K.L. Slater never disappoints! She has an amazing talent for character development always making you feel like you know each character personally!
If you were Alice, you would know how it felt to live your life in the shadows of an insanely jealous sister who constantly tried to ruin everything you tried accomplishing! If you were Louise, you would know how it felt to choose one controlling loser after another and constantly put your needs above everyone else you loved. If you were Archie, you would know how very very stressful it is to keep a secret, have no friends, and harbor the feelings of being useless. How do these characters's lives twist together to make one smashing hell of a story? Well, you absolutely must read it!
The way Slater weaves together a story is masterful in the least and genius at best! The plot twists are outstanding and always surprising, leaving the reader with sense of, "crap did that just happen"?
Like Slater's other books, "The Secret" will leave you breathless and wanting to read more! Praise for K.L. Slater and her ability to keep us wanting to read every word she writes on paper! Yay!!!

K.L. Slater never disappoints! She has an amazing talent for character development always making you feel like you know each character personally!
If you were Alice, you would know how it felt to live your life in the shadows of an insanely jealous sister who constantly tried to ruin everything you tried accomplishing! If you were Louise, you would know how it felt to choose one controlling loser after another and constantly put your needs above everyone else you loved. If you were Archie, you would know how very very stressful it is to keep a secret, have no friends, and harbor the feelings of being useless. How do these characters’s lives twist together to make one smashing hell of a story? Well, you absolutely must read it!
The way Slater weaves together a story is masterful in the least and genius at best! The plot twists are outstanding and always surprising, leaving the reader with sense of, “crap did that just happen”?
Like Slater’s other books, “The Secret” will leave you breathless and wanting to read more! Praise for K.L. Slater and her ability to keep us wanting to read every word she writes on paper! Yay!!!

This latest novel by K.L. Slater is a gripping psychological thriller with characters that are engaging if not really likeable. Archie is Louise’s young eight-year-old son who is being left frequently in the care of his Aunt Alice, a woman who lives alone and seems to suffer from agoraphobia. After reading the book, I can conclude that all of the characters have secrets that they are dealing with. My favorite character was innocent little Archie who has the biggest secret and one that is not revealed until the conclusion of the book. The ending is absolutely satisfying and very surprising. Alice’s desire to find out what is happening with Archie seems out of character for her since she starts out as such a recluse, but the reader can see Alice as the strong, independent woman that she once was, before the accident that left her struggling to cope with everyday life. I, personally, did not like or sympathize with Louise at all. She is the overbearing, bossy sister who continually takes advantage of Alice. Nor did I like Darren, her husband and Archie’s stepfather. His character was not very well-developed but what the reader knows about him is not likeable. All in all, the book was a good mystery/psychological thriller and fans of Slater will not be disappointed. Those seeking a book with a lot of twists may be disappointed, but I really enjoyed the pace of the book as well as the way the author told the story from the points of view of both sisters.

Yet another gripping psychological thriller from the ever excellent Kim Slater.Louise and Alice are sisters,Louise appears to have it all ,great job,husband and young son Archie while Alice is a virtual recluse in her flat.Helping Louise out Alice babysits Archie but that is when Alice starts to suspect all is is not as it seems in her sisters life as Archie starts to mention secrets he knows.The Secret had me gripped from page one and it has you hurtling towards the tension filled climax,yet again Kim Slater has delivered another 5 star psychological thriller and just seems to be getting better and better with this genre of book.Excellent !!!

This is the first book that I've read by this author. All through the book there are subtle hints and pieces of background information that will encourage the reader to different conclusions. This is truly a shocking psychological thriller with an ending that readers will not see coming. Highly recommended!

I seriously cannot believe I waited this long to read a book by this author. What was I thinking. Super happy to see she has other books released that I can get stuck into.

This story is told through the point of view of two sisters Alice and Louise. Two completely different sisters. Alice has her life destroyed after an accident and suffers bad anxiety. Louise is a control freak.
When Alice agrees to take care of Louise's son Archie she realises there is something worrying Archie that has him withdrawn and quiet.

While reading this I kept trying to think ahead. I realised I needed to stop doing that and just read. It's a really well written psychological story that even while I wasn't reading I was thinking about it. Can't wait to read more from this author.

KL Slater is on my list of authors that I have to read whenever a new book comes out. The Secret did not disappoint with its suck you in storyline that was begging to be finished!

Sisters Louise and Alice could not be more different. Louise is the elegant and successful one with her big house, great job, husband and son. Alice is scared to leave the house and anxious. Alice spent the past few years caring for their ill mother until she died. They both have their secrets from each other and the world. Alice starts to look after her nephew Archie as Louise's job gets more demanding. She loves spending time with him and he her but she starts to notice things are not quite right with him. What are Archies secrets? The ending of this book will shock you and you will not see it coming.

A great story about family, love and secrets that I found hard to put down. Loved it! Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and are no way biased.

The Secret is a great book which will have you questioning the truth.
Alice suffers from ME and can’t work so her sister Louise uses her as a babysitter for her 8 year old son Archie.
At the beginning of the book we learn that it’s Archie who knows a secret, but it’s not until the end of the book that we find out what the secret is.
This really kept my interest and along with the flashback chapters from both Louise and Alice’s past, you realise that both sisters have had their problems.
Someone has a big problem now and whilst one of the sisters has some concerns, it comes as a big surprise to her and us, when everything comes to a breathtaking conclusion.
This is a gripping read and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow, well I didn't expect that, totally immersed in this from start to end, recommend to anyone, love K L Slater books, well done on this one especially.

The Secret is one of those books that you just won't be able to put down. If you like a book full of twists and turns then this is definitely one to look out for.

The information I received about the book actually had me thinking the book was going to go one way, with Alice being the reason for Archie's problems and that Louise was unaware of a possibly abusive aunt but boy was I wrong!

Sisters Alice and Louise couldn't be more different from each other. Alice is introverted, caring and somewhat of a recluse due to a chronic illness whereas Louise is loud, confrontational and seems to have very little time for her son Archie. When Louise starts to lean on Alice more and more to look after Archie it appears to Alice that Archie and Louise are hiding something very dark. Archie is subdued, aggressive at times but he also shows a vulnerable and caring side that Louise fails to acknowledge. It is only over time that Alice's concerns for Archie seem to be validated as he often presents himself covered in bruises or in fear of how adults will react to small accidents.

The twists and turns of the novel had me gripped and there's so many times when I thought I knew what was going on to then have the rug pulled from completely under me.

I sincerely warmed to Alice and Archie throughout the book and loved reading Alice's backstory and how she ended up living such a sheltered life and as a teacher I felt so much compassion and fear for Alfie that I just wanted to reach into the book and hug him. Louise on the other hand failed to grab my sympathy at all despite her difficult past with a bully of an ex-husband who conned her out of everything.

The ending completely shocked me! What a twist and done with such style. I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait to read more by K.L. Slater in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and KL Slater for an ARC copy of the book. As always, an honest review.

My rating is actually 4.5 stars but since there's not half stars I always round up.

Captivating! Terrifying, in a good way! Can't stop reading!

The Secret is a book that many people will be talking about for awhile. While taking notes for my book review, I must have written down "can't stop reading" at least 5 times. There's not just one good aspect, but various sort of random bits that I loved. So here we go:

- Alice! (the main character) She's sweet, caring, concerned, the kind of honest person you'd want in your life.
- Chronic pain is represented well in the book. #ChronicIllnessWarrior #ChronicPain
- Sister relationships as adults ~ very authentic
- the suspense - I can't say too much more without giving it away . . . but read the book!
- Alice's relationship with her young nephew gives you hope.

There were very few parts of the book that I didn't like. However the ending felt rushed to me. There was maybe 10% of the book left, and so many storylines to wrap up. I wish it was a bit longer to do justice for all the storylines.

And of course there are a lot of love to hate characters that make the book absolutely work. Sometimes I wanted to scream at them. But that's more the mark of a great book.

So overall, I really enjoyed The Secret by KL Slater. Pick it up for a can't put down read!

This was my third book by K.L. Slater, and thought I knew I was likely in for a gripping ride, her previous books have taught me to expect the unexpected. The Secret is a story full of twists and turns and I really liked the switching POVs between the sisters, Alice and Louise as well as switching smoothly between the past and present day. As the blurb summarizes above, the story revolves around a big secret kept by Archie, as well as other ones between the sisters. I liked how the book moved at a quick pace, all the while seeming thoughtfully plotted and giving time to develop the characters and the setting. The build-up of tension made this book hard to put down, and I really sped through it, eager to know how it would conclude and what the repercussions of the big reveal would be.
This is another winner for Slater and I recommend The Secret as well as her other books to fans of clever and inventive thrillers. Fans of authors like Nicci French, Angela Marsons or Shalini Boland will enjoy this book, I am sure.
Happy reading!

The story is told from 2 sister's perspectives switching from the past to the present. I was really enjoying this book until the last few chapters which I felt were too rushed. That said it was enjoyable. Just not her best book. 3.5 stars.

Thank you Bookouture and NetGalley for my advance copy.

Alice and Louise are sisters, but very different personalities. Alice was a confident assistant in a popular art gallery when she experienced a bad car accident that killed her boyfriend and left her with injuries and anxiety to the point where she rarely leaves the house. She enjoys watching the trams go past her window and has started watching out for a particular man on the tram every morning. Louise, her older sister is bossy and controlling and despite a disastrous first marriage to a con man has got back on her feet with a new marriage and a high powered job. She is often so busy at work that she has to ask Alice to look after her eight year old son Archie before or after school. Alice loves Archie but feels there is something disturbing him but Louise refuses to listen to her.

This is a psychological thriller that sneaks up on you. Alice and Archie grow closer as Louise's life seems to spiral out of control and Alice starts to find her voice and speak up for Archie. It's hard to guess what is going on until 'the secret' is uncovered towards the end of the novel and it all starts to make sense. The ending was perfect!

With thanks to Netgalley and Bookoutre for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

Kim Slater Is one of my favourite authors, I have previously read four of her books and I have happily given them five star reviews.

After reading the prologue to The Secret I was gripped. Eight year old Archie was playing at his grandmas flat. On his way to the toilet he saw something that scared him, frightened he promised the person he would keep it secret.

Alice is Archie`s Auntie. She is house bound with ME after a devastating accident. Alice Is lonely and watches the tram stop opposite her flat for company. Every morning she watches a man on the 8.15 tram, one day he looks up at her window and waves. In the flat upstairs she often hears bangs and shouting. On morning she meets the owner Jenny and Jenny apologies for the noise. Later she confides her boyfriend Mark can be abusive.

Louise is Alice`s older sister. As a teenager she became pregnant by her boyfriend Martyn a successful businessman. Later Louise discovered Martyn was a convicted conman, angry she had given him her inheritance money. Louise swore off men until she met Darren, they quickly married and he adopted Archie. Louise is critical of Alice and makes snide remarks about her having no life.

Louise has been recently promoted and has to work extra hours. Despite knowing Alice is in chronic pain, Louise asks Alice to look after Archie after school. Initially Archie Is sullen, angry and would rather play in his x box. Gradually Alice and Archie becomes close and discovers he is a bright child, eager to learn. One night Archie stays for a sleep over when she sees bruises all over his body. Alice tries to speak Archie but he begs her not to say anything. In fact this Is not the only secret he is hiding from his family.

Worried Alice speaks to Darren who explains that Louise is drinking and has put the family in debt. Louise often takes her anger out on Archie.

Alice loves Archie and is determined to protect him, she tries to speak to Louise but she becomes defensive about the bruises.

I could not put this book down, I had to know how the man on the tram, Martyn, Jenny and Mark were linked to the story. The characters were folded into the story to create the perfect mix.

I appreciated the plot was told through the POV of Archie, Alice and Louise. It was interesting to read the dynamic between the sisters from both sides. The time frame of the plot jumped from the present, to the sisters childhood, and then 8 years earlier and their relationships with Martyn and Jack. I loved Archie, a bright little star who was loyal to his family. I also felt sorry for Alice and understood what it felt like to try a lead a normal life with chronic pain.

There were so many red herrings in the book. I was sure I has worked the plot out but of course I was completely wrong. Well done to Kim for another fantastic book. I highly recommend all her books.

Wow, what an amazing read. Louise and Alice are sisters. Louise has a high flying career whilst Alice spent her days caring for their mother. After their mother's death Alice barely leaves her flat, while a man on the tram that passes her house catches her eye. Louise asks Alice increasingly to look after her son, forcing Alice to leave the safety of her flat. In this novel everyone has secrets, which are slowly and cleverly revealed, making the plot twist and turn until the major secret is revealed. The characters are fascinating and this story sucked me in so I didn't want to put it down. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers.

The Secret jumps right in with connected stories told from several points of view. At first glance, we hear from 8-year-old Archie and what he saw 18 months earlier. Not only was what he witnessed utterly tragic, but he is suddenly and viciously sworn to secrecy. What a terrible burden for such a young child to bear. We are then introduced to Alice, Archie's aunt and a near-recluse who has been scared to leave her home since the day her mother died. Lastly, we meet Louise, Archie's mother, someone that we begin to suspect almost from the very beginning.

As it turns out, it is not just little Archie that is holding a secret. Others in this intriguing story have things to hide as well. The question as to how they are connected is definitely something quite mysterious. While the motherly part of me so wanted to see Archie relieved of his terrible burden, especially because of the toll it took on him, I was equally captivated with Alice's and Louise's past and present lives. I also connected with Alice on a visceral level.

The relationship between Alice and Louise was strained, which is putting it mildly and was something that happened over the course of their entire lives. But, Louise is becoming increasingly difficult, and Alice does her best to try and help her, which would ultimately help Archie too. The secret that Alice has wasn't a complete one, but it certainly evolved, and she found having no one to trust with it.

The Secret is a captivating story with so many turning points; too many to count, and is a book not to be missed. There are so many good things to say about this book; it was enthralling and incredibly difficult to put down. Even though life got in the way, I found myself stopping to grab my Kindle just to read a few pages more ... and would've easily read this in one sitting if it were indeed possible. This is a true psychological thriller, with a slow burn that builds into exceptional pacing and it truly caught me off guard. The dynamic between the characters captured my attention throughout. The conclusion was so riveting and chilling that you could have knocked me over with a feather.

Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Two sisters: Alice, who is afraid to go outside and is easily manipulated by those around her, and Louise, who gives the impression of being successful but is really really a horrible person. She constantly takes advantage of Alice and ignores her own child. Told in many timelines, the past as we see their childhood and mother getting sick and dying. The present as Alice struggles to move beyond her self-limitations and as Louise deals with a very stressful situation. This got a bit confusing and at one point I think the wrong timeline was used for a flashback (but I read a preview copy so it might have subsequently been fixed). Even though the story is told through both sisters' points of view, and a little from Louise's son Archie, I always felt like Alice was the main character and was startled when someone else stepped in. Ms. Slater did an excellent job of developing the characters while keeping the secrets just beyond reach for the reader and other characters.

There is a Swahili phrase used by women when sharing secrets, ‘Vuta Stool Nikupe Udaku’. This translates to; ‘pull your seat closer so that I can tell you a secret’. This book reminded me of that phrase. It had so many juicy secrets that I couldn’t put it down. I felt like I was right there with the author, keenly listening as she revealed once jaw dropping secret after another.

This is a story about two sisters, Alice and Louise, who have a strained relationship. However, present circumstances require them to try and relate well with each other. Through the chapters, we get to know more about the two and their pasts. Layer by layer, more secrets are revealed. I like how the author masterfully did this. She dropped hints that had me curious to unravel the mysteries. I had so many questions and equally a number of OMG moments. Each of the characters had a secret and just when I thought that all was finally out in the open, the final chapter still managed to make my jaw drop. I just love the crazy ride that this story turned out to be.

The Secret by K. L Slater is a gripping, addictive, twisty, fast-paced psychological thriller. Like the Swahili women, I was completely immersed in the story that everything else ceased to exist at that moment. The milk might have spilled, the food could have burned and I’d still have had a hard time putting down this book or even looking up long enough to notice the hours going by. Lucky for me, I was able to read into late into the night without any distractions. This is yet another excellent thriller by K. L Slater which I can’t recommend enough to all fans of this genre.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Secret by KL Slater. This is my very first book I’ve read from the the Author and cannot wait to read more. It was a book for me once you started to read it you wanted to keep reading to see what would happen with the characters next. I will not give any spoilers but I recommend this book so please check it out.