This book falls into that category where I didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it either. It was just alright for me tbh
Bring a fan of Lauren North’s writing style, as her books are usually very easy to dive into. However, unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to my expectations ehich i am kinda sad about
One big change here is that she uses multiple points of view, which is unusual for her books. In this case, I felt it made things a bit confusing and over complicated, It was sometimes challenging to keep track of who was speaking. That said, the narrator did a commendable job with what she was given.
As usual there’s a big twist at the end, and while I saw some elements coming, a few still caught me off guard, so it did have some surprises

Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for providing the audiobook copy

I enjoyed this audiobook and the narration. I love a good mystery and this one had twists and turns. The narrators voice helped the story become more interesting. She did a great job going between characters. Overall I enjoyed the storyline and all the twists. I will be reading more from this author!

This was my first novel from Laura North but it certainly won't be the last. I was captivated from the very beginning and listened to this straight through. I loved all of the different POVs and thought that they all lent a really nice perspective to the story and got my mind reeling about what was actually going on and who was actually at fault. There were so many red herrings because of the different POVs so I was never quite sure that I was right in what I was thinking. I thought that everything panned out exactly as it should have and that justice was served in the end. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

While parts of this novel worked well for me, I did feel the story fell into a bit of a formulaic pattern and I didn't enjoy the narration as much as I proabably would have enjoyed reading it as a digital or print book. Overall, that didnt take too much away from the story, but it didn't give me as mmuch as I had hopes for.

I just couldn't get into this book for some reason. I think some are better read than listened to and perhaps this was on of them. I love her books though.

In "The Teacher's Secret" by Lauren North, listeners are whisked into the midst of a small village ripped apart by the enigmatic disappearance of a much-loved teacher and her son. Narrated by Emma Woods, this audiobook unwinds tense and intriguing, drawing listeners into a web of secrets and lies that might eventually tear apart the very fabric of this close community.

It's a riveting and chilling premise: when her predecessor, Cate Walker, goes missing along with her young son Archie, a substitute teacher gets thrust into the position of investigator. Deeper in the mystery, she dug out a complex web of suspicions, whispers—a lot that pointed fingers everywhere, especially at Cate's charismatic husband, Oliver, headteacher at the school.

Emma Woods really does a nice job capturing the uneasiness and uncertainty that seems to permeate this story. Her pace is steady and engaging, keeping you on the edge of your seat with tension as it mounts with each new revelation.

Character development in "The Teacher's Secret" is brilliantly done; every single member of this tiny village community comes out as a living, breathing, multi-dimensional character. One finds the journey of the protagonist from outsider to reluctant investigator really engaging, and one finds oneself rooting for her when she sails through treacherous waters of suspicion and deceit.

Taut and suspenseful, North keeps the listener guessing right to the last line. In this sense, the danger sense and menace run rife from anonymous threats to break-ins, increasing this factor of excitement within the narrative.

A thoroughly immersive and engaging story, brilliantly written with well crafted characters and a devious web of plots lead into a breathtaking finale that is impossible to guess.

Beautifully narrated in the audio version, this tale drags you in, sets the scene and keeps you chilled way into the night.

Incredibly powerful, twisted and dripping with suspense, this is highly recommended and a must read for fans of the genre.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for an audio ARC of this book.

The Teacher's Secret starts off strong, establishing the setting and feeling of unease/conflict. The twists and turns in the plot kept me hooked, and the characters were pretty interesting, each with their own little mysteries. The writing style flowed nicely and made it easy to get into the story. It's one of those books where you have to keep listening to see what happens next. But, there were a few parts where it felt like things slowed down a bit, and the ending, while okay, left a few loose ends. Still, if you're into psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, this one's worth a read and/or listen.

It’s a normal Friday afternoon in Leedham as parents pick up their kids from school. What they don’t know it this will be the last time beloved teacher Cate Walker and her son, Archie, will be seen. They never make it home that day, leaving the town on edge. Cate’s husband and headmaster of their school, Oliver, is left to find his family while trying to hold together an understandably unnerved faculty.

In desperate need of a new start, Lexi takes the job as Cate’s substitute. During her stay she begins to question what really happened to Cate and Archie. As she stumbles upon information her suspicious lead her to believe Olive may know more about the disappearance of his family than he has led on.

I was lucky to snag a AudioARC of The Teacher’s Secret from Net Galley and Bolinda Audio. Firstly, Emma Wood’s narration was great. There are times when narration can take away from the story but that was definitely not the case here. I thoroughly enjoyed my time listening.

Lauren North did a wonderful job of keeping the reader guessing as well as invested in what happened to Cate and Archie. It was easy to follow clues and train of thought but still get those fun twists.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this audiobook ARC. I couldn't get into this one. It felt slow for me, and I fell short. I guess I didn't care for the characters much.

The story felt a little repetitive and done, so perhaps I need a break from similar plot lines. It had a little bit of a Gone Girl feel, which has high expectations. I thought the characters could have had more depth- I didn’t really feel invested in any of them. It was paced slowly and then the ending felt way too convenient.

Wow, this is a brilliant thriller. Filled with lots of red herrings, twists and turns and characters who are just written in a way to make you second guess them and their motives.

Set in a sleepy village where everyone knows everyone else (and their business), the Teacher's Secret drops us straight into the drama which the village experiences when beloved teacher Kate Walker and her 8 year old son go missing after school one Friday.

Following Oliver - father and husband of the missing (and also the school headmaster), Gemma - reception teacher and daughter of district council leaders who, while relatively new to teaching has her sights set on a brighter future, Jeanie - reclusive busybody who tends to remain in the shadows, though she's always aware what's going on and Lexi - substitute teacher, drafted in to cover Kate's class, and outsider of the group. We see how each of them contend with the lengthening absence of Kate and increasing uncertainty regarding what has become of her and her son.

Quite early in the novel, it becomes clear that each of the main characters has a secret which, in some way is connected with the missing Kate. The test is to see if you can work the truth out or, like me, end up distrusting everyone.

Lauren weaves a gripping tale which leaves you second guessing what the connections are between Kate and the main characters, and even when some answers are given, she has written the story in such a way that more rabbit holes are offered to keep the reader suspicious and distrustful.

Spooky, thrilling and containing a twist I only saw just before it was revealed. The Teacher's Secret made me question myself numerous times as I became engrossed in trying to work out what exactly was going on.

Fast paced and brilliantly read in the audiobook version I had access to. I was gripped from start to finish and am eager to see what Lauren delivers next.

A pacy thriller with a great hook and a brilliantly untrustworthy cast of characters. I really enjoyed listening to this - the audio narration was excellent and the high-stakes story kept me guessing right to the end.

Fast paced thriller and it kept me hooked from the beginning. The story was about a teacher and her son went disappeared when walking back home. The husband was the prime suspect.

The suspicious characters thickened the plot. The twists just could not lead you to guess what was going to happen. The narrator did a great job to bring the characters alive!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Feb 23, 2024

Lexie is called in a supply teacher in sleepy village school after teacher, Kate and her son disappeared after walking home the previous week. Kates husband, Oliver is still working despite Kates disappearance. There is an alternative motive for Lexie desperately wanting to keep this posting, but holds this reason secret. Lexie starts her own investigation into Kates disappearance and causes a stirring within the community and starts getting threatening notes.
A clever plot, which evolves as the layers are removed into the characters backgrounds and true self. This fast paced book will keep you hooked, wanting to know more about Lexie’s motives and the truth about what happened to Kate.

Whaaaaat. No really, what the what. This one had me saying that quite often. I started to see somewhat of where it was going but a lot of it felt a little too over the top, too. It did keep me guessing for some of it but I didn’t like how it dealt with the guy who “took” them. That whole piece just felt creepy and weird, even when finding out the truth of it.

A fast-moving suspense with a lot of suspicious characters in a small English town where a mother and child go missing. This wasn’t my favorite by Lauren North but it was definitely worth the listen. The narrator was good.

The Teacher's Secret by Lauren North. WOW! This was a GOOD thriller! This is a book for all of the Freida McFadden fans (like me!). I really enjoyed this book. There were so many twists and turns and I had no idea where this book was going. The narrator was amazing and the book kept me hooked from the very first page! READ THIS BOOK!

A popular teacher and her son suddenly go missing and the substitute teacher tries to unravel the mystery . . . .

When it comes to audiobooks this description truly checked all the boxes for my usual go-to type of 'read' and I have to say
I really enjoyed this one - plenty of twists and turns along the way and kept me guessing right to the end. As a teacher myself I was immediately drawn to the concept of the story and often enjoy a story in a school setting.

There were a few rare moments where I lost some of the story (due to my own easily distracted mind) however over all the narration was excellent and the story was well put together.

Thank you to Netgalley and author Lauren North for the opportunity to hear this one! I look forward to reading more releases in the future.

Wow! That was a wild ride! There were a few twists that I did not see coming and I love that! Lexi was not letting anything get in the way of her vengeance! This was my 1st book by Lauren North but will not be my last! I am adding all of her books to my ever-expanding TBR! I can't wait to see what she puts out next!


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