Secret Keepers: A Domestic Suspense Novel

by Teddie Peacock

Kelly Ryan was bad, very bad and they all knew it!
But they were friends with him anyway. Kelly was a walking, talking chaos creator.

Years later, when Kelly dies suddenly under mysterious circumstances; Tessa can't let it go. Not after the night that caused so much destruction, shattered friendships and changed all of them, forever.

They've all been telling lies and keeping secrets about that night and nearly everything else. They all had reasons to end Kelly but who wanted revenge enough to actually do it? Can Tessa stop the cycle of destruction that comes from being in Kelly's orbit? Lies, secrets, loyalty, revenge and murder- how far would they really go?

Please click Read Now or Buy Now and help Tessa bring the truth to light.

Genres: Thriller

292 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2024

Reviews

[JB Harris · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was so optimistic about this book. The description was interesting and the book cover not only looked good but when I received the book it felt like great quality. But I ended up DNFing after trying two or three times to get into the plot while ignoring the lack of editing. Ultimately I couldn’t do it. Between the incorrect punctuation and the redundancy in language, I had to put it aside so I could find another book that might be a possible #famousfutureauthors read.

[Haleigh Ralls · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love to finish a book and say “men are trash.” i can’t wait for teddie’s next book!!

[Dr. Seelig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, love this book!

This book kept me guessing until the very end. The characters and the story were so well developed that I could not put the book down. The plot was very different from most of the suspense novels I have read. It is a must read.

[VDKeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret Keepers is a gripping psychological thriller that delves into the destructive power of secrets and the tangled bonds of loyalty and betrayal. At its center is Kelly Ryan—a charismatic but toxic force who left chaos in his wake. Years after a night of destruction that fractured their friendships, Kelly’s sudden and mysterious death forces Tessa and her old friends to confront the lies they’ve been telling and the secrets they’ve been keeping.

Tessa can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to Kelly’s death than meets the eye. As she digs deeper into the events of that fateful night, she discovers that everyone had a reason to want Kelly gone—but who wanted revenge enough to take his life? What unfolds is a thrilling unraveling of truths as Tessa faces the dark corners of her past, trying to break free from the destructive cycle of Kelly’s influence.

Secret Keepers is a masterfully plotted tale of deception and intrigue, perfect for fans of Big Little Lies or The Lying Game. With its compelling characters, intense emotional stakes, and a mystery that keeps readers guessing until the final, shocking twist, Teddie Peacock has crafted a thriller that lingers long after the last page is turned. A must-read for those who love their suspense with a dose of psychological depth.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this one down. I had to know the ending!! This one will suck you in. The characters are well developed and the storyline as well. The characters feel like they could be people you know and the situations are relatable. I’m looking forward to a second book by this author!!

[Kearstin Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow okay, definitely did not expect the ending (definitely read the epilogue)

I feel so bad for Tessa and what she had to endure from Jackson

But also for everyone Kelly had abused

This is a story of pain, love, separation, death, and abuse.

The first 50 pages are learning the back story of each character which really gives you an insight to their lives.

I really enjoyed this book!

[Tammy Rozema · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a free ebook. I liked it. It took me a few chapters to get into it, once I past those it went faster. Slow suspense. Couple characters like Jason, I felt was a fill in. He had really one plot in the book. Also the main character is Tessa, in my opinion the main character should of been Mindy. Good suspense, although it took forever for all the secrets to come out. The end was like, okay just get the book done.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading a suspense novel. It had me fascinated from the very beginning.

Secret Keepers is a book that revolves around 6 people but we are mostly focused on 3 people and those people have secrets that need to be told but the reasons for why they need to tell the secrets don't become clear until the end of the book.

This book had me non-stop from the very beginning with the major death in the "invincible 6" however it turns out there's more feelings that are involved than just sadness. One of the characters (Tessa) is an Empath and she is the truth seeker of the group. We find out she is the moral compass of the group and she knows there has been something sinister happening for years but she has been pushing it under the rug so that the group dynamic doesn't get shaken.

I am not used to the subject matters that deal with long term domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and so I went into this blind but it shed light on the workings of the human mind and especial a hive mind type behavior. No one wanted to shake the status quo. It truly made me think about human behavior and how easily we can ignore what is blatantly right in front of us.

This books is about a group of 6 people that think they love each other so much that they are willing to hide and keep important secrets from each other for years. The writing of this book caused me to be just curious enough to keep flipping the pages. The time jumps were hard to keep up with. This book jumps from the past and present a lot so I got a little list while reading it. However, it was wonderfully written and by the time I was at the end of the book I knew what timeline I was in.

There were technically two endings. The one where Jackson gets caught and goes to jail and everyone finds out the criminal scandal. The 2nd ending is in the epilogue from Mindy's POV when she admits that she had a hand in Kelly's death. I'm still curious about the SUV that ran the Ferrari off the rode, that seemed to be left wide open.

Over all I enjoyed this book very much and definitely can recommend it to people who want to dip their toes into suspense.

[Gabby Roebling Cossey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Um, WOW! For starters, I’d like to say I am biased because my awesome friendly neighbor wrote this, but I’d be lying. This book is everything you are looking for in a page turning, can’t put down, type thriller. If you like Freida McFadden, Leslie Wolfe, and the incredible Lisa Jewell, you will love this book! A totally southern book, a group of friends with secrets between them all. What is the secret holding them back? You cannot put this thriller down because you absolutely have to know what that secret is!! Incredibly written and very descriptive. The type of descriptive writing you see in “Where the Crawdad Sings”. You can imagine everything and see the happenings unfolding in your mind. There’s no question “who is who” because of how incredibly well Teddie fills in the blanks for you. If you’d like a quick read and thriller to keep you guessing till the end, this is the book for you! And can I add, WOW?!? Because you would never know this is Teddies first published book. Unbelievable! Can’t wait to see more from this writer and great friend!!!

[Hali Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret Keepers is an exciting domestic suspense novel that grabs you from the start. If you started out like me wondering what “domestic suspense” is, it is a subgenre of thriller fiction that focuses on the psychological tension and drama within personal relationships, often set in domestic settings. These stories typically revolve around everyday people. The author incorporates elements of domestic suspense by focusing on the intense and emotional journey of Tessa as she uncovers the truth behind her friend Kelly’s mysterious death.

Positives: Engaging Plot, Character Development, Emotional Depth.

I did find the plot captivating, with a complex network of hidden truths and interpersonal connections, that kept me hooked from start to finish.

I enjoyed Tessa and I found her very relatable, I found myself feeling sorry for her at times, with the way some of the other characters treated her.

Negatives: Complexity of the plot and number of characters felt overwhelming at times.

[Becca Owen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new author for me. I thought the blurb, title and cover were intriguing.
It's not a genre I would normally read so that was refreshing.
It is paced well and keeps you interested. I enjoyed the viewpoints of the different characters.
Jason was my favourite. I would love just one more scene from him to find out how much he saw in the boathouse, why he was there, and his mother actually realising the cause of his issues.
I really liked Trent as well.
It explored all different forms of abuse such as between spouses, financial, between friends, lies. It was all done very well and created a great story and added intrigue with Jackson's issues.
The ending was fantastic.
Overall, I would read more from this author.

[Laney Estel · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The truth will not set you free. Truth will take everything, everybody you love, stomp on you, wipe her feet on you and laugh on the way out ”
Here are reasons to read the Thriller book:

6 friends - In college there were 6 friends
Incident - but then, later on, there was an incident with a fire that left these friends splintered but still associating
Death - And now, one of them is killed, but these people are harboring so many secrets, including what happened that night, from each other

I was sent this book by the author to share with you. If you are a big fan of domestic thrillers that are slow burn, you may want to give this one a try. We are following a few different POV characters and sometimes it is difficult to keep straight. But soon, it all makes sense and you find yourself rushing to finish so you can understand what happened that night. But definitely make sure to check the trigger warnings, as this book does contain some pretty heavy domestic situations.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secret Keepers follows a group of six close friends after an event that changed them all forever. Told from the POV of different characters and starting with the death of one of their most controversial members, we learn what they've had to deal with, and learn that the secrets didn't end with the fire that started years ago.

I'd consider this a popcorn thriller (for me anyway) and sometimes it was hard for me to follow in the beginning because of the amount of characters and locations we were introduced to. It wasn't until about halfway through the book that I was finally able to catch on and remember who was who without having to look back in the book.

The story has a lot of promise, but there were quite a few errors throughout the book (mostly with punctuation and sentence structure), and it became hard for me to look past those at times.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I first marked this book as currently reading I saw the review that stated "i love to finish a book and say “men are trash.” and boy were they right! This was a very well written book with multiple view points. It constantly left me guessing what would happen next and left me with such a smile on my face at the end. I would recommend this for anyone who loves a suspense driven novel as this was a very good read.

[Rella B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Secret Keepers" captivated me from the start with its intricate web of secrets and relationships. The character development, especially Tessa's journey, felt incredibly real and relatable, making me root for her through every twist and turn. I found myself reflecting on the impact of hidden truths long after I finished reading. This book is a must-read for anyone who loves a suspenseful narrative that keeps you guessing until the very end!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would almost classify this book as a cozy mystery. It had a lot of those elements. A super quick read that would be good to grab for a long weekend. It is a story that revolves around a group of friends, one of whom dies in an accident. Told from multiple points of view and timeframes, the story provides ample opportunities to find potential suspects. The book could benefit from another proofread, but overall an interesting read.

[Elaine Collier · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing story of what keeping secrets can do to families and friends. It also explores various relationships and the effect that one person can have on another. I particularly liked the way the author wrote from several characters point of view.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written. Every chapter left me wanting more and the ending didn't disappoint.

[Brandy Hussing · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the characters and how they all intertwined with each other. I really felt for Tessa. She has all these friends yet she seemed so alone. So many of her friends were keeping secrets from her. Secrets she should have been told from the beginning.

I would have loved to hear a little more of Jason’s story.

[Nina F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god!
I knew going in that this was a suspense-type story, but I was not prepared for the whirlwind this book was.
This story kept me guessing, and the characters--and their secrets--broke my heart.
Definitely check CW before starting on this, but I promise you it’s worth every difficult scene you read through!

[Sharon Salisbury · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book overall. Slow going in several spots and you really have to pay attention to “whose chapter it is” so you know who the subject of the chapter is. I should have read it quicker than I did, which would have helped my evaluation of the plot, but it’s baseball Season now, reading will take 2nd place

[Marianne Southerlandauburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book keeps you interested throughout the entire book. The author did a great job developing the characters and you are sucked in imagining all kinds of scenarios for what the secret they shared could actually be. It’s intriguing from the start and the ending will definitely surprise you!

[Larae Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a slow start for me, but I admit 4 chapters in,and I honestly couldn't put it down. I'm glad it turned out the way it did, Tessa is a very strong, independent woman, and throughout the book, my admiration grew for her. There are a few twists and turns you do not see coming.

[Mary M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suspenseful !!

At first I had a hard time getting into it. Too many characters but as I continued to read it was hard to put down! What a terrible secret to have to keep! I doubt if I could have done that. She's A good writer!!!

[Brittany Jeffries · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually wanted to give this book a 3.5! I liked the characters, Tessa being my favorite. It kept me interested the whole time. A very enjoyable read!

[Jennifer A McSharry · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could not get into it. Partly because of all the commas impacting the flow, and partly because the story just didn't grab me.

[Amanda Price · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. The writing is all over the place and very juvenile. Not worth it to finish right now. It had potential.

[Baylee]

3.28.25

Soft DNF @ pg 10

Not in the mood for this type of story at the moment, and don’t particularly love that the main characters are living on a plantation.

[Stephanie Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good read and very well written. I can’t wait to read her next one!!

[P. elle Easter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging
This book kept me engaged the entire time. I really wanted to find out what happened that day at the in the boat house. I was surprised by the twists this book took me on! It really portrays how secrets can be very harmful and toxic. I recommend reading this book.