Welcome to the true-crime controversy that’s divided the media for the last twenty years. To discover the truth, we need to delve back into the past…
THEN: In June 1999, the last five prisoners at HMP Panbrook were killed just before the prison closed its doors for the final time. Anna Kendall, the nurse accused of their murders, died before the case went to court. Her motive and guilt have never been proven.
NOW: The Panbrook Prison Hotel is celebrating its tenth anniversary. Hotel manager Madeleine Batten is determined to discover what happened there twenty years earlier. But as the prison’s dark secrets are gradually exposed, danger lurks in the shadows. And someone is determined to keep the truth locked away.
Little Secrets is a compelling, atmospheric locked-room mystery set in a former prison that's been converted into a luxury hotel. Ideal for fans of Sarah Pearse, Lucy Foley, Ruth Ware and Claire Douglas.
It's my pleasure to be sharing my review of Little Secrets today. Many thanks to Victoria Goldman for sending me an advance digital copy of the novel.
Little Secrets is Victoria Goldman's first standalone novel, following her excellent, award-winning Shanna Regan series. With its dual timeline narrative and atmospheric, creepy plot, this is quite different in tone to her previous books but it is another well-crafted mystery from an author who has become one of my must-reads.
With the seemingly insatiable public appetite for true crime and the rise in old buildings being repurposed for the tourist trade, it's not surprising that the former HMP Panbrook's conversion to a luxury hotel has been a success. Although The Panbrook Prison Hotel is fictional, it's easy to believe that such an establishment would be popular with content creators looking for their Instagrammable moments as well as those intrigued by its tragic past. The dark final days of the prison have ensured its lingering notoriety, and there remains much discourse as to whether prison nurse Anna was really guilty, particularly as she died before her day in court. The present day storyline follows the chilling events that take place during the hotel's exclusive tenth anniversary celebrations, while the chapters set in the past reveal what life in the prison was like and give us an insight into Anna Kendall's character.
Victoria Goldman's rich descriptions of the sights, sounds and smells of prison life redolently bring Panbrook to life; it's chaotic, intimidating and can even be dangerous but Anna finds a sense of belonging there. Her relations with the five prisoners who are eventually killed, supposedly at her hand, show her to be a dedicated nurse who endures some disturbing ordeals – but there are also intriguing scenes which reveal a different side to her character. Meanwhile, in the present day, Madeleine Batten is tasked with ensuring the weekend celebrations go to plan. Her first-person perspective is equally as fascinating; she is obviously an excellent manager but her organisational skills are tested to the limit here as apparent accidents and other, more spooky phenomena rock the festivities. Maddie is determined to figure out the truth, however, and as it becomes clear that she has her own reasons for delving into the secrets of the specially invited guests, the rising tension in both past and present chapters becomes nerve-wracking.
Maddie is understandably suspicious of author and journalist Lloyd Palmer who is appearing as a special guest. His bestselling book found Anna to be most likely guilty of poisoning the ‘Panbrook Five’ but he remains obsessed by the case and is researching an update to Panbrook Prisongate. Whether he is a cynical hack ready to seize the opportunity to exploit the tragedy again or if his intentions are more principled isn’t obvious but it’s thanks to his book that we learn more about the murdered prisoners. Excerpts from Panbrook Prisongate, including the introduction and studies of the victims ‘through the words of the people who knew them best’ – Steven ‘Fingerling’ Fisher; Lucas ‘Hulk’ Somers; Jonathan ‘Cock’ Roach; Raziq ‘Razor’ Ahmed; and William ‘Pills’ Owen, as well as Anna Kendall herself – are interspersed throughout the novel, adding a further layer of authenticity to proceedings.
Little Secrets is, indeed, teeming with secrets and as Maddie begins to question those present who all have ties in some way to the prison, she has to figure out who she can trust. Unsettling messages and dead pigeons may be the least of her worries though as it becomes scarily evident that somebody is ruthlessly determined to prevent the truth being revealed. The nuanced characterisation is superb; all are flawed and unlikeable in some way – including both Maddie and Anna – but while some are also victims of circumstance, one character in particular is unflinchingly manipulative.
Packed with twists and turns, Little Secrets is an intelligent, suspense-filled murder mystery – this compulsive thriller kept me guessing until the dramatic conclusion. Very highly recommended!
Little Secrets is published by Three Crowns Publishing UK and can be purchased from Amazon UK or Amazon US.
About the Author
Victoria is a freelance journalist and editor and a crime fiction author.
As a journalist and editor, she has been working for magazines, books and websites for over 25 years. She writes for several UK magazines on consumer health topics. She is a Freelance Health Editor for Bupa and also copyedits and proofreads fiction, non-fiction and memoir for UK publishers and authors.
The Redeemer, her debut crime novel, was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2022. She was also first runner up in the DHH Literary Agency New Voices Award 2019 with an Honourable Mention for The Redeemer. The Associate, her second crime novel, was the Editor’s Choice Winner of Best Indie Crime Novel of 2023 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards 2023.
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