This was my first Vincent Ralph book, and honestly, I felt like I’ve read it before. It didn’t feel original- like it’s already been done before. Maybe it’s just me, I do read a LOT of books, but it just didn’t stand out to me.

3.25 ⭐️
Hmm... I really wanted to enjoy this book and the synopsis was really interesting for sure! This is my first book by Vincent Ralph and this was interesting! The pacing of the story is fast which was great, some of the twist is unexpected which is also great, but the connection that I felt to the characters weren't there??? Usually the mystery intertwined with the characters would make me feel that connection, but in this book, it was not as strong?? I kept wanting more but I felt this book did not hold a lot of character depth 🥲 . But this book is definitely a kind of book where you can sit in one sitting and it's very action packed as well!
Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesdays Books for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

My heart is still pounding

What just happened ? I’m an adult, how did a YA book shake me to my core ? Well, when you are Vincent Ralph, you know how to skillfully craft a book that will consume and frighten even the coldest of folks.

I know I know. This is crazy . I can read Stephen King and not even bat an eye but I tell ya, this one is good, real good .

Something about teenagers have always scared me. Their brains haven’t fully formed and they make impulsive, awful and dangerous decisions without even batting an eye . Insert ::shiver:: . Just thinking about what I just read sends chills up my spine .

I think you should find out for yourself …

Teaser :

Secrets Never Die is a creepy thriller from New York Times bestselling author Vincent Ralph about four teens who all have secrets that are coming back to haunt...and terrorize.

We call it the Dark Place. I don’t know who built it or when but, for us, it’s special.

Every year Sam Hall and his friends hold funerals for their secrets in an abandoned hut in the woods that they call the Dark Place. But this year, their secrets are coming back from the dead...to terrorize them.

Sam is a former child star whose career went up in flames – literally. And no one, not even his best friend knows why. His friends each hold a secret pertaining to the night. A secret they would all like buried.

Now someone from the past is blackmailing them with their dangerous secrets. Sam isn’t sure who he can trust, who’s watching him – or how far he’s willing to go to bury the past once and for all.

When you’re alone in the dark, some things won’t stay hidden.

Holy crap this was such a twisty, sitting on the edge of your seat book! I was hooked from the very beginning.

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: Sept. 26, 2023
Everyone has secrets. But for former child actor Sam Hall and his friends, their secrets come back in a big way- jeopardizing friendships, futures and even lives. Every Halloween, Sam and his friends meet in the backyard of his friend Dom’s house, where a ramshackle shack they’ve named “The Dark Place” sits. Every year, the teenagers whisper their darkest secrets to the shadows that live in the dark place, ridding them of their guilt and angst. However, this year, the secrets that they’ve told only to these four walls are being revealed, in dangerous ways. Sam and his friends try and discover the truth, before turning on each other.
“Secrets Never Die” is the newest YA horror novel by author Vincent Ralph. “Lifelong” friendships (a whole sixteen years’ worth), life-changing secrets (to a teenaged mind anyway) and consequences broadcast on social media, and “Die” has all of the components of a millennial-focused horror story. But even for someone like me (far enough past the teenage angst years), Ralph’s novel was intriguing, immersive and even slightly scary.
The chapters are short, each chapter given a title instead of a number, and the novel is entirely narrated by Sam. Although Sam’s former life as a child star is different from that of most of Ralph’s readers, he was still honest and relatable, building a quick and easy rapport with readers. In fact, most of the characters in “Die” were likable, and provided enough development and depth to make their individual outcomes matter, and they kept me turning the pages.
Ralph ensures there are enough characters that the actual culprit hides in the shadows, and yet somehow manages to make an entirely plausible ending that completely checks all the boxes (there is even a touching message or two within the pages). “Die” is a quick read, but it is also modern, relevant and entertaining. I haven’t read Ralph’s other novels, but this one seemed right up my alley and I was not disappointed. Even the adult reader will find something to enjoy with “Secrets Never Die”, and that takes a special talent that Ralph seems to have in spades.

Actual Rating: 3.5

I Know What You Did Last Summer meets One of Us Is Lying in this teen mystery thriller!

Secrets Never Die starts one fateful Halloween. Sam Hall and his friends have an annual tradition. Every year, they visit an abandoned hut in the woods where they each go in, one at a time, to share their deepest, darkest secrets and get it off their chest. Most of them come out lighter and relieved. This year, after a series of weird occurrences, San starts to realize that things aren’t quite right. And when everyone starts getting threatening texts that are personalized to each of them, their greatest fear is confirmed: someone knows ALL their secrets.

The premise itself is really interesting and I loved the tension that was created by reading from the perspective of a character who had secrets, with the primary antagonist being someone masked and mysterious.

It definitely took me a little while to get the hang of the story and all the characters — especially again near the final 20% of the book where the cast expands again. However, I think it really helps that the entire book was written from Sam’s perspective. We knew who he was closest with, who he didn’t like, who he did, and most of all, his own secret. Being an ex-child star is really not a characterization I've read much so it was super interesting to see. So to be expected, Sam had the best and most intriguing backstory of all and I also liked how some of the others had secrets that were intertwined with his history.

Plot-wise, I do have mixed feelings on how the final story turned out; on one hand it was definitely unexpected (and the good mysteries are the unpredictable ones) but it also seemed a little underwhelming for not being as tied into existing thread lines as I wanted. I felt similarly about some of the secrets, especially if they were built up until the very end as something so extreme it would change the course of the story.

Ultimately, the climax did deliver, the ending is satisfying, and I had a really good time trying to read between the lines to figure out who did it and what the characters’ secrets were. I’d definitely recommend this for fans of ensemble mystery stories.

This was a thrilling ride. I haven't read from this author before, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It was a great mystery and I really enjoyed the ride!

I'm not sure if I read the same book as everyone else because I'm just lost.. A story where secrets are never truly laid to rest sounds great. But the thing is that most of these secrets are completely innocuous... and it ultimately comes down to punishing the children for the sins of their parents. It just didn't feel well-foreshadowed at all and there was little to no tension throughout. Maybe it just wasn't for me.

*Thank you to Wednesday Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

A light easy read for YA. A group of friends hold a ceremony each Halloween to air their worst secret. The only problem is, their secrets aren’t secrets anymore. Someone knows everything. The friends must find out who is harassing them as the threats get worse each day.

Secrets Never Die had potential, but the writing was so inconsistent. One moment the story is tense and interesting, and the next it's weak and draggy. When the antagonist was revealed, I just didn't care. Additionally, there was one minority in the main supporting cast, and aside from the initial action, he's basically shoved into the background and criminally under used.
As usual, 3 stars simply because I finished it.

Every year, Sam and his friends hold a funeral to release their secrets. They go to a place in the woods they call the Dark Place. But someone finds out about the Dark Place and wants the secrets released to terrorize them.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph in exchange for an honest review!

This book had many twists and turns from about the halfway point and really kept me guessing. It was slow to start, though. At first I was turned off because it came across as a horror book, and the concept of the kids confessing their secrets in a Halloween ceremony left me with an uncomfortable feeling. However, once the stalking mystery started, the book became more complex and suspenseful! I loved how it spanned generations. I would've liked to have seen more character development with Sam's girlfriend--their relationship seemed distant and less believable than the other friends. I also wish the ending had been tied up a little more neatly. Overall, I'd rate the book a 3.5, a great plot that needed a little more work to feel real.

I will recommend this book to my higher-level mystery reading students, but the strugglers won't be able to get past the slow beginning.

I am on a YA kick lately and this book is a great example of why! I love the mysteries and thrills and how they are portrayed in YA stories! This book is a great example of that. I was into it start from the start and read it in one sitting. There were a few plot twists I did not see coming and kept me wanting more. Definitely checking out more books from Vincent!

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

I read this as a free eARC from Netgalley. Sam Hall and his four friends all have dark secrets. To unburden themselves each Halloween, they go to the 'dark place.' It's a shack on his friend, Dom's, property. Except now someone knows each of their secrets. Someone who is willing to terrorize them enough to turn on each other and attack who is most precious to each of them. Sam is determined to find the stalker after they start trying to get to his sister. They each wonder how far the stalker will go to out their secret or harm their families. It is a fast paced mystery that teens and adults alike will enjoy.

Found on netgally and im glad i did because the blurb is what caught my eye. Have heard about this author before but never read their books. but i will check them out more now. 5 star book and i do recommend this book. I couldnt put this book down at all. might reread this book later on in the year. i already told a few people that they need to read this book

Read this at the beach and it was a great vacation read, very fast paced and easy to get through but still interesting. I found the plot twists were (for the most part) actually surprising without seeming out-of-nowhere which is something a lot of thriller/mystery books tend to struggle with. I did find it a bit needlessly dramatic–sometimes the “mysterious secrets” or “life altering events” seemed blown out of proportion and I found myself a little underwhelmed when secrets were revealed.
The characters also weren’t my favorites, the main characters' “child star” background felt odd (it fit in with the story but I couldn’t help finding it out of place) and the 5 year old sister does not behave like she’s 5. There’s also a bit at the beginning where they say she could “read minds” and I couldn’t tell if that was meant to be metaphoric or if there was a sci-fi element to the book I had missed but it doesn’t end up being important because it’s never again mentioned or developed upon.
Though I had some issues with the ending I did appreciate that the “culprit” had a motive/tragic backstory without it being an excuse for what they did–there was a reason for them to have done what they did but they were still clearly a “bad person” who did something very out of line. Overall, I’d recommend it if you’re looking for an easy, thriller-type novel that isn’t super scary–if you liked These Deadly Games by Diana Urban you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

Pro
Plot twists were surprising
Fast paced, easy read
Murderer had motive but was also psycho
Con
Felt very overdramatic
Characterization of the sister was incredibly odd
Child star thing felt a little random

Everyone has secrets. Wouldn't be wonderful to have a safe place to set them free? The Dark Place was that until someone found out your secrets. Someone who is watching everyone. Do you stand up to them or give in?
Great read. I thought I knew who was behind it. I was so wrong. A book that keeps you guessing.
Thank you, Vincent Ralph. Thank you, NetGalley and publishers.

A group of teens finds a way to deal with their regrets and fears by singly telling them to the dark place, thereby unburdening themselves. What seems like a great way to de-stress turns sinister when they each begin to be taunted and threatened by their secrets. The perpetrator is a figment of the imagination, so it could actually be anyone. As they try to figure out who is tormenting them, the threats escalate to include their families. Their secrets are not life-threatening, but the threats against them are. I initially felt that they were over-reactive teens, but the mystery and threat increased as the story progressed. The story was much more complex than I expected, and the twists and turns kept you rooted in your seat. Great story with a lot of surprises!

If you're a fan of YA Mystery Thrillers that will keep you guessing until the end, I would recommend reading "Secrets Never Die" .

Once a year a group of friends meet at The Dark Place to confess their deepest secrets. They're suppose to leave feeling unburdened but this year the unthinkable has happened, someone not only knows about their ritual but also all of their secrets too. Now they must work together to figure out whose pulling the strings while dealing with exposed secrets, lies and betrayals that threaten to tear their friendship apart.

The author crafted a suspenful plotline with some twists and turns that I didn't expect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Thank you Vincent Ralph, Net Galley and St. Martin's Press - Wednesday Books for providing me with an ARC of this book!