friendship that lighten the mood… ever so slightly.

These were hard books to write reviews for, but just know that I really loved them. If you read Kissed by an Angel and were thinking about reading this series, DO IT. You won’t regret it, I promise. I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.