By: A. J. McDine
Narrator: Tamsin Kennard
ISBN: 9781835257937
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Publication Date: 10/21/2024
Format: Audio
My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)
How well do you really know the people you love the most?
The leafy village of South Langley is the sort of place where someone might kill to live. The Griffiths family has the best home of all – the climbing ivy framing their double bay windows. You can always spot Eve laughing with her husband and their sixteen-year-old-son. And Eve’s best friend Lisa and her teenage daughter Annie live in a charming cottage right across the street. Everything is perfect… Until one night something unthinkable turns the peaceful neighbourhood upside down.
Annie is found on the tiled floor of Eve’s kitchen struggling to breathe. As the blue flashing lights of police cars shatter the quiet streets, everyone is looking at the Griffiths family for answers.
With Annie’s life hanging in the balance, Eve is determined to find out what happened. But as she gets closer to the truth, she begins to question who she can really trust. Because someone is lying to her – is it her best friend, her husband or her son?
After all, we all have secrets. But how many of us would kill to keep them?
An utterly addictive and totally gripping psychological thriller filled secrets and lies from bestselling author A J McDine. Fans of Freida McFadden, Claire McGowan and Lisa Jewell will be glued until the final page!
My Review
A. J. McDine returns following The Photo with her latest novel, EVERYONE HAS SECRETS. This gripping domestic suspense is about two families caught up in a tragedy where everyone is keeping dangerous, dark secrets.
The title reflects the novel's underlying theme, where each character harbors a secret that could potentially unravel their lives.
About...
Set in the village of South Langley, Noah (second marriage) and Eve seem to have the perfect life with their careers, a beautiful home, and Joe, their almost 16-year-old son. Noah is a successful businessman with a son from his previous marriage, but his past is mysterious. A loving mother, Eve is a bit overprotective due to the past. Joe is a typical teenager, rebellious yet caring.
Joe's birthday is approaching, and he wants to have some friends over without his parents. Eve is very concerned about this. From things getting out of control, drugs, alcohol, the responsibility of the teens, and possible damage to their lovely home.
Eve's best friend, Lisa, lives across the street with their fifteen-year-old daughter, Annie. Noah says things will be fine because they will be at Lisa's. Annie will attend the party as well.
However, when Joe's distressing call about Annie's crisis shatters the tranquility, all of Eve's worst fears come to life, plunging the family into a whirlwind of emotional turmoil.
Who gave Annie drugs, and where did they come from?
Now, Annie is fighting for her life, and everyone judges Eve and Noah. How did this happen? From this day forward, lives will be changed. One wrong split decision changes the trajectory of many lives with deadly consequences. There are dark secrets, and they are connected in ways you cannot imagine.
My thoughts...
This is my second book by A.J. McDine, and she definitely keeps the tension and suspense high in this emotionally charged domestic plot-driven family drama thriller. You have no idea whom to trust, who is lying, and why.
Gripping, Compelling, Suspenseful! From parental love, betrayal, revenge, trust, friendship, teen secrets, and drug abuse.
Not only does Joe have secrets, but Noah also keeps some as well. Revenge is front and center when the past connects with the present in this well-written cautionary tale.
It's not easy to read if you are a parent tasked with giving your teens some freedom while walking a fine line between being a helicopter parent who hovers too close and being a responsible parent. How can you protect your loved ones and, at the same time, hold them accountable for their actions?
The author masterfully weaves another unexpected twist at the end, leaving readers reeling and eager for more. No one is as they seem in this story, making it a compelling read that will keep you guessing until the end.
As a newcomer to A.J. McDine's work, I am thoroughly impressed and eagerly anticipate her future releases. Her ability to craft a gripping, emotionally charged narrative is truly commendable.
Audiobook...
I enjoyed listening to the audiobook narrated by the fabulous Tamsin Kennard (a favorite), who makes the characters and the story come alive for an engaging performance!
Recs...
EVERYONE HAS SECRETS is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by K. L. Slater, Lisa Jewell, Freida McFadden, Emily Shiner, and Miranda Rijks.
Thanks to Bookouture Audio for an advanced listening copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Oct 21, 2024
My Rating: 4 Stars
About the Author
I live in Kent in the UK with my husband and fellow psychological thriller author, A J Wills, our sons, Oliver and Thomas, and three very demanding cats.
I worked as a journalist and police press officer before becoming a full-time author in 2019.
Endlessly fascinated by people and their fears and foibles, I love to discover what makes them tick.
I write dark, domestic thrillers about ordinary people in extraordinary situations.
When I'm not writing, playing tennis or attempting to run a 5K, I can usually be found people-watching in my favourite cafe.
I have written seven psychological thrillers: When She Finds You, Should Have Known Better, No One I Knew, The Promise You Made, The Invite, The Baby, and The Photo. My eighth publishes Oct 2024, Everyone Has Secrets.
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