The Secrets She Keeps by Michael Robotham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I am not sure why I am struggling to pen (type) this review, because I did enjoy reading this one. Maybe I have gotten to the point where I genuinely do not know how to construct positive reviews anymore? Because the backhanded compliments, passive aggressive criticisms and straight up insults roll off my tongue no problem when crafting a negative review... Something to work on in 2019? (Spoiler alert: ain't gonna happen because, one, in all my 31 years of living, I have never once stuck to a New Year's resolution, and two, that would require me to read multiple quality books, and considering I refuse to leave the psychological thriller genre, odds of this are slim).

Actually, that is a fitting way to begin this review, because I don't know that I would consider this book to be a true psychological thriller. The first half, sure, I can see the resemblance to the tried and true recipe of a psychological thriller in the plot twist we are given. "Plot twist", that is, if you didn't predict the big reveal(s) of Part 1, which I would venture to say a lot of people did. But surprisingly, solving that mystery before the author spelled it out didn't really ruin anything. The novel was well constructed enough that even after I was proven right in my assumption of what was coming next, I was more than intrigued to see how it all played out. Which is precisely where this novel differs, and in my opinion, rises above the majority of similar storylines. For once we were given a plot that COULD have easily morphed into a low budget daytime soap opera (dramatic female friendships, scandalous adultery, baby stealing, creepy molester Jehovah's Witnesses ... wait what?) - but it didn't.

The book is split into two Parts, and much like Gone Girl (I know - you can officially punch me in my annoying face for making the most cliché of all cliché references, I've already kicked my own ass), the splitting into Parts really works here. It works because the first half and the second half do read like entirely different novels, starring the same cast of characters. Part 2 is a no frills classic thriller, and sorry if anyone considers this a spoiler (not really that sorry because, hey, this is my review), there aren't any twists to be found. Normally this is grounds for me to dislike what I'm left with in the end, but not here. I appreciated the straight up cat and mouse game of Agatha vs. the world, and I was pretty damn tense during some of the scenes. Is Agatha going to get caught?!! Just how crazy IS she?! Just how oblivious is Hayden? (Seriously, this dude had rocks for brains).

I think the fact that the author gave us the twist halfway through allowed me to enjoy the ride to the conclusion much more because I wasn't anxiously waiting for THE BIG TWIST! to come out of nowhere. I find myself doing that all too often when I read. I focus on correctly predicting what is about to occur and inevitably flip everything that I have previously read upside down, instead of submerging myself in the storyline currently being presented. That said, sometimes the storyline currently being presented is hot trash, but regardless, it was nice to just read and enjoy.

Would ya look at that? A positive review to end 2018 on. Maybe I really am turning into a better person.



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