Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 338 pages
Published: April 2020

Spoiler alert (not really), but there were literally no little secrets in Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier. All the secrets were big … major! This action-packed thriller was filled with one jaw-dropping moment to the next. The novel opens with Marian, the mother of four-year old Sebastian, at Pike’s Place Market during the busy Christmas season when an unexpected phone call provides just enough of a distraction for Sebastian to disappear without much of a trace. All the police can find is camera footage of Sebastian being walked out of the market area with someone in a Santa suit and not much else. A little more than a year later and still no leads, Marian is a mess. Her husband, Derek has buried himself in work, and when Marian hires a private investigator to continue the work the police have listed as a cold case she learns that Derek has had a months-long affair with twenty-something grad student, Kenzie. Marian fixates on Kenzie, who has a sordid past of her own, as a coping mechanism of finding a solution to a problem she thinks she can actually fix. However, one bad decision turns into another, and Marian finds herself twisted in a web of deceit that leads to her undoing but also provides her to the first real lead to what happened to Sebastian. 

While the mystery of who took Sebastian is at the heart of this book, there are so many other topics the author tackles including the grief and loss of a loved one, suicide and unhealthy coping mechanisms. The bulk of the plot focuses on Marian and her obsession with Kenzie. That part of the plot got a little old for me. It was annoying, but realistic, with how Marian saw Kenzie as the enemy even though Derek is the one who made the martial vow with her. However, seeing it through the lens of the guilt she felt for losing Sebastian, I suppose I can understand why the character was written that way. It definitely made her a multidimensional and believable character. I didn’t see the plot twist about two-thirds into the story that led to the conclusion of the mystery, which made the story a satisfying one for me. 

I found Little Secrets to be a fast-paced, attention-grabbing psychological thriller especially written for mystery and suspense lovers. The child abduction aspect may make it a difficult read, but the emotional rollercoaster is worth reading the book to completion. 

Recommendation: I would highly recommend this book. I devoured it in a couple days because I just had to know who done it, what Marian was going to do to Kenzie and if Marian and Derek’s marriage would survive such stress. I was able to borrow a digital copy from the Fort Worth Public Library with no wait. So, check your local library for a copy today! 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.