Best-selling author Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is back, this time with a scrappy heroine whose bold detective work and well-timed one-liners will leave you riveted - and entertained - at every turn.

Damaging Secrets, the first book of her newest crime thriller series, is an engaging story of corruption and cover-up that you won’t soon forget.

New to town and a little rough around the edges, Detective Rachel Ryder finds herself on the receiving end of a suspicious person’s call in Hamby, Georgia. When the call turns out to be a dead body, the medical examiner is quick to rule the death a suicide. But was it something more sinister?

Everyone in the small department believes the case is closed - except for Rachel. The sudden passing of a local politician during the mayor’s run for Congress strikes her as a little too coincidental, and Rachel is eager to follow her instincts. Her partner, Rob, a 30-year veteran, isn’t the type to disobey his boss or ruffle any feathers, but he can’t convince strong-willed Rachel to let it go.

Obsessed with finding out the truth, Rachel begins to examine the evidence and drags her reluctant partner along for the ride. But the clues are confusing. Nothing is adding up.

Puzzled and running out of time, Rachel and Rob rush to work every angle and bring the elusive killer to justice before someone else ends up dead.

Damaging Secrets: Rachel Ryder, Book 1

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson (Author), Anne Marie Damman (Narrator), Severn River Publishing (Publisher)

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Listening Length	10 hours and 5 minutes
Author	Carolyn Ridder Aspenson
Narrator	Anne Marie Damman
Audible.com Release Date	January 12, 2021
Publisher	Severn River Publishing
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B08QB9334R
Best Sellers Rank	#21,312 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #548 in Police Procedural Mysteries #558 in Women Sleuth Mysteries #3,067 in Police Procedurals (Books)

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Betty V

New Series

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Rachel is a Chicago Detective who moves to Hamby, Georgia who is called to check out a suspicious person and finds a dead body. Rachel wants to find out the truth and along with her partner, begins to investigate it. The narrative is great, setting the scene and helping to further develop the characters’ personalities. Rachel has a great attitude and spunk. The mystery itself is twofold, the murder of a politician and the secrets happening in the town. The investigation is filled with pitfalls, unexpected twists, multiple motives and surprises that keep you glued right to the end. This is an emotional thriller, where lives are exploded and perceptions are twisted and shattered. What a great beginning to a new series! Look forward to the next book in the series.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

3 people found this helpful

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E sapp

There's a new Detective in town.

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Wow
This is A Totally different type of book For this Author.
And I Loved It..

So Rachel Ryder is From Chicago.
She's A detective, whom everyone in Hamby Georgia seems to Forget she's a Detective.

And a Damm Good one at that....
From Chicago from the windy city.
A girl with a lota spunk.
Not afraid to say what she means..

Now folks in Hamby Georgia..
Believe ever one should walk on egg shells...
But not the new Detective..

See
There's Something going on, they
Just don't want, there new Detective... on this high priority case... so sticking Detective Rachel and her Partner on odd ball cases watching kids Vandalise the concession stand.... then letting them go.
Makes no sense....
But the real reason..
Is Bigger than any one in This Town could believe.

I truly am a fan of this author.
Love every book I have read.

I was given a copy of this arc for my unbiased review.
All Thoughts are my Own.
Elaine sapp.

2 people found this helpful

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BJVP

Excellent New Series

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Rachael is the newest detective in Humby, Georgia, police department. She wants to start over after tragedy in her home city of Chicago.The plot follows Rachael as she works to find her place in the male dominated, small town police department where women are only hired to meet equality requirements.
An important person in town commits suicide. Rachael thinks he was murdered and continues to investigate. She must fight against the men who want 'to keep her in her place', the political power controlling the town, the wealthy who have special privileges as well as people who want her to leave.
I love this book. Rachael is trying to hard to live her life and fulfill a promise. She doesn't understand the southern culture and refuses to bow to pressure to conform. The plot kept me guessing until the end. I highly recommend this book.

2 people found this helpful

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Alma Collins

Awesome first book in a new series.

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

This book was totally different from Carolyn's cozy mysteries. But I loved it! Detective Rachel Ryder is from Chicago but relocated to Hamby, Georgia. New to town and a little rough around the edges, Rachel finds herself on the receiving end of a suspicious person’s call in Hamby, Georgia. When the call turns out to be a dead body, the medical examiner is quick to rule the death a suicide. But was it something more sinister? Can't wait for the next book!

2 people found this helpful

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Frances HamptonTop Contributor: Cooking

Read The Book

Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2021

Carolyn Ridder Aspenson is a favorite cozy mystery author of mine. What made her a favorite was the way she didn’t flinch away from life’s struggles. Her characters had problems, some very real ones. Still the books were cozy mystery and she stayed within those perimeters. It was an amazing balancing act that she made look easy. When I heard she was doing a grittier mystery I was excited. I knew she would do an awesome job and I feel she succeeded.
In Damaging Secrets we meet Detective Rachel Ryder, new to small town Georgia. Rachel comes from Chicago, a place I know well. I could easily picture Rachel as a Chicago detective. Actually, I was picturing a police officer, that I knew there, in my head as Rachel. Ryder has a lot going against her in this small town. The fact that she is a female in a male dominated field there is part of it. You need to be able to trust your partner and have your partner trust you. That’s a tough one without the battle of the sexes. Her experience in Chicago, though, already seasoned her. I really liked Rachel. She absolutely repped Chicago, (even though I’m a Southside Sox girl). Haha. I liked her partner, too, though he took longer for me to warm up to. Another character that I absolutely enjoyed was Savannah. She could be the southern version of Rachel. I enjoyed their friendship and am hoping to see more of it.
The mystery was a surprising one for me. Yes, there was a body and no that wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was the mystery deals with a very real issue that is happening everywhere. There was a political slant to it, which my coming from Chicago, was totally believable. Everything in Chi is political. I live in a much smaller town now and politics play here, too, (something I became much more aware of during the lockdown). Seeing how it was handled by the author in this book was interesting. I’m trying not to go deep into the mystery because I really think the book is worth reading and, if I tell too much, why would you need to? The author took a serious issue, and added in realistic political agendas and hidden adult activities of suburbia and small towns to create a mystery you will want to see solved. I couldn’t put it down and I’m betting you won’t be able to either. I am looking forward to reading more books in this series.
I received an uncorrected ecopy of this book for review consideration. I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. The opinions expressed are my feelings as I read the book and how I felt afterwards.

4 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

K Huskić

Fantastic start to the series!

Reviewed in Australia on January 11, 2021

Verified Purchase

Rachel is fairly new in town, and works as a police detective, for a chief who really doesn't value women, and hired her just to fill a quota.

When she is called to attend the scene of a man's death, and hears it being ruled a suicide when she's adamant it wasn't, she tries to voice her opinion but is basically just brushed off. Not one to let something like this go, Rachel still investigates, with the help of her partner (somewhat reluctantly).

I have read quite a lot of Carolyn's cozy mysteries, but I really enjoyed this new, more serious story from her. Possibly even more than the cozies! Rachel was a strong, determined lead character, and I loved that she was willing to fight for what was right.

This book was a great read, and I look forward to reading more Rachel Ryder stories.

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Damaging Secrets: Rachel Ryder, Book 1 Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

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