Sierra Dean – A bloody good secret

The second book in the Secret McQueen series, published September 20, 2011.



You can’t keep a good Secret for long.
After cheating death twice in one night, confessing her true nature to her werewolf soul mates and being asked to kill one of her closest friends, Secret took a much-needed vacation. By running away.
Now she’s back in town—dragged kicking and screaming—determined to clear Holden Chancery’s name. Right after she finds out what he’s accused of. It shouldn’t be hard— Holden has a habit of using their new and scintillating psychic bond to break into her thoughts and dreams at some very, shall we say, awkward moments.
Just a few things stand in her way: a secretive Tribunal leader, a group of would- be vampire slayers and two werewolf boyfriends who refuse to let her operate in her customary lone-wolf style. Even less amusing are the terrifying creatures that someone is using in an attempt to gain control of the council. Even for this out-of-the-ordinary bounty hunter, it’s a challenge with potentially deadly teeth.
Warning: Contains an ever-plucky heroine with no shortage of weapons, super-hot mind games, an ever-complicated love triangle and one hell of a creepy amusement park.


The previous book ended with Secret getting an execution order for her Warden, Vampire Holden Chancery. She could not do that to one of her few friends, so she ran away. And from the complication of being soulbonded to not one werewolf, but two. She needs time to figure it all out for herself. But after three months, she still is not ready to make a decision, and it is taken out of her hands. Her werewolf King and the head of the Vampire Council have joined forces, and have her abducted by magic and a young werewolf, to bring her back to New York. She has to face her duties.
The Pack suffered when Secret took of after becoming a Protector of the Pack. That she knows nothing about Pack customs, is not important to them. She has abandoned them, and that has put Lucas’ leadership at risk. He needs her at his side. So does his second in command, Desmond, but for personal reasons.
Secret knows that Holden is innocent from whatever he is charged with, and so does the leader of the Vampire Council, Sig. He has always had a weakness for Secret, but even he cannot tell her what the charges are. Once the execution order is given, the case is closed. But he knows Holden is innocent, and he gives Secret the task to prove it, or kill Holden. There is a traitor in the Council, and he needs her to find out the truth.
The third party needing Secret back, is her own charge, the young vampire Birgit. She needs to learn the ropes of being a vampire, and Secret needs her place back.
And so the hunt for information begins. Her old friend and boss won’t help her safe a vampire, but he gives her a place to start looking for information. And Secret is appalled when she meets some young vampire hunters. They clearly have never come across an older rogue vampire yet, or they would be dead. How can she protect them when they are drawn into this plot?


A lot of action for Secret in this book. And not only on the street. In one night, she kisses Sig, has sex with Desmond, and on another plane with Holden, and makes out with Lucas. That sure turns her head, and she is not pleased. She never thought herself to be two-man-girl, let alone a four men one! She is really uncomfortable with it, even though the men in question don’t seem to care. Desmond came over as a strong second in command in the previous book, but now, he is just a needy and weak man. I did not like him. And Lucas sees Secret as an asset, a possession, and she has to obey him. Newsflash, she doesn’t have to, and so she doesn’t. He claims to love her, but he doesn’t even know her. Yes, he gave her his blood so she could survive, but well, why not? Soul mates. And then Holden. He just does as he pleases, and Secret is not happy with it. And I agree with her. He crosses the line, way too far. And Sig, well, he is so ancient, why is he interested in a 22 year old girl? Yes Secret is a tough kick ass chick, but no match for him at all. So far, I am not impressed with any of those guys. They all keep her in the dark way too much. If they only teach her what she needs to know about being a vampire and a werewolf, than she can make her own choices, instead of being sorry by breaking rules she does not know exist.

Okay, done with the ranting about the men. I loved the storyline. It kept fresh and fast paced, and that scene at the amusement park had me doubting of reading on. It just went way too scary for me, I hate spooky houses. But I did persevere; after all, I needed to know the ending of the book. And I never, ever, skip or flip a few pages or chapters. I might skim the love scenes, to go back to the plot, but that is it.

So, lots of action, lots of plot and suspense and surprises for me (and for Secret). And the ending, wow. Who would have seen that coming?

8 stars.