Sam and his friends have a ritual every Halloween. They hold a funeral for secrets they don't want anyone else to know. One Halloween it all goes wrong. Someone knows their secrets. This person is now using the information against Sam. Ralph did a great job developing the characters and keeping them all under suspicion until the very end. There was something about each one that gave you cause to think they had reason to do the blackmailing. I was left in the dark up until the very end when the true villain was revealed.

This was a fun YA thriller. I really enjoyed the story and the characters. I’m a little out of the typical age range for a YA so I found myself a bit annoyed with the decisions made in the story.

One night a year a bunch of teenagers hold a "funeral" for their secrets. They call the place the Dark Place and it holds all their secrets. Little did they know someone has been listening to their secrets. And now that someone is blackmailing them.

I started and finished this book in a day because I was so curious who the person was that was blackmailing them plus how it would wrap up. It's a good one. All the secrets and buried so much deeper than these friends. It's a quick mystery about a town and their secrets.

Former child star, Sam, spends every Halloween night visiting the 'Dark Place' with his best friends and girlfriend. It is there that he goes into an old shack/shed alone and tells his darkest secrets, to feel lighter and less guilty. Only, something weird happens this Halloween, their secrets go interrupted by a supposed prank. An egg filled with blood disrupts Sam's moment to share. Sam is spooked, but brushes off the fear. That is, until a mysterious person, or persons, begins messaging them and blackmailing them with the very secrets they have been trying to hide in the dark.

This book was interesting enough to keep me reading, but overall it seemed a run of the mill young adult mystery. The parents are useless and often times detrimental to the health and wellbeing of their children. The friends clearly do not completely trust each other with their darkest secrets, only sharing them when threats are made to them.

I found the premise of this book to be a little odd. An abandoned shack/shed where you got at night, in a dark forest, to whisper your guilt away? Seems far fetched to me. What teens even have secrets that big or guilt enough to perform such a weird ritual? Sam I kind of understand, but at the same time he could have been honest with his parents and I found what he was hiding to be kind of a let down.

Sam's girlfriend gets mad at Sam for involving her and asking her to join in his weird ritual, but she has her own mind and can make her own decisions and say no. She should maybe re-evaluate and consider that she too was at fault and to stop blaming others for her poor decisions. I also found his two best friends to be not sympathetic characters and overall annoying. With little effort on their part to protect their friend, when Sam is forced into a terrible situation.

I found that Sam was at least a sympathetic character for all he has been through. His father clung to his fame and forced Sam in to a life he had no desire for. And now, his father tries to do the same thing to Sam's five year old sister, with a mom who does nothing to persuade even after seeing the trauma her son went through. The mom was just oblivious/useless and poor Sam was on his own trying to protect his sister from their parents and fame. Gross!

Overall the book was okay, but a little underwhelming in my opinion. The overall mystery fell flat and felt even more unbelievable than the kids shedding secrets in their shack. Also, the discoveries and truths were not connecting enough for me.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This one has great pacing and is full of twists and turns: my disappointment being that I saw a lot of them coming and that left me a little let down.

4/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, the publishers, and Vincent Ralph for allowing me to read and review this book.

They release their secrets into the dark, but now their secrets are coming back to haunt them. Our main character is a former child star, with secrets that even his best friend doesn't know. Several friends go into a shack in the woods every year on Halloween night to tell their secrets to the dark. However, someone knows their secrets, and now they are blackmailing all of them. Who can you trust? Who is watching?

I really enjoyed this book. There were twists and turns everywhere. You never know who to trust. Everyone has a secret and you learn them as the main character does. The book is well written, and the characters are all interesting. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes figuring out everything as the main character does.

Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph dives into the psychological thriller genre with a gripping premise centered around buried secrets and past traumas. The story follows Sam Hall, a former child star, and his friends who hold an annual ritual in an abandoned hut called the Dark Place, where they metaphorically bury their secrets. This year, however, the stakes are higher as someone from their past threatens to expose their darkest truths.

Ralph crafts an intriguing narrative with a dark and atmospheric setting that enhances the suspense. The idea of secrets taking on a life of their own adds a chilling layer to the plot. The characters, particularly Sam, are complex and their backstories add depth to the unfolding mystery. While the plot is engaging and the tension builds effectively, the resolution feels somewhat predictable. The pacing, at times, slows down as the narrative delves into character backstories, which might detract from the overall suspense. Nevertheless, Secrets Never Die is a compelling read with a strong sense of mystery and psychological depth, making it a solid thriller for fans of the genre.

2.5 stars

I just didn't jive with this. For most of it I didn't care for or about the main characters, however I did like the reveals at the end but it was almost a case of too little too late. It was ok but I wanted more thriller aspect.

I will provide my full review of Secrets Never Die by Vincent Ralph to my socials once the St. Martins Press boycott has been resolved. In place, I will provide a full 5 stars in respect to the author.

this book was the perfect fall read! It was super fast-paced and had short chapters that made it seem to go by even faster. I really enjoyed the eerie setting and how it took place on Halloween. The twists and turns were the best touch and kept me guessing the whole time. The only thing I didn't enjoy was how I wasn't able to connect with the characters. They seemed a little surface-level. This aside I still really enjoyed this one.

This is a nice twisty young adult thriller that hits all the points. It was a good read with very good pacing.

Every October, a party is held by friends, attended by many, parent approved activities, and the perfect mask for a ritual in the deep woods behind the house. While everyone is enjoying the party, Sam and his friends gather in a secret spot, a spot to bury their secrets, secrets that once left, will be dead forever. Or will they be? Leaving their secrets behind comes with the belief that no one else will know and no one will ever know what's left behind. When their secrets start coming back to them, it's clear that someone else or something else didn't let their secrets lie. Friends start suspecting each other, and at the same time, the blackmail messages start arriving. This story is chock full of family secrets, surprising backstories, and learning what friendships mean and what they become.

In a quaint town called Hayschurch, former child star Sam and his tight-knit group of friends engage in an annual Halloween tradition: sharing their deepest secrets in an old hut nestled within the woods. This year, however, their cathartic ritual takes a terrifying turn when an unknown figure begins to exploit their confessions, unleashing a series of sinister acts upon each member. From blood-filled eggs pelting the hut to menacing texts and eerie surveillance, the friends find themselves plunged into a harrowing game orchestrated by their enigmatic tormentor. As they race to uncover the identity behind the mask and the motive driving their torment, they unearth chilling connections to a dark past that stretches far beyond their own lifetimes. Set against a backdrop rich with British ambiance, this riveting thriller delves into the complexities of friendship, betrayal, and the perilous consequences of buried truths. Amidst the adrenaline-fueled chase, questions linger: are the secrets of these teens truly worth the lengths they go to protect them?

The tension escalates with each twist and turn, propelling readers through a gripping tale of suspense and intrigue. Short, pulse-pounding chapters and an unforeseen conclusion ensure a captivating and brisk reading experience. For readers of spine-tingling thrillers and the allure of uncovering small-town secrets, this book promises to keep them enthralled long into the night.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of <i>Secrets Never Die</i> in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

<h4 style="margin-top: 84px;">The Gist</h4>

<i>Secrets Never Die</i> by Vincent Ralph is a lackluster thriller that fails to deliver on its promise of suspense and intrigue.

<h4>The Details</h4>

One of the main issues with the novel is its predictable plot. From the outset, the twists and turns of the story feel telegraphed, robbing the narrative of any real tension or surprise. Instead of keeping readers guessing, <i>Secrets Never Die</i> follows a formulaic path, with the resolution feeling inevitable from early on. To use a clichéd term, the author kept circling back to the secrets and the guilt one of the characters feels, yet we never get any closer to finding out what this secret is. Keeping the truth just outside of the reader’s reach for so long and keep egging them on became very old very quickly.

Furthermore, the characters in the novel are thinly drawn and lack depth. The protagonist comes across as a generic archetype rather than a fully realized individual. This makes it difficult for readers to empathize with their struggles or root for their success. Supporting characters fare no better, with motivations that feel contrived and unconvincing.

The writing style in <i>Secrets Never Die</i> also leaves much to be desired. While the prose is serviceable, it lacks the elegance and finesse needed to truly elevate the story. Dialogue often feels forced and unnatural, hindering the development of meaningful connections between characters.

Additionally, the pacing of the novel is inconsistent, with long stretches of exposition and backstory bogging down the narrative. Scenes that should be filled with tension and excitement are instead mired in unnecessary detail, making it difficult for readers to stay engaged with the story.

<h4>The Verdict</h4>

Overall, <i>Secrets Never Die</i> is a disappointing thriller that fails to live up to its potential. With its predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and uneven pacing, the novel struggles to hold the reader's interest. While it may appeal to fans of the genre looking for a quick read, those seeking a more gripping and immersive thriller would be better off looking elsewhere.

I can't wait for each new book that Vincent Ralph writes. Secrets Never Die was very twisted. It was a thrill ride from beginning to end. Fast paced, quick chapters.

Every Halloween Sam and his group of friends gather in the forest to whisper their sins to "The Dark Place", an abandoned hut in the woods. This year, they are interrupted when someone throws eggshells filled with blood at their meet up spot. The next day, each of them receive a text message from Sasha Craven, blackmailing them with the knowledge of their darkest secrets.

I found this to be an extremely average thriller. I usually read thrillers pretty quickly, but this one took me a bit of time. I liked the fast-pace and short chapters, but overall I didn't think that the twists were that exciting. At times I found it a bit hard to keep track of who was who. The majority of the characters were very one-dimensional, and unremarkable. I wish that we had gotten more POVs from other characters other then Sam, as I think that would have given us more insight and details into the other character's lives. I wasn't able to guess who the culprit was, but I found it to be a bit anti-climatic in the end, hence the 3 star rating.

Free ebook, review is my own.

This was an interesting YA thriller. Entertaining enough but I think I was not the right audience for this story. Action packed but a story line I have read too many times before. Good for YA readers/intro to thriller. The secrets were good and life changing to the individuals but they didnt hold water for it to be so ritualistic for the kids to feel compelled to do it yearly.

A quick paced, dark YA Psychological Thriller sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. This one kept me thinking the whole time, and I had no clue who the culprit was. I loved the questionable reliability of the narrators, and how the plot unfolds. The Dark Place is an incredibly unique concept too.

Oh, I got really into this one. It wasn't super scary or anything like that. But it was really intriguing and it did keep me guessing the whole time. Usually, I try to guess who it is and whats happening. But things twisted and turned so much that I eventually gave up and just enjoyed the ride.

A good book filled with shocking revelations, deceit, lies, and many twists and turns. I couldn't wait to see what would happen next. I recommend this one.