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Her Last Secret

Barbara Copperthwaite (Goodreads Author)

4.07 · Rating details · 2,141 ratings · 254 reviews

Some secrets you can never tell.

Everyone thinks the Thomases are the perfect family: grand London house, gorgeous kids.

They don’t know wife Dominique is a paranoid wreck.
They don’t know husband Ben is trapped in a web of deceit.
They don’t know daughter Ruby lives in fear of the next abusive text.
But someone knows all their secrets.

Can the lies that bind them tear them apar ...more

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Kindle Edition, 382 pages

Published October 13th 2017 by Bookouture

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Oct 01, 2017 j e w e l s rated it did not like it

Shelves: books-bejeweled

Boo.

I haven't read any books by Barbara Copperthwaite before and I was eagerly looking forward to this one.

Unfortunately, Copperthwaite's writing is not for me. I don't want to offend her many fans, but I find this "Danielle Steele style" to be cheesy, monotonous and predictable. There is no tone or mood set to the story. Her word choices and sentence structure are over the top and predictable.

As I read on someone else's book review ... I'm getting old and grumpy and got no time for books I do ...more

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Sep 24, 2017 Carrie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley

On the outside the Thomas family is what most would think of as perfect. Ben the father is a hard working and successful businessman while his wife Dominique stays at home to care for their two children, their teenager Ruby and their younger daughter fondly nicknamed Mouse. However all is not what it seems with this family and they have more than their share of secrets that they hide not only from outsiders but from one another.

On Christmas Day the police are called to the home of the Thomas fa On the outside the Thomas family is what most would think of as perfect. Ben the father is a hard working and successful businessman while his wife Dominique stays at home to care for their two children, their teenager Ruby and their younger daughter fondly nicknamed Mouse. However all is not what it seems with this family and they have more than their share of secrets that they hide not only from outsiders but from one another.

On Christmas Day the police are called to the home of the Thomas family to investigate the possibility of shots having been fired in the home but what they find is a horrific scene that no one could have possibly expected. They will now have to uncover just what led to the gruesome discovery of the entire family lying lifeless having become the victims of an unknown assailant.

Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite is a psychological thriller that has a very dark and twisted feel to it. The reader knows right from the opening pages that something horrible has happened so then the story takes you back a week to begin to learn of the events that led up to that night. It's told from the differing point of views of the Thomas family who all carry such terrible secrets among them that you are never sure who to trust or who could be the cause of the outcome that we all know is coming for them. There are also glimpses into the police investigating what they had found nestled between the chapters from the past to keep reminding one of the horrible outcome that is just around the corner.

The characters within this story are not ones that are particularly likable as you get to know each of them and what it is that they are hiding and what is going on in this family's lives. I would say the only one I particularly liked and hoped wouldn't end up in that house on Christmas was little "Mouse", she's the only normal spot and an incredibly cute kid who had gotten her nickname from her ability to hide off in weird places with her books. The rest of the family is a bit of a trainwreck that you can't take your eyes away from until you know all of the truth and I stayed completely entranced until that moment came. Great gritty and dark psychological thriller that had me hooked from the opening pages and would certainly recommend checking this one out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress.... ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 BIBLIOMANIAC MJ rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

A tale of the seemingly perfect family: successful and hardworking Ben, trophy wife and stay at home mother, Dominique, teenage daughter Ruby and sweet little Amber. They appear to have it all. But all is certainly not what it seems as we witness this family being blown to smitherenes.

The opening scene leaves the reader shell shocked as police discover the gruesome scene of the entire family 's bodies lying lifeless on the floor of the Thomas residence.

From the onset, the family's dreadful fate A tale of the seemingly perfect family: successful and hardworking Ben, trophy wife and stay at home mother, Dominique, teenage daughter Ruby and sweet little Amber. They appear to have it all. But all is certainly not what it seems as we witness this family being blown to smitherenes.

The opening scene leaves the reader shell shocked as police discover the gruesome scene of the entire family 's bodies lying lifeless on the floor of the Thomas residence.

From the onset, the family's dreadful fate is clear, leaving the reader very curious indeed to discover just what led the family to their devastating conclusion.

The reader is taken back a few days before the tragedy, reading of each family member's POV leading up to that horrendous Christmas day, discovering the many deep and very disturbing secrets they not only keep from the outside world, but from each other. The author cleverly gets the reader to distrust each of them, with loads of suspicion to go around as to who was responsible for the ultimate destruction of this broken family.

All but one family member are self absorbed and unlikeable. I could not help but cross my fingers that little Amber ( nicknamed Mouse) would have somehow scurried away and escaped the horror of that opening scene like her namesake.

'The constant insults were so deep-rooted in her now that they had tangled around her soul, choking off all the light, and stopping anything else from thriving within her.'
With the heavy theme of teen bullying via social media featuring an integral part of the story, I must say that I felt the need to scrutinise my own relationship with my teenagers to decipher whether they too were showing any signs of enduring such atrocities on their own.

I could not help but wonder how things would have turned out if each character took the time to communicate as a family and take interest in each other's lives, how different the outcome would have been.

This was a quick read that had me totally engrossed as I just had to find out how the family had come to their tragic fate, taking me by surprise with its very clever, twisty conclusion.

As a side note: I loved discovering the fact the author included one of her reader's names into the story, as a result of being the winner of a contest for this very purpose. What an awesome way to show appreciation and connect with her readers!

Well done to Barbara Copperthwaite on another great read. Many thanks to her, Netgalley and Bookouture for an advanced copy in exchange for my unbiased opinion. ...more

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Sep 29, 2017 Louise Wilson rated it really liked it

Each family member harboured their own dark truths - has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity.

From the outside the Thomas family appear to have the perfect life. The father, Ben, is a hard working man and a successful businessman. His wife, Dom, (Dominique)is at stay at home mother to their two children, Ruber and Amber, who is lovingly known as Mouse by all who knew her. But not everything as is it seems. They all have secrets they keep.

I loved everything about this book from ...more

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Oct 16, 2017 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley

Right from the start of this one you already know something horrific has happened, but you don’t know the details, just that the Thomas family is shattered, and on Christmas Day of all days. This is told mostly through flashbacks starting about a week before Christmas, then there are a handful of chapters told from a police officers point of view when he arrives at the families home after tragedy strikes. Every single family member gets to tell their version of events and while most of them were ...more

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Nov 11, 2018 Malia rated it liked it

Shelves: mystery-suspense

Sometimes multiple POVs and time jumps work, and sometimes they don't. Her Last Secret falls somewhere in between. I was engaged, though not gripped by a story that, given its premise, should have been a real page turner. I just didn't connect to any of the characters, even though there were plenty to choose from. It was an interesting story, and I did like the way the author showed a "normal" family whose members make some bad decisions and the effects of those. Overall, an entertaining read, b ...more

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Jan 26, 2018 Holly rated it really liked it

Shelves: netgalley, 2018

Another good one from Barbara! Secrets and lies rule this family. The thing about secrets and lies, though, is that they can be consuming and overwhelming. Which is exactly what happens to this family.

Benjamin is a successful businessman but when is lies catch up with him, he can barely keep it together. Dominique is trying to keep her family together but through the stress of holding on she begins sleepwalking again. The last time that happened things didn’t turn out so well. Ruby finds solace ...more

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Oct 13, 2017 Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice* rated it did not like it

Shelves: d-n-f, family-drama, netgalley-arc, 1-star, 2017, 2016, new-to-me-author, psychological-thriller

EXCERPT: The time had come to expose all the secrets, no matter what.
If only she had the courage to do so. If only the family was strong enough to survive it. If only she didn't do something stupid herself.

THE BLURB: There are some secrets you can never tell.

The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out.

They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an e EXCERPT: The time had come to expose all the secrets, no matter what.
If only she had the courage to do so. If only the family was strong enough to survive it. If only she didn't do something stupid herself.

THE BLURB: There are some secrets you can never tell.

The last thing to go through Dominique Thomas’s head was the image of her teenage daughter’s face and her heart lifted. Then the shot rang out.

They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an enviable life, along with their beautiful children; teenager Ruby and quirky younger daughter, Mouse.

But on Christmas Day the police are called to their London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant.

But when Ruby’s diary is discovered, revealing her rage at the world around her, police are forced to look closer to home for the key to this tragedy.

Each family member harboured their own dark truths – but has keeping their secrets pushed Ruby to the edge of sanity? Or are there darker forces at work?

This dark, gripping psychological thriller will have you holding your breath until the very last page. Fans of Behind Closed Doors, Sometimes I Lie, and The Girl on the Train will be captivated.

MY THOUGHTS: I hate abandoning a read. I know how much effort goes into giving birth to a book. And I tried, I really tried. I struggled through to 57%, but it just got harder and harder. I found it all very contrived and predictable. I felt nothing for any of the characters. While it is not necessary for me to like the characters, it is necessary for me to feel something. I recently read a book where I couldn't stand any of the characters, but I rated it 4-stars because the plot was great, and there was atmosphere and I felt involved. None of this happened with Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite. Nada. Zilch.

I know I am in the minority here, so if you have read and enjoyed Barbara Copperthwaite in the past, or you are intrigued by the excerpt or the blurb, then please read Her Last Secret and let me know how you feel about it.

So apologies and thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or my '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...

And a note to whomever decides what to put on the cover, it is really irritating that we are constantly being told that a book is gripping and we won't be able to put it down. We're big people. Let us make up our own minds on that. Also endless comparisons to Gone Girl, or Girl on the Train tend to put my teeth on edge. Let the book stand or fall on its own merit. ...more

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Sep 19, 2017 Sue rated it really liked it

Shelves: net-galley, kindle-paperwhite

HER LAST SECRET is a psychological thriller by author Barbara Copperthwaite. Barbara is the best-selling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, THE DARKEST LIES, and HER LAST SECRET. This is the 1st book I’ve read by Barbara Copperthwaite, but it won’t be my last. I have THE DARKEST LIES to read on my Kindle.

“A Lifetime can flash in a moment. A moment can last a lifetime.”

They were the perfect family. Successful businessman Ben Thomas and his wife Dominique live an ...more

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Oct 09, 2017 Eva rated it it was amazing

Holy crap! Okay, it’s official. I’m going to stand up and say it loud and proud : I am a Barbara Copperthwaite fan! After loving The Darkest Lies and Flowers for the Dead, I couldn’t wait to start reading this latest one and the author once again delivered a most outstanding, twist-y tale that had me utterly gripped.

The story starts on Christmas Day when police is called to a house by a resident reporting the sound of a gunshot. It’s clear quite early on something bad has happened but the who or Holy crap! Okay, it’s official. I’m going to stand up and say it loud and proud : I am a Barbara Copperthwaite fan! After loving The Darkest Lies and Flowers for the Dead, I couldn’t wait to start reading this latest one and the author once again delivered a most outstanding, twist-y tale that had me utterly gripped.

The story starts on Christmas Day when police is called to a house by a resident reporting the sound of a gunshot. It’s clear quite early on something bad has happened but the who or the why remains a mystery for a little longer.

The Thomas family seems to have it all. Father Benjamin is a successful accountant. He and his family live in a million pound house in a nice neighbourhood in London. But Benjamin is in trouble, his wife Dominique isn’t the cool cucumber people think she is and eldest daughter Ruby is the victim of horrendous bullying. Soon, a chain of events is set in motion that will have devastating consequences for the entire family.

Barbara Copperthwaite always manages to come up with realistic and believable characters in relatable situations. None of the characters in Her Last Secret are particularly likeable. They’re stressed and harassed, flawed and damaged, seemingly vying for the worst-parent-of-the-year award and regularly made me want to punch them in the face. Yet, I couldn’t help but be completely invested in them. There’s one exception though, wee Mouse, or Amber as she’s called. I thought she was a truly delightful little bookworm and I adored her from the minute I met her.

Her Last Secret very much deals with the way people portray themselves, how they often wear a mask and hide their innermost feelings and turmoil. And also, the effect a web of lies, deceit and secrets can have on a family.

This psychological thriller is taut with suspense and intrigue. It’s quite dark, often disturbing and at times also incredibly sad. There’s an excellent and compelling plot which I thought was brilliantly constructed as we discover what happened in the week leading up to Christmas. This also leads to a rather long list of potential suspects and conclusions that kept me guessing until the end.

If Barbara Copperthwaite hadn’t already been on my list of go-to authors, she most definitely would be now! I thoroughly enjoyed this and I can’t wait for whatever she comes up with next. ...more

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Oct 20, 2017 K.L. Slater rated it it was amazing

Barbara Copperthwaite skilfully weaves a tangled and relentless web of a family’s secrets and lies and doesn’t stop until the reader is dizzy with possibilities about who is up to what.

The horrific scene at the beginning casts its terrible shadow over the entire book and the author compounds this by reminding us, periodically, of the awful carnage to come as she leads us through a most dreadful week before Christmas. This makes for a nervy, tense read as one becomes fond of certain characters (p ...more

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Sep 22, 2018 Lisa-Books Smiles rated it it was amazing

OMG! This was another fantastic buddy read with amazing ladies (Whitney, Renee, Rachel, Shannon, and Heather) - None of us and I mean none of us figured out the ending. Highly recommend if you are looking for a fast pace fun thriller.

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Sep 29, 2017 Mandy White (mandylovestoread) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley

I don't know where to start! An horrific scene to start the story off when police arrive early Christmas morning to find bodies eveywhere. The story goes back to reveal the lives of the family leading upto this. This was my first book by this author but it will not be the last! Lots of unlikeable characters that made for a fantastic read. Thanks to Netgalley and Bookatoure for a copy of this book to read and review. ...more

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Oct 05, 2017 Karen rated it really liked it

The story begins as dramatically as it ends, with the police having been called to a property in a quiet residential street in the early hours of Christmas Day following suspected gunshots. What they find as they make their way through the house is gradually revealed throughout the book but in between, we hear from the Thomas family members themselves, with a countdown over a period of about a week and leading up to Christmas Day, where we discover that the carefully presented façade of a perfec The story begins as dramatically as it ends, with the police having been called to a property in a quiet residential street in the early hours of Christmas Day following suspected gunshots. What they find as they make their way through the house is gradually revealed throughout the book but in between, we hear from the Thomas family members themselves, with a countdown over a period of about a week and leading up to Christmas Day, where we discover that the carefully presented façade of a perfect family life is actually anything but.

The story centres around the four family members, parents Dominque/Dom, Benjamin and their two children, 15 year old Ruby and the youngest 8 year old Amber (known as ‘Mouse’). Mouse had that childlike innocence with a fondness for hiding in small spaces with her book, hence the name. Ben runs his own accountancy business, and likes to look the part of a successful businessman with the most expensive of watches, the flash Mercedes, the big house; he also funds his wife’s expensive lifestyle which include regular hair appointments and lunches with her lawyer friend Fiona. However, despite this apparently envious lifestyle, both Dom and Ben are hiding things from each other. Their daughter Ruby is heading for a meltdown – her life is being made a misery by bullying and in the absence of any comfort or help from her parents, she keeps a diary in which she records her most personal thoughts – none of which make for easy reading. She wasn’t my favourite character (that was Mouse) but Ruby was the character that I felt the most sympathy for. Her self-absorbed parents were so wrapped up in their own lives that she was mostly dismissed or punished for being a troublemaker – they didn’t seem to consider that there could be reasons behind her bad behaviour and she wasn’t mature enough to properly articulate her distress.

As we meet the characters and discover what their lives are actually like the story becomes more interesting. The intriguing structure and teasing cliff-hangers cast doubt all the way through and the story is presented in such a way that I felt that anyone at all could be responsible – for varying reasons. As the story went on, I suspected nearly everybody in turn and by the time I reached the final chapters, my head was spinning with all the possible conclusions that could have wrought such devastation on the family.

This was a well written and suspenseful read leading to a dramatic conclusion. The characterisation was excellent for both the main and peripheral characters. This is not a fast paced read but the slow build up just heightens the anticipation of what may happen and there were some difficult but rather relevant topics included which added to the realism of the story. In summary, a dark and engrossing read which kept me hooked. ...more

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Oct 15, 2017 The Book Review Café rated it it was amazing

OMG I must applaud Barbara Copperthwaite what a fabulous and twisted psychological thriller Her Last Secret turned out to be. Christmas is a time for families, to make memories, surrounded by unwrapped presents and feeling uncomfortable from eating too much rich food, but then I picked up Her Last Secret and all those Cosy thoughts were obliterated before I even got to the first chapter. Her Last Secret opens when the police are called to the Thomas’s London home, only to discover a horrific sce OMG I must applaud Barbara Copperthwaite what a fabulous and twisted psychological thriller Her Last Secret turned out to be. Christmas is a time for families, to make memories, surrounded by unwrapped presents and feeling uncomfortable from eating too much rich food, but then I picked up Her Last Secret and all those Cosy thoughts were obliterated before I even got to the first chapter. Her Last Secret opens when the police are called to the Thomas’s London home, only to discover a horrific scene; the entire family lying lifeless, victims of an unknown assailant.

The reader is taken back a few days before the tragedy, and through various family member’s POV you learn of the disturbing secrets they kept from each other. The Thomas’s appear to be the “perfect” family living the “dream”, but then the author peels back the layers and reveals a very different picture, some of the characters turned out to be flawed, weak and very unlikable, this is a family whose life was awash with untold secrets and resentment. Some of the characters I loved and some I loathed but they all had one thing in common at different points through this book I found I didn’t trust any of them, (well apart from the adorable Mouse, who deserves a mention because she was just so damn cute) which made for a very disconcerting read.

I do enjoy a book so much more when I find myself experiencing numerous emotions throughout the read, and even better when the emotions are ones I wasn’t expecting to feel. There are many emotive themes running through this book, you can’t help but feel overwhelming saddness at what happens when you are unable to share your thoughts and fears with those closest to you.

This isn’t a fast paced book by any means, but I’m glad it wasn’t as Barbara Copperthwaite spends time intricately unravelling the mysteries of this family, which in turn heightens the suspense of what’s to come, you know it’s going to be bad, but to the why and wherefore’s, well let’s just say they were definitely worth the wait. I do enjoy a book that challenges me to guess the outcome, just when I thought I had it all figured out Barbara Copperthwaite threw an almighty curveball that left me reeling. Shocking, sad and very twisted this is definitely a book I would highly recommend.

All my reviews can be found at http://thebookreviewcafe.com ...more

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Sep 26, 2017 Sarah rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction

The story flicks between the main characters in the days leading up to present day and to the present day itself where the police find a very disturbing scene.

I have to say I was dying to know what the police had turned up to as it is agonisingly revealed over the course of the story. I’m not one to turn to the back of the book and was so glad I was reading on a kindle as I don’t know if I could have resisted as was so eager to know.

The Thomas’s family I have to say are not overly likeable. Ther ...more

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Oct 20, 2017 Chloe rated it it was amazing

Ben Thomas on the outside has a successful life with a beautiful wife and two gorgeous daughters. If you look closely enough though you can see the cracks in their perfect life with everybody hiding their secrets. On Christmas Day the police are called when a gunshot is heard from their house and arrive to see a horrific scene of an entire family lying lifeless on the floor. The story goes back and forth from the present to a week back trying to figure out what exactly transpired before the inci ...more

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Sep 26, 2017 Renita D'Silva rated it it was amazing

Wow! This author NEVER disappoints! This was another of those books that, once I started, I just had to finish as the story stayed with me, the characters burrowing into my head and demanding to be heard. I was thinking about the story, the characters when I was not reading the book. It consumed me and I didn't want it to end at the same time as wanting to know what had happened next. Another brilliant story by an amazing author. I highly recommend this absolutely fabulous book to everyone! ...more

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Oct 19, 2017 Shalini rated it really liked it

This is a novel about secrets, secrets which ruin the family of its happiness, and the aftermath of its effects are felt forever.
A family which had everything: successful father, a beautiful mother, and two daughters; a family which seemed perfect from outside had secrets rumbling and simmering in its very core. And when those secrets reached a boiling point, an outburst led to an overflow of emotions and everything is destroyed, and life as they knew it, changes forever. This is the gist of th This is a novel about secrets, secrets which ruin the family of its happiness, and the aftermath of its effects are felt forever.
A family which had everything: successful father, a beautiful mother, and two daughters; a family which seemed perfect from outside had secrets rumbling and simmering in its very core. And when those secrets reached a boiling point, an outburst led to an overflow of emotions and everything is destroyed, and life as they knew it, changes forever. This is the gist of the story
What raises this story from ordinary to extraordinary is the author Barbara Copperthwaite's writing. She starts her book with an incident happening at Christmas day and goes back eight days in the past to tell us what really happens in the Thomas family, behind closed doors. She does jump to the present Christmas day in between chapters and that kept the intrigue and the river of suspense flowing through the entire book.
What really happened to the Thomas family??
I was lulled by the author's writing, with her giving me the background, the secrets, the family life, that when the ending hit me, I reeled with shock. It was WHAM, straight to the head, so unexpected. My heart literally stopped when I was reading the last few chapters, and I could not put the book down till I finished.
Barbara has etched each character so well that they appear almost real as the book goes on. The greed of a cheating husband, the unseeing wife who lives with blinkers on, the eldest daughter getting cyber-bullied and unable to confide in her family and the younger daughter confiding in her soft toy and finding her comfort reading books, hiding in the cupboard. Each character made me feel a different emotion: frustration for the daughter who could not confide in the mother, anger at the mother for not really seeing the truth, hate for the husband who has everything but still wanted more, and extreme pathos for the child who hid in cupboard when life got difficult. I like such books which can make me feel deep emotions for the characters.
And the ending was mind blowing..
There are few niggles
There are 102 chapters in this book, I was aghast, a long book, but luckily the chapters go fast and book is easy to finish especially as the suspense builds up
I really did not understand the character of the mother, what really made her so not connected to her family, not connected to her daughters. I did not find any valid reason for her behaviour.
But in saying this, I enjoyed this book immensely and I am still going back to Amazon, to check out Barbara Copperthwaite's other books.
I especially liked that she dedicated this book to Ellen, her big sister ...more

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Nov 17, 2017 Shalini Boland rated it it was amazing

I'm quite a slow reader these days, but I absolutely tore through this book. It had everything you could want from a psychological thriller - intrigue, believable characters, slow-building suspense, deceit, thrills and a twist that took my breath away.

It's the story of a seemingly ordinary, upwardly mobile family. But Dominique is having nightmares, her husband is being secretive, her eldest daughter Ruby is having trouble at school and her youngest, Mouse, is worrying about everyone. As everyt ...more

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Sep 28, 2017 Tracy Fenton rated it it was amazing

WOW – I am speechless.. well obviously not literally as this review would be pretty short but what I mean is that I am absolutely blown away by this book. This is the 3rd book I’ve read by Barbara Copperthwaite – all different and all fabulous in their own way (#TeamAdam), but this book really, really got under my skin.

The story starts on Christmas Day and the police have been called to a respectable family home in London where 2 gun shots have been reported and upon investigating the house they ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Claire Wilson rated it liked it

Her Last Secret by Barbara Copperthwaite is an unputdownable thriller where you will hate most of the characters. Just who is innocent and who is telling lies? When neighbours hear gunshots from a nearby house in the early hours of Christmas morning, the Police don't know what to expect. A family of four live there and they might have been murdered. But just whose secret has set off a chain of events resulting in this Christmas day carnage? 3 stars ...more

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Oct 05, 2017 Emma rated it it was amazing

I'm not an overly emotional reader. I don't cry at books. In fact, the last book to make me cry was....let's see.....oh yes! The Darkest Lies by Barbara Copperthwaite. What I didn't expect was for the same thing to happen again. I like my books full of blood, guts and as much gore as you can cram in. People die in the books I read, bad things happen to good people and it rarely (read: never) sets me off in floods of tears. But Copperthwaite's writing somehow manages to do something to me I'm not an overly emotional reader. I don't cry at books. In fact, the last book to make me cry was....let's see.....oh yes! The Darkest Lies by Barbara Copperthwaite. What I didn't expect was for the same thing to happen again. I like my books full of blood, guts and as much gore as you can cram in. People die in the books I read, bad things happen to good people and it rarely (read: never) sets me off in floods of tears. But Copperthwaite's writing somehow manages to do something to me that others fail to do. Once again, I was reduced to a pile of mush as I turned the final page, blubbering my eyes out for one character in particular (OK, maybe two). Which is strange, seeing as the reader starts at the end of the story. What Copperthwaite manages to do through the pages of her book is make you fall in love with her characters just a little bit. I felt completely invested in the Thomas family. Then the ending happened and WOW! Just.....WOW!

As a fan of the character-driven novel, I was in my element reading Her Last Secret. I felt disgust and loathing for husband Benjamin who needs to remove his head from his own bottom and start focussing on his family. My heart ached for teenager Ruby who was crying (nay, screaming!) for attention from her parents but was sinking further and further away from them. Young Amber (or Mouse as she's nicknamed) was beautiful from start to finish and really shone from the pages. It takes real talent to write a convincing eight-year-old voice but the author has excelled. And then there's Dominque; totally flawed, damaged by her past and failing her teenage daughter but oh my gosh, I loved her.

The opening chapter throws the reader straight into the action. The police are called to a residential street in the early hours of Christmas morning. Chief Inspector Ogundele doesn't know what awaits him inside the house, all he knows is that gunshots have been fired. From there the chapters countdown to Christmas day, giving the reader an insight into the 'not so perfect' Thomas family and how they have arrived at such a horrific predicament on what should be one of the happiest days of the year. Brilliantly executed by the author. In my view, Copperthwaite's best novel yet!

Would I recommend this book? Of course, without a shadow of a doubt! You'd be a fool to miss out on this one. Thrilling and heartbreaking in equal measure. Superb storytelling, compulsive and impossible to put down. I was hooked and you will be too!

(A very easy) Five out of five stars.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Her Last Secret. The above review is my own unbiased opinion. ...more

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Oct 04, 2017 Sue McQuaide Kitt rated it liked it

This is a difficult book for me to review because I really wanted to enjoy it more than I did. There are some amazing reviews for Her Last Secret, so I do think it is just me.

Therefore, I am not going to say too much apart from that the pace was far too slow to keep me interested throughout and that the final 25% did pick up somewhat and that is why I give it a 3*

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boukouture for providing a copy of this book and this is my honest review.

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Oct 13, 2017 Joanne Robertson rated it it was amazing

OMG!! This book!! Right from the very first page, I had the most terrible fear of what was about to occur to the Thomas family. That fear seemed to manifest itself into a nervous tension where I was in a constant state of anxiety, sometimes having to put the book down just to get my heartrate back down and have a nice calming cup of chamomile tea!

This book is going to appeal to everyone who loves a gripping storyline of domestic noir. One of the things that attracted me to Her Last Secret was th OMG!! This book!! Right from the very first page, I had the most terrible fear of what was about to occur to the Thomas family. That fear seemed to manifest itself into a nervous tension where I was in a constant state of anxiety, sometimes having to put the book down just to get my heartrate back down and have a nice calming cup of chamomile tea!

This book is going to appeal to everyone who loves a gripping storyline of domestic noir. One of the things that attracted me to Her Last Secret was that terrible fear of something happening to my very “ordinary” family. I’ve always been fascinated by cases in the media where something terrible has happened to a whole family and the neighbours are always so shocked saying things like ” But they were just a nice normal family! ” We never know what goes on behind closed doors and even within families, every single member can be hiding dark secrets at any one time. But what happens if all those secrets combine into a maelstrom of misunderstanding and deception? Here Barbara Copperthwaite takes that nice middle class family, whom others aspire to be like, and gives them all a dark and disturbing back story-except Mouse, the most adorable eight year old I have met within a fictional family in a very long time! We get to know and empathise with them whilst all the time sensing that something truly dreadful awaits this family, but who is responsible and why? The build-up to those answers delivered one of the best, most gripping and heartwrenching books I have read this year. I just HAD to know what happened but on the other hand, I DIDN’T WANT TO KNOW!! By the time I got to around the three quarters mark, my reading slowed right down, trying to delay the inevitably of this tragic tale. And I don’t really want to say anymore about the plot that that. This book needs to be read with an open mind, free of any preconceptions about individual characters. All I will say is that some of them you will love, some of them you will pity and one of them you will come to hate with every fibre of your being.

This was pretty much my perfect book. It surprised me which is a huge achievement as it takes a lot to bring something new to this genre! I love Barbara Copperthwaites writing style and here she has used it to deliver a deeply compelling and emotionally draining narrative that just took my breath away. I absolutely loved this book, it made a huge impact on me and left me with one of the biggest book hangovers I have had this year. Highly recommended by me! ...more

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Nov 28, 2017 Bookworm rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs-read, general-fiction-read, thrillers-read, favorites-read

A huge thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Holy thriller, what a gripping read! Ms Copperthwaite has done it again! This book has a little bit of everything - mystery, tears, suspense and a [big smile] satisfying ending.

The story focuses on a family trying to keep their heads above water as they drown in dysfunction. It is well written using multiple POV's that add a layer of depth. The reader is able to understand and empathize with each ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Tracy Shephard rated it really liked it

I adore Barbara Copperthwaite’s books..

and Her last Secret is every bit as thrilling as I knew it would be.

This was a novel that really got me asking questions.. What was wrong with Dominique’s marriage? What was Ruby’s message? Who had the ‘secret’ as mentioned in the title??

With dark twists and a tensity that had me completely gripped this was another one sit read for me.

The Thomas family, seem to have it all, perfect in fact. Although Ruby is a typical teen, with teenage rows and the usual de ...more

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Jan 19, 2018 Lynda Kelly rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites

I've never read anything by this author before. For some reason, I always had it in my head that she wrote stuff I wasn't interested in so I must have her confused with someone else, I think.
Anyway, this premise greatly appealed to me and I'm pleased I bought it as I greatly enjoyed it and will definitely be reading more by her, now.
It's very cleverly put together as a story for a huge convergence at the end on Christmas Day that you get hints at throughout as every other chapter brings you into ...more

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Nov 06, 2017 Noelle rated it it was amazing

Well OMFG! I am not going to beat around the bush with this review – let me first say a massive *thank you* to the author and Netgalley for an ARC. Then I have to say – Bloody hell….What-A-Book!

Set in London, the reader becomes embroiled in secrets and lies; (dysfunctional) relationships; rebellion; betrayal; anger; bullying; obsession; jealousy; frustration and unhappiness.

From the moment I started this book, my interest was piqued. Immediately questions were racing through my mind as the suspe Well OMFG! I am not going to beat around the bush with this review – let me first say a massive *thank you* to the author and Netgalley for an ARC. Then I have to say – Bloody hell….What-A-Book!

Set in London, the reader becomes embroiled in secrets and lies; (dysfunctional) relationships; rebellion; betrayal; anger; bullying; obsession; jealousy; frustration and unhappiness.

From the moment I started this book, my interest was piqued. Immediately questions were racing through my mind as the suspense and intrigue build up beautifully! Set at the perfect pace, the reader is drawn into a story that keeps you guessing throughout. I mean seriously! I was thinking to myself…”I know exactly where you are going with this clever author lady…” and then I was like….Whaaaaaaaat?? The timeline switches back and forth seamlessly as the countdown to Christmas – the fateful day – has you gasping for air! Told in the third person POV, we get a range of perspectives and I thought this was done brilliantly!

I absolutely ADORED the characters in this book – even the ones I didn’t particularly like! Dominque comes across as a slightly paranoid but concerned mother. She seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut and has quite an interesting condition…not sure if I should actually describe it that way as it must be awful…but I’m a weirdo and certain things fascinate me! Not going to spoil it though…you will know what I mean when you come across it! Full of secrets, part of me really felt sorry for her, but then I was like “Woman…get a grip…sort it out…and bloody move on!” – I am pretty terrible, aren’t I!?

Ah Ruby…the typical rebellious teenager. However, she too has a secret that she is keeping from everyone but her boyfriend Harry. She is full of anger and rage – so understandably, she acts out but also is hiding behind a mask of self-loathing. I really felt for this character. Amber – or Mouse as she is known is Ruby’s baby sister- quite an insightful character for someone so young. She sees and hears things that probably put her beyond her years. My heart went out to her at times.

Kendra…Kendra….Kendra…what an annoying cow bag! At times I felt sorry for her, but also found her to be quite a selfish and immature woman. Ok, so she was a little insecure, but she also came across as needy and desperate- not very attractive qualities, right?!

Benjamin…what a arse. Plain and simple. I felt absolutely nothing towards him…well, that’s not true…I pretty much despised him. Materialistic, narcissistic, and ever other #istic going! I am not even sure he had any redeeming qualities. But a fab character! LOL!!

Finally- Harry, Ruby’s boyfriend- another rebel without a cause, he came across as quite a lost soul. He was the complete opposite to Ruby in terms of his economic background and I really felt for him. Ruby and Harry found in each other what they felt was missing from their lives: understanding, acceptance and love. Awwww. Another great character.

This was such an emotive read. SUPERB! As a reader, you are innocently led down the garden path by the author, fairly confident of where you are going until….BOOM! – Barbara Copperthwaite blows it all out of the water and you are standing there frozen, mouth gaping open, thinking…What-the-actual-frig-just-happened!? Well played, Mrs!

Would I recommend this book? Is the Pope Catholic? Of course I would- with bells on! This has one hell of a jaw dropping twist that I didn’t even see coming…it is dark, emotive and absolutely unputdownable – so readers…don’t wait, grab a copy of this book now…you can thank me later! ...more

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Dec 03, 2017 Helen rated it it was amazing

I loved this book! The story starts on Christmas Day, with a shooting, and then goes back to the week before and follows the Thomas family's last days and the events leading up to this tragedy.
It's a roller coaster of a ride, with hidden secrets being revealed, a misunderstood teenager going through some horrible bullying with only one friend to rely on, a shy sister who loves to read, and two parents who are so caught up in their own problems that they don't realise what's going on around them ...more

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About Barbara Copperthwaite

Barbara Copperthwaite

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What people say about Barbara's books:

"Will have you looking over your shoulder and under your bed... Original, gripping, with a deep psychological impact," Sunday Mirror
"Enthralling, tense and moving," Real People magazine
"Totally gripping, and scarily believable," Bella magazine

Barbara is the Amazon and USA Today bestselling author of psychological thrillers INVISIBLE, FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD, TH ...more