The Secret Keeper, by Kate Morton (2012)
The Secret Keeper is a mystery with all sorts of twists and turns. The novel begins when 16-year old Laurel sees her mother, Dorothy, stab a strange man to death at their country estate. The murder is deemed have been in self-defense, and, with one exception, the family never discusses the matter again. Laurel, however, her the man address her mother by her first name. Who was this man and what was his relation to her mother?
Laurel has never forgotten the murder. Now, 50 years later, Dorothy is nearing the end of her life and Laurel hopes to learn of her mother’s past. Dorothy’s children have gathered around to care for her. Laurel goes over old photograph albums with her mother and comes across a mysterious photograph taken during London during World War II. She also finds Peter Pan book with an inscription to Dorothy from Vivian.
The story is told between the present (2011) and London in 1941. We learn early on that Dorothy may have had a checkered past. Laurel seeks to learn about her mother’s past. Dorothy lives across the street from the wealthy and beautiful Vivien Jenkins. They both do volunteer work for the War effort. Dorothy has a vivid imagination and attempts to befriend Vivian. Dorothy’s boyfriend is Jimmy, a young man from a working class background, making a living as a war photographer. Although Dorothy loves him, she doesn’t want him to come in contact with the wealthy Vivian.
Somehow, thought, Laurel knows that there is a relationship between her mother, Vivian and Dorothy.
The characters really come alive. There were twists in this novel that I never saw coming. It held my interest from page one to the end.
Read: August 21, 2018
5 Stars
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