Belinda’s Review: If You Tell Anyone by Joanne Clancy

If You Tell Anyone (The Ellis Jones Mysteries, Book 2)
written by Joanne Clancy
published by Smashwords

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Smashwords, Book Depository, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange  for an honest review.

Did I enjoy this book: Sadly, no.

When I learned that Joanne Clancy had a second novel coming out, I couldn’t wait to read it. I loved her last book (see my review of Traceless here) and had high expectations for this one.

Maybe that’s why I was so disappointed. If I had to guess, I’d say Clancy received positive responses to her first story and wanted to get another one to market to keep the momentum moving. Unfortunately, the second novel read like an unpolished version rushed to publication.

That’s not the only problem I had with the book. Clancy retells the story of Scott Peterson’s murder of his wife, Lacy Peterson. She changes the setting, names, and a few minor details. But it’s definitely a story most Americans will easily recall. She throws in a contrived, Gone Girl-type ending as an epilogue. But it’s too little too late to save a predictable, bumpy story line.

Would I recommend it: No.

About the book – from Goodreads: Love, lies, and a deadly secret . . . how well can two people ever really know each other?

Victoria Spencer is in love with the perfect man, until she discovers his deadly secret. Digging deep into his past, she finds the devastating truth of his private world–a world he has desperately tried to keep hidden from her.

Detective George Ellis helps Victoria in her pursuit of justice, but she soon begins to mistrust everyone around her.

She will do anything to protect herself, but what if it’s not enough?