Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite:
Having read, loved and reviewed all of Barbara Copperthwaites previous books I was delighted to accept an invitation to take part in the blog blitz to launch her latest twisty psychological thriller - Her last Secret.
If you like convoluted, dark and twisty domestic Noir grip-lit you'll adore this new title.
My Review
Her last Secret begins at the end and then takes you back in the past to find out who and when and why the terrible event that grabs you and shakes you right at the start, happened.
Its set at Christmas so it's topical for this time of year, but this is no glitter and tinsel fairytale. Its the story of a dysfunctional family and their individual flaws and failings, and boy there are loads! Every member of the Thomas family has dark and deep secrets and every one of them is angry and desperate but are any of them desperate enough to commit the atrocity which is being investigated?
You bet they are! But which member or friend of this feckless clan has committed an atrocity which has left the horrifying jumble of bodies piled up in the family home? The police are called after a shot is heard to ring out on Christmas day.
Then we delve into the past ...
Glamorous wife Dominique and wealthy businessman husband Ben appear to live an enviable lifestyle, with their daughters teenage Ruby and little 8 year old Mouse. But it would seem that all is not as it at first appears and every family member and several folk on the periphery of the family harbour deep secrets, resentments and rage.
They reveal themselves to be a pretty unlikable bunch and as we are treated to their individual thoughts and mood swings, I grew really glad they are not related to me.
Where this authors great strength and skills lies, for me, is in her uncanny ability to worm her way deep inside a fractured psyche and make the reader FEEL a whole host of emotions. I wavered between frustration, anger and sorrow mostly with a smattering of distress, rage and indignation thrown in for good measure.
How these people maltreat each other in their own self centredness seems almost unbelieveable, but then it made me think - if you are stressed and traumatised it would be really difficult to step back and see the bigger picture, so although their thoughts and behaviour is often unforgivable it is believable.
Its a really unputdownable whodunnit thriller, with a really stomach churning ominous sense throughout. Despite being forewarned, so knowing exactly whats coming towards you, there is a shed load I just didn't anticipate. It's like waiting to be hit by a train only to find it's being driven by a fire breathing dragon and followed by a handful of armoured tanks!
About The Book:
Some secrets you can never tell.
Everyone thinks the Thomases are the perfect family: grand London house, gorgeous kids.
They don’t know wife Dominique is a paranoid wreck.
They don’t know husband Ben is trapped in a web of deceit.
They don’t know daughter Ruby lives in fear of the next abusive text.
But someone knows all their secrets.
Can the lies that bind them destroy them all?
This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Gone Girl, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.
About The Book:
Some secrets you can never tell.
Everyone thinks the Thomases are the perfect family: grand London house, gorgeous kids.
They don’t know wife Dominique is a paranoid wreck.
They don’t know husband Ben is trapped in a web of deceit.
They don’t know daughter Ruby lives in fear of the next abusive text.
But someone knows all their secrets.
Can the lies that bind them destroy them all?
This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Gone Girl, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.
