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Hidden Agenda
Devastated by the shocking news that an old school- friend, Suzy Palmer, faces execution in Louisiana for the murder of her children, London rabbi, Deborah Hirsch, enlists the aid of her former classmates in an attempt to get her off. She can't be anything but innocent; the Suzy they've known and loved all these years could never hurt a fly. Aided by Miss Holbrook, Suzy's former art teacher, the friends unite to prove Suzy's innocence. Back and forth across thirty years they slowly piece together what happened. And even more shocking than Suzy's plight is the knowledge that one of their number has betrayed her.
341 pages, Hardcover
First published September 16, 2004
About the author
Carol Smith
161 books32 followersLibrarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name.
Carol Smith was born in London and worked in the book trade, both in London and New York, before becoming a full-time writer herself. For much of that time she ran her own literary agency, focussed on finding and developing new talent, although now her own writing takes up most of her time. She lives in Kensington. She also writes under the name Alex Crowe.
Carol Smith was born in London and worked in the book trade, both in London and New York, before becoming a full-time writer herself. For much of that time she ran her own literary agency, focussed on finding and developing new talent, although now her own writing takes up most of her time. She lives in Kensington. She also writes under the name Alex Crowe.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 11, 2021
"Friends are for ever ... or are they?"
I am not sure if Carol Smith intended for me to be kept in suspense about the identity of the murderer until the end of the book, or whether it was ultimately the underlying powerful story of female friendships, that was meant as the true focus for the reader.
If it was the former, then I am afraid to say that the book dismally failed in it's objective, as I had worked out the identity of the killer, by the end of the second chapter.
If the latter, was the primary objective, with the reader knowing the killer's identity, but needing to get into the characters minds to arrive at a motive for the crime and why it was committed by that particular person, then I felt that the book got the mix right, with the final twist at the end bringing all the components together.
The 'Famous Five'; Suzy, Helen, Miranda, Lisa and Deborah, childhood friends. Now in adulthood living separate lives, but still close, although there are some secrets that will remain hidden forever, together with the knowledge that hidden female jealousies can poison life and lives.
Suzy's house and parents are the focal meeting point for the friends as children, as Gwen and Guy appear easy going, yet strong and supportive in ways that none of the other parents seem able to achieve. The arrival of a new girl, is therefore a little unwelcome, especially when she demands more of Gwen's time and understanding to help her adjust and fit in.
Suzy begins to feel somewhat excluded, so whilst her friends are confiding in her own parents, she is seeking help and advice from her successful artist Art Teacher, Maggie.
It is Maggie's calm and sensible approach to Suzy's present day predicament, that helps the friends piece together some of the important clues to the real killer's identity: assumed suicide, seemingly indisputable accidental deaths, secret clandestine meetings and affairs, the visits unannounced but all very opportune.
Whilst it falls to Markus, Lisa's much younger musician boyfriend, as an almost total stranger to the rest of the group, to make the final connections, that they are all too close to see.
For me, it was the compelling psychological insights in the story and the interaction between the characters, that kept me reading until the end and had I stopped earlier, then I would have missed the final act, that brought the whole plot to it's natural conclusion.
I am not sure if Carol Smith intended for me to be kept in suspense about the identity of the murderer until the end of the book, or whether it was ultimately the underlying powerful story of female friendships, that was meant as the true focus for the reader.
If it was the former, then I am afraid to say that the book dismally failed in it's objective, as I had worked out the identity of the killer, by the end of the second chapter.
If the latter, was the primary objective, with the reader knowing the killer's identity, but needing to get into the characters minds to arrive at a motive for the crime and why it was committed by that particular person, then I felt that the book got the mix right, with the final twist at the end bringing all the components together.
The 'Famous Five'; Suzy, Helen, Miranda, Lisa and Deborah, childhood friends. Now in adulthood living separate lives, but still close, although there are some secrets that will remain hidden forever, together with the knowledge that hidden female jealousies can poison life and lives.
Suzy's house and parents are the focal meeting point for the friends as children, as Gwen and Guy appear easy going, yet strong and supportive in ways that none of the other parents seem able to achieve. The arrival of a new girl, is therefore a little unwelcome, especially when she demands more of Gwen's time and understanding to help her adjust and fit in.
Suzy begins to feel somewhat excluded, so whilst her friends are confiding in her own parents, she is seeking help and advice from her successful artist Art Teacher, Maggie.
It is Maggie's calm and sensible approach to Suzy's present day predicament, that helps the friends piece together some of the important clues to the real killer's identity: assumed suicide, seemingly indisputable accidental deaths, secret clandestine meetings and affairs, the visits unannounced but all very opportune.
Whilst it falls to Markus, Lisa's much younger musician boyfriend, as an almost total stranger to the rest of the group, to make the final connections, that they are all too close to see.
For me, it was the compelling psychological insights in the story and the interaction between the characters, that kept me reading until the end and had I stopped earlier, then I would have missed the final act, that brought the whole plot to it's natural conclusion.
October 23, 2019
Mwah...
December 2, 2022
A book that didn't particularly go anywhere & was easy to work out the culprit.
November 17, 2023
Kept you guessing until maybe half way through. Easy, quick read.
March 31, 2024
Loved it! Kept the mystery alive the whole book and I loved the characters.
October 27, 2025
Too predictable. I knew what’s was going to happen by the 2nd or 3rd chapter.
I still read it hoping I was wrong and there would some kind of twist but unfortunately there wasn’t
Disappointing
I still read it hoping I was wrong and there would some kind of twist but unfortunately there wasn’t
Disappointing
Read
July 5, 2008Hidden Agenda, by Carol Smith, B-plus. Produced by Clipper audio, downloaded from audible.com. The note from audible indicated that the narrator was Laurence Bouvard. But the narrator was a woman, so I don’t know who it was. The narrator was good with English accents, but part of the book took place in New Orleans, and her southern accents were dreadful. She also didn’t create very believable voices for people. But, despite this, the book was very good.
Susie Palmer, separated from her girlhood friends in England, because her husband’s job was now in New Orleans, was depressed beyond belief because she had two babies less than a year apart. But when the children turned up dead at the bottom of a lake in their father’s car, and Susie was arrested for murder, none of her friends in England believed she could have done it. Her friends, Deborah, (now a rabbi) Lisa (a high-powered lawyer) and Helen (a psychologist living with her husband in South Africa) all came together to help Susie. They were looking for another woman that Susie’s mother had taken in and practically raised-Olivia, but no one could find her. A well-written and plotted book which I would have given an a-minus at least but for the reader.
Susie Palmer, separated from her girlhood friends in England, because her husband’s job was now in New Orleans, was depressed beyond belief because she had two babies less than a year apart. But when the children turned up dead at the bottom of a lake in their father’s car, and Susie was arrested for murder, none of her friends in England believed she could have done it. Her friends, Deborah, (now a rabbi) Lisa (a high-powered lawyer) and Helen (a psychologist living with her husband in South Africa) all came together to help Susie. They were looking for another woman that Susie’s mother had taken in and practically raised-Olivia, but no one could find her. A well-written and plotted book which I would have given an a-minus at least but for the reader.
May 28, 2011
A group of schoolgirls remain fast friends through into adulthood, then one of them is accused of murdering her two young children. The others rally round trying to help, bonded by all the close times they've had, but it becomes clear to someone on the outside of their circle that one of them is not what they seem. A great tale, written in short bursts of present and past and sometimes not immediately clear which is which, but lovely characters, touching scenes and genuine friendship. I had an inkling of the outcome about two-thirds through, but didn't see the final page coming. I've read a couple of Carol Smith's books, she is one to look out for.
November 28, 2013
The synopsis for this book was a bit misleading. I was expecting a courtroom based drama with nosey bff's sleuthing around to get to the bottom of things but alas, it was more of a repetitive tale of friends where someone was always the odd one out and a little strange to boot. It became very tedious listening to all of these backstories that really didn't move the story along in any way, and I was disappointed that it wasn't what I thought its was going to be. And its also completely predictable.
August 23, 2013
all I can say is silly, silly, silly. got worse at the very end when the courtroom scene was ridiculous and made no sense. choppy not put together well story with undeveloped characters. tolerable till the end where it really became dopey and fell apart totally.
Read
August 2, 2011Took a while to get into this one but once i got past the first 100 pages i really started to enjoy it.
December 17, 2011
So the ending was somewhat predicatble, but I still fully enjoyed it!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews