PARADE OF SECRETS
A Lane Hayes Mystery
by Kimberly Fish
Historical Mystery / Female Sleuth
Publisher: Fish Tales Publishing
Publication Date: October 31, 2025
Pages: 341
SYNOPSIS
Layers of history, suspense, and emotion.
March, 1948. Lane Mercer Hayes, and her husband, Zeke, have that post-war life that everyone envies. His winning record as a prosecutor and a scratch golfer, teamed with her finesse in a bookshop puts them on the list of up and coming leaders in Longview, Texas. That is, until Lane is exposed by Senate candidate, Lyndon B. Johnson, for the clandestine role she plays in a Black-owned security agency. Forced to face the cracks in her marriage and the boredom in her life, she can no longer be that “teacup of whiskey” that former Big Inch pipeline associates nicknamed her. Though newspaper headlines tout prosperity and development, Lane can’t get past the emptiness in her soul after the adrenaline rush of working for the Office of Strategic Services during the war.
Longview, Texas, is changing—from LeTourneau Incorporated bringing big manufacturing to the construction of Lake Cherokee and even the massively celebrated Gregg County Diamond Jubilee and the return of the popular Founder’s Day parade. So when an unexpected interview with R.G. LeTourneau appears to give Lane the opportunity to dust off her former OSS skills; she grabs it. To end the vandalism turmoil for LeTourneau, Lane steps out as a private investigator and encounters more than one death befalling families with secrets to hide.
With the clock ticking, Lane grows increasingly unconvinced she has the know-how to discover the truth or make peace with the sheriff who questions her every step. Time and pressure work against her in unraveling the mystery and restoring the good name of those who learned too late that they were innocent. Thankfully, in the course of the investigation, she discovers an unlikely ensemble of residents she can rely on, even when the future looks grim.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kimberly Fish has been in the writing industry for over 30 years. An amateur historian and fan of cozy mysteries, she weaves history and mystery into her stories of women finding their grit and sweet second chances.
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“She felt more alive when the stakes were high. When bullets were flying overhead.”
Parade of Secrets by Kimberly Fish will keep you guessing to the last page and, apparently, beyond. Nothing is off the table with this mystery because it is chock full of clues, red herrings, romance, and so much more.
Lane Mercer Hayes owns and runs a quaint bookstore in Longview, Texas, but like this overall mystery, she consists of many layers. If you have not read the first book in A Lane Hayes Mystery series, The Big Inch, that is perfectly okay because the plot is easy to follow, despite the recurring characters and references to book one. However, do yourself a big favor and read The Big Inch at some point. You will be glad you did because Kimberly Fish is an expert storyteller. Don’t forget to check out her Comfort, Texas, series of cozy mysteries.
Back to the dynamic duo of Lane and her husband, Zeke Hayes, attorney at law. After five years of marriage, Lane and Zeke are cruising through life, with Zeke practicing law and Lane running her bookstore. But Lane is up to a bit more than simply selling and restocking books and having morning tea with a fellow shop owner.
One main theme in Parade of Secrets is keeping one foot in the past and one foot in the present. It is 1948, and Lane misses her role as an OSS agent during WWII, so she is still in the game of sorts, until things take a turn.
No spoilers allowed, so take a peek at Parade of Secrets for yourself to find out what Lane is up to and how she always manages to land on her feet, albeit with some bumps and bruises and a fair bit of notoriety.
As always, Kimberly’s writing is top notch, and her worldbuilding and characterizing are fabulous. Each character is given the star treatment, and you feel as if they are real people you have known for years. Kimberly exhibits this skill throughout all her books, and Parade of Secrets is no exception. What’s more, not all loose ends appear to be managed in this book, so more of Lane’s capers should be on the horizon. How exciting!
If you love a good literary mystery with dynamic characters, then Parade of Secrets needs to be on your to-read list. And don’t forget to add the previous book, The Big Inch, while you’re at it. There is more to petite and unassuming Lane Hayes than meets the initial eye, and you will definitely enjoy learning why she is sometimes referred to as whiskey in a teacup.
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GREAT review, Ruthie, and I’m so glad to see you reviewing again. I agree 100%. The books with Lane in them are my favorites of this authors.
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