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Little Secrets
What happens when ambition trumps the truth?
A town reeling in the wake of tragedy
An arsonist is on the loose in Colmstock, Australia, most recently burning down the town's courthouse and killing a young boy who was trapped inside..
An aspiring journalist desperate for a story
The clock is ticking for Rose Blakey. With nothing but rejections from newspapers piling up, her job pulling beers for cops at the local tavern isn't nearly enough to cover rent. Rose needs a story-a big one.
Little dolls full of secrets
In the weeks after the courthouse fire, precise porcelain replicas of Colmstock's daughters begin turning up on doorsteps, terrifying parents and testing the limits of the town's already fractured police force.
Rose may have finally found her story. But as her articles gain traction and the boundaries of her investigation blur, Colmstock is seized by a seething paranoia. Soon, no one is safe from suspicion. And when Rose's attention turns to the mysterious stranger living in the rooms behind the tavern, neighbor turns on neighbor and the darkest side of self-preservation is revealed.
A town reeling in the wake of tragedy
An arsonist is on the loose in Colmstock, Australia, most recently burning down the town's courthouse and killing a young boy who was trapped inside..
An aspiring journalist desperate for a story
The clock is ticking for Rose Blakey. With nothing but rejections from newspapers piling up, her job pulling beers for cops at the local tavern isn't nearly enough to cover rent. Rose needs a story-a big one.
Little dolls full of secrets
In the weeks after the courthouse fire, precise porcelain replicas of Colmstock's daughters begin turning up on doorsteps, terrifying parents and testing the limits of the town's already fractured police force.
Rose may have finally found her story. But as her articles gain traction and the boundaries of her investigation blur, Colmstock is seized by a seething paranoia. Soon, no one is safe from suspicion. And when Rose's attention turns to the mysterious stranger living in the rooms behind the tavern, neighbor turns on neighbor and the darkest side of self-preservation is revealed.
332 pages, Paperback
First published October 17, 2017
91 people are currently reading
2806 people want to read
About the author
Anna Snoekstra
13 books467 followersAnna Snoekstra was born in Canberra, Australia in 1988. She studied Creative Writing and Cinema at Melbourne University, followed by Screenwriting at RMIT University.
Anna's short films and music videos have screened around the world. She has written an array of published and award winning short fiction. Her debut novel ONLY DAUGHTER was published in September 2016 (Mira). Her second novel LITTLE SECRETS will be published November 2017 (Mira).
Anna's short films and music videos have screened around the world. She has written an array of published and award winning short fiction. Her debut novel ONLY DAUGHTER was published in September 2016 (Mira). Her second novel LITTLE SECRETS will be published November 2017 (Mira).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
November 13, 2017
I’m such a sucker for books set in Australia; I’m not sure what it is about the setting, but they feel atmospheric in a way that reading about stories happening in the United States just doesn’t compare to. I was a huge fan of Snoekstra’s last book, Only Daughter, and when I saw she had another book coming out I couldn’t request it quickly enough. While this was a good read, I want to be clear that it is completely different from the style and pacing of her debut novel. Where Only Daughter was tense, mysterious, and compulsive, Little Secrets was more of a slow paced, lighter read that left me feeling halfway engaged, but invested enough to want to view the outcome. One thing I felt was done really well in this book was the slow building sense of paranoia in this town. What started as brief, snippets of second thoughts turned into full blown mistrust and delusion. If you enjoy authors such as Liane Moriarty who are excellent at blending domestic drama and a suspenseful mystery together, you may enjoy Little Secrets. I must point out it’s one of my favorite covers of the year. :)
* I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
* I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.
October 23, 2017
EXCERPT: It was a pleasant, quiet morning until the woman started screaming. The street had been silent except for the sound of birds chirping in the sky and the distant rumbles of a lawn mower. Mrs Lucie Hoffman had opened her front door to collect the morning edition of the Star. Instead, she found a porcelain doll sitting on top of the paper on her doorstep, staring up at her. It had thick dark hair and glassy green eyes. That was when the screaming started.
THE BLURB: What happens when ambition trumps the truth?
A town reeling in the wake of tragedy
An arsonist is on the loose in Colmstock, Australia, most recently burning down the town's courthouse and killing a young boy who was trapped inside..
An aspiring journalist desperate for a story
The clock is ticking for Rose Blakey. With nothing but rejections from newspapers piling up, her job pulling beers for cops at the local tavern isn't nearly enough to cover rent. Rose needs a story-a big one.
Little dolls full of secrets
In the weeks after the courthouse fire, precise porcelain replicas of Colmstock's daughters begin turning up on doorsteps, terrifying parents and testing the limits of the town's already fractured police force.
Rose may have finally found her story. But as her articles gain traction and the boundaries of her investigation blur, Colmstock is seized by a seething paranoia. Soon, no one is safe from suspicion. And when Rose's attention turns to the mysterious stranger living in the rooms behind the tavern, neighbor turns on neighbor and the darkest side of self-preservation is revealed.
MY THOUGHTS: I really wanted to like Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra. I tried, very hard. But in the end the best rating I could give this book is 2.5 stars.
Around this time last year, I read Snoekstra's debut novel, Only Daughter, which I also rated 2.5 stars, downgraded to 2☆. I remarked that while 'The idea for the plot was brilliant, unfortunately I think the execution of it left something to be desired. Parts of the book are well written, others not so well written. There were times I was tempted to put this book down and walk away from it, but my desire to find out what had happened to Bec over-rode that, and in the end I am glad I did finish it. There are a couple of really great twists but also some glaring holes in the plot and I think the author could have done a bit more research - her knowledge of police procedure leaves a lot to be desired.
And really, what I said then applies equally to Little Secrets. Except that I never really considered abandoning it, although I struggled with it in places, and the quality of the writing is more consistent. Hence the rounding upwards to 3☆
However, there are glaringly large holes in the plot that I wasn't able to ignore. And Ms Snoekstra obviously hasn't brushed up her knowledge of police procedure. Even in small desolate and dying towns, there are checks and balances. And Colmstock doesn't actually seem that small. It has two pubs, a rarity these days when most towns struggle to support one, especially towns where employment is scarce and methamphetamine rife, a hospital and a reasonably large police presence.
In the end, I am left feeling vaguely confused and dissatisfied with Little Secrets. The author has left the door wide open for a sequel. If it does occur, I won't be reading it.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about'page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://wordpress.com/post/sandysbook...
THE BLURB: What happens when ambition trumps the truth?
A town reeling in the wake of tragedy
An arsonist is on the loose in Colmstock, Australia, most recently burning down the town's courthouse and killing a young boy who was trapped inside..
An aspiring journalist desperate for a story
The clock is ticking for Rose Blakey. With nothing but rejections from newspapers piling up, her job pulling beers for cops at the local tavern isn't nearly enough to cover rent. Rose needs a story-a big one.
Little dolls full of secrets
In the weeks after the courthouse fire, precise porcelain replicas of Colmstock's daughters begin turning up on doorsteps, terrifying parents and testing the limits of the town's already fractured police force.
Rose may have finally found her story. But as her articles gain traction and the boundaries of her investigation blur, Colmstock is seized by a seething paranoia. Soon, no one is safe from suspicion. And when Rose's attention turns to the mysterious stranger living in the rooms behind the tavern, neighbor turns on neighbor and the darkest side of self-preservation is revealed.
MY THOUGHTS: I really wanted to like Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra. I tried, very hard. But in the end the best rating I could give this book is 2.5 stars.
Around this time last year, I read Snoekstra's debut novel, Only Daughter, which I also rated 2.5 stars, downgraded to 2☆. I remarked that while 'The idea for the plot was brilliant, unfortunately I think the execution of it left something to be desired. Parts of the book are well written, others not so well written. There were times I was tempted to put this book down and walk away from it, but my desire to find out what had happened to Bec over-rode that, and in the end I am glad I did finish it. There are a couple of really great twists but also some glaring holes in the plot and I think the author could have done a bit more research - her knowledge of police procedure leaves a lot to be desired.
And really, what I said then applies equally to Little Secrets. Except that I never really considered abandoning it, although I struggled with it in places, and the quality of the writing is more consistent. Hence the rounding upwards to 3☆
However, there are glaringly large holes in the plot that I wasn't able to ignore. And Ms Snoekstra obviously hasn't brushed up her knowledge of police procedure. Even in small desolate and dying towns, there are checks and balances. And Colmstock doesn't actually seem that small. It has two pubs, a rarity these days when most towns struggle to support one, especially towns where employment is scarce and methamphetamine rife, a hospital and a reasonably large police presence.
In the end, I am left feeling vaguely confused and dissatisfied with Little Secrets. The author has left the door wide open for a sequel. If it does occur, I won't be reading it.
Thank you to Harlequin Australia via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about'page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://wordpress.com/post/sandysbook...
October 6, 2017
As the local courthouse burned in the small town of Colmstock in country Australia, the shock of the police and fire crew turned to desperation – there was someone inside and there would be no getting them out alive. Was it arson?
As Rose Blakey’s time for moving out of the only home she’d known all her life moved closer, her desperation at the continued rejections from newspapers all over the country heightened. She had wanted to be a journalist for as long as she could remember. The waitressing job at the local tavern where the cops all congregated, and Frank ogled her continually made her cringe. She wanted to get out of the loser town; had to before she went mad.
When Rose’s little sister Laura found a porcelain doll on the doorstep, she was happy. The doll was beautiful, her new toy. But the police had to take it, along with several other dolls that had been left on doorsteps of little girls. The creepy dolls even looked like the little girls – what was happening? Was there someone out there after the town’s children?
As Rose investigated her story; and the cops drank every night at the tavern, Will, a stranger in town, turned Rose’s eye. But was it suspicion Rose felt? Or was it something else? Colmstock was on a slow burn – what would be the outcome for everyone involved?
Little Secrets by Aussie author Anna Snoekstra is an intriguing look at a small town and the paranoia which can grip a community when small incidents become large ones. Corrupt and brutal, bullying cops; paper plate kids; desperation; hope and friendship – all are part of Little Secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed my first novel by Snoekstra and will look at more of her work. I love the cover of the Australian version as well. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.
As Rose Blakey’s time for moving out of the only home she’d known all her life moved closer, her desperation at the continued rejections from newspapers all over the country heightened. She had wanted to be a journalist for as long as she could remember. The waitressing job at the local tavern where the cops all congregated, and Frank ogled her continually made her cringe. She wanted to get out of the loser town; had to before she went mad.
When Rose’s little sister Laura found a porcelain doll on the doorstep, she was happy. The doll was beautiful, her new toy. But the police had to take it, along with several other dolls that had been left on doorsteps of little girls. The creepy dolls even looked like the little girls – what was happening? Was there someone out there after the town’s children?
As Rose investigated her story; and the cops drank every night at the tavern, Will, a stranger in town, turned Rose’s eye. But was it suspicion Rose felt? Or was it something else? Colmstock was on a slow burn – what would be the outcome for everyone involved?
Little Secrets by Aussie author Anna Snoekstra is an intriguing look at a small town and the paranoia which can grip a community when small incidents become large ones. Corrupt and brutal, bullying cops; paper plate kids; desperation; hope and friendship – all are part of Little Secrets. I thoroughly enjoyed my first novel by Snoekstra and will look at more of her work. I love the cover of the Australian version as well. Highly recommended.
With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital copy to read and review.
January 17, 2018
Anna Snoekstra has written a complex and riveting novel with a clearly manipulative and unlikeable protagonist.
Straight up Rose starts to manipulate the reader. I initially felt sorry for her but the more I read the more I learned that she was selfish and unscrupulous.
Set in a small country town where unemployment is high and drug use is on the increase you could feel the oppression. Rose’s only ambition is to become a journalist and leave Colmstock behind.
As in “Only Daughter” Snoekstra has again given us a whole load of messed up characters and in “Little Secrets” has placed them in a small town where they can do nothing expect destroy each other.
Many plot lines run through the novel and in a town where everyone has a secret to keep I couldn’t possibly guess the outcome with any of them.
I hated most of the characters, they made me angry, sad and disgusted. All emotions I think the author was trying to evoke.
Little Secrets was a great read! Full of surprises!
Content- Frequent coarse language F –word C-word
Sex scene
Graphic violence
I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
Straight up Rose starts to manipulate the reader. I initially felt sorry for her but the more I read the more I learned that she was selfish and unscrupulous.
Set in a small country town where unemployment is high and drug use is on the increase you could feel the oppression. Rose’s only ambition is to become a journalist and leave Colmstock behind.
As in “Only Daughter” Snoekstra has again given us a whole load of messed up characters and in “Little Secrets” has placed them in a small town where they can do nothing expect destroy each other.
Many plot lines run through the novel and in a town where everyone has a secret to keep I couldn’t possibly guess the outcome with any of them.
I hated most of the characters, they made me angry, sad and disgusted. All emotions I think the author was trying to evoke.
Little Secrets was a great read! Full of surprises!
Content- Frequent coarse language F –word C-word
Sex scene
Graphic violence
I received a copy from the publisher via Netgalley.
September 23, 2020
2.5 stars
The blurb got me in straight away a prose about a boy murdered in a fire in the Court house in Colmstock Australia he had a memorial out the front& his father Frank who did it as his son was special in Colmstock as he was brain damaged, he was 13 but acted more like a child which Frank could easily do a fire to get the insurance payout which would be quite a settlement now that sounds good doesn't it?
But as we read further into the book we get a history lesson on the town & every building in the small community plus Rose Blakey a struggling journalist who is waiting for her big break could the fire at the courthouse be it.
Well after writing this review the rating is 2.5 stars for the setting as an Australian found it atmospheric will not be reading anything else by this author this was a very slow paced book.
The blurb got me in straight away a prose about a boy murdered in a fire in the Court house in Colmstock Australia he had a memorial out the front& his father Frank who did it as his son was special in Colmstock as he was brain damaged, he was 13 but acted more like a child which Frank could easily do a fire to get the insurance payout which would be quite a settlement now that sounds good doesn't it?
But as we read further into the book we get a history lesson on the town & every building in the small community plus Rose Blakey a struggling journalist who is waiting for her big break could the fire at the courthouse be it.
Well after writing this review the rating is 2.5 stars for the setting as an Australian found it atmospheric will not be reading anything else by this author this was a very slow paced book.
October 13, 2017
Living in a struggling little rural town in Australia, full of little secrets and some big lies, Rose Blakey hopes to escape by getting a journalist's cadetship in the city. So far she's had no luck so when strange events start to happen in her town she decides to make her own news story by writing for a local paper. What she doesn't realise is that she will cause a lot of fear and stir up a lot of trouble that will have major repercussions for the town.
I really enjoyed Anna Snoekstra's second novel. Her depiction of a struggling Aussie rural town that has lost it's major employer feels spot on. The heat, flies and squashed cane toads are very evocative of a hot dusty town that has seen better days. Most of the characters are not very likeable but they are certainly very real and believable. Rose has the most spark of her generation but as a wannabe journalist makes some questionable decisions that she lives to regret. There is little to keep young people in the town except dreaming of escape or settling down where the pool of people of marriageable age is pretty limited. In the meantime there are mysteries to solve: Who is leaving porcelain dolls on little girls doorsteps? Who burnt down the courthouse and bakery? And what are the paperplate kids up to? Lots for a budding young journalist to investigate.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Harlequin for a copy of the book to read and review
Link to Harlequin for more information: http://www.harlequinbooks.com.au/prod...
I really enjoyed Anna Snoekstra's second novel. Her depiction of a struggling Aussie rural town that has lost it's major employer feels spot on. The heat, flies and squashed cane toads are very evocative of a hot dusty town that has seen better days. Most of the characters are not very likeable but they are certainly very real and believable. Rose has the most spark of her generation but as a wannabe journalist makes some questionable decisions that she lives to regret. There is little to keep young people in the town except dreaming of escape or settling down where the pool of people of marriageable age is pretty limited. In the meantime there are mysteries to solve: Who is leaving porcelain dolls on little girls doorsteps? Who burnt down the courthouse and bakery? And what are the paperplate kids up to? Lots for a budding young journalist to investigate.
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher Harlequin for a copy of the book to read and review
Link to Harlequin for more information: http://www.harlequinbooks.com.au/prod...
October 23, 2017
3.5 Stars!
Creepy, gritty, and exceptionally atmospheric!
In this latest novel by Snoekstra, Little Secrets, she transports us to Colmstock, Australia, a small town not only devastated by economic depression but reeling from the destruction and tragedy caused by an arsonist with no conscience, and a potential predator who seems to be targeting the local children.
The prose is somber and taut. The characters are deceptive, scheming, and self-involved. And the plot, which is ultimately about life, loss, community dissension, familial drama, friendship, abuse, ambition, and survival is mysterious and twisty, but a little slow at times, as it unravels all the numerous subplots and issues within it.
There is no doubt that Snoekstra can weave a suspicious tale that highlights the selfish, dark side of human nature and some readers will love the tragic, moody feel of this story. Unfortunately for me, the lack of characters with any redeeming characteristics made it a little hard to connect with them as much as I would have liked to.
Thank you to Harlequin Books and Goodreads Giveaways for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
Creepy, gritty, and exceptionally atmospheric!
In this latest novel by Snoekstra, Little Secrets, she transports us to Colmstock, Australia, a small town not only devastated by economic depression but reeling from the destruction and tragedy caused by an arsonist with no conscience, and a potential predator who seems to be targeting the local children.
The prose is somber and taut. The characters are deceptive, scheming, and self-involved. And the plot, which is ultimately about life, loss, community dissension, familial drama, friendship, abuse, ambition, and survival is mysterious and twisty, but a little slow at times, as it unravels all the numerous subplots and issues within it.
There is no doubt that Snoekstra can weave a suspicious tale that highlights the selfish, dark side of human nature and some readers will love the tragic, moody feel of this story. Unfortunately for me, the lack of characters with any redeeming characteristics made it a little hard to connect with them as much as I would have liked to.
Thank you to Harlequin Books and Goodreads Giveaways for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.
All my reviews can be found on my blog at https://whatsbetterthanbooks.com
December 11, 2017
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.��
----Roald Dahl
Anna Snoekstra, an Australian author, has penned a riveting psychological thriller called, Little Secrets that is centered around a small Aussie town, where a female wannabe journalist lives amidst her unhappy family and the haunting memories of burning down of the courthouse with a kid inside it, but when porcelain dolls looking like an exact replica of little daughters of the houses start to turn up into those houses' doorsteps, that wanna be journalist is sure that she has found her new story that will make her a sure-shot journalist, not before she stumbles upon a strange man living in the town's motel whose arrival brought upon that dolls incident.
Synopsis:
To keep little secrets, they tell big lies…
‘I am not sick.
I just like the little dolls…
I think I’ll break one soon.’
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. A tiny porcelain doll appearing on your doorstep. Bright blonde hair, rosy cheeks, even a little blue dress. A perfect replica of your six-year-old daughter.
But then anonymous letters from ‘The Doll Collector’ begin to arrive. And in the small town where everyone has their own little secrets, no one is safe from suspicion.
Because you can never really trust the people who live just along the street…
Big Little Lies meets The Couple Next Door in this fast-paced psychological thriller.
In a small Australian town, lives a young, aspiring and determined woman named, Rose, whose only goal is to bag a proper journalist job somewhere outside the town and away from her unhappy family. But this sleepy town which was already shaken up with the incident of burning down of the courthouse in which a young 13-year old kid became a victim, the towns' folks could not catch their sleep peacefully when another shocking incident hits the town. Porcelain dolls which are an exact replica of the little girls of the town start to turn up on the doorstep of the houses with little daughters. Rose soon guesses it to be an act of some pedophile marking his young victims by submitting an article of this incident to a local newspaper, and soon after that, a chain of mysterious events start to occur, beginning with the arrival of a strange man in their town's only lodge. So how far Rose is willing to go to find out the mystery behind the dolls that look like little girls of the town?
This is the first time that I'm reading any book by this author, although I've only heard good things about her previous book, sadly, her new book did not stir me up like it was supposed to do. Moreover, the mystery had a lot of strings unattached even at the end of the story. Apart from that, the road to the climax, for me, turned out to be pretty bumpy, and often, I found myself sliding down an unpredictable rabbit hole, meaning, an unforeseeable twist and turn here and there kept me engaged on a perilous journey to the climax. The town that the author has projected has lot of vividness in its description and it felt, coming alive right before my own eyes. Yes, sometimes, the descriptions of such a sleepy town gave me goosebumps.
The author's writing style is good enough to keep the readers glued into the story line. The writing is also laced with gripping tension and suspense to make it an intriguing read for the readers. Also lots of psychological aspects of a human mind play a huge factor in the book, which a reader can understand while he/she is lost deep into the heart of the story. The narrative is articulate and kept close to reality. The pacing is really fast, as one after another incident will keep the readers turning the pages of this book frantically.
The elements of mystery is well concocted into the story line by the author. The plot is heavy with unpredictable twists and turns that comes out of nowhere all of a sudden, and that will peak the readers' interest into the story line. The gripping tensions and edgy suspense is perfectly combined with a tightly packed plot, that ensures to give the readers a satisfying read all through out, although some odd plot turns make the story a bit uneven at times.
The charters are well developed by the author by depicting them with enough realism and honesty so that readers can subtly relate to the plights of the characters. The main character, Rose, is a strong protagonist whose determination to get to the bottom of the mystery, even though leads her on a risky path, will make the readers fall for her, especially for her love towards her younger sister. Also Rose is no damsel-in-distress type of woman and tries to solve the mystery almost on her own, even though there is a romantic interest of hers constantly pounding at her.
In a nutshell, the story is compelling enough to keep the brain cells of the readers charged till the very last page of this book.
Verdict: An engrossing story playing the correct tunes of an edgy psycho thriller.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Roald Dahl
Anna Snoekstra, an Australian author, has penned a riveting psychological thriller called, Little Secrets that is centered around a small Aussie town, where a female wannabe journalist lives amidst her unhappy family and the haunting memories of burning down of the courthouse with a kid inside it, but when porcelain dolls looking like an exact replica of little daughters of the houses start to turn up into those houses' doorsteps, that wanna be journalist is sure that she has found her new story that will make her a sure-shot journalist, not before she stumbles upon a strange man living in the town's motel whose arrival brought upon that dolls incident.
Synopsis:
To keep little secrets, they tell big lies…
‘I am not sick.
I just like the little dolls…
I think I’ll break one soon.’
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. A tiny porcelain doll appearing on your doorstep. Bright blonde hair, rosy cheeks, even a little blue dress. A perfect replica of your six-year-old daughter.
But then anonymous letters from ‘The Doll Collector’ begin to arrive. And in the small town where everyone has their own little secrets, no one is safe from suspicion.
Because you can never really trust the people who live just along the street…
Big Little Lies meets The Couple Next Door in this fast-paced psychological thriller.
In a small Australian town, lives a young, aspiring and determined woman named, Rose, whose only goal is to bag a proper journalist job somewhere outside the town and away from her unhappy family. But this sleepy town which was already shaken up with the incident of burning down of the courthouse in which a young 13-year old kid became a victim, the towns' folks could not catch their sleep peacefully when another shocking incident hits the town. Porcelain dolls which are an exact replica of the little girls of the town start to turn up on the doorstep of the houses with little daughters. Rose soon guesses it to be an act of some pedophile marking his young victims by submitting an article of this incident to a local newspaper, and soon after that, a chain of mysterious events start to occur, beginning with the arrival of a strange man in their town's only lodge. So how far Rose is willing to go to find out the mystery behind the dolls that look like little girls of the town?
This is the first time that I'm reading any book by this author, although I've only heard good things about her previous book, sadly, her new book did not stir me up like it was supposed to do. Moreover, the mystery had a lot of strings unattached even at the end of the story. Apart from that, the road to the climax, for me, turned out to be pretty bumpy, and often, I found myself sliding down an unpredictable rabbit hole, meaning, an unforeseeable twist and turn here and there kept me engaged on a perilous journey to the climax. The town that the author has projected has lot of vividness in its description and it felt, coming alive right before my own eyes. Yes, sometimes, the descriptions of such a sleepy town gave me goosebumps.
The author's writing style is good enough to keep the readers glued into the story line. The writing is also laced with gripping tension and suspense to make it an intriguing read for the readers. Also lots of psychological aspects of a human mind play a huge factor in the book, which a reader can understand while he/she is lost deep into the heart of the story. The narrative is articulate and kept close to reality. The pacing is really fast, as one after another incident will keep the readers turning the pages of this book frantically.
The elements of mystery is well concocted into the story line by the author. The plot is heavy with unpredictable twists and turns that comes out of nowhere all of a sudden, and that will peak the readers' interest into the story line. The gripping tensions and edgy suspense is perfectly combined with a tightly packed plot, that ensures to give the readers a satisfying read all through out, although some odd plot turns make the story a bit uneven at times.
The charters are well developed by the author by depicting them with enough realism and honesty so that readers can subtly relate to the plights of the characters. The main character, Rose, is a strong protagonist whose determination to get to the bottom of the mystery, even though leads her on a risky path, will make the readers fall for her, especially for her love towards her younger sister. Also Rose is no damsel-in-distress type of woman and tries to solve the mystery almost on her own, even though there is a romantic interest of hers constantly pounding at her.
In a nutshell, the story is compelling enough to keep the brain cells of the readers charged till the very last page of this book.
Verdict: An engrossing story playing the correct tunes of an edgy psycho thriller.
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
September 6, 2017
I think that over the last decade or so, Australian mystery & crime fiction has really come into its own, with authors using unique characteristics in their stories and creating a niche market for themselves that draws readers from all around the world for an Aussie interpretation of “noir”. For me, these are books that have a strong sense of place, using the harshness of nature and the remoteness of the setting to create tension and a constant undercurrent of menace and danger to the story. Little Secrets definitely falls into that category! Snoekstra has done a wonderful job in creating not only a setting, but also characters that captivate and terrify at the same time. The dying little country town of Colmstock is so quintessentially Australian that you can literally feel the heat and hear the flies buzzing in its dusty, deserted streets! Not only does its remote setting make for a perfect background to a chilling mystery, but Snoekstra includes some seemingly insignificant but terrifying elements that make the streets of this particular country town even more creepy: such as the smoking ruins of the courthouse, or the spooky presence of the paper plate kids – and those creepy dolls of course! I had goosebumps reading it!
In Rose, Snoekstra has created a wonderful main protagonist – one you cannot help liking, even though she definitely has her flaws. Young and ambitious, Rose’s main dream is to get out of the dying town she has grown up in, and yet has limited means to do so. An aspiring journalist, Rose knows rejection only too well, even though this latest one threatens to put all her best-laid plans to rest. Like any creature trapped, Rose is not afraid to fight for her chance of an escape. Her friend Mia, on the other hand, has long resigned herself to living and dying in Colmstock, which makes her both adore and resent Rose in equal measure. The dynamics between the two best friends was fascinating and very well drawn, and held a few unexpected surprises.
I really don’t want to give anything away to spoil this wonderful mystery for anyone, so won’t be delving too much into the storyline, except to say that it had me captivated from beginning to end. If it hadn’t been for the reality of having to go to work, and catch a few hours sleep, I would have devoured this book in one giant read-a-thon. I couldn’t tear myself away! As things start heading south, and the small community of Colmstock is beginning to unravel like a pack of wild dogs snapping and snarling at each other, the tension was almost unbearable. I loved how the author slowly strips each and every character of their masks, revealing their true personalities underneath. There were a few surprises there! Snoekstra’s ability to give all her characters true-to-life personalities and flaws made them come to life for me. As tensions grow, and neighbours turn against neighbours, friends against friends, there was a palpable sense of menace that had my heart racing and my knuckles turn white as I gripped the book tightly in my hands, wanting, needing to find out how this would all end – what more can you ask from a good mystery?
Little Secrets is Australian crime fiction at its best – this is the type of psychological thriller that makes me come back for more, and I can’t wait to read more from this talented author. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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In Rose, Snoekstra has created a wonderful main protagonist – one you cannot help liking, even though she definitely has her flaws. Young and ambitious, Rose’s main dream is to get out of the dying town she has grown up in, and yet has limited means to do so. An aspiring journalist, Rose knows rejection only too well, even though this latest one threatens to put all her best-laid plans to rest. Like any creature trapped, Rose is not afraid to fight for her chance of an escape. Her friend Mia, on the other hand, has long resigned herself to living and dying in Colmstock, which makes her both adore and resent Rose in equal measure. The dynamics between the two best friends was fascinating and very well drawn, and held a few unexpected surprises.
I really don’t want to give anything away to spoil this wonderful mystery for anyone, so won’t be delving too much into the storyline, except to say that it had me captivated from beginning to end. If it hadn’t been for the reality of having to go to work, and catch a few hours sleep, I would have devoured this book in one giant read-a-thon. I couldn’t tear myself away! As things start heading south, and the small community of Colmstock is beginning to unravel like a pack of wild dogs snapping and snarling at each other, the tension was almost unbearable. I loved how the author slowly strips each and every character of their masks, revealing their true personalities underneath. There were a few surprises there! Snoekstra’s ability to give all her characters true-to-life personalities and flaws made them come to life for me. As tensions grow, and neighbours turn against neighbours, friends against friends, there was a palpable sense of menace that had my heart racing and my knuckles turn white as I gripped the book tightly in my hands, wanting, needing to find out how this would all end – what more can you ask from a good mystery?
Little Secrets is Australian crime fiction at its best – this is the type of psychological thriller that makes me come back for more, and I can’t wait to read more from this talented author. Highly recommended!
Thank you to Harlequin Australia for the free copy of this novel and for giving me the opportunity to provide an honest review.
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February 14, 2018
A small town in Australia is experiencing shocking events. A fire which burnt down the courthouse and one of the businesses in town, was also responsible for the death of a young boy. And then dolls looking eerily like some of the children in town are left at various doorsteps. One arrives for young Laura at her home. The police of Colmstock are concerned about the implications of the dolls. Rose, who is desperate to get out of Colmstock, sees the dolls could be a big story. She elicits what information she can from the police officers who drink at the hotel where she works. As the town becomes more worried about the dolls, events spiral out of control. It seems no-one is safe from suspicion.
This story hooked my interest initially. The writing is raw and stark and initially intriguing. Sadly, the further it went on the less interested I became. All the characters, including Rose and her friend Mia, and the policer officers Frank and Bazza, are either largely unlikeable, manipulative, cruel, callous, or incompetent. There is a lot of offensive language and violence in this book, which increases as the book goes on. I considered putting is aside but wanted to see how it played out.
At the end I was left feeling sorry I read it. I don’t like books that leave me feeling worse than when I started. If this is a picture of will small town Australian life then I don’t hold out much hope for our society. My next book will need to be a cheerful, feel good read.
There are going to be a lot of people who are probably going to appreciate this book and may disagree with this review. But all I can do is review the book according to how it affected me and say, despite my initial interest, this was not my kind of book. As for the ending of the book, certain aspects fell flat and were not convincing.
This story hooked my interest initially. The writing is raw and stark and initially intriguing. Sadly, the further it went on the less interested I became. All the characters, including Rose and her friend Mia, and the policer officers Frank and Bazza, are either largely unlikeable, manipulative, cruel, callous, or incompetent. There is a lot of offensive language and violence in this book, which increases as the book goes on. I considered putting is aside but wanted to see how it played out.
At the end I was left feeling sorry I read it. I don’t like books that leave me feeling worse than when I started. If this is a picture of will small town Australian life then I don’t hold out much hope for our society. My next book will need to be a cheerful, feel good read.
There are going to be a lot of people who are probably going to appreciate this book and may disagree with this review. But all I can do is review the book according to how it affected me and say, despite my initial interest, this was not my kind of book. As for the ending of the book, certain aspects fell flat and were not convincing.
November 19, 2017
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With temperatures steadily rising here in Australia, Australian novelist Anna Snoekstra of Only Daughter fame returns with her second work of fiction, a sizzling summer crime thriller titled, Little Secrets.
Colmstock is a small Australian town doing it tough. The local automotive factory has closed its doors, leaving behind a trail of debt and unemployment. Further despair comes to this tiny town when the local courthouse is burnt down by an arsonist. Even more devastating is the fact that a town favourite, a young thirteen year old boy, was trapped inside the courthouse at the time of the fire. Adding further fuel to the fire is the mysterious appearance of a series of porcelain dolls, which form exact carbon copies of a number of young girls who are key residents of Colmstock. With authorities still struggling to arrest the perpetrator of the deadly courthouse fire, the bizarre case of the porcelain dolls stretches resources to their limits. Aspiring journalist and local resident Rose Blakey sees what is happening to her small town as the perfect means to kick-start her career and solve a mystery at the same time.
The author of Little Secrets, Anna Snoekstra, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly prize in 2017 for her debut thriller, Only Daughter. I was completely blown away by Snoekstra’s exciting thriller last year and it remains one of my favourite debut thriller offerings from an Australian writer. I soon jumped at the chance to read and review Snoekstra’s second novel, Little Secrets for Beauty and Lace based on my enjoyment of Snoekstra’s previous work.
Little Secrets is a slight departure from Only Daughter. Whilst it is a thriller, I would best describe this novel as a solid piece of Australian small town fiction, with crime and mystery elements. The pace is less frantic than Only Daughter, it plods along much more gently, focussing its energies on creating a strong air of suspicion and paranoia. There were many times while I was reading this novel that I was reminded of the work of great Australian novelists such as Candice Fox and Jane Harper. Snoekstra’s writing falls easily into the same calibre of these respected female Australian writers.
As much as this is a crime, mystery and thriller based story, Little Secrets places much emphasis on its characterisation. Combining this refined characterisation with a tight plot, makes Little Secrets a novel that stands out from the packed thriller genre crowd. Snoekstra devotes plenty of time in her second novel to exploring the intricate psyche of many of the troubled residents of Colmstock and this aspect of the novel held great appeal for me personally. A focus on long time residents and main protagonists Rose and Mia, shows us how Snoekstra is able to compile a well rendered character list. Rose and Mia were likable and they soon drew my sympathies. Underneath their outside veneer, Rose and Mia also have a set of imperfections that is explored well by Snoekstra.
Snoekstra is adept at formulating a novel that completely encapsulates the experience of small town life. Through the main protagonist Rose and the residents of Colmstock, the reader is given a strong glimpse into life in a small town that has suffered financial ruin and loss. It is a town where the residents are in each other’s hip pockets but at the same time they have secrets that have concealed from their fellow townsfolk. This forms the central source of intrigue in the novel. Colmstock is also a town defined by instances of drug abuse, domestic violence, murder, corruption and arson. There is a pervading sense of hopelessness and many of the residents are clearly spiralling into a pit of despair. Even the local police seem to be struggling with what they have to work with, following the arson attack and the odd appearance of the porcelain dolls. As a result of all these circumstances, a strong sense of paranoia sets in. Snoekstra explores the scenario of a town under siege and a great deal of stress when fingers are pointed at one another. The final result and mystery of who committed the arson attacks, as well as who is responsible for the strange dolls had me reading this book intently until the close. The twisty ride I was taken on was quite explosive!
I am now a firm fan of Anna Snoekstra’s work, courtesy of my experience of reading both her books. I look forward with great anticipation for her next release, which I have no doubt will be as astute and as compulsive as Little Secrets.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty and Lace and Harlequin Books Australia.
With temperatures steadily rising here in Australia, Australian novelist Anna Snoekstra of Only Daughter fame returns with her second work of fiction, a sizzling summer crime thriller titled, Little Secrets.
Colmstock is a small Australian town doing it tough. The local automotive factory has closed its doors, leaving behind a trail of debt and unemployment. Further despair comes to this tiny town when the local courthouse is burnt down by an arsonist. Even more devastating is the fact that a town favourite, a young thirteen year old boy, was trapped inside the courthouse at the time of the fire. Adding further fuel to the fire is the mysterious appearance of a series of porcelain dolls, which form exact carbon copies of a number of young girls who are key residents of Colmstock. With authorities still struggling to arrest the perpetrator of the deadly courthouse fire, the bizarre case of the porcelain dolls stretches resources to their limits. Aspiring journalist and local resident Rose Blakey sees what is happening to her small town as the perfect means to kick-start her career and solve a mystery at the same time.
The author of Little Secrets, Anna Snoekstra, was shortlisted for the Ned Kelly prize in 2017 for her debut thriller, Only Daughter. I was completely blown away by Snoekstra’s exciting thriller last year and it remains one of my favourite debut thriller offerings from an Australian writer. I soon jumped at the chance to read and review Snoekstra’s second novel, Little Secrets for Beauty and Lace based on my enjoyment of Snoekstra’s previous work.
Little Secrets is a slight departure from Only Daughter. Whilst it is a thriller, I would best describe this novel as a solid piece of Australian small town fiction, with crime and mystery elements. The pace is less frantic than Only Daughter, it plods along much more gently, focussing its energies on creating a strong air of suspicion and paranoia. There were many times while I was reading this novel that I was reminded of the work of great Australian novelists such as Candice Fox and Jane Harper. Snoekstra’s writing falls easily into the same calibre of these respected female Australian writers.
As much as this is a crime, mystery and thriller based story, Little Secrets places much emphasis on its characterisation. Combining this refined characterisation with a tight plot, makes Little Secrets a novel that stands out from the packed thriller genre crowd. Snoekstra devotes plenty of time in her second novel to exploring the intricate psyche of many of the troubled residents of Colmstock and this aspect of the novel held great appeal for me personally. A focus on long time residents and main protagonists Rose and Mia, shows us how Snoekstra is able to compile a well rendered character list. Rose and Mia were likable and they soon drew my sympathies. Underneath their outside veneer, Rose and Mia also have a set of imperfections that is explored well by Snoekstra.
Snoekstra is adept at formulating a novel that completely encapsulates the experience of small town life. Through the main protagonist Rose and the residents of Colmstock, the reader is given a strong glimpse into life in a small town that has suffered financial ruin and loss. It is a town where the residents are in each other’s hip pockets but at the same time they have secrets that have concealed from their fellow townsfolk. This forms the central source of intrigue in the novel. Colmstock is also a town defined by instances of drug abuse, domestic violence, murder, corruption and arson. There is a pervading sense of hopelessness and many of the residents are clearly spiralling into a pit of despair. Even the local police seem to be struggling with what they have to work with, following the arson attack and the odd appearance of the porcelain dolls. As a result of all these circumstances, a strong sense of paranoia sets in. Snoekstra explores the scenario of a town under siege and a great deal of stress when fingers are pointed at one another. The final result and mystery of who committed the arson attacks, as well as who is responsible for the strange dolls had me reading this book intently until the close. The twisty ride I was taken on was quite explosive!
I am now a firm fan of Anna Snoekstra’s work, courtesy of my experience of reading both her books. I look forward with great anticipation for her next release, which I have no doubt will be as astute and as compulsive as Little Secrets.
*Please note that a free copy of this book was provided to me for review purposes through Beauty and Lace and Harlequin Books Australia.
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October 4, 2017I received this via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own. 😊
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Interesting idea but ultimately didn't capture me fully. *shrugs*
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Interesting idea but ultimately didn't capture me fully. *shrugs*
September 23, 2017
I really enjoyed Little Secrets by Anna Snoekstra, my first by this author.
It was dark, gritty and handled the stifling atmosphere of a small town down on its luck so well. I could feel the hopelessness of it all.
It opens with the courthouse and local store recently being set alight by an arsonist and a young boy being trapped and killed in the fire. Then creepy porcelain dolls appear on the doorstep of young girls in the town, strangely they look like the girls living in the respective houses.
Rose is an aspiring reporter that has only had to deal with rejections. Caught in this town, she pulls beers at the local pub and she sees the chance to make her mark with the story of the dolls. Little does she know how her actions will have consequences to some of the town inhabitants and herself.
Not so much a police procedural, I found it to be more of a characterization of the town inhabitants. There was a lot not to like about them, though I did admire Rose and determination to escape the town.
I can’t quite convey the darkness I felt while I was reading this but I could picture everything so clearly in my head. I think it would make a great Australian TV mini series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
It was dark, gritty and handled the stifling atmosphere of a small town down on its luck so well. I could feel the hopelessness of it all.
It opens with the courthouse and local store recently being set alight by an arsonist and a young boy being trapped and killed in the fire. Then creepy porcelain dolls appear on the doorstep of young girls in the town, strangely they look like the girls living in the respective houses.
Rose is an aspiring reporter that has only had to deal with rejections. Caught in this town, she pulls beers at the local pub and she sees the chance to make her mark with the story of the dolls. Little does she know how her actions will have consequences to some of the town inhabitants and herself.
Not so much a police procedural, I found it to be more of a characterization of the town inhabitants. There was a lot not to like about them, though I did admire Rose and determination to escape the town.
I can’t quite convey the darkness I felt while I was reading this but I could picture everything so clearly in my head. I think it would make a great Australian TV mini series.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read and review.
October 5, 2017
This is a fantastic book! And it is an Aussie book... so proud! The descriptions and the characters are so real that I could see it all happening while I was reading. The story of a small town and a girl with ambition.. that sometimes made her unpopular in town with the locals. A wonderful story.. A very big thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Australia for an advance copy of this book to read and review
November 16, 2017
Little Secrets
was my first, and now, my last book by Ms. Snoekstra.
This was a very easy review to write because everything about the book was so effing awful.
The only takeaways I got from Little Secrets besides the dumb title is that the small town of Colmstock is full of:
1. Homophobes and racists
2. A sexual predator in the form of the loser cop who salivates over Rose, the main character, in all its disgusting imagery (Hi, sexual violence as a literary device - its been so long! NOT!!!)
3. Police brutality (See #1)
4. Rose's best friend, Mia, who becomes an accomplice in the police brutality
5. A wannabe journalist with moral and ethical issues (Hey, she should have applied to Rupert Murdoch's businesses!)
6. Taking a potentially creepy plot of lookalike porcelain dolls being left at numerous houses' doorsteps and wrapping it all up in the form of a sad, elderly woman
7. Unlikeable, detestable people and characters described as slow, dumb, dim witted or all of the above
A better title for this drivel would be Little Losers. That's what the town inhabitants are.
Actually, drivel is an understatement. What's worse than drivel?
Garbage. That's it. This was garbage.
This was a very easy review to write because everything about the book was so effing awful.
The only takeaways I got from Little Secrets besides the dumb title is that the small town of Colmstock is full of:
1. Homophobes and racists
2. A sexual predator in the form of the loser cop who salivates over Rose, the main character, in all its disgusting imagery (Hi, sexual violence as a literary device - its been so long! NOT!!!)
3. Police brutality (See #1)
4. Rose's best friend, Mia, who becomes an accomplice in the police brutality
5. A wannabe journalist with moral and ethical issues (Hey, she should have applied to Rupert Murdoch's businesses!)
6. Taking a potentially creepy plot of lookalike porcelain dolls being left at numerous houses' doorsteps and wrapping it all up in the form of a sad, elderly woman
7. Unlikeable, detestable people and characters described as slow, dumb, dim witted or all of the above
A better title for this drivel would be Little Losers. That's what the town inhabitants are.
Actually, drivel is an understatement. What's worse than drivel?
Garbage. That's it. This was garbage.
January 16, 2022
Not very fast paced, thrilling or suspenseful as I typically read and go for. I enjoyed the storyline but the ending was very dull. I was hoping for something jolting or even a crazy scary twist of an ending, which I did not get.
This book was just okay. Nothing more than that.
This book was just okay. Nothing more than that.
November 25, 2021
I thought that this book was good
May 23, 2018
Adorei o tema deste livro sobre bonecas de porcelana, parecia um livro de terror/mistério. Mas acho que o tema não foi bem aprofundado (com muita pena minha) e o final não me surpreendeu de todo.
May 16, 2018
Im still not sure how i feel about this book, i find when this happens and i put my thoughts down that i come to the realisation on what trumps out, the good or the bad.
I have never heard of this author, and that's okay, because sometimes that's when you find your new favourite, or know to avoid them at all costs.
Colmstock, Australia a once blooming mining town full of opportunity, is now the shell of what it once was. Businesses are closing down, drugs are taking over, employment is scarce and everyone knows everyone. When an arsonist burnt down the towns courthouse and taking part of the building next door, noone thought there was anyone inside as they watched it burn to the ground, only there was.
Now a month later, strange porcelain dolls are arriving on the porches of the towns people, these dolls look remarkably like the young girls who live inside. Same hair, same eyes. With everyone still on edge after the fire, they begin to think the worst.
Rose Blakey is looking for a way out of Colmstock, her dreams of being a journalist are squashed before she even begins, missing one opportunity after another- she knows she needs a big story to break her way out of this hellhole of a town, where people come and never leave.
In a town where everyone knows everyone, people come and never leave, how many are hiding secrets? Who has enough reason to want to bring the already crumbling town to its breaking point?
Who is the arsonist? Who is leaving the dolls? Are they connected?
I enjoyed this story. I found it to be alittle slow in some parts, but the writing and the plot were pretty strong. Some of the subplots however, didn't feel necessary and sort of dragged away from the main story. I didn't feel like this book was anything special, it had that small town vibe, where nothing is as it seems and it kept that all throughout the book. I also didn't find the ending that great, i was little bit like really? So there was a little disappointment there. I guess i just expected alittle more than what i got from the ending. Don't get me wrong, someone who isn't that into mystery thrillers would probably love it, but as someone who has read quite alot, i needed more than what i got, something memorable so it doesn't just feel like another typical mystery thriller.
The characters; well here is where things get interesting. You think you know them, but really you have no idea who they are as people, even those who are main characters, you literally dont know. Some of what the characters did was down right small town mindedness mixed in with a pack mentality.
I was shocked by some of them, especially Rose's best friend. I literally thought these two were strong independent women, but it turns out Rose was the leader and Mia was the follower, until she finds someone else to cling onto.
Overall, it was an okay novel. I dont think its anything to scream on rooftops about, but it wasn't that bad either. It brings discussion to some tough topics, and makes you question who people really are, and what they might try hide from everyone. I'd be curious to see Anna Snoekstra's other novel, Only Daughter, because its been raved about on here, and im a curious sort of person.
Recommended for : Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense.
I have never heard of this author, and that's okay, because sometimes that's when you find your new favourite, or know to avoid them at all costs.
Colmstock, Australia a once blooming mining town full of opportunity, is now the shell of what it once was. Businesses are closing down, drugs are taking over, employment is scarce and everyone knows everyone. When an arsonist burnt down the towns courthouse and taking part of the building next door, noone thought there was anyone inside as they watched it burn to the ground, only there was.
Now a month later, strange porcelain dolls are arriving on the porches of the towns people, these dolls look remarkably like the young girls who live inside. Same hair, same eyes. With everyone still on edge after the fire, they begin to think the worst.
Rose Blakey is looking for a way out of Colmstock, her dreams of being a journalist are squashed before she even begins, missing one opportunity after another- she knows she needs a big story to break her way out of this hellhole of a town, where people come and never leave.
In a town where everyone knows everyone, people come and never leave, how many are hiding secrets? Who has enough reason to want to bring the already crumbling town to its breaking point?
Who is the arsonist? Who is leaving the dolls? Are they connected?
I enjoyed this story. I found it to be alittle slow in some parts, but the writing and the plot were pretty strong. Some of the subplots however, didn't feel necessary and sort of dragged away from the main story. I didn't feel like this book was anything special, it had that small town vibe, where nothing is as it seems and it kept that all throughout the book. I also didn't find the ending that great, i was little bit like really? So there was a little disappointment there. I guess i just expected alittle more than what i got from the ending. Don't get me wrong, someone who isn't that into mystery thrillers would probably love it, but as someone who has read quite alot, i needed more than what i got, something memorable so it doesn't just feel like another typical mystery thriller.
The characters; well here is where things get interesting. You think you know them, but really you have no idea who they are as people, even those who are main characters, you literally dont know. Some of what the characters did was down right small town mindedness mixed in with a pack mentality.
I was shocked by some of them, especially Rose's best friend. I literally thought these two were strong independent women, but it turns out Rose was the leader and Mia was the follower, until she finds someone else to cling onto.
Overall, it was an okay novel. I dont think its anything to scream on rooftops about, but it wasn't that bad either. It brings discussion to some tough topics, and makes you question who people really are, and what they might try hide from everyone. I'd be curious to see Anna Snoekstra's other novel, Only Daughter, because its been raved about on here, and im a curious sort of person.
Recommended for : Mystery, Thriller, Fiction, Suspense.
September 1, 2017
Well I have discovered a new favorite author. What a great book. BUT be forewarned if you like mushy gushy all is well that ends well happily for ever and ever....This aint your book.
This book was real and honest and makes you look at things and examine yourself. Who do you assume you know and judge them? What goes on behind closed door? How dishonest and backstabbing can hurt innocent people.
Highly recommend this book.
This book was real and honest and makes you look at things and examine yourself. Who do you assume you know and judge them? What goes on behind closed door? How dishonest and backstabbing can hurt innocent people.
Highly recommend this book.
December 15, 2017
I liked this book. Would I recommend it? I'm not so sure. It had a good ending but it took literally 65% into the book for anything exciting to happen. I considered DNF'ing but I stuck it out. I'm glad I did because I was already so far into the book and I liked the "tricky" ending. None of the characters were really very likable. And no happy endings here. But that ending...so different from other mystery thriller books.
October 17, 2017
3.5 Stars Anna Snoekstra returns following her dark and edgy debut, Only Daughter, with her second psychological suspense thriller, LITTLE SECRETS — an arsonist, a cop, porcelain dolls, a stranger, dark secrets, mystery, and a journalist are all part of a dying town.
Rose Blakey is living in the small town of Colmstock, Australia. a small town. She is tired of the dead-end job at the Eamon’s Tavern Hotel and her dead-end life.
After the car factory shut down the town had quickly lost its sense of purpose. Small enough to have a strong community, but big enough that you could walk down the street without recognizing every person you passed.
Everything and everyone seemed broken and ugly. People were not friendly. Crime was up. People had meth habits. She wanted out. She is a journalist.
The local paper had closed with all the setbacks. She was still on a list for a larger national paper. It had been a wealthy town with its grand buildings. Now cracked and weathered.
The mines closed in the eighties. The newspaper closing, had been the worst for her.
A boy had died. Ben Riley. He had been only thirteen and was brain damaged. He acted like a kid instead of a teen but everyone liked him. His parents owned the local grocery store.
A fire at the courthouse. Bored teens or a psycho? Since the high school had been closed down, the crime was worse.
Then there was Senior Sergent Frank Ghirardello. He was hot for Rose since she started working there. His partner Bazza was a good looking buy. Frank could picture them double dating. Mia, Rose’s friend with Bazza and he with Rose.
She had written about everything including the search for the arsonist. Regardless of the topic, there were endless rejections.
Rose wonders about the mysterious newcomer, Will.
Then someone was leaving porcelain dolls on the doorsteps of houses. Plus the dolls looked like the little girls in the respective home. Creepy.
If she does not get a good paying job, she will never escape this dark town. She was living on borrowed time. Most people in the town had given up, trying to escape. She would not give up on her dreams.
She would write about the “Porcelain Terror in Colmstock.” After all, everyone loved a good mystery. Is there a link to child molesters and pedophiles?
There is also the mum, stepfather, and the younger siblings. If she could learn more about the fire and person behind the dolls, it would help her stories.
Rose gets caught up in the stories. She may be making things worse. She needs to dramatize the stories for flair. The person who had left the dolls was marking his victims. Some monster had her sister.
“Hack journalist wanting their piece of the pie, religious groups looking for a cause, children’s groups trying to find a new level of outrage, they were all here.”
The entire town felt changed, paranoid and suspicious. It was her fault. Did the truth matter?
. . . "People didn’t care about human life like she’d thoughts they did. People cared about purity, they cared when something unexpected happened, something that confirmed the deep-seated fears they already held. They wanted black and white, someone was good or someone was bad and nothing in between."
If something didn’t sound good in a headline, it wasn’t news.
From a bleak remote town pulled down by its economic misfortunes and crime, there is a sense of ongoing claustrophobic darkness infiltrating the town.
Gloom and doom. A town of devastation. From police misconduct, an old mine, desperation, drug trafficking, as well as being overwhelmed by arson attacked and the highly publicized porcelain doll case.
On an emotional level, there is betrayal, dark secrets, revenge, tension, domestic abuse, anger, rage, friendship, menace, evil, lust, unhappy families, and envy. A need to protect. A means of survival. Fear. Coverups.
The author creates Rose, a complex woman who wants nothing more than to escape this Aussie town. She is desperate. However, how far will she go?
Not a "feel good" kind of book; however, some intriguing twists and turns you do not see coming. Several of the characters had plans, with good intentions in the beginning, but their plans unravel and ignite a spark which spirals out of control. Creating havoc for many. The butterfly effect.
The author does a good job of creating that “Noir” feeling and a sense of dark foreboding lurking with mystery, suspense, and tragedy — throughout the book.
A lot of tug-and-pull between characters; at war, with one another and themselves. The characters are deeply flawed and everyone seems to wear a mask. A good pick for Halloween.
A town full of little secrets and big lies. For those who enjoyed Big Little Lies and The Blackbird Season, in a rural darker Australian remote setting.
A special thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.
I also purchased the audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld (love her accent) for an engaging listening experience.
JDCMustReadBooks
Rose Blakey is living in the small town of Colmstock, Australia. a small town. She is tired of the dead-end job at the Eamon’s Tavern Hotel and her dead-end life.
After the car factory shut down the town had quickly lost its sense of purpose. Small enough to have a strong community, but big enough that you could walk down the street without recognizing every person you passed.
Everything and everyone seemed broken and ugly. People were not friendly. Crime was up. People had meth habits. She wanted out. She is a journalist.
The local paper had closed with all the setbacks. She was still on a list for a larger national paper. It had been a wealthy town with its grand buildings. Now cracked and weathered.
The mines closed in the eighties. The newspaper closing, had been the worst for her.
A boy had died. Ben Riley. He had been only thirteen and was brain damaged. He acted like a kid instead of a teen but everyone liked him. His parents owned the local grocery store.
A fire at the courthouse. Bored teens or a psycho? Since the high school had been closed down, the crime was worse.
Then there was Senior Sergent Frank Ghirardello. He was hot for Rose since she started working there. His partner Bazza was a good looking buy. Frank could picture them double dating. Mia, Rose’s friend with Bazza and he with Rose.
She had written about everything including the search for the arsonist. Regardless of the topic, there were endless rejections.
Rose wonders about the mysterious newcomer, Will.
Then someone was leaving porcelain dolls on the doorsteps of houses. Plus the dolls looked like the little girls in the respective home. Creepy.
If she does not get a good paying job, she will never escape this dark town. She was living on borrowed time. Most people in the town had given up, trying to escape. She would not give up on her dreams.
She would write about the “Porcelain Terror in Colmstock.” After all, everyone loved a good mystery. Is there a link to child molesters and pedophiles?
There is also the mum, stepfather, and the younger siblings. If she could learn more about the fire and person behind the dolls, it would help her stories.
Rose gets caught up in the stories. She may be making things worse. She needs to dramatize the stories for flair. The person who had left the dolls was marking his victims. Some monster had her sister.
“Hack journalist wanting their piece of the pie, religious groups looking for a cause, children’s groups trying to find a new level of outrage, they were all here.”
The entire town felt changed, paranoid and suspicious. It was her fault. Did the truth matter?
. . . "People didn’t care about human life like she’d thoughts they did. People cared about purity, they cared when something unexpected happened, something that confirmed the deep-seated fears they already held. They wanted black and white, someone was good or someone was bad and nothing in between."
If something didn’t sound good in a headline, it wasn’t news.
From a bleak remote town pulled down by its economic misfortunes and crime, there is a sense of ongoing claustrophobic darkness infiltrating the town.
Gloom and doom. A town of devastation. From police misconduct, an old mine, desperation, drug trafficking, as well as being overwhelmed by arson attacked and the highly publicized porcelain doll case.
On an emotional level, there is betrayal, dark secrets, revenge, tension, domestic abuse, anger, rage, friendship, menace, evil, lust, unhappy families, and envy. A need to protect. A means of survival. Fear. Coverups.
The author creates Rose, a complex woman who wants nothing more than to escape this Aussie town. She is desperate. However, how far will she go?
Not a "feel good" kind of book; however, some intriguing twists and turns you do not see coming. Several of the characters had plans, with good intentions in the beginning, but their plans unravel and ignite a spark which spirals out of control. Creating havoc for many. The butterfly effect.
The author does a good job of creating that “Noir” feeling and a sense of dark foreboding lurking with mystery, suspense, and tragedy — throughout the book.
A lot of tug-and-pull between characters; at war, with one another and themselves. The characters are deeply flawed and everyone seems to wear a mask. A good pick for Halloween.
A town full of little secrets and big lies. For those who enjoyed Big Little Lies and The Blackbird Season, in a rural darker Australian remote setting.
A special thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy.
I also purchased the audiobook, narrated by Saskia Maarleveld (love her accent) for an engaging listening experience.
JDCMustReadBooks
July 31, 2021
Como dice el refrán, quien mucho abarca poco alcanza, creo que eso ha pasado con esta novela. Muchos frentes abiertos y, al final, varios se han descubierto de pasada y sin darle importancia, aunque al principio fueran lo más importante. Luego está la protagonista, es una listilla que se cree superior a la gente del pueblo y hace cosas que, bueno, que no voy a contar, para descubrirlas tendréis que leer el libro. En fin, que como no me caía bien y no me gustaba lo que hacía la historia no me ha llenado y, lo que prometía una muy buena historia, se ha quedado en agua de borrajas. Esto, como siempre digo, es mi humilde opinión.
January 17, 2018
Little Secrets is about a small working class town in Australia where too many secrets and too many hot tempers end up causing a lot of damage to the community. In the wake of a tragic fire where a child was killed, dolls start showing up on the door steps of the children in the town. They strangely look like the children they are left for. Rose is looking for a story that will give her a big break in the world of journalism and uses this one as her jumping board.
I really disliked this book. I probably should have DNF'd it, but I kept holding out hope I would end up least liking something. It also took me forever to read and I ended up switching to audio to finish it out quicker. Nothing happens in a large majority of the book. I know not every story can have all likable characters, but at least one could go a long way to making the story good. I couldn't find one nice character in this book. Even the little kids are kind of brats. The protagonist almost had my sympathy for a while, but she ended up being just as detestable as the rest of them.
I never really felt the mystery aspect of the book. Finding out all of the secrets was kind of a let down. There was one twist that did take me by surprise, but it seriously wasn't enough to save the book for me. Even that twist, which was one of the big ones, never really was addressed again after it was revealed. You would think there would be some repercussions, but no. In the end, they all kind of got what they deserved and were probably looking at miserable lives ahead. I'm not really sure I would recommend this one. It's is really dark and I guess if you like that sort of book, you could give it a shot. Otherwise, I would say skip it.
I really disliked this book. I probably should have DNF'd it, but I kept holding out hope I would end up least liking something. It also took me forever to read and I ended up switching to audio to finish it out quicker. Nothing happens in a large majority of the book. I know not every story can have all likable characters, but at least one could go a long way to making the story good. I couldn't find one nice character in this book. Even the little kids are kind of brats. The protagonist almost had my sympathy for a while, but she ended up being just as detestable as the rest of them.
I never really felt the mystery aspect of the book. Finding out all of the secrets was kind of a let down. There was one twist that did take me by surprise, but it seriously wasn't enough to save the book for me. Even that twist, which was one of the big ones, never really was addressed again after it was revealed. You would think there would be some repercussions, but no. In the end, they all kind of got what they deserved and were probably looking at miserable lives ahead. I'm not really sure I would recommend this one. It's is really dark and I guess if you like that sort of book, you could give it a shot. Otherwise, I would say skip it.
October 5, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of Little Secrets, a psychological thriller set somewhere in Australia.
Rose lives in Colmstock, a formerly prosperous mining town but now gone to seed, and dreams of escaping to the city and a career in journalism but dreams are all they are until someone starts leaving porcelain dolls on the doorstep for young girls and her reporting gets her a byline in a city newspaper.
Little Secrets is not really my kind of novel and I struggled to get through it as it just didn't hold my attention. It paints a vivid picture of a decaying town and the quiet desperation of its residents in everyday life and their hysteria at the dolls but it is really the story of Rose, her relationships with those around her and her determination to escape. Most of the novel is concerned with this and it only gets mildly exciting in the last quarter. I wouldn't call it gripping and I'm struggling to remember many thrills but as a study of various characters it could be called psychological.
I quite like Rose in her single minded determination to escape Colmstock. Some of her actions have unintended consequences which I can't mention but the reactions of her admirer Frank and friend Mia to them towards the end of the novel seem out of character and bizarre.
Little Secrets is an interesting read, not to my taste, but I'm sure plenty of readers who prefer a more character driven novel will enjoy it.
Rose lives in Colmstock, a formerly prosperous mining town but now gone to seed, and dreams of escaping to the city and a career in journalism but dreams are all they are until someone starts leaving porcelain dolls on the doorstep for young girls and her reporting gets her a byline in a city newspaper.
Little Secrets is not really my kind of novel and I struggled to get through it as it just didn't hold my attention. It paints a vivid picture of a decaying town and the quiet desperation of its residents in everyday life and their hysteria at the dolls but it is really the story of Rose, her relationships with those around her and her determination to escape. Most of the novel is concerned with this and it only gets mildly exciting in the last quarter. I wouldn't call it gripping and I'm struggling to remember many thrills but as a study of various characters it could be called psychological.
I quite like Rose in her single minded determination to escape Colmstock. Some of her actions have unintended consequences which I can't mention but the reactions of her admirer Frank and friend Mia to them towards the end of the novel seem out of character and bizarre.
Little Secrets is an interesting read, not to my taste, but I'm sure plenty of readers who prefer a more character driven novel will enjoy it.
October 12, 2017
Last year, I read Only Daughter, the debut by Anna Snoekstra, and I absolutely loved it. I loved the narrative style, the dark tone and the creepy ending. It was a book that I continuously recommended. Needless to say, I was pretty excited to read Snoekstra's follow up with her sophomore novel, Little Secrets.
This novel was completely different from Snoekstra’s previous novel and, to be completely honest, it was not what I was expecting at all.
The novel opens in the wake of a tragedy. An arsonist had burnt down the town’s courthouse, killing a young boy who was trapped inside. Living in the same town is Rose, an aspiring journalist who longs for a big break, and her sisters. When porcelain dolls begin showing up on the doorstep of town members, mirroring looks of the young girls, the town beings to buzz with paranoid and Rose seems to have found her big break. As she begins to write her story, paranoia builds and, soon, her articles have a life of their own. How are all of these scenarios related? Can a small town survive when neighbour is turning against neighbour?
The first thing I feel the need to note is that I enjoyed the general premise. Although not what I was expecting, I felt like the general premise of the news perpetuating paranoia and turning people against each other was really prevalent. Snoekstra excels at creating an atmosphere within her writing and she perfectly captured the vibe of the decaying town and the desperation of its residents.
However, I do feel like the execution was a problem for me. For one, I found it to be very slow moving. The pacing seemed glacial at some portions in the text. I also didn't find this one to be very thrilling or mysterious at all. I felt like it was more small-town fiction. I didn’t really find myself on edge or overly concerned with any of the characters. I felt like Rose and Mia (two of the main characters) were very interesting and complex but I didn't find myself too worried about them or their well being.
All that being said, I do feel like this novel was well written and Snoekstra clearly is able to weave a story. Perhaps if someone went into this novel with a more realistic expectation of what the novel entailed, they would enjoy it more.
This novel was completely different from Snoekstra’s previous novel and, to be completely honest, it was not what I was expecting at all.
The novel opens in the wake of a tragedy. An arsonist had burnt down the town’s courthouse, killing a young boy who was trapped inside. Living in the same town is Rose, an aspiring journalist who longs for a big break, and her sisters. When porcelain dolls begin showing up on the doorstep of town members, mirroring looks of the young girls, the town beings to buzz with paranoid and Rose seems to have found her big break. As she begins to write her story, paranoia builds and, soon, her articles have a life of their own. How are all of these scenarios related? Can a small town survive when neighbour is turning against neighbour?
The first thing I feel the need to note is that I enjoyed the general premise. Although not what I was expecting, I felt like the general premise of the news perpetuating paranoia and turning people against each other was really prevalent. Snoekstra excels at creating an atmosphere within her writing and she perfectly captured the vibe of the decaying town and the desperation of its residents.
However, I do feel like the execution was a problem for me. For one, I found it to be very slow moving. The pacing seemed glacial at some portions in the text. I also didn't find this one to be very thrilling or mysterious at all. I felt like it was more small-town fiction. I didn’t really find myself on edge or overly concerned with any of the characters. I felt like Rose and Mia (two of the main characters) were very interesting and complex but I didn't find myself too worried about them or their well being.
All that being said, I do feel like this novel was well written and Snoekstra clearly is able to weave a story. Perhaps if someone went into this novel with a more realistic expectation of what the novel entailed, they would enjoy it more.
February 16, 2018
I always feel bad about one star reviews, because I still respect that the author had the dedication to sit down, write a whole story, and figure out the publication process. But I just actively disliked this book. I was interested enough at the beginning, but it’s just so over the top, and a majority of the characters are basically revolting and don’t behave in ways that feel genuine. Lots of threads that didn’t go anywhere, and I just wasn’t enjoying it at all. I feel like maybe this is what soap operas are like? Unfortunately, those aren’t my kind of entertainment. Sorry - did not like this book.
January 4, 2018
After reading the prologue with a fire, I thought that this was going to be a really good book but after reading the first page from then on the story dipped for me. I read Only Daughter by Anna Snoekstra and enjoyed every page so I just couldn't get a copy quick enough of Little Secret. Although I didn't like reading Little Secret I definitely will be reading Anna's next book which I hope I will enjoy more. If you haven't read Only Daughter I recommend that book . As for Little Secret some readers may enjoy this book more than I did.
July 25, 2021
Bufff, esto no es un thriller... otro domestic noir calificado como thriller. El ambiente me ha parecido penoso, opresivo, polvoriento... Un pueblo en el que mandan los caciques y a los que rinden pleitesía sin pedir explicaciones. La historia me ha parecido aburrida, al principio estaba perdida, no me centraba con los personajes que salían como setas y no entendía nada... Luego todo va centrándose, pero vamos, que no me ha maravillado.
lo he leído para 2 retos, pero ...no lo recomiendo.
lo he leído para 2 retos, pero ...no lo recomiendo.
November 3, 2019
Although I was frustrated off and on throughout this book, I must admit that Snoekstra weaves a good tale. At first I was all set to rate this one 3, but the more I thought about the book I ended up rating it 3.5 rated up to 4.
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