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Deep Secrets
Not yet published
Expected 21 Apr 26From Nikki Shannon Smith, author of
Stranded
, comes a story of the Titanic, family, survival, and the secrets we hide from those we love.
Colette only wants three to prove she isn't weak, to get a job, and to uncover the mystery surrounding her father. All her life she's heard that he died in a factory accident, but she's haunted by dreams of bitter cold and a sea of stars—and part of her knows it's somehow connected to him. Colette is not to work, is not to leave the house, and is to never speak of her father. But when Colette secretly gets a job, she becomes fascinated by the stories that Walter, the store owner, tells.
He was aboard the Titanic before it sank. He saw the ship fall beneath the waves and watched as his brother perished in the sea. His memories bewitch Colette in a way she can't explain. She's drawn to the Titanic, and the more she learns, the more intense her dreams become.
Then the stock market crashes. As things get desperate, Colette clings to Walter's stories—especially the ones about a man he knew who shared her father's name. But then Walter reveals a truth that changes Colette's life and identity forever.
Can Colette live the life she's lived all these years, knowing the truth now? Can she forgive her mother for lying to her? What if the repercussions of the truth are more daunting than secrets? Her memories aboard the Titanic will be the key to the life she's always been denied.
Seamlessly weaving between the Great Depression and a journey aboard the Titanic, Nikki Shannon Smith tells a story about what it means to survive, and all those we leave behind to do so.
Colette only wants three to prove she isn't weak, to get a job, and to uncover the mystery surrounding her father. All her life she's heard that he died in a factory accident, but she's haunted by dreams of bitter cold and a sea of stars—and part of her knows it's somehow connected to him. Colette is not to work, is not to leave the house, and is to never speak of her father. But when Colette secretly gets a job, she becomes fascinated by the stories that Walter, the store owner, tells.
He was aboard the Titanic before it sank. He saw the ship fall beneath the waves and watched as his brother perished in the sea. His memories bewitch Colette in a way she can't explain. She's drawn to the Titanic, and the more she learns, the more intense her dreams become.
Then the stock market crashes. As things get desperate, Colette clings to Walter's stories—especially the ones about a man he knew who shared her father's name. But then Walter reveals a truth that changes Colette's life and identity forever.
Can Colette live the life she's lived all these years, knowing the truth now? Can she forgive her mother for lying to her? What if the repercussions of the truth are more daunting than secrets? Her memories aboard the Titanic will be the key to the life she's always been denied.
Seamlessly weaving between the Great Depression and a journey aboard the Titanic, Nikki Shannon Smith tells a story about what it means to survive, and all those we leave behind to do so.
288 pages, Library Binding
Expected publication April 21, 2026
2 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Nikki Shannon Smith
39 books36 followersI was born and raised in Oakland, CA and now live in Davis, CA with my husband and two children. I love to read, write, listen to music, dance, act silly, and visit the coast. I've worked at elementary schools for over 25 years, and love spending my days with children. My books include: The Little Christmas Elf (2011), Treasure Hunt (2019), Ann Fights for Freedom: An Underground Railroad Survival Story (2019), Noelle at Sea: A Titanic Survival Story (2019), and Charlotte Spies for Justice: A Civil War Survival Story (2019). I have two new titles releasing in 2020! The first is my new series with Capstone titled The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane, releasing January 1st. The second is Sarah Journeys West: An Oregon Trail Survival Story, releasing February 1st.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Collette lives in Greenwich Village, New York City, in 1929 with her mother, older sister Genevieve, and younger brother Antoine. Their father died in a factory accident when Collette was two, and she has always been frail. Her mother won't allow her to work, even though times are tough and the family could use the income. She is only allowed out once a week to get groceries at Walter's store. A clerk there, Claude, has captured her attention. On a weekly grocery run, Collette sees Walter crying. It turns out it would have been his brother William's 40th birthday, but he died on the Titanic in 2012. Perhaps emboldened by this personal exchange, and realizing that the store is short staffed, Collette offers to help clean and organize the store in order to pay down her mother's debt. She enjoys feeling useful, and working at the store is a timely move. The stock market crashes, and her family are concerned about their jobs. Antoine's pay is cut, and he considers leaving school. At the mother's work, all of the Negro women (the term used at the time, and also in the book) are let go. Collette is a little surprised at how vehemently her mother defends Black people, and is surprised at how people like her mother's friend, Nadine, are treated. As she continues to work at the store, she hears more and more about Walter's experiences on the Titanic. Collette has long had dreams about being saved from drowning, and these all start to make more sense. Some of her mother's obsessions, like making sure she and her siblings stay out of the sun, also are easier to understand when family secrets are revealed. Eventually Collette's disobedience is found out, but life improves for the family.
Strengths: There are some great twists in this that I don't want to spoil because they are very clever and make a lot of sense. Looking at both the Titanic disaster and the Great Depression was a good idea, especially with the multicultural inclusions. Hearing details from Walter was a good way to introduce them. The way Collette's poor health was treated didn't surprise me, since her treatment of complete rest all the time was fairly widespread, but it was good to see her break out on her own and get a job to help support her family. This is exactly the kind of book I would have adored in middle school. The light romance between Claude and Collette was a nice touch as well.
Weaknesses: I could have used fewer repetitions of Collette's dream, since this book is already a bit long. I could tell the major plot twists early on, but young readers won't necessarily grasp why Collette couldn't be out in the sun.
What I really think: Readers who liked Nielsen's Iceberg might find this lacking in details about the Titanic, although there are plenty. It's a book more like Haddix's Uprising or books about the Great Depression. It makes perfect sense to combine these two historical events, and I will definitely purchase this for my collection.
Collette lives in Greenwich Village, New York City, in 1929 with her mother, older sister Genevieve, and younger brother Antoine. Their father died in a factory accident when Collette was two, and she has always been frail. Her mother won't allow her to work, even though times are tough and the family could use the income. She is only allowed out once a week to get groceries at Walter's store. A clerk there, Claude, has captured her attention. On a weekly grocery run, Collette sees Walter crying. It turns out it would have been his brother William's 40th birthday, but he died on the Titanic in 2012. Perhaps emboldened by this personal exchange, and realizing that the store is short staffed, Collette offers to help clean and organize the store in order to pay down her mother's debt. She enjoys feeling useful, and working at the store is a timely move. The stock market crashes, and her family are concerned about their jobs. Antoine's pay is cut, and he considers leaving school. At the mother's work, all of the Negro women (the term used at the time, and also in the book) are let go. Collette is a little surprised at how vehemently her mother defends Black people, and is surprised at how people like her mother's friend, Nadine, are treated. As she continues to work at the store, she hears more and more about Walter's experiences on the Titanic. Collette has long had dreams about being saved from drowning, and these all start to make more sense. Some of her mother's obsessions, like making sure she and her siblings stay out of the sun, also are easier to understand when family secrets are revealed. Eventually Collette's disobedience is found out, but life improves for the family.
Strengths: There are some great twists in this that I don't want to spoil because they are very clever and make a lot of sense. Looking at both the Titanic disaster and the Great Depression was a good idea, especially with the multicultural inclusions. Hearing details from Walter was a good way to introduce them. The way Collette's poor health was treated didn't surprise me, since her treatment of complete rest all the time was fairly widespread, but it was good to see her break out on her own and get a job to help support her family. This is exactly the kind of book I would have adored in middle school. The light romance between Claude and Collette was a nice touch as well.
Weaknesses: I could have used fewer repetitions of Collette's dream, since this book is already a bit long. I could tell the major plot twists early on, but young readers won't necessarily grasp why Collette couldn't be out in the sun.
What I really think: Readers who liked Nielsen's Iceberg might find this lacking in details about the Titanic, although there are plenty. It's a book more like Haddix's Uprising or books about the Great Depression. It makes perfect sense to combine these two historical events, and I will definitely purchase this for my collection.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
Truly one of my favorite reads from Scholastic’s Spring ‘26 front list. Two histories told at once, and one that is hidden both from the of MC and from us. So great
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews