Seven For A Secret

by Judy Astley

Book by Astley, Judy

Genres: Fiction

285 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Judy Astley started writing in 1990 following several years of working as a dressmaker, illustrator, painter and parent. Her sixteen novels, the most recent of which are Laying The Ghost and Other People¹s Husbands, are all published by Transworld/Black Swan. Judy¹s specialist areas, based on many years of hectic personal experience, are domestic disharmony and family chaos with a good mix of love-and-passion and plenty of humour thrown in. Judy has been a regular columnist on magazines and enjoys writing journalism pieces on just about any subject, usually from a fun viewpoint. She lives in London and Cornwall, loves plants, books, hot sunshine and rock music (all at once, preferably) and would happily claim that listening in to other people¹s conversations is both a top hobby and an absolute career-necessity

Reviews

[Ari Damoulakis · Rating 4 out of 5]

The reason why I like this book and other books by Judy is because they are what I like calling ‘realistic’ fiction where people just live their daily lives and go about their boring tasks and then the novel just has a tiny bit of family or people drama. I like these sorts of books because they are boring in a good way.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

No real conclusion

The book is really more of a character study than the romance novel it is marketed as. We are left hanging at the end, but I am not as annoyed about this as I might normally have been because it doesn’t really matter. These people are who they always have been and always will be.

The book has a publication date of 2011, but the number of odd anachronisms in it make it seem much older. The middle-aged woman's memories sound more like her mother's than hers (no color TV 25 years previously?), and her mother's attitudes are more like a generation or two before hers. Very few women in their 40s have parents who were young in WW 2. Things like this kept pulling me out of the story.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid story, a bit dated, but with no satisfactory conclusion unfortunately. I’d forgotten that this author writes about rich, posh people.
I loved the mentions of oatmeal soap and oatmeal buffing lotion.
Tom, the husband, has been h affairs with the male cabin crew. Kate, the 16 year old daughter, went off with the ex husband to fly to Barbados. Or did she?

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

"At 16, Heather eloped with a man 10 years her senior, but the marriage lasted only five weeks. Now middle-aged and re-married with teenage children, Heather is shocked when her ex-husband re-enters her life."

An entertaining read.

[MRS G C LEWIS · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lots of secrets but no substance.

I usually like Judy Ashley’s books but this one had a very strange and disappointing ending. Nothing was tidied up or explained. I just said “ What?? Is that it?”
Very miffed as it promised much.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hadn't realized how long ago the book was written. If my math is right, the story takes place in 1993. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, but was disappointed with the way the book simply stops without any real resolution to many of the subplots. 3½☆

[Tarquilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good bit of escapist reading

[Julie Dunnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t believe that I enjoyed reading this many years ago. Uncomfortable reading. I don’t think I could forgive my husband for an affair with an air steward so easily.

[Sandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book (read it a few years ago). "Muddy Waters", by the same author, didn't catch my attention as quickly but grew to be a good read. Will try more by Judy Astley.

[Lynne Easy · Rating 2 out of 5]

An easy read, nice for holiday read but didn't hold me really!

[Sudha Shree · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pathetic! Boring!

[Bex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always look forward to reading this author's books. Never disappointed. They make me smile. My only trouble is when I finish it...There are no more to read as I've read them all!

[LindyLouMac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read in 1997