When Will the Secrets End?: A Marge Christensen Mystery is a private sleuth mystery written by Patricia K. Batta. Marge is en route to Eastern Washington with her foster son, Eric, to visit Eric's grandfather, Alfred Landon. Eric does not want to visit the man, who has done nothing for him as far as he's concerned, but Marge wants to be sure that Alfred will not do anything to prevent Marge from adopting Eric. Eric's father, Jeffrey, had his rights taken away by Child Protective Services when it was apparent he was beating his son whenever he was intoxicated. When Marge and Eric finally arrive at Alfred's run-down house, they are appalled by the reception. Alfred was obviously intoxicated and hostile, and he was brandishing a shotgun. Marge drove at the man in an attempt to protect herself and Eric, and then she was able to make a hasty departure from the premises. When she went into town to report the incident, she marveled at the resemblance between Eric and Carl, the officer in charge at the police station. Carl, it seems, was yet another of Alfred's children, and the story went that Carl’s mother committed suicide after Alfred's cruel rejection of her.

Patricia K. Batta's murder mystery, When Will the Secrets End?: A Marge Christensen Mystery is well-plotted and highly entertaining. I loved the Eastern Washington State setting and appreciated, along with Marge, the huge difference a few hours travelling meant in climate. Marge is an intriguing character who just can't seem to resist the challenge of a mystery, though this time it's personal as she's determined to prove Alfred's innocence for her foster child. Marge and her police officer husband, Pete, are marvelous as the foster parents of two street children, Eric and Benjamin, and watching as the duo works to earn the trust of the two children is heartwarming. I also enjoyed the sleuthing efforts of Marge and Cynthia, the town librarian, as they attempt to unravel some decades-long secrets. This is a well-written mystery story that will have armchair sleuths trying to sort through the tangled relationships and possible murder suspects along with the resourceful and independent Marge. When Will the Secrets End?: A Marge Christensen Mystery is highly recommended.

In When Will the Secrets End?: A Marge Christensen Mystery by author Patricia K. Batta, we meet loving couple Marge Christensen and Pete Peterson. Foster parents to young boys, Eric and Benjamin, the family has been through a lot, but Marge and Pete want nothing more than to finalize the boys' adoptions and make their family official, once and for all. But when 12-year-old Eric's grandfather, Alfred Landon, a man who has never met the boy, has an objection to the adoption, and in fact makes a move to take custody of Eric himself, Marge takes Eric to visit his grandfather, hoping that she'll be able to convince him that allowing Eric to be adopted by her and her husband will be the best thing for the boy. But when they arrive, they find themselves at the wrong end of a gun, a gun that is later used in a murder. Marge realizes that the only way the family will get closure in this situation is to prove that Alfred wasn't the murderer, and amateur sleuth she becomes. Pete isn't exactly having an easy time back home either, as 11-year-old Benjamin is convinced that his drug-addicted birth mom needs him, and it's all Pete can do to keep him off the streets in his attempts to rescue her. Will this family ever truly be united?

I very much liked When Will the Secrets End?. Author Patricia K. Batta does a fantastic job of treating the issues and intricacies of foster care and adoption, especially of children who are older, with an empathetic and sympathetic voice. Her writing style is fast-paced and exciting and she is deft at creating characters that the reader will truly care about. There were times when I was truly on the edge of my seat while reading this book, and I read from start to finish without a break. When Will the Secrets End? would appeal to any reader who loves mysteries, suspense, stories about fighting for your family, or just a good, quick read. This was the first book that I've read by Patricia K. Batta, but I look forward to reading more from this interesting and upcoming author.