The Secret Keeper's Daughter- Blog Tour

 

Author: Samantha King 

Publisher: HarperCollins Publisher 

Publishing date: 30th December 2021 

Many thanks to the publishing team for my physical copy and a spot on the blog tour. 

Blurb 

To unlock her secret, you must tell yours.

Holly Mayhew has the perfect family set-up. But when her seven-year-old daughter, Marley, begins to act strangely, refusing to speak and rushing off to hide in her room, she knows something isn't right.

Desperate to understand why Marley has become so withdrawn, Holly creates a worry box, where Marley posts her thoughts each day.

At first, the messages seem innocent. But as the worry box fills up, Marley's notes threaten everything Holly thought she knew about her daughter.

What is Marley not telling her, and why is she so scared?

Holly's past is shrouded in a mystery of its own, and she must confront her own secrets - secrets kept locked away for years - if she's to help her daughter.

Once the truth is out... there's no going back.

My Thoughts

Would you keep a secret to protect the family you love? 

I really liked the structure of the  book, as it keep you on your toes as it is filled with plenty of twists. The events unfold over a 7 day period and we get to know about the family and the secrets start to slowly unravel. Another interesting aspect to how the narrative flows is Holly is telling Marley her daughter about the events that took place. I don't think I have read a book written like this so took me a short while to get use to it but I really enjoyed it. 

You start off reading this book with an idyllic picture in your mind, You have Holly who is a school teacher and her husband and their 2 children Marley  and new baby boy. However Marley who is 7 years old, becomes aware of some information. I really felt for Marley, she's overheard a conversation that she desperately wants to tell her mother, but in doing so she also knows it will cause upset. So much burden for a child to carry. The worry box seems a perfect idea, that is until Holly reads one note that sends waves. Holly then starts to have flashbacks from her own childhood and it just goes to show anything can trigger a memory no matter how long you keep things buried. 

This is a such an engaging and well written book. The first half it setting up for the and building the suspense for the second half where we learn so much more about the characters and the past. When I thought I got it the author dropped in another curveball or note that would make me doubt and change my mind. My dropping subtle hints and building up slowly was good as it gave better sense and rounding to the book. 

The book wasn't just focusing on a secret but also the family dynamics and how parents have to deal with unexpected events with their children. 

A page turning and gripping book.