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The Secret Community
A page turning mystery full of twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the end.
Terri wakes up in a strange place with no idea of who she is, where she is, or how she got there. The worst thing is, nobody seems to take her memory loss seriously.
With a stroke of luck, she bumps into Damion, a London bar owner, who takes her in and is determined to help her. As he investigates, he discovers that no-one is who they appear to be and doesn’t know who he can trust.
What is the Community? Who is Terri? Will Damion uncover the secret before it’s too late?
Terri wakes up in a strange place with no idea of who she is, where she is, or how she got there. The worst thing is, nobody seems to take her memory loss seriously.
With a stroke of luck, she bumps into Damion, a London bar owner, who takes her in and is determined to help her. As he investigates, he discovers that no-one is who they appear to be and doesn’t know who he can trust.
What is the Community? Who is Terri? Will Damion uncover the secret before it’s too late?
- GenresSuspense
338 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2017
186 people are currently reading
134 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 25, 2017
This book draws you in from the beginning, when a young girl wakes up unable to remember who she is, where she is, or how she got there. With the help of Damion, a man she meets, she gradually unravels the truth behind her situation. The chapters alternate between her story and the story of a Community, where the people live in harmony with nature. These two storylines gradually intertwine, until Damion discovers the horrific truth of the purpose of the Community.
I enjoyed this thought-provoking book – the possibility that this is already happening in our society isn’t as far-fetched as it would seem. The story keeps you guessing as events unravel and reaches a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I enjoyed this thought-provoking book – the possibility that this is already happening in our society isn’t as far-fetched as it would seem. The story keeps you guessing as events unravel and reaches a satisfying conclusion. I look forward to reading more from this author.
March 6, 2017
A fantastic story of A young girl with memory loss, a bar owner, an ex girlfriend, young lovers and a doctor and how their lives connect in ways you wouldn't expect. The secret community is a mix of dystopia, romance, suspense and mystery that will keep you hooked from page 1 until the very last page. Absolutely fantastic and unique book that is very well written and jist keeps you guessing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and highly recommend to anyone looking for a good read. Strong characters and descriptions that make you feel you are there this really is an excellent read. Massive well done to the author and looking forward to reading more of your amazing work xx
April 13, 2019
Interesting read full of twists.
How would you feel waking up without remembering anything from your life?
Terri wakes up with no idea of who she is or where she is. She doesn’t even recognize herself in the mirror. That is shocking and frustrating for her. She is supposedly married to an older man, named Martin. While we witness Terri’s struggles, escaping from her husband, meeting Damion, the helper, we may think that that we get closer to an end. But no. The author intelligently takes us to the most intriguing part of the story-line, the Secret Community. For the first part of the book, I had the opinion that I was reading two stories and I was waiting for the moment to see them intertwined. And they did and it explained certain facts. There are lots of interesting events and turns that make you eager to read without a pause. A real page-turner with an interesting idea.
What is The Secret Community? I let you discover for yourself. I enjoyed the writing style of this author, relaxed and cozy and I shall look forward to the other books from this series.
Few quotes from this book:
“The atmosphere was electric and the drums pounded out a rhythm that etched into Terri's soul. Unable to stand still, she bopped like crazy along with the rest of the crowd. It was the most remarkable feeling in the world, one she had felt before. She felt alive, she felt familiar, she felt... at home.”
“The surrealness of the evening had captivated him. He was in the middle of nowhere, no artificial lights, just sand, sea and stars brighter than he'd ever seen before. And to top it off, a beautiful woman by his side.”
More book reviews on: https://www.nicojgenes.com/book-reviews
How would you feel waking up without remembering anything from your life?
Terri wakes up with no idea of who she is or where she is. She doesn’t even recognize herself in the mirror. That is shocking and frustrating for her. She is supposedly married to an older man, named Martin. While we witness Terri’s struggles, escaping from her husband, meeting Damion, the helper, we may think that that we get closer to an end. But no. The author intelligently takes us to the most intriguing part of the story-line, the Secret Community. For the first part of the book, I had the opinion that I was reading two stories and I was waiting for the moment to see them intertwined. And they did and it explained certain facts. There are lots of interesting events and turns that make you eager to read without a pause. A real page-turner with an interesting idea.
What is The Secret Community? I let you discover for yourself. I enjoyed the writing style of this author, relaxed and cozy and I shall look forward to the other books from this series.
Few quotes from this book:
“The atmosphere was electric and the drums pounded out a rhythm that etched into Terri's soul. Unable to stand still, she bopped like crazy along with the rest of the crowd. It was the most remarkable feeling in the world, one she had felt before. She felt alive, she felt familiar, she felt... at home.”
“The surrealness of the evening had captivated him. He was in the middle of nowhere, no artificial lights, just sand, sea and stars brighter than he'd ever seen before. And to top it off, a beautiful woman by his side.”
More book reviews on: https://www.nicojgenes.com/book-reviews
May 30, 2017
When I started this book I was quite confused chapter to chapter. It was like reading two separate books every other chapter. In one book the main character did a lot of sleeping and waking up confused. In the second book people were happily living off the land. The thing that kept me reading was Terri's plight. I read to find out what happened to her memory and why her husband treated her the way he did. Finally the books meshed and the story became clear and interesting.
April 25, 2017
Terrific
Wow! This is such an original story. I really loved the characters. It was very fast paced ! More please! Soon?
Wow! This is such an original story. I really loved the characters. It was very fast paced ! More please! Soon?
April 16, 2017
I got The Secret Community through Kindle Unlimited and was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the relaxed cosy style of the prose. So much so that I was completely shocked by the plot twist half way through. Starting a novel with the protagonist having suffered from total amnesia might not be the most original of introductions however the author successfully weaves an interesting and beguiling story that will have you flipping each new page keen to see what happens next. Sadly this is a near-future tale that offers a glimpse into what is an all too possible scenario. A great debut novel and I will look out for further tales from J Meveringtion.
April 14, 2017
I really loved this book. It had been recommended to me by a friend to read and so I came to it with no real clear understanding or preconceptions of what it contained. I was nicely surprised. Jo Meverington can write - fact! The book flowed with ease. It was great to read an English author, the nuances and subtlety of the language were not lost on me! I found the story original and engaging. It would have been five stars but at times I found the plot repetative, which did frustrate me... but not enough to detract from the story. Here's a quick overview of the story: Terri wakes to find herself suffering from amnesia, there are lots of twists and turns as to why she is where she is and I didn't see them coming. A great light thriller and a great debut!
July 17, 2017
A damsel in distress, a hero, and a mad doctor are a recipe for a good tale and this book doesn't disappoint. Throw in a bit of romance of a love lost then found again and you have the icing on the cake. The twists and turns of this book will keep you guessing to the very end. A good read that I would highly recommend.
March 1, 2017
This is a smart, well written medical thriller with sci-fi overtones. The plot moves along well, the dialogue is sharp and I found the characters intriguing. Not a completely original concept but still very well executed.
January 22, 2018
One of the very first things I learned in my undergraduate creative writing classes is to never begin a story or a scene with a character waking up from a dream or coming out of a coma or some other sort of unconscious state. That is how this book opened, so I was immediately wary but willing to give it a try anyway.
But...
Not only is the main character waking up, but she doesn't remember who she is! And she doesn't remember the dude taking a shower who repeatedly calls her honey or sweetheart or whatever. It takes her 3 pages to determine that dude is her husband and it's only because another person (who she also doesn't remember) comes to the door and informs her of her name (Terri Towely. Really??) and the name of her husband. This after 3 long pages of description of the apartment, the clothes Terri is wearing, her hair, her body etc etc etc.
Maybe the book redeems itself as it goes on, but after such a painful opening--No. Just, no. Not for me. I stopped trying and deleted it. I try not to do that very much because I know how hard writing is, I've been attempting it myself for several years and I've cried over my own manuscript and its inevitable weaknesses more times than I care disclose. But this was just too much for me.
If you read this all the way through and have a different experience with it, I'm interested to know your thoughts. Maybe I'm being too harsh and too critical?
But...
Not only is the main character waking up, but she doesn't remember who she is! And she doesn't remember the dude taking a shower who repeatedly calls her honey or sweetheart or whatever. It takes her 3 pages to determine that dude is her husband and it's only because another person (who she also doesn't remember) comes to the door and informs her of her name (Terri Towely. Really??) and the name of her husband. This after 3 long pages of description of the apartment, the clothes Terri is wearing, her hair, her body etc etc etc.
Maybe the book redeems itself as it goes on, but after such a painful opening--No. Just, no. Not for me. I stopped trying and deleted it. I try not to do that very much because I know how hard writing is, I've been attempting it myself for several years and I've cried over my own manuscript and its inevitable weaknesses more times than I care disclose. But this was just too much for me.
If you read this all the way through and have a different experience with it, I'm interested to know your thoughts. Maybe I'm being too harsh and too critical?
May 9, 2017
The beginning had me completely mystified (in a good way) as to where the story was headed. Two completely separate plots eventually wove together into a journey that constantly held my interest.
The characters were memorable, and weren't too many which meant the storyline was easy to follow. (Damien was my favourite.)
Each character was visited regularly during the story so i always knew what each charater was doing.
The dialogue was sharp; i never once had to re-read anything to understand it. :-)
All in all, an evenly paced mystery which i read in quick-time, and look forward to the sequel.
The characters were memorable, and weren't too many which meant the storyline was easy to follow. (Damien was my favourite.)
Each character was visited regularly during the story so i always knew what each charater was doing.
The dialogue was sharp; i never once had to re-read anything to understand it. :-)
All in all, an evenly paced mystery which i read in quick-time, and look forward to the sequel.
October 26, 2017
I'm surprised by all the high stars this book has received as I struggled to give it three.
I found the writing naive and lacking finesse. Having not read any of the author's bio, I assumed that this was her first novel and perhaps she was still in school!
that and all the things that convenienly happened so the story could continue. On the plus side, the Idea behind the story was good and It was a quick read.
Sadly, I won't be looking out for any other books by the author.
I found the writing naive and lacking finesse. Having not read any of the author's bio, I assumed that this was her first novel and perhaps she was still in school!
that and all the things that convenienly happened so the story could continue. On the plus side, the Idea behind the story was good and It was a quick read.
Sadly, I won't be looking out for any other books by the author.
February 20, 2019
Very Unusual!
This book is very unsettling in so many ways. The concept of cloning g people so their organs could be harvested on an "as needed" basis is so wrong, on so many levels. And the concept of a secluded community existing so where in the middle of nowhere hiding hundreds of people from the real world is pretty out there too. But the part I found most disturbing is the spiritual questions that mist be raised about a being that is produced in a test tube out of DNA. Soul, no soul? The possibilities are endless. Not sure if I like the book or not...it was a compelling read, for sure. I'll be mulling this one over for awhile...
This book is very unsettling in so many ways. The concept of cloning g people so their organs could be harvested on an "as needed" basis is so wrong, on so many levels. And the concept of a secluded community existing so where in the middle of nowhere hiding hundreds of people from the real world is pretty out there too. But the part I found most disturbing is the spiritual questions that mist be raised about a being that is produced in a test tube out of DNA. Soul, no soul? The possibilities are endless. Not sure if I like the book or not...it was a compelling read, for sure. I'll be mulling this one over for awhile...
January 2, 2023
Girl wakes up in strange bed where she doesn't know where she is, no clothes, finds strange man taking a shower she doesn't remember who he is. She doesn't remember her name, or anything. terrified, lookes for ways to escape but is locked in the apartment. In the closet is only black cocktail dresses, and very high heels. She escapes the apartment runs into another guy who helps her try to find out who she is. Damain helps the girl,runs into mad doctor, his ex-girl friend and a secret community. The story was kinds confusing because it has two storylines going that flips back and forth but its very well written and has a great plot that hasn't been done before.
July 18, 2017
The main character wakes up without any memories. That starts the mystery rolling in this unusual thriller. I say unusual because we don't actually know what the crime is through a good portion of the book.
I had to push past the first chapters, which made little sense at the time. Once the bigger picture came into view, it was obvious why the author set it up like that. I'll divulge this much - it isn't an ending I ever would have expected.
I had to push past the first chapters, which made little sense at the time. Once the bigger picture came into view, it was obvious why the author set it up like that. I'll divulge this much - it isn't an ending I ever would have expected.
August 28, 2019
After having an experience with a person with real life memory loss, this didn’t work for me. Failed to suspend disbelief. The plot had potential, but it wasn’t developed. There was a great mystery there, but the book didn’t deliver on the solution in a way that got the old heart pounding. I found that the author spent a lot of time describing the mundane, quite well actually, but it was still the mundane without moving the plot forward.
March 18, 2019
This is definitely 5☆ plus! Brilliant story!
Cleverly written and suspenseful, this is a great experience for young and old, alike. The characters are amazing and so is the story. Can't wait to follow up with the next book.
Cleverly written and suspenseful, this is a great experience for young and old, alike. The characters are amazing and so is the story. Can't wait to follow up with the next book.
October 16, 2018
Was great read. A bit confusing at first but got it by chapter 6 keep you going until end
August 3, 2019
very good read suspenseful type of book that you don't want to put down.
May 9, 2022
The idea of the novel was quite interesting. The writing though was ordinary.
April 30, 2017
Like many of the other reviews, I'm going to use the word 'unique' to describe this story. Initially, for maybe the first few pages, I wondered if I was entering a Fifty Shades of Grey type scenario, but then whoa! This is anything but.
With parallel storylines, intertwined familial links, and two very separate styles of life, you quickly get caught up in the lives of the characters. It's good to sometimes be thrown off the scent, to have your faith in a character be tossed about like luggage on a turbulent plane. Don't count on trusting anyone in this story, until you get to the end!!
I really enjoyed this book, and the story, and the twists and turns.
With parallel storylines, intertwined familial links, and two very separate styles of life, you quickly get caught up in the lives of the characters. It's good to sometimes be thrown off the scent, to have your faith in a character be tossed about like luggage on a turbulent plane. Don't count on trusting anyone in this story, until you get to the end!!
I really enjoyed this book, and the story, and the twists and turns.
May 1, 2017
A very worth while read, persevere through the first few chapters for it all to make sense. when it does all come together it is worth the wait.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews