The Secrets of Strangers

A gunshot rings out in a London cafe and the lives of five strangers will never be the same again. The only thing that's certain is that nothing is as it seems.


A compelling, tense and heartfelt drama from the bestselling writer of See You in September, shortlisted for Best Crime Novel in the 2018 Ngaio Marsh Awards for Crime Fiction


'This book was hard to put down and even harder to stop thinking about. It is truly a devastating story wrapped in heartbreak with a beautiful ending to soothe the anguish. This is one I must recommend.' The Booktopian


Five strangers, one cafe - and the day that everything changed.


A regular weekday morning veers drastically off-course for a group of strangers whose paths cross in a London cafe - their lives never to be the same again when an apparently crazed gunman holds them hostage. But there is more to the situation than first meets the eye and as the captives grapple with their own inner demons, the line between right and wrong starts to blur. Will the secrets they keep stop them from escaping with their lives?


'Charity Norman beautifully captures the fear, and the surprising solace, to be found in a situation that has gone way beyond your control. In this elegantly told tale of the power of humanity to save and destroy, Charity's writing is full of compassion and compulsion.' Caroline Bond, bestselling author The Second Child


'This is a compelling and moving novel that should introduce [Norman] to a whole new world of readers.' - Weekend Herald Canvas


'The narrative is as tense and well-written as any Jodi Picoult drama... a terrific suspense novel' - The Press