Buried Secrets

Some things should stay hidden: An Ella Perri Mystery, Book 1

Fiction - Mystery - General
323 Pages
Reviewed on 05/05/2020
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Krissy Baccaro is an author of mystery and suspense. She recently published her short story, LUCA, and her novel, BURIED SECRETS on Amazon. Krissy collaborated with authors from several countries to bring forth fantastic tales. Together they published Once Upon a Story: A Short Fiction Anthology. This book includes two of her short story mysteries, "Luca" and "Monster." "Monster" will soon be available for separate purchase on Amazon.

The author is a proud member of several online writing groups, and most active in Active Alumni Writers. The Alumni helps authors critique and support one another's writing projects to polish stories into bestsellers.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Buried Secrets An Ella Perri Mystery, Book 1 is a historical sleuth mystery novel written by Krissy Baccaro. Ella loved the cottage her Poppy built on the shore of Skaneateles Lake. Poppy and Nonna were the best grandparents in the world, and their friendship became the glue that helped her survive the awful accident that claimed her beloved Jack and left her feeling guilt over surviving when he hadn’t. Now Poppy was gone, and Ella wasn’t quite sure how she would hold up without him there. Ella and Poppy had a closer bond than anyone else, and he had confided a secret to her as he was slipping away. There was a box and he wanted her to find it. Poppy also warned her to be careful who she trusted. Along with the pictures and memorabilia were three small white envelopes marked: “Private Do not open without permission.” As she worked her way through the box, she found herself entranced by the correspondence she found between a woman named Gianna and a man named Franco. Who were they? Ella’s quest to find the box her Poppy mentioned became an obsession, one her best friend Jamie helped her with. Would there be more clues about Gianna and Franco -- and why had Poppy warned her about trusting others?

Krissy Baccaro’s Buried Secrets follows the grief-stricken Ella as she travels to the old country to solve the mystery left to her by her grandfather and learns how to forgive herself for the accident that led to the death of her Jack. Baccaro’s book is steeped in World War II history, and the details of Ella and Jamie’s trip to Italy is made beautifully real in this well-written and superbly researched book about the past. The author's characters are deftly honed and authentic, and her plot is unpredictable and will provide armchair sleuths with loads of fun and red herrings to puzzle along with. Buried Secrets: An Ella Perri Mystery, Book 1 is most highly recommended.

Rod DiGruttolo

Her loyal best friend travels with her eight thousand miles from home to help in solving the mystery. Old World traditions, a close-knit and suspicious local population in the villages of Southern Italy, and emotional baggage hamper the investigation. Add the adventure of being in a beautiful setting with culinary and cultural distractions, and the task becomes gargantuan. Attempting to follow in the footsteps of a woman gone for seventy years, the characters must win the trust of people who have been hiding secrets for over seventy years. Her grandfather’s warning, “Watch who you trust,” rings in her mind, but she has to trust someone.
Baccaro is masterful in guiding the reader through a labyrinth of clues. Letters, written in Italian with ink fading from age, guide Abriella on her mission. The discovery of additional information comes in different forms. Still, the letters maintain the intrigue and mystery in the story. The strength of the characters belies the overwhelming opinion ingrained in an ancient culture. Abriella’s resolve and bravery overcome the belief women cannot succeed when danger threatens. Along with the mystery, a romantic nugget is implanted in the story. Grief, friendship, relationships, and trust are central themes in this narrative.
The author combines mystery and personal feelings to keep the reader in the story.
I thoroughly enjoyed the read and recommend this book for anyone interested in mysteries, especially the coldest of cold cases. It may be fiction, but the story gave me the feeling I was reading the author’s personal history.
As a writer, I appreciate the hard work and attention to detail an author must have to compose a good mystery story. BURIED SECRETS meets the criteria needed to provide suspense, show the human attributes, and bring the tale to a conclusion.