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Rachel's Secret
In a heartwarming new novel from this bestselling author, Rachel and Meriel amuse themselves in the holidays by tracking down imaginary German spies until their game turns into a frightening reality, the consequences of which affect their whole lives.
From the Hardcover edition.
From the Hardcover edition.
- GenresFiction
464 pages, Paperback
First published May 6, 2008
About the author
Susan Sallis
50 books39 followersSusan Sallis was the author of over twenty bestselling novels, many of them set in the West Country. She was born in Gloucestershire and lived in Somerset with her family. She died in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 18, 2014
Started promisingly with two girls growing up and sharing their lives, but then the format changed. The story followed one girl to America and we learn about her life through her letters to her friend. I found this one-sidedness a bit boring. Then the author takes us back to the UK to follow the fortunes of the friend who stayed behind. At this point I lost interest and couldn't see the point of the story. Although there was an attempt to add intrigue with some unsolved murders, it really didn't fit with the novel. Disappointing.
November 2, 2017
Tried hard to get into this book, I really wanted to but I couldn't. I like the idea and the location but the characters didn't ring true and their actions didn't make sense. Was a shame but I gave up on it
May 9, 2017
2.5 stars
I wanted to like this novel. It is one that I inherited from my mother and sentiment dictated that I should love it, but it just wasn't that good.
There is a mystery and drama of sorts, but I just felt detached from it. It wasn't engaging or pacy enough to really capture my interest and make me care about what happened to the characters.
What I see as a lost opportunity is the story of the GI bride and how she deals with her new life in America, the land of abundance and no rationing and how this contrasts with her friend remaining in England, which took a long time to get back in its feet after the end of the WW2.
You can't win them all, but on a more positive note the writing is fluid and very readable. I will try another by the same author.
I wanted to like this novel. It is one that I inherited from my mother and sentiment dictated that I should love it, but it just wasn't that good.
There is a mystery and drama of sorts, but I just felt detached from it. It wasn't engaging or pacy enough to really capture my interest and make me care about what happened to the characters.
What I see as a lost opportunity is the story of the GI bride and how she deals with her new life in America, the land of abundance and no rationing and how this contrasts with her friend remaining in England, which took a long time to get back in its feet after the end of the WW2.
You can't win them all, but on a more positive note the writing is fluid and very readable. I will try another by the same author.
October 16, 2020
An absorbing story of a lifetime friendship. Strong characters in a setting at the end of World War 11. This is an enjoyable read full of twists and turns, it tells of the scrapes two friends get into upon leaving school and follows them into adulthood and the paths that they take in their working lives and their marriages.
May 1, 2023
Is this book written for children or teenagers? The behavior of the two girls is so ridiculous - the flippant descriptions of a father's flagrant sexual deviancy. There is no depth at all. I just can't go on :-)
September 29, 2020
Extremely difficult to read as too many people/plots we're introduced. Made myself finish it.
December 26, 2019
Very strange
November 8, 2015
***Spoilers!***
There's some irony in seeing an old gran becoming a Rambo and trying to kill her adopted daughter for God knows exactly why. And this despite the narrator and main character, Rachel, repeating the whole murder plot over and over again. But then, in the end, there she is. An over-70 years old lady driven by grudge and killing off whomever's left from something happened 40 years earlier. Oh, and it takes 300 pages to get to that point.
Er... no, thanks.
Once we know who the bad guys are (is, in this case) there are still a good 100 pages to go before we can finally relax and put the book away. The end simply... drags on and on and on, to the point I had to restrain from shouting "please have mercy, let's end it here!!".
Not a page turner. Not a light reading either, as I found this book extremely boring. Pity as the plot sounded interesting and could have been developed way better.
One last note before posting this review and forget all about it: characters. I hated Meriel and I hated Rachel's dad and even more I hated her two daughters. They are teenagers but are treated and behave like kids all the time. Standing ovation for Victoria, Meriel's American daughter, who has to put up with all this crap.
There's some irony in seeing an old gran becoming a Rambo and trying to kill her adopted daughter for God knows exactly why. And this despite the narrator and main character, Rachel, repeating the whole murder plot over and over again. But then, in the end, there she is. An over-70 years old lady driven by grudge and killing off whomever's left from something happened 40 years earlier. Oh, and it takes 300 pages to get to that point.
Er... no, thanks.
Once we know who the bad guys are (is, in this case) there are still a good 100 pages to go before we can finally relax and put the book away. The end simply... drags on and on and on, to the point I had to restrain from shouting "please have mercy, let's end it here!!".
Not a page turner. Not a light reading either, as I found this book extremely boring. Pity as the plot sounded interesting and could have been developed way better.
One last note before posting this review and forget all about it: characters. I hated Meriel and I hated Rachel's dad and even more I hated her two daughters. They are teenagers but are treated and behave like kids all the time. Standing ovation for Victoria, Meriel's American daughter, who has to put up with all this crap.
July 20, 2011
The reason I didn't finish this book was because it was the way it was written. I felt the text was lacking in someway and was really annoying me.
July 2, 2012
Dreadful,I wouldn't inflict this book on anyone else
January 21, 2014
if you want some light reading, this might be the one
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews