The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton Also by this author: The Distant Hours, The Forgotten Garden, The Lake House, The Clockmaker's Daughter
Published by Atria Books on October 9, 2012
Genres/Lists: Fiction, Historical Fiction
Pages: 484
Read synopsis on Goodreads
Buy the book: Amazon/Audible (this post includes affiliate links)
Kate Morton has proven once again that she is the master of historical fiction, dual narratives, and punching you right in the gut. I have yet to read a book by her that I didn’t like and most of them I’ve loved but this is, perhaps, her greatest accomplishment yet.
The Secret Keeper is about Laurel, who has spent her life wondering about a violent incident committed by her mother when she was a teenager. As her mother battles dementia and makes mention of her past, Laurel realizes that there might be a lot more to the story than she had been told and sets out to find the truth. Her search takes her back to World War II and to the friendship between her mother, Dorothy, and a woman named Vivien. In true Morton fashion, however, this friendship isn’t told by Laurel, but instead flashes back and is told through the eyes of Dorothy and Vivien, letting the reader lift the veil on the truth about the two women and understand the truth in a way that Laurel does not.
Kate Morton's writing is like a lullaby, with you never wanting the song to end. #secretkeeper Click To TweetThe result is an ending that literally made me gasp out loud and punched me right in the gut. Morton has always had a lyrical way of writing, but this one is written in a way that is akin to a lullaby, bringing the reader up and down but never wanting the song to end. Every time I thought I knew what was coming next, Morton had already turned a corner, leaving me racing to catch up but always being left one step behind (I mean this in a good way – I was always on my toes and just had to read one more chapter). In other words, The Secret Keeper is impossible to put down.
Recommended for: Fans of historical fiction, stories about love and loss that spans decades, and every Kate Morton fan.
Bonus: I read this book on April 23, which was also a date mentioned in the book, and I find that pretty neat. I love when that happens!
