The Secretary
“An explosive tale of revenge” – Good Housekeeping
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3.9 • 69 Ratings
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- £3.99
Publisher Description
As heard on BBC Radio 4 'A Good Read'
'A cool, contemporary, whip-smart thriller.' Paula Hawkins, author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATER
She knows all your secrets. But will she keep them?
Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room? Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect?
Or perhaps it's someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she's there to serve - the ones who don't notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important.
There's a fine line between loyalty and obsession. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . .
The eagerly anticipated new thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of Disclaimer.
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'A scintillating double psychological portrait . . . an arresting ending reminiscent of Rendell at her flintiest.' Sunday Times
'Clever, clever, clever. At the black heart of this story is a personal assistant - the colleague in your office who hears and knows everything about everyone - and Renée leads us on a deeply unsettling exploration of the limits of loyalty. Believe me, chats by the photocopier will never be the same . . .' Fiona Barton, author of THE WIDOW
'A black diamond of a thriller . . . with a sting in its tail.' A. J. Finn, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
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Readers love The Secretary:
***** 'Kept me turning pages long into the night.'
***** 'Head and shoulders above so many other novels in the genre.'
***** 'I don't know how Renée Knight does it but her writing is exceptional.'
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
From its opening chapter, this workplace thriller buzzes with tension and foreboding. Ruthless supermarket executive Mina Appleton has spent two decades trusting her diligent and discreet secretary Christine with all areas of her life. Christine, in turn, has spent those years soaking up information and secrets about Mina—which is why Mina’s mistreatment and betrayal of Christina is a big mistake. It’s clear the story won’t end well for most of the characters—and you’ll stay up all night turning the pages until you discover how.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
British author Knight follows 2015's Disclaimer, her well-received debut, with a decidedly creepy psychological thriller. Ambitious Mina Appleton, who becomes the head of a London-based supermarket chain upon her father's retirement, is finally able to execute her aggressive plan to increase the family-owned business's market share. For this, she needs more than a secretary. She wants someone who will make sure no detail falls through the cracks, either at the office or at home. Perfectionist Christine Butcher fills the bill. Devoting herself to anticipating Mina's every need, she personifies the secret in secretary. Whether it's reciting meeting minutes and business phone numbers from memory, picking up dry cleaning, or baking cookies for Mina's children, Christine does it all, invisibly, discreetly. Their mutual trust far exceeds the norm as long as Christine, who will remind many of Mrs. Danvers in Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca, remembers her below-stairs place. But, after 18 years of Mina's demands costing Christine her husband, her child, and more, a bitter betrayal spirals into a chilling comeuppance. Readers are sure to be left breathless.
Customer Reviews
Excellent read
Spell binding. Could not put it down.