National Bestseller! “Unflinching and unforgettable. Little Secrets has everything you want in a thriller” –Riley Sager, New York Times bestselling author of Lock Every Door Overwhelmed by tragedy, a woman desperately tries to save her marriage in award-winning author Jennifer Hillier’s Little Secrets, a riveting novel of psychological suspense. All it takes to unravel a life is one little … suspense.
All it takes to unravel a life is one little secret…
Marin had the perfect life. Married to her college sweetheart, she owns a chain of upscale hair salons, and Derek runs his own company. They’re admired in their community and are a loving family–until their world falls apart the day their son Sebastian is taken.
A year later, Marin is a shadow of herself. The FBI search has gone cold. The publicity has faded. She and her husband rarely speak. She hires a P.I. to pick up where the police left off, but instead of finding Sebastian, she learns that Derek is having an affair with a younger woman. This discovery sparks Marin back to life. She’s lost her son; she’s not about to lose her husband, too. Kenzie is an enemy with a face, which means this is a problem Marin can fix.
Permanently.
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I’m not sure Little Secrets quite covers this one because most of the secrets between the covers of this book aren’t what I’d call little. Big or little, there are secrets. In fact, it seems like everybody has one at least. Honestly, I wasn’t sure how well I’d do with this book. Any time little kids are involved there’s a better than average chance that I’ll have a problem getting through it. And don’t get me wrong, the story is certainly emotional, but it’s also filled with an ever-rising tension – the type that has you inching further and further toward the edge of your seat.
I read Jar of Hearts and if I recall, I was impressed by Hillier’s characters. The characters here are just as impressive. In most cases, a person isn’t all good or all bad. Instead, we’re a product of our environment and the events in our lives, and how we handle those events. And I think that’s the thing that strikes me with Jennifer Hillier’s characters. Good or bad, they’re human. They make mistakes, they sometimes don’t handle things all that great, and some are just completely unhinged but hide it well. This one has a bit of all that and more, and at any given time I would find myself liking, or at least empathizing with a character I didn’t like just pages earlier, or vice versa. I don’t think there was a single character in this book who I liked completely. Maybe Sebastian, but you kind of have to like the toddler.
I won’t go into the details of the story because just about anything would be at the very least spoiler-ish, but I will say that the author doesn’t disappoint when it comes to twists. There were a couple of times when I was sure I knew where things were going only to be surprised by a twist I didn’t see coming, which is exactly what a really good psychological thriller should do. Suffice it to say that this is the second book I’ve read by this author and both have been superb from start to finish.
Wow! I really enjoyed this book. It’s twisty, dark and riveting. So many secrets in this story, many not so little, and the ending was a big surprise. I liked the characters, especially Marin Machado, a woman who does not give up trying to find her missing four year old son. Little Secrets is a thriller that will keep you captivated and reading at all hours of the night. Because I’ve had trouble sleeping lately, I’d wake up at three or four in the morning and I’d grab my Kindle and would continue reading where I left off. It sure did help keep my mind off other things going on right now. Little Secrets is one to add to your to-read list. I highly recommend it.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the review copy.
Marin was in a terrible place, in a downward spiral, after losing her four year old son, three days before Christmas, in a busy store while shopping.
Marin was the hysterical and inconsolable wife while Derek was the frozen and helpless husband, after the disappearance of Sebastian.
As Marin copes with the disappearance of her four year old son, her husband got busy with a younger woman. Twenty years of marriage destroyed by a mistake, a way to cope after detaching himself emotionally. While Derek was shacking up with a younger girl, Marin was grieving, blaming herself, beating herself up, and self-medicating with all manner of pharmaceuticals and alcohol.
Overall:
I wasn’t particularly interested in the group therapy scenes, but I understand the need for them as a means for Marin to redirect her grieving.
There were a few scenes where the attention to detail was too extensive by stating the obvious. Ex. “They sell the extra-large rose-gold-tinted tumblers at all three locations for sixty-five dollars, an outrageous price for what amounts to a coffee mug,..” Who cares? How is this related to the case of finding her son? It’s not. Given the nature of the young girls character and her obsession with expensive items it’s understandable why these scenes were mentioned. I didn’t need them to drive the point home.
The story was divided into four parts. Part one began with Sebastian being taken. While I thought this was going to be a kidnapping story it really wasn’t. Part two was full of surprises. This is where I realized the story changed gears. Part three concluded what initially began as a kidnapping story turned into an affair and then something else. Part four was closure.
Had I only read part one I would’ve been disappointed with the story because this part wasn’t interesting. Part two is where the story comes alive. I really liked the change in storyline. There still were some scenes about expensive items and living standards that I breezed over. The overall premise was very exciting once I got over reading part one.
Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier was an emotional story from page one. I was immediately hooked. Starting out with the disappearance of Marin and Derek’s four year old son, Sebastian. If, that doesn’t pull at your heartstrings, nothing will.
A month later the case is put on the back burner and Marin hires a Private Investigator. The majority of the book takes place 16 months after Sebastian has gone missing. That is where things start coming together or unraveling, depending on what way you are looking at the story.
About three fourths of the way into the book, I had to put the book down and do a little pondering. At that point there were about six ways I could see this book coming to a close. Of course, I had to move forward to find out the conclusion. It was not what I was expecting at all.
This book kept me reading and fully invested in what the outcome would be. It was a very good mystery. This was my first book by Jennifer Hillier and I’m sure it won’t be my last.
I received this book from the publisher for a fair and honest review.
Little Secrets begins with four year old Sebastian letting go of his mother, Marins, hand, and disappearing into a crowd. Over a year later, Sebastian’s kidnapping has not been solved and he has not been found.
I liked the writing in this fast paced book a lot and recommend it for fans of suspense. The kidnapping very quickly becomes more of a subplot to the story of where Marin and her husband, Derek, are in the aftermath. Although the kidnapping is an ever present part of the entire book, as the investigation remains open and Marin and Derek have of course not emotionally moved past this huge loss, it’s also the structure used to the tell the story of Marin and Derek’s response to the event, and the justification for their actions throughout the novel as grief weighs on all their decisions. Rage coupled with wealth and entitlement may serve as motive and means for extreme and dangerous behavior. If you’re used to getting what you want when you want it, do you see (and stop) at a moral or legal line, or do you keep pushing?
None of these characters was particularly likable, and I absolutely hated some of their decisions (SPOILER like when Marin engaged in sexual violence by stealing a woman’s nude photo, showing it to a friend, then making it her iPhone wallpaper so yet another man sees it, making Marin no better or different than anyone else who engages in revenge porn END SPOILER) yet this was an engaging and fast read where you want to keep going to see what sort of emotional explosion the characters are all rushing toward.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #LittleSecrets #suspense
I’m still shaking my head in shock…. All I can say is, this book blew me away.
My first title by this author, picked it up after I caught another author I love sharing and recommending it. The first book in a while that totally sucked me in, to the point where I devoured this in two days, I was so invested in the characters that I could not put it down.
Marin is dealing with more than any one person should have to handle. Her son Sebastian disappeared a year ago and now she finds out her husband and high-school sweetheart has been having an affair with a much younger woman named Kenzi. Kenzi, on the other hand, is well aware of what she is doing and finds perks in dating older, married, pre-occupied men. But she is also starting to feel like there may be more to this relationship than even she is admitting to.
Searching for answers, the more Marin discovers, the more she has to accept that she may be the only one left clueless in all of this. This book kept me on the edge of my seat as one little clue lead to another and then finally, that amazing moment when it all comes together. HIGHLY, highly recommended read!!
Marin and Derek Machado are happily married and the parents of Sebastian, age 4. Marin owns several high class salons catering to wealthy women and Derek owns his own company.
While Marin is doing some last minute Christmas shopping in a busy area, she has a hard time keeping Sebastian from whining. He wants a lollipop that Marin has promised him when the shopping is done. Just as she gets a text from Derek, she drops her son’s hand to answer and when she looks down, Sebastian has vanished. After calling and searching for him, he is not found. Security cameras show him being walked out of the shopping area by someone dressed in a Santa costume. After 18 months and intensive nationwide searching, Sebastian has not been found.
Marin has been through hell as she hopes her son will be found. She has recently returned to work at one of her salons as her therapist thinks this will be good for her. In addition to the police work, Marin hired a private investigator to look for her son. She has found nothing until today when she calls Marin to tell her that she has discovered that Derek, supposedly on long and frequent business trips, has been cheating on her. Marin discovers the girl’s name is McKenzie, has pink hair, and works as a barista. Furious, Marin is out for blood. Someone may have taken her son but they will not take her husband. When Marin takes a daring step to ensure her husband stays with her, it may be a very bad move. But can she stop it or is too late? But most of all, will she ever find her son?
What a fabulous thriller! Great characters and such a wonderfully twisted plot. Don’t miss this one and join me in seeing what this author has to offer next.
Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Before picking up Little Secrets, I was coming off of a dark romance binge so this was a highly anticipated and much needed break to get back into my bread and butter; psychological thrillers.
No matter the genre (except for maybe literary fiction) I am the kind of reader that must binge read. I never want to forget plot details, specific traits about characters or even how the book makes me feel. These are important details that add to my enjoyment of the story.
That said, Little Secrets, turned me into an emotional mess. One chapter I am grief-stricken to learn that a mother’s worst nightmare has come true and I immediately can sympathize with Marin’s pain, and in the next I am white-hot angry to find out about Derek and McKenzie Li––the other woman. I cannot blame Marin for the feelings or thoughts she even has. She has lost her precious child and fears she is losing the only other connection to him that she has; her husband.
As this story unfolds, Marin is faced with choices that no one ever believes they will have to make. Between a husband-stealing mistress, attempting to reconcile a marriage, the never-ending mystery behind a missing boy, and a “fixer” who can solve at least one of those problems, Marin begins to unravel and is tempted to make a decision that could end at least some of her pain.
I found this story to be so emotionally triggering, and it truly can be for any mother to live through this kind of trauma in Little Secrets. Though I am not a mother, I found myself feeling traumatized and it is quite a feat to create those feelings in your readers. Jennifer Hillier narrates this book through such a scope that evokes such suspenseful and emotional disturbance that it makes it impossible to stop reading. Though I was able to hypothesize the twist and ending, I still found great enjoyment in the writing and the unfolding of such a dark and disturbing tale of heartbreak, mystery, and betrayal.
This is the first book of Jennifer Hillier’s that I have ever read and I have no clue why! After completing Little Secrets it surely will not be the last.
For a parent nothing can be worse then having a missing child.
What is does to an relationship. Not many marriages survive that kind of situation. The feeling of quilt can be overwhelming and most often they are not able to talk about it with their partner. I don’t feel must sympathy for woman that hang on to their husband and fully put the blame with the mistresses but I realize that some woman are like that. The author did a terrific job in describing the emotions of all the characters involved. Husband and wife, the support group and various friends. The story was realistic and well written. You will not want to put it down till the end.
For minutes. That’s all it took to steal a child. A lollipop, a Santa suit, and two hundred forty seconds.
One day, all those balls will drop, and they won’t just break. They’ll shatter.
Rage, on the other hand, will get shit done.
What would you do if your child was taken from you? In the middle of a crowded market just a few days before Christmas? This is the life Marin and Derek have now. In broad open daylight, in a crowded market, their little four year old boy, Sebastian, was taken from them. He was last seen walking out an exit with a lollipop in one hand and holding Santa’s hand with the other. What they go through is nothing short of hell. Marin would do anything to turn back the clock and redo that day. She wakes each day planning on dying. She doesn’t think there is any reason to continue living without her baby.
What happens in this story will make you cringe in many ways. Hold your breathe. Pray for something to happen that will give Marin and Derek closure. To bring their son back to them. They had always had a great marriage. Filled with love and respect for each other and they went through a lot to have their son. He was their pride and joy. The light in their lives. Both were successful in their careers. Both worked hard to have the life they had. And both loved Sebastian more than life. Marin’s life is put out there for you to see. The full terror she lives with each day. The horror, pain, heartbreak, blame. She lives her life in constant heartache. Derek deals with things a bit differently but he is still hurting so much too.
They both have secrets that they have kept from each other. Things they just can’t share. Each has a part that they keep well hidden. But somehow some truths will come out. Some will be very painful. It’s up to you to judge whether what they did was understandable. How they dealt with things in their lives were forgivable. To me, I have to believe that they did the best they could given the circumstances. They were both going through the same heart wrenching pain.
There are things going on that will make you want to smack someone. Yell at someone to see what is going on right under their nose. The characters in this story are all likable. All relatable. Even the other woman is somewhat likable. The best friend is likable and the fixer…
I absolutely found myself so absorbed in this book that I could not put it down. It had me from the very beginning. The author did an exceptional job here. In all it was told in such a realistic way that you felt it. In your deepest parts you will feel it. The tears will definitely flow. Big ugly tears. It’s a very good story of the love of a mother for her son.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #St Martin’s Press, #Jennifer Hiller for this ARC. This is my own true review.
I gave it 5 stars and the highest of recommendation… I LOVED IT!!
Holy Secrets Batman! As the title implies everyone has little secrets including all the characters, though I wouldn’t call all their secrets little! The story starts with the disappearance of Sebastian, a young boy. The book then picks up 16 months later with Sebastian still missing and seeing where the parents are in their lives. The author paints a vivid account of how the parents are struggling. The plot twists in this book were done well and it was full of surprises all the way to the end. The book really picked up pace in the second half as it was nearing the conclusion. The author covered all the emotions in this book and painted a picture so well that I felt I was there. I received an advance copy and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Intricate, chilling, and brilliantly plotted!
Little Secrets is a highly suspenseful, domestic thriller that delves into the psychological and emotional devastation caused by the disappearance of a child and highlights the resulting finger-pointing, fragility and dynamics between friends, family members, and spouses it ultimately triggers.
The writing is edgy and tight. The characters are troubled, complex, and secretive. And the plot alternating between timelines, before-and-after the incident, builds quickly as it twists, turns, shocks, surprises, and unravels all the behaviours, motivations, personalities, and relationships within it.
Little Secrets at its core is a novel about family, friendship, secrets, manipulation, coercion, greed, obsession, kidnapping, lust, and infidelity. It’s a highly suspenseful, absorbing tale that highlights everything is not always as it seems and is without a doubt one of the most gripping page-turners you won’t want to miss.
Song/s the book brought to mind: Piano Man by Billy Joel (i.e. the melody and vibe of the song are perfect for this book).
Little Secrets is my first time reading a book by Jennifer Hillier, and it makes me wonder what took me so long! This was a masterful, heartbreaking read, and I can see why other readers have been calling it binge-worthy!
A lot of the book is Marin’s downhill spiral after her son gets kidnapped, but it opens with the kidnapping itself which was gripping from the start. Although it did take me a few chapters to get completely into it after that, once I was hooked I literally couldn’t put the book down and read the rest of it in one sitting (two total). That just tells you how addictive it is, and how great of a writer Hillier is.
Little Secrets may be a mystery/thriller, but it is oh so much more than that. It’s also very deep and thought-provoking, and Marin was such an easy character to connect with even though I don’t have kids. And when she finds out her husband is having an affair, girl WATCH OUT. I loved how the author seamlessly wove together everything in the book, and one part actually gave me chills from my head to my feet. You know that head tingle you get at a crazy good twist? I haven’t had it happen all that much, but it did during this book.
I think Little Secrets is going to be the thriller everyone will be talking about this year so do yourself a favor and read it!
Thank you to The Book Drop and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
5 amazing stars!!
I wish I would have highlighted more so you could see how great this book is. But I was so entranced that I didn’t stop for highlights. I couldn’t stop other then having to work and sleep.
Can you imagine loosing your baby, after seeing him moments before?!?! How do you live with the guilt?!?!
I don’t have enough good words for this book!! It hooked me from the very first chapter. The secrets. The lies. It was soooo good.
You think you know but you have no idea who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. I mean really. This book was just what I needed to take my mind off what’s happening in the world.
Sorry my review doesn’t even touch how fabulous this book is. Trust and believe this is a book you want to read!!
**I received this book as an ARC and in return I gave my honest review**
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Hillier skates you right into an iceberg with this story. The manipulation and greed of people is shown full force with very appropriate characterization. You do not want to miss this psychological thriller. Enjoy!
Little Secrets is a dark and twisted read filled with relatable and flawed characters, a wide range of emotions, betrayals, manipulations, grief, and secrets. Oh, so many secrets!! The book blurb does a nice job of laying out the story line and I hesitate to add anything to it because the less you know, the more you’ll enjoy the book. You’re in for quite a ride with this one!
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars from me, only because I liked Jar of Hearts a bit better. I still plan to watch for any and all books written by Jennifer Hillier!
My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Little Secrets was such a good read. It’s one I’ve already recommended to a few people and I just finished reading it today.
Marin is the main character and she has experienced one of the worst things imaginable ~ having her child stolen. The story yanked me in – and I do mean yanked – it was immediate and lasted throughout the entire book. I simply didn’t want to put this book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen.
If you’ve ever wondered just how far you’d go to safeguard what you hold near and dear in your life, this will be a book you will enjoy. Also, if you have children and have ever thought about having them taken, you’ll empathize with Marin.
This is a book filled with secrets, heartache, risks and devastation. Pick this up now and get started! You’ll be glad you did.
Thank you to Netgalley, the pubisher, and author for approving my request for an ARC. All thoughts in this review are mine and freely provided.
Nail-bitingly brilliant! This movie-worthy thriller is packed full of secrets, lies and twists you will not see coming!
I could kick myself for not reading this one the minute I received it. But I kept thinking…”Am I really in the mood for another abduction novel right now?” My answer should have been “YES, it’s written by Jennifer Hillier!” This isn’t just another abduction thriller. Her writing style is so entrancing, it pulls you in immediately. If you enjoy thrillers and haven’t read her work, you don’t know what you’re missing!
Marin is such a unique and lovable character. It broke my heart to read about what she was going through. Yet there were times I got a glimpse of someone I didn’t care for. Her character is so realistic!
This one had me leaning toward 5 ’s early on, but at 80% I was completely sure! My best read of 2020 so far.
My Rating: 5 ’s
Published: April 21st 2020 by Minotaur Books
Pages: 352
Recommend: Yes! This is one you don’t want to miss!
Thank you to Edelweiss / Minotaur Books / Jennifer Hillier for this digital ARC, in exchange for my honest review!
@jenniferhillier @MinotaurBooks @weiss_squad
#LittleSecrets #MustReadThriller #BestThriller2020
This book grabbed me from the first page and never disappointed! Marin and Derek are very wealthy. While Christmas shopping with her 4-year-old son, Sebastian, Marin gets caught up texting and “Bash” disappears. Video of the mall shows Bash leaving with Santa Clause. The case goes cold and the police put it on the back burner. Grief causes Marin to spiral out of control with drinking and several suicide attempts while Derek begins a 6-month affair with a much younger woman. Sal, Marin’s former boyfriend from college who is still her “best friend” offers to introduce Marin to a “fixer” for her problem. Lots of things happen in this book that made it a real page turner. I highly recommend this riveting thriller to all who love a good read. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this great book.
In LITTLE SECRETS, Hillier’s exploration into the darkest corners of relationships, marriage and motherhood take you on an emotional, roller-coaster of a journey, filled with twists, terror and tenderness. The brilliance of this book won’t be a little secret for long, and these will be some of the easiest five stars you’ll be giving all year.