Mary McGarry Morris, The Last Secret

The Last Secret

Mary McGarry Morris

Shaye Areheart (Crown), Apr 7 2009, $25.00

ISBN: 9780307451279

Seventeen year old Nora Trimble spends eight dangerous days with her psychotic boyfriend Eddie Hawkins that ends in violence. Nora moves on and marries wealthy Kendall "Ken" Hammond, whose family owns the Franklin Chronicle newspaper in Franklin, Massachusetts newspaper. They have two kids and their life together is near perfect.

Twenty-six years have passed since the horrifying incident and Nora has all but forgotten it. However, her idyllic world collapses when the two men in her life hammer at her psyche with revelations. Serial killing Eddie by simply returning to blackmail her and Ken by informing her he has had a four year old affair with his teen girlfriend sweetheart Robin Gendron, the wife of his best friend. Eddie finds an additional reason to hang around as he obsesses over Robin.

This engaging family thriller is fast-paced once Eddie returns and never slows down as secrets almost three decades old and present are revealed. The cast is fully developed to the point that the audience understands them and to a degree sympathizes with every one of the key players, even psycho Eddie. Though the events and people may have changed, Mary McGarry Morris makes a case that history repast itself if one fails to learn from the previous mistake. Fans will enjoy the aptly titled THE LAST SECRET as several beleaguered souls fight to regain some equilibrium while considering Paradise Lost will never become Paradise Regained.