Every Secret Thing (Christopher Redmayne) Paperback – August 2, 2010

I can now say I have everything this talented author has written! I am disabled and on a very limited income and I watched for two years for this to go on as a kindle deal and I scarfed it up! I wasn't disappointed, This was a page turner and midnight oil burner! Susanna has a way of writing that draws you in and you can't read or turn pages fast enough. Her description and attention to detail is excellent and you become friends with all the players as the story grows. She is without a doubt my favorite author so far and I read a LOT, being confined to home till my mobility allows a trip down the steps and out. She tells a wonderful story and weaves you in without a lot of profanity, violence, or too graphic sex that is a trademark of so much of today's literature. I try to wait patiently for each new release to be swept off on another adventure in time or history. Love this writers talent and imagination, she is truly a superb, gifted writer.

I read pretty quickly so I tend to only borrow books from the library, both via my Kindle or 'real' books. I only buy a book if I think I'll red it again or lend it out. I bought this book!I'm a Susanna Kearsley fan but this is not her 'normal' style and I was surprised at how much I liked it. The characters and story line were really well-done. It's of a different genre though not sure exactly how I'd categorize it – mystery? Action? Drama? Thriller? A little of everything. I thought the characters were believable set into a story line that would seem unbelievable if a friend was telling you it happened to them... but actually apparently could happen to someone based on historical record. And even better was that I liked the characters and hope to see more of Kate Murray in the future in more stories.

This was not only a good read. It had some historical background which is a plus. Love to read for the love of reading and when there is history it is even better. Unlike a previous reader I did not find the death of her grandmother to be unemotional for her. It really made me realize how we perceive people at different times of our lives. I found it so interesting that she never stopped to realize that her grandmother had a life besides being a Grandma. That hit me WOW! It was a mystery. The main Character was in harm and you didn't know where she should turn. Great read.!

I was born in the middle of WWII. My mother was a civilian long distance operator for the Signal Corps at the U.S. Army Base right outside our town and I worked in the office there during Vietnam. My mother met my father there, so the story had some special meaning for me. It's a bit different from Susanna's others, but had me hooked from the start. A war time love story, a present day murder, all entwined to form a chilling mystery with plenty of action. It also opened a window on the clandestine war that took place behind the one we're all familiar with, the cloak and dagger war. I can't imagine anyone not liking this!

I found this story so compelling and the characters so real that I have had both on the brain for several days since finishing this book. It's the kind of story that stays with you for a while and you really wish it didn't have to end! I fell in love with Susanna Kearsley's writing style in A Winter Sea and I've been eagerly getting my hands on every book she's written. As much as I loved Winter Sea and The Rose Garden, I do believe Every Secret Thing is my favorite. The WW2 setting is endlessly fascinating and the characters' roles in intrigue kept me on the edge of my seat. And even when I thought I had it all figured out I got whammied with a huge (and very welcome) surprise. Wonderful, wonderful WONDERFUL book! I cannot recommend it highly enough! I would give it 10 stars if I could!

At first when I purchased this book I was not sure in buying it. WW2 era books don't easily caught my attention, but I have read other works of Kearsley and went on instinct. I instantly got involved in the story and wanted to know about the story. Things start happening very quickly in the beginning and it all starts with the death of the elderly gentleman, Andrew Deacon. The main character, Katherine starts investigating and discovers that her family is key on this investigation. This book felt like I was watching one of those action/thriller movies, kind of like a Bond movie. I fell immediately for the charismatic and romantic Deacon throughout the story and felt he deserved to have a happy ending, but instead he finally obtained the justice he was searching for.

This is a mystery, but there is also an intriguing back story that is almost more interesting than the mystery itself. I enjoyed this book for the most part. The mystery to be solved is a modern day one, but the back story takes place during World War II and are both seamlessly entwined. The roots of the mystery are in the back story.The problem that I had with the book was that I did not particularly like the main protagonist, Kate, as I did not find her believable as a journalist. She just did not seem particularly intelligent. It could just be that she was not well-developed as a character. I did feel that this was more of a plot-driven, rather than character driven, story. Discerning readers should be able to figure it all out, as the author does lays out the necessary clues throughout the story.

As others have mentioned this novel is different from other ones I read by Kearsley. It does not have the paranormal component, such as time travel, that her others have had. It reminded me somewhat of a historical novel, but it's more of a suspense story with murders and some romance.The book was engrossing and hard to put down. It is plot driven and I kept wanting to read what would happen next. The main characters were well developed but others were not. It's all about the plot.The novel takes place in two time periods: World War II and the present and they are well connected. It does switch back and forth as the main character Kate tries to uncover the story involving an old man who was murdered before her eyes and his connection to her grandmother.