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I Know Your Secret
You're not who you say you are. Neither is she.
She thinks she’s got away with it. She thinks she’s turned over a new leaf, that the past is in the past.
She thinks she’s finally safe, with her perfect son, her devoted husband, and her immaculate suburban house.
She believes the memories of what she did all those years ago are confined to her bedside drawer, tucked carefully away.
She believes she deserves a second chance.
I have to know, how can she live with herself? Isn’t she haunted by the wail of the alarm, the smoke in her lungs, the echoing scream? Doesn’t she lose sleep over the way the flames licked the walls, devouring everything they touched? Why hasn’t the guilt eaten her alive?
So how can I forget? How can I forgive?
Because I know her secret. And I’m not letting her get away with it.
An utterly gripping, addictive and shocking read about the dark secrets we’re ashamed to admit, and the lengths people go to for revenge. Fans of K.L. Slater, My Lovely Wife and The Wife Between Us will be racing through the pages, gasping at the twists, and reeling from the explosive ending of this unmissable page-turner.
She thinks she’s got away with it. She thinks she’s turned over a new leaf, that the past is in the past.
She thinks she’s finally safe, with her perfect son, her devoted husband, and her immaculate suburban house.
She believes the memories of what she did all those years ago are confined to her bedside drawer, tucked carefully away.
She believes she deserves a second chance.
I have to know, how can she live with herself? Isn’t she haunted by the wail of the alarm, the smoke in her lungs, the echoing scream? Doesn’t she lose sleep over the way the flames licked the walls, devouring everything they touched? Why hasn’t the guilt eaten her alive?
So how can I forget? How can I forgive?
Because I know her secret. And I’m not letting her get away with it.
An utterly gripping, addictive and shocking read about the dark secrets we’re ashamed to admit, and the lengths people go to for revenge. Fans of K.L. Slater, My Lovely Wife and The Wife Between Us will be racing through the pages, gasping at the twists, and reeling from the explosive ending of this unmissable page-turner.
270 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2020
2129 people are currently reading
2706 people want to read
About the author
Ruth Heald
20 books274 followersRuth Heald is a bestselling author of psychological thrillers. Her books include The Nanny, The New Girl, The Wedding, I Know Your Secret, The Mother's Mistake and The Woman Upstairs.
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor
Ruth studied Economics at Oxford University and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting. She worked at the BBC for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She’s married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives.
You can connect with Ruth on Twitter @RJ_Heald, or Facebook /RJHealdauthor
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 359 reviews
May 2, 2021
Before I start my review: I hope the book's cover added to its goodreads page sooner! There is not much left to its releasing date! And this book definitely kept me on my toes!
A big and bold, screaming WOW! I didn’t expect to love this book so much. I ruined my plans with the husband dearest who is getting more annoying with my growing reading obsession during quarantine, even though the big plan was only about slurping noodles and binge watch After life’s second season. But this book took me into its palm, gripping me so hard and I couldn’t move an inch because I was already hooked like desperate Nemo and I wanted to read more, dying to see what’s gonna happen next.
This is underrated, fast, surprising, moving, mysterious, mind numbing journey with so many twists you may not see coming and the best thing about the book we have two heroines: both of them seem like strong, well-educated business woman from the outside but they are both keeping secrets, vulnerable and batshit crazy. Their narrations are not reliable because they both keep secrets and distort the realities. We don’t know which one is the worst! There are so many missing pieces of the puzzle but the story’s conclusion is perfectly smart and shocking.
Let me summarize the plot and stop at some point not to give you too much clues:
Beth is marriage counselor, in her 40’s, dumped by her longtime boyfriend Richard who recently cheated on her, trying to raise her son Charlie and resuming her séances with couples whose marriages are falling apart just like hers. Her life changes the day she meets Danielle whose face covered with burn scars, a successful and hardworking lawyer trying to save her marriage and having a baby with her husband but she doesn’t share everything with Beth like her secret past, tragic events about her parents’ lives and the scars she tries to hide at her wrists. Does someone hurt her? Did her husband intentionally let the accident happen at their garden BBQ so she suffered from third degree burn? Or does she keep shadier things from Beth?
Beth keeps so many secrets as well. She still grieves the loss of love of her life Nick before she met Richard. She was sacked from her teaching job she loved and hospitalized because of her delusions about somebody was stalking her. But was she the delusional one? Did someone orchestrate everything to change her life direction? And Does Danielle tell her the truth? Could she be the one Richard had affair?
Let’s stop here! Again I already blurted out too much. If Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl series’ secret voice over but at the end of the series, she miraculously turned into Joe Goldbeg a.k.a. Dan Humphrey) audio-review what I wrote, I could be a cool version West Coast Gossip-reviewer who is telling so much about books’ plots!
So I’m giving my five stars because this book really surprised me and I couldn’t foresee so many revelations and shocking twist which entertained me a lot! Maybe side effect of the quarantine is killing your spidey senses so you may not predict anything about the author planned to rock your world!
So much special thanks to NetGalley and Bookoture for sharing this fascinating ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
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A big and bold, screaming WOW! I didn’t expect to love this book so much. I ruined my plans with the husband dearest who is getting more annoying with my growing reading obsession during quarantine, even though the big plan was only about slurping noodles and binge watch After life’s second season. But this book took me into its palm, gripping me so hard and I couldn’t move an inch because I was already hooked like desperate Nemo and I wanted to read more, dying to see what’s gonna happen next.
This is underrated, fast, surprising, moving, mysterious, mind numbing journey with so many twists you may not see coming and the best thing about the book we have two heroines: both of them seem like strong, well-educated business woman from the outside but they are both keeping secrets, vulnerable and batshit crazy. Their narrations are not reliable because they both keep secrets and distort the realities. We don’t know which one is the worst! There are so many missing pieces of the puzzle but the story’s conclusion is perfectly smart and shocking.
Let me summarize the plot and stop at some point not to give you too much clues:
Beth is marriage counselor, in her 40’s, dumped by her longtime boyfriend Richard who recently cheated on her, trying to raise her son Charlie and resuming her séances with couples whose marriages are falling apart just like hers. Her life changes the day she meets Danielle whose face covered with burn scars, a successful and hardworking lawyer trying to save her marriage and having a baby with her husband but she doesn’t share everything with Beth like her secret past, tragic events about her parents’ lives and the scars she tries to hide at her wrists. Does someone hurt her? Did her husband intentionally let the accident happen at their garden BBQ so she suffered from third degree burn? Or does she keep shadier things from Beth?
Beth keeps so many secrets as well. She still grieves the loss of love of her life Nick before she met Richard. She was sacked from her teaching job she loved and hospitalized because of her delusions about somebody was stalking her. But was she the delusional one? Did someone orchestrate everything to change her life direction? And Does Danielle tell her the truth? Could she be the one Richard had affair?
Let’s stop here! Again I already blurted out too much. If Kristen Bell (Gossip Girl series’ secret voice over but at the end of the series, she miraculously turned into Joe Goldbeg a.k.a. Dan Humphrey) audio-review what I wrote, I could be a cool version West Coast Gossip-reviewer who is telling so much about books’ plots!
So I’m giving my five stars because this book really surprised me and I couldn’t foresee so many revelations and shocking twist which entertained me a lot! Maybe side effect of the quarantine is killing your spidey senses so you may not predict anything about the author planned to rock your world!
So much special thanks to NetGalley and Bookoture for sharing this fascinating ARC with me in exchange my honest review.
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November 4, 2025
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The Book Review Crew
Attention authors...taking one antidepressant does not a cure make. It takes WEEKS of being on a prescribed amount for any positive effects. I see this all the time in psychological thrillers, a character takes one pill and starts to feel better. Also, DO NOT DO THIS "An absolutely gripping psychological thriller full of twists" unless you can deliver.
Besides the little tidbits above this book gets low stars because it was SO repetitive. The same thing happening over and over again ad nauseam. The two main characters were so one-dimensional and so alike that I kept forgetting whose point of view I was reading from and there was zero character development.
The only reason I decided to finish this book was that it has many four and five-star reviews so I kept hoping something would happen...it didn't and I figured out the "twist" pretty early on. This author also underwhelmed me with The Woman Upstairs so obviously, she is just not for me and I deleted the other book I had of hers.
The Book Review Crew
Attention authors...taking one antidepressant does not a cure make. It takes WEEKS of being on a prescribed amount for any positive effects. I see this all the time in psychological thrillers, a character takes one pill and starts to feel better. Also, DO NOT DO THIS "An absolutely gripping psychological thriller full of twists" unless you can deliver.
Besides the little tidbits above this book gets low stars because it was SO repetitive. The same thing happening over and over again ad nauseam. The two main characters were so one-dimensional and so alike that I kept forgetting whose point of view I was reading from and there was zero character development.
The only reason I decided to finish this book was that it has many four and five-star reviews so I kept hoping something would happen...it didn't and I figured out the "twist" pretty early on. This author also underwhelmed me with The Woman Upstairs so obviously, she is just not for me and I deleted the other book I had of hers.
June 9, 2020
Secrets - Who needs them? Apparently, everyone in this book!
This was an absorbing and gripping read that also proved to be an amazingly fast read. Almost everyone in this book had a secret. Not everyone is who they say they are. Some are lying about their past. Some can never forgive and certainly will not forget. Some keep their memories tucked away in a drawer but think of the past often.
Some want a perfect life; some want to see that never happen.
Beth is a marriage counselor who recently had her world shattered when her relationship fell apart. Danielle is her new client, who comes in with burn scars on her face and a reason why her husband did not join her for therapy. The two women are linked in a mysterious way.
That is all you are getting from me on the book synopsis. I think it is best to begin this book knowing as little as possible about the storyline. There are a lot of "aha" moments. But will they all be real-- or shall I say, are we being told the truth?
I flew through this book as I wanted to know what was really going on. Who could be trusted? Who had the biggest secret? How are the secrets related, if at all?
If you think you have it all figured out, think again! This had a fair share of shocking and revealing moments. I love how it all came together. Nothing felt rushed. Everything unfolded perfectly. Pick this one up if you have the time to dedicate to reading it all day. Seriously, I was hooked from page one! I know Your Secret is a fast-paced page turner which did not disappoint.
I received a copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 13, 2020
Beth has never gotten over a former lover, yet she married another.
She was fired from a teaching job, and had a mental breakdown of her own.
She decided to train to be a counselor, so she could help others, but she cannot even save her own marriage.
IS THIS WHO YOU WOULD WANT TO BE YOUR THERAPIST?
WELL....turns out that she is exactly the therapist that Danielle wants.
But why??
Told from their alternating perspectives, this is another “unreliable narrator” story, where you are never quite sure which woman to believe, or if you should believe either one.
This was my first read by Ruth Heald, and she knows how to tell a story!
She teases the reader with “just a little bit more” information every few chapters, and the secrets kept coming right up till the last few pages!
🍿 Yes, this one was fun!
She was fired from a teaching job, and had a mental breakdown of her own.
She decided to train to be a counselor, so she could help others, but she cannot even save her own marriage.
IS THIS WHO YOU WOULD WANT TO BE YOUR THERAPIST?
WELL....turns out that she is exactly the therapist that Danielle wants.
But why??
Told from their alternating perspectives, this is another “unreliable narrator” story, where you are never quite sure which woman to believe, or if you should believe either one.
This was my first read by Ruth Heald, and she knows how to tell a story!
She teases the reader with “just a little bit more” information every few chapters, and the secrets kept coming right up till the last few pages!
🍿 Yes, this one was fun!
July 29, 2023
The prose is smooth, but there are severe structural issues with this book.
The two main characters are so all over the place and have the most sus husbands ever. Richard is a giant douche canoe. He’s extremely mean to Beth, and is a lousy dad to Charlie.
The prologue only serves to further obfuscate…everything.
It’s questionable that neither Beth nor Danielle have any friends. At all. The whole school thing makes some sense in Beth’s case, but she’s so messed up, she has no life, and can’t even keep her damn house clean or keep track of her son.
Beth and Danielle are both deranged. Beth goes from 0-100 on Danielle. One minute, “It’s a coincidence” and the next it’s, “She’s ruined my life and I have to go confront her right now.” If they’d stop trying to MF each other (and everyone else) for two seconds, they might make some headway.
The reading is steady and that helps this novel a ton, but the author holds her cards way too close to the vest for way too long.
The twists and turns all begin happening around 75%. This becomes one colossal “secret dump.” We know Nick is someone important from the jump, but you can’t start dropping all your bombs three-quarters of the way through. It’s legit just reveal after reveal after reveal. (eyeroll)
The editing is very good.
The two main characters are so all over the place and have the most sus husbands ever. Richard is a giant douche canoe. He’s extremely mean to Beth, and is a lousy dad to Charlie.
The prologue only serves to further obfuscate…everything.
It’s questionable that neither Beth nor Danielle have any friends. At all. The whole school thing makes some sense in Beth’s case, but she’s so messed up, she has no life, and can’t even keep her damn house clean or keep track of her son.
Beth and Danielle are both deranged. Beth goes from 0-100 on Danielle. One minute, “It’s a coincidence” and the next it’s, “She’s ruined my life and I have to go confront her right now.” If they’d stop trying to MF each other (and everyone else) for two seconds, they might make some headway.
The reading is steady and that helps this novel a ton, but the author holds her cards way too close to the vest for way too long.
The twists and turns all begin happening around 75%. This becomes one colossal “secret dump.” We know Nick is someone important from the jump, but you can’t start dropping all your bombs three-quarters of the way through. It’s legit just reveal after reveal after reveal. (eyeroll)
The editing is very good.
June 20, 2020
EXCERPT: She picks up the photograph of Dad, studying it. 'He looks young here,' she says.
'It was shortly before he died,' I say. 'He wasn't that young.'
'I suppose he'll never age now. Sometimes I just wish I could rewind to a year before he died. Stop everything from happening.'
'Yeah,' I say, fighting back tears. I've tried for so many years to block out my memories, to forget.
'I still can't get the sounds out of my head,' she says softly. 'I heard him screaming. Before he died.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: You're not who you say you are. Neither is she.
She thinks she’s got away with it. She thinks she’s turned over a new leaf, that the past is in the past.
She thinks she’s finally safe, with her perfect son, her devoted husband, and her immaculate suburban house.
She believes the memories of what she did all those years ago are confined to her bedside drawer, tucked carefully away.
She believes she deserves a second chance.
I have to know, how can she live with herself? Isn’t she haunted by the wail of the alarm, the smoke in her lungs, the echoing scream? Doesn’t she lose sleep over the way the flames licked the walls, devouring everything they touched? Why hasn’t the guilt eaten her alive?
So how can I forget? How can I forgive?
Because I know her secret. And I’m not letting her get away with it.
MY THOUGHTS: I must have said this at least one hundred times - but when you put claims on the cover like 'absolutely gripping psychological thriller full of twists' you are setting up the reader for a disappointment. And disappointed I was, gripped I was not. And perhaps I read far too many books of this genre, but I had this figured out early on. Now that is not always the kiss of death for me, but in this case coupled with a writing style that is neither exciting, nor suspenseful, I was often bored and several times debated not finishing. Because I longed to be proven wrong, I persevered.
I was looking forward to a challenging game of cat and mouse between the two protagonists, I didn't get it. I found both and Danielle's characters to be quite similar, and they appear to be of a similar age, which they aren't. Neither character is particularly well constructed, and neither are given much depth. There is a lot of repetition, almost as if the author thinks that if she tells you something often enough, you will come to believe it. I didn't. I merely became bored.
I also think that the promotional blurb is misleading.
Disappointed and Underwhelmed.
😕😕
#IKnowYourSecret #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.
Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She's married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'It was shortly before he died,' I say. 'He wasn't that young.'
'I suppose he'll never age now. Sometimes I just wish I could rewind to a year before he died. Stop everything from happening.'
'Yeah,' I say, fighting back tears. I've tried for so many years to block out my memories, to forget.
'I still can't get the sounds out of my head,' she says softly. 'I heard him screaming. Before he died.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: You're not who you say you are. Neither is she.
She thinks she’s got away with it. She thinks she’s turned over a new leaf, that the past is in the past.
She thinks she’s finally safe, with her perfect son, her devoted husband, and her immaculate suburban house.
She believes the memories of what she did all those years ago are confined to her bedside drawer, tucked carefully away.
She believes she deserves a second chance.
I have to know, how can she live with herself? Isn’t she haunted by the wail of the alarm, the smoke in her lungs, the echoing scream? Doesn’t she lose sleep over the way the flames licked the walls, devouring everything they touched? Why hasn’t the guilt eaten her alive?
So how can I forget? How can I forgive?
Because I know her secret. And I’m not letting her get away with it.
MY THOUGHTS: I must have said this at least one hundred times - but when you put claims on the cover like 'absolutely gripping psychological thriller full of twists' you are setting up the reader for a disappointment. And disappointed I was, gripped I was not. And perhaps I read far too many books of this genre, but I had this figured out early on. Now that is not always the kiss of death for me, but in this case coupled with a writing style that is neither exciting, nor suspenseful, I was often bored and several times debated not finishing. Because I longed to be proven wrong, I persevered.
I was looking forward to a challenging game of cat and mouse between the two protagonists, I didn't get it. I found both and Danielle's characters to be quite similar, and they appear to be of a similar age, which they aren't. Neither character is particularly well constructed, and neither are given much depth. There is a lot of repetition, almost as if the author thinks that if she tells you something often enough, you will come to believe it. I didn't. I merely became bored.
I also think that the promotional blurb is misleading.
Disappointed and Underwhelmed.
😕😕
#IKnowYourSecret #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Ruth Heald is a psychological thriller writer from a suburban Buckinghamshire town. She studied Economics at Oxford and then worked in an eclectic mix of sectors from nuclear decommissioning to management consulting.
Seeking a more creative environment, she found a role at the BBC and worked there for nine years before leaving to write full time. Ruth is fascinated by psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge. She's married with two children and her novels explore our greatest fears in otherwise ordinary, domestic lives
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
May 2, 2021
This book is definitely a page turner! It had me guessing from one twist to the next. It’s fast-paced and will have you wondering which point of view you can trust. Danielle and Beth, are both unhinged and on the brink of destruction. They have an unique relationship that will take you on a thrill ride until the breathtaking ending!
June 6, 2020
Beth is a marriage guidance councillor whose own marriage is in trouble. She has a young son, Charlie. Beth's husband, Richard walked out on her after having a short fling. Danielle booked an appointment with Beth. She's desperate for a baby but her husband, Peter is reluctant. Danielle has bad facial scars from an accident. Both women have secrets.
Oh what a twist goes web we weave..... is an apt way to describe this story. Both women have led complex lives. The story unfolds revealing more about Beth and Danielle's pasts. The more that gets revealed, the more you get sucked into the book and you won't be able to put it down. There's a fee good twist and turns. The chapters alternate between Beth and Danielle's point of views. The pace is fast in this gripping page turner. The tension builds throughout. This is the best book that I've read so far by the author. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Ruth Heald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Oh what a twist goes web we weave..... is an apt way to describe this story. Both women have led complex lives. The story unfolds revealing more about Beth and Danielle's pasts. The more that gets revealed, the more you get sucked into the book and you won't be able to put it down. There's a fee good twist and turns. The chapters alternate between Beth and Danielle's point of views. The pace is fast in this gripping page turner. The tension builds throughout. This is the best book that I've read so far by the author. I highly recommend this book.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Ruth Heald for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2020
Revenge is a dish best served cold, in this case 15 years cold but for Danielle its been worth the wait
Beth has no idea as she welcomes her new client for ‘counselling’ just who she is inviting into her home and what is going to happen to her life in the following months
Danielle is not who she says she is
But then Beth isen’t as honest as she pretends either
Both are linked via their past, a past that comes hurtling back with a vegenance
No complaints from this well delivered psychological thriller, all the nuts and bolts are there that make it a good ample thrilling read, a lot of surprises and a lot of ‘so that makes sense now’ reader moments as the book progressed
Both main characters were believable if not over lovable and the extras played interesting parts that made them stand out as more than just fillers
A very quick, too quick, ending would be my only criticism of an otherwise sturdy read
8/10
4 Stars
Beth has no idea as she welcomes her new client for ‘counselling’ just who she is inviting into her home and what is going to happen to her life in the following months
Danielle is not who she says she is
But then Beth isen’t as honest as she pretends either
Both are linked via their past, a past that comes hurtling back with a vegenance
No complaints from this well delivered psychological thriller, all the nuts and bolts are there that make it a good ample thrilling read, a lot of surprises and a lot of ‘so that makes sense now’ reader moments as the book progressed
Both main characters were believable if not over lovable and the extras played interesting parts that made them stand out as more than just fillers
A very quick, too quick, ending would be my only criticism of an otherwise sturdy read
8/10
4 Stars
June 14, 2020
Secrets and lies. Lies and secrets. Ruth Heald has crafted an almost perfect thriller. Two unreliable narrators. Both appear to be strong savvy women on the outside. BUT they both have A lot to HIDE, not to mention they both might be a little bit Cray Cray. Beth is a marriage counselor with a young adorable son. Her own marriage is currently in trouble and her husband has just moved out of the family home. Danielle is a young wife who has just started seeing Beth for marriage counseling, even though her husband does not join her. Danielle wears her scars on her inside and her out. Both women are running from something in their past and somehow this ties together? But how? And who is duping who?
This book was perfectly paste. The story unfolded quietly and subtly. The story had such a creepy and tents edge to it. I had so many jaw-dropping WTAF moments while reading this. A well told thriller with some crazy twists.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This book was perfectly paste. The story unfolded quietly and subtly. The story had such a creepy and tents edge to it. I had so many jaw-dropping WTAF moments while reading this. A well told thriller with some crazy twists.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
June 15, 2020
This was a slowly evolving tale fraught with interpersonal conflicts, marital discord, mind games, stalking, hidden agendas, habitual liars, cheating spouses, and mentally and emotionally unstable characters. I couldn’t decide who was the most unbalanced between the therapist and her new client, as they were both less than prime human beings in need of serious chemical assistance and a reality check. The tale was multi-layered and well textured with hidden clues and well placed red herrings. I was reluctant to put my Kindle down for fear I would miss something and was feeling rather smug thinking I had it cracked, yet I was well fooled by this sly and duplicitous wordsmith. Ruth Heald may appear to be a pleasant suburbanite like any other in your neighborhood coffee shop, but don't you believe it. She is undoubtedly a crafty and cunning trickster and quite likely quietly plotting someone's demise while sipping her coffee.
July 15, 2021
Oh what a crazy ride that was! What if you are going to counseling to deal with certain issues and your therapist becomes your stalker? Or, what if you are a therapist who is being stalked by someone? What if someone is just messing with your head, be it the therapist or the client? Hmm. . . Every character in this story has something to hide or something shocking to find out.
I found this psychological thriller to be ever so twisted! One minute I was feeling sad for a character and the next minute I want to shake them. Kudos goes to this author for creating an intriguing story with so many twists and turns! I loved this story!
I found this psychological thriller to be ever so twisted! One minute I was feeling sad for a character and the next minute I want to shake them. Kudos goes to this author for creating an intriguing story with so many twists and turns! I loved this story!
June 14, 2020
Beth is a therapist who's going through some issues in her own marriage. Her partner had an affair and although he says he's not seen her, Bath just can't feel able to trust him. He packs his bags leaving her with their 4-year-old son.
Danielle is a new client who believes her husband has grown distant. They argue over everything, especially her wish of having a baby.
They both have deep, dark secrets and neither of them are truthful with the other. One says.. I can help. Another one says... I know exactly what you've done.
The story is told in different points of view from both women. Who do you believe? I found the female characters engaging, the men not so much, but I was taken by the story. There are twists and turns that come faster than a roller coaster. The ending is totally unexpected and explosive.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
June 2, 2020
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 10, 2020
Fans of Kl Slater and Michele Campbell should definitely check out “I Know Your Secret” by U.K author Ruth Heald.
Beth is a marriage counselor dealing with her husband’s recent adultery, which led to the destruction of their marriage. As she struggles to raise their four year old son amidst all of this chaos, she reluctantly agrees to start counseling Danielle and her husband, Peter. Danielle wants a child and her husband does not, claiming Danielle is too emotionally unstable to deal with a baby. As Beth tries to assist the couple, and manage her own dysfunctional relationship, her life continues to crumble around her. Danielle, too, is starting to doubt her own sanity, as she begins to feel that she is being followed. But neither Beth nor Danielle are who they are claiming to be, and both of them are thrown into danger when the truth is revealed.
“Secret” is narrated by both Danielle and Beth, each protagonist narrating alternating chapters. I enjoyed this method of storytelling, as it helped build empathy for both parties. As well, this made it extremely difficult to tell who the victim was and who the perpetrator was. When the ending came, adding another little surprise twist, it was unpredictable and yet still believable.
Danielle and Beth are both young women who have been damaged by past relationships, both familial and romantic. Both protagonists have flawed, human sides that make them easy to like, and easy to root for. The short chapters make this novel an easy read, and the ending provides a satisfying finish to the suspense-fueled plot.
I enjoyed the way this story was told, and thoroughly enjoyed both the characters and the high-intensity plot. The story itself reminded me of a new novels I have read (such as the previously mentioned K.L Slater, and The Patientby Steena Holmes), but I can still say it was a highly enjoyable read.
Expected publication date: June 10, 2020
Fans of Kl Slater and Michele Campbell should definitely check out “I Know Your Secret” by U.K author Ruth Heald.
Beth is a marriage counselor dealing with her husband’s recent adultery, which led to the destruction of their marriage. As she struggles to raise their four year old son amidst all of this chaos, she reluctantly agrees to start counseling Danielle and her husband, Peter. Danielle wants a child and her husband does not, claiming Danielle is too emotionally unstable to deal with a baby. As Beth tries to assist the couple, and manage her own dysfunctional relationship, her life continues to crumble around her. Danielle, too, is starting to doubt her own sanity, as she begins to feel that she is being followed. But neither Beth nor Danielle are who they are claiming to be, and both of them are thrown into danger when the truth is revealed.
“Secret” is narrated by both Danielle and Beth, each protagonist narrating alternating chapters. I enjoyed this method of storytelling, as it helped build empathy for both parties. As well, this made it extremely difficult to tell who the victim was and who the perpetrator was. When the ending came, adding another little surprise twist, it was unpredictable and yet still believable.
Danielle and Beth are both young women who have been damaged by past relationships, both familial and romantic. Both protagonists have flawed, human sides that make them easy to like, and easy to root for. The short chapters make this novel an easy read, and the ending provides a satisfying finish to the suspense-fueled plot.
I enjoyed the way this story was told, and thoroughly enjoyed both the characters and the high-intensity plot. The story itself reminded me of a new novels I have read (such as the previously mentioned K.L Slater, and The Patientby Steena Holmes), but I can still say it was a highly enjoyable read.
June 15, 2020
I Know Your Secret is Ruth Heald’s third domestic-based psychological thriller and a thoroughly enjoyable read. The author’s fascination with psychology and finding out what drives people to violence, destruction and revenge really shows throughout this exciting book. Danielle: She thinks I’m here because I need help. She believes my marriage is falling apart at the seams, that my husband can barely look me in the eyes. She thinks I’m desperate for a baby, that my longing for a family keeps me up at night. As much as I hate to admit it, all of this is true. But there’s something else she doesn’t know. I know all about her dirty little secret. And I’m here for her. Beth: She thinks I’m the answer to her problems. She believes I’ve got it sorted. A devoted husband. A gorgeous son. She doesn’t know about the photographs someone sent me, of my husband having an affair. She has no idea that my bathroom cupboards are full of prescription pills to help me get through the days. But I know all about her. I know why she’s here and I know exactly what she’s up to. Two can play that game…
This is a solid and thoroughly entertaining domestic thriller with a well-woven plot and written in such a way that the tension slowly builds to a palpable level; by telling the story from the two different perspectives of Danielle and Beth and alternating their chapters the suspense is ratcheted up creating difficulty in putting it down. The author manages to keep you guessing as to who the perpetrator is till well into the story and the way it was structured worked really well in leaving you addicted to turning the pages. You learn a little more about the women with each chapter that passes giving you just enough to keep you engrossed without giving the game away. It's a fast and pacy read from the very beginning and will keep you in its vice-like grip for the entirety without a problem. Ruth Heald certainly understands what thriller readers desire and provides the mystery, suspense and twist-ridden narrative many crave and with secrets, lies, deceit, duplicity and ultimately betrayal and revenge you are kept on the edge of your seat throughout. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
This is a solid and thoroughly entertaining domestic thriller with a well-woven plot and written in such a way that the tension slowly builds to a palpable level; by telling the story from the two different perspectives of Danielle and Beth and alternating their chapters the suspense is ratcheted up creating difficulty in putting it down. The author manages to keep you guessing as to who the perpetrator is till well into the story and the way it was structured worked really well in leaving you addicted to turning the pages. You learn a little more about the women with each chapter that passes giving you just enough to keep you engrossed without giving the game away. It's a fast and pacy read from the very beginning and will keep you in its vice-like grip for the entirety without a problem. Ruth Heald certainly understands what thriller readers desire and provides the mystery, suspense and twist-ridden narrative many crave and with secrets, lies, deceit, duplicity and ultimately betrayal and revenge you are kept on the edge of your seat throughout. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
May 5, 2020
A bold, unique, edge-of-your-seat thriller. Just when you think you have an idea of the truth, something unravels and new parts of the story are discovered.
Beth is a therapist with a failing relationship after her husband was discovered to be having an affair. Danielle is her client who seeks help for what is seemingly an abusive or failing relationship and her desire to be a mother, something she's jealous of Beth for already being. The point-of-view in this story switches every chapter between Beth and Danielle, and as it does we learn new facts about their lives, their secrets, and their lies- and how they all might be connected.
I Know Your Secret was an amazing, well-executed thriller. With every chapter finished I was eager to read more to see what would happen next. The narrative never dragged and I never lost interest. At one point, almost to the climax of the story, my heart actually felt like it dropped as a bombshell was dropped. Ruth Heald told an incredible story and I can't recommend this enough. Heald has made me want to read more thrillers.
An incredible amount of thanks to Ruth Heald, Bookouture, and Netgalley, for allowing me the pleasure of reading this DRC for an honest review. I couldn't put this book down.
Beth is a therapist with a failing relationship after her husband was discovered to be having an affair. Danielle is her client who seeks help for what is seemingly an abusive or failing relationship and her desire to be a mother, something she's jealous of Beth for already being. The point-of-view in this story switches every chapter between Beth and Danielle, and as it does we learn new facts about their lives, their secrets, and their lies- and how they all might be connected.
I Know Your Secret was an amazing, well-executed thriller. With every chapter finished I was eager to read more to see what would happen next. The narrative never dragged and I never lost interest. At one point, almost to the climax of the story, my heart actually felt like it dropped as a bombshell was dropped. Ruth Heald told an incredible story and I can't recommend this enough. Heald has made me want to read more thrillers.
An incredible amount of thanks to Ruth Heald, Bookouture, and Netgalley, for allowing me the pleasure of reading this DRC for an honest review. I couldn't put this book down.
June 12, 2020
Two lives based on events of the past. Two women who are not who they say they are. Life appears perfect for one and a bit unstable to the other. When they converge, is it by accident or by design?
The women are Beth, a marriage counselor who has a young child and who has been recently dumped. Then we have Danielle, a woman who has a face covered with burn scars, and who is a successful lawyer with a struggling marriage and who has recently become pregnant. As things develop, it becomes clear that the scars Danielle has many more scars than the ones on her face.
Grief is a huge factor in this book. In fact, it is grief in different fashions that drive both Beth and Danielle. How is up the reader to discover. Another equally huge factor in this book is revenge Again, the reader will ascertain how grief and revenge affect Beth and Danielle, and how their lives converge.
This is the third book that I have read by Ruth Heald. She manages to craft intriguing family dramas that bring in very disturbing factors. This is all done at a remarkably fast pace, which always leads to a riveting conclusion.
While reading this book I just knew the women were connected to the past and that their lives had converged at more than one point The fun thing about reading this book is the path that led them to their connection in the present. In true psychological thriller fashion, I Know Your Secret, this book delivered different viewpoints of unreliable narrators.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
The women are Beth, a marriage counselor who has a young child and who has been recently dumped. Then we have Danielle, a woman who has a face covered with burn scars, and who is a successful lawyer with a struggling marriage and who has recently become pregnant. As things develop, it becomes clear that the scars Danielle has many more scars than the ones on her face.
Grief is a huge factor in this book. In fact, it is grief in different fashions that drive both Beth and Danielle. How is up the reader to discover. Another equally huge factor in this book is revenge Again, the reader will ascertain how grief and revenge affect Beth and Danielle, and how their lives converge.
This is the third book that I have read by Ruth Heald. She manages to craft intriguing family dramas that bring in very disturbing factors. This is all done at a remarkably fast pace, which always leads to a riveting conclusion.
While reading this book I just knew the women were connected to the past and that their lives had converged at more than one point The fun thing about reading this book is the path that led them to their connection in the present. In true psychological thriller fashion, I Know Your Secret, this book delivered different viewpoints of unreliable narrators.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This is my honest opinion.
June 5, 2020
Wow! Such a good thriller, kept me guessing the whole way through trying to work out what was going to happen next and how the story would end... Speaking of which, I loved the ending, I felt it really gave closure and couldn't of imagined a better ending!
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this ARC❤️
#IKnowYourSecret #Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this ARC❤️
#IKnowYourSecret #Netgalley
May 18, 2020
Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for a copy of I know your secret by Ruth Heald. I have read her previous book The Mothers mistake that I really enjoyed so, I was curious to read this.
Beth is a Marriage therapist, helping couples fix the wrongs in their marriage. But her marriage to Richard is falling an apart. They have a five-year-old son Charlie.
Beth has a new client Danielle who fears her husband Peter. She has also had scars and disfigurements after a fire when she was a teenage girl.
One the same day Richard tells Beth that he is leaving her. He already has a flat lined up. Not even wanting to talk about it. Their marriage has not been the same after Richard cheated on her. Beth is now left a single mother to look after Charlie and juggle her life with work. Coping with her marriage failure and not trying to bring her troubles onto her clients at work. She becomes obsessed with finding out who Richard had an affair with and her paranoia kicks in when she thinks that person is following her.
In the meantime, her appointments with Danielle get more personal. Something with Danielle is not quite right. Does Danielle have an ulterior motive?
The is another great read by Ruth Heald. It is one of them stories that keeps you guessing and guessing until all is revealed at the end. 4 stars from me.
Beth is a Marriage therapist, helping couples fix the wrongs in their marriage. But her marriage to Richard is falling an apart. They have a five-year-old son Charlie.
Beth has a new client Danielle who fears her husband Peter. She has also had scars and disfigurements after a fire when she was a teenage girl.
One the same day Richard tells Beth that he is leaving her. He already has a flat lined up. Not even wanting to talk about it. Their marriage has not been the same after Richard cheated on her. Beth is now left a single mother to look after Charlie and juggle her life with work. Coping with her marriage failure and not trying to bring her troubles onto her clients at work. She becomes obsessed with finding out who Richard had an affair with and her paranoia kicks in when she thinks that person is following her.
In the meantime, her appointments with Danielle get more personal. Something with Danielle is not quite right. Does Danielle have an ulterior motive?
The is another great read by Ruth Heald. It is one of them stories that keeps you guessing and guessing until all is revealed at the end. 4 stars from me.
May 2, 2020
Beth, a therapist, who’s own life is falling down around her meets Danielle and offers to work with her. Danielle is a very damaged woman with a lot of baggage. Both women have secrets and we know their stories intersect but just not sure exactly where. This story take us on a crazy journey of betrayal, lies and devious plotting. I wasn’t sure who to believe and what was real. I thought I fingered it out about of a third of the way in but then some good twists were thrown in to offset what I thought I knew. I was definitely engaged the whole time with their story and the ending was a rush. The epilogue was a nice cap off as well.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this and offer my honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this and offer my honest opinion.
December 21, 2020
Beth is a marriage counselor but her own marriage to Richard is falling apart. She has a new client Danielle who is struggling in her marriage and is fearful of her husband Peter. Both have deep, dark secrets that they are keeping from each other but their lives are entwined in mysterious ways which when exposed will put them both in danger
I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald is a gripping domestic psychological thriller. Told from two different point of views there are plenty of twists and turns along the way that are sure to keep the pages turning.I enjoyed this fun exciting read and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
I Know Your Secret by Ruth Heald is a gripping domestic psychological thriller. Told from two different point of views there are plenty of twists and turns along the way that are sure to keep the pages turning.I enjoyed this fun exciting read and look forward to reading more of her books in the future.
I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
June 12, 2020
Review coming soon.
January 9, 2021
★★★★★ 4.5 stars (rounded up)
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”
Beth is a therapist who specialises in marriage guidance counselling. But she wasn't always a therapist. Fifteen years ago, she was an art school teacher but was then fired after it was discovered she had crossed the boundaries between teacher and student without proper protocol. As a result, and the loss of the love of her life Nick, she had a mental breakdown and referred herself to a psychiatric unit for treatment.
Beth has never gotten over Nick, and yet she married another. Richard, also a therapist, was her tutor where she was training to be a counsellor. Red light much? When she fell pregnant with Charlie it was a surprise but one they welcomed and embraced. Now despite suffering her own heartbreak and losses and deciding to help others through therapy, Beth cannot save her own marriage. After having a meaningless fling, Richard moves out and Beth's life begins to crumble. She feels eyes watching her. She believes someone is following her. Her life is slowly falling apart. History, it seems, is repeating itself.
Is this who you would want to be your therapist??
As it happens, it turns out that she is exactly the therapist Danielle wants. But why?
New client Danielle has issues of her own. With bad facial scars from a fire a year before, she comes to Beth for marriage counselling...only her husband Peter did not turn up. Danielle claims he feels therapy would benefit her moreso than him and in her words, refuses to come. And yet, she is trying to save her marriage. As a successful and hardworking lawyer, Danielle yearns for a baby of her own but apparently her husband isn't so keen. They'd recently taken a break from their marriage but reunited soon after, deciding to work on the problems in their marriage. Yet...why isn't Peter attending the therapy sessions with his wife?
Beth begins to suspect Danielle is keeping something back. But then she isn't surprised as most clients do for fear of exposing themselves too much. However, Beth prides herself on being able to read her clients and be able to tell when they are keeping something from her or not being completely honest. But Danielle has her hoodwinked.
Then Danielle reveals how she sustained her third degree burns on her face a year ago. Beth is shocked. And when Danielle confesses that she is scared of Peter's temper, of what he might do should she end their marriage, Beth feels she cannot abandon her client in need. Despite blurring the boundaries as a teacher and knowing the fine line between clients and therapists, Beth crosses it anyway. If Danielle is in danger...
And then things go terribly wrong. If Beth thought her life was crumbling before, then it is completely falling apart now. Everything she has built in the fifteen years since she lost the love of her life and her job was disintegrating before her very eyes. And she has no idea how to stop it or who would do something like this. It appears Beth has been reported for misconduct with a client in befriending them. Not only that, someone has also reported her to social services for negligent care of her four year old son Charlie. Someone is stalking her. Someone sent her photographs of Richard with the woman he had a fling with and now she is convinced she knows who that someone is. Who wants to destroy her life and make her suffer? Who wants her to lose everything?
Richard is worried about her but she doesn't believe him. Why would he be worried about her when he was the one who left her and is now selling the house out from under her?
Is Beth imagining things? Is she delusional again? Who would go to so much trouble to orchestrate everything to change her life direction? Who would hate her that much?
Feeling completely alone, Beth cries and pours her heart out to Nick's photo, wishing that he was still here with her. How different her life would have been had he lived.
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!
Secrets and lies. Lies and secrets. Deception, deception, deception. Ruth Heald has crafted a perfect psychological/domestic thriller with two unreliable narrators in such a way that we don't know who to believe. Both appear to be strong women with successful careers but BOTH have a lot to hide. Danielle is not who she says she is but then Beth isn't as honest as she pretends to be either. So what are they hiding? Unlike Beth, Danielle knows exactly who Beth is and why she has sought her out. Beth remains oblivious...as does the reader for a good portion of the book. But I'm a little more savvy than Beth. Although I was puzzled to begin with, I soon figured out their roles in the past and how they were linked.
Both women are clearly unstable. Whilst Danielle maintains an air of normality, no sooner has Richard left that Beth has pulled out her former lovers photo and places them on display in pace of her husband...the man she shared a life with and created a child with. Richard may have cheated on her but how could he compete with a ghost when Beth makes no secret of the fact that Nick was the love of her life?
And then there is Danielle's marriage. Her husband Peter really appears to care for her but she keeps pushing him away. Why? He clearly states that he doesn't think a baby is the answer to their problems and yet Danielle is so sure that it is. But she has a deeper secret that she has kept even from him. What will he do when he discovers the truth?
Told from the alternating perspectives of Beth and Danielle throughout, I KNOW YOUR SECRET may be Ruth Heald's third domestic thriller but she is cracking the genre with the likes of Kim Slater and Shalini Boland. I thoroughly enjoyed the guessing game she had us playing as I endeavoured to puzzle it all out. A bold and unique thriller, I KNOW YOUR SECRET is fast paced and edge of your seat throughout...and I loved every minute of it.
A brilliant read that is entertaining and addictive right from the start, I KNOW YOUR SECRET will have fans of Kim Slater, Shalini Boland and Sheryl Browne flipping the pages at the speed of light.
I would like to thank #RuthHeald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #IKnowYourSecret in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.”
Beth is a therapist who specialises in marriage guidance counselling. But she wasn't always a therapist. Fifteen years ago, she was an art school teacher but was then fired after it was discovered she had crossed the boundaries between teacher and student without proper protocol. As a result, and the loss of the love of her life Nick, she had a mental breakdown and referred herself to a psychiatric unit for treatment.
Beth has never gotten over Nick, and yet she married another. Richard, also a therapist, was her tutor where she was training to be a counsellor. Red light much? When she fell pregnant with Charlie it was a surprise but one they welcomed and embraced. Now despite suffering her own heartbreak and losses and deciding to help others through therapy, Beth cannot save her own marriage. After having a meaningless fling, Richard moves out and Beth's life begins to crumble. She feels eyes watching her. She believes someone is following her. Her life is slowly falling apart. History, it seems, is repeating itself.
Is this who you would want to be your therapist??
As it happens, it turns out that she is exactly the therapist Danielle wants. But why?
New client Danielle has issues of her own. With bad facial scars from a fire a year before, she comes to Beth for marriage counselling...only her husband Peter did not turn up. Danielle claims he feels therapy would benefit her moreso than him and in her words, refuses to come. And yet, she is trying to save her marriage. As a successful and hardworking lawyer, Danielle yearns for a baby of her own but apparently her husband isn't so keen. They'd recently taken a break from their marriage but reunited soon after, deciding to work on the problems in their marriage. Yet...why isn't Peter attending the therapy sessions with his wife?
Beth begins to suspect Danielle is keeping something back. But then she isn't surprised as most clients do for fear of exposing themselves too much. However, Beth prides herself on being able to read her clients and be able to tell when they are keeping something from her or not being completely honest. But Danielle has her hoodwinked.
Then Danielle reveals how she sustained her third degree burns on her face a year ago. Beth is shocked. And when Danielle confesses that she is scared of Peter's temper, of what he might do should she end their marriage, Beth feels she cannot abandon her client in need. Despite blurring the boundaries as a teacher and knowing the fine line between clients and therapists, Beth crosses it anyway. If Danielle is in danger...
And then things go terribly wrong. If Beth thought her life was crumbling before, then it is completely falling apart now. Everything she has built in the fifteen years since she lost the love of her life and her job was disintegrating before her very eyes. And she has no idea how to stop it or who would do something like this. It appears Beth has been reported for misconduct with a client in befriending them. Not only that, someone has also reported her to social services for negligent care of her four year old son Charlie. Someone is stalking her. Someone sent her photographs of Richard with the woman he had a fling with and now she is convinced she knows who that someone is. Who wants to destroy her life and make her suffer? Who wants her to lose everything?
Richard is worried about her but she doesn't believe him. Why would he be worried about her when he was the one who left her and is now selling the house out from under her?
Is Beth imagining things? Is she delusional again? Who would go to so much trouble to orchestrate everything to change her life direction? Who would hate her that much?
Feeling completely alone, Beth cries and pours her heart out to Nick's photo, wishing that he was still here with her. How different her life would have been had he lived.
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!
Secrets and lies. Lies and secrets. Deception, deception, deception. Ruth Heald has crafted a perfect psychological/domestic thriller with two unreliable narrators in such a way that we don't know who to believe. Both appear to be strong women with successful careers but BOTH have a lot to hide. Danielle is not who she says she is but then Beth isn't as honest as she pretends to be either. So what are they hiding? Unlike Beth, Danielle knows exactly who Beth is and why she has sought her out. Beth remains oblivious...as does the reader for a good portion of the book. But I'm a little more savvy than Beth. Although I was puzzled to begin with, I soon figured out their roles in the past and how they were linked.
Both women are clearly unstable. Whilst Danielle maintains an air of normality, no sooner has Richard left that Beth has pulled out her former lovers photo and places them on display in pace of her husband...the man she shared a life with and created a child with. Richard may have cheated on her but how could he compete with a ghost when Beth makes no secret of the fact that Nick was the love of her life?
And then there is Danielle's marriage. Her husband Peter really appears to care for her but she keeps pushing him away. Why? He clearly states that he doesn't think a baby is the answer to their problems and yet Danielle is so sure that it is. But she has a deeper secret that she has kept even from him. What will he do when he discovers the truth?
Told from the alternating perspectives of Beth and Danielle throughout, I KNOW YOUR SECRET may be Ruth Heald's third domestic thriller but she is cracking the genre with the likes of Kim Slater and Shalini Boland. I thoroughly enjoyed the guessing game she had us playing as I endeavoured to puzzle it all out. A bold and unique thriller, I KNOW YOUR SECRET is fast paced and edge of your seat throughout...and I loved every minute of it.
A brilliant read that is entertaining and addictive right from the start, I KNOW YOUR SECRET will have fans of Kim Slater, Shalini Boland and Sheryl Browne flipping the pages at the speed of light.
I would like to thank #RuthHeald, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #IKnowYourSecret in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
June 22, 2020
4 stars audio
3.5 stars story
3.5 stars story
May 26, 2020
Beth's life is starting to fall apart after her husband decides to leave her, she is barely keeping it together when Danielle arrives on her doorstep for therapy. Immediately Beth is suspicious of Danielle, especially when weird things start happening around the house after her visits. However, what Beth doesn't know is that their lives are connected in more ways than one. Will she discover the truth before it's too late?
After the first chapter I was already gripped by this. This is super fast paced and jumps between Beth and Danielle's perspective. The plot builds and builds throughout so you're desperate to find out how the two women are linked. As soon as you think you've worked it out, something will happen that completely surprises you. I also really liked how both characters were not very likable and you found yourself unable to trust either of them.
I gave this three stars just because I thought the ending was slightly predictable and little bit rushed. A great suspenseful read!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy.
After the first chapter I was already gripped by this. This is super fast paced and jumps between Beth and Danielle's perspective. The plot builds and builds throughout so you're desperate to find out how the two women are linked. As soon as you think you've worked it out, something will happen that completely surprises you. I also really liked how both characters were not very likable and you found yourself unable to trust either of them.
I gave this three stars just because I thought the ending was slightly predictable and little bit rushed. A great suspenseful read!
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy.
June 11, 2020
After opening with a breath taking epilogue about a fire in a flat, the chapters of this mesmerising thriller then alternated between the perspectives of Beth (a therapist) and Danielle (a solicitor who specialised in alleged miscarriages of justice) Both of the woman had troubled pasts, both of them were in complicated relationships and they both suffered from varying mental health issues. The brain is a complex organ that is a master at messing with you and twisting things into something that they are not. Was Beth's anxieties and paranoia causing her to imagine things or was she being manipulated by a clever enemy? Both the women were strong, vivid characters but I didn't think either of them was very likeable for various reasons. That said, is it fair of me to judge people who are suffering from issues that can affect their behaviour. My heart went out to Beth's four year old son Charlie, for someone who was a therapist and had allegedly been good with children, she wasn't very good at figuring out what was troubling her own son. As for Danielle, it was obvious from the moment that we met her that she was a master at manipulating people but was she the one messing with Beth's life and if she was then what was the motives behind her actions? I spent the whole book struggling to decide how I felt about Beth's ex Richard and Danielle's husband Peter, there was times when they were both cruel and not very supportive of their partners but they both also had redeemable qualities to their characters.
Within the pages dwelling behind the stunning cover of this book is a beautifully written,emotionally charged thriller that captivates the reader from the first page. The story rockets along, building in intensity as the reader is hurtled through the various twists and turns and towards the shocking conclusion. I really really enjoyed this brilliant thriller and look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
Within the pages dwelling behind the stunning cover of this book is a beautifully written,emotionally charged thriller that captivates the reader from the first page. The story rockets along, building in intensity as the reader is hurtled through the various twists and turns and towards the shocking conclusion. I really really enjoyed this brilliant thriller and look forward to reading more of this author's books in the future.
April 26, 2020
Beth s world is falling apart her husband no longer wants to be with her her little boy takes it hard . Beth is a counsellor and in Danielle walks in to her life .. Beth has only ever loved one man Nick but he died .she gets a bit to close to Danielle this book is about revenge loss and lies its a brilliant read very gripping and twisty
July 22, 2020
A very entertaining drama that grabbed my attention from the very beginning. Everyone has been holding onto secrets for years and they are all ready to explode. I thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.
May 14, 2020
Oh gosh !! This book was so amazing. It kept me hooked right from the first page and the characters were well written. I couldnt guess who was victim and who was the perpetrator right till the end .
June 18, 2020
About halfway through I was pretty sure I knew where this was going. WRONG! Things got flipped on their head and all hell let loose. It was tense. It was sad. It was scary. It was confusing, because who should I be rooting for? The more I got to know about the characters the more conflicted I was. And then... and then we have the ending, Well I wasn't expecting that. This is a great read, I loved how the two different POVs developed. Hated Richard. That was the only thing I was certain of!!! If you like a book that flips your thinking and makes you hold your breath, this is one for you.
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