The Secret Keeper

By: Kate Morton

Narrated by: Caroline Lee

Length: 19 hrs and 53 mins

Publisher's summary

England, 1959: Laurel Nicolson is 16 years old, dreaming alone in her childhood tree house during a family celebration at their home, Green Acres Farm. She spies a stranger coming up the long road to the farm and then observes her mother, Dorothy, speaking to him. And then she witnesses a crime.

Fifty years later, Laurel is a successful and well-regarded actress, living in London. She returns to Green Acres for Dorothy’s 90th birthday and finds herself overwhelmed by memories and questions she has not thought about for decades. She decides to find out the truth about the events of that summer day and lay to rest her own feelings of guilt. One photograph, of her mother and a woman Laurel has never met, called Vivian, is her first clue.

The Secret Keeper explores longings and dreams, the lengths some people go to fulfill them, and the strange consequences they sometimes have. It is a story of lovers, friends, dreamers and schemers, play-acting, and deception told against a backdrop of events that changed the world.

©2012 Kate Morton (P)2012 Bolinda Publishing Pty Ltd

The Best!

I've read (and LOVED) all of Kate Morton's books, but this is my favorite! The story twists and turns and keeps you wondering until the very end. The performance is outstanding as the narrator brings each character to life. I highly recommend this book!

Wonderful Story

This book had me at every moment. I was sad for it to end. Loved every part of it. I never expected the ending. It was wonderful.

Wonderful

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the storyteller was great. I especially like the twist at the end.

Fantastic!

It's rare that I write a book review, but here we go... This book has it all, history, suspense, drama, betrayal, and love at every corner. Absolutely loved it. After listening to 15 books this summer, this is above all my favorite.

Clever story - kept me riveted to my headphones!

Would you listen to The Secret Keeper again? Why?

Yes, I would listen to it again. In fact, I listened to the last four chapters three times already! It was fun to re-listen once you know the secret of the Secret Keeper!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Secret Keeper?

There were so many it's hard to choose but I'd say "Listening with your eyes, your ears, and your heart" is the most memorable moment.

Which character – as performed by Caroline Lee – was your favorite?

Laurel. With genealogy as one of my biggest hobbies I really related to Laurel's quest to find answers.

Any additional comments?

The Secret Keeper has become one of my favorite all-time audible books for sure! I wonder if I would feel the same if I had read the hard copy. The audible performance was really outstanding.

don't get distracted

While at first I found it slow at first I realized to get distracted would be a great mistake to the story line. By time I was getting to the end I was glued to my kindle no matter what I was doing. A great story I would recommend especially if your are on a long trip.

Very well kept secret

This story has lots of history, character development as well as twists and turns. I enjoyed it and would recommend.

Beautifully told story with interesting twist

If you could sum up The Secret Keeper in three words, what would they be?

Descriptive (I can imagine the people and the places distinctly.)
Unhurried (It requires patience to allow the story to unfold.)
Interesting (The places, the time periods, and the drama are captivating.)

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Secret Keeper?

I cannot reveal the most memorable scene for fear of spoiling the ending.

What about Caroline Lee’s performance did you like?

I love her voice. I could listen to her read anything. (It might be an American thing where I just like British and Australian accents!)

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

I looked forward to time doing chores or driving to work when I could listen to the book.

Any additional comments?

To help readers put my opinion in context, here are other opinions.
Audible books I enjoyed: Code Name Verity, The Book Thief, Outlander Series, Wolf Hall, The Thirteenth Tale, The Forgotten Garden, Red Rising,
Audible books I despised: The Beam Season 1, A Pledge of Silence, The Testament.

10 thumbs up, best book I’ve “read” in a long time.

This was a book I purchased on a whim, never heard of the author before. So fricken glad I did. Kate Morton is amazing, I have been lost for 2 weeks in this book (I only listen on my commute and driving around). Caroline Lee has a mesmerizing voice and does the slightest different accents for each person which is perfect. I would give this book 100 stars if I could. I can’t wait for when I’ve forgotten bits so I can reread it!!!

Captivating! I truly enjoyed this book.

What would have made The Secret Keeper better?

I can't think of anything that would make the story better. It was a period piece, a character study and a mystery all in one. I thought I had it figured out, but then realized about two thirds through that I was completely wrong. Her characters were very well thought out and believable. I normally stick to mysteries, but I'll try either reading or listening to another one of her books.

What do you think your next listen will be?

The Forgotten. I have it, but I'm sort of saving it to listen to.

What didn’t you like about Caroline Lee’s performance?

Not a thing. She did a great job and I could understand every word which at my age is a blessing.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

More sadness in that people aren't nearly as strong or wise as you want them to be.