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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This is one of those thrillers that have so much suspense within the pages that it is hard (almost impossible) to put down. The scenario at first is an all too common one. Marin is Christmas shopping with her pre-school son Sebastian when within a few minutes, he disappears. The video shows that he walked away with Santa. What?!? Sixteen months later, the story continues. Marin and her husband Derek are barely acknowledging each other and Marin is in therapy. From being a successful upscale hair salon owner to being a total nervous wreck, that is Marin’s life. She went from having a seemingly perfect life to one where the bottom fell out, especially when she discovers that Derek is having an affair with a barista named McKenzie. The clues in the book point to Derek and McKenzie having something to do with “Bash’s” disappearance, but this is where the twists and turns begin and don’t stop until the ending. I enjoyed the excellent and well-written book, but I did not like any of the characters. Marin was supposed to be the most sympathetic character, but she was also too flawed for me and had some one-dimensional characteristics that were unexpected in a mom who had lost her only child. Derek was manipulative and conniving, as was his paramour McKenzie. Neither struck a chord with me and I spent my time reading the book, hoping that they got what was coming to them. Fans of thrillers will not want to miss this one, if only for the surprise at the end!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
WOW! This book has it all. Heartbreaking despair and mystery are the heart of this story. We start with loss and end with hope. One of those books you don’t want to put down. Grab this and get lost in the story. Add this one to the Top of your TBR list.
I need more stars for Marin!
This story is everything a mom fears, Christmas shopping with your child, and you drop their hand for just a minute, whether it’s to answer a call, pay for something, return a text or their hand is sweaty, and the next thing you know, your child is gone in less than seconds. And imagine looking at security tapes and finding out Santa was the one to take your baby.
Marin’s heartache and reactions are so completely understandable, even her more over the top ones – and she has several. And Derek’s actions, while I wanted to smack him upside the head repeatedly throughout the book, are more understandable, especially as the story unfolds.
I honestly don’t know what means more to Marin though, Sal or his texts, and I’m definitely sure that he doesn’t see the real Marin. The same holds true for Kenzie and Derek, I think she had become so jaded that she didn’t realize that she could have emotions, JR had screwed with her head for so long.
In addition to all the complicated emotions, the plot twists keep coming even in the epilogue – and while you may think you know what’s coming, it’s never quite the way you thought it happened or happens.
This book should be titled Big Fat Whopping Secrets!!! Marin is married to her college boyfriend and they have an adorable son Sebastian. When Sebastian is kidnapped, Marin’s perfect life falls apart. She is barely holding it together and just wants her son back. Marin hires a PI to find out what happened to her son. What happens next is one crazy wild ride! I felt everything for Marin. She is a caring loving mother and her absolute worst nightmare happens. Her husband is not what he seems. Finding out her Derek’s secrets, brings Marin back to life for revenge! I absolutely loved this twisty turny tale!!! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
The novel starts with every mother’s nightmare, she let’s go of her child’s hand for what seems like a moment while shopping in a crowd, to answer a text, and when she turns around he’s gone. Lots of mentions about texting and Instagram bring the novel into the current time.
On further reflection, basically realizing that I didn’t really care about any of the characters, I’m going to reduce my rating to 3*.
Marin and Derek have the so called and over overused, “perfect” life. They are both successful, make plenty of money and now have a child they desperately wanted. They both seem to still love each other and share intimate moments, that is, until their child disappears.
Sixteen months after Sebastian’s disappearance the police have stopped methodically searching for Sebastian. “The FBI estimates that there are currently over thirty thousand active missing persons cases for children. It’s an alarmingly high number, and yet somehow, being the parent of a missing child is weirdly isolating. Unless it’s happened to you, you can’t possibly understand this”. While Derek is beginning to think of moving forward with their life, Marin is nowhere near this point. She hires a private investigator to see if she can find anything the police have missed.
What she finds is her husband’s mistress. McKenzie Li, an art student and “professional girlfriend”. At least that’s what she likes to call herself. Derek isn’t the first wealthy, married man that McKenzie has had an affair with. When they break up with her she justifies the money that she basically extorts from them so that she will just go away and stay out of their lives.
So we are reading the book from Marin and McKenzie’s points of view. I couldn’t find any redeeming qualities in Kenzie, she uses people, sex, drugs and never seems to learn anything from her past experiences. Marin elicits some sympathy of course but I didn’t really feel any compassion for her. I think her character could have been more well developed.
But this is a thriller and there are twists and turns and you will end up turning the pages quickly. The novel is well plotted and original in it’s story and particularly the ending. Pay attention to the more minor characters, everyone isn’t who they may appear to be! Bravo to the PI who did a fantastic job and didn’t give up the search!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss. It is set to publish on April 21, 2020.
I have mixed feelings about this book. While the story itself is well done and had a great editor sometimes it was just information overload. The author does build her characters in a way that makes you want to know more but at the same you want her to get to the point. But you can’t sneak ahead or skim because she plants little details along the way that all make since in the end. It is definitely a little dark and very intriguing and yes there are plenty of twist that you wont see coming. That is why I am on the fence. While I would love to say it was absolutely a 5 star read I have to say that for me it fell a little short but only because there were times when I was just hanging in. I have read this author before and yes she does write a story that will keep you turning the page to find out what happens next. She does make you feel the pain of her characters as they go from one mind blowing event to the next. The desperate actions of a woman who can’t handle another loss. The mother whose child has gone missing and carries the blame. The secrets, lies, betrayal, yeah she makes you feel it all. This author does a brilliant job of tying it all together. Will I read more of her work?? Absofreakinglutely!!
This was a very quick and engrossing read. Marin is with her 4 year old son, Sebastian (Bash), in a crowded Pike Place Market in Seattle. She is distracted for a moment, and her son disappears. Frantic, she searches everywhere, but her son is gone and her perfect marriage to Derek threatens to implode.
Fast forward about a year, and Marin and Derek are distant to each other. They cannot get past the fact that their son was taken. Marin is in counseling and meeting with support groups of people who have also is dealing with a missing person in their life. Marin relies on her best friend and former lover, Sal, to keep her positive. Sal is still in love with Marin, and hopes that she will eventually come back to him. When Marin discovers that Derek is having an affair with a young woman, Kenzie, she confides in Sal. Sal knows Julian, who offers to take out a hit for Marin.
This book is full of secrets. Marin keeping the knowledge of the affair secret, Derek keeping Kenzie secret, and many more. It is a tense novel, but very quick!
#LittleSecrets #JenniferHillier
Woah! This story started out slow for me, but once it got going, I couldn’t wait for it all to unravel. It’s a tragic story and some of the characters actions had me so frustrated. Even piecing it together halfway through, it kept me guessing. I couldn’t wait to find out the motives behind everything.
Four year old Sebastian is abducted while with his mother. She blames herself and never gives up on finding her son. What is uncovered is so much more! Deceit. Lies. Who can be trusted? Written with great emotion, this thriller is filled with suspense and will leave you exhilarated.
This book is about every parents worst nightmare! With Maren is shopping and stopped to answer the phone she lets go of her sons hand in touch around and he’s gone. The search for him seems to grow cold but she never gives up hope. Through many twists and turns we see what she and her husband go through expression think the missing child. This is the story of forgiveness and never giving up and her mother’s fears love for her child. I have it. Thanks netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Jennifer Hillier’s Little Secrets: A Novel is truly a psychological thriller. A young boy is abducted while he is with his mother and she blames herself. Prior to the abduction, the parents had a perfect life. Now, their lives are changed forever. This plot is very twisted and unsuspected. it will have you sitting on the edge of your seats. I highly recommend it.
From cover to cover I loved it. The expected was not the norm and the unexpected was always right around the corner. People were not who they seemed and the secrets and actions of everyone is questionable as the story unfolds.
I loved the writing and story. The POV and dialogues allowed me to think about what would I do or feel in that situation. There were several moments where I am sure my mouth dropped from surprise and I teared up from the outcomes. The characters were all full bodied and held their own on each page. This was a great suspenseful read!
Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the chance to read this book and share my opinion!
I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my review. I was looking forward to read this as I love psychological thrillers. But it was slow moving with dull dialogue. I expected more from Marni, one of the main characters, to be strong and kickass having lost her son to a kidnapping. Instead she was shown as a weak, naïve wife who accepted her cheating husband. All the evidence was there!
Four hundred eighty-five days, that’s how long Marin Machado has gone without her 4 year old son, Sebastian. One minute he was beside her, and the next he was gone. She lives with this fact every waking moment.
Marin goes through the motions of what now is her life. Her marriage is in shambles, where Derek and she live two separate lives. Her work allows her a brief respite and she finds solace in a support group with others trying to cope with their loss.
When the FBI redirects their attention to other cases, Marin hires a P.I., Vanessa Castro to keep digging into her son’s disappearance. At Marin’s encouragement, Castro looks into Derek and Marin’s associates, where Castro accidentally uncovers Derek’s infidelity with a much younger woman. This unexpected news, lights a fire under Marin, she’s lost a son, she isn’t going to lose a husband.
McKenzie has been in a relationship with Derek for six months. She and a roommate are good at being Professional Girlfriends. McKenzie isn’t supposed to develop feelings for Derek, but this has gone on longer than expected.
Marin isn’t going to confront Derek with his affair, her sights are on McKenzie.
I absolutely loved this book! As a mother, I could empathize with what Marin was going through, it’s a parent’s worst nightmare. Just as I wanted to loathe Derek and McKenzie, I got a little window into their souls, which lead to feeling sadness for what lead them to their present circumstances. Lots of twists and turns for a surprising ending. I, highly, recommend this book!
Thanks to from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC which I have voluntarily reviewed.
A split second, that’s all it took for someone to snatch Marin’s son Sebastion. A year later, her marriage is falling apart (because her husband Derek is a cheating piece of scum) and she still has no idea where her son is. Poor Marin, she’s attempted suicide in the past, and if her son isn’t found alive, then she’s made the decision that she doesn’t want to live without him. She’s incredibly talented and successful, and she’s been torn apart by this. She’s on a very precarious edge with a useless, cheating husband, and even though she’s got support, she’s so consumed in her grief she isn’t letting anyone in.
The support group she is in can be helpful as well as stressful. You want answers, good or bad, you need to know, and we watch the other sufferers run through the gambit of emotions that Marin herself has gone through and then some. While all this is happening, Hillier starts to give us Kenzie’s story and we watch as she systematically goes after Derek, and you just want to reach into the book and strangle her a bit (or a lot), because of what she is doing to Marin.
So much going on! The characters are wonderful, good and bad because the bad guys evoke visceral feelings of contempt. The writing is flawless. This book has so many great elements, it’s twisty and fast-paced, there are so many secrets that start to tumble out the deeper you dig and it’s practically a one-sit read. So clear your schedule before you start it because you are not going to want to put it down.
A beautiful thriller that’s gracefully written with genuine heart and a lot of emotion, I had all the feels for this book. The plot is fast, the writing evocative and beautiful, the themes of loss, grief and betrayal strong and clear. The thing I love about Jennifer’s writing is how every word flows so smoothly, the story stays clear and elegantly told, the characters so well developed. I highly recommend!
Wow!! That was certainly a twisted page turner!! This was so very good!! It kept me guessing to the end. Definitely add to your list! Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy
Bravo! Jennifer Hillier writes an outstanding narrative portraying all the raw, ugly faces that grief can take. The story is dark, twisted, and utterly gripping. Hillier creates characters that spark immediate emotional engagement with a level of angst that is palpable. The final reveal is one that will leave the reader’s head spinning for days. Truly one of the best reads to come! 5 stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC of #LittleSecrets which was read and reviewed voluntarily by Tarrah Marie (@wayward_readers).
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this review opportunity.
Little Secrets. Everybody has them. But, some are not so little.
It just takes a second. A second of distraction leads to a parent’s worst nightmare.
It’s “the most wonderful time of the year” but not for Marin and Derek. Their four-year-old son Sebastian aka “Bash” has been abducted from a bustling Seattle market. The worst part : the authorities have zilch. Suspect’s identity unknown, not even gender. No vehicle identification. No helpful camera footage.
The first 48 hours after a child goes missing are critical, yet frantic. As time goes by, the trail goes cold and the chances of the child returning home safely grow slim. Life must go on for the loved ones of the missing. Or a semblance of it anyway. They go through the motions. There are good days and bad. They blame themselves. They are judged by others, even family and friends. Just like that, all is forgotten, and they are labeled “bad parents.” Their affluent status(Marin owns a chain of high-end beauty salons frequented by wealthy clients and Derek is CEO of his own successful business, PowerOrganix) is of no help. Rather, they take flak for getting special treatment.
Marin and Derek deal in their own way, separate…but together. Their self-medication techniques disparate, and to a great degree, destructive. The college sweethearts’ and golden couple’s seemingly perfect relationship and life in ruins. When a child is harmed, it is often the kiss of death for a relationship.
Hillier has done it again with this absorbing thriller. Only when I was almost to the end did, what appeared to be mismatched pieces of the puzzle, start coming together.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the epitome of a psychological thriller it had so many twists and turns.
It was well written in that it constantly gave just enough information to keep it moving and keep you on the edge of your seat.
I will definitely be following and reading more from this author Jennifer Hillier.
Once you start, you are not going to want to put this book down!! From page 1, you are completely invested in this story, the characters and the outcome. This is a must read for 2020.
Thank you #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this amazing eARC. One of the best new books of 2020 I’ve read and highly recommend.