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The Secrets We Keep
“The creeping rot of unease twists in the pit of my stomach. Something dreadful has happened. I just know it has. There's no sign of her. She's vanished. Gone. Missing.”
A missing girl. A family under suspicion. And a trial by the media.
It’s only a short walk, but when ten-year-old Annie Warren fails to return home from school, her parents, Cathy and Kit, are frantic with worry.
The police and local community launch a massive search, but with every hour that passes, hopes of finding Annie alive fade.
Meanwhile, a hungry press pack descends on the town, sensing a big story brewing.
Among them is Yannick Kellor, an ambitious local TV news reporter determined to make his name delivering a career-changing scoop.
But he’s not the only one digging into the Warrens’ past and suspicions soon surface that maybe Cathy and Kit know more about what’s happened to their daughter than they’re letting on.
Because little girls don’t just vanish into thin air, do they?
A missing girl. A family under suspicion. And a trial by the media.
It’s only a short walk, but when ten-year-old Annie Warren fails to return home from school, her parents, Cathy and Kit, are frantic with worry.
The police and local community launch a massive search, but with every hour that passes, hopes of finding Annie alive fade.
Meanwhile, a hungry press pack descends on the town, sensing a big story brewing.
Among them is Yannick Kellor, an ambitious local TV news reporter determined to make his name delivering a career-changing scoop.
But he’s not the only one digging into the Warrens’ past and suspicions soon surface that maybe Cathy and Kit know more about what’s happened to their daughter than they’re letting on.
Because little girls don’t just vanish into thin air, do they?
395 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2022
602 people are currently reading
871 people want to read
About the author
A.J. Wills
17 books424 followers***Book bloggers join my ARC team and never miss getting your hands on a review copy of my latest books. You can sign up here: bit.ly/bloggersalert ***
AJ Wills writes standalone psychological thrillers with twisty plots.
He’s a former journalist who wrote in his spare time, before and after work for ten years, until he was finally able to fulfil his lifelong dream of becoming a fulltime author in May 2021.
He’s never looked back and now runs a small independent publishing company, Cherry Tree Publishing with his wife, AJ McDine, also a thriller writer.
He said: “I've always loved thrillers, but psychological thrillers hold a special interest for me because they're about the scary, insane, disturbing things that happen to ordinary people - and we can all relate to them on some level.”
He lives in Kent in the south east of England.
You can download AJ Wills’s psychological thriller, His Lost Wife, for free by visiting bit.ly/hislostwife
You can find out more about him on his website: ajwillsauthor.com, his Facebook page AuthorAJWills or on his Instagram account ajwills_author
Of course, you can always contact him directly at adrian@ajwillsauthor.com, where he loves to answer messages from genuine readers.
And don't forget to follow him on BookBub for his new releases: bit.ly/BookBubAJWills
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
November 16, 2023
It's no secret that "The Secrets We Keep" is a KEEPER!
Quite frankly, it's one of my "besties" of 2023.
When 10-year-old Annie Warren doesn't return home after school, hopes of finding her alive fade with every passing hour.
READERS BEWARE:
This is NOT a "typical" child abduction book.
It's an intricately plotted, well-written, intriguing, unpredictable, character-driven psychological thriller that's unputdownable and requires all of one's brain cells.
READERS BEWARE #2:
TWISTS? Be prepared to suffer from whiplash.
Author A.J. Wills is a former journalist.
Kudos to the author for showcasing the unscrupulous practices of unethical journalists.
Journalists who will do anything and everything to get the best scoop on a story.
I listened to the audiobook read by Andy Cresswell and Penny Andrews.
Both narrators gave Oscar-worthy performances.
5 shining stars!
October 31, 2022
Brilliantly dark, insidious, and unpredictable, AJ Will’s The Secrets We Keep kept me guessing the whole way through. I never saw it coming, and it just kept getting darker with each layer, each lie, and each twist revealed! Wills takes the usual missing child story and flips it on its head in the best way. With characters you won’t know whether to root for or hate, secrets around every corner, and a conclusion that will leave you breathless, this is one you won’t want to miss!
November 1, 2022
I raced through The Secrets We Keep, staying up into the early hours to finish it. It’s a beautifully written, clever psychological thriller that grips you right until the end.
As a former journalist, author AJ Wills brings a rare and fascinating authenticity to his writing. This is such a pertinent thriller and shows the forces at play between uncovering what really happens to missing ten-year-old Annie, and the hungry journalists, eager for career advancement by exposing the next big story. At its heart, it’s a novel about greed, with some horrible but truly compelling characters, and a mother who is swept up in a maelstrom of emotion, trying so hard to do what she thinks is right.
Several days after reading it, I can’t stop thinking about The Secrets We Keep, and for me, that’s the mark of a fabulous psychological thriller. It’s twisty. It’s compelling. It’s full of complex and fascinating characters. The setting in Faversham, Kent is vivid. And yes, I loved it!
As a former journalist, author AJ Wills brings a rare and fascinating authenticity to his writing. This is such a pertinent thriller and shows the forces at play between uncovering what really happens to missing ten-year-old Annie, and the hungry journalists, eager for career advancement by exposing the next big story. At its heart, it’s a novel about greed, with some horrible but truly compelling characters, and a mother who is swept up in a maelstrom of emotion, trying so hard to do what she thinks is right.
Several days after reading it, I can’t stop thinking about The Secrets We Keep, and for me, that’s the mark of a fabulous psychological thriller. It’s twisty. It’s compelling. It’s full of complex and fascinating characters. The setting in Faversham, Kent is vivid. And yes, I loved it!
November 8, 2022
Oh! My! Stars! This story has more twists, turns, and red herrings than I've ever seen! By the time I finished my head was spinning like a child's toy, but not in a bad way. The story is captivating and engrossing, from the very first page until the very last one. I had no idea how this would be resolved until the last few pages and even then Mr. Wills managed to throw me a curveball that I did not see coming. This is an excellent psychological thriller with characters I REALLY did not like! (My mama taught me not to say I hated anyone, so I can't use that. But you get the idea.) Every time I'd see their name on the page my blood pressure would go up. Now that's what you call a visceral reaction and the mark of a talented writer. Whatever you do, don't miss this book. It is that good.
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion.
I received a review copy from the author at my request and this is my honest opinion.
December 4, 2022
Another great story from this author , lots of twists and turns really enjoyed it😊
December 30, 2022
Wow! What a story...all the twists and turns of a thriller with an extra punch at the end.
January 21, 2023
Great read
I started reading and forgot to quit. I'll ended reading this in 1 day. It shows what can happen when something goes awry. I reviewed this and definitely recommend reading. Just make sure you have time, you won't want put it down.
Enjoy
I started reading and forgot to quit. I'll ended reading this in 1 day. It shows what can happen when something goes awry. I reviewed this and definitely recommend reading. Just make sure you have time, you won't want put it down.
Enjoy
November 16, 2022
A cleverly written thriller that will captivate and mess with your mind in equal measure!
I read so much these days that a story needs to grab me from the off, this one certainly does just that! Ten-year-old Annie has gone missing on her way home from school, nobody has seen her, and her parents Kit and Cathy are worried sick. The police are quickly involved and before long it is headline news. Could Annie have run away or has someone taken her? We follow the search for Annie, reading from her mother Cathy’s point of view and also from the perspective of a local TV reporter, Yannick, who is hoping this story could be exactly what he needs to get his big break in his career!
What a great read this was, each chapter sent me down a different path of suspicion and every character made me feel like I had real trust issues! With theories galore, I read keenly throughout needing to know if I was right or wrong. Some of my suspicions were confirmed whilst others were way off, but the whole reasoning behind everything was both shocking and unpredictable.
The author’s past career as a journalist shines through in this story, making it very authentic and believable to read. He has very cleverly created a particular character that I didn’t like but loved to read about! This is a huge talent as it is often very hard to stick with a book when one of the main characters is so unlikeable. The story is tightly plotted with no questions left unanswered, the pace was just right, and the ending was perfect!
With more twists than a pretzel, you’ll certainly be gripped by this fantastic story full of secrets, lies and some truly despicable and unsavoury characters.
Thank you so much to the author for my copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. I think this might just be my new favourite by the very talented Mr AJ Wills!
I read so much these days that a story needs to grab me from the off, this one certainly does just that! Ten-year-old Annie has gone missing on her way home from school, nobody has seen her, and her parents Kit and Cathy are worried sick. The police are quickly involved and before long it is headline news. Could Annie have run away or has someone taken her? We follow the search for Annie, reading from her mother Cathy’s point of view and also from the perspective of a local TV reporter, Yannick, who is hoping this story could be exactly what he needs to get his big break in his career!
What a great read this was, each chapter sent me down a different path of suspicion and every character made me feel like I had real trust issues! With theories galore, I read keenly throughout needing to know if I was right or wrong. Some of my suspicions were confirmed whilst others were way off, but the whole reasoning behind everything was both shocking and unpredictable.
The author’s past career as a journalist shines through in this story, making it very authentic and believable to read. He has very cleverly created a particular character that I didn’t like but loved to read about! This is a huge talent as it is often very hard to stick with a book when one of the main characters is so unlikeable. The story is tightly plotted with no questions left unanswered, the pace was just right, and the ending was perfect!
With more twists than a pretzel, you’ll certainly be gripped by this fantastic story full of secrets, lies and some truly despicable and unsavoury characters.
Thank you so much to the author for my copy of this book in exchange for an open and honest review. I think this might just be my new favourite by the very talented Mr AJ Wills!
November 4, 2022
There are two different stories in this book that converge into a very compelling twisted tale of misplaced loyalty, manipulation, betrayal and an over-the-top ego. First is Annie - a missing 10 year old schoolgirl who never arrived home from school. Her parents are devastated when she doesn't turn up by nightfall. The police and the community all assist with the search. Enter Cathy's nephew Yannik - a local news reporter looking for his big break in the news arena. As the story progresses certain secrets come to light and twist after twist the two stories merge into one with tragic consequences. The ending is somewhat expected but still a big surprise. I loved the book and recommend it.
January 4, 2023
Everyone has secrets
Annie has gone missing, her parents are distraught. The local community gather volunteers to search for her, the police start a hunt for her.
The focus of the story is where has she gone, is she alive, did someone abduct her?
In the midst reporters gather, one in particular is particularly pushy.
A book of clues, red herrings and guessing games.
I enjoyed this novel with its twists and turns as the story progressed
Annie has gone missing, her parents are distraught. The local community gather volunteers to search for her, the police start a hunt for her.
The focus of the story is where has she gone, is she alive, did someone abduct her?
In the midst reporters gather, one in particular is particularly pushy.
A book of clues, red herrings and guessing games.
I enjoyed this novel with its twists and turns as the story progressed
November 2, 2022
Wicked and twisted.
This book will leave you on edge as it brings you through a harrowing tale of not only young Annie, whom truly sufferd the tragedy, but the twisted people behind it. How disturbed can one be? Between, Yannick, Cathy, Kit, police and friends. This book has it all! I suggest you read it when you have a day to read as you won't want to put it down!
This book will leave you on edge as it brings you through a harrowing tale of not only young Annie, whom truly sufferd the tragedy, but the twisted people behind it. How disturbed can one be? Between, Yannick, Cathy, Kit, police and friends. This book has it all! I suggest you read it when you have a day to read as you won't want to put it down!
April 20, 2023
I was hooked from the first chapter. I wanted to know what happen to ten year old Annie. This story is full of lies, secrets and twists that you won’t see coming. A child goes missing. The mother reports it. The days following will be an emotional ride. The ending wasn’t a cliff hanger but I wanted more!
November 6, 2022
Great book!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot was excellent! There were a lot of twists and turns, but I lived every moment.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The plot was excellent! There were a lot of twists and turns, but I lived every moment.
January 21, 2023
Page turner😵
Hard to put down.... Didn't see the husband's secret coming, that was a shocker! Who would have thought!!!! Could have done without some background and dialog
Hard to put down.... Didn't see the husband's secret coming, that was a shocker! Who would have thought!!!! Could have done without some background and dialog
February 6, 2023
couldn’t stop myself from reading
I genuinely couldn’t put this down. It’s such a gripping read. I love a good mystery story and this one hits the spots!
I genuinely couldn’t put this down. It’s such a gripping read. I love a good mystery story and this one hits the spots!
February 15, 2023
absolutely amazing book, could not put it down! - even if you’re not a frequent reader i 100% recommend this one! just 😚🤌🏼
January 5, 2023
One twist after another!
I never heard of this author before but the synopsis sounded too good to pass up. I had my theories about 1/3 of the way through but I knew I had a lot more reading to do and my theories would most likely change as I read. Let me tell you, they changed so often because of all the twists and turns this book took, right up to the end. If you enjoy a book that makes you work to figure out the answer to “who dun it”, don’t hesitate to read this book! I started it yesterday and read half the book and finished it tonight when I got home from work. It was one of those books where there was no good stopping spot. I’m so glad I took a chance on this author. A. J. Wills is an author I’ll follow now. I have about 1,600 books on my kindle so that tells you I’m an avid reader. This won’t be the last of this authors books that will be downloaded to my kindle.
I never heard of this author before but the synopsis sounded too good to pass up. I had my theories about 1/3 of the way through but I knew I had a lot more reading to do and my theories would most likely change as I read. Let me tell you, they changed so often because of all the twists and turns this book took, right up to the end. If you enjoy a book that makes you work to figure out the answer to “who dun it”, don’t hesitate to read this book! I started it yesterday and read half the book and finished it tonight when I got home from work. It was one of those books where there was no good stopping spot. I’m so glad I took a chance on this author. A. J. Wills is an author I’ll follow now. I have about 1,600 books on my kindle so that tells you I’m an avid reader. This won’t be the last of this authors books that will be downloaded to my kindle.
March 26, 2023
Well what can I say except the secrets just kept on coming with this book. A.J Wills very successfully kept me distracted with only a tiny part of the twist which was to come at the end, and lets you think you figured it out when you really, really didn’t. Could never have seen that ending coming! Yannick is one of the skeeziest and most awful characters I’ve ever gotten to know through a book, I hated him, but I felt Cathy’s ending felt realistic and natural and the author didn’t try to make the pieces fit a happier ending like in other books I have read. I tried to keep this spoiler free as per the authors request at the end of the book.
May 14, 2023
The Secrets We Keep by A.J. Wills. Brilliantly written with so many unpredictable twists. I was hooked from the very beginning that i could not put it down. The author puts so much depth into the characters that you feel the mothers pain and you loathe the people involved, how twisted people can be. I love how the author plummets you deeper in the secrets and lies with ever twist. A missing young little girl and a mother's anguish not being able to find her. Well written story, I absolutely lovedit! The ending wow, I will not be able to forget this book. I was on the edge of my seat. I highly recommend!!!
December 7, 2022
suspenseful!
A little girl goes to school, she never comes home again! What happened? Who took her? The answers will shock you! The deceit and betrayal hits a new level in this book! You will be reading deep into the night! You will see what lengths Kathy goes to, in order to try and protect her family. You will also get to see what lengths other people will go to, no matter if their family is involved or not! Some people are only looking out for themselves, they don’t care who gets in their way!
A little girl goes to school, she never comes home again! What happened? Who took her? The answers will shock you! The deceit and betrayal hits a new level in this book! You will be reading deep into the night! You will see what lengths Kathy goes to, in order to try and protect her family. You will also get to see what lengths other people will go to, no matter if their family is involved or not! Some people are only looking out for themselves, they don’t care who gets in their way!
December 6, 2022
Slow to start
Being a huge fan of AJ Wills, I found the 1st half of this book really hard to get into. I didn't like the characters or the story... BUT, it got good and then I was hooked. Twists everywhere and totally unexpected ending.
If you can get passed chapter 33 it's a good read
Being a huge fan of AJ Wills, I found the 1st half of this book really hard to get into. I didn't like the characters or the story... BUT, it got good and then I was hooked. Twists everywhere and totally unexpected ending.
If you can get passed chapter 33 it's a good read
November 14, 2022
Brilliant!,
I couldn’t read this fast enough. So many twists, I didn’t know what to expect next and I had to keep reading to find out. Interesting story and characters, with shocking revelations you won’t see coming. Expect to lose sleep reading this. You won’t be disappointed.
I couldn’t read this fast enough. So many twists, I didn’t know what to expect next and I had to keep reading to find out. Interesting story and characters, with shocking revelations you won’t see coming. Expect to lose sleep reading this. You won’t be disappointed.
December 13, 2022
Great Book
I started this book one evening and read all night, I couldn’t put it down. I’m usually pretty good at figuring out the “who did it” at the beginning but this one kept me guessing till the end! Great book!
I started this book one evening and read all night, I couldn’t put it down. I’m usually pretty good at figuring out the “who did it” at the beginning but this one kept me guessing till the end! Great book!
January 22, 2023
Many Secrets Here
Alternating chapters among the characters allows you to understand their motivations a bit easier. I never liked Yannick because he was so selfish, but he has secrets to tell just like the others. I'll definitely read more by this author.
Alternating chapters among the characters allows you to understand their motivations a bit easier. I never liked Yannick because he was so selfish, but he has secrets to tell just like the others. I'll definitely read more by this author.
February 7, 2023
The realness of this book
This book makes you think about how far journalist/reporters would go to get the top story. Not caring who gets hurt. It honestly makes you dislike them even more lol.
This book makes you think about how far journalist/reporters would go to get the top story. Not caring who gets hurt. It honestly makes you dislike them even more lol.
November 10, 2022
Great story
This was a great story I enjoyed so much! You won't want to stop reading until the end! Very well written!
This was a great story I enjoyed so much! You won't want to stop reading until the end! Very well written!
November 23, 2022
Outstanding
This is an outstanding book. Fast paced, it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
This is an outstanding book. Fast paced, it will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
November 28, 2022
Rubbish
Where to start , I have never read a book as full of obnoxious characters as this one. I skimmed through it purely to confirm how bad it was. To think I wasted a £1 !
Where to start , I have never read a book as full of obnoxious characters as this one. I skimmed through it purely to confirm how bad it was. To think I wasted a £1 !
December 18, 2022
Wow!
Boy this book is a real mind blower...get ready for so many twists you will have no idea what they will come up with next!! Fantastic!!
Boy this book is a real mind blower...get ready for so many twists you will have no idea what they will come up with next!! Fantastic!!
January 17, 2023
wow
At first I wasn’t sure about the book, but the more I got into it the better it got. Let’s just say that you will never guess the ending. I am still shocked.
At first I wasn’t sure about the book, but the more I got into it the better it got. Let’s just say that you will never guess the ending. I am still shocked.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews