Secrets She Left Behind (Before the Storm #2)

Secrets She Left Behind (Before The Storm #2)

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4.02 of 5 stars 4.02  ·  rating details  ·  2,954 ratings  ·  281 reviews
One afternoon, single mother Sara Weston says that she's going to the store—and never returns. In her absence, she leaves her teenage son alone with his damaged past and a legacy of secrets.Keith Weston nearly lost his life in an act of arson. He survived—but with devastating physical and emotional scars. Without his mother, he has no one to help him heal, no money, nothin...more
Paperback, 490 pages
Published May 26th 2009 by Mira (first published January 1st 2009)
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Denise
May 10, 2009 Denise rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Diane Chamberlain fans or anyone who enjoys good contemporary fiction
As a bookseller, I was fortunate to get an advanced copy of this novel, the sequel to BEFORE THE STORM. With the exception of a few books (such as Marisa de los Santos' BELONG TO ME), I am usually a bit disappointed with sequels. SECRETS SHE LEFT BEHIND is one of the few exceptions...I loved it!

SECRETS SHE LEFT BEHIND is full of new twists and secrets. I am afraid to write too much about the story for fear of giving something away. But I do highly recommend it to Diane Chamberlain fans. If you...more
Steve Lindahl
Diane Chamberlain knows how to create suspense with plot elements she reveals to her readers, but keeps hidden from her characters. She did that successfully in Secrets She Left Behind with an important letter that isn't read when it should be and with a woman who develops relationships with two of the main characters without revealing her friendship with Maggie to Keith or her affair with Keith to Maggie. Both of those suspenseful twists keep her readers interested. The latter of the two is esp...more
Maggie61
Since I read another of Diane chamberlain's books earlier this year I am eager to read them all. I had read a couple of hers previously and while I also enjoyed them a lot my tbr piles had so many other books there and I hadn't read some of them until this year.
This one also did not disappoint. The author writes these novels with stories that are so emotional and thought provoking and reading them you become so involved with the characters. I read the last half of book in one sitting.
This stor...more
Kirsty
A good sequel that has plenty to offer and doesn't just go over the old ground of the first book. Although many people have stated that this is a stand alone book, I think to really appreciate the evolution of the characters you need to read the first book Before the Storm
I don't want to spoil the plot of this or the first book - so I will try to generalise:

The main plot of this book is how the culprit who caused the tragic fire in the first book, deals with the fallout of what they have done...more
Alison
Another good summer reading book; perhaps because it takes place near the ocean. "Secrets She Left Behind" captured my interest from the opening page. This novel is about several dysfunctional but loving families whose lives are painfully interwoven. The love each family has for their own children, inspite of the children's problems (one was in prison for a year, one was born wih fetal alcoholism, one was burned in a fire - all revealed early on in the story) there is more love in the families t...more
Denise
4.0 out of 5 stars One to read and savor..., November 7, 2009

This review is from: Secrets She Left Behind (Paperback)
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
This novel was an excellent multi-layered story. I loved how the point of view changed with each chapter so that the reader got to hear from each character in the novel. Although this is a sequel to Before The Storm, you do not need to have read it to appreciate this book.

Maggie has spent a year in prison for her intent...more
Colleen
Let me start by saying that I really enjoyed this book; Chamberlain is an excellent storyteller. That said, there were a lot of points during the novel when I found myself feeling a little lost, and it wasn't until I was finished with the book that I realized the first half of the story was told in Before the Storm. As I hadn't read the first book, I definitely felt at a disadvantage during some of the action.

This book is an unflinching look at the consequences from our actions however big or sm...more
Feistytiger
This is a part follow up, part stand alone book to a previous book Chamberlain has written. Its a follow up to Before the Storm and focuses on the same family but it written from the perspective of a different character. It follows Maggie who has been released from Prison and her building her life back together. This is more of a light and easy read, with the story flowing well and you can really get into this novel easily and get lost into it. However i don't think this is one of her better boo...more
Sarah
Her writing is likened to Jodi Picoult and I can see why. This book follows the characters introduced in Before the Storm. I hadn't read Before the Storm before reading this one and don't think it mattered once I had worked out the characters. I'm not sure whether it will affect my reading of Before the Storm as I know who started the fire and why and the effects on other people etc.

This story is written from 4 main viewpoints- Maggie who is being let out of prison, Andy-her brother, Keith who s...more
Tracy Riva
Secrets She Left Behind by Diane Chamberlain is a stunning work of fiction revolving around the viewpoints of four main characters Sara, Keith, Maggie and Andy. Maggie, Keith, and Andy are all related because years ago Sara, who is Keith’s mother, had an affair with Maggie’s father. Maggie set a fire which left her half-brother Keith badly burned and extremely bitter.

Secrets She Left Behind is the story of two families whose fates are inextricably wound together. Burn victim Keith is hooked on...more
Erin
Secrets She Left Behind is the sequel to Before the Storm.

After Keith Weston becomes a burn victim due to an act of arson, he must deal with his scars - both physical and emotional. To make matters worse, his mother has disappeared and no one has any idea where she may be.

Keith has no choice but to ask the Lockwood family for help. Laurel was his mother's best friend...and her husband Jamie was Keith's father. Unfortunately, Laurel's daughter - and Keith's half-sister - is the person who committ...more
Robyn
The sequel to "Before the Storm", I would highly recommend reading that book first. While Chamberlain tries to address what happened in "BtS" in this book, there is so much more story behind this actions in this book that I can't imagine what it would be like to just read this.
Some of my 'Sara' questions from "BtS" were definitely answered in this book, but I just felt like this book didn't quite have the punch that the two other books by Chamberlain had for me. As usual, things at the beginning...more
Diane
I did not read the previous novel, Before the Storm, so I was not sure what this book was going to be like. I did, however, enjoy it. This book can stand alone as a good story. I was able to follow along without having previous knowledge of the characters.

The story centers around the Westons and the Lockwoods. This book apparently picks up the story of the victims of the devastating church fire that killed three and severely injured several people. Maggie is the one who set the fire and her bro...more
Jennifer (Crazy-for-Books.com)
This is a wonderful followup to the characters and stories introduced in BEFORE THE STORM. It left me a bit puzzled on some of the plotlines, though, considering that we are in the times of cell phones and the Internet. With that being said, this is a wonderful story of hope and redemption. The author grabs you from page one and doesn't let go until the final word! I loved these characters so much that I am hoping for a third book about the Lockwoods! The author creates such a realistic portraya...more
Immy
Secrets she Left Behind tells the story of the aftermath of a fire, a few years on - from both a victim's and the culprit's point of view. It also has the back story of a few of the characters running through it too. It is a good book and I enjoyed it and would recommend it. However I don't think it is as good as Breaking the Silence - it was a lot more predictable - you could kind of see what was coming around every turn - (especially the Jen character, I really thought that could have been mad...more
Katrina
I can't believe it's been a year since I read Before the Storm. Nor can I believe I've had this book on my shelf for so long. Since reading Before the Storm I've read 3 more Diane Chamberlain novels (in addition to the Lost Daughter which I read before BTS) and I have to say I am really loving her work.

Secrets she Left Behind takes place a year after Before the Storm. So maybe the gap in my reading makes sense. The novel picks up with Maggie Lockwood finishing her 12 month sentence for the fire....more
TamElaine
There is just something so magical about picking up a book and reading about characters I already fell in love with in another book....it’s like a reunion with an old friend....some things have changed, since you last saw them, but they are the same people, carrying on as affected by their past that you already know so well....And I just fell right into the rhythm of this book in just that way....and knowing from the first page that it was going to be a great read !

I loved that the flashbacks we...more
Vivian
I don't agree with any of the reviews I've read. Don't get me wrong - I love Diane Chamberlain's books, but this one didn't do it for me. It was way too long and while it gives a back story to some of the events of "Before the Storm", honestly, who cares? We knew of all of this from the first book. Two thirds into the book, I was so tired of all the whiny characters. Most of the book is boring filler and didn't move me at all. I also feel that Jen should also have been given a voice so that I co...more
Jen
I have read a couple Diane Chamberlain books before and she never disappoints. This book was enthralling, and riveting. I couldn't put it down. I kept wanting to read ahead to see what happens, but I didn't I just kept with it until I was finished. this author has been compared to Jodi Picoult before and one thing they both do is switch points of view, meaning each chapter if from the different pov of a different character. I like this. I knew that "Jen" was up to something but I really didn't p...more
Karen
I read this book, as I really enjoyed the author's other novel, The Secret Life of Cee Cee Wilkes. I did not like it as well. I did not realize that although this is a stand alone book, it comes after another book, Before the Storm. Maybe if I had read that first, I would have enjoyed it more. I did want to keep reading, though to find out how it all ends. It is about a girl, Maggie who is being release from prison after planning to start a fire (although not actually doing it) which killed and...more
Monicaaa
Honestly, I wish I could give this book 10 stars. It was one that kept me wanting more and more, and I never wanted to put it down. Diane Chamberlain is an amazing author and I hope to read more of her books.
Secrets She Left Behind was a novel full of heart, family, and suspense. Each chapter from a different person's point of view, reminding me a lot of The Poisonwood Bible in that sense, gave the book character, and it kept you on your toes. Though it's a little confusing at first, before you...more
Sarah
Nothing is more annoying than when you are reading a book and you begin to suspect it is a sequel. You can always tell when the past histories of the side character's are a bit too complicated and keep getting thrown in as an aside. "Julie's cousin, whose husband had been murdered the previous year when she found out her three children were actually aliens, came over for super".

I don't know why they don't just write on the cover that it is a sequel. As soon as you find out, it ruins the current...more
Laura
I can't say enough good things about this book. I liked all the characters. It really does remind me of Jodi Piccoult's novels in a way but they are both separately great writers. I especailly loved the character of Andy, a teenager born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and how he his own perspective through his mental disabilities slightly different the others. I also like the theme with Maggie of seeking forgiveness from others and from herself, and Keith and how he is learning to deal with his inj...more
Amy
I have become an avid reader of Diane Chamberlain's books. After reading, "The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes," I was anxious to dive into another book and picked up a copy of, "Before the Storm" at the library. As a warning, this book is a sequel to "Before the Storm," and I would definitely skip reading the reviews if you haven't read the first novel yet.

We rejoin the Lockwood family in this sequel following Maggie's prison sentence for the arson that she committed to a community church. She re...more
April
A teenage girl, blinded by the throws of love, does something that will change her life forever. And change the lives of everyone in her small community. After serving time for her part in the fire that killed five people, her release brings back the memories of that day for all that were affected...especially her half-brother, forever scarred by the fire, Keith Weston. A family engulfed by tragedy, secrets, and betrayal.

How well do you really know the people you see everyday? Does knowing someo...more
Maureen Mullis
A beautifully written book about a shattered family. When a woman disappears she leaves behind a wake of questions, anger and secrets. As the son she left puts the pieces of his life together, so does the rest of his new-found family. This story reminds us that we can, and most probably will, be able to endure that which life throws at us. We are resilient and yes, damaged and frightened. But above it all is, in almost all of us, the will to get us through. This is a story that shows us we can c...more
Jennifer
Diane Chamberlain knows how to weave to a story that keeps your interest from the first page to the last. She explores the complex relationships between individuals in serious situations. In this instance, the main characters are a teenager who has been badly burned to live a life of disfigurement and pain -- and the teenage girl responsible for the fire which also killed several people and who must deal with her own guilt and the hate of the community. While exploring their characters, she buil...more
Hannah
Whilst the prequel to this book "Before The Storm" was slow to catch my interest, I started this book immediately after I finished that one so I'd keep the momentum. I was glad I did as I already felt so familiar with the characters and their stories and actually love the depth that this book added by also giving you alternative viewpoints of the previous story. Diane Chamberlain is so talented, whether you have read "Before The Storm" or not, if you have the chance to read "Secrets She Left Beh...more
Michele
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
Judy Collins
(Storm #2 series) This was an excellent follow up to the Before the Storm. Diane is a brilliant writer, as she gives you just enough general overview in her first book and then explains in more detail in her second books, to complete the story. I was dying to hear more about the letter Sara left during the entire book, as Diane has a way to keep the twists and turns going throughout the book with the suspense building throughout. I also like the way she allows each character to speak, unfolding...more
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I'm the author of 22 novels published in more than eleven languages. I like to write complex stories about relationships between men and women, parents and children, brothers and sisters, and friends. Although the thematic focus of my books often revolves around family, love, compassion and forgiveness, my stories usually feature a combination of suspense, mystery and intrigue.

I live in North Car...more
More about Diane Chamberlain...
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes The Midwife's Confession Before the Storm (Before the Storm, #1) The Good Father The Lies We Told

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