A Secret Life

by Christobel Kent

A girls' night out.
A bad decision.
A life, unravelling

When Georgie is persuaded to join two old friends for Ladies' Night, she intends to have fun, to behave like the Georgie she was before marriage and motherhood changed her life.

But one drink too many and Georgie's not sure what happened the night before. Now she's starting to wonder just what she's invited in to her life . . .

Genres: Mystery, Psychological Thriller, Fiction

370 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2019

About the author

Christobel Kent was born in London in 1962 and now lives in Cambridge with her husband and four children; in between she lived in Florence. She worked in publishing for several years, most recently as Publicity Director at Andre Deutsch. Her debut novel A Party in San Niccolo, was published in 2003.

Series:
* Sandro Cellini

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Neither here nor there ... I just became bored very early on and didn’t care

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a hot mess. Strange characters, bizarre plot . I finished it because a friend of mine gave it to me as a loan. I will tell her next time I see her she can never make me suffer like this again.

[Megan Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

When Georgie is persuaded to join two old friends for Ladies' Night, she intends to have fun, to behave like the Georgie she was before marriage and motherhood changed her life. But one drink too many and Georgie's not sure what happened the night before. Now she's starting to wonder just what she's invited in to her life.

Firstly, I am going to start by saying this is more of a two star rating but the ending saved it enough to boost to three. The reason for my lack of enjoyment is the very confusing and jolty way this is written. It is not clear what is happening, especially at the beginning. Instead of having the effect of ensuring I wanted to keep reading, it had the opposite and made me want to put it down. More confusion arises when a new character is introduced with no explanation and again it put me off.

All of this is such a shame as the plot is quite good. Full of secrets, danger and twists. The ending, as I have briefly mentioned is astonishing and does not fit with the rest of the book due to the sudden clarity and excitement we have. If only the rest of the book had been like this.

Character wise, this is okay but there is no-one really special who I warmed to. Actually my favourite character was probably Tabs. The characters did aid enjoyment but they are forgettable.

'A Secret Life' is enjoyable with some obvious twists and some that are not so obvious. The book would have been dramatically improved had it been clearer and not so confusing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sphere for an advance copy.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read another of Christobel Kent's books and really enjoyed it, so I was keen to read this one.

Married Georgie, a mum to daughter, Tabitha, goes on a night out with friends, intending to let her hair down like she used to. She's taking the train to London and an overnight stay in a hotel is booked. Happily married to Tim who she has known for fourteen years, thirty-seven-year-old Georgie is looking forward to her night but her excitement is tinged with anxiety. Then she has one drink too many...

In a novel brimming with secrets and danger and loaded with emotional drama Christobel Kent's characters are real though not particularly personable, however, this did not deter me from enjoying the story. With a steady pace, the tension gradually built as it climbed towards a cracking crescendo. So well written, I was afforded strong feelings of apprehension and unease throughout as I tried to determine whodunit.

In A Secret Life Christobel Kent demonstrates that she knows how to write dark, enticing and gripping novels. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Little, Brown Book Group UK, Sphere via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Morgan Schulman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.


I used to really love this author, but this one and her last one we’re very hard to get through. I did not like or enjoy any of the female characters, and the subplot with Frank didn’t suck me in either. I found myself finishing not to find out whodunit, but just to get through it to write my review. I don’t think if I had bought a copy I would’ve finished it and I almost always finish every book I start. Just a bunch of unpleasant people in unpleasant situations without any real entertainment.

Do better.

[Michelle Snyman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is hard going. It rambles to a point that you start skimming out of boredom. I have pick it up and put it down several times but am persistent so will eventually finish it. Not a good read at all. Very disappointing

[Michelle Jessen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I rate this 2.5 stars, barely a pass.
I’m getting a little frustrated with the damsel in distress, subservient wife/girlfriend.
I seem to have read a few with these types of characters lately & it’s getting a bit ho hum!
I didn’t like the characters in this story & there seemed to be too many far fetched stories all linking up which was a little unbelievable.
Ok book but wouldn’t put it on a ‘Must read’ list!

[Paula Dixon · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book started out really slowly but built to a strong finale. Unfortunately, I really did not like the style of writing at all. I had to reread a few sentences to figure out what she was trying to say and even then it was unclear. Shame, because the story was quite good.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Quite the slow burner this one.
A plot filled with just enough twists to make it not too predictable,but neither so twisty that you're just rolling your eyes at every new development.
I've read a few books by Christobel Kent,and as with this one,all solidly entertaining.
She took an ordinary night out and turned it into a rather large crime... or two.

[Sally Abram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. To be honest i didnt see it coming, i didn't manage to work out what was going on . Would definitely recommend

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had already annoyed me by 2nd page of Chapter 1 so thought I was going to hate this book, another with domineering husband, seems to be a rash of them in the books I’ve inherited during lockdown. But it got better and I became quite absorbed in the book.

[Jo-anne Atkinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Georgie seems to have a perfect life - loving husband, young daughter, nice house - but when she wakes up after a night out with her friends with blurred memories things start to unravel. Then one of those friends is found murdered and Georgie starts to have flashbacks of that night.
Kent has many fans of her novels, the middle-class mother in a psychological domestic thriller, and they will lap this book up. I really liked her first novel but subsequent ones have felt more and more formulaic. This is no exception. There's nothing intrinsically wrong with it, it will please the masses but it's nothing new or original.

[Irene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Married mother of one, Georgie has a night out with two old friends but it doesn’t pan out as expected. Could’ve been a very enjoyable read but it was disjointed with a lot of unsavoury characters. As for Georgie, what a limp lettuce she was, subservient and weak with not an ounce of get up and go in her - absolutely pathetic. So much so I was relieved to finish the book simply to escape from her! The idea was ok, but nothing that hasn’t already been done before. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Natasha Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 2nd book I have read by this author and my review is exactly the same. Took an age to get into, didn’t connect with any of the characters and found it a little messy and disjointed. Maybe this author style of writing is just not for me because the actual story was ok.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Snore. Predictable.

[JoanHFraser. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been a firm fan of Christobel Kent for years and have read and enjoyed all her Italian Sandro Cellini novels . This book however, was disappointing . Originally, I found it an intriguing page turner. As a long time Epping resident, I was initially drawn in by the Epping Forest setting which seems to act so often in books a nd films as a metaphor for darkness and unease, but I soon became irritated by the weakness of the plotting , the 2 dimensional characters and the confusing structure. Why was it necessary to make Cat a sufferer from breast cancer? what did that contribute to the narrative apart from creating sympathy for her ? The main character ,Georgie, I found extremely irritating; why on earth did it take her so long to realise her secretive husband was not only a controlling love rat , but a sexual predator
with psycopathic tendencies to boot ? There were also unpleasant superfluous necrophiliac references which made me feel very uncomfortable.
This was an unsatisfying read which I would not recommend..... so disappointing from a writer capable of much finer work.

[Sarah Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly yet another boring character leading a seemingly perfect life, that is actually completely built on secrets and lies.

For me, the book took a while to get going, although to be fair a lot of the seemingly pointless preamble actually had a real significance to the plot: the clues were there; sometimes blindingly obvious, sometimes completely passing me by, but occasionally I was actually expecting it!

In some ways, the really disappointing things about the book was the lack of character building - I struggled to really understand who these people were, and that led to a lack of empathy for them.

There were also huge gaps of information missing, particularly towards the end of the book; the ending itself seemed incredibly rushed, with a kind of synopsis which didn't even mention some of the characters.

A slow read with a disappointing ending, but nevertheless I did want to finish the book so it must have engaged me to some degree.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very strange book I have to say. Some books are just brilliant, some are so so and some are that bad I give up on them early on. This book was just surreal. It was so strangely written that I had to re read sentences so they made sense. It seemed rushed. However, I persevered. The story itself had potential and it did have a bit of suspense but it was so slow and I just cant understand why Georgie didn't just ask the mysterious Mark what had happened on the night out. At the end I felt cheated, as still so many things didn't make sense. I feel I have wasted too much time on a book that just made me feel meh. The daughters name being shortened from Tabitha to Tabs made me squirm every time she was mentioned. I am also mystified why the IVF and sperm donor issue was made prevalent throughout the book? Don't bother.

[Janet Phillips · Rating 2 out of 5]

This wasn’t quite what I was expecting and was a little slow paced. The unexpected events at the very end potentially save this one.

Georgie agrees to a night out with her friend Cat, a chance to have some fun just as they did before marriage and motherhood. After their night out Georgie wakes up bruised, incredibly hungover and with no recollection of what happened the night before.

The story involves a number of vague flashbacks to the night and Georgie begins to piece some things together. Her memories involve a man who then begins to appear in her life. Georgie tries to keep everything secret from her husband Tim, and in doing so starts to question their relationship.

The story is not so much about the secret life of the character Georgie, but more of the other characters in the story.

A bit of a struggle, but I did enjoy getting to the end.

[Nicki Kendall · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed other books by this author, to the point of when I saw this new book, I bought it without sight unseen. Sadly it was verrryyyyy slowwww burn to the point of it barely held my interest until I was two thirds of the way through it and by then I had invested time into reading it so I felt compelled to finish it. It was an okay ending, but by no means did I find it to be a page turner. I had little interest in the characters or what happened on the girls night out. I would say if you haven't read other books by this author, read The Loving Husband, The day she disappeared or The Crooked House instead. #christobelkent #asecretlife #tea_sipping_bookworm #bookstagram #bookqueen #amazon#kindle #goodreads #litsy

[Keri Robinson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one really didn’t work for me,

Georgie goes on a night out with her friend Cat and acquaintance Holly which she cannot remember the next day, this book follows Georgie as she tries to piece together what happened, who was the strange man who came back to her hotel room and what will this mean for her future…

In my opinion the whole premise for the story was kept secret for much to long, I had a bit of intrigue at the start but the story doesn’t progress for so long the intrigue wears off, this could have been a good short story but for me it just feel flat.

By the time we got to the conclusion and all the cards were on the table I didn’t care anymore and sped read the last two chapters,

I hate to do a negative review but this just really wasn’t my cup of tea!

[Apeksha Udeshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The absolute tension of the last few chapters made up for the slow start. My metro commute companion. Loved the absolute control Cristobel has on the scene. The on-edge tension waiting for a spring being wound too tight to just release any moment and release utter unspeakable chaos.
I love watching and reading horror because somehow that is in the realm of fantasy for me. But what absolutely terrifies me is violent men. Or that concealed violence which in the light of day dresses in the most expensive cuts of suits. Very Little Big Lies vibe. I dig it.

[Amy Genever · Rating 1 out of 5]

.What a lackluster book. Honestly the plot (or lack of) lacked imagination and direction. A very slow build up to a very anticlimactic ending. The characters where one-sided and lacked any depth. Most of the 'action' happened in the last 15 pages, so you can imagine how rushed and compact it was compared the the rest of the book which was slow and boring. If you're wanting mystery, suspense and excited don't read this book. If you're looking for something to send you to sleep then this one is for you!

[Shona Thomson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have recently discovered this author, and I've enjoyed both the books I've read. It was interesting as the plot developed, we were being made aware at least, that Tim was a total pain to live with.
I don't read books quickly as a rule, but this one was good in that when I picked it up again, I could get back into the story quite easily.
I think I'll be looking for her other books to read now.

[Christine Rennie · Rating 3 out of 5]

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the arc, which I have enjoyed reading.
I have read other books by Christobel Kent and really enjoyed them. A Secret Life was very slow to become of interest, in fact it was only the last quarter of the book that held my attention. Then the story suddenly and unexpectedly took off and was really interesting.
I will read other books by the author in the future and look forward to reading and reviewing them.

[Jen · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this to be unreadable, a disappointment after several of her other novels. I kept having to check that it wasn't set in 1952 given how pathetically subservient the protagonist is to her husband. And not like in a way that propelled the plot or made you wonder if something else was going on. I did try to continue reading after stopping a few times hoping for some spark, but just couldn't keep going. I rarely give up, but this one wasn't worth it.

[Deb Lancaster · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just flicked through some reviews and someone said this is a hot mess of a book. And they're right. Terrible. Reads like a first draft Nanowrimo by someone who doesn't write much. I can't believe trash like this gets published tbh.

Absolutely ridiculous, muddled plot, no tension, no thrill, no realistic characters. Like a sub par episode of Hollyoaks without the wit.

Extra points for the most annoying protagonist ever. My GOD.

[Kate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing book. The characters were not nice people so I quickly lost interest in the plot. There seemed to be no excitement in the storyline. I skimmed the middle to try and move the story along. In another authors hand, I think the book could possibly have been written with more tension and possibly more enjoyment. Definitely not gripping or really a thriller!

[Sophie Houston · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good grief, but this dragged on seemingly forever! The author seemed to come to her senses by the last couple of chapters and remember that she was supposed to be writing a domestic thriller, but most of the book made me want to shake the protagonist by the shoulders. And the writing style, as others have said, is just bizarre, with commas thrown in - or omitted - apparently at random.

[Ruth Jenkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was slow to get going and I struggled at first to understand all the characters and who was who. It went from George to Frank quite alot and I don't think I understood why at first. All the mystery characters where abit frustrating, however the build up was intense and when the secrets came out it was quite exciting. Seemed to end very abruptly though.