Meg never forgot that fateful day. She was distracted by her mobile phone while collecting her daughter from school. So she didn’t see her young daughter Lily chasing after another child’s red balloon. Nobody saw the car that raced along the road and hit her. The driver was never found.
Now Meg and her musician husband, Marc have moved to the Kent countryside to make a fresh start and to rebuild their lives after Lily’s death. Covert Cottage, near the village of Coldwater, belonged to Marc’s ex rock star dad Jimmy and he has inherited it.
However, Meg has brought some of the past with her. Lily’s chest contains some of her favourite items; a doll and a cardigan amongst others and it’s put up in the attic. But another reminder of the past also appears. Meg encounters their therapist, Janette, in the local high street and she reveals she is also planning to move there. They invite her to the cottage, resume their acquaintance, and soon invite her to move into their studio. They had both built up a strong relationship with Janette during their sessions after Lily’s death and they soon slip back into it. They trust her after all Janette knows their secrets and one of Marc’s in particular. Where was he on the day of Lily’s death?
Meg is surprised to find a single rose left on the road by the cottage. It’s a St Cecilia’s rose and she discovers that a child called Cecilia disappeared in the village 30 years ago while staying with relatives. A local man, Steven Savage, was the last person to see her alive and it has blighted his life ever since. Meg has several disturbing encounters with him as he believes that Jimmy should have left him something in his will. No one on the village wants to talk about the missing child and it is a place that keep its secrets close.
Meanwhile, Meg keeps hearing noises in the attic at night and feels that there is an unsettling atmosphere in Covert Cottage. The wood behind the cottage, Covert Wood, is dark and uncomfortable and it is where Steven Savage goes hunting. And when Marc loses his job and is involved in a punch-up and charged by police, Meg turns more and more to Janette who is supportive and comforting and soon becomes the only person that she feels she can turn to. Janette persuades them to transfer ownership of the cottage to Meg and then Janette has Meg sign a Power of Attorney. Too late Meg begins to realise that Janette is playing her own game with them…and for some people revenge isn’t best served cold, instead it’s a slow burner biding its time…..
This was a fast paced thriller which I really enjoyed. Meg and Marc’s attempts to rebuild their lives in the countryside were well portrayed as was her growing unease within the cottage. The village isn’t as welcoming as they hoped and they are on their own in Covert Cottage. Meg is isolated there as she isn’t working and focuses on a disastrous house warming party in an effort to try and get to know the locals. It’s easy for her to turn to Janette more and more as a trustworthy friend.
Marc’s brushes with the coat tails of his father’s stardom and then his decline were also convincing as he becomes committed to the idea that if he can write one hit song then his problems will be over and he can live up to his father’s career. The perils of trying to live up to a famous father were one of the book’s key elements as was the realisation of how little they actually knew about Janette and how much she knew about them.
I read the book in one sitting as despite it having some familiar plot elements, I wanted to know what happened next. This would be a great holiday read with enough twists and turns to keep fans of mysteries enthralled.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Married couple, Meg and Marc, have moved to the countryside from London into Marc’s deceased fathers cottage. Meg and Marc had both been through a traumatic time after their daughter was killed in a hit and run. Meg sees this opportunity as a fresh start. But it isn’t quite the fresh start that Meg had envisioned, when Meg decides to embark on solving a mystery from the past.

This is a slow burning mystery, and quite character and emotion driven. The author got the level of tension perfect, and slow dripped the shocks and surprises. The characters were well written, although I felt Meg was quite naive. The pace of the book picked up the more we read. Overall, a good, solid read.

I really wanted to like this book but unfortunately I could feel no empathy with the main characters. Although well written with lots of twists and turns it just wasn't the book for me. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance copy.

All the way through this book you know someone can't be trusted! It isn't always clear who that is though!!!
Really well written story that I struggled to put down.

I was looking forward to reading this book but unfortunately I found the story unbelievable and the characters were cardboard cutouts. This is a shame as I’ve previously enjoyed other books by this author. The extra irritation was the missing ff and spelling mistakes. It was like wading through treacle.

Marc and Meg lost their daughter in a tragic accident. The culprit of the hit and run was never brought to justice, and this plays heavily on their ability to move on. When Marc’s dad, Jimmy, a former rock star, dies and leaves his cottage to Marc, the decision is made to move there, hoping that new surroundings will help the healing process.

Like other reviewers, I found this a hard read, with too many spelling and grammatical errors. The arc appears to have been distributed without any editing or checking, not good for the author as it will dramatically affect the reviews. Also, it does appear to be writing by numbers, too formulated and predictable, not a good read for me at all. Gullible, silly characters and ridiculous plot line.

This author is usually much better than this.

Thank you NetGalley.

A good psychological thriller gradually unfolds by planting little seeds in your head and allowing you to work out what's happening. Tell Me Your Secrets does this brilliantly.
Mel and Marc lost their young daughter Lilly in a hit and run. Marc's former rock star dad has recently died and leaves them his house in the countryside, Covert Cottage.
Hoping to start a new life there, Meg and Marc's life starts unravelling when Meg becomes obsessed with a child who went missing in the village 30 years earlier.
I loved this book and just couldn't put it down.

I enjoyed this book, and it was got me interested right from the very beginning.
However, it didn't really sustain my interest. I found that the more it went on, the more the plot holes started to appear and the blatant 'villain' of the story was sooo obvious.
It was an enjoyable read, but just dropped off a little bit towards the end!

I am afraid I struggled with this book. I found it really slow and not that interesting, just wasn't a good read for me.

Meg and Marc are still together following the tragic death of their daughter Lily in a hit and run accident - their relationship is stretched and Meg in particular is fragile. They are both seeing a therapist, Jeanette who seems to understand exactly what they are going through
Marc’s father has recently died and left him a cottage in the country to which Meg and Marc retreat. Here Meg becomes fixated by solving the puzzle of a young girls’ disappearance years before which alienates some of the locals.
Jeanette offers to come and stay to offer support but nothing is really as it seems.
An absorbing plot if a little slow at times

I really enjoyed this book ,full of secrets and surprises .Meg and Marc lose their child in a terrible hit and run and both blame themselves for what happened .They decide to move away from London to a cottage that Marc's Rock Star Father has left him in his will .they hoped they would have a peaceful quiet life but how wrong they were .Lots of twists and turns great characters a little creepy and I did guess who was not what they seemed but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of this great read .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC

I've got to be honest - I'm not sure I've ever met a cast of characters who frustrated me quite as much as the people in this book. It doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story - I was completely drawn into the book from the start, if only to see just how naive and trusting they could possibly be. And, just to be clear, apparently the answer to that was very. But, for me, the bit question over this story was less the who of the situation - which did seem to be a little too obvious, although I was willing to be proven wrong - and more about the why of it all too. It was also really a case of watching the emotional aftermath and the devastation that the loss of their child has upon the couple at the very heart of this story - Meg and Marc.

The opening is simple and yet effective, laced with the tragedy that is going to inform and direct much of what is to come. It is a large part of what leads the couple to seek a new start at the old cottage that Marc inherited from his father. What should be a chance for a reset in a rural idyll soon turns to something far darker, as not everyone is happy that Marc inherited Covert Cottage, and the cottage itself has quite a tainted history too. It all plays into the fears of Meg's already fractured mind, aided and abetted by someone who has anything but their best interests at heart.

I actually liked the way Mel McGrath has positioned this story. It makes Meg, and Marc, both less than reliable as narrators. Marc because it is clear he is keeping something from Meg and Meg because her grief is still almost all consuming and there are many scenes in which it is hard to know what of the things she sees and feels is just in her imagination. The isolation of the cottage, Marc's traveling back into the city for work, almost acts as an antagonist in this story, leaving Meg to fill her time with an almost obsessive need to find out what happened to a young girl who went missing from the cottage many years earlier, another source of conflict and a past many would rather remain forgotten.

That two fold mystery - who is targeting Meg and Marc or, much rather, why, and the missing girl from decades earlier - really kept me drawn into the story. I can't lie. There were times when the couple's naivety made me want to slap my Kindle. It seemed blindingly obvious who was pulling which strings for at least part of the story, no matter what attempts at misdirection were made by the antagonist. But I guess that is the benefit of being on the outside looking in. That and I am generally a very untrusting person anyway. But as to why they might want to hurt the pair, to push them to the edge and beyond - that was a secret that needed to be exposed. And it was that part of the story that kept me reading in spite of all of the times I found myself angry, at Marc's actions in particular.

This is a slow building mystery, one where there is a lot of time spent in the set up and in establishing the characters' pasts and personal circumstances. But there are plenty of secrets to be revealed, shocks and surprises abound, ones that kept me engrossed in the story. Towards the end the tension and pace does pick up as we head towards a very dramatic showdown between Meg, Marc and their tormentor. With so much at stake, it could only every really end one way, and perhaps, given all we learn before hand, I should have been expecting what came to pass. Maybe I did in a way, but it was still quite an impactful, if somewhat brief conclusion to the whole sorry affair.

A very character and emotionally drive story that I enjoyed, perhaps as much for my strong emotional reaction to the character's mad choices (in my eyes) as for the mystery that surrounds them.

Grieving for their daughter Meg and Marc move to a small town where no-one knows them. They have both been in therapy for their loss and their therapist Janette has become a good friend to the point of Meg and Marc offering up a studio in the garden for her to retreat to at weekends and holidays.
This book takes the reader on a great psychological journey. It is chilling, eerie and disturbing, a truly brilliant page turner with a clever twist.
I would absolutely recommend this book and look forward to more from Mel McGrath.

I enjoyed this story regarding the trauma suffered by Marc and his wife when they lose their daughter in an accident. If anything it was a little overlong and although there were quite a few red herrings, I guessed early on who was the guilty party. I prefer it when you don't find out whodunit until almost the very end.

I almost stopped reading this book because of the typos, by 15% in there were more than 60 errors. Every word with a double f had the letters missing and often others too. It was hugely distracting. However, I kept going till the end.

Marc & Meg are moving into the house inherited from Marc’s father, a rock star. Their daughter died in a hit and run accident and they have both been having therapy from a psychologist/psychotherapist called Janette.
The book is so predictable from the minute the therapist arrives in the village that they have moved to looking for somewhere to buy and they just happen to have a studio apartment in the garden that fits her bill perfectly. Frankly, no-one can be as gullible as Marc & Meg appear to be. It’s hard without spoilers to describe how ridiculous some of the plot lines are. I lost count of the number of times I tolled my eyes at how ludicrous the whole thing was.

I received an advanced e.copy of this book however, the views expressed in this review are entirely voluntary and 100% my own.

Unable ro red this book as looks like it has been sent out unfinished with many letters in words missing etc,the odd error is fine but this made it impossible to red etc

Like a lot of other reviewers, I struggled at first with the typological errors. Who could have guessed that so many words contained ""ff"? It did feel a little as though it was written to order too, and sometimes the characterization was quite unsubtle and shallow. I hated the aging rockstar cliche characters, too.
But despite the at times clunky plot and the other flaws in this book ,I really enjoyed, and. devoured it in one sitting on a train journey from London to Glasgow

Marc and Meg, a couple but not married, lose their daughter in a street accident. The fact that Marc should have been picking her up doesn’t help. Devastated, they move to occupy Marc’s father’s former house in a small village where they know no-one. They also sign up with a therapist to try to come to terms with their loss. She becomes a bit more than just a professional adviser and moves into their lives. Marc has developed a need for anger management and gets into police trouble for assault. Added to all that, Meg becomes obsessed with trying to solve the disappearance of a girl in the village many years ago. All in all, that are living a mess. What or who can sort it? There are several themes to the story all of which eventually come together. It is up to the reader to try to choose from the limited cast who is behind all the disasters! This book holds your attention and is a good read. I recommend it.

She holds all the answers, relentless in her pursuit. An irreparable tragedy shatters their world. In the wake of their daughter's heart-wrenching loss, Meg and Marc grapple with the implosion of their once tight-knit family. The weight of their unshared trauma binds them, driving them into the arms of Janette, a therapist skilled in navigating the labyrinthine corridors of grief.

A chance at renewal beckons. Craving a reprieve from their suffocating sorrow, they embrace a fresh start in an unfamiliar hamlet where anonymity becomes their refuge. The serendipitous proximity of Janette lends a semblance of comfort initially, a reminder of a familiar presence in uncharted terrain.

Echoes of a concealed history resound. Yet, amid the shadowy aftermath of the tragedy, their vulnerability spilt into Janette's receptive ears, exposing secrets concealed even from each other. As time weaves its threads, Janette's intentions blur beyond the confines of therapeutic guidance, transcending her role as a confidante.

"Thriller" is a promise whispered across the pages of a genre, a pledge this narrative fiercely fulfils. A palpable undercurrent of tension pulsates from the very inception, the narrative embarking on an enthralling odyssey of unexpected twists that defy predictability, urging the book to remain clutched in the reader's hands.

Characters emerge as multi-dimensional entities, intricately crafted to dance along the precipice of trust and duplicity. The author adeptly sustains an air of uncertainty, perpetually veiling authenticity behind a curtain of enigma. A harmonious tempo governs the pacing, a finely tuned balance of action and suspense that ensnares the reader's attention with unyielding fervour. The narrative brush paints vivid imagery, coaxing the scenes to unfurl before the reader's eyes and eliciting profound emotional resonance.

Meticulous attention to detail constructs a world both immersive and authentic, an embodiment of the author's narrative prowess. Within the tapestry of the thriller genre, this tale stands resolute, an exemplar that unfurls with unrelenting intensity, culminating in a finale that teases the edges of expectation.

For devotees of riveting narratives, this work stands as a formidable recommendation, poised to deliver an exhilarating journey through suspense and intrigue.

While the eBook captures the intrigue, prospects for enhanced user-friendliness beckon. Integration of navigational chapter links, the mitigation of noticeable word gaps, and the addition of an evocative cover design would transmute the eBook's presentation from its present document-like semblance into an immersive portal to a captivating world. Accordingly, a minor deduction from my rating seems apt.

This is a first for me by the author and one I enjoyed and I would read more of their work. The book cover is eye-catching and appealing and would spark my interest if in a bookshop. Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was a highly unusual thriller featuring a grieving couple who are trying to move on and their former therapist who coincidentally or otherwise moves near then. This was a well thought out storyline but I struggled to engage with it, I think I would have benefitted from understanding them more before the fatal accident where they lost their daughter and in the aftermath. The side story of the missing girl from thirty years ago helped contribute to Meg seeming mentally unbalanced but I think it distracted from the main story. This didn’t have many surprises in it but there was an undercurrent of tension that built up well throughout and a highly complex character in Jeanette.