Secrets & Deceptions: A Three-Generation Mystery

by Helene Uhlfelder

Secrets & Deceptions tells a rich and emotional story of three generations of women and the men in their lives. Beginning in Germany just before WWII and ending in the 21st century, the novel recounts tales of success and defeat, love and rejection, life and death, and family in the lives of Hannah, Sophie, and Madeleine. The book, in the manner of writers such as Anais Nin and Erica Jong, explores sexuality and the mores of each generation. This entertaining and compelling book also recounts the horrors of Nazi Germany and its impact on survivors and their families. Reviewers describe the book as hard to put down and a page turner.

309 pages, Paperback

First published August 30, 2015

About the author

Helene Uhlfelder wrote her first novel when she was eight years old. Until recently, her focus was on nonfiction: work-related books and articles. By completing her first adult novel, she has opened the floodgates and is pouring out one more novel and a children's book. Helene has been a teacher, therapist, actor, management consultant, and yarn artist and now author. She was born in West Palm Beach Florida, spent over twenty-five years in Georgia, and now lives in Norfolk Virginia with her incredible husband and golden retriever.

Reviews

[Aisling · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a book which could both have a higher star rating and a lower one. I compromised and went with a three but feel that the author could easily improve her writing by getting a good editor. First, yes, the other low reviews are right; this is not a mystery. It's a family saga with, well, as you might imagine, secrets and deceptions. Yes there is a murder but so little attention is paid to it that it really felt like the author added it on literally in the last chapter (and in intro in the prologue). It doesn't work, it doesn't make sense, and it detracts from the author's strength which is dramatic, compelling family relationships.

I think the author writes in a very sparse but thorough style. She can convey much in a few words. I found her characters real and their stories compelling--to a point. I think the book should have ended early into Madeleine's story. She is less and less sympathetic as the book goes on and the ending seems very forced. I also had an issue with the blending of holocaust beginnings (very well done) and the very graphic(to me gratuitous) sex scenes. I don't think you can give the holocaust stories the respect they deserve when every chapter or so has graphic sex.

This felt like several books mashed together. The author is talented and I hope she will write more but focusing on separating genres and audiences.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

Secrets and Deceptions is not really a mystery. It's more of a story about secrets that damage a family. It tells about three generations of women and the mistakes they make. Each mother withholds a secret from her daughter that causes great harm to their relationship. This leads to someone doing something very deadly.

The writing flows well but I felt the characters were a bit flat. It seems like some events were glossed over very quickly. I also don't understand why the author wrote so many short chapters.

[Brenda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a goodreads contest. This book is very readable; good descriptions that evoke a clear sense of time and setting. There is potential for this to be a good book. That is the best thing I can say about it.

I generally like books that cover 2 or more generations as you get to see what effects the choices of the parents and grandparents have on the children. I do wish that the author had added more depth or detail in certain places and made the book longer. I didn't like the transitions from this being a story about Hannah, then a story about Sofie, and finally a story about Madeleine. I think that the story would benefit from keeping each character's depth even when the focus of the story changes generations.

I liked Hannah and felt empathy for her when the story was about her. But when the focus changed to Sophie, Hannah became a flat character who was mean and bitter. I lost all feeling of connection with her. And the same with Sophie. She changed from a woman who wanted to make sure her children never felt as unloved, as she did while growing up, into an unfeeling mother. Maybe some self awareness on her part would have helped - such as showing that she knew she was turning into her mother, but felt powerless to stop because she was so overwhelmed by children, business, and her husband's depression. All of those circumstances were written about, but I wanted to see Sophie as being more in tune with what was happening. It became hard to relate to her.

I never connected with the Madeleine part of the book. Maybe because I thought her character would follow the same path of being relatable only to turn into a caricature. The best part of the Madeleine story was when she was a child, but I was surprised that there wasn't really any mention of how she was affected by Adam trying to drown her or all of the other things he probably did to her. There could be an entire book written just about the family dynamics of those 4 children.

And I was unhappy with the ending. I must admit that I like happy endings and unhappy endings that make you think. Again, I think this part sounded like an entire book should be written about it instead of it being the ending to this story. I wanted the children to meet Ellen and tie up some loose ends. Instead this is a new loose end.

A few small items that caused me to lose my reading flow: Chapter 34 - Sophie and Connie go to visit Dotty and Ruby. Then suddenly it is Dotty waiting with Sophie for the other girls to meet them at the train station. Then Ruby and Dotty get out of the car and run up to the waiting girls... When they arrive at Dotty's and Ruby's room it is Sophie and Dotty that have to drape their clothes over the desks. Poor Connie got forgotten and Dotty had to play the part of two girls.

Part Three, with its super short chapters and almost a timeline synopsis felt rushed, like the author had lost any passion for the book and was rushing to just get it done and over.

I am hoping this book is still a work in progress and a new, improved version will come out.

[Ms. Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly could not get into this book. The characters were weak and dull, the storyline and plot was bland and fell flat in so many areas, and it did not hold my interest even a little bit. If the author had been able to turn the "secrets and deceptions" that scattered the many short chapters, and somehow make it into a mystery-thriller of the sorts, then this book could've easily been better. The author is a talented writer and is able to make the words flow together sweetly on the pages, but needs to write out the storyline far better otherwise making this book into a snooze-fest of not-so-interesting secrets.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an incredible story running from 1892 to 2005 about a young girl, her life, her family a horrible War and a very unhappy ending. The book was well written, well plotted, read it in a day and an ending I would have never expected and I guess all families are dysfunctional in their own way!

[Barbara]

I won this book on "Goodreads" and I liked it.Its a story where I got involved with the different women.I could feel their pain & understand the choices they made,good & bad.
I kept reading & wanted to know more.....Could there be a sequel....Adam's Comeuppance?

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book but I did not care for the end. It was not as cohesive and felt rushed(?) or something I can't quite put my finger on.

[Lora · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a wonderful book! I didn't want to put the book down once I started reading it.

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.