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Grandma's Little Secret
Inspired by true events, one girl’s life is changed forever when she foils a murder—and becomes a target herself.
When imaginative eleven-year-old Emma and her parents and friends go to a remote island in the Pacific Northwest during the summer of 1985, she thinks it’ll be a normal family vacation.
But when she starts dreaming of her loving Grandma Virginia killing people, she realizes there’s more to the sweet matriarch than she thought. And when she has a premonition that her grandmother intends to kill her husband, she knows she has to take matters into her own hands.
When she foils Virginia’s first plan to murder Grandpa Roy, Emma becomes a target herself.
Allied with her friends, Emma must differentiate between make-believe and psychic visions to try and save both her grandfather’s life and her own.
When imaginative eleven-year-old Emma and her parents and friends go to a remote island in the Pacific Northwest during the summer of 1985, she thinks it’ll be a normal family vacation.
But when she starts dreaming of her loving Grandma Virginia killing people, she realizes there’s more to the sweet matriarch than she thought. And when she has a premonition that her grandmother intends to kill her husband, she knows she has to take matters into her own hands.
When she foils Virginia’s first plan to murder Grandpa Roy, Emma becomes a target herself.
Allied with her friends, Emma must differentiate between make-believe and psychic visions to try and save both her grandfather’s life and her own.
- GenresHorror
296 pages, Hardcover
Published February 17, 2026
About the author
Becca C. Smith
28 books168 followersBecca fell in love with storytelling at an early age. The first book she ever read was The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, and she’s been looking for the door to Narnia ever since! She’s a passionate reader, consuming any mix of paranormal, mystery, thriller, sci-fi, or fantasy. So it’s no surprise that she writes in these genres as well. When Becca is not writing, she loves to sew, from cosplay to elaborate magical creature bags, she just loves to create!
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 2, 2026
I finished this book in 1 day!!!
I did get the audiobook as a freebie from the author’s YouTube page as an ARC (or would that be ALC?) but my review is honest as any of my others.
The book conveyed kids so well. I was entranced with the friend and enemy dynamics, not to mention the dares. The bike shenanigans took me back to my own childhood.
This is full of humor and thrills throughout. And know it was a true story the whole time had my jaw on the floor.
Definitely love the vibes of Paranorman mixed with the fear of Final Destination.
I did get the audiobook as a freebie from the author’s YouTube page as an ARC (or would that be ALC?) but my review is honest as any of my others.
The book conveyed kids so well. I was entranced with the friend and enemy dynamics, not to mention the dares. The bike shenanigans took me back to my own childhood.
This is full of humor and thrills throughout. And know it was a true story the whole time had my jaw on the floor.
Definitely love the vibes of Paranorman mixed with the fear of Final Destination.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely devoured this book! I was SO here for this paranormal thriller-- it was well-written, well-paced, and exciting. The audiobook is narrated by the author herself which adds so much depth to the story since it is based off of true events. I loved the unique dual POV of an 11 yr old vs her murderous grandma. Definitely a must-read for any thriller fan!
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March 25, 2026I read via audio and the list of content warnings was not in the audio but this HAS SINCE BEEN CORRECTED.
This book contains/mentions SA of small children multiple times and I did not realize that going into the book. This is a typical automatic DNF trigger for me where I will stop reading and not rate the book. Because Becca and I are friends I did finish reading the book, but I feel it would be unfair to rate it. But I can talk some about what I enjoyed, so let's do that.
Serial killer POV - we know I love a good villain POV in my murder mysteries! There is just something fun about being inside the head of the killer, trying to see why they do the things they do. It's about the understanding of how the human brain works and how some brains are just a liiiiiiiittle off.
Becca's writing - I've read a fair few of Bex's books over the years and one thing I always enjoy is her writing. There's a touch of whimsy, nostalgia, and magic in everything she writes and that was definitely prevalent here. Because Bex is talking about a specific time in her own childhood she's able to make you feel in the moment (even if that moment was prior to my birth). It's a sea of pop culture references that make things feel familiar and grounded.
The suspense - if you're new to this story (I wasn't, I've been with Bex through most of the process of writing this book and I've known the true story for years) there's a lot of suspenseful moments throughout the book where you're just not sure how successful our serial killer grandma is going to be.
In a lot of ways, this book is a love letter to a member of Bex's family whom she loved dearly and I honestly can't think of a better reason to write a story.
This book contains/mentions SA of small children multiple times and I did not realize that going into the book. This is a typical automatic DNF trigger for me where I will stop reading and not rate the book. Because Becca and I are friends I did finish reading the book, but I feel it would be unfair to rate it. But I can talk some about what I enjoyed, so let's do that.
Serial killer POV - we know I love a good villain POV in my murder mysteries! There is just something fun about being inside the head of the killer, trying to see why they do the things they do. It's about the understanding of how the human brain works and how some brains are just a liiiiiiiittle off.
Becca's writing - I've read a fair few of Bex's books over the years and one thing I always enjoy is her writing. There's a touch of whimsy, nostalgia, and magic in everything she writes and that was definitely prevalent here. Because Bex is talking about a specific time in her own childhood she's able to make you feel in the moment (even if that moment was prior to my birth). It's a sea of pop culture references that make things feel familiar and grounded.
The suspense - if you're new to this story (I wasn't, I've been with Bex through most of the process of writing this book and I've known the true story for years) there's a lot of suspenseful moments throughout the book where you're just not sure how successful our serial killer grandma is going to be.
In a lot of ways, this book is a love letter to a member of Bex's family whom she loved dearly and I honestly can't think of a better reason to write a story.
February 26, 2026
This book reminded me of reading old school Stephen King. Horror, nostalgia, and a deep understanding of how humans work. Absolutely gorgeous 🖤🩶
April 14, 2026
If you are looking for a thriller with a touch of supernatural sprinkled over a story of how trauma can manifest in a person, then I think you will enjoy this book.
Eleven-year-old Emma starts dreaming of her loving Grandma Virginia killing people. Emma has a premonition her grandma is going to kill Emma's grandfather, an event Emma set out to prevent.
When Emma becomes her grandma's target she will need the help of her friends and family, both living and dead, if she is going to survive.
Eleven-year-old Emma starts dreaming of her loving Grandma Virginia killing people. Emma has a premonition her grandma is going to kill Emma's grandfather, an event Emma set out to prevent.
When Emma becomes her grandma's target she will need the help of her friends and family, both living and dead, if she is going to survive.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was given an ARC of this book by the author
From the gripping cover alone you already know that Grandma’s Little Secret is not going to be your average thrill ride but never could I have guessed that it would send me on such an emotional roller-coaster. Becca C. Smith has managed to tell such a captivating story using both the POV of a young impressionable child and that of an older extremely complicated woman that weaves together a tale that is mind-boggling. The fact that this story is based on true events makes it even more riveting. I was on the edge of my seat practically from the very beginning and loved every heart pounding second of this book. Grandma’s Little Secret does not disappoint if you are looking for something that you can't put down and will leave you speechless.
From the gripping cover alone you already know that Grandma’s Little Secret is not going to be your average thrill ride but never could I have guessed that it would send me on such an emotional roller-coaster. Becca C. Smith has managed to tell such a captivating story using both the POV of a young impressionable child and that of an older extremely complicated woman that weaves together a tale that is mind-boggling. The fact that this story is based on true events makes it even more riveting. I was on the edge of my seat practically from the very beginning and loved every heart pounding second of this book. Grandma’s Little Secret does not disappoint if you are looking for something that you can't put down and will leave you speechless.
February 17, 2026
Grandma’s Little Secret has a bit of everything – 80s kids, humour, imagination, paranormal, thrills, a bit of gore, murderous family!!
I did struggle to get into it at first with the imagination of Emma (I’m autistic – what even is imaginative play?!) but once we got to Grandma’s island home I barely stopped to put it down. The characters felt so real and I really felt for Emma and the fear she had.
The fact that it is based on a true story made it feel even wilder at times and I really appreciated the ‘True or False’ section at the end as it gave more background to the story.
Overall a good read, even if I was a bit scared at times!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I did struggle to get into it at first with the imagination of Emma (I’m autistic – what even is imaginative play?!) but once we got to Grandma’s island home I barely stopped to put it down. The characters felt so real and I really felt for Emma and the fear she had.
The fact that it is based on a true story made it feel even wilder at times and I really appreciated the ‘True or False’ section at the end as it gave more background to the story.
Overall a good read, even if I was a bit scared at times!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 19, 2026
I couldn't stop reading this one. This story involves some unexpected twists and turns. Is grandma evil or is it all in young Emma's very active imagination? Becca C. Smith does an excellent job of telling a very grown up story through the eyes of an 11-year-old. Emma doesn't always know how to interpret the world around her and we go along with her as she struggles through it.
I loved the trip back tot he 1980s where Emma only had her friends to turn to - no phones, no internet, and no texting mom or dad when she was in trouble. Emma has to use her mind to figure things out, but does her mind play tricks on her? The answer is in the pages of Grandma's Little Secret.
I loved the trip back tot he 1980s where Emma only had her friends to turn to - no phones, no internet, and no texting mom or dad when she was in trouble. Emma has to use her mind to figure things out, but does her mind play tricks on her? The answer is in the pages of Grandma's Little Secret.
Review of advance copy
Grandma’s Little Secret by Becca C. Smith is a touching and beautifully written story filled with heart, family emotion, and an unexpected secret that kept me turning the pages. The characters felt real, and Grandma was especially memorable. A sweet, emotional read with just the right amount of mystery—highly recommended!.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 27, 2026
A gripping paranormal thriller that instantly pulls you in and won't let go. Highly recommend.
May 28, 2026
I wish I could have given more than five stars. Wow.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I was given an ARC of this book from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a delightful read. How can I say that when the cover (gorgeous) screams nightmares? It’s a dark story but experienced through the eyes of an 11 – year – old narrator. There are many lighter moments which tie you closely to the girl. By the time things get really scary, you won’t want to leave her to face the horrors alone. Definitely destined to be a blockbuster movie!
(I write fiction under the name Regina Duke, and I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author.)
This book is a delightful read. How can I say that when the cover (gorgeous) screams nightmares? It’s a dark story but experienced through the eyes of an 11 – year – old narrator. There are many lighter moments which tie you closely to the girl. By the time things get really scary, you won’t want to leave her to face the horrors alone. Definitely destined to be a blockbuster movie!
(I write fiction under the name Regina Duke, and I'm a USA Today Bestselling Author.)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews