The Secret Between Us

The Secret Between Us explores the limits of responsibility — mother to daughter, daughter to father, husband to wife. After Deborah Monroe picks up her sixteen-year-old daughter, Grace, from a party, they are driving home when their car hits a man in the dark. Although Grace was at the wheel, Deborah sends her home, insistent on facing the police alone. Her decision then turns into a deception which takes on a life of its own, threatening their family, as well as the special bond between mother and daughter.

Once again Delinsky has written a superbly crafted book, perfectly targeted to reading groups and fans of provocative fiction.

"Relationships are brought to the limit in Delinsky's splendid latest exploration of family dynamics. On a rainy night, Deborah Monroe and her teenage daughter, Grace, are driving home when their car hits a man. The victim, who turns out to be Grace's history teacher, is unconscious but alive. Although Grace was driving, Deborah sends her home and takes responsibility for the accident when the cops show up. Deborah is juggling a lot: as a family doctor, she is in private practice with her ber-demanding widower father, who is trying to hide a drinking problem; her son, Dylan, is vision impaired; her mother's death continues to affect the family; Deborah is still dealing with her ex-husband's new, separate life; and her unmarried sister, Jill, has just announced she's pregnant. Grace's guilt about not taking responsibility for the accident makes her withdraw from friends and family, and the accident victim turns out to have a more complex private life than anyone imagined. The author seamlessly resolves relationship issues without sentiment, throws in a promising romance for Deborah and offers a redemptive scene between Grace and her grandfather. Delinsky combines her understanding of human nature with absorbing, unpredictable storytelling — a winning combination." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

"Delinsky plays it a bit safe...but readers looking for an engaging story will find it here." Booklist

"Delinsky's latest is thought-provoking; readers will inevitably pause to consider what they would do if they found themselves in Deborah's situation. Highly recommended." Library Journal

Delinsky, author of the New York Times bestseller Family Tree, has produced another powerful novel about family dynamics and the drastic repercussions of a lie gone wrong.

Barbara Delinsky is the author of more than seventeen bestselling novels with over twenty million copies in print. She has been published in twenty-five languages worldwide. Barbara lives with her family in New England.