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Kathy J. Jacobson is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin and Wartburg Theological Seminary. Kathy worked with troubled youth in the juvenile justice system for ten years. Later, she worked in campus and rural ministry, as well as volunteering as a hospice chaplain. She currently lives in Monona, Wisconsin with her husband. They have three grown children and three grandchildren. She has traveled to six continents and all fifty states. In addition to traveling, she loves hiking, the Wisconsin Badgers, and, most of all—writing! Kathy recently authored the five-book Noted! fiction series. In The Secret Heart is her debut mystery novel.
Reviewed by Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite
Someone murders the choir director, and the chief suspects are the choir members and the pastor in the fascinating murder mystery, In The Secret Heart by Kathy J. Jacobson. Early one morning, Sergeant Joe Zimmerman goes to the home of Charles Paulson, one of his high school football teammates, in answer to a distress call. When he arrives, he finds Charles's wife Millie dead. Millie was the choir director at one of the local churches and had a party for the choir the night before. Everyone seemed to admire and like Millie, but as Joe questions those who attended the gathering, he starts receiving mixed messages. The deeper he digs into the lives of those who had contact with Millie and Charles, the more complex the mystery becomes. In the meantime, another church member dies, the flames of a schoolboy crush ignite, and gossip about Charles is running rampant. Rumors and intrigue are whispering throughout the small town, and Joe must weed through the truth and the fiction. Who wanted Millie dead? Was it a stranger, or was it someone she knew?
With multiple suspects and a winning detective, In The Secret Heart by Kathy J. Jacobson is an entertaining murder mystery. The book separates into different sections that illuminate the diverse aspects of each of the character's lives and the plot. The story moves between various time periods, and it also shows each of the suspects' points of view and attitudes toward the deceased and other town residents. Because almost every character other than Joe had a motive, I was on the fence about the killer's identity and kept guessing until the surprising conclusion. It is a great mystery novel that fans of murder mysteries will enjoy.
