Our Little Secret

a gripping psychological thriller with a shocking twist from bestselling author Darren O’Sullivan

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Pub Date 28 Jul 2017 | Archive Date 16 Jul 2017

Description

‘Immensely talented new author.’ John Marrs, author of The One and When You Disappeared

Engrossing, compelling and twisty from the first page to the shocking ending. This book grabbed me and didn't let go.’ Michele Campbell author of It’s Always the Husband

'Unique and utterly compelling. This twisty psychological thriller will chill you to the bones.' Gemma Metcalfe author of Trust Me

‘A stellar and original concept, brilliantly executed. The final chapters had my heart in my throat! O’Sullivan is certainly one to watch.’ Phoebe Morgan, author of THE DOLL HOUSE

A deserted train station: A man waits. A woman watches.

Chris is ready to join his wife. He’s planned this moment for nearly a year. The date. The time. The train. But he hadn’t factored in Sarah.

So when Sarah walks on to the platform and sees a man swaying at the edge she assumes he’s just had too much to drink. What she doesn’t expect is to stop a suicide.

As Sarah becomes obsessed with discovering the secrets that Chris is clearly hiding, he becomes obsessed with stopping her, protecting her.

But there are some secrets that are meant to stay buried…

Pre-order Close Your Eyes… Darren’s thrilling second book, coming May 2018!

Perfect for fans of Clare Mackintosh, BA Paris and Holly Seddon.

Praise for Our Little Secret

’Darren O’Sullivan keeps the reader on the edge of their seat in this dark, clever look at what drives people to the edge and how quickly a life can change.’ Phoebe Morgan author of The Doll House

‘This is one of the best books I have ever read. It was nail-biting and had me on edge from start to finish… a must buy!’ Greta Halliday

‘An absolutely phenomenal debut.’ Rebecca Pugh

‘One of the best books of its genre.’ Julia Beales

‘The only thing unbelievable about this thriller is that it's the authors debut.’ Jennifer Kelly

Gripping from the moment you start reading it.’ Emily Charlton

‘Incredibly well-written debut.’ Susan Anne Burton

‘One of the best novels I've read in a long time.’ Paul Lane

‘Immensely talented new author.’ John Marrs, author of The One and When You Disappeared

Engrossing, compelling and twisty from the first page to the shocking ending. This book grabbed me...


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Available Editions

EDITION Ebook
ISBN 9780008257637
PRICE £2.99 (GBP)
PAGES 384

Average rating from 63 members


Featured Reviews

First of all, I must say a huge BRAVO to Darren O'Sullivan for such a strikingly sharp, cryptic and incredibly well-written debut novel that had me on the edge of my seat from first page to last. I had no expectations going into this novel, which is something I aim to do with all of the books I read now. Half of the time, I don't even read the blurb, because it makes for a nice surprise when you begin reading and figure it out for yourself. That's exactly what I did with 'Our Little Secret' by Darren O'Sullivan. In all honesty, the cover and title were enough to tempt me into its pages, and once within those pages, I couldn't bear to remove myself.

In Darren O'Sullivan's Our Little Secret, readers meet Chris. Chris, it appears, is ready to end his life. He is not scared. He is ready. He is prepared and has organised every single detail for this moment, going so far as to working out train times to the exact second. So it is frustrating for Chris when, on the night he is about to do it, he is interrupted by a young woman, Sarah, who doesn't seem to realise what she has just stepped into. After hopelessly trying to move Sarah on so that he can get on with what he went there to do, when the train roars past and Chris realises he's still well and truly alive, he is furious. He leaves without a backward glance, but Sarah is not ready to let him go so easily. It is only when she puts two and two together that she realises her presence halted the end of another person's life, and so she sets out to find him, because now, after the time she spent with Chris, she feels connected to him somehow, and no matter how hard she tries, she just can't seem to shake him off or forget about him. She needs to see him again. She won't rest until she can.

Darren O'Sullivan has a completely addictive writing style. It is intense, it is all-encompassing, it is gripping and it holds you rigid. Right from the very start, O'Sullivan's portrayal of Chris had me wanting to know more about this character. It became clear instantly that Chris was desperate to join his wife. She had died at the hands of a monster while Chris had watched helplessly, unable to do a single thing about it. Feeling as if he is to blame for his wife's death, Chris thinks that the only way to make up for such a terrible thing taking place is to take his own life so that he can be reunited with her. When O'Sullivan took me back in time to when Chris had first met his wife, I was awed by how tenderly these moments were written. I felt as if I were right there with the characters and was moved by the author's honest descriptions of such a beautiful and life-changing meeting. I also knew that there was so much more to be discovered about Chris, and throughout the novel, I watched as his character began to fully-form, fascinated by him and the way he was living his life. Chris was complex and at times, difficult to understand, but this only made me want to know everything there was to know about him. Not only does O'Sullivan capture Chris perfectly, but he also focuses on the consequences of the choices that Chris makes, making it all the more exciting to read. I absolutely raced through the pages, finding putting the novel down at any time unbearable.

And then, of course, there is Sarah, also a complex and intriguing character. I could completely understand why Sarah became so fascinated with Chris. After all, she stopped this man from taking his own life and that would have an effect on anybody, wouldn't it? I couldn't quite decide whether Sarah was romantically pulled towards Chris or simply desperate to ensure his safety and well-being after their meeting on the train platform. I admired her determination to seek Chris out though, and wondered if anything would take place between them. Chris seemed adamant that there was no room in his life for anybody, not even his closest friends who he'd distanced himself from. And so, when Sarah continues to push and push, I couldn't wait to see the effect that her doing so would have on Chris.

O'Sullivan includes a number of tough topics within his debut with HQ Digital UK, but deals with them in a serious and realistic way. I was utterly spellbound by the story and then, much later on, couldn't believe the turn of events and the direction in which the author took me. I loved it, and found myself wondering how on earth the author had managed to pull it off. It was incredible and dangerously gripping. I found myself thinking about this book long after I had finished because it had that much of an effect on me. Believe me when I say that I cannot wait to see what this author has in store for us next. An absolutely phenomenal debut. One that I'll be telling everybody about because it is that flipping brilliant. With thanks to the publisher for the review copy of this book. You can pre-order/purchase your copy of 'Our Little Secret' by Darren O'Sullivan here.

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Brilliant! One of the best books of it's genre this year. Fast paced, twisty, and kept me gripped from the word go. Look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

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