The Storyteller's Secret: The ultimate FEELGOOD novel with characters you'll want as your new best friends

by Lucy Diamond

Take a step back in time with bestselling author Lucy Diamond to enjoy this heartwarming and deliciously witty tale of sisterhood that spans a century ...

Your favourite authors love Lucy!

'Tender, bittersweet and funny' Veronica Henry

Feel-good, uplifting' Sheila O'Flanagan

'Moving' Katie Fforde

Could you tell a story packed with heartbreak and happiness? Meet four women who can.

There's Nancy, kitchen maid at Westercombe Manor in 1929. She can't resist adding a sentence to Master Blackwood's novel while dusting his typewriter and soon finds herself drawn in as co-writer.

There's Maud, who's lived on the Westercombe estate since the 1940s. A proud grandmother to Pearl and Saffie, she loved telling them bedtime stories - but some tales she has vowed never to tell.

Pearl's now living on the other side of the world, reeling from divorce and bereavement, until a crisis means Saffie summons her home. Once close, the cousins have hardly spoken since the summer it all went so horribly wrong.

A battered trunk might hold the key to the secrets that bind them together across the decades, but are they willing to read between the lines to find the truth at last?

Lucy Diamond's glorious heroines burst from the page as they seek to make peace with one another - and the past.

Kindle Edition

Expected publication February 11, 2027

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

First of all, a confession. My name isn’t really Lucy Diamond at all, it’s Sue Mongredien. I’ve used a pen name because ‘Diamond’ is a lot easier to spell and pronounce than ‘Mongredien’ and also because I’ve written lots of children’s books too and wanted to keep the genres separate. (There is actually another Lucy Diamond on Amazon who writes religious children’s books. That isn’t me, though.)

I was born in 1970 and grew up in Nottingham. I read English at Leeds University then moved to London and worked for various publishers before I packed it all in to go travelling around the world for a year and a half. When I came back to the UK, I worked in publishing again, then moved to the BBC. I now live in Bath with my husband and three young children and divide my time between writing and looking after them. You can have a look at my children’s books here.

Favourite things: beaches, holidays, chocolate, wine, reading, Green Wing, bubble baths, sunshine, hearing my children laugh, babysitters

Favourite books: The Magus (John Fowles), The Edible Woman (Margaret Atwood), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), The Colour of Memory (Geoff Dyer)

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cosy, multi-generational escape that earns its happy ending.

—

Four women, four decades, one house full of secrets – this is the kind of book you sink into rather than race through.

I don't usually read outside the thriller genre, but this was a lovely meander away from my normal frantic page-turning. The multi-timeline structure is genuinely the standout here. Jumping between Nancy in 1929, Maud in 1939, and cousins Pearl and Saffie across 2001 and the present day could easily have got muddled, especially reading across sessions, but I never lost the thread. Each POV felt distinct enough that I always knew exactly where and when I was.

Nancy's chapters were my favourite. There's a real Downton Abbey feel to her sections – I could picture Westercombe Manor and the weight of her responsibilities below stairs completely.

The characters are where this book really earns its warmth. All four women feel genuinely relatable, and it's easy to get swept up in each of their narratives without one overshadowing the others.

I did guess roughly where the big reveal was heading, but the author plants a decent red herring – I was close, but not quite right, which is a good sign the twist wasn't too predictable.

This isn't sophisticated, literary writing, and it's not trying to be. It won't win a Booker Prize, but not every book needs to. What it does, it does well: a warm, satisfying HEA that doesn't overstay its welcome. If you want an easy, feel-good read for a summer afternoon, this delivers.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and author.

Connect with me on Instagram: Good Company Books or Substack In Good Company

[Caroline · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was not for me, whilst I read it I had to push myself to do so. It’s well written and the characters are well rounded. I really struggle with unfairness and that was a significant part of this story. I struggle to read about sexual assault and sexual exploitation, which there is in the book. The assault is not explicitly described but the sexual exploitation of young women by a manipulative man is. I did not find sections of the book cozy, rather I found them unpleasant. I think this is not the typical response to this book. I wish books had trigger warnings because I would not have read it if I’d known. I read books about trauma for work so really do not want to read it in my escapism books. The way the rape is described, as happening because a “mistake” a character made, is something I found very annoying. The rape occurred because someone in power decided that is what they would do. It’s a small sentence and I would appreciate it if at least this could be changed. Placing responsibility on the woman, whilst I’m sure it’s not what the author meant to suggest is not helpful. The language used around rape it’s important. I managed to read the rest of the book and it is a good book, I just wish it had handled these issues differently. The writing is probably a 4 so I have deducted 1⭐️ for these issues.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for my consideration, this is all my own rambling, slightly marked, honest and personal opinion.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free advance review copy of this book by Lucy Diamond from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

This book is told across three timelines and it and flowed naturally. The story centres on Saffie and Pearl, whose friendship fractured years earlier before Pearl moved to Canada and follows what happens when their paths cross again. While I was interested in both of their stories, I found myself most invested in Nancy's timeline and was always pleased when the narrative returned to her.

Lucy Diamond writes with warmth, and I found this to be an easy, comforting read. Although I guessed some of the plot developments quite early on and occasionally found myself skimming sections, there were still moments that surprised me. 

The book explores friendship, family, grief, long-buried secrets, and the stories we tell ourselves and each other. At its heart, it's an uplifting novel about connection, forgiveness, and the ties that bind us across generations. I think this book will appeal much more to readers who enjoy warm, character-led women's fiction, family dramas, and stories that leave you with a sense of comfort and hope.

[Saffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed most of Lucy Diamond’s novels but this is one of her best yet. It’s told over multiple timelines focusing on four characters - cousins Pearl and Saffie in the present day, their grandmother Maud and housemaid Nancy in 1929. I loved Nancy’s sections of the book best, I really enjoy family sagas set in the years between the wars and the author does a good job of portraying Nancy and her fellow servants lives in an upper class household. It had everything I love in books of this genre- the period setting, a big house and family secrets. I didn’t enjoy the sections about Pearl and Saffie’s relationship quite as much but loved their exploration and discovery of Maud’s family history, it’s told with the same sense of warmth, empathy and hope that the author has brought to her previous novels. I loved this, would highly recommend and hope Lucy Diamond writes more historical novels. 4.5 stars.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC,

[Farah G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly set in the 20th century, this book is about four women with stories to tell. But each has her own reasons for sharing the stories that she does, and leaving others untold...

From a kitchen maid in 1929 (who adds the occasional sentence to the novel being written by the master of the manor!) to a grandmother telling her granddaughters bedtime stories decades after, to two estranged cousins finding their way back to each other, the writer brings these characters vividly alive on the page.

This is an enjoyable read that gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully layered read. Spanning decades, this novel weaves together Nancy in 1929, Maud in the mid‑century, and Pearl and Saffie in the present day, all connected by Westercombe Manor and the secrets tucked away in a battered trunk. The characters are vivid and engaging, and Lucy Diamond’s heroines burst from the page as they confront old wounds, long‑buried truths, and the stories they’ve never dared to tell. The blend of family drama, mystery, and emotional reconciliation works wonderfully. A strong 4/5 — heartfelt, absorbing, and very satisfying.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely story, with mystery, love, friendship, family all featuring strongly. Great characters that you would like to be friends with.
For me personally it lacked a depth of feeling - you had some major trauma's which whilst being mentioned you didn't get a feeling of the depth of despair, more a side note that someone was 'very upset', however the book was more about telling the story than analysing the impact; and sometimes that is just what you want for a summer read.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful story about four female characters over multiple timelines. I loved the characters and the story. They’re the kind of characters you want to keep in touch with. It’s a book of friendship, family, loss, love, happiness and sadness. I laughed at times and cried. It has everything I’d expect from a Lucy Diamond book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC in return for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Heather Howarth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful story of four women - Nancy, a kitchen maid at Westercombe Manor in 1929; Maud, a proud grandmother to Pearl and Saffie who has lived on the estate since 1940.

Pearl is summoned back to England by her cousin, Saffie, after Maud falls at home and is admitted to hospital. The cousins are estranged after a falling out and need to find a way to build bridges.

A battered trunk found in Maud’s attic raises all sorts of questions about her past and draws them together to secure a future for her.

A story of friendship, family, grief, forgiveness and secrets across the generations.