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The Deepest Secret
The Deepest Secret is part intimate family drama, part gripping page-turner, exploring the profound power of the truths we’re scared to face . . . about our marriages, our children, and ourselves.
Eve Lattimore’s family is like every other on their suburban street, with one exception. Her son Tyler has a rare medical condition that makes him fatally sensitive to light, which means heavy curtains and deadlocked doors protect him during the day and he can never leave the house except at night. For Eve, only constant vigilance stands between an increasingly restless teenage son and the dangers of the outside world.
Until the night the unthinkable happens. When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that this family is not the only one on the quiet cul-de-sac that is more complicated than it appears. And as Eve is forced to shield her family from harm, there are some crises she cannot control—and some secrets that not even love can conceal.
Deeply moving and stunningly suspenseful, The Deepest Secret is a novel of rare power—a story about hope and forgiveness, about the terrifying ways our lives can spin out of control and the unexpected sacrifices that may save us.
Eve Lattimore’s family is like every other on their suburban street, with one exception. Her son Tyler has a rare medical condition that makes him fatally sensitive to light, which means heavy curtains and deadlocked doors protect him during the day and he can never leave the house except at night. For Eve, only constant vigilance stands between an increasingly restless teenage son and the dangers of the outside world.
Until the night the unthinkable happens. When tragedy strikes, it becomes clear that this family is not the only one on the quiet cul-de-sac that is more complicated than it appears. And as Eve is forced to shield her family from harm, there are some crises she cannot control—and some secrets that not even love can conceal.
Deeply moving and stunningly suspenseful, The Deepest Secret is a novel of rare power—a story about hope and forgiveness, about the terrifying ways our lives can spin out of control and the unexpected sacrifices that may save us.
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 18, 2013
183 people are currently reading
8775 people want to read
About the author
Carla Buckley
16 books731 followersCarla Buckley is the internationally bestselling author of The Good Goodbye, The Deepest Secret, Invisible, and The Things That Keep Us Here, which was nominated for a Thriller Award as a best first novel and the Ohioana Book Award for fiction. She is a graduate of Oberlin College and the Wharton School of Business, and currently lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She serves on the board of the International Thriller Writers as Vice President, Awards and is at work on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 729 reviews
April 13, 2015
I loved Carla Buckley's book The Things That Keep Us Here. So I was excited to get this one.
Eve's son Tyler has XP. That rare condition where he can't be exposed to ultraviolet light at all. His chances of a full life are slim since most kids that have the condition don't make it until their 20th birthday.
Eve goes all out to protect her son. She makes sure all the neighbors never come in the cul-de-sac with their car lights on, don't use halogen lights, and pushes her daughter Melissa and husband to the side in order to protect Tyler.
Then Eve's best friend young daughter goes missing.
This book reads like a lifetime movie.
The Big Deepest Secret is revealed almost at the start of the book and it's all about keeping that secret. It got very, very tedious.
Then as the story moves along you find out the all the characters are keeping some kind of secrets. By that time...I didn't give a shit.
All the ways in which they've worked to protect this house from the sun had only allowed the darkness to creep inside.
I did finish the book because I wanted to know if it ever improved. Not really, but I'll still read her books.
Eve's son Tyler has XP. That rare condition where he can't be exposed to ultraviolet light at all. His chances of a full life are slim since most kids that have the condition don't make it until their 20th birthday.
Eve goes all out to protect her son. She makes sure all the neighbors never come in the cul-de-sac with their car lights on, don't use halogen lights, and pushes her daughter Melissa and husband to the side in order to protect Tyler.
Then Eve's best friend young daughter goes missing.
This book reads like a lifetime movie.
The Big Deepest Secret is revealed almost at the start of the book and it's all about keeping that secret. It got very, very tedious.
Then as the story moves along you find out the all the characters are keeping some kind of secrets. By that time...I didn't give a shit.
All the ways in which they've worked to protect this house from the sun had only allowed the darkness to creep inside.
I did finish the book because I wanted to know if it ever improved. Not really, but I'll still read her books.
April 1, 2017
I enjoyed the conversation with my book club about The Deepest Secret more than I liked the book itself. Buckley has written a world in which everybody has secrets. Discovering what those secrets are is the point of this thriller about a cul-de-sac and its occupants.
Tyler, one of the main characters, has XP, a disease in which his skin can burn at the slightest exposure to UV rays. So, most of his portion of the story takes place at night, when he can safely go outside: "He goes over to the bridge and shines his flashlight down into the water. Minnows dart in every direction, shivery brown shapes. Rosemary had once told him that fish stayed awake all night, just like him. That had comforted him, knowing that someone else was awake besides him and the crickets." pg 19 He sees all sorts of crazy stuff.
Tyler's mom, Eve, has gone into mothering overdrive because of her son's illness: "She misses the carefree person she used to be, that joyful girl. Being Tyler's mother has turned her into someone who's endlessly vigilant. She tortures herself with horrifying scenarios just so she can come up with a plan." No fun.
Eve's relationship with her husband is understandably screwed up because of the way she behaves about her son. He is generally absent and works in another city. Tyler has an older sister who doesn't get the attention she needs because her bro is sick all the time.
And that's just one family. Now add about a dozen other characters and you begin to get the feel of The Deepest Secret. I never had trouble keeping anyone straight, but there are a lot of characters.
The best part of the conversation with the book club centered around the idea of secrets and "normalcy." One of our members said that if we could point to one person who was normal, then he could show us someone else who was not. The point being that "normal" doesn't really exist. It's just some sort of pie-in-the-sky ideal that we tell ourselves about each other.
The Deepest Secret had me questioning the unseen lives of those around me from others in my neighborhood to the people next door. It was an unnerving feeling but not necessarily unpleasant. Pick this one up if you want to shake your view of reality a bit. Or if you want to feel like someone is peeking through the windows of your home at all of your mundane moments. Because, it's not like you have anything to hide... do you?
Tyler, one of the main characters, has XP, a disease in which his skin can burn at the slightest exposure to UV rays. So, most of his portion of the story takes place at night, when he can safely go outside: "He goes over to the bridge and shines his flashlight down into the water. Minnows dart in every direction, shivery brown shapes. Rosemary had once told him that fish stayed awake all night, just like him. That had comforted him, knowing that someone else was awake besides him and the crickets." pg 19 He sees all sorts of crazy stuff.
Tyler's mom, Eve, has gone into mothering overdrive because of her son's illness: "She misses the carefree person she used to be, that joyful girl. Being Tyler's mother has turned her into someone who's endlessly vigilant. She tortures herself with horrifying scenarios just so she can come up with a plan." No fun.
Eve's relationship with her husband is understandably screwed up because of the way she behaves about her son. He is generally absent and works in another city. Tyler has an older sister who doesn't get the attention she needs because her bro is sick all the time.
And that's just one family. Now add about a dozen other characters and you begin to get the feel of The Deepest Secret. I never had trouble keeping anyone straight, but there are a lot of characters.
The best part of the conversation with the book club centered around the idea of secrets and "normalcy." One of our members said that if we could point to one person who was normal, then he could show us someone else who was not. The point being that "normal" doesn't really exist. It's just some sort of pie-in-the-sky ideal that we tell ourselves about each other.
The Deepest Secret had me questioning the unseen lives of those around me from others in my neighborhood to the people next door. It was an unnerving feeling but not necessarily unpleasant. Pick this one up if you want to shake your view of reality a bit. Or if you want to feel like someone is peeking through the windows of your home at all of your mundane moments. Because, it's not like you have anything to hide... do you?
February 5, 2014
The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley is being compared to Jodi Picoult and William Landay and for once I don't feel like the book blurbs have gotten the comparison completely wrong. This compelling novel follows the lives of a family that seems to be falling apart by the seams regardless of the efforts of the matriarch Eve Lattimore. This isn't the familiar story of a dysfunctional family that readers won't feel any sympathy for, but in fact the opposite.
By all appearances, the Lattimore family is the picturesque suburban family but what sets them apart is their son. Tyler, fourteen years old, wants nothing more than to be a normal person. He wants to enjoy life, maybe see the world outside of the shadows he's been forced into, to just sit in a classroom with his classmates. He just needs the one enzyme out of thousands in order to be normal instead but instead he battles for his life by a very powerful foe named XP. XP makes it so he's unable to be exposed to the sun. In an effort to get outside, he traverse the Ohio terrain and pears into the lives of his neighbors.
One of these neighbors could possibly be holding the secret of what's happened to a local girl who's gone missing. The same girl is the daughter to his mother Eve's best friend. Tyler thinks he may know who is the cause of her disappearance. We are privy to his internal struggle with letting this information known all the while knowing who the actual culprit may in fact be.
When I began this book I wasn't sure what to think but I was excited after reading the blurb, and a little skeptical, when it was compared to Picoult and Landay. I've read at least one book by both authors and liked them tremendously so to say I was interested is an understatement. What Carla Buckley does, like those authors, is draw the reader in by painting a vivid portrait of a family that readers can't help but to relate to. The Lattimore family is given so much depth I felt like I was a guest in their home documenting their every move.
I usually loathe female teenage characters such as Melissa, Tyler's older sister, and for a while there she did nothing to dissuade that emotion. Before long, Buckley manages to humanize her and bring forth her true anguish. She lives in a world where she comes last. She battles the guilt of being healthy all the while thanking her lucky stars she isn't the one with an expected lifespan of age twenty. Sure she seems like a brat, but it's only because she's invisible. She is forced into a world of shadows only her shadow is emotional rather than life or death.
Then there's David. David Lattimore, the family patriarch, lives primarily in DC and only visits his family on the weekends. During those visits he's still working. Someone's gotta pay the bills that rack up in caring for his son. He seems like the distant father who occasionally forgets how serious his son's illness is, yet... why would he want to come home to a place where his wife barely looks at him. Their marriage is constantly being in the balance and the tension drips from the page whenever he is with his wife Eve.
Eve...Eve...Eve... I wanted so much to like her. Hell! I do like her. She's tried to do everything she can to make sure her son lives. She believes that if she isn't around Tyler has no one. Eve obsessively counts minutes, hours, sun ups, sun downs, whatever she needs to in order to make sure Tyler's needs are met. She ensures the doctors know about every exposure on Tyler's body, coordinates all his doctor appointments, and even researches cameras in an effort to support his love of photography. Eve does it all... yet... she falls short for me. I think I dislike her because I want her to understand that the UV-proof home she's created has cost her much more than what she realizes she'll lose if her deepest secrets surface.
Ultimately, for me, The Deepest Secret meant so much than the mystery and suspense it promised. What kept me turning the pages for this novel is how involved with this family I became. The exploration of the depths that one will go to keep their lives together for the people they love did not fall on deaf ears here and I absolutely recommend this novel to anyone who's a fan of Jodi Picoult and William Landay. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Copy provided by Bantam Books/Random House Publishing via Netgalley
By all appearances, the Lattimore family is the picturesque suburban family but what sets them apart is their son. Tyler, fourteen years old, wants nothing more than to be a normal person. He wants to enjoy life, maybe see the world outside of the shadows he's been forced into, to just sit in a classroom with his classmates. He just needs the one enzyme out of thousands in order to be normal instead but instead he battles for his life by a very powerful foe named XP. XP makes it so he's unable to be exposed to the sun. In an effort to get outside, he traverse the Ohio terrain and pears into the lives of his neighbors.
One of these neighbors could possibly be holding the secret of what's happened to a local girl who's gone missing. The same girl is the daughter to his mother Eve's best friend. Tyler thinks he may know who is the cause of her disappearance. We are privy to his internal struggle with letting this information known all the while knowing who the actual culprit may in fact be.
When I began this book I wasn't sure what to think but I was excited after reading the blurb, and a little skeptical, when it was compared to Picoult and Landay. I've read at least one book by both authors and liked them tremendously so to say I was interested is an understatement. What Carla Buckley does, like those authors, is draw the reader in by painting a vivid portrait of a family that readers can't help but to relate to. The Lattimore family is given so much depth I felt like I was a guest in their home documenting their every move.
I usually loathe female teenage characters such as Melissa, Tyler's older sister, and for a while there she did nothing to dissuade that emotion. Before long, Buckley manages to humanize her and bring forth her true anguish. She lives in a world where she comes last. She battles the guilt of being healthy all the while thanking her lucky stars she isn't the one with an expected lifespan of age twenty. Sure she seems like a brat, but it's only because she's invisible. She is forced into a world of shadows only her shadow is emotional rather than life or death.
Then there's David. David Lattimore, the family patriarch, lives primarily in DC and only visits his family on the weekends. During those visits he's still working. Someone's gotta pay the bills that rack up in caring for his son. He seems like the distant father who occasionally forgets how serious his son's illness is, yet... why would he want to come home to a place where his wife barely looks at him. Their marriage is constantly being in the balance and the tension drips from the page whenever he is with his wife Eve.
Eve...Eve...Eve... I wanted so much to like her. Hell! I do like her. She's tried to do everything she can to make sure her son lives. She believes that if she isn't around Tyler has no one. Eve obsessively counts minutes, hours, sun ups, sun downs, whatever she needs to in order to make sure Tyler's needs are met. She ensures the doctors know about every exposure on Tyler's body, coordinates all his doctor appointments, and even researches cameras in an effort to support his love of photography. Eve does it all... yet... she falls short for me. I think I dislike her because I want her to understand that the UV-proof home she's created has cost her much more than what she realizes she'll lose if her deepest secrets surface.
Ultimately, for me, The Deepest Secret meant so much than the mystery and suspense it promised. What kept me turning the pages for this novel is how involved with this family I became. The exploration of the depths that one will go to keep their lives together for the people they love did not fall on deaf ears here and I absolutely recommend this novel to anyone who's a fan of Jodi Picoult and William Landay. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Copy provided by Bantam Books/Random House Publishing via Netgalley
April 20, 2014
How far would you go to save your children? For many parents, you don’t even see a line. In your mind, it doesn’t exist. You’d do whatever it takes. Special film for windows, creams, ointments, face masks, friend screening, and neighbor counseling sessions are only the tip of the iceberg. You’d probably shoot out halogen lights with a shotgun from your front porch with a bottle of Jack standing ready by your side. You’d wheedle and cajole and squeeze out one more day, one more month, or one more year for your son or daughter, even if it meant another child or two ended up with the short straw out of the haystack.
Even though the prose poked me in the nose, and the poignant conversations left me feeling complete and fulfilled, I hated every last one of the sons-a-bitches in THE DEEPEST SECRET. From Eve to Tyler to Melissa to David to Charlotte to Holly, I could have punched them individually or as a group, and that still might not have been enough. I’d hoped for a sympathetic character, and instead, I had a slew of misfits and miscreants who might have been better served on The Jerry Springer Show.
It was hard to dig myself out of the funk of despair that permeated throughout the pages, with lies and isolation and deception rising up from the blackness and wrapping around my neck. There’s talent at work here—I have no doubt—but I need a character that I can stand behind without worrying about taking an elbow to the chin.
On a totally unrelated note, I’d have to say the following was my favorite line of the entire novel: “The Steelers rolled over the Eagles.” Had this been discussed in a bit more detail, I might have found myself rising up out of the muck, even if it was only briefly.
I received this ARC for free at Bouchercon.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
Even though the prose poked me in the nose, and the poignant conversations left me feeling complete and fulfilled, I hated every last one of the sons-a-bitches in THE DEEPEST SECRET. From Eve to Tyler to Melissa to David to Charlotte to Holly, I could have punched them individually or as a group, and that still might not have been enough. I’d hoped for a sympathetic character, and instead, I had a slew of misfits and miscreants who might have been better served on The Jerry Springer Show.
It was hard to dig myself out of the funk of despair that permeated throughout the pages, with lies and isolation and deception rising up from the blackness and wrapping around my neck. There’s talent at work here—I have no doubt—but I need a character that I can stand behind without worrying about taking an elbow to the chin.
On a totally unrelated note, I’d have to say the following was my favorite line of the entire novel: “The Steelers rolled over the Eagles.” Had this been discussed in a bit more detail, I might have found myself rising up out of the muck, even if it was only briefly.
I received this ARC for free at Bouchercon.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
November 2, 2013
Thank you Random House for providing an e-galley of The Deepest Secret prior to its February 2014 release.
I take the privilege of reading and commenting on a book not yet released quite seriously. I have sat for two days thinking about The Deepest Secret before expressing my thoughts. It's a hard book to peg and to rate. There were things I absolutely loved about it and others that gave made me want to stop reading. This is neither good nor bad, just the way I felt. On reflection, I've decided there is a great deal here to discuss, to give one pause, and to examine my own sense of right and wrong.
The Deepest Secret is described as a story that examines the lengths you'd go to protect your child. I am fascinated by this topic in fiction and have read many takes on the issue. The plot: Thirteen year old Tyler Lattimore is has the rare disease XP (Xeroderma pigmentosum) which makes him extremely sensitive to light. It's a genetic disorder with little chance for survival. Most with the disease don't live past age twenty. Tyler's mother, Eve, has dedicated her life to keeping Tyler safe. This goes well beyond the walls of their home, radiating out to neighborhood and community. One dark and rainy night a neighborhood girl, a friend almost like a member of their own family, goes missing. This incidence will change all their lives forever. Viewpoint is described in alternating chapters by the main characters.
In families with terminally ill children a marriage can suffer, another child can take a back seat and feel left out. This is the case with the Lattimore family and this struggle alone makes The Deepest Secret worth reading. Though I think Eve does fill the role of protector some of her actions seemed less this than self-serving to me. A good book discussion could change my mind.
The Deepest Secret is a complex study of a family trying to balance everyone's needs. It is heartbreaking at times. I wished Tyler's struggles with his illness would have been fleshed out more. This was very interesting. Buckley does give us a glimpse of this but the focus is definitely on the Eve, and I'm certain this was her intent.
There were some disjointed parts for me, not always smooth reading where all made sense. I felt I missed an explanation or didn't quite get a scene, perhaps my own fault. This unease explains my 3 star rating though overall I found the plot works and I can recommend it.
I take the privilege of reading and commenting on a book not yet released quite seriously. I have sat for two days thinking about The Deepest Secret before expressing my thoughts. It's a hard book to peg and to rate. There were things I absolutely loved about it and others that gave made me want to stop reading. This is neither good nor bad, just the way I felt. On reflection, I've decided there is a great deal here to discuss, to give one pause, and to examine my own sense of right and wrong.
The Deepest Secret is described as a story that examines the lengths you'd go to protect your child. I am fascinated by this topic in fiction and have read many takes on the issue. The plot: Thirteen year old Tyler Lattimore is has the rare disease XP (Xeroderma pigmentosum) which makes him extremely sensitive to light. It's a genetic disorder with little chance for survival. Most with the disease don't live past age twenty. Tyler's mother, Eve, has dedicated her life to keeping Tyler safe. This goes well beyond the walls of their home, radiating out to neighborhood and community. One dark and rainy night a neighborhood girl, a friend almost like a member of their own family, goes missing. This incidence will change all their lives forever. Viewpoint is described in alternating chapters by the main characters.
In families with terminally ill children a marriage can suffer, another child can take a back seat and feel left out. This is the case with the Lattimore family and this struggle alone makes The Deepest Secret worth reading. Though I think Eve does fill the role of protector some of her actions seemed less this than self-serving to me. A good book discussion could change my mind.
The Deepest Secret is a complex study of a family trying to balance everyone's needs. It is heartbreaking at times. I wished Tyler's struggles with his illness would have been fleshed out more. This was very interesting. Buckley does give us a glimpse of this but the focus is definitely on the Eve, and I'm certain this was her intent.
There were some disjointed parts for me, not always smooth reading where all made sense. I felt I missed an explanation or didn't quite get a scene, perhaps my own fault. This unease explains my 3 star rating though overall I found the plot works and I can recommend it.
April 13, 2015
We find out what the Deepest Secret is quite early in the book, and after that it just drags.
To me, the story was poorly written and on occasion confusing.
I found the characters flat and boring, so much so that when I started reading again after a break I had trouble remembering who was who. Eve annoyed me, David was insipid and I didn't like Tyler or his sister Melissa.
The only reason I finished reading it was because I wanted to find out how it would be resolved, which was just a little too pat.
Disappointing.
October 2, 2015
Imagine if you had a child who was allergic to sunlight? What lengths would you go to protect him from what to them is life threatening? This is the situation facing Eve and David Lattimore when their son Tyler is diagnosed with XP (Xeroderma pigmentosum). And it is not only sunlight that is the problem but any UV light which includes that from halogen bulbs. Blackout curtains, birthday parties at night, and a neighbourhood all asked to use non-halogen globes in their homes are just some of the changes that Eve has to make to keep Tyler safe. Even ensuring street lights in their cul-de-sac are not lit and people have to turn off car headlights on are other measures. It sounds extreme but it is the price of trying to keep Tyler safe. Most of this is left to Eve, as her husband David is working elsewhere and only coming home on weekends. Little wonder that Eve feels like she is dealing with too much all on her own. But at least she has her good friend Charlotte nearby. Then one night tragedy strikes for Eve and for her good friend. Eve makes a choice and then has to live with the consequences of that choice.
This story had me riveted from the start. Told largely by Eve, David, and Tyler, who can only come out of the house at night, this shows different views of the lives this family leads. Tyler also gives the reader insights into some of the others in the neighbourhood who have their own secrets that happen behind closed doors. I read a lot of this book at 2 or 3am when I couldn’t sleep. Somehow it seemed appropriate reading it in hours of darkness and added to the atmosphere.
Despite her shocking decision made one night on a rainy road and the subsequent litany of lies that follow, the writer somehow evoked sympathy for Eve. David, I found much harder to relate to. The reader sees how the lifestyle required to keep Tyler safe has impacted his sister Melissa. The characters were well drawn, if not always likeable. Some of them were decidedly strange. I enjoyed most of this book though wasn’t entirely convinced about the ending. It seemed a bit rushed. Still it is an interesting read.
This story had me riveted from the start. Told largely by Eve, David, and Tyler, who can only come out of the house at night, this shows different views of the lives this family leads. Tyler also gives the reader insights into some of the others in the neighbourhood who have their own secrets that happen behind closed doors. I read a lot of this book at 2 or 3am when I couldn’t sleep. Somehow it seemed appropriate reading it in hours of darkness and added to the atmosphere.
Despite her shocking decision made one night on a rainy road and the subsequent litany of lies that follow, the writer somehow evoked sympathy for Eve. David, I found much harder to relate to. The reader sees how the lifestyle required to keep Tyler safe has impacted his sister Melissa. The characters were well drawn, if not always likeable. Some of them were decidedly strange. I enjoyed most of this book though wasn’t entirely convinced about the ending. It seemed a bit rushed. Still it is an interesting read.
November 2, 2015
Gute 3 Sterne! Meine Meinung zum Buch gibt es hier: http://dasblondinchen.blogspot.de/201...
January 19, 2014
I gave this five stars because it has that one quality that I think defines a good book--I couldn't put it down. I started it one night before bed and didn't stop reading until the afternoon of the next day! I had to keep reading to see how everything resolved itself.
I mistakenly thought this book would be an insular family drama dealing with the harsh realities of having a child with XP. People with XP cannot stand UV light--it burns and blisters their skin and then causes mutations at a level that almost ensure cancer growth. This book though, is about so much more than XP. It's not just a family drama--it is a crime drama, a neighborhood drama, personal dramas. Buckley does a fantastic job of reeling the reader in with well-constructed, colorful, emotional characters. Each character has their petty dramas, personal conflicts, and moral failings. Without giving any spoilers, this book goes from seemingly ho-hum to thrilling in no time at all.
I mistakenly thought this book would be an insular family drama dealing with the harsh realities of having a child with XP. People with XP cannot stand UV light--it burns and blisters their skin and then causes mutations at a level that almost ensure cancer growth. This book though, is about so much more than XP. It's not just a family drama--it is a crime drama, a neighborhood drama, personal dramas. Buckley does a fantastic job of reeling the reader in with well-constructed, colorful, emotional characters. Each character has their petty dramas, personal conflicts, and moral failings. Without giving any spoilers, this book goes from seemingly ho-hum to thrilling in no time at all.
August 6, 2016
This novel begs the question... How well do you really know the people around you??? I've learned to never say never... under certain circumstances many will make questionable decisions either to protect themselves or to protect the ones they love!!! This was a compelling novel that kept me wanting to find out how all the secrets would reveal themselves!!!
March 11, 2016
As usual I received this book because it showed up in the mail without the need to purchase it. Unusually, I don't seem to be able to track down exactly why it showed up. I am forced to assume it was a direct publisher giveaway of some sort. Nevertheless, my candid thoughts follow.
You've doubtless read the blurb so I won't make even the smallest attempt to resummarize the summary. The narrative is written in round-robin narrative from the viewpoint of our protagonist, Tyler, who can't be exposed to even the faintest shadow of sunlight, lest he die, his mother, his father and a few random viewpoints thrown in for fun.
On the positive side the whole thing is pretty attention-grabbing. At 450 pages or so I sat through most of it in one prolonged 4-hour stretch. It has a well-executed narrative flair that pulls you along at just the right pace. The writing and editing are all very tight and exceptionally dramatic. This is one of the best executed books I've read in a long time. Highly recommended to anyone except the deepest recluse without friend or family. The book draws much of its power from the "What if this were my family?" spirit.
The book's central theme, as anyone reading the title will no doubt guess, is that we all have our inner little bits that we don't show anyone. Some of those bits are dark and some of those are light and some of them are a bit of both. Buckley's true triumph is the realism with which she paints this narrative. Everyone has a secret something and some stay secret, some come to light and devour the secret-holder and some you just get away with. There's no big happy bow at the end of this one; sometimes a secret is just too big.
In summary, I hesitate to use the cliche terms that usually go here but this book really does keep the pages turning. The page count is somewhat deceptive as you can pound through this light reading pretty quickly. Glad it arrived at my doorstep, even if I don't really know why it did so.
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
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You've doubtless read the blurb so I won't make even the smallest attempt to resummarize the summary. The narrative is written in round-robin narrative from the viewpoint of our protagonist, Tyler, who can't be exposed to even the faintest shadow of sunlight, lest he die, his mother, his father and a few random viewpoints thrown in for fun.
On the positive side the whole thing is pretty attention-grabbing. At 450 pages or so I sat through most of it in one prolonged 4-hour stretch. It has a well-executed narrative flair that pulls you along at just the right pace. The writing and editing are all very tight and exceptionally dramatic. This is one of the best executed books I've read in a long time. Highly recommended to anyone except the deepest recluse without friend or family. The book draws much of its power from the "What if this were my family?" spirit.
The book's central theme, as anyone reading the title will no doubt guess, is that we all have our inner little bits that we don't show anyone. Some of those bits are dark and some of those are light and some of them are a bit of both. Buckley's true triumph is the realism with which she paints this narrative. Everyone has a secret something and some stay secret, some come to light and devour the secret-holder and some you just get away with. There's no big happy bow at the end of this one; sometimes a secret is just too big.
In summary, I hesitate to use the cliche terms that usually go here but this book really does keep the pages turning. The page count is somewhat deceptive as you can pound through this light reading pretty quickly. Glad it arrived at my doorstep, even if I don't really know why it did so.
--
Rob Slaven
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tatteredthread/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile...
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RobSlave...
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March 16, 2014
I hate giving books one star, and this one started out with so much promise. A woman is the mother of a boy with a rare disorder that causes his skin to burn easily in the sun, causing cancer. One night, something horrible happens to the mother that causes her life to change dramatically. And then the book just drags...and drags...and drags....it's 400 pages long and almost nothing happens. The writing is not exactly top notch, and the characters are far from well written as well. It's a shame because I kept hoping for a twist or a turn, but sadly, there were none!
January 19, 2016
Wow! Carla Buckley's The Deepest Secret is true to its name in so many ways! Everyone has a secret and family members are protecting one another. This is my first book by Carla and was blown away! I had a 12 hr drive ahead of me, and the audio kept me engaged for the duration of my long road trip from NC to South Florida.
Without giving away the details – the novel was brilliantly written, emotional and suspenseful from beginning to end. There was so much going on with each of the characters, drawing you in to uncover each of their secrets. Reminds me of Wisteria Lane, (Desperate Housewives), as you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
The family dynamics were at an all time high in this neighborhood! I especially loved the character, Tyler and his daily struggle with the rare condition of XP and UV rays, living in darkness. In addition, his mom, Eve was a strong woman, making it her life’s mission and obsession to protect her son at all costs.
The Deepest Secret is about love and forgiveness and family. You cannot even put yourself in this family’s position, until you live their life. A page turner, this novel would be ideal for book clubs and further discussions from different viewpoints of the characters.
I have read all of Jodi Picoult’s books and a huge fan, and yes, if you love her work, you will love this compelling “The Deepest Secret” (movie worthy)! I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
Be sure and read her upcoming, The Good Goodbye- another winner.
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
Top 30 Books of 2014
Without giving away the details – the novel was brilliantly written, emotional and suspenseful from beginning to end. There was so much going on with each of the characters, drawing you in to uncover each of their secrets. Reminds me of Wisteria Lane, (Desperate Housewives), as you never know what goes on behind closed doors.
The family dynamics were at an all time high in this neighborhood! I especially loved the character, Tyler and his daily struggle with the rare condition of XP and UV rays, living in darkness. In addition, his mom, Eve was a strong woman, making it her life’s mission and obsession to protect her son at all costs.
The Deepest Secret is about love and forgiveness and family. You cannot even put yourself in this family’s position, until you live their life. A page turner, this novel would be ideal for book clubs and further discussions from different viewpoints of the characters.
I have read all of Jodi Picoult’s books and a huge fan, and yes, if you love her work, you will love this compelling “The Deepest Secret” (movie worthy)! I look forward to reading more from this talented author.
Be sure and read her upcoming, The Good Goodbye- another winner.
Judith D. Collins Must Read Books
Top 30 Books of 2014
April 18, 2014
This was a Library Thing, Early Reviewers, Advance Readers copy that I won. More like 3.5 stars.
Although I liked this book, I didn't love it. Judging from some of the other reviews I must have very high expectations. We find out fairly early on what "The Deepest Secret" is, and then we are waiting until we get to the end of the book to see how this secret affects everyone's lives. I think I may have liked the book more if it was shorter because it was a bit draggy to me at times. Although I was interested in what would happen to the characters, I never felt as though the book was so good I couldn't put it down. I never cried, and I may have laughed once or twice, but that was it. The subject matter was unique and interesting, but I kept wanting more. The ending made sense and that was it. I really expected to find out more about the neighbors.....it seemed as though there would be some interesting revelations, but there really wasn't. Overall the book was pretty good, but I think it could have been better.
Although I liked this book, I didn't love it. Judging from some of the other reviews I must have very high expectations. We find out fairly early on what "The Deepest Secret" is, and then we are waiting until we get to the end of the book to see how this secret affects everyone's lives. I think I may have liked the book more if it was shorter because it was a bit draggy to me at times. Although I was interested in what would happen to the characters, I never felt as though the book was so good I couldn't put it down. I never cried, and I may have laughed once or twice, but that was it. The subject matter was unique and interesting, but I kept wanting more. The ending made sense and that was it. I really expected to find out more about the neighbors.....it seemed as though there would be some interesting revelations, but there really wasn't. Overall the book was pretty good, but I think it could have been better.
April 14, 2014
Seems like this book continued on forever. You find out the secret early on and then you're stuck waiting 300+ pages to find out the consequences. Yawn.
May 14, 2018
Psst...Can you keep a secret? Even if it cuts you off from those you love the most? Even if your guilt riddles you every waking moment? What if telling won't change the situation for the better or at least that is what you believe at the beginning? What if you realize that someone you love may pay the cost of your secrecy? What do you do when nothing ends up the way you had expected? How do you get back to normal when life has indelibly changed?
Carla Buckley's brilliant psychological thriller has the reader in her grip as the secret keeper must remain silent as life unfolds following an unfortunate event. As the mystery surrounding the tragedy unravels, suspicions among neighbors, family and friends create ongoing tension that pushes some characters to their emotional limit. As the police gain greater insights, tensions and insecurities morph into new lies and greater distress. Where will it all lead?
Buckley understands human dynamics: desire, fear, motivation and rationalization. As we experience the dilemmas of the primary characters, we commiserate with their thought processes the while at the same time being conflicted with their choices. We pause and ask, what would we do if faced with the same predicament? We also question ourselves, as to how well do we really know those we love the most?
I enjoyed "The Deepest Secret" immensely! It receives a high recommendation, as a superbly written psychological thriller that grips you and causes you to ponder long after the final page.
Thank you to Amazon Vine for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. 3/15
Carla Buckley's brilliant psychological thriller has the reader in her grip as the secret keeper must remain silent as life unfolds following an unfortunate event. As the mystery surrounding the tragedy unravels, suspicions among neighbors, family and friends create ongoing tension that pushes some characters to their emotional limit. As the police gain greater insights, tensions and insecurities morph into new lies and greater distress. Where will it all lead?
Buckley understands human dynamics: desire, fear, motivation and rationalization. As we experience the dilemmas of the primary characters, we commiserate with their thought processes the while at the same time being conflicted with their choices. We pause and ask, what would we do if faced with the same predicament? We also question ourselves, as to how well do we really know those we love the most?
I enjoyed "The Deepest Secret" immensely! It receives a high recommendation, as a superbly written psychological thriller that grips you and causes you to ponder long after the final page.
Thank you to Amazon Vine for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. 3/15
December 22, 2013
The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley follows the Lattimore family in Ohio (and Washington D.C.) daily for seventeen days, from August 28 - September 13, and then jumps to a final day on April 15th. Eve Lattimore lives in the family home in Ohio with her two teenage children, Melissa (16) and Tyler (just turned 14), while her husband, David, commutes to his job in Washington D.C. Fourteen-year-old Tyler suffers from XP, xeroderma pigmentosum, a rare skin disease that makes sunlight, or any UV rays, deadly. He cannot go out into the sunlight or be exposed to any lights that give off UV rays. Eve is hyper-vigilant to protect Tyler. He must remained locked in his room until the sun sets and go back before the sun rises. Even with all her ardent safe guards in place, Tyler will likely not live past the age of 20.
While Eve is protecting Tyler, her angsty daughter, Melissa, is going through some secret drama and her personality noticeably changes. Eve and David's marriage is also suffering as he is only home on the weekends. He would like his family to move with him, but Eve won't consider it. The Lattimore family is already on edge, living a tense regimented life when the unthinkable happens. Eve covers up a terrible accident. Rather than call 911, Eve leaves the scene, continuing to the airport. Her overwhelming thought is that she is the only one who can care for Tyler.
As the whole neighborhood is pulled into the drama caused by Eve's choice, the police become involved and the media is overtaking their quiet neighborhood. Eve still feels she is keeping Tyler safe. Unknown to her, however, is Tyler's secret wanderings at night when he leaves the house to take pictures - and look in his neighbor's houses and see what secrets they are keeping. And Eve isn't the only one keeping a secret. Everyone in her family is - as well as all the neighbors.
This is a family drama that just keeps going as the list of problems and complications grows with each passing day. The Deepest Secret does favorably compare to a Jodi Picoult novel. It is first and foremost a family drama which is combined with some aspects of a thriller. It will certainly keep your attention right to the end. It begs the question how much can you really protect your children?
The story is told through the viewpoint of Eve, David, and Tyler, so you are privy to their thoughts and can understand their actions based on that information. However you need to know that none of the characters in The Deepest Secret are likeable. Not one. Additionally the ending seemed rather abrupt after the day by day accounting and high tension the drama created through most of the book. In some ways, though, the tension created over the course of days depicted here will give the reader a taste of the constant tension and stress Tyler's XP put the Lattimores under and how that constant stress could easily lead to the breakdown of a family. Even a tiny amount of tension added to their already overburdened lives could be overwhelming, so what will happen if a huge amount of stress is added?
I Very Highly Recommend The Deepest Secret. The fact that I read it in a day says it all.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley for review purposes.
Excerpt
http://www.carlabuckley.com/deepest-s...
While Eve is protecting Tyler, her angsty daughter, Melissa, is going through some secret drama and her personality noticeably changes. Eve and David's marriage is also suffering as he is only home on the weekends. He would like his family to move with him, but Eve won't consider it. The Lattimore family is already on edge, living a tense regimented life when the unthinkable happens. Eve covers up a terrible accident. Rather than call 911, Eve leaves the scene, continuing to the airport. Her overwhelming thought is that she is the only one who can care for Tyler.
As the whole neighborhood is pulled into the drama caused by Eve's choice, the police become involved and the media is overtaking their quiet neighborhood. Eve still feels she is keeping Tyler safe. Unknown to her, however, is Tyler's secret wanderings at night when he leaves the house to take pictures - and look in his neighbor's houses and see what secrets they are keeping. And Eve isn't the only one keeping a secret. Everyone in her family is - as well as all the neighbors.
This is a family drama that just keeps going as the list of problems and complications grows with each passing day. The Deepest Secret does favorably compare to a Jodi Picoult novel. It is first and foremost a family drama which is combined with some aspects of a thriller. It will certainly keep your attention right to the end. It begs the question how much can you really protect your children?
The story is told through the viewpoint of Eve, David, and Tyler, so you are privy to their thoughts and can understand their actions based on that information. However you need to know that none of the characters in The Deepest Secret are likeable. Not one. Additionally the ending seemed rather abrupt after the day by day accounting and high tension the drama created through most of the book. In some ways, though, the tension created over the course of days depicted here will give the reader a taste of the constant tension and stress Tyler's XP put the Lattimores under and how that constant stress could easily lead to the breakdown of a family. Even a tiny amount of tension added to their already overburdened lives could be overwhelming, so what will happen if a huge amount of stress is added?
I Very Highly Recommend The Deepest Secret. The fact that I read it in a day says it all.
Disclosure: My Kindle edition was courtesy of Random House via Netgalley for review purposes.
Excerpt
http://www.carlabuckley.com/deepest-s...
January 5, 2015
This book was very engaging, cleverly written and at times very touching and emotional. There are many layers to this story but I won't go into them all... I'll just highlight the parts of the book that drew me in the most.
The story is for the most part about the power of secrets. We all have them don't we?? Some aren't so bad, but others can be self destructive to ourselves and those around us. I love the way the author incorporated all of the different kinds of secrets people can have. It really drove home the point that we really don't know people as well as we think, even our closest friends and family.
I immediately connected with Eve and David. When they got married they had hopes and dreams... just a young couple in love. However, fate steps in and all is changed when their child is diagnosed with a rare condition called XP. UV rays are deadly to their son. Suddenly this family is thrown into a world of darkness and rigid schedules in order to protect Tyler. Eve becomes obsessed with protecting her son. He takes priority over everything and everyone else in her life. How this affected the dynamics of this family was very hard to read. It was like a ticking time bomb. Especially when Eve attempts to hide a very dark secret. I was both disappointed in Eve and at the same time empathetic. Some secrets are just too destructive to keep. They get deeply buried but react like an infection. And, before long the secret has made things worse and harder to fix.
There were so many "real life" emotions that were very easy for me to connect too because I have grown children and teenagers. So many of the thoughts coming from Eve and David I have experienced personally. One day you wake up and they are no longer yours... they have secrets... doors that were once open are now closed... this is very hard for parents to accept. You long to have that little boy/girl back that loves to cuddle, tells you everything and gets excited when they see you walk through the door. Learning to let go is probably the hardest thing parents have to do.
The story also dips into the lives of the neighbors in the cul de sac where Tyler and his family lives. The little girl across the street has gone missing and it has a devastating effect on the community. Little secrets are slowly revealed through Tyler's curious adventures in the neighborhood after dark with his camera.
I really have only touched the surface of this very compelling story. But, if I say too much it would spoil the experience. I think that this book will appeal very strongly to those who have completed the journey of raising children to those difficult teenage years and beyond. But, even if you haven't, everyone can relate to keeping secrets!
ARC was provided by the publisher via netgalley
www.ktbookreviews.com
The story is for the most part about the power of secrets. We all have them don't we?? Some aren't so bad, but others can be self destructive to ourselves and those around us. I love the way the author incorporated all of the different kinds of secrets people can have. It really drove home the point that we really don't know people as well as we think, even our closest friends and family.
I immediately connected with Eve and David. When they got married they had hopes and dreams... just a young couple in love. However, fate steps in and all is changed when their child is diagnosed with a rare condition called XP. UV rays are deadly to their son. Suddenly this family is thrown into a world of darkness and rigid schedules in order to protect Tyler. Eve becomes obsessed with protecting her son. He takes priority over everything and everyone else in her life. How this affected the dynamics of this family was very hard to read. It was like a ticking time bomb. Especially when Eve attempts to hide a very dark secret. I was both disappointed in Eve and at the same time empathetic. Some secrets are just too destructive to keep. They get deeply buried but react like an infection. And, before long the secret has made things worse and harder to fix.
There were so many "real life" emotions that were very easy for me to connect too because I have grown children and teenagers. So many of the thoughts coming from Eve and David I have experienced personally. One day you wake up and they are no longer yours... they have secrets... doors that were once open are now closed... this is very hard for parents to accept. You long to have that little boy/girl back that loves to cuddle, tells you everything and gets excited when they see you walk through the door. Learning to let go is probably the hardest thing parents have to do.
The story also dips into the lives of the neighbors in the cul de sac where Tyler and his family lives. The little girl across the street has gone missing and it has a devastating effect on the community. Little secrets are slowly revealed through Tyler's curious adventures in the neighborhood after dark with his camera.
I really have only touched the surface of this very compelling story. But, if I say too much it would spoil the experience. I think that this book will appeal very strongly to those who have completed the journey of raising children to those difficult teenage years and beyond. But, even if you haven't, everyone can relate to keeping secrets!
ARC was provided by the publisher via netgalley
www.ktbookreviews.com
January 23, 2014
I enjoyed reading this book. It's a little bit heavy hearted at times but it kept me engaged. The author's style of writing, how she tells the story makes the story flow and reads quickly. I found the characters to be very relatable and they felt very real to me. Everyone has secrets and its interesting to see how the main female protagonist struggles with the secret she is keeping and watching how it is affecting everyone around her.
October 19, 2018
This book is so horrible, I don't even know where to begin. Too many characters to keep up with and this has to be the most dysfunctional neighborhood ever. I refused to abandon the book only to finish it and regret that decision because nope....it never got better. Pick a different book and save yourself the 400+ pages of nothing.
April 11, 2019
I only finally picked up this domestic thriller because I needed something light to read at the end of my read-a-thon. I've been missing out! This gripped me from the first page. Even more impressively, the ending was just as shocking and satisfying as the neighborhood secrets sprinkled throughout. The family we focus on includes a son with "XP, a rare medical condition which makes him lethally sensitive to light" (source). This amps up the normal family dynamics in fascinating ways. But, in part because the dynamics were just extreme versions of ones that feel normal, I found them completely convincing. The way everyone's hidden lives came together didn't rely too heavily on coincidence and also felt very believable. With the great interpersonal dynamics, constant tension, and a satisfying ending, this is one of the best thrillers I've read in a long time.This review was originally posted on Doing Dewey
March 4, 2014
Carla Buckley's latest novel, The Deepest Secret, poses not only the question about how well do you know the people around you, but also that the line between right and wrong isn't always clearly defined. I was exited to read it after I enjoyed Buckley's The Things That Keep Us Here in 2012, and interested to find out more about Eve's son's condition.
Xeroderma pigmentosum (or XP) is a genetic disease in which the sufferer's ability to repair damage caused by UV light is deficient - in other words, XP sufferer's cannot step into sunlight or any other type of UV light such as halogen bulbs without suffering burns, and subsequently skin cancers. Eve and David's son Tyler was diagnosed with XP as a baby, and their whole lives have been adapted to keeping him safe - from nighttime birthday parties through to asking all their neighbours to use non-Halogen globes in their homes and having all the street lights in their cul-de-sac turned off.
Such is Eve's obsession with keeping her son safe, that her husband has taken a job in another state, travelling back and forth every weekend to spend time with his family, and starting to feel very disillusioned with his life. What makes this relationship stand out from all the standard 'troubled marriage' story lines however, is the obvious fact that he still loves his wife - he has regular flashbacks to what she was like when they first met, the beginnings of their relationship, and how she lived before Tyler's diagnosis.
Eve's best friend Charlotte, who is her complete opposite, also lives in the cul-de-sac, and many of the residents are on friendly terms with each other, attending Tyler's birthday party and obliging Eve's requests, but there are also a few rebels who refuse to go along with her security measures. Tyler's nightly forays reveal a few of their secrets to him, but there's not actually that many revelations about the neighbours themselves - more their reactions when another child vanishes in the night.
Although I'm not always keen on alternate POVs, they work well for The Deepest Secret - it very much suits the underlying theme of the novel to see events from multiple perspectives.
Eve is admirable in her dedication and sacrifice to her family, but it also means that she doesn't really have her own personality - it has been pretty much absorbed by her determination that Tyler will remain well and have as fulfilling a life as possible. And although it's easy to feel sympathy towards Tyler due to his condition, his frustration with his life makes him rather unpredictable and unlikable.
But what I did particularly enjoy about The Deepest Secret was the main theme of the storyline - that although people have very definite ideas about what is right and wrong when they are removed from the situation, when they are in the middle of it, it's very difficult to make that distinction. Buckley's storytelling made it easy for me to see why Eve did things in a certain way, and although I appreciated the realism of the ending, it did feel a little rushed and not completely logical to me.
Xeroderma pigmentosum (or XP) is a genetic disease in which the sufferer's ability to repair damage caused by UV light is deficient - in other words, XP sufferer's cannot step into sunlight or any other type of UV light such as halogen bulbs without suffering burns, and subsequently skin cancers. Eve and David's son Tyler was diagnosed with XP as a baby, and their whole lives have been adapted to keeping him safe - from nighttime birthday parties through to asking all their neighbours to use non-Halogen globes in their homes and having all the street lights in their cul-de-sac turned off.
Such is Eve's obsession with keeping her son safe, that her husband has taken a job in another state, travelling back and forth every weekend to spend time with his family, and starting to feel very disillusioned with his life. What makes this relationship stand out from all the standard 'troubled marriage' story lines however, is the obvious fact that he still loves his wife - he has regular flashbacks to what she was like when they first met, the beginnings of their relationship, and how she lived before Tyler's diagnosis.
Eve's best friend Charlotte, who is her complete opposite, also lives in the cul-de-sac, and many of the residents are on friendly terms with each other, attending Tyler's birthday party and obliging Eve's requests, but there are also a few rebels who refuse to go along with her security measures. Tyler's nightly forays reveal a few of their secrets to him, but there's not actually that many revelations about the neighbours themselves - more their reactions when another child vanishes in the night.
Although I'm not always keen on alternate POVs, they work well for The Deepest Secret - it very much suits the underlying theme of the novel to see events from multiple perspectives.
Eve is admirable in her dedication and sacrifice to her family, but it also means that she doesn't really have her own personality - it has been pretty much absorbed by her determination that Tyler will remain well and have as fulfilling a life as possible. And although it's easy to feel sympathy towards Tyler due to his condition, his frustration with his life makes him rather unpredictable and unlikable.
But what I did particularly enjoy about The Deepest Secret was the main theme of the storyline - that although people have very definite ideas about what is right and wrong when they are removed from the situation, when they are in the middle of it, it's very difficult to make that distinction. Buckley's storytelling made it easy for me to see why Eve did things in a certain way, and although I appreciated the realism of the ending, it did feel a little rushed and not completely logical to me.
May 21, 2014
Have you ever really sat down and asked yourself
How well do you know your own family, friends, neighbors and even yourself? How far would you go for your family? What secrets are you hiding?
What secrets are the people you love and know hiding?
In The Deepest Secret these questions are addressed and many more.
This is a novel about forgiveness and family secrets. Ethical questions are pondered upon both individually and socially leaving the reader lost in a sea of thought as you read and long after the cover is closed.
A halting novel, and the questions the reader will be answering are sharp. The story is extremely affecting in both 'secrets' as well as a family dealing with profound issues with the family unit tethering on the edge.
Accomplished narrative and an extremely fast paced read despite the page length. The narrative is told from the three main protagonists viewpoint (Eve, David and Tyler Lattimore) which allows a snap shot of feelings and unspoken thoughts. You feel as if you are in the head and heart of the main characters as much as the author allows.
Kudos to Buckley for introducing a rare illness - Xeroderma Pigmentosum a lethal sensitivity to light, which Tyler is suffering from. The reader is educated bringing awareness to such a rare illness and it works well into the storyline.
I was disappointed with the lack of character development. The characters are rather cold and fail to throw off any emotional feelings the reader can 'feel' and it is disappointing. I felt they were somewhat aloof and desensitized. I wish Buckley explored the characters deeper and exposed them in a raw and vulnerable manner. The reader is given a glimpse of the characters at a surface level when so much more could have been revealed.
Eve disappointed me greatly. I sympathize and empathize with her family situation, and goodness is her plate full, but her initial reaction to her 'secret' is appalling. She comes across as callus, hardly devastated by the incident, no real evidence of pangs of guilt, emotionally blank (fleeting, nothing prolonged). There is a cleft and Eve somewhat offsets her poor response. Once again perhaps if her character was more developed my point would be moot but her reaction killed the story for me. Eve's 'real' lack of feeling seems implausible and causes me to feel indecisive towards her. I am betwixt and between on the entire novel as a whole stretching my thinking with the ethical issues harnessing my attention.
The novel is full of suspense and a 'secret' is revealed early on gathering power. The narrative is troublesome and emotional. The questions and scenarios allow for plenty of discussion definitely making the novel worth a read. Highly suggest The Deepest Secret as a group/club read. The novel will leave you thinking for quite sometime.
Random House provided a copy in exchange for an honest review
In The Deepest Secret these questions are addressed and many more.
This is a novel about forgiveness and family secrets. Ethical questions are pondered upon both individually and socially leaving the reader lost in a sea of thought as you read and long after the cover is closed.
A halting novel, and the questions the reader will be answering are sharp. The story is extremely affecting in both 'secrets' as well as a family dealing with profound issues with the family unit tethering on the edge.
Accomplished narrative and an extremely fast paced read despite the page length. The narrative is told from the three main protagonists viewpoint (Eve, David and Tyler Lattimore) which allows a snap shot of feelings and unspoken thoughts. You feel as if you are in the head and heart of the main characters as much as the author allows.
Kudos to Buckley for introducing a rare illness - Xeroderma Pigmentosum a lethal sensitivity to light, which Tyler is suffering from. The reader is educated bringing awareness to such a rare illness and it works well into the storyline.
I was disappointed with the lack of character development. The characters are rather cold and fail to throw off any emotional feelings the reader can 'feel' and it is disappointing. I felt they were somewhat aloof and desensitized. I wish Buckley explored the characters deeper and exposed them in a raw and vulnerable manner. The reader is given a glimpse of the characters at a surface level when so much more could have been revealed.
Eve disappointed me greatly. I sympathize and empathize with her family situation, and goodness is her plate full, but her initial reaction to her 'secret' is appalling. She comes across as callus, hardly devastated by the incident, no real evidence of pangs of guilt, emotionally blank (fleeting, nothing prolonged). There is a cleft and Eve somewhat offsets her poor response. Once again perhaps if her character was more developed my point would be moot but her reaction killed the story for me. Eve's 'real' lack of feeling seems implausible and causes me to feel indecisive towards her. I am betwixt and between on the entire novel as a whole stretching my thinking with the ethical issues harnessing my attention.
The novel is full of suspense and a 'secret' is revealed early on gathering power. The narrative is troublesome and emotional. The questions and scenarios allow for plenty of discussion definitely making the novel worth a read. Highly suggest The Deepest Secret as a group/club read. The novel will leave you thinking for quite sometime.
Random House provided a copy in exchange for an honest review
July 24, 2016
4.0 out of 5 stars - What lengths would you go through to protect someone you loved?
I thought about this one overnight, deciding how to rate it. Even though it left a few unanswered questions and loose ends, I thought the topics raised within the story would make for a great book club discussion.
The novel is about an ordinary woman -- a wife, a mother of teenagers, a friend. Eve Lattimore has a son, Tyler, who has a rare medical condition that makes him so sensitive to light that exposure to any UV or sunlight could be fatal. So Tyler lives in a darkened boarded up room upstairs, allowed out only at night. He roams the streets and area surrounding the cul-de-sac that his family lives in, peeking in neighbors' windows, uncovering some secrets that can only be hidden under the cover of night. Because he's only 14, with limited outside interaction, he doesn't always fully process what he sees, and his basic drive for survival is tied very closely to his need to protect his family -- the ones who have safeguarded him for his entire life despite his champing at the bit for a little freedom and a normal existence. His desire to experience the normal joys of growing up is hampered by the fact that those with XP rarely make it to age 20 so he lives with the constant threat of death.
One stormy evening, Eve is on her way to the airport when something happens that will change the course of her life and all of those around her. The decisions she makes and the resultant consequences strain and rip the fabric of her relationships in her family and throughout the neighborhood. Does anyone really have control over another person -- and how can a mother fail to protect her child no matter what the cost? What secrets would you keep? What lies would you tell?
I think that it is true that you never really know another person -- you know what you are allowed to know. There are some things that people keep in the deep, dark recesses of their hearts and souls that are never let out to see the light of day. What are yours?
I really enjoyed this novel and will think about it for a long time to come. I had previously read Buckley's other novel: The Things that Keep Us Here, so I was happy to see that she had written another. Both of these books dealt with ordinary women forced to extremes by things that happen to their families. Highly recommended!
Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewer program for the ARC to review.
I thought about this one overnight, deciding how to rate it. Even though it left a few unanswered questions and loose ends, I thought the topics raised within the story would make for a great book club discussion.
The novel is about an ordinary woman -- a wife, a mother of teenagers, a friend. Eve Lattimore has a son, Tyler, who has a rare medical condition that makes him so sensitive to light that exposure to any UV or sunlight could be fatal. So Tyler lives in a darkened boarded up room upstairs, allowed out only at night. He roams the streets and area surrounding the cul-de-sac that his family lives in, peeking in neighbors' windows, uncovering some secrets that can only be hidden under the cover of night. Because he's only 14, with limited outside interaction, he doesn't always fully process what he sees, and his basic drive for survival is tied very closely to his need to protect his family -- the ones who have safeguarded him for his entire life despite his champing at the bit for a little freedom and a normal existence. His desire to experience the normal joys of growing up is hampered by the fact that those with XP rarely make it to age 20 so he lives with the constant threat of death.
One stormy evening, Eve is on her way to the airport when something happens that will change the course of her life and all of those around her. The decisions she makes and the resultant consequences strain and rip the fabric of her relationships in her family and throughout the neighborhood. Does anyone really have control over another person -- and how can a mother fail to protect her child no matter what the cost? What secrets would you keep? What lies would you tell?
I think that it is true that you never really know another person -- you know what you are allowed to know. There are some things that people keep in the deep, dark recesses of their hearts and souls that are never let out to see the light of day. What are yours?
I really enjoyed this novel and will think about it for a long time to come. I had previously read Buckley's other novel: The Things that Keep Us Here, so I was happy to see that she had written another. Both of these books dealt with ordinary women forced to extremes by things that happen to their families. Highly recommended!
Thank you to LibraryThing Early Reviewer program for the ARC to review.
March 5, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway which didn't influence my review.
This book had promise and an interesting premise with one of the characters, Tyler, a boy of fourteen, suffering from XP Syndrome, an inherited disease that caused him to be extremely sensitive to light. So sensitive, that even the sweep of a car's headlights across his face could cause blisters and other skin damage, leading to a fatal case of skin cancer. As a result, Tyler was a prisoner in his own room from sunrise to sunset. During the evening hours, he could join his family throughout the house, his home free of light sources containing UV rays. But unknown to his family, he had been extending his few hours of relative freedom in his home to include some freedom in his neighborhood, once his family went to sleep. During his nocturnal wanderings, observing his neighbors through windows and more, Tyler learns in the wake of a tragedy that everything and everyone is not as they seem, threatening the already fragile balance amongst his neighbors and his own fragmented family.
The story is told in present tense which I admit is not a favorite of mine as it seems unnatural to me. But setting that aside, I'll say I still wasn't happy with other elements in this book such as the one- dimensional and stereotypical characters, other than Tyler who was well-defined. And having the chapters alternate from his family members different viewpoints still didn't help their development along, even with quite a few of their thoughts written out, practically before each piece of dialogue. Most of the time, I found their thoughts distracting and unnecessary--too much tell and not enough show. Their thoughts could have been part of the dialogue or left out entirely, leaving more to the reader's imagination. There was also quite a bit of melodrama throughout the book that made me wish for a straight forward story of suspense and mystery.
Still, the story was an interesting one and moved quickly, the suspense building up through the end. So I would call this an average read, which was more of a family drama than anything. I really wish that Tyler had been its focus, though, with the story told through his eyes, the secrets unfolding as he learns a few truths. So while I can't really praise this book, neither would I suggest that anyone avoid reading it as long as you know what to expect, avoiding disappointment thinking the book might offer something more.
This book had promise and an interesting premise with one of the characters, Tyler, a boy of fourteen, suffering from XP Syndrome, an inherited disease that caused him to be extremely sensitive to light. So sensitive, that even the sweep of a car's headlights across his face could cause blisters and other skin damage, leading to a fatal case of skin cancer. As a result, Tyler was a prisoner in his own room from sunrise to sunset. During the evening hours, he could join his family throughout the house, his home free of light sources containing UV rays. But unknown to his family, he had been extending his few hours of relative freedom in his home to include some freedom in his neighborhood, once his family went to sleep. During his nocturnal wanderings, observing his neighbors through windows and more, Tyler learns in the wake of a tragedy that everything and everyone is not as they seem, threatening the already fragile balance amongst his neighbors and his own fragmented family.
The story is told in present tense which I admit is not a favorite of mine as it seems unnatural to me. But setting that aside, I'll say I still wasn't happy with other elements in this book such as the one- dimensional and stereotypical characters, other than Tyler who was well-defined. And having the chapters alternate from his family members different viewpoints still didn't help their development along, even with quite a few of their thoughts written out, practically before each piece of dialogue. Most of the time, I found their thoughts distracting and unnecessary--too much tell and not enough show. Their thoughts could have been part of the dialogue or left out entirely, leaving more to the reader's imagination. There was also quite a bit of melodrama throughout the book that made me wish for a straight forward story of suspense and mystery.
Still, the story was an interesting one and moved quickly, the suspense building up through the end. So I would call this an average read, which was more of a family drama than anything. I really wish that Tyler had been its focus, though, with the story told through his eyes, the secrets unfolding as he learns a few truths. So while I can't really praise this book, neither would I suggest that anyone avoid reading it as long as you know what to expect, avoiding disappointment thinking the book might offer something more.
July 25, 2014
Eve Lattimore is a struggling mother that is trying to make the best life for her son Tyler. Tyler is a ordinary boy but has a rare medical condition that prevents him from seeing light. Not only dos she worry about his condition, she wonders if she is not doing enough to provide him with the care that he desperately needs. Despite the fact that his Father is in his life, Eve does not think that he puts his work before his son. Much to his dismay, he thinks that his son is fine without his lingering presence and tries to convince Eve of this truth. Yet he has a hard time persuading her of that, hence their many arguments that leads nowhere. Furthermore her troublesome daughter Melissa is getting into more trouble than she will like.
Distant from her home, Eve runs over someone who she thinks is an animal. Distraught to find out that she ran over a good friend daughter and she is shaken to tell the truth. When she is questioned about her whereabouts, she pretends that she does not know the answer. As David tries to find peace in the midst of his chaotic life while still trying to be there for his son. Additionally as evidence becomes clearer, Eve is concerned that her life will be more crazier than ever.
I thought this was a very well crafted good dramatic novel. The characters were very redemptive, not only that but they were believable. For instance, I really liked Melissa contribution to the story. I thought she was a fickle character but she had so much potential to turn her life around. Furthermore,David reminded me a lot of people I know of that is trying to be there for their son. The family tensions surrounding Eve was great as well, thus this book was better than average.
The content of the story was memorable, great characterization and a remarkable ending.
I will recommend this book to anyone, it really highlighted the ups and downs of a family tragedy.
Distant from her home, Eve runs over someone who she thinks is an animal. Distraught to find out that she ran over a good friend daughter and she is shaken to tell the truth. When she is questioned about her whereabouts, she pretends that she does not know the answer. As David tries to find peace in the midst of his chaotic life while still trying to be there for his son. Additionally as evidence becomes clearer, Eve is concerned that her life will be more crazier than ever.
I thought this was a very well crafted good dramatic novel. The characters were very redemptive, not only that but they were believable. For instance, I really liked Melissa contribution to the story. I thought she was a fickle character but she had so much potential to turn her life around. Furthermore,David reminded me a lot of people I know of that is trying to be there for their son. The family tensions surrounding Eve was great as well, thus this book was better than average.
The content of the story was memorable, great characterization and a remarkable ending.
I will recommend this book to anyone, it really highlighted the ups and downs of a family tragedy.
November 6, 2013
Tylor just turned 14 and suffers from an extremely rare genetic disease called XD, meaning that sunlight and UV rays can kill him. He lives in a world of dark and twilight. His home is tailored for his condition and spends most of this time locked in the upstairs wing of his home with boarded windows and goes to school via Skype. He loves photography and sneaks out at nighttime to take pictures of animals, nature and spies on his neighbors who he never get to see during the daylight hours. His sister Melissa is 16 and is going through her own stuff and doesn’t have the time for him any more. His mother Eve has sacrificed her life to keep him safe and to take care of him. David, his father, works in DC and commutes back home to Ohio on the weekends. They live on a cul-de-sac with neighbors they know. Charlotte, her 11 year old daughter Amy, and boyfriend Robbie live across the street and Charlotte and Eve are best friends.
A tragedy strikes the little sleepy cul-de-sac which will not only have neighbor against neighbor but family members against family members when everybody has told lies and harbors secrets trying to protect those they love. The very fabric of life on the street will be stretched to tearing point and what happens in the aftermath of such tragedy.
I loved this book, it reminds me of Jodi Picoult but not as soul destroying heartbreaking like hers. There is heartache in this book, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not as harsh. It is a story of a mother who will do anything to protect her children and children who will do what they can to protect their family. I can’t recommend this book enough.
ARC provided by Netgalley.
A tragedy strikes the little sleepy cul-de-sac which will not only have neighbor against neighbor but family members against family members when everybody has told lies and harbors secrets trying to protect those they love. The very fabric of life on the street will be stretched to tearing point and what happens in the aftermath of such tragedy.
I loved this book, it reminds me of Jodi Picoult but not as soul destroying heartbreaking like hers. There is heartache in this book, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not as harsh. It is a story of a mother who will do anything to protect her children and children who will do what they can to protect their family. I can’t recommend this book enough.
ARC provided by Netgalley.
August 12, 2016
UGH...where to begin? There were so many problems with this book. It was scatterbrained and I felt like it never went to an editor before publication. Buckley had a lot of trouble with transitions. A character would be thinking or talking about one thing and literally in the next sentence a completely different subject or idea would be discussed. There were so many instances where I found myself shaking my head going "Wait. What? Where did that come from?" It made the story extremely difficult to follow and made all the characters seem, for lack of a better work, schizophrenic.
There were also too many instances in which I asked myself, "Who was the editor and how did they not catch that?" One specific example is that the main character Eve is in the kitchen with her two children at breakfast. He son swallows down his medication with a glass of milk. Her daughter sits at the table and asks if there is any milk. Eve shakes her head no. "Someone left it out." Basically saying there is no milk because it turned sour by being left out of the refrigerator. Yet her son just swallowed pills with milk? What?
Reviews compared Buckley to Jodi Picoult. In my mind there is no comparison. Jodi is in a completely different league...and I don't believe I will be reading any more by Carla Buckley.
There were also too many instances in which I asked myself, "Who was the editor and how did they not catch that?" One specific example is that the main character Eve is in the kitchen with her two children at breakfast. He son swallows down his medication with a glass of milk. Her daughter sits at the table and asks if there is any milk. Eve shakes her head no. "Someone left it out." Basically saying there is no milk because it turned sour by being left out of the refrigerator. Yet her son just swallowed pills with milk? What?
Reviews compared Buckley to Jodi Picoult. In my mind there is no comparison. Jodi is in a completely different league...and I don't believe I will be reading any more by Carla Buckley.
November 30, 2015
I'm about 30% through this book and I'm not sure I'm going to finish! The book starts out strong and when the promised tragic event occurs I was hooked! I couldn't wait to see where the author took us.
Several hours of listening later and I'm getting very impatient with the pacing of the book. I appreciate that the unraveling of lives that is happening would develop gradually but it feels like the author is spending far too many words on innocuous details instead of developing the plot. And one of the plot developments, the deepening of a professional relationship into maybe possibly something more is feeling rather trite and predictable.
So tonight I'll listen on the way home and decide if I'm sticking with it or if I'll just pull the hardcover off the shelf upstairs and read the last 2 pages to see if I'm right about how it all works out.
If you like more domestic fiction like Elizabeth Berg or Jodi Picoult you might enjoy this book more than i do!
**Update: i did finish listening and the ending was pretty satisfying! And I'm happy to say I wasn't totally right in my predictions for the ending, there were some surprises that made it worth listening to all the way through and not cheating and reading the last 2 pages.
Several hours of listening later and I'm getting very impatient with the pacing of the book. I appreciate that the unraveling of lives that is happening would develop gradually but it feels like the author is spending far too many words on innocuous details instead of developing the plot. And one of the plot developments, the deepening of a professional relationship into maybe possibly something more is feeling rather trite and predictable.
So tonight I'll listen on the way home and decide if I'm sticking with it or if I'll just pull the hardcover off the shelf upstairs and read the last 2 pages to see if I'm right about how it all works out.
If you like more domestic fiction like Elizabeth Berg or Jodi Picoult you might enjoy this book more than i do!
**Update: i did finish listening and the ending was pretty satisfying! And I'm happy to say I wasn't totally right in my predictions for the ending, there were some surprises that made it worth listening to all the way through and not cheating and reading the last 2 pages.
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