Listen, Do You Want to Know a Secret?

As a book reviewer, I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher or author to facilitate this review. I received no other compensation, and all opinions are always 100% my own.

It’s 1964 and Dot Turner has found a new job, secretary at local station KDUD (K-dude). She loves the work but she’s frustrated with her boss, station owner and main DJ Harmon. He ignores popular trends, refuses to play bands like the Beatles and instead sticking to Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, and other 50s holdovers. In the evening, black DJ Gerald plays Ray Charles and other R&B hits, but Holden refuses to acknowledge that times are changing.

When Joyce Bishop charges into the station one day and accuses Holden of murdering his first wife, Holden charges Dot and Gerald with secrecy, afraid his new fiancee will call things off. But when a body shows up, it no longer matters whether or not they hold their tongues–Holden’s secret is front page news, in a story written by Dot’s boyfriend Ben. To complicate matters, Ben seems to be cooling off towards Dot, planning major career moves without consulting her. And Holden is coming on strong, flirting with Dot in a way that makes her question her relationship.

There are secrets aplenty in this small town! Gerald has something he’s hiding, Ben seems to not be able to keep a secret, and Dot finds herself pulled into yet another mystery!

This book in the 3rd in the Swinging 60s series and a worthy entry to the series. Although the general tone is light, author Teresa Trent doesn’t shy from addressing real issues such as racial inequality, civil rights, and women’s rights. Dot is a charming protagonist, relishing her opportunities to shine as a temporary DJ and developing relationships across color lines. Listen, Do You Want to Know a Secret is an enjoyable read, and I recommend it.

Book Shortlinks:

Amazon – https://pictbooks.tours/be70c
Goodreads – https://pictbooks.tours/ganCu

Author Bio:

Teresa Trent is the author of the Swinging Sixties Mystery Series published by Level Best Books featuring The Twist and Shout Murder (2022), If I Had a Hammer (2023), and Listen, Do You Want to Know a Secret (2024). She has been writing and publishing mysteries since 2011 starting with the Pecan Bayou Mystery Series and followed by the Piney Woods Mystery Series. When Teresa isn’t writing novels and short stories, she spends her time creating narrated excerpts on her podcast, Books to the Ceiling, where she gets to use all that community theater experience from her teens and twenties along with a little audio editing she learned from her daughter. Teresa is a former English teacher, but also spent many years teaching music to preschoolers working with children of all abilities. Teresa makes her home in Texas with her husband and son.