Wow I absolutely loved this!!!
It was one I had requested and then it was always sidelined for one that sounded more gripping...what a mistake that was!
This is the story of 2 sisters, and told over 3 decades, yet the jumping back and forth over time is so slick there is no confusion. Louise and Alice are so different, it is hard to believe they are sisters! I loved the relationship with Alice and Archie, but the highlight of the story is of course the secret! You don’t really see it coming, it is clear that the reader has been taken in a very specific direction just to be shocked by the revelation, and then further blindsided in the knowledge that there is an even bigger secret no one could ever envisage! Absolutely blinding!

EXCERPT: 'If Mum couldn't look after me any more, would I have to go and live in a children's home?'

'What? Where's that come from? I laugh softly and put my arm around him, pulling him closer to me. 'I don't know where this is going, but the answer is no, of course not. If there's some reason your mum couldn't look after you, you'd come and live with me.'

'Because we're family.'

'Too right.' I grin. 'And after everything we've been through, we want no more secrets ever, right?'

'Right,' Archie says faintly. 'Even terrible ones.'

'Especially terrible ones.' I nudge him playfully.

And then he pulls away from my hug, looks me in the eye, and Archie tells me his secret.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: You turn your back for a minute. And now your son is in terrible danger …

Louise is struggling to cope. As a busy working mum, she often has to leave her eight-year-old son Archie at her sister Alice’s flat.

Alice and Louise used to be close. But there’s a lot they don’t know about each other now - like the bottle of vodka Louise hides in her handbag, Alice’s handsome new friend and the odd behaviour of her next-door neighbour.

Archie is a curious little boy. He likes to play on his own at his auntie’s flat until one day when he sees something he shouldn’t. Now he has a secret of his own. One he can’t tell his mum. One that could put him and his family in terrible danger.

MY THOUGHTS: This book is all over the place, both with narrators and timelines which for me spoiled the suspense rather than adding to it. The Secret is definitely not this author's best book. But it is still a book that kept me turning the pages, waiting for 'that' moment, and when it came it was not what I expected. It made me sit up and take notice. Rocked me back on my heels. Damn, it was good.

However great that moment may be however, there were a lot of things in The Secret that just didn't gel for me. Like how Alice earned Archie's trust almost overnight, for example. It is messy, overcomplicated and felt rushed, and I just didn't feel the suspense that the author was trying to build. There were too many things thrown in, as though the author couldn't quite make up her mind. . . Take for example Alice’s ME. We are told she has it. But one moment she is living her dream life, with her dream job and the next she is debilitated. Nothing in between. And what about the car accident? Other than to kill off a character, what was the point? As I said, it all felt rather rushed and, as a result, lacks both depth and suspense.

Right through, I was thinking that this was a 3-star read, right up until 'that' moment, which earned it another half star. 😍😍😍.5

THE AUTHOR: After years of trying to get published and never getting further than the slush pile, I went back to university at the age of 40 where I studied for an English & Creative Writing degree followed by an MA in Creative Writing.

Although I also worked full-time during the five years I studied at university, the courses gave me the time and space to try different writing and increased my confidence and belief in my writing. Before I graduated from my MA, I had secured representation with my agent, Clare Wallace, at the Darley Anderson Literacy, TV and Film Agency and had my first book deal.

My first adult psychological thriller for Bookouture is called ‘Safe with Me’ and it actually started life as my dissertation on my English & Creative Writing degree.

The creepy voice of Anna came to me strong and insistent . . . she wanted to be written, she wouldn’t go away.

I live in Nottingham with my husband, Mac. Between us we have three grown-up kids; my daughter, Francesca and Mac’s sons Nathan and Jake.

I also write multi-award winning YA fiction under the name Kim Slater.(From author's website)

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Secret by K. L. Slater for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

"Three things cannot long stay hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth." BUDDHA

Archie, 8-years-old, lives in Nottinghamshire with his mom, Louise, and adoptive father, Darren. He has a secret too big to hold inside but too scary to tell. But his deteriorating behavior and anxiety slowly become worrisome when he starts spending more time with Alice -- Archie's aunt and Louise's younger sister. Alice lives alone in a flat that belonged to their mother, she has some physical injuries from an accident, and she is prone to fears of her own. She can't explain away the things she finds out, or those signs that are revealed in the dynamics of dysfunctional relationships. What is really going on with Archie and his family and can Alice become brave enough to confront truth once and for all? NO SPOILERS.

This was a psychological drama centered on family and the keeping of secrets. Alice is a mousy character who never learned to stand up for herself but who is now called upon to stand up for others. Louise is a domineering older sister who shows a real proclivity to narcissism and who is quite manipulative. Is Louise really a monster behind a facade of mother, wife and working professional? Her husband, Darren, expresses deep concerns about his wife. Alice is worried about everyone, even the upstairs neighbor whose phone rings at odd hours during the middle of the night. What is it that Archie can't tell anyone?

Enjoyable and fast-paced read with a surprising twist or two along the way. The narrative is told from three points of view and flips back and forth in time giving the reader a historical perspective on the development of the characters. Although I really didn't care for any of the lot, I know we're meant to feel an affinity for their various plights. I wanted to shake Alice a time or two and I have no patience for disinterested mothering or favoritism. Louise? I detested her completely. Anyway, I've no doubt Slater's fans (and I'm one) will eat this up! It should be obvious to anyone that a secret can be a very dangerous thing to hold.

Thank you to Bookouture and NetGalley for the e-book ARC to read and review.

I usually try not to read reviews on a book that I’m about to read or have already started because I really don’t like to compare what others think about something I’m reading but when I finished The Secret I just had to take a little sneak. I have come to the conclusion that either something is wrong with me or I read a completely different book than everyone else because, I have to be honest here, I really just did not enjoy this book. I found the plot intriguing and the writing was exceptional but it just fell really flat for me and I felt like I was reading the script for one of those cheesy B rated thriller movies. You know… the ones where the call is coming from inside the house (Oooooh)?

I don’t want to go on and on about what I didn’t like about this book. I found it very slow paced, there was a lot of POV switching that normally doesn’t bother me but I didn’t feel it was right here, there were a lot of flashbacks that answered some questions but they were just sort of random sometimes and came out of nowhere and I found I had absolutely no connections to the characters at all. The major annoyance I had though was the reasoning behind Alice’s reclusive life. THAT was something I had much higher hopes for and I felt cheated. I’m not saying that the reason was any less devastating than anything I could imagine but it wasn’t what I was expecting and it was like my balloon just popped. There was no coming back from that.

I didn’t find the whole thing unenjoyable though. There were a lot of parts that really appealed to me. The teases throughout The Secret were very well done and threw me off at every turn. I had no idea what was coming at all and, although not exactly surprised, I didn’t guess the outcome and really didn’t see that twist. I also really liked the relationship and character development between Alice and Archie. I think that was beautifully done and such a powerful way to bring the characters out of their shells. I wish there would have been a lot more of that throughout the book. I always love seeing characters come into their own and it really helps bring a little something extra to the story.

Even though I didn’t enjoy this book I still look forward to more books from K. L. Slater. This was my first book by the author but her books come so highly recommended that I will definitely be giving her another shot. I want to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for providing me with a copy of this book.

Like KL Slater's other books this one hooks you right from the very beginning. Her character creation is amazing and her story lines are always full of mystery and suspense, making the reader devour them quickly. This story really captivated me from the beginning and I loved the main character. There was something about her that really made you relate to her as a character. She didn't have her life together and things were difficult but she was managing. It was nice to see characters not living the picture perfect life before the plot happens, makes it more realistic. This thriller really kept you on your toes just waiting to see what could possibly happen next. I have to admit however though half way through the book I slightly lost interest. I'm not even sure why.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Louise and Alice are sisters who have a fractious and volatile relationship. Alice suffers with ME and lives a reclusive life after the death of her mother and a traumatic past experience. Louise is a career woman with a husband and an eight year old son Archie.

Everyone has secrets but some secrets are more dangerous and harmful than others. Louise begins to leave Archie more and more with his aunt. As they bond Alice realizes that Archie is anxious and is hiding something. She is determined to find out what is bothering the little boy but the discovery of some secrets can fracture a family apart.

This is another tense gripping book by the talented KL Slater.

I enjoyed this book. A thrilling read that keeps you turning the pages.... to discover what the secret is.

This was a great read, with some twists and turns! I couldn’t put it down.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book.. All thoughts and opinions are my own

As always another fantastic read by this author. She always guarantees a thrilling read and leaves you on the edge of your seat and she didn't disappoint as usual

Special thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for a free, electronic copy of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
After the death of their mother, sisters Alice and Louise have been struggling to save their already-dying relationship. Louise is overcome by stressors from her new job, along with trying to raise her young son while Alice deals with crippling anxiety and physical pain which has prevented her from leaving the house in years. When Alice is unexpectedly left to care for her nephew Archie, she begins to have doubts about how well her sister is really coping with her life. Then when Archie reveals to Alice that he “has a secret”, and Alice notices the bruises on his arm, Alice realizes she must face her fears and confront her sister, in order to save Archie.
“The Secret” is the latest novel by author, K.L Slater. But this is not just a story about one secret, but is, in fact, a story about many, many secrets, and how even a small secret can ruin a life.
As a fan of K.L Slater, I was excited for this novel. An author, in my opinion, known for her psychological thrillers with an English city as a backdrop, “The Secret” fits into this description perfectly. It is definitely a novel that will keep you guessing until the very end, and keep you engaged from page one.
This novel was a bit of a slow starter for me. “Secret” is told from the standpoint of Louise and Alice (and later Archie), and each chapter will jump back and forth in time, so that a single chapter may start in “present day”, then jump to “ten years earlier” than end in “three years earlier”. Although this format does help set the stage for plot and character development, it made the plot a bit disjointed and confusing for me. I felt there were far too many storylines being told, and they were all so different from each other. At the beginning, I was unclear as to where the multiple storylines were going (it does sort itself out toward the end of the novel, however). I would describe this novel’s plot as a “funnel”, whereby a lot of information and characters starts out the novel and it begins to thin out and have a more definitive form toward the end.
I did not really connect with either sister, especially at the beginning. Louise is simply a monster and psychopathic manipulator, whereas Alice is a pushover (although she has good reason for being this way). Alice grows on you though, and Archie (the nephew) continues to be the shining spot in this whole novel.
“The Secret” had an unpredictable ending, and it wrapped up the plot very succinctly. I expected to be left with lingering questions, but everything was answered in a deliciously satisfying way.
Fans of K.L Slater will enjoy her newest novel, and she definitely does not disappoint in providing ample psychological twists and turns throughout. The novel quickly becomes addictive and page-turning, and then it is, quite simply, difficult to put down. Highly recommended for fans of the genre!

K.L. Slater is back and at the top of her writing game! THE SECRET is the kind of book where just when you think it's going one way, it goes another. It kept me on my toes as I tried to piece together what was going to happen.

The story is told mainly from the points of view of Alice and Louise, two completely different sisters. Alice is a bit of a recluse and likes to watch the tram make a stop outside of her apartment building every morning...well, more like she is intrigued with one of the passengers. Louise is a successful PR person, but may not have it all together. Despite having a husband who treats her son, Archie, like his actual son, there is clearly something going on with her as she drops Archie off for Alice to watch him many evenings and even in mornings before school.

At the beginning of the novel, Archie witnesses something he shouldn't and is told to keep it a secret. Under no circumstances is he to tell anyone. This ties into the situations that Alice and Louise are going through, along with situations in the past that we learn through flashbacks. This secret could be danger to him and his entire family.

I have read all of K.L. Slater's novels, and I've been a fan of all of them. I have to say that this one was definitely the best! There are so many sub-plots that I found interesting that eventually tie together. The characters are written in a compelling fashion, completely fleshed out, and with a great deal of backstory. I was eager to see how everything tied together. The one "criticism" I would give is that everything kind of wrapped up too quickly in my opinion. It definitely doesn't deter my rating for this book, but I would have liked the ending to be a little more fleshed out and meaty like the rest of the book. I would highly recommend.

Thank you to K.L. Slater, publisher Bookouture, and NetGalley for an ARC of THE SECRET in exchange for an honest review. 5 stars out of 5!

I have been fortunate enough to read and review all of K.L. Slater’s previous books. Hand on heart, I can honestly say that I have loved each and every one. I was so looking forward to reading ‘The Secret’ and I was not to be disappointed because I LOVED it. I thought that her previous books were good but ‘The Secret’ blows the others out of the water.
I really felt for Alice towards the start of the book. She is suffering from M.E and lives in chronic pain and faces a daily battle to simply get through the day. Now I could certainly empathise with her there. I haven’t got M.E but I do have chronic back pain 24/7 and I will do for life. Just putting one foot in front of the other can be incredibly painful and very draining. Alice’s sister Louise is just taking the mickey. Louise doesn’t seem to comprehend what Alice is going through and just dismisses whatever she says. Alice is also expected to look after her nephew whenever Louise needs her to. Alice is tired enough at the best of times but having a young kid to run around after seems to double the strain. The only relief Alice has is to watch out of the window for somebody she has taken a shine to on the tram and who is always on a specific tram. I got the impression that Alice has suffered tragedy in the past through little clues that are dropped throughout the book. All the clues placed together form the complete picture. To start with I just wanted to poke Louise in the eyes with a sharp stick. The way she talks to Alice is appalling but then she has been like that ever since they were children. Louise has put Alice down when the opportunity has arisen. That’s a common trait within families and in fact I have it within my own family so again I could empathise with Alice over that. Louise just seems to dump her child on anybody who will have her. Don’t get me wrong I know that she is stretched on the domestic front but she should appreciate that her sister is limited and that just because Alice’s illness is hidden doesn’t mean that it doesn’t exist. Louise is under immense pressure at work and she is close to cracking. Her husband works too and he has to leave the house early and comes home late. It soon becomes apparent that both Alice and Louise are hiding secrets and that there is more than one skeleton in the closet waiting to come tumbling out.
Oh my days, this was yet another stonking read from K. L. Slater. From the moment I started reading to the moment I finished reading, I was totally hooked and addicted to this book. I binge read the book in the course of a day as I was just desperate to know how the story ended and what secrets were being hidden. For me ‘The Secret’ is a real ‘CPID’ (Can’t put it down) book. My Kindle wasn’t glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it came everywhere with me. If I had to put the book down for any reason, then I was desperate to get back to it to get my next fix. I guess that I am just one Nebby Nora (nosy parker) who likes to know the gossip. The more I read, the quicker I read and the faster the pages turned. In fact the pages were turning so quickly that they were almost turning themselves and before I knew what was happening I had finished the book, which I was disappointed about. I was enjoying the author’s writing style, the story, the characters and the setting of the book in Nottingham so much that I just wanted the book to continues. To say that in one way this book was rather scary is an understatement. There were times when I almost didn’t want to turn the page because I feared what I was going to read but then I realised that of course I had to turn the page because I needed to know how the story ended. Reading ‘The Secret’ was much like being on a rather scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with no idea which direction the story would take you in next. There were also more twists and turns to this story than you would find on a snakes and ladders board. I smugly thought that I had figured out who had done what and why, only to realise later that I had the wrong end of the stick entirely. Oops.
In conclusion it’s fair to say that I absolutely 100% LOVED reading ‘The Secret’. It’s certainly a book to get your heart rate beating faster and your blood pressure soaring. There were times when I held my breath because I feared what was going to happen next. I would definitely recommend this author and her books to other readers but particularly to those readers who like psychological thrillers, which mess with your head occasionally. I can’t wait to read what comes next from K. L. Slater. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a well deserved 5* out of 5*.

This book was marvelous to read it was a stunner to read
I thank Bookoutre for the Arc
The book was about Archie who had a secret from his lips .
You trust her with your child

Yet again KL Slater has written a fantastic
psychological thriller . I honestly found this one difficult to put down . It was a total page turner .

This was an intriguing book. Right from the first page, I was drawn in. This novel is mainly about two sisters. Alice is thirty, single and lives alone in a flat in Nottingham. The highlight of her day is observing a young man sitting on a tram which passes her home every morning. It seems an empty, lonely life until you learn that she has ME which is one of the least understood conditions. It's invisible but extremely debilitating. Initially, I wondered if she also had Agoraphobia. Her sister Louise is a needy, married woman with a son called Archie. I believe she took advantage of her excessive requests for babysitting. Louise is the polar opposite of her sister. She's well-groomed, smartly dressed and has an executive job. She's full of confidence and enthusiasm but is she as happy as she makes out? Louise is the nasty sister with cancerous jealousy of her sister, and she's poisonous. A few times I wondered if Alice over-stepped the mark with her criticism and meddling of her sister. She seemed a little self-righteous and fully believed that we all have a moral responsibility to do the right thing. In retort, Louise ignores her opinions as she believes Alice is unqualified to judge because she hasn't any children - an ill-judged, ignorant assumption perpetrated by many mothers. Is it fair to judge? When Archie's behaviour becomes challenging, and he's covered in bruises and has "accidental injuries" Alice is determined to save Archie and investigate. Louise is more concerned with her career but has ascertained that he has ADHD. She refuses to recognise that it might be trauma and reaction to events around him at school or at home. Sometimes, an onlooker can pick up on issues better than someone busy and involved in so many problems. Louise is defensive, ruthless, sarcastic and riddled with spite and jealousy. Is she taking out her venom on her young son? Will the sisters ever resolve their differences? There's a terrific twist at the end as the secrets come to light. They hit you between the eyes. A compelling reading, excellent characters to analyse and re-analyse as situations change and so much more. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review.

The time has come again when one of my bestie authors releases a new book, K.L.Slater certainly hasn’t let me down, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever been disappointed by any of her books. The Secret is special, I won’t be keeping my thoughts a secret from any one, I will be shouting as loud as I can, letting everyone know that The Secret is Out Now…….

Opening The Secret and the first thing that takes my breath away is the prologue, Archie has seen something, something bad, something that could endanger his family, now its a secret he must keep. A child with an impossible burden. Once you read it there’s no going back.

After the initial shocker of the prologue we get to know all about Archie, his mother Louise and his Aunt Alice, where will the secrets of the past take us and how does it fit with the present, turn the pages delve deep and take the journey that K.L.Slater has laid before you.

Looking at each character in turn its obvious that the two sisters Alice and Louise have had a unstable relationship for a long while, Alice is quiet, almost meek in the eyes of her sister Louise, in which Alice has become almost reclusive due to past events in her life. On the flipside, its obvious that Louise is out going, bolshy, almost tyrant like as she is used to getting her own way no matter the consequences, but is it all an act, is her life unfolding. Archie on the other hand is emotionally saddened, a child with troubles, withdrawn and seemingly unable to interact with other children successfully, I just wanted to reach out to Archie hold his hand and tell him that I’m here for him.

As I turn each page, one after the other, absorbing the journey of each character, filling my boots with the plot, sensing the realism within each written word, it felt as if I was involved, a party to their lives, embroiled in The Secret.

A mystery to be solved, an ending that will blind side you, what you waiting for its time to peel back the layers, unveil…………The Secret.

Thanks to Bookouture, K.L.Slater and Kim Nash for the advanced readers copy of The Secret in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion. Thanks to Kim for the opportunity to be part of the Blog Tour for The Secret.

This book had a bit of everything for me. I love KL Slater and have read a few of her books. This one had me gripped from the start. I kept reading as I couldn't wait to get to the end. Tragedy, lies and deceit followed the sisters throughout this book. At the outset, we meet Alice (the likeable sister) but who is virtually a recluse seeing the same train and the same handsome man on that train every day. She wonders about meeting him some day. We are than introduced to Louise (the not-so-nice sister). We are then left wondering what happened to get them to this point. Archie (Louise's son) is definitely holding his own secrets..The web untangles bit by bit to an explosive ending where The Secret(s) are found out! The character of the sisters really come through and we can see from their family life growing up that they are from a dysfunctional family. Excellent read! I have to take off a star as I though the ending came quite quickly and I feel could have been played out more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret is an absolutely gripping psychological thriller from K.L. Slater. I haven’t read a K.L. Slater novel since I read Blink early last year and now I’m thumping myself on the head with regret that I haven’t caught up on her work since. She is a writer who knows how to hook her readers really early on and you won’t stop turning the pages until the end.

Louise and Alice were two captivating characters. Louise is a businesswoman; she has a young son, a husband and a high flying career. Her sister, Alice however lives on her own; it has been a long time since she has had a relationship and she doesn’t have any friends, she spends a lot of her time staying on her own in her flat. They are both very different to each other but it is clear from the beginning that there is something in their past that is haunting them and tensions between the two soon begin to spill over. We also know that Louise’s son, Archie is harbouring a big secret and this fuels the suspense as the plot develops.

I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough as I was reading this book. I was very interested in the lives of both of the characters and what it was in their past that had gone wrong. One of the most enjoyable parts of the novel I found was seeing the relationship grow between Archie and Alice. Louise begins to leave him with her sister in the mornings and in the evenings due to her work commitments. Instantly I was struck by her attitude towards her son and placing her job above her family. I immediately disliked her and this for me didn’t change. The more Archie is left with Alice, the more you begin to see the effects their relationship has had on them as they have grown up. It is in these moments, between Archie and Alice, that really gets Alice thinking about her sister and what is going on in her life.

The story also flicks back to when the two girls were growing up. K.L. Slater gradually unpicks their relationship as the story moves forward and I did find that I began to see a different picture than the one which I thought was the case. The revelations that come towards the end are surprising, especially when we finally learn the truth from Archie about what he has been hiding since the beginning.

There is some strong character development in this book, especially in Alice and Louise, I thought the way in which K.L. Slater explored their relationship was done really well and it kept me intrigued. If you enjoy twisty, character-driven psychological thrillers, then I highly recommend The Secret, you won’t be able to put it down until you have finished. Thank you to Kim Nash at Bookouture for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for providing me with a copy of the book to review.

I received a free e-copy of The Secret by K.L. Slater from NetGalley for my honest review.

Louise and Alice are sisters but they are not very close. Alice has been looking after Archie, Louise's son. As she spends more time with him she discovers he is keeping a secret. Now she is trying to find a way to get him to tell her the secret he is not supposed to tell anyone. The secret he is keeping is hurting Archie. It is affecting his mood as he is angry and he is withdrawn.

This psychological thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put it down. Even when I thought I had this book figured out, it took another twist. Loved that it kept me guessing.

Another great thriller from KL Slater! Fast paced with unexpected twists and turns. Believable sinister characters and an unlikely heroine.