I am normally a fan of Jane Shemilt however this one didn't really work for me. I think I just couldn't connect to the characters but the writing itself was really good as you would expect from this author

In 2003 Sofie helps out at a luxury home in Greece owned by a rich couple who travel back for the summer holiday, a long with their daughter Julia. Twenty years later Julia is married to her successful, but controlling husband. This novel looks at what happened in the past and the events that bind the characters together.

This book really surprised me. I wasn’t expecting such an emotional, deep storyline. The words flowed very easily and I found the the alternating timelines easy to follow. There were some very dark themes covered within the book but they were handled very well. I really enjoyed how it all came together and there were a few surprises. The characters were well written and while some are very unlikeable, others you feel real empathy towards. Overall this was an intelligent, well written novel and I will definitely be reading more books by the author. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in return for an honest review.

This book isn't what I was expecting - a fast paced thriller. It's more of a slow burner, but all the better for that. It's a tale of then & now, of Greece & London. I could feel the lazy heat of Greece & the uptight stress of London. As the book slowly reveals victims & perpetrators across time & place, I really wanted a.satisfying ending. I won't give any spoilers, so you'll have to read it for yourself. With fully formed characters & subtle layers of control, coercion & criminal act, this is a great read that I'm happy to recommend.

All Her Secrets moves between a Greek island (Paxos) in 2003, recounting events affecting a holidaying family and the Greek family who work for them, and present-day UK. The main apparent through-line is Julia - then a teenager, now a woman in her late 30s, mother of a teenage girl and wife of the controlling James, headteacher of a private school.

It's a really good and riveting read while also being, in retrospect, a deeply horrible story. Terrible things happen to people, usually women, usually at the hands of men. Child sexual assault is a major theme and makes for a difficult and painful read - for that reason, I'd suggest approaching with caution.

It wasn't hard to work out or guess the connections between certain people, but I wasn't at all sure how it was going to end up, and there were a few surprises. Ultimately it's a fairly simple story of corruption, evil and retribution.

I'm a bit dubious that Julia's long-standing eating disorder would be so easily fixed or that certain people would have got away with quite as much as they did - but it was an excellent read. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Told in two different timelines (2003 Greece and 2023 London) and from two perspectives (Sofie’s & Julia’s), the plot and underlying themes unravel gradually in this novel, but not before we get to admire Shemilt’s gorgeous and almost palpable descriptions of Paxos. I loved the sensitivity in the writing and the contrasts drawn between the seemingly idyllic exteriors and darkness that lies beneath. A truly immersive read with plenty of twists and turns and great characterisation. Recommended as an engrossing holiday-read or for a bit of escapism in the winter months.

I was excited to read the latest novel by Jane Shemilt and she doesn't disappoint. it's written in a dual timeline following Sofie and 20 years later Julie. it's a cleverly written mystery with twist and turns throughout.
An enjoyable read

If I'm honest I wasn't really sure what I was expecting when I first started reading this as it is a little slow to start with but then. I soon found myself engrossed in the story of Sofie and Julia's lives and couldn't read quickly enough as I needed to find out the full story. I loved how the storyline unfolded and how we were reading from both Sofie and Julia's views - Sofie's from back 20 years ago and Julia's from present day. Well written and loved the unexpected twists and turns.

This was really good, better than most of this genre. The build up was good, the twists good, and although the big twist near the end was obvious, it was still revealed nicely.
The characters were well developed, and the reveal about the two men was great.
There are two POV in this book, so if you don't like that you need to know, but it is easily understood and the names are given.
All in all, a very good beach read this summer. Gripping, riveting and hard to put down.

A heart breaking story where you think you know where things are headng but there is so much more to it.
Hard to put down.

The first half of this book was slow and a little confusing. I chose to stick with it though and I am glad I did- the second half was fast-paced and exciting. The twists were predictable but I enjoyed reading descriptions of the surroundings etc. Good book all round!

An amazing rollercoaster ride of a story. It runs between timelines and countries. Gradually the full story is unraveled. Just as you think you are getting to grips with what is going on, another section opens up. A very cleverly written mystery which treats it's subjects with great delicacy. Brilliantly done

This is a very cleverly conceived and delivered book. It starts without any indication as to where it will end up. On the Greek island of Paxos the rich family who own it are holidaying with friends. The idea that they would consort with the employed locals is out of the question so when the daughter of an employed family starts to hang out with two teenage boys from a visiting family, that is unacceptable. The girl is sexually assaulted by them and the employed family has to lead so the boys’ misdeeds can be covered up.. One of the visiting family includes Julia who becomes an important part of the story when she becomes the wife of a headteacher and settles in his London home with her daughter. There are rumours of sexual misconduct by a teacher at the school. Why is James, the head, covering it up. Then all the connections between the past and present come together in a very clever and rewarding conclusion. I have no hesitation about recommending this book. You’ll love it!

#AllHerSecrets #0NetGalley.
A NAME TO WATCH.
The vacation house is a luxurious getaway for a wealthy English family, windows open to sun and the sea, a sparkling swimming pool, and a verdant garden. One hot summer night, while the parents and their friends drink wine and amuse themselves, a young woman—the teenage daughter of the Greek caretaker—ventures for a walk on their private beach. Her life will never be the same again. Julia is the perfect spouse and mother. Slender, blonde, expensively dressed, she’s the classic “yummy mummy” of high society: cook, organizer, arm candy, and speechwriter to her influential husband. But behind her winning smile is a stifled woman trapped in a gilded cage, stricken with anxiety and perfectionism. When Julia meets Laurel, a therapist who promises to help her find fulfillment, Julia opens herself up to the hope of a different future. What happened in Greece all those years ago that binds these two women together? And will uncovering the truth destroy everything… or set them free?
Don't think twice. Order your copy today.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK Harper Fiction for giving me an advance copy.

What a great story. I loved it. Set in Paxos and England, the story takes place in 2003 and 2023. There is romance, travel, murder, intrigue, child molestation, therapy and revenge, all woven into a captivating story.
I have read an earlier story by Jane Shemilt, it was a super read, so I was delighted when NetGalley and Harper Collins books offered me the chance to read her latest one. My thanks go to them.
I would recommend taking a few hours to lose yourself with Sofie, Nico, James, Cosmo, Lottie and Julia.

Thirteen year old Sofia and her family are the live in caretakers of a beautiful house on the island of Paxos .17 year old Julia and her family are the owners of the beautiful house .
One summer everything changes and Sofia and her family flee their home to live with Grandad in Corfu town.
The story unfolds with two perspectives -Sofias life then -and Julia's life now.
I don't think it was difficult to guess the twist to this tale -but the writing is so good -it didn't matter

Thankyou NetGlley for an ARC in return for an honest review

A pervading sense of sadness throughout the book as the reader can only feel the deepest sympathy for the victims of this story. Clever coming together of the two timelines keeps the reader guessing as to how this will all end and justice be done.

4.5 stars

It all has its roots in Paxos, Greece in 2003, a particularly hot summer in Europe. Sofie aged 13, helps her parents who work at a luxury property owned by wealthy Peter and Jane. As usual, a crowd of friends and “hangers on“ assemble, including Peter and Jane’s daughter, Julia. Fast forward to 2023 to a picture perfect family, unless the recent pictures in GQ belie the truth. Julia, mother to teenager Lottie, is married to James the headteacher at the prestigious Westminster School. James is charming, ambitious and hugely confident and to him appearance is all. This powerful novel is told in dual timelines through which we learn how both Sofie and Julia are bound by the past.

This is a beautifully written novel which has real intensity especially at the start. You feel the atmosphere in Paxos and it gives you goosebumps and freezes your blood. You just know something bad is going to happen but it could come from several directions. The stifling, oppressive heat of ‘03 is used to real effect as you wait for the storm to break, the air is fraught with the promise of danger. The beginning of the 2023 narrative contrasts really well with this, it seems bright and optimistic until it isn’t. I like how the author develops this with the suspense and tension becoming increasingly taut
as fear builds. The dynamics are fascinating, especially in the later time line with the Paxos family of Sofia who couldn’t be a greater contrast to that of Julia. Money isn’t everything.

All the darker elements of the book are done well and dealt with sensitively. The excellent characterisation matches the situations that unfold, it becomes clear that these are damaged people and you root for their recovery. The storyline is an emotional one with everything from shock, anger, sadness, but also admiration.

I find this novel to be an immersive read, I expected it to be so as I really like the way that Jane Shemilt writes. It fully engages my attention, it’s a page turner that I reluctantly put down. The ending feels just right to me too.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, Harper Fiction for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Okay, let's start with the big deal here - this is a book dealing with sexual abuse of children. With such a sensitive theme throughout the book it errs on the side of caution and discretion the majority of the time. Everyone will have personal views on what is suitable here, but as a general approach I think this would fall within many people's tolerance for what they can process.

We follow two timelines, 2003 and 2023. Despite the pitch for the book wondering what could possibly bridge these twenty years it all becomes fairly obvious quite quickly. There are still some twists and turns, but this is not a mysterious novel in that regard. It's a great read, just not loaded with tension if that's what you're expecting. The conclusion also feels a little hurried as it spells out everything you probably already knew just to tie up any lose ends for anyone who missed anything. In fact, despite it being fairly compulsive reading at the time, I realise I feel a little empty afterwards. It's not that the story is actually missing anything, it's just that more than once it feels like it could've been more. Although I also don't know how you could deliver that extra impact without turning this into a much darker book, and I guess there are enough books that take that path already. This offers us a slightly gentler take on an already very dark subject matter and delivers something that stands out for being slightly different.

A good read. At times quite difficult, but never too much. The story flows as we're guided through a murky world.

This is a gripping read once you get into it. I liked the way the story alternated between past and present, and how cleverly the two were connected. Harrowing events are sensitively dealt with. There are a few unrealistic incidents but not enough to detract from a great story.

A thrilling read, very relevant to our times. This covers subjects that really matter, in a thoughtful and unpredictable way. I raced through it and it never let up. Jane is one of my favourite authors and this book is another masterpiece.