The Secrets She Kept (Fairham Island #2) by Brenda Novak

Josephine is a toxic parent.  She is totally focussed on herself.  She keeps herself in shape, fixes any little flaws, has money, image and power in her world and she has no patience for anyone who might make her look bad, including her children...  

Mira Books sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published tomorrow and you can grab a copy then.  Or you could win my ARC!  See the last paragraph for how to enter the giveaway.
 
When she's found dead in her bathtub, her son knows she didn't commit suicide.  That was too messy and she never accepted any blame sent her way.  She was on a trip to Australia the next day.  She was even packed to go.  He and she might not have gotten along well, but he knows she was too proud to be found that way after death.  She would have been wearing good clothing and been made up and on the bed with her hands crossed.  No ignominious death for her.  The police chief and the coroner don't agree, so he goes home to handle it...

Keith had been involved with drugs but by moving away to California, working out like crazy and starting his own business, he managed to stay away from them.  Now that he's back home, his sisters worry about him.  He tells them he's been clean for five years but they worry.  He's executor of the estate, so he'll be around for a while.  Especially since he's trying to prove she was murdered.

Josephine had secrets from the past.  They had found that out in the previous book, when they discovered they had an older sister she never talked about.  They had located her and the family was complete now.  But there was another secret she never told.  And she lived a false life as well.

While Josephine was not a good mother, she did teach them life skills trying to stay ahead of her or away from her.  No one was all that sad that she died.  They regretted the lack of a healthy relationship with her but not her death.  Keith was right, though.  She had been murdered.  And it takes all the efforts of the siblings to solve the mystery.

This was a romantic mystery with dysfunctional people and death intertwined.  There's a lot of trauma but it was a good read overall.

I will be giving away the ARC I read.  To enter the contest, leave a comment here on the blog and email me:  info at www.bookfaerie.com.  Send me your name and address and I will pull a name out of a hat in a week.  Here's a chance for a free read!