A Family Secret

by Josephine Cox

Family secrets can weigh the heaviest… Although she’s surrounded by a loving family, Marie is lonely. The secret she has been carrying for many years is a burden – it’s telling could ruin the lives of those she loves most. Marie’s granddaughter, Cathy, is a cheerful young woman and in the first flush of love. Her grandmother’s secret will not only change Cathy’s future but rewrite her past. Sister-in-law Beth seems to have a happy life and a good
marriage but behind closed doors she’s heartbreakingly sad. Will she be brave enough to speak out and run away? These three women are at the beginning of a journey – one that will change their lives forever.

Genres: Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 28, 2016

About the author

Josephine Cox was born in Blackburn, one of ten children. At the age of sixteen, Josephine met and married her husband Ken, and had two sons. When the boys started school, she decided to go to college and eventually gained a place at university but was unable to take this up as it would have meant living away from home. Instead, she went into teaching – and started to write her first full-length novel. She won the ‘Superwoman of Great Britain’ Award, for which her family had secretly entered her, at the same time as her novel was accepted for publication. She is now a No.1 bestselling author with over 40 books to her name.

She wrote dark psychological thrillers under the name Jane Brindle.

Reviews

[Ali Bookworm · Rating 2 out of 5]

After waiting 7 months to read this I have to say I was very disappointed. The cover is lovely and I was thrilled to find it set in Blackpool, almost my second home and where I have spent many a happy time. However what started out good quickly became tedious and to be honest rather boring. I felt I was reading the same thing over and over again. The 'secret" was given away way too quickly near the beginning, there was absolutely no suspence element to make me want to keep reading but I did as I hate abandoning some books. It is also not the first one by this author that I have been disappointed with. I don't know what has happened to the actual storytelling and suspense element and whilst I do not wish to be harsh my critique is honest and as a writer myself I believe if I had submitted something like that to a publisher it would be rejected straight away. A very disappointing read.

[Kathy Wainwright · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found thus plodded on a bit I'm afraid. Things were repeated a bit too much and I found I didn't really care enough about the characters. I also found the dialogue stilted. Only read one of her books before and I enjoyed it but I don't think I'll give anymore a try. The big secret was stated again and again and resolved quickly even though it was such 'a terrible secret.'

[Miss C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't say how disappointed I was in this book. This is the first Josephine Cox book I have read. It was a Christmas present. I finished the book because once I start I have to finish. The story and characters were two dimensional. None of the plot lines or character's stories were explored in any depth and simply glossed over. What could have been a great idea for a story was largely left unexplored. All the characters had the same voice and dialogue whether they were male/female/young/old. In fact they all had the same characteristics with a few exceptions-pretty, sweet and good natured (female) hard working (male). The writing is repeatitive, simplistic and childish. It relies too much on coincidences. There is no huge surprises. Most of what happens you can see coming. I take something out of most books and I like a huge variety of genres but after the first 80 pages I knew it wasn't a good book and sadly it didn't improve.

[Charmaine Saliba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Josephine Cox is one of my favourite authors and I love her writing and her novels, however, I didn’t like A family secret. I found it repetitive and it seems like I was reading another author’s novel. I am sorry to say that I am disappointed because I was looking forward to reading this novel. The plot wasn’t as strong as her previous one.

[Lynn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was a very disappointing book. It was boring, with the outcome obvious from the beginning and the content was very repetitive, going over the family dilemma again and again. I understand it was written for the period, but the language was dated and unrealistic. In my opinion - a waste of time.

[Holly Skilbeck · Rating 1 out of 5]

i absolutely hated this book.

It was slow and draged on way to much. 6 pages of the family in the car going on a road trip. And all i got from that is that Dave ( the Dad ) doesnt like to get out for a break and to eat from a cafe.

Why it Cathy have a accident?
Why did Maria and Daddy it married and not Cathy and Ronnie?
Why was Beths husband involved in the story?
None of it makes sense.

This is my first Josephine Cox book. Have i just picked up a bad book to start with? Or should I just not bother with Josephine again?

[Taz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful, just terrible. The author repeats the same points over and over to the point you start to question your own memory. After reading her forward I started to wonder if this book was actually a therapeutic writing exercise for some trauma of her own. I don’t think I’ll be rushing to read another of her books.

[clare fallows · Rating 5 out of 5]

Long time coming

It's been a while for the wonderful Josephine Cox but having read all of her books it was well worth the wait, beautifully written, enticing storyline, amazing characters, a must read, brilliant and heart warming

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though I finished this book quickly I found it a bit slow and predictable: ( high hopes for it after reading reviews but found it lacked something and repeated itself rather a lot. Thus the three stars.

[Joanne Lidford · Rating 1 out of 5]

Badly written, very boring, with lots of repetition, would’ve abandoned it, but hoped there would be a twist - there wasn’t! Gave this 1* because you can’t give less, but not deserving of any - in my opinion.

[Bernice Barney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Twists and turns

Good easy to read story with many twists and turns- some you can see coming - some you don't. Recommended.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good book, but nothing exceptional. I enjoyed reading it , as I have most of Josephine Cox's work.

[Rachel Shepley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice easy book to read

[NarniaGirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Received free through GoodReads First Reads - thank you.

Not read a Josephine Cox before so wasn't sure what to expect, but I have to say I was slightly disappointed. I like my novels to challenge me but I didn't get that from this. The characters didn't really grab me and the story was slow to get there.

Happy to try another of her novels though.

[Helen Dye · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t waste your time. Mundane story line that doesn’t go anywhere. I finished it, but it was boring and didn’t inspire you to read on. Whole chapters can be scan read and you wouldn’t have missed a great deal. The book drivel’s on and is extremely repetitive

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by Josephine Cox

[Martin Perks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad, but not as good as her earlier work

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of her better books. Too repetitive throughout. Such a shame as I normally really enjoy her books

[Nancy Newman Bricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good book. Want to read another one of hers

[Kayleigh Holloway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story but the narrative was very repetitive, what is already a short book could've been at least 100 pages shorter without losing anything.

[Ann Cooney · Rating 1 out of 5]

Poor storyline

Endless repetition with a very poor storyline- did not enjoy !!!! Thought I had enjoyed a Josephine Cox before - obviously not !

[Yvette Fisher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sigh! Mum taught me if you can’t say anything nice then don’t say anything......but to be fair I read other people’s reviews so it’s unfair to complain and not share my thoughts. I was given this book by my my mother in law. I’m a completer, so HAVE to finish a book ...but boy oh boy this was a hard one to finish. So simply written.....as if by a youngster with limited language skills, a boring storyline, a secret that must have be dragged out so unnecessarily in every other page and then at the end.....well I won’t spoil it but it was a non event. I started to get so frustrated and even angry reading this book. How can you spend three pages telling the reader how you put the cases in the car ....for a big trip to Blackpool! And another 4 pages about hearing noises outside. Maybe because it was large print (not an actual large print book) wide margins, wide line spacing and sometimes three almost blank pages at the section headers. I haven’t read any by this author before and won’t be reading any more. A 341 page book that could have been easily written as a short story in 30 pages. I can share that I literally threw it out the door into the garden after finishing it....and there it stays!

[Caroline Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Josephine Cox’s books, I’ve read an awful lot over the years. They are always heartwarming, sad, nasty, mean, they have everything. The ones I’ve read all are based on families and friends etc. this book was no different.

It starts in 1935 in the seaside holiday town of Blackpool, England. That’s only really the Prologue of the book. Chapter one then starts in 1970. So begins the story of Marie and Derek, Eileen and Tom, Dave and Anne, Cathy and Ronnie and a few more, some very nasty humans in it also. I loved how the story is set around a secret but you don’t get a hint of that secret not for a while into the book. Of course it will change lives and hurt lots of people, oh but the dilemma. The longer you keep secrets the harder they get as time goes by, to finally tell the truth about what really happened. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I don’t think I’ve read a bad book by Josephine Cox. Her stories, as I said are based around families and can be set in the 1800’s or later, right up to the present. I recommend anyone who loves her writing to read this one it was a joy and an easy read but at times so terribly sad also.

[Laraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star read. I have read Cox's books before and enjoyed them but this was not one of my favourites. Marie has had a good life and has a loving family with a devoted daughter Anne and her husband and delightful grand-daughter Cathy. But Marie also has a big secret and for most of the book, she agonizes over telling young Cathy the secret. When Marie's husband Derek dies unexpectedly of a heart attack in his late 40's, Marie falls apart. She visits her best friends Eileen and Tony, distraught, and she and Tony have a one night stand. Eileen finds out about it and the friendship is over. I found the constant repetitive agonizing over telling the secret distracted from the interesting story line of the book. An okay read.

[Jordana Wilson · Rating 1 out of 5]

So much potential but such a let down. This book took me forever to finish because I was so bored. I found it hard to engage with the characters and the settings - im usually able to created a vivid image of the people and the places, but the depth and descriptions weren’t the best. There was a lot of repetition throughout the play, long unnecessary speeches from the characters which seemed unrealistic and out of place, and the dialogue just seemed rubbish and repetitive. At times it felt like the book was being dragged out to 377 and i skim read the last 50 pages. It could have easily been a 200 page book without the useless dialogue. The best part is was Beth’s angry husband. The book ended with one of the MAIN storylines not being tied up/addressed. Ended in a hurry.

[Lizzie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well that is a chunk of my life I will never get back. What a load of drivel. I persevered thinking this has to get better but No. I only have 1 star but it doesn't even deserve that. It was badly written and full of waffle. It had the basis for a good story but the characters were so empty. I kept thinking to the little Britain scene where the author is dictating her book and keep saying and so on etc then asks the typist 'how many words is that now?". I picked it up be cause I was told Josephine Cox was an English maeve bitchy.... shouldn't be in the same bookshop never mind the same league if this book is anything to go by. Ok rant over.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marie has kept a secret for years and the story is the build up to her revealing her secret. She’s scared of being rejected so keeps making excuses that it’s not the right moment to reveal all. As life gets in the way she eventually finds the courage to speak to the one person this secret affects.

I’ve been reading Josephine Cox books on and off for 20+ years and always enjoyed them. Although I liked the characters and storyline in this book I found some of the dialogue unnecessary. Characters were saying things over and over again and saying too much. I hadn’t ever noticed this before with this author so I hope it was just a one off.

[Louise · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started off well but it wasn't long before the big family secret became obvious, no more than 2/3 in to the book and everyone seemed to know the secret apart from Cathy when 7 pages from the end she finds out, 3 pages from the end an old family friend who suffered the ultimate betrayel because of this secret wants to make up and be friends and suddenly everything is back in order. The story is tied up awful quickly, it feels rushed towards the end and I was left feeling a little disappointed.

[Hannah Westbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sure it’s a decent book and I can understand why people would like it but it’s so predictable? I skipped half the monologue and I still knew how things were gonna end up. The secret was noticeable about two chapters in and yet she didn’t come clean until right at the end? I feel like the secret should’ve been harder to place and when it came out, there should’ve been more time with the characters dealing with it rather than just a couple pages. Safe to say I won’t be keeping this book to read again 😌

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

First Josephine Cox book I have read, won't try any more. This book was boring and a struggle to get to the end. The "secret" was revealed right at the beginning, which I refused to believe was the secret that the book was supposed to be about as it was so insignificant and easily resolved... I was hoping for another plot twist of another big secret but half way through realised that would not be the case. Characters were boring and all the same.