Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman BLOG TOUR #LittleSecrets @VictoriaGoldma2 @RandomTTours @victoriagoldman.bsky.social #BookReview

 

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.

Little Secrets by Victoria Goldman was published on 17 October 2025 by Three Crowns Publishing. My thanks to the author who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour 

I've known the author, Victoria via her online presence as a book blogger and reviewer for quite a few years. I knew that she was writing and has published a couple of books previous to Little Secrets. I was so impressed by the blurb for this one, and yes, I admit, also pulled in by that fabulous cover. It's such a thrill of a read. I'm going to go back now and check out her earlier books. 

Little Secrets is a darkly atmospheric and intricately layered mystery that blurs the lines between past and present, guilt and innocence. Set against the chilling backdrop of a former prison turned luxury hotel, the novel featues an unsolved crime that has fascinated and divided the public for over two decades.

The premise of this story is so compelling: in 1999, five prisoners at HMP Panbrook were killed just before the prison’s closure.  Nurse Anna Kendall was accused of the crime but died before the case could ever reach court. 

Twenty years later, the newly refurbished Panbrook Prison Hotel is thriving under the management of Madeleine 'Maddie' Batten, until the ghosts of the past begin to stir. Maddie’s determination to uncover the truth about what really happened in those final days sets off a dangerous chain of revelations, each one peeling back another layer of deceit and long-buried trauma.

The author has created a compelling dual-timeline narrative which seamlessly moves between the terrible events of 1999 and the world of the present-day hotel. The setting itself is a triumph: the claustrophobic corridors, cold stone walls, and feelings of confinement give the story a real sense of menace. 

There is a real emotional depth and moral complexity to this novel.  Instead of relying solely on twists, the author looks at the human cost of secrets—how guilt, fear, and ambition can damage even the most ordinary lives. 

As the novel unfolds, the tension builds. Every chapter is so tense, leading to a finale that’s both shocking and satisfying. Victoria Goldman makes us question how truth itself can be manipulated by time, memory, and perception.

Little Secrets is an atmospheric, haunting, and thought-provoking mystery that I thought about for quite some after after finishing it. With its eerie setting, complex characters, and meticulous plotting, this is a highly recommended read from me. 

VICTORIA GOLDMAN is a freelance journalist, editor and proofreader and the author of the Shanna Regan murder mystery series. The Associate, the second book in the series, was Editor’s Choice Winner of Best Indie Novel of 2023 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. The Redeemer, the first book in the series, was shortlisted for Best Debut Crime Novel of 2022 in the Crime Fiction Lover Awards. 

Little Secrets is her first standalone. 

Victoria lives in Hertfordshire, England.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/VictoriaGoldmanBooks 

Twitter/X: @VictoriaGoldma2 

Instagram/Threads: @victoria_goldman_x 

Bluesky: @victoriagoldman.bsky.social 

Website: vgoldmanbooks.com