Secrets She Left Behind
Keith Weston is having a rough year. After finding out that his biological father is the deceased husband of his mother’s best friend, he got caught in a fire started by his newly discovered half-sister Maggie. Now, badly scarred and very angry, Keith has no one but his mother, Sara, to lean on. Until she mysteriously disappears one afternoon without a word. Chamberlain offers a follow-up to Before the Storm (2008) that can stand alone as a fast-paced read that, through the alternating perspectives of the children and a diary kept by the still-missing Sara, explores the psychological complexity of a family pushed to its limits. Although some of the novel’s plot twists may be more significant to those who have read the first book, the alternating narratives allow plenty of insights into the characters’ motives while creating intrigue and suspense. Ultimately, Sara’s disappearance reveals a long history of secrets and deceit, forcing Keith to learn to be independent. --Claire Orphan