Strong Multi-Generational (and multi-POV) Tale of Secrets And The Havoc They Wreak. This is a tale told from half a dozen or so intersecting POVs – the teenager whose mom has just been arrested for prostitution, the detective investigating the case, the grandmother who must now care for a granddaughter she hasn’t seen in over a decade, the down the street neighbor who had a major falling out with the mother years ago, and the neighbor’s oldest daughter who has suddenly left college under mysterious circumstances. Every single person, even the non-POV characters, has secrets, and all of these secrets are causing all kinds of problems.
Truly an excellent tale, though you may need to be reader for the multi-POV thing to really appreciate it (and hence the reason I spent so much of that first bit detailing that). Couple of lines in there that fit perfectly within the story that we *all* need to apply to our lives today – which is always an awesome find.
Ultimately Whalen did another excellent job, and I’m yet again very much looking forward to her next book. Very much recommended.
This review of This Secret Thing by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen was originally written on September 23, 2020.