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Review for 'Everyone Has Secrets' by A J McDine

'Everyone Has Secrets' discusses some topics that may upset some readers or may not be suitable for others. I like to point this out ahead of time in my reviews so you can judge if this book is for you or not. In this book A J McDine discusses/includes drugs and an overdose

OMG AJ, Where On Earth have you been hiding all of my life?!?! How have I never read any of your books so far when you are this blooming amazing?!! Well, I am just so glad I have resolved that problem, and that now while I am waiting for your next book, which is guaranteed to be amazing even if it is just a quarter as good as this book, I can read your previous books while I am waiting!

OMG!!! SHUT THE FRONT DOOR!!! WHAT HAVE I JUST READ!?!?!? A J McDine you are a writing legend!!!

Wow!!! Well fair play the first thing I must say is congratulations to A J McDine on an absolutely HUGE success!! Absolutely blooming fantastic!! I never did work out what was happening and that is quite a feat considering it is quite hard to shock me now that I have read so many suspense and thrillers yet I never did see any of those mind blowing twists coming!! Anyway on with my review....

This book is fantastically written with vivid descriptions that absolutely grip the readers attention and puts them right in the middle of it all feeling the hair raise on your arms and feeling the sweat run down your back. The cover is eye catching and if that doesn't make you want to get absorbed into this page turner the synopsis definitely will!!!

An absolutely fantastic page turner by this brilliant new author to me and I am so glad I have discovered her so I can get stuck into her previous books!! This book has got to be one of the most heart racing books I've read in a long time!!! It had me hook, line and sinker from the first page and I could not put it down!!! Every time I said one more chapter it ended on a cliff-hanger and I just had to know what was going on!!! If you are going to read this then clear your day because it is truly unputdownable. I started this yesterday afternoon and finished it at approx. 2am, I read it in one sitting and although I'm knackered today it was 1000000% worth it!!! I listened to the audiobook version of this book which is narrated by Tamsin Kennard who does an absolutely amazing job of narrating this gripping storyline but more on that soon. In this fantastic book we meet Eve Griffiths who lives with her husband Noah and 15 year old son Joe. They have a good life in a good neighbourhood. Eve is a typical helicopter parent even when her son is a teenager!! Joe is about to turn 16 and after (very reluctantly) agreeing Eve allows him to have a few friends over at their house to celebrate while Eve and Noah go to their friend Lisa's home until midnight. Lisa's daughter Annie, who is also Eve's Goddaughter, will also be going to celebrate Joe's birthday. When Eve gets a panicked phone call from Joe a few hours into the celebrations saying that something had happened to Annie. Eve, Noah and Lisa run across to Lisa's home and discover Annie laying on the kitchen floor rigid, hot and unconscious with a faint pulse. An ambulance is called and the lives of Eve, Noah, Joe, Lisa and Annie will never be the same again. With Lisa refusing to allow Eve to see Annie in the hospital and blaming Joe and a community they have lived in for 16 years turning on them and telling them to return to London can things get any worse? With Eve determined to find out what really happened at the party, her job at risk and Noah keeping secrets will Eve uncover the secrets that everybody seems to be hiding?? Grab your copy of this fantastic page turner to find out for yourselves and I can promise that you will not regret it!!! With a storyline ram packed with friendship, community, secrets, suspense, lies, tension, heartache, drama, shocks and much, much more what on Earth are you waiting for?? With an explosive ending that I was not expecting it makes a nice change as after reading hundreds of crime and psychological thrillers it is getting harder and harder to surprise me s a MASSIVE well done AJ!!! A true page turner, this book is absolutely compelling with an addictive storyline that kept me guessing throughout. I was continuously questioning who was doing what!! AJ's fantastic, emotive and evocative writing talents and Tamsin's amazing narration together really do ensure the reader is transported into the storyline with the characters and events coming to life around them where they can see and feel absolutely everything that Eve is seeing and feeling. Congratulations AJ on writing and Tamsin for narrating an absolutely brilliant and unique storyline that I just could not put down!! I cannot wait to get stuck in to your previous and future books!!

Clear your schedules and get ready to be sucked into an addictive, page turning domestic thriller by an extremely talented author!!!

This is one of the few books that I have listened 100% on Audiobook. If I listen to a book on audiobook I usually also read the physical book between but I listened to the whole book and I was impressed! I must say a HUGE congratulations to the narrator Tamsin Kennard who yet again has done an absolutely amazing job bringing this story and the characters to life. I would listen to it and this book in the car and while walking at any opportunity. I'm not only looking forward to reading more books by the epic AJ McDine but also to listening to more books narrated by Tamsin!

The characters were very realistic and well rounded and again their personalities reflected the storyline and how they would act, etc perfectly. AJ's fantastic and emotive descriptions really brings the characters to life along with Tamsin's absolutely brilliant narration which really portrays Lisa's emotions throughout. The storyline is extremely scarily realistic in regards to drugs, pressure and children (younger and older) and how one thing can have such a butterfly affect on so many people. I was completely invested in all of the characters and my heart went out to several of them. I was also trying to work out who was saying the truth and who was lying, and what they were lying about but I never managed to work it out myself so well done AJ!! Each of the characters were well developed, unique and thanks to Amanda's fantastic evocative writing skills and Tamsin's brilliant narrative they all came to life before my eyes. They all had their own flaws, strengths and weaknesses. That is all I will say as I don't want to run the risk of dropping any hints or spoilers. However, whether you love or hate these characters, they all have their own strong unique personalities and they all bring the story to life playing their roles perfectly.

An absolutely HUGE SUCCESS by this extremely talented author. This is EXACTLY why I would like to welcome you to my favourite authors club A J McDine and here is to your next success 🥂!!

Overall a page turning addictive domestic thriller that will have your heart racing and will blow your mind with the explosive twists.

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This latest gripping domestic thriller from @ajmcdineauthor is a real page-turner that had me hooked from start to finish!

When Joe’s 16-year-old’s birthday party takes a disastrous turn, the fallout threatens to unravel the seemingly perfect life of his mother Eve. As she desperately tries to uncover the truth of what exactly happened at the party, she finds herself ensnared in a web of lies and secrets that puts everything she holds dear at risk!

McDine masterfully ratchets up the suspense, constantly keeping you guessing and questioning the motives of each character! And just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story takes an unexpected twist!

This is a harrowing, addictive read that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very last page!

**contained some MA language, and elements of teen drug use that may be hard for some readers. Message me if you have any questions!

Huge thank you to @netgalley and @bookouture for the advanced audiobook copy of this book!

Here's a revised version of your review:

"I loved The Baby, so when A.J. McDine’s latest book Everyone Has Secrets came out, I was eager to dive in. While it didn’t keep me on the edge of my seat the entire time, it delivered plenty of twists that felt natural and well-executed. The surprises weren’t just there to confuse or drag the story out—they all fit smoothly into the plot. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and will definitely be reading more from McDine in the future!"

A very interesting story mainly about teens and drugs and the secrets they keep.

This was a very well written book. Not too much mystery, as I had it figured out since the person was killed. The only surprise was in the epilogue.
This book is written by a British author so there were a few instances that I missed something due to the wording or slang. But not enough to not get the story.

The book was enjoyable as well as the narrator on the audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen.

This book is very captivating. It started with a good story and then quickly revealed the plot - there were times when the book was predictable and ended up turning in a different direction. I listened to this book in a matter of no time, as the story kept getting thicker and better. Just when you think it’s over. 5)3 epilogue throws another loop! It was a great book to listen to, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Everyone does indeed have secrets, and Eve, the protagonist of this thriller finds that out the hard way. I didn’t love Eve, as she starts out rather deluded about her perfect life, and even when she suspects that something is up, her conclusions are so mistaken that she causes more problems. However, overall I found this a fast-paced book that was enjoyable on audiobook. All of the characters grew on me, and the small-town setting provided an interesting backdrop to the events, for better and worse. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Another great twisted, gripping, family drama about 2 families who has dark secrets to the extent of losing a life. I was completely engrossed from the start to finish

It’s so hard for mothers these days and I felt for Eve

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookoutre

Everyone has secrets was full of fun little twists! I loved the narrator! This was a quick listen and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

I really liked this well narrated book. A book about teenagers and their problems, drugs, parties and school. It has all the right twists and turns and pulls at your heart strings on many levels. The ending was a nice little twist but also so sad in many ways.

So many lies in this one! Thankfully, they all made sense and connected logically. I thought the author did an excellent job weaving a tangled web. The relationships between all the characters struggled at times, but showcased the love of family. Except, of course, for the twisty end. Very interested in AJ's next book.

This book had a good flow and an enjoyable narrator. I would not say there were any “twists and turns” as the plot progression was pretty predictable. Overall an enjoyable listen

This was so good and so, so heartbreaking. What do you do when your teenage son has a party and your best friend's daughter overdoses at said party? To keep from losing your mind, you try to figure out what the heck happened to lead up to this terrible tragedy. The book was really heartfelt and emotional as well as being a thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC audiobook!

"It's a knee jerk reaction isn't it? When a kid goes off the rails, blame the parents. We can't bloody win. Children feel they're suffocated or let to run wild. They are starved of love or spoiled rotten. We are too demanding or too lax. Too strict or too lenient. You give them everything. Let them bleed you dry and it still not enough. If they don't get to grammar school, it's your fault for not hiring a tutor . If they have anger issues it's because you lost your temper one too many times when they were toddlers. Anxious parents have anxious children. You do the best you can with the tools you have but it's still not good enough. It's never bloody good enough."


Eve seems to have the perfect and happy life. A cozy home, a loving husband and a handsome son who is the center of their world. Until...
One phone call is all it took for Eve's life to implode. Like a storm ripping through a quiet street, that call upended everything. Leaving chaos in its wake. She will soon realize that her perfect life had been nothing more than an illusion.
Their son Joe, is having a small party for his 16th birthday at their house while she and her husband visit a friend nearby. She received a panicked phone call from Joe asking them to go home asap. His friend Annie is on the floor unconscious after taking an ecstasy pill. Annie is rushed to the hospital and fighting for her life. Both Eve and Lisa (her best friend and Annie's mother) are determined to find out who gave Annie the pill. As Eve gets closer to the truth, she begins to question who she can really trust.

Fast paced, strongly emotional and engaging psychological thriller - this book presented real life problems and a nightmare situation told from Eve's POV. Cliffhangers at the end of every chapter keeps me wanting to listen more and is greatly narrated by Tamsin Kennard. The epilogue is also very clever and unexpected.

Happy publication day! (October 21, 2024) Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the arc! 🖤

3.45✨

This is the 3rd audiobook I've listened to from this author and it was just as good as the others.
I liked the angle of this one, it might be my favourite so far. It was very real, as this type of thing happens all of the time.
I didn't expect the ending but I knew it would be similar.
Really enjoyed it, kept me gripped and I liked the narrator.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eve, Noah, and their teenage son, Joe, have what seems to be the perfect life. To top off the good fortune, Eve’s best friend Lisa, and her daughter, Annie, live right across the street. One day, everything comes crashing down on both households, but not everything can be fixed; some things are just too bad.

From the prologue forward, this story moves along quite fast. There is not a lot of suspense, but more of an investigation that zigzags its way through to an answer for the terrible things that have occurred. Eve is a strong character and shows that a mother’s love has no boundaries. I really liked Eve. I feel that McDine created her with such authenticity as to how a mother thinks, as well as the things one would do in this circumstance.

The frustrating character is Joe and his reactions to things. However, as I read further, I could see why. And Noah; I just don’t know how to feel about him, but he is just “there”. Lisa is a nice friend and I do like the friendship between Eve and Lisa. There are a few other minor characters that actually have a bigger influence on the story as it progresses.

This story encompasses a heavy and quite prevalent topic in today’s society, but it’s not so much that it takes over each chapter of the book. McDine’s books are realistic, although fiction, and really interesting to me. I stayed up late to finish this one. It will keep your interest, for sure! She is one of my favorite psychological thriller authors. This book will bring out emotions you didn’t know you had or forgot that you had! Wow! A 2024 favorite for me!

Thanks to NetGalley, AJ McDine and Bookouture for the ARC of this book.

I am not finished with Everyone Has Secrets but would like to review what I have read so far. I am listening to the audiobook version and am 30% through.
Everyone Has Secrets is a novel about a teen birthday party gone tragically wrong. I enjoy the concept of this novel and how the author displays the alienation of the family as well as how they are also navigating a terrible scenario. I am enjoying this and like A J McDine’s writing style. The only con I have is the narrator for the male characters, it isn’t my cup of tea but that is minor!

3.5* rounded up. This is my third AJ McDine audiobook and as usual, it kept my attention throughout. I wouldn't say this one had the twists that some of her other works have, but the way she weaves a thriller...it was really fun! Many of the characters were flawed here so hard to root for anyone, but that's the point. You're just waiting for the next trainwreck on every page! I did like the final twist which perhaps is set up for a follow-on book? If so, I'm here for it!
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARL. All opinions are mine.

Something terrible happens at a house party that threatens to disrupt the lives of the residents of a peaceful village neighborhood.

Someone is keeping secrets, and Eve is determined to uncover them, but is she ready for the truth?

This book helped me break out of a reading slump, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The story kept me engaged from start to finish, and the ending was incredibly satisfying. The storytelling was excellent, and the pace was just right. I also listened to the audio version; as always, Tamsin Kennard knocked it out of the park.


Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Bookouture Audio for the free book copies.

I was enraptured by the description alone but the story itself was nothing that I expected. There was plot and substance but also harsh truths and the complexity of relationships. A page-turning phenomenon.

The title says it all. “Everyone Has Secrets” is a tense, edge of your seat thriller. The story is absolutely amazing, the audiobook narration is excellent. The main character Eve takes you on the journey into her perfect life and brings us along to unravel her family's secrets. The twists and turns of this white knuckle story left me, at one point, mouth open and audibly say “no way”. The ending, one word, wow. I definitely recommend this book and this audiobook. Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, the author AJ McDine and narrator Tamsin Kennard for the opportunity to read this ARC for an honest review.