Told in a distinctive, singular perspective, The Secretary presents the reader with a curious and fascinating tale in this slow burn of a read.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

Great thriller, could no put it down through all the twists and turns. Would highly recommend to fans of this genre.

I read this as I was a secretary in my day,! My job was not as exciting as this however.. ver much enjoyed it. Well written

I've always said that to really enjoy a book I have to find at least one character relatable and likeable. There certainly wasn't anyone that fitted that description in The Secretary. Both Mina and Christine were detestable, manipulative and damaged women who I personally found completely repugnant. Yet I enjoyed the book - strangely, in a weird way. It was akin to reading about two leeches feeding off of each other until eventually one subsumes the other. For me, that was the essence of the story; who would be left standing when both the blood suckers had finished eating? The ending didn't sit totally comfortably with me, but in all honesty, I don't see any other way Ms Knight could have finished the book. With that in mind, it was the fitting conclusion for this story. A fascinating take on what could happen if power and jealousy, corruption and obsession, arrogance and addiction are allowed to run unfettered. An interesting tale that I'm happy to recommend.

There's a fine line between loyalty and obsession...

When Christine Butcher takes on the post as secretary to Mina Appleton, heir to the huge supermarket chain, Appletons, she wants to do a good job. She has always been reliable and efficient but this role offers her the potential to be so much more.

Christine's family life becomes a secondary concern, as she seeks to please MIna, and to be available to her at all times. Increasingly the lines dividing the personal and professional, right and wrong, become blurred and indistinct.

There are always consequences, though. And while Christine never waivers in her role as loyal and obedient assistant, Mina reveals her true nature.

This is a stunning book!

Christine, our narrator, tells us the day-to-day activities of her working life in almost monotonous, painstaking detail. There's just enough intrigue and foreboding to keep us turning the pages, but who do we trust?

We're torn in how we respond to Christine. At first she seems too controlling, and it's unsettling how Mina and the other members of staff are all running to her tune. But still she captures our sympathies and we know something terrible is going to happen.

And the final outcome is fantastic! Terrifying and brilliant!

A good thriller that kept me turning the pages! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced review copy.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, I really enjoyed the book.
The Secretary by Rennie Knight was an interesting and intriguing story of a woman employed as a secretary and who stays with the same woman and company for nearly 20 years. In her eagerness to satisfy her employer she forgoes her marriage and then her daughter to continue satisfying her employers all consuming demands, even going to New York and leaving her father to die in hospital alone.
It is only when she, the driver and the employer all stand trial that she later realises what she has done and become all the years she has been ‘the secretary’.
An intriguing look at working relationships and how to resolve conflict in the workplace.

A great thriller by Renee Knight. As soon as the book opens, we know that Christine (the books narrator) is the secretary to Nina, CEO for 18 years, but now currently not working, has been very loyal, but secretaries should never be underestimated or overlooked.
How and why was Christine so loyal to Nina? Would Christine do absolutely anything for Nina? Why is Christine no longer working for Nina? Who is underestimating Christine and what price will they pay for doing so?
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book and enjoyed the twist at the end. The characters were not likeable but I suppose we are not meant to like them.

A great twisty thriller. Lots of twists and turns. The main character is creepy and dark and so well written. I really enjoyed this book and raced through it x

From her first day as Personal Assistant to the celebrated Mina Appleton, Christine Butcher understands what is expected of her. Absolute loyalty. Absolute discretion. For twenty years, Christine has been a most devoted servant, a silent witness to everything in Mina’s life. So quiet, you would hardly know she is there. Day after day, year after year, Christine has been there, invisible—watching, listening, absorbing all the secrets floating around her. Keeping them safe. Christine is trusted. But those years of loyalty and discretion come with a high price. Yet, it would be a mistake to underestimate such a steadfast woman. Because as everyone is about to discover, there’s a dangerous line between obedience and obsession.

Wow, Knight delivers a masterclass in simple perfection with this book! The plot, as I have inferred, is fairly simple; we follow Christine, secretary to Mina, as something big unfolds. Knight writes this from Christine's perspective, and we take a journey, looking at her history with Mina. This is extraordinarily done as it results in the reader knowing something big has happened but the reveal waits for later in the book. I was engrossed in this plot and it works spectacularly well.

Knight keeps the tricks usually embroiled in plots simple as well, there are no cheap tricks employed, and this really does not need it either. There are no big twists or shocks but that is no bad thing. The thrill of this comes from the uncertainty of what is going to happen and the intense atmosphere that Knight so expertly creates. 'The Secretary' really is a masterclass in an example of an exhilarating thriller that will keep you utterly engrossed.

The characters are fantastic as well, and I mean all of them. They are not all likeable but they perform their role sensationally. They are very realistic and I could relate to them, flaws and all. They ensured for addictive reading and I loved discovering their story.

'The Secretary' is a thriller that I highly recommend. It is addictive, thrilling and oh so intense. I loved every second of reading this and urge you to read and discover the magic of simplicity.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for an advance copy.

I really wanted to love this book, especially after enjoying Disclaimer, however I just couldn't get into it, this was such a slow burner that unfortunately just didn't keep me interested.

I highly enjoyed Renee Knight’s debut, Disclaimer, so was really looking forward to her much awaited second novel, and this doesn’t disappoint.
This follows Christine Butcher, secretary to Mina Appleton, CEO of Appleton supermarkets. The story is narrated with the present day Christine resting (why? What’s happened to her?) in a place call The Laurels following a trial (about what you’ll find out) looking back on she how become secretary to Mina and follows their relationship up until the present day building towards a breathless and an explosive climax.
I highly enjoyed this one. Knight maintains suspense well by having her protagonist look backwards much like in Apple Tree Yard. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Christine and Mina, the class differentiation, office hierarchy and their complex dynamic. It was refreshing that the main crime at the heart was a corporate one and the severe impact it has people’s lives. I loved Christine’s character, her experience and observations in a job that’s often looked down on. This has a strong voice, superbly plotted and paced. A marvellous psychological suspense.

The Secretary is a brilliant blend of tension, suspense and courtroom drama. It's a story which I read with an impending sense of doom... you know from early on that it all goes terribly wrong for secretary Christine, who takes a personal assistant job with the demanding but high profile Mina Appleton - to the detriment of her own personal relationships and, it seems, her peace of mind.

The story flicks between the past narrative, when we learn what happened in the lead up to the 'present' story, when Christine is dealing with the aftermath of a situation that does not seem to have ended well.

Renee Knight's writing is so absorbing that, despite some of this novel moving at a slower pace with perhaps less 'action', it's still utterly addictive. It doesn't need to rely on crazy occurances; what happens with Mina is twisted but at the same time believable - a testament to Knight's storytelling skills! The whole story is told with style - and what a great ending!

I haven't read her other high-profile novel, Disclaimer, but I've heard brilliant things, and reading The Secretary only makes me want to read everything by her.

I really enjoyed Disclaimer so was looking forward to another book by Renee Knight. Sadly I found this to be very slow and I struggled to finish it

3.5 stars
It took me quite a long time to read this book as it's quite a slow burner. Not much is happening during the time period that covers 18 years and the plot, although original, is mostly character driven. Overall, I did enjoy the book and will definitely read another one by Renee Knight.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Transworld Publishers for the ARC.

I have enjoyed previous books by this author and overall enjoyed this one and would recommend. I did think it was a bit too long and that the story dragged on in places which would be my only criticism. No real likable characters but I think that is part of the point although its always a shame when you have no one to root for I certainly founded myself getting frustrated at different characters actions. The ending was predictable but in a way that didn't disappoint as it fitted in with the direction of the story. .

I love a good stalker/obsessive loner/silent assassin type book and this is certainly a great one.

Christine Butcher is the highly efficient, effective and uber-loyal PA (or secretary, to use the old fashioned term) to minor celebrity and CEO of Appleton’s supermarket, Mina Appleton. When we first meet Christine she is residing in a place called The Laurels compiling a scrapbook of newspaper cuttings featuring her former boss - but all is not as it seems. The story then follows their relationship over 18 years as Christine, by a process of quiet determination and stealth, makes herself indispensable to Mina, running both her business and personal lives with a ruthless efficiency.

This comes at great personal cost to Christine, as her own private life crumbles thanks to the relentless hours she keeps and the need to be at Mina’s beck and call 24/7. But Christine sees this as an honour and privilege, and her fierce loyalty and pride in her work is misconstrued by some as pathetic sycophantism and will ultimately lead to her downfall – but will she take her beloved boss with her?

Mina herself is by no means a monster, merely a pampered, over-indulged woman who is used to people fawning over her and doing her bidding, and whose ego means that she thinks she’s above the laws and rules the rest of us have to live by.

I’ve worked as a PA for some pretty powerful and ruthless/egotistical bosses in my time and I’m familiar with the delicate balance of deference and determination required in order to get the job done and make sure that life runs smoothly for everyone, at the same time as massaging their delicate egos. Although Christine and Mina’s situation is an extreme one I recognised a lot of the subtleties of their relationship and found this a compelling read. It’s a dark, menacing and compelling tale and I was gripped from start to finish.

Really enjoyed the twists and turns with this one. The character of Christine was brilliant, revealed slowly as the layers were peeled back.
It was especially interesting as this isn't your typical crime thriller. The characters were well written and believable. I'll be recommending this one.