Other People's Secrets

by Meredith Hambrock

Baby’s down—and could be out for good—when she faces off with forces bent on turning her lakeside paradise into a living hell, for fans of Alissa Nutting and Amy Engel.

Baby’s heart is in the right place, but she’s got problems—namely, a fierce taste for booze and an on-again, off-again boyfriend who can't commit. She’s living and working at Oakwood Hills, a crumbling lakeside resort, with her friends, Crystal Nugget and DJ Overalls, reeling since her adoptive mother died of a stroke. And now, the return of the local drug kingpin, Bad Mike, is about to throw her already unstable summer into full-blown chaos.

To make matters worse, the owner of Oakwood Hills announces plans to sell the resort to Amelia, her boyfriend's wealthy twin sister, who plans to renovate it, sucking the life out of the only home Baby's ever known. Desperate to thwart the sale, Baby and her friends decide to try to recover a sunken treasure rumored to be sitting at the bottom of the lake. But Bad Mike also has his eyes on the prize and when the search gets criminal, Baby will be forced to walk down a road full of hidden secrets that will change how she sees herself—and her life—forever.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

First published September 6, 2022

Reviews

[Dona's Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

OTHER PEOPLE'S SECRETS is a truly fun, wonderfully funny book, starring a drunken anti-hero that I fell immediately in love with. Dumpster Baby got her name because (you guessed it) she was born in a dumpster. She drinks and pukes her way through this entire mystery; I adore her, and she is so disgusting.

She works night shift in a saloon, part of a crumbling waterside resort, in a falling down southern seaside town that no one except drug dealers ever visits. Her only affection is a rich boy, whom she meets every drunken night on his boat: Peter, her passion and her shame, neither of which Baby feels strongly enough to stop meeting him at night or start meeting him during the day. She's perfectly content to let things keep limping along just as they are.

Until the owner of the resort tells everyone she's selling the resort, then vanishes overnight, and Peter's sharky sister Amelia assumes ownership. Everything starts to change. And Baby realizes that she might have to do something for once--and starts wondering about the integrity of the old, decrepit resort's plumbing system.

You see, Baby makes messes. She's messy. This whole book is a mess, but it's a carefully designed one and a pleasure to read as such. The ending (answer to the mystery) is solid. Star removed because the plot moves a bit slow (but honestly, I didn't mind; I was having too much fun!) Also, just a note about Frankie Corzo, the narrator foe this audiobook-- she was perfect for this book! Her voice, and her performance lent a lot, I thought.

Thank you Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the Audio ARC!

Rating 3.5 stars rounded up
Finished Audiobook September 2022
Recommended for fans of mysteries, thrillers, antiheros, drunk capers, inebriated protagonists

✔️September Pick 3/18
✔️52 Book Club Summer Genre Challenge: Mystery
✔️Nothing But Challenges 2022 Author Alphabet Challenge: [H.] Meredith Hambrock

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[Heather Adores Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐

Featuring ~ single 3rd person POV, debut

Meh, I didn't love this one like I thought I would.
It started off promising with a baby girl found in a dumpster. She's named Jane Doe and adopted out. When her adoptive mother dies that's when the story really begins. Jane, who goes by Baby, is now much older and working at a resort. The resort gets sold and Baby and the whole crew are not happy with all the new changes the new owner, Amelia, has plans for. Now they're on the hunt for a sunken treasure in hopes to buy Amelia out. They end up getting more than they bargained for.

Told by Baby in the 3rd person, which I didn't care for because I hated hearing the name BABY a gazillion times.
I wouldn't categorize this as a thriller because there were no thrills at all. I did like that she was very feisty and always stood up for herself and her friends though.

Overall, not for me, but since this is a debut I will try this author again sometime.

Narrated by Frankie Corzo for 9 hours and 58 minutes, easy to follow at 2x. She did an alright job. I did bump it up to 2.5x just to speed it along quicker to finish it up.

*Thanks to Dreamscape Media, the author and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*

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[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Rating: 4/5
Audiobook Rating: 3/5
Narrator Rating: 5/5

With a title like Other People's Secrets I totally expected this to be a thriller, but it had a much more literary feel as well as a mystery element. At times it was a really tough read as well, and Meredith Hambrock was not afraid of tackling all the sensitive subjects which created a very dark and gritty tale. I didn't love that the narration is Baby from the third person, and I would have preferred to have her POV in the first person, if only not to have to listen to her name being said over and over again. It was an interesting style choice, and I am really curious why Hambrock chose to use it. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the end and while I can appreciate her choice to leave the reader wanting more, it just really did not work for me, and I needed a solid ending.

There is quite a bit going on in the plot, but I was really impressed with the way Hambrock ended up tying everything together, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't both surprised and a little shaken up. The narrative seemed somewhat reminiscent of the tone found in the TV series Ozark, and it does NOT surprise me that this author is a television writer. I think Other People's Secrets would really come alive as a TV series, and if one is ever made, I will definitely watch it. I saw a lot about the audiobook, and I have to add my 2 cents since I have an audiobook obsession. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Frankie Corzo as a narrator and I thought she was the perfect choice for this book as well as Baby, but she SHOULD NOT have read “says” after every single time Baby speaks. I have never had something like this catch my attention so blatantly before and I wish that even though the book had it, she would have made the choice to cut it out of her narration.

Final Words: This book is for the reader that doesn’t mind loose ends, enjoys literary fiction with mystery elements, and loves to watch/read things in the style of Ozark. I would gladly read this author again, and I recommend going with the book for this one as opposed to the audiobook though if you are not a fan of POVs in the third person, you may want to skip it altogether.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, what a different book!
I don’t usually pick up books like this one, but glad I did!

A drug problem infested once happy lakeside holiday small town, a bar with employees, all plagued by the hardships of life- then, a missing safe, owner change and resurge of drugs…

All in all, a compelling read with a complex main character and lots of unfortunate turns of events - I could not put the book down and wanted to fly through it!

One gripe I do have is the ending fell flat and was very abrupt - I wanted more!

Overall, I would rate it 3.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you NetGalley, for the ARC!

[Damyanti Biswas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a noir, mystery and literary thriller rolled up in one. After a fascinating backstory, the plot takes interesting twists and turns, following the main character Baby, who is an absolutely in-your-face, love-her-or-hate-her character. A compelling anti-heroine soaked as much in self-hatred as in alcohol, she is trying to save the only home she has ever known, along with a rag-tag group of friends.

The small lakeside down is brilliantly evoked, as are each of the characters—I found myself caring for Baby and her friends, and towards the end, had my heart in my mouth as I sped through the pages. None of the characters are perfect, or even nice, and yet, you can’t help but hope they come to a good end despite their occasional fumbles.

A dark, grimy and engaging tale that kept me reading late into the night, Other People’s Secrets is cinematic enough to warrant a TV series some day. I want to gobble up whatever Hambrock cooks up next.

[Ash (eat.pray.decorate) · Rating 2 out of 5]

(2.5⭐️)
I really tried my hardest to get into this book. I just couldn’t. I don’t know if it was the mood I was in? I just read some amazing thrillers, so maybe my expectations were very high? Not sure. Regardless, give this book a try. You might completely disagree with me and end up loving it.

[Crimefictioncritic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Other People’s Secrets is a unique standout amongst the usual genre fiction I read and review for many reasons. It’s categorized as a thriller and qualifies as such. But the book is so much more than that. It has a definite literary fiction heft to it as far as writing style and plot scale. And when I say literary, I don’t mean pretentious and boring. I mean it in the sense that Hambrock’s prose provides insight that creates a stronger understanding of the world and of the human condition. As an example, Hambrock uses carefully crafted sentences that often rely heavily on symbolism. And this is a character-driven story rather than one that delivers a fast-paced plot aimed at encouraging the reader to leave behind the problems of reality and to focus squarely on being entertained. Instead, what Hambrock does is open up to her readers a place where its people and its mood can be felt, captured, and understood. This place is Oakwood Hills, a decaying summer resort that has seen better days. It’s on the edge of a lake, inside the mythical nondescript town of Lakeside. The resort features an equally ramshackle dive bar called the Bloody Parrot, which is central to the story.

“Baby hid inside a summer resort on the edge of Bitborough Lake, inside a town so boring it was simply called Lakeside, home to 672 people, inside a dive bar called the Bloody Parrot, with ceilings that were caving in, thick drops of water constantly condensing and falling on heads and shoulders, paint curling off the walls, a constant smell of deep-fried something thick in the air, with a floor so sticky it was impossible to clean.”

The people are a mix of resort workers, meth addicts and drug dealers, summer vacationers, absentee wealthy lakeside vacation homeowners, and others who are either genuinely worn down or who live humbly in this once popular, but declining town, and choose not to move on to more prosperous areas. The story itself centers on a twenty-nine-year-old woman named Jane Doe, but who insists that everyone calls her Dumpster Baby, Baby for short, and her group of pals. They all work at the resort and bar during the summers, hoping to earn enough to get through the winters. Amongst their friendships and revelry is a deep sadness and loneliness which both the town and its inhabitants, but particularly Baby, suffer from. When the owner of the resort and bar suddenly sells out and ups sticks for Florida, with their livelihoods put at risk, the gang, led by Baby, conspire to discourage the new owner and stop the changes she has in mind for the resort. They feel certain the new owner will take away their jobs and destroy their beloved town and desperately want to stop her. Their scheme succeeds, but then things go terribly wrong when long kept dangerous secrets surface and lives get put at risk.

In Other People’s Secrets, Hambrock’s narrative serves to widen the lens from individual characters onto the plight of the townspeople in general. She often introduces the reader to minor characters, residents of or visitors to the town who emphasize certain extremities of real life, often cruel in nature (death, crime, drug addiction, poverty, violence, suicide, etc.). The purpose of Hambrock’s method of shaping the primary story in this way is to shape a world, to give feeling and context to a group of people, without having to focus on one person in particular. This allows the story to be about a general community rather than individuals, which allows the conversation to be about a class or type of people, a region, rather than a character. The place, in fact, becomes the person. Besides this, the specific characters Hambrock introduces, such as Baby, DJ Coveralls, Crystal, Marco, Johnny, and Peter Pomoroy, Baby’s on and off rich boyfriend, are all distinct, realistic, and purposeful. Their interactions with one another are interesting and believable, but their internal thought processes are perhaps the most fascinating of all.

Hambrock clearly loves her central character, Baby. She revealed as much in a recent interview with Dawn Ius (Ius, D. 2022, September 30. Up Close: Meredith Hambrock. THE BIG THRILL. https://www.thebigthrill.org/2022/09/...).

“I love Baby. She is a fully formed person in my head. I love her so deeply, it’s hard for me to see her flaws as flaws. It’s bad. I think it was hard for me to write her f-boy boyfriend, Peter, to have compassion for him. But I hope I did!”

And why not? Dumpster Baby is an unconventional protagonist—messy and honest. And that makes her fascinating. Also, Hambrock gives her such an unusual backstory. She is known to most as Dumpster Baby (Baby for short) because she was born in a dumpster.

“Dumpster Baby, pink skinned and screaming, was discovered behind a grocery store, nestled on a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Once she was taken into custody, leaving the Cheetos cellophane bag behind, she becomes something unremarkable. Another orphan Jane Doe, case number #45BN6ab9.”

While Baby’s adoptive mother, Hannah, insisted on keeping the official name Jane Doe for her because she thought it was a pretty, innocent name, Baby rebelled, demanding everyone call her Dumpster Baby so she could walk through the world honestly.

I’m now a huge fan of Hambrock’s prose and style. In this book, she offers many passages with incredible descriptions, brief passages that are almost poetic in their beauty. She has a talent for not just seeing but also feeling people and places, then somehow transfiguring these sensations into written language. Hambrock also captures mood and tone with her narrative voice and through her use of dialogue. We learn much about Baby, for instance, without being granted access to Baby’s point of view necessarily. Instead, we learn about her through the way others treat her, through Hambrock’s descriptions of her, and by the way Baby and Peter’s relationship is presented in the narrative. Baby, as one single character, comes to mean much more on the narrative level. She represents a type of person, but because of the straightforward and sometimes raw way Hambrock describes her, she can represent a group of people without becoming incongruous. Ultimately, Hambrock’s prose and straightforward style, with brief interludes of poetic, almost romantic language, suits the tone of the novel and the nature of its characters and plot.

Other People’s Secrets is about people and place, but its purpose is somewhat ambiguous. The emotion and pathos are there, but the reader is allowed simply to bear witness to a community, perhaps even becoming a part of it, without being guided toward feeling one way or another about anyone in the town (even Baby, loved by everyone, but still has many faults). Hambrock allows us to draw our own conclusions and to choose how we feel about each character as we come to know them. Thematically, the book touches on topics like friendship, community, poverty, families, survival, income inequality, and a struggle to find self-worth. There is also a good amount of humor, counterbalancing a relatively somber tone.

Simply put, I adored this book. It’s a richly patterned story spun out in layers to form a coherent and fascinating whole. It’s far from shallow. At times, the surface of the novel is so frothy you may barely notice the deeper currents, or its unique and daring structure. But it’s all there. The story builds up to shocking climax, as long-kept secrets come out. The characters, many of them the flotsam and jetsam of humanity, drive the plot, and Hambrock makes them human and likable (except for those we aren’t supposed to like). You won’t find as much emphasis on crime here as in some thriller genre fiction. But you will encounter a violent drug dealer and other assorted psychopaths. There’s also a treasure hunt. What more could you want? This one is a gem, and I highly recommend it.

I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

[Deb Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Baby is a hero for our times! She sharp and funny, but she is a grimy mess of chaos and desperation, just as goodhearted as she is capable of launching beer bottles through the air or ending the night with a bloody fight—or worse. The narrative, which is full of pageturning mysteries and adventures, follows her and her crew of friends as they fight for their lives when the declining lake resort where they work (and Baby's only remaining home) is overtaken by city money in the form of Amelia, the daughter of one of the corporate types who use the region as a summer playground and the sister of Baby's longstanding summer beau.

We get to know the people in Baby's life, past and present, as they prop each other up, flail against the class and drug wars that plague such small seasonal towns, and invariably let Baby lead them into shenanigans and dangers. They love her, but it's hard for her to let that in because she sees herself as Dumpster Baby, and she is an affecting, relatable character because of it. Other characters are beautifully drawn, too. I especially liked DJ Overalls and Donna, and all together found myself rooting hard for them all, their resort, and their lakeside town—the underdogs in all the disasters that befall them, even when they have a hand in adding to the sludge of everything that is bringing them down.

The writing is tight, propelled with hilarious dialogue and an ending that nails the mysteries fabulously. Highly recommend this beer-soaked, algae-blooming romp through Baby's mucky slide towards home.

[Meghan Howell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! A definite 4 star for me. It was more of a mystery above anything else. It started off a bit slow for me but then it really really picked up! And the last 30% or so was nonstop which is why I wish it came sooner. There weren’t too many characters to keep track of and each one had their own personality which is a huge plus in my book. I’d definitely recommend this one! It was a slow burn but a quick read nonetheless! Thank you to Meredith Hambrock and #netgalley for the eARC! This book hits the shelves September 6th, 2022! #otherpeoplessecrets

[Lanette Sweeney · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent story about self-sabotage and life giving you what you think you deserve, filled with quirky, authentic characters who drink too much and make a mess of their lives but still have one another's backs.

The main character, Baby, continues to think of herself as a dumpster baby, because she was, in fact, found in a dumpster before being adopted by a rough alcoholic. (She reclaims the dumpster baby title as a way of keeping others from using it against her.) The story opens when Baby's adopted mother drinks herself to death, leaving Baby at loose ends, and then Baby finds out that the bar she has worked at for years is being bought out. Baby has a summer lover, a wealthy heir who comes to visit the bar on his boat every summer and hooks up with Baby through the seasons when he's not away at school. Baby loves him but knows he isn't serious about her. She uses her body to gain whatever affection she needs and doesn't allow herself to anticipate a deeper relationship developing between them. The folks who work at the bar with her are lifelong friends who are constantly warning her to protect her heart; they have all saved one another's skins at one point or another. I loved all the class clashing and comparisons, kind of like a modern-day Downton Abbey set in the American South.

Suddenly, Baby and the rest of the crew discover the bar is being bought out by the summer lover's sister, who is in her early 20s with an MBA and plenty of attitude. She wants to shut the bar down to renovate it and make it a resort, which will put Baby and all her friends out of a job. Meanwhile, a violent drug dealer who beat one of the waitresses nearly to death before going to jail, has been released and is back on the scene making everyone jumpy. These two stories manage to converge in a way that will have you rooting for Baby even as you yell at her for her stupid choices.

The end goes a bit off the rails (did not see that psychopathology coming!) but overall this is a great read and I highly recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced-copy audiobook with excellent narration provided by Frankie Corzo.

[Molly Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Growing up in a small lake town hasn’t been easy for Baby. Her job at the Oakwood Hills resort is at risk, she is crashing in the old boat house on the property, and she and her friends are all hurting. They need money, they need stability, they need safety - particularly now that the local drug kingpin is back in town. Since losing her adoptive mother Baby has been in a downward spiral. She drinks too much, causes trouble for those around her, and puts too much faith into a man who can’t seem to return her affection. When the resort is suddenly sold to an out-of-town businesswoman, the clock seems to be ticking on Baby’s last piece of home. Until she decides to try and recover a lost safe somewhere in the lake, which could be the turnaround she and her friends need.

Baby is an addictive anti-hero. She makes all the wrong choices, even when her heart is in the right place (and her heart is not in the right place throughout the whole book). Deliciously poetic descriptions made the lakeside come alive! Without a great deal of backstory on each character, there was enough that I could picture them all and yearned to know more. There was mystery, action, pain, relief, and heartbreak making it a wonderful read! I can’t wait to read what the author writes next!

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for accepting my request to audibly read and review Other People's Secrets.

Author: Meredith Hambrock
Published: 09/06/22
Narrator: Frankie Corzo
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers

Initially I questioned the choice of narrator. I couldn't connect and something felt off. I reread the synopsis and I started to understand. Baby, the main character is a resident of a seasonal resort. Hambrock in this her debut novel does a really good job with the financial and social class descriptions of her characters. Baby is at the lowest end of the scale. Thus, Corzo performs as such. She is loud, not soft spoken, etc.

There are the usual family dramas, stranger confrontations, crooked law enforcement officers, as well as the nosey and keep their heads in the sand neighbors. Everyone has a part to play. There were a lot of heartbreaking, gut-wrenching parts that Baby experienced by adults,. She wasn't likable until suddenly she was. I found myself annoyed with everyone in the book and people in my real life for her treatment.

Imagine being handed a riddle, knowing if you solve it, there is an inheritance or is there? Another cruel joke potentially? A ticket for anything you want or a do not pass go card. Other People's Secrets has it all. I look forward to more from Hambrook, and I do desire that she reconsiders the use of profanity and realizes it cheapens her talents.

Finally, while I liked the book, I did not like the late-teen being addressed as Baby. I cringed every time. This is a 3.5 star book from me, the profanity and not dropping Baby for her given name, and one unmentionable sister as a potential spoiler, I am not rounding up.

[Charlie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of drunken behavior. Cliche story line. Super disappointing ending.

[Kevvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an advanced reader copy of Other People’s Secrets by Meredith Hambrock in exchange for an honest review.

I have read several books published by Crooked Lane Books and have loved every single one so far. When I saw Other People’s Secrets listed among their titles I wanted to read it as well. Other People’s Secrets is about a woman named Dumpster Baby, because she was literally found in a dumpster. She works in a small, isolated resort and bar, with a few close friends. Every summer a rich boy named Peter comes to town and they rekindle their relationship, just for Baby to get heartbroken again when he leaves at the end of the summer. This dynamic of Baby, Peter, and her friends at the resort has been stagnant for years, until one day the resort’s owner Louise sells without notice, and the staff is suddenly stuck with a new boss.

As the title stipulates, this book is all about secrets. Peter keeps his fling with Baby a secret from his family. Louise’s husband killed himself years ago, but nobody really knows the whole truth of the situation. Who is Bad Mike and what is his history with Baby’s friends? Even Baby is full of secrets, struggling to be open with her friends and with Peter. Baby is a unlikeable protagonist; she’s a bratty, argumentative lush, but despite this you still root for her to succeed. If you’re a fan of the unlikable protagonist trope then you’ll definitely like Baby.

I really enjoyed this thriller and uncovering the secrets of Oakwood Hills. It is a world I would love to return to! Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced reader copy.

[Kat Polcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this read. I feel like it was a solid 4 star review for me. I love how it started with the prologue giving us Baby's backstory from the very beginning. It really made me feel like I knew her and was connected with her. I felt that throughout the book the author was really good at depicting things and making me able to picture exactly how events are happening. I am not sure that I would consider this a thriller, definitely more on the mystery side for me. But things DEFINITELY picked up during the last 25% of the book, which I really enjoyed! Overall I would say this was a good and easy read. Well written and a good story of mystery! I would definitely recommend to a friend that like a more slow paced / slow burn mystery book.

[Mia Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the book introduced the main character--a baby who gets abandoned in a dumpster behind a convenience store, grows up & insists on going by Dumpster Baby (Baby to her friends)--I knew I was hooked for good. Grown-up Baby is larger than life and irresistible on the page, but she's steeping herself in alcohol at local dive bars, facing personal loss, low cash flow, and a world she wants to hide from. Other People's Secrets is as grimy noir as it gets, so if that's what you're looking for you are in for one heckofa ride.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you read the synopsis it sounds like a soap opera but the story works. Baby was found in a dumpster, adopted by a local lady and grew up hanging out at a seasonal resort. She now works there with her friends. It’s also where she met her decade long summer boyfriend Peter.

You feel you know what the characters are going to do before they do it because you are friends with them. Well most of them. You pick who to root for, choose wisely! I did take one star away for the ending… I hate total cliffhangers! I assume we are getting a book two ?!

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start by mentioning that the narrator of this book, Frankie Corzo, does a fantastic job. There are many different characters but I could always tell who was talking. The story itself was not what I thought it would be but I was pleasantly surprised. I couldn’t tell where the plot was going but love not being able to easily predict the ending. I would definitely recommend for anyone who’s into mystery with well constructed characters and turns you don’t see coming!

[Jessi - TheRoughCutEdge · Rating 3 out of 5]

At 75% there was still not a lot of mystery happening, this was more like a drama or suspense. Some stuff did happen at the end but it never really felt fraught with tension. Maybe a 2.5/5⭐️

I struggled with this audio. It might have had something to do with the main character being called Baby, which made me think of Dirty Dancing every single time, or the excessive amount of throwing up. There was a lot of binge drinking that resulted in sickness and it was just too much.

This was not the right fit for me but I appreciate Dreamscape Media and Netgalley approving me for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

[Elle Grawl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody puts Baby in a corner…but that doesn’t stop some people from trying!

From the first page, we’re thrust into Baby’s world—one full of colorful characters and disappointments. And I absolutely LOVED every minute of it!

Things are shifting in Baby’s delicate ecosystem: a local drug dealer is back in the picture and looking for revenge, the resort Baby has come to call home is in danger, and the dynamic between her and on-and-off boyfriend Peter are on shaky ground. As a potential way out of her situation presents itself, Baby sets off on a dangerous mission.

Baby is a spunky character I was rooting for from the beginning. She’s a hero for anyone who has worked in service industry and been told they have “an attitude problem” 🙄 and wished they could hurl wine bottles at walls with reckless abandon. But as rough as she is, she’s also deeply vulnerable and I really understood her motivations as she navigated the chaos in her world.

Hambrock writes characters that deftly and believably navigate their world and the stakes feel high. The tension is perfectly woven into these very real interactions between Baby and others.

[Kori Potenzone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would like to assist you all in finding your next 5 star read…

Other People's Secrets

I was honored when I received the approval email for this "internet breaking" publication.. I also have a soft spot for new authors and debut novels. After reading the synopsis I knew without a doubt I was going to fall in love with this book!

I wasn't wrong!

It takes talent to write thrillers that engage an audience. We all know us thriller readers are critical and don’t easily spook. We have read it all and we come down hard on a “PG” like book.

I promise you, there is nothing PG about Hambrock . Other People's Secrets is DARK . Jam picked with characters you will love, and others you will love to hate. Together, they weave an intricate web of deceit.

There is no need to wait, this book it out now! You can download a copy instantly on your kindle but lets be serious, buy the paperback, this book has a killer cover that will look good showcased on any shelf.

Teaser :

Baby’s heart is in the right place, but she’s got problems—namely, a fierce taste for booze and an on-again-off-again boyfriend who can't commit. She’s living and working at Oakwood Hills, a crumbling lakeside resort, with her friends, Crystal Nugget and DJ Overalls, reeling since her adoptive mother died of a stroke. And now, the return of local drug kingpin Bad Mike is about to throw her already unstable summer into full-blown chaos.

To make matters worse, the owner of Oakwood Hills announces plans to sell the resort to Amelia, her boyfriend's wealthy twin sister, who plans to renovate it, sucking the life out of the only home Baby's ever known. Desperate to thwart the sale, Baby and her friends decide to try to recover a sunken treasure rumored to be sitting at the bottom of the lake. But Bad Mike also has his eyes on the prize, and when the search gets criminal, Baby will be forced to walk down a road full of hidden secrets that will change how she sees herself—and her life—forever.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one was very different from what I thought it was going to be. However, being different is not always a bad thing I really enjoyed the twist and turns of the story!
Baby is known to everyone in the area because when she was a baby she was found in a dumpster and then adopted by Hannah. Then, when Hannah dies it seems like with her grief she is twisting down the bad luck train! Her lakeside home and work were sold and they are trying to create it into something totally different than what it always has been, on and off again boyfriend is from the rich side and won't really commit to her or even a relationship, and then while her heart is in the right place she wants to save her home she ends up creating a bigger issue than she ever thought possible!
Baby is thrown in the middle of a drug case and she is trying to connect the dots and just trying to survive and get to the next place to create a new life but without a job, money, or anyone it seems like she is at the end of her luck. Now I will say that the build-up to the twist of this novel is kinda lengthy and can get dull at times but, once you hit that twist you will not be able to put this book down! It will keep you on the edge of your seat!
I was given the audiobook to listen to and the narrator was amazing. Thank you Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to listen to this audiobook! It is absolutely amazing!

[Liz Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprise this book turned out to be! Initially, it was giving me Mystic Pizza vibes; small town girl falls for the rich uppity guy who comes back summer after summer. But then it took quite the turn, making it a fun, noir mystery I could not put down.

Baby is the type of main character you'll either love or hate, and I absolutely loved her! She's locally known as the Dumpster Baby and has had a hard upbringing. But she knows who she is and will do anything for her friends who she loves like family.

I highly recommend this audiobook for those who love fast paced and entertaining reads with lots of twists and turns. And the narrator did a fantastic job with it.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the arc of this audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Christina Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to dive into this one because I am OBSESSED with “She’s a Lamb!” & have been chasing that high ever since I read it. While I did not love this one nearly as much, I am still in awe at how well this author writes unhinged female main characters! I LOVED Baby—she’s such a mess and I’m so here for it! Honestly, the entire “mystery(?)” plot of this book was kind of meh for me, but having a main character like Baby really made this worth reading! I was so invested in her antics and shenanigans. 3.25 stars, rounded down!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5

*Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a free copy of the audiobook for review purposes.

I really enjoyed the book! It's kind of a mystery, summer read which I wasn't expecting but I loved! Baby is a typical 20-something from a small town, where everyone knows everyone and everything about each other. She's super relatable which made the book more enjoyable.
I would recommend this book to anyone who likes the sound of the premise!

[Jason Bovberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the potential of an asshole protagonist, and Dumpster Baby is certainly that! To this reader, though, she's just too unlikeable, with very few redeeming qualities. Her voice is sometimes hilarious, though, particularly in the first act. (BTW, this book should have been titled DUMPSTER BABY.)

[Betsy Cornwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never really got into this book. The main character is a party girl, a bully, and a freeloader. Yes, she does have some redeeming features and a bit of charm but I never liked her much. The same for the other characters. Interesting, yes, but I didn't much enjoy spending time with them. The mystery part was good, but it never really got started until the story was mostly done. I hope they all learn how to get a life before they turn 40 but I'm not coming back to find out.

[Shruti morethanmylupus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sorry to say I'd be happy to put Baby in a corner. I tried so hard to get into this book but I couldn't not stand Baby. She was so irritating and it colored the whole book. I think if you can get past the character issues, and you're a fan of shows set in places like the Outer Banks, you would enjoy this one. Sadly, it just wasn't for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the ARC.

[Steven Netter · Rating 4 out of 5]

READ MY FULL REVIEW AT Best Thriller Books



Make sure to check out the full review

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

the title doesn’t make sense; this isn’t a story about other peoples secrets and the few secrets in the story, like why AJ wears overalls, are unimportant.

I didn’t consider this a suspense thriller or a mystery. This was a family drama. It’s a slow story about a group of grungy, grimy, childish misfits. It’s trashy Not noir or gothic.

All of the characters are not likable, and I’m tired of fall down drunk main characters. Baby is so stupid you want to slap her.

Yet, I did keep reading hoping Baby would grow up and get her shit together. I also find it unbelievable that Hannah, a 50yo poor drunk, would be able to adopt a baby. That really bothered me.

The last 15% the book tries to save itself and act like it was a mystery/investigation the entire time, but it’s not.

SUMMARY: baby was found in a dumpster as a baby. A 50yo drunk adopted her and never changed her name. Hannah (the drunk) is now dead, leaving 20-something Baby destitute and homeless in their dumpy small town.

Things are about to get worse for Baby: the grimey and decaying “resort” and bar she works at isn’t going to open as planned. It’s the only employment for baby and her friends, and they try to live the rest of the year odd summer tips and govt assistance. The owner has decided to sell and everyone hates the new, young, pretty and rich owner that wants to spruce up the place, make them wear uniforms, and not be drunk on the job. What a meany!

Baby does all sorts of things to sabotage the new owner. She’s really quite dumb. She also spends an inordinate amount of time when she’s not drunk or not totally drunk looking for buried treasure because she thinks if she finds it she can buy the property and save the broken down resort and leave it “as is” and ensure her friends DJ & Crystal have jobs.

There’s also “bad Mike” who recently cokes back to town after a stint inside for selling meth, but he seems pointless to the whole story.

There is also this rich bloke that Baby hooks up with every summer, and she’s totally in love with, but her friends all can’t stand him and how he breaks baby heart every summer and uses her. This is his last summer there too, he’s graduating law school and needs to adult. Baby spends a lot of time crying about this guy and seems to lack self respect.

She’s also really unclean. And a horrendous drunk.

I kept reading until 85% bc I had hoped she’d grow up and get her shit together or get some help but nothing really happened; she just kept throwing up and pissing herself and doing dumb things like breaking and entering. She was also a bully in high school and is surprised the woman she bullied then doesn’t like her now.

It’s sort of like watching Gerry springer.

Thanks netgalley for my ARC