Ben - Brother died, best friend died, mother died, surrogate mum is a serial killer, best friend being raped The ending was a bit predictable despite the twists throughout. That same old chestnut. It’s the good guys you have to watch. (this does not spoil the plot though!!!). The amount of rape in book is actually uncomfortable. It is used constantly to give reasons why women are miserable or continue to be miserable. I shouldn't be able to count on more than one hand how many characters in your book were raped or were rapists. Women can feel unhappy or have trauma that isn't linked to rape. Let's say it again WOMEN CAN FEEL TRAUMA WITHOUT BEING RAPED. There is no greater point being made, there is no discussion about rape culture. This is simply rape for rapes sake. Il finale devo ammettere che mi ha un po' fregata e un po' no: avevo indovinato qualcosa... ma non tutto. Ben is further traumatised when his mother commits suicide stepping into the path of an oncoming train. The killings were huge news in the media and it’s coming up to the ten year anniversary of his mothers death.

I wrote Twelve Secrets during 2019 and then found an agent at the start of 2020. It was the second half of 2020 by the time I agreed a publishing deal with Hachette whose preference was to then wait to publish the book in early 2022. We completed the editorial process around April or May last year and very sadly my dad passed away at the end of April. It meant he never got to read Twelve Secrets, so for me on a personal level that has been the most challenging thing. I know my mum feels the same sadness that he didn’t get to read the book, but I have dedicated it to him, and readers will see I find a small way to bring him into the story itself. Take a Look at Our Summary of November Highlights, Whether You're Looking for the Latest Releases or Gift Inspiration The multi-layered plot brings all the myriad characters together in a believable way, and it has enough twists and red herrings to satisfy the most ardent of thriller fans. In this new book, we see the return of leading characters Ben Harper and Dani Cash, with the story allowing the reader deeper inside their lives. By introducing new areas of the town, such as the centuries old church standing on the riverbank and the terraced homes built on Haddley Hill, I was also able to bring in new characters and new lives, each one embedded in the darkest parts of Haddley’s past. I loved exploring and imagining new parts of the town and meeting characters who had made Haddley their home for decades. Top Five Tuesday: 5 books that I’m thankful for in 2023 #Top5Tuesday #TuesdayBookBlog @MeeghanReads#TopFiveTuesday November 21, 2023

Featured Reviews

For some reason this novel reminded me somewhat of an episode of the television drama " Unforgotten". There were a LOT of characters and at first you cannot figure out how they are connected. As the story evolves you discover that they are indeed connected and it all makes sense. Dystopian Fiction Books Everyone Should Read: Explore The Darker Side of Possible Worlds and Alternative Futures Twelve years after the death of her son, Ben’s mother Clare, went out one morning and never came home. It was reported that she jumped in front of a train, taking her own life. I often find a point in most thrillers where I’ve guessed who is responsible or started to put details together. With Twelve Secrets there was a lot going on, so even though I’d answered a couple of questions there were still some surprises. This was refreshing, and definitely one of the many things it had going in its favour.

It does have some sensitive subjects such as rape and child killing. But I felt that it didnt talk about that part too much.

Twelve Secrets by Robert Gold took me by surprise. I’d planned on allocating just a short time in the bath to read, but ended up dining on biscuits and chips because I remained in there (topping up with warm water once or twice) until I was finished.