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A Novel
by Mary McGarry Morris
Book Reviewed by:
The BookBrowse members who read this
book for First Impressions say ....
The Last Secret is a nearly
perfect book. The structure of the narrative and the present tense keep the
reader right in the middle of the action, whether the action is external or
internal. And the internal is absolutely fascinating, equally if not more
suspenseful. (Mary L).
What grabbed me from the start was Morris's ability to reel you into the
characters emotions (Lani S). What began as a seemingly mindless,
predictable, slightly elevated version of the "chick lit" genre became a
compelling read (Iris F). I believe I held my breath through this entire
novel (Vicky R)!
The ability to feel Nora's real and raw
emotional pain and track Eddie's twisted logic and paranoid thoughts is enhanced
through the author's command of stream of consciousness. Being allowed into the
minds of the main characters makes their plights personal and captivating
(Kimberly A).
Written in tight, powerful sentences, it took all my willpower to keep from
reading ahead to find out what was going to happen (Joyce W). I found the
depictions of relationships between Nora and her children very well drawn and
they rang with authenticity for me. I recommend this book for book groups,
suspense readers and anyone who enjoys reading about relationships (Jenny P).
On the other hand…
This book was average at best. The "secret" did not ring true to me and the
main character was way too accepting of her husband's behavior ... I've read other work by this author, this is not her best
(Shirley L).
While the character of Nora is three
dimensional and fully realized, I felt the secondary characters were less well
drawn. I didn't find the plot particularly engaging, and the chain of events
that transpired over the course of the novel didn't really surprise me (Liz C).
The final word …
Compelling and well-written, Mary
McGarry Morris has scored a winner of a thriller-drama with The Last Secret
(Ray P).
15 reviewers submitted reviews averaging 4.5 out of 5 stars. Read the
reviews in full.
This review was originally published in The BookBrowse Review in April 2009, and has been updated for the
April 2010 edition.
Click here to go to this issue.
If you liked The Last Secret, try these:
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by Dennis Lehane
Published 2009
Set in Boston at the end of the First World War, New York Times bestselling author Dennis Lehane's long-awaited eighth novel unflinchingly captures the political and social unrest of a nation caught at the crossroads between past and future.
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