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

Kate Morton and Caroline!

Wonderful book! Keeps you listening and difficult to set down! This book was wonderfully written and Caroline Lee read it perfectly! Definitely looking for more books written by Kate Morton! I could listen to this one again!

Fabulous Read

I really enjoy the way Kate Morton interweaves several stories to create such fascinating and surprise outcomes! will be looking for more of her books!

A secret right until the end!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is the best story I've read or listened to in a very long time. The plot winds and turns right up to the end. I became completely enthralled and did not want it to end.

Gripping story!!

This book had me looking for excuses to go in the file room at work so I could listen!! Another reviewer said to be patient in the beginning, and I'm glad I did, because it started off a little slow. Don't get discouraged!! This story is unforgettable! Highly, highly recommended!!

Lots of detail but worth it

Would you listen to The Secret Keeper again? Why?

Yes. The audio is perfect. The reader sets the tone for the story. Her voice becomes the character. I don't know if another reader could have done as excellent a job.

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

The moment came when I thought I knew the secret. I was wrong. The secret turned out to much more complex than I thought.

Have you listened to any of Caroline Lee’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

If you could rename The Secret Keeper, what would you call it?

I can think of no name more appropriate than The Secret Keeper.

Any additional comments?

This is a great audiobook! It does, however, have a lot of detail. If I were reading this there would be a lot of sections I would skip. However, for this book, you can't skip. The characters stories are interwoven and the complexity of the secret is revealed through the details. All in all, an excellent story and well worth the read.

The Best Book Ever!

What an amazing book. It is a page turner filled with romance, suspense, historical facts, and a twist you never see coming. I LOVED IT- and highly recommend it!

An enjoyable read

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

Can you guess?

Who was your favorite character and why?

I enjoyed Jimmy's character. He seemed so earnest and kind but could be a bad boy if he wanted to.

What does Caroline Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She brought the characters to life. Each one had their own distinct voice with different dialects and rythyms to their speech. At first it was a bit annoying as I am not British and it took a bit of getting used to but by chapter 2 she had me hooked.

If you could rename The Secret Keeper, what would you call it?

I would not name it as it was an ideal Title. The 'Secret keeper" could have been so many of the people in the story.

Any additional comments?

I would read this book again. Thanks

Just kept going and going...

This was a good plot but the telling itself is in serious need of an editor. The story dragged on and on. Even more annoying: it kept repeating information we already found out in earlier chapters. Maybe this annoyed me more than most because I'm an editor by trade, but it drove me nuts.

Rarely am I that impressed!

Would you consider the audio edition of The Secret Keeper to be better than the print version?

Never. The narrator did a very good job, but no one can do better than yourself. Reading print makes each emotion so much stronger than anything an audio can do. I work from home, and lack the time in my busy life to read, which is why I listen to audio books. Nothing against the narrator, just personal preference.

What other book might you compare The Secret Keeper to and why?

To date, I really have not read a book similar to The Secret Keeper. It crossed over experiences and situations that many in life have not encountered, let alone in other books.

What does Caroline Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I am very hard pressed to find a narrator who can suck me into a book more than I can if I read it myself. I did like her narration though! I could visualize every bit of the story through her.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had tears in my eyes a few times in the last part with a deep ache in my chest. I have not stopped thinking about the story since I finished it. The struggles and situations that arose are not often written about. And wow the twists and turns!!

Any additional comments?

I have been bugging several of my family members and friends who enjoy reading as much as I do to read this book! It is one of those stories that just when you think you have it figured out, you're suddenly down another road, digging deeper into the characters secrets! It was very well written, with plenty of visual details. There are several moments that just take your breath away from shock.

plot twist

I really enjoyed this book. the narrator was calming. the ending was quite unexpected. pleasant.