Even tho this book is a part of a series you are able to read it as a stand alone installment which is nice.

I did get a little annoyed with the fact it jumped perspective so many times but it added character to the storyline.

This was a decent crime thriller. Believable. Not over the top. Kala is easy to identify with which makes the book enjoyable.

This story is based on sex trafficking and political corruption. It doesn’t go into details which is nice for reader who do not enjoy the nitty gritty. I personally would have enjoyed a little more detail. It would have made it more impressionable but over all it was a decent read. I definitely plan on checking out the other books in the series. ( )

4.5 stars.

Turning Secrets by Brenda Chapman is a puzzling mystery with a socially relevant storyline. Although this latest release is the sixth installment in the Stonechild and Rouleau series, it can be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend the previous novels as well.

Kingston Major Crimes Officer Kala Stonechild cannot shake the feeling the death of Nadia Armstrong is not as straightforward as it seems. The young single mother appears to have committed suicide, but the information turned up during the investigation casts doubt on this theory. Her boss, Staff Sergeant Jacques Rouleau, is being pushed by acting Chief Willy Ellington to close the case. However, like Kala, Rouleau thinks there is more to Nadia's death than meets the eye. Kala and Officer Tanya Morrison uncover interesting information about Nadia's life outside of motherhood, but do these revelations have anything to do with her death?

Working long hours leaves Kala concerned about her teenage niece Dawn Cook who is unsupervised most days after school lets out. Dawn has finally settled into her life with her aunt and she has made a few friends. She is closest to Emily who is worried about another member of their circle, Vanessa, who spends most of her free time with her new boyfriend, Leo. Dawn beings to agree after Vanessa introduces her to Leo, who is much older than the teenage girls and makes Dawn very uneasy. But Dawn has worries of her own since she is secretly meeting her ex-con father, Fisher Dumont, on the sly.

Throughout the investigation, there are also plenty of office politics playing out. Rouleau's relationship with crime reporter Marci Stokes raises a few eyebrows especially since she is getting inside information about their cases. Kala's burgeoning romance with fellow Officer Paul Gundersund runs into problems when his estranged wife returns to town. Officer Woodhouse continues to rub his fellow police officers the wrong way with his prickly attitude. And Rouleau is unhappy with Chief Ellington's pressure to close Nadia's case.

Turning Secrets is an extremely clever police procedural that is multi-layered and engrossing. The regular characters continue to grow and evolve as they work their cases and juggle their lives outside of Major Crimes. Brenda Chapman's topical storyline deals with somewhat dark subject matter but she deftly incorporates these issues into the unfolding story. With shocking twists and stunning turns, this gripping mystery comes to a breathtaking and surprising conclusion. Another fantastic outing in the Stonechild and Rouleau series that old and new fans are sure to enjoy. ( )

Favourite thing # 9: when you’re wrapped up in a book you can’t put down but you’re afraid to read the next page. Love that. And it pretty much sums up how I spent the last quarter of the latest instalment in the Stonechild & Rouleau series.

It all begins with the death of Nadia Armstrong. When her body is found at a construction site, it appears to be suicide. But Kala Stonechild from the KIngston PD has one of those niggly feelings she’s learned to trust. She & colleague Paul Gundersund begin to dig into the young woman’s life, unaware they’re lifting the lid off a huge can of worms *.

( * my apologies to worms everywhere….you’re lovely little things compared to some of the bottom feeders in this story)

It seems Nadia had a few secrets. And she’s not alone. Kala’s niece Dawn has struck up a relationship with Fisher, her long absent father. She knows how her aunt feels about the ex-con so she keeps it to herself, unaware that Fisher has secrets too.

But the gold medal for keeping shtum has to go to Vanessa, one of Dawn’s school mates. Her private life is truly the stuff of nightmares & unfortunately, it’s only a matter of time before Dawn will be dragged into the whole mess.

Add in some internal strife at the police station & you’ve got a great, twisty read full of intrigue & suspense. Faithful fans in particular are in for a few surprises as there are some shifts in relationships among the returning cast. These characters have been so well developed over the course of the series that they’ve become “real” people. So it was no surprise I still cheered on my favourites while booing those I’ve come to loathe (side-eyes Fiona). But I was caught off guard by events surrounding 2 of the regular characters. Seems I may have to rethink one & say good-bye to another.

Some crimes have motives as old as time & shine a light on societal views & biases. Others are more topical, fueled by current issues surrounding social media. It can be a wonderful tool but sadly it can also be used to manipulate the vulnerable & one of the story lines feels all too real.

The author does a great job of keeping all the plot lines moving which results in a pacy read that holds your attention. Along the way there are some nice red herrings in the form of suitably creepy candidates for ”bad guy”. By the end, it’s clear there are some changes in store for Jacques, Kala & their colleagues down at that station. Can’t wait for book #7. ( )

Turning Secrets by Brenda Chapman is the fifth book in this series. I am Not personally familiar with the series and did find that this novel can stand alone without having read the prior novels. There may be some small character related details that one may miss perhaps, but by and large the novel stands on its own.

Turning Secrets is set in Canada, and it follows Kala Stonechild, a police officer with a complicated history. Kala once ran with a very troubled crowd and has had to overcome a lot to end up in the station in life that she now enjoys. Kala is guardian to Dawn Cook, a quiet teenager who’s parents have both made mistakes and are not a presence in Dawn’s life. Dawn’s mother is serving time for armed robbery, and Dawn’s father is out on probation and is struggling to make ends meet. Dawn’s father, Fisher, has secretly been in touch with Dawn.

Kala’s unit starts investigating the violent death of an unidentified woman who’s body is found on a construction site. The woman is subsequently identified as Nadia, a young mother, who left her baby with a neighbor to enjoy a night out. It is soon discovered that Nadia was a young woman who lived a life full of secrets, and she isn’t the only one.

Dawn has been befriended by another girl in school named Emily. Emily is friends with 2 other girls named Chelsea and Vanessa. Emily has taken Dawn under her wing, although Chelsea and Vanessa do not approve of Dawn. Vanessa is a vulnerable young woman who’s parents are going through an ugly divorce, and Vanessa has recently found companionship in the form of an older boyfriend who her friends only know as Leo. Vanessa keeps Leo a complete secret from her friends and family. Dawn begins to notice that Vanessa seems withdrawn. It isn’t long before Vanessa’s issues are given a violent jolt into the serious when Vanessa suddenly disappears. Meanwhile,Kala and her unit start to draw parallels between Nadia’s death and Vanessa’s disappearance. Things become even more serious when Dawn is suddenly abducted. With two girls now missing and one young mother in the morgue, Kala’s team must act quickly to find who is behind these abductions.

The story takes us on a journey to examine the dark underbelly of society where sex is a traded commodity, and vulnerable women are exploited and sold into sex rings. It is a relatively fast paced thriller that handles the subject matter well. The characters are believable. The storyline is resolved by the end of the book with no cliffhangers. Overall, a solid novel. Copy provided by NetGalley. ( )