Tell Me Your Secret

by Deirdre Purcell

An evocative and dramatic novel told in the voices of two narrators: Violet, who in 1944 is imprisoned in the tower of a rambling country house by her family; and Claudine, a modern-day property negotiator who becomes involved in handling the sale of the derelict Whitecliff in 2004. Violet's story is of young innocent love for a local lad taking an unfortunate twist, while Claudine is a thoroughly twenty-first-century character: daughter of a loving father with a less loving stepmother, she marries in haste after her father's death, and is at a turning point in her life when she starts to find out the true story of Violet. Is happiness a possibility for these women in their separate and very different worlds?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Irish Literature, Fiction

480 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2006

About the author

Deirdre Purcell (1945–2023) was an Irish author, actress, and journalist.

Reviews

[Noella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een groot deel van het boek wordt reeds zeer bondig vertelt op de achterflap. Je kan dus zeggen dat het eerste deel niet echt spannend is, omdat je al weet wat er gaat gebeuren. Maar dan opeens komt er een verrassende onthulling.... en een paar bladzijden later nog een... en dan nog een....en nog...
Dit maakt dat je vanaf dan het boek niet meer wil wegleggen, want je komt het ene geheim na het andere te weten, en alle puzzelstukjes vallen in elkaar.
En toch is het niet zo dat de schrijfster naar een dramatisch hoogtepunt werkt, nee, langzaamaan, als de geheimen te voorschijn komen, beginnen de hoofdpersonnages dit allemaal te verwerken, en worden hun levens meer en meer met elkaar verbonden, wat hen allemaal veel plezier doet.
Als het in het begin van het boek meer gaat om de schijn op te houden voor de buitenwereld, wat het ook kost, naarmate het boek vordert begint het meer en meer te gaan over liefde, openheid en vriendschap. Een mooi boek om te lezen.

[Tittirossa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gradevole romanzo sentimentale, ben scritto e ben organizzato. L'idea di partenza è sconcertante e quasi incredibile (se non avessi letto fatti di cronaca molto simili): una ragazza irlandese viene tenuta segregata per 35 anni dai suoi genitori perchè non approvavano il suo fidanzamento.
Il libro si svolge su due piani temporali e soggettivi, da un lato c'è Violet che racconta nell'Irlanda del 1944 del suo amore e della sua segregazione, dall'altro Claudine, giovane donna nella Dublino di oggi con i suoi problemi ed ii suoi pensieri, che si imbatte in una casa "strana".
Ovviamente le due storie si incrociano, con tanto di ricongiungimento familiare anche del fidanzatino di Violet (ora un 80enne un po' provato). Non ci sono analisi storiche, sociali; non c'è approfondimento psicologico; non c'è neanche una scrittura particolarmente lirica o drammatica. E allora cosa c'è? Una storia avvincente, ben descritta, che inchioda alla pagina fino alla fine, con un surplus di buona scrittura e cioè niente leziosità, niente trucchi, niente smancerie, niente di superfluo: e non è poco!

[Dem · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book un-put-downable. Deidre Purcell manages to portray young "Romeo and Juliet"-style passionate love, with a haunting imprisonment and a good dose of modern-day marriage troubles in this part mystery, part ghost story, part women's lit. Deidre knows and describes inner feelings with such accuracy that many other women will empathise whole-heartedly with the characters. She links the past and present together very well, making an exciting, believable story spanning a century.

[Mary Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since it is January and time for new starts, it is time for me to read my first Deirdre Purcell, and I really liked it.
In 1944 sixteen-year-old Violet, from a reasonably well-off family, falls in love with a boy from the lower orders, and worse, of the wrong religion.
Back to today, and forty-something Estate agent assistant Claudine is sent out to investigate a run-down estate which might come on the market, one which turns out to have been Violet’s family home.
Slowly, through the voices of Violet and Claudine, both their histories and the connection between them are revealed.
The first part of this read is the better, and the story of how Violet meets Coley and falls in love and the quite unbelievable steps taken by her parents to prevent the relationship are captivating.
Although it sounds contradictory, while the writing is lovely, there is not much in the way of tension or holding back but at the same time, the second part feels way too long.
The ending is sad, I wish it had been different.

[D. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, wonderfully emotional story that doesn't make you cry nonetheless. Highly recommended

[Digby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tragic, an absorbing gripping read.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! Can't stop thinking about it.....for anyone who has read this you need to read "Children of Eve" by her as well, it is about Eve and her children. I read "Children of Eve" first not knowing this one would be about her parents. Love Deirdre Purcell! "Falling for a Dancer" was the first one of her books I ever read and I've been hooked ever since.

[Rae Argent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. Caused me to weep buckets but a beautiful story.

[Denise F · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite being somewhat predictable in terms of plot, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It explored attitudes, class, stereotypes, reputation and societies. The overwhelming love of the main characters Violet and Coley, and its associated naivety was beautiful. This juxtaposed with the judgemental cruelty of the family members provided the drama and tension required to prevent this story slipping into a magazine short story.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book. It was only when I was just halfway through (page 200) did I start to enjoy it and not want to put it down. It's a bit slow going but it ends up being a lovely love story.

[Ame · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wypożyczyłam sobie z biblioteki i dokończyłam ją chyba tylko dlatego że muszę ją oddać. Dłużyła mi się trochę, fabuła nie wciągnęła mnie za bardzo. Natomiast podobał mi się klimat i miejsce akcji utworu, a nawet zaprzyjaźniłam się z bohaterami.

[Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable but predictable.

[Em Schrtr · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was slow to start for me as I don't like historical fiction, but the ending was worth the read.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now... Deirdre Purcell never let's me down and I don't even like chick lit... although I don't think I can quite categorise her in that genre.
Think book has a story that reminds me of a mixture of a Daphne duMaurier novel with a bit of Rapunzel/Romeo & Juliet/Flowers in the Attic/Anne Frank thrown in. I just loved it. It was unpretentious, unassuming, tender and positive... and sad. I found myself getting more and more into it and didn't want it to end. Having said that, when it came to the end, it was an apt closure.
Deirdre Purcell is a fine storyteller. It is a long time since I have read anything by her and I have always enjoyed anything I have read so far. Time for another one.

[Bowerbird · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely holiday read. If one disects the story - a young Irish girl held prisoner by her family for half her life, plus the chain of coincidences as her niece discovers her existence (now an old lady) it all seems very implausible. But good story-telling overcomes these quibbles and the book does have the romance and the feel-good factor which goes with getting away from it all. One to pack in the suitcase.

[Maharet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ha tutti gli ingredienti per finire sullo scaffale con i libri che adoro....amori proibiti,case con segreti e oscure leggende che vi aleggiano attorno,storie di famiglia tra guerra,sacrifici,tormenti e tradimenti nella verde e fascinosa Irlanda....bello!

[Jacqueline · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting book, the plot comes together really well, part of the story is a little far fetched but this doesnt make it any less enjoyable.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book. Would love to see it as a movie. I wasn't sure about it when I first started, but as I got going it kept getting better & I was hooked!

[Cheryl Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down. A compulsive read.

[Tracey Wilde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really good ! I couldn't put it down !
Full of surprises.