I’ve never started a review with “OMG” in my life – but I’ve rarely wanted to do so this much. I already know how wonderful Barbara Copperthwaite’s thrillers are – you can read my enthusiastic earlier reviews of Invisible, Flowers for the Dead, The Darkest Lies – and I’ve got over the fact that such a gentle and beautiful lady can write about the horrendous acts in the way she does. But I’m more than happy to pin my colours to the mast with this one – I think that Her Last Secret, published by Bookouture on 13th October, is her best yet.
There are some secrets you can never tell.
The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out.
They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an enviable life, along with their beautiful children; teenager Ruby and quirky younger daughter, Mouse. But on Christmas Day the police are called to their London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant. But when Ruby’s diary is discovered, revealing her rage at the world around her, police are forced to look closer to home for the key to this tragedy.
Each family member harboured their own dark truths – but has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity? Or are there darker forces at work?
This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.
OMG… no, I won’t, it just doesn’t come naturally! But I do absolutely guarantee that this book will have you reading into the early hours, with sore eyes and heart in mouth, just like me, desperate to find out exactly what happened on Christmas Day in the Thomas household. The structure of this book is so incredibly clever – you know from outset that something quite horrifying has happened, but then the story spools back a week, alternating with glimpses of the police intervention, so that you’re party to the build up to the event itself in all its horror.
And it’s a wonderful story as it slowly unspools, full of secrets, lies, but also the day-to-day lives of a group of ordinary people, just living their lives. Those secrets and lies come home to roost though – and this family, who fail to communicate over the important things, have more that’s hidden than most families. The characters are all achingly real – the author always creates living and breathing people who could live in your street, and there are members of this family you might just decide you don’t like very much. There are others you’ll love – Mouse in particular, but teenage Ruby is the one who may just walk away with your heart.
If I say more, I’m in danger of giving away some of the story, and that would be totally unforgivable – you need to feel the shocks and surprises, feel the injustices, experience the anger and frustration… this book is just wonderful, you must read it for yourself. I’m absolutely dying to see what Barbara Copperthwaite does next – it surely can’t be any better than this, can it? OMG…
My thanks to Noelle Holton at Bookouture for my reading copy, and for inviting me to be part of the blog blitz. Here are all the other stops… and I’m willing to bet that every single blogger loved it as much as I did.
About the author
Barbara is the author of psychological thrillers Invisible and Flowers for the Dead: both have been Amazon best sellers. She is also the author of The Darkest Lies, and her latest book Her Last Secret was published on 13 October.
Much of her success is thanks to her twenty-odd years’ experience as a national newspaper and magazine journalist. She’s interviewed the real victims of crime – and also those who have carried those crimes out. Thanks to people sharing their stories with her, she knows a lot about the emotional impact of violence and wrong-doing. That’s why her novels are dark, realistic and tackle not just the crime but its repercussions.
When not writing feverishly, she is often found hiding behind a camera, taking wildlife photographs.
Thank you so much for this incredible review. I’m blown away, as always, by your lovely words xx
Such a pleasure Barbara – I’m blown away by your books too… xxx
I think this needs to find a space on my (virtual) book shelf. It sounds amaxingt