All That Is Secret by Patricia Raybon

All That Is Secret
by Patricia Raybon

ISBN-13: 9781496458384
Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Released: October 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the winter of 1923, Professor Annalee Spain--a theologian at a small Chicago Bible college--receives a cryptic telegram calling her home to Denver to solve the mystery of the murder of her estranged father.

For a young Black woman, searching for answers in a city ruled by the KKK could mean real danger. Still, figuring she's learned something from reading Sherlock Holmes stories, Annalee launches her hunt for clues, attracting two surprising allies: Eddie, a relentless young white boy searching for his missing father, and Jack, a handsome Black pastor who loves rides in his sporty car, awakening Annalee's heart to the surprising highs and lows of romantic love.

With their help, Annalee follows clues that land her among Denver's powerful elite. But when their sleuthing unravels sinister motives and deep secrets, Annalee confronts the dangerous truths and beliefs that could make her a victim too.


My Review:
All That Is Secret is a romantic suspense set in Nov. 1923 in America. I was expecting Annalee to be smart, logical, and a Christian. Nope. She knows the Bible but hasn't prayed in a long time. She's more of a philosopher and doesn't follow any of Sherlock Holmes' methods. She tells herself things like, "Stop trying so hard. Let the answers find their way to you." Or when a child pointed out that Goldilocks didn't break in, Annalee's suddenly sure that her father's mysterious key must unlock something that's already open. Huh? She's very impulsive, makes foolish choices, and has scattered thoughts. The author used a lot of short, partial (poor grammar) sentences, giving it a poorly edited feel.

By 20% into the book, I wasn't even sure why Annalee had quit her good job to follow up on a cryptic message that might have to do with her father's murder. Everything seemed so disjointed that it's hard to follow what's going on or put clues together. Her thinking was hard to follow, especially since coherent ideas about the case were kept out of her thoughts until nearly the end. For example, she told someone she needed a distraction, but we're not told why or what she's looking for until her actions show her intent.

I also felt like some things that happened weren't probable for the time period. For example, the pastor knew he was picking up a single woman, and he's a single man, living alone. There's a rooming house within view of his house with rooms available. He didn't arrange a place for her to stay, though, so she ended up sleeping in his bed (with him in another room). Really?!

In the end, Annalee basically solved the mystery by happening to hide from the bad guy and overhear his confession. So many details were never explained, especially things that happened on the train. The Christian element was Annalee starting to pray again as she realized she needed God's help. There was no sex or bad language.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.