- Paperback: 352 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd (3 Jun 2004)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0141017627
- ISBN-13: 978-0141017624
- Product Dimensions: 17.6 x 11.2 x 2.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,130,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Secret Smile
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
The husband and wife team that is Nicci French have always produced psychological thrillers of tremendous assurance and acuity, and Secret Smile is no exception. Miranda Cotton is incensed to return home to find her new lover, Brendan, deep into the pages of her diary. She angrily gives him his walking papers. But (in an eerie reminiscence of Ian McEwan's Enduring Love), the spurned (and threatening) lover has no intention of leaving his erstwhile partner alone.
Some weeks later, Miranda is listening to her sister Kerry enthusing about the new man in her life and learns, to her dismay, that the Brendan her sister is praising is her own ex-lover. Soon, she finds herself in a terrifying war of nerves with an opponent who knows how to wield the most lethal of weapons in psychological warfare. Eventually the mental conflict moves towards a physical threat that's every bit as dangerous as the preliminaries. French's novels work so well because of a perfectly judged combination of well-honed narrative (nary a wasted incident) and sharp, truthful characterisation. Here, Miranda and the implacable Brendan are truly memorable creations. --Barry Forshaw --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
"Nicci French again achieves a magic blend of taut terror and elegant turn of phrase."
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read Nicci French's `LAND OF THE LIVING' over two years ago and was so rapt by it that I read it in one day. Yet for reasons unknown it took me over two years to pick up another one of her books and again I was completely rapt by it! Nicci French knows how to write suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat and wanting more.
`SECRET SMILE' kept me completely frustrated as the heroine Miranda tries to no avail to convince friends, family and the authorities that her ex-semi-boyfriend Brendan, who has now re-insinuated himself into her life as her sisters new fiancé, is not the sweet and caring man that everyone believes him to be. Brendan has quite easily convinced everyone close to Miranda that they had a bad breakup and that she took it very hard, when in actuality after a brief courtship Miranda ended it with him. Now those closest to Miranda believe that she is the one that is obsessed and slowly turn against her. After a series of tragedies Miranda does succumb to an obsession of Brendan, however she is now obsessed with revenge and a determination not to let him hurt anyone else.
One thing that puzzled me about this book was how easily it was for Miranda's family and friends to turn against her and take the word of this virtual stranger over hers. On the other hand, it did not seem as though Miranda tried her hardest to convince anyone of her story for fear of them not believing her. No matter how plausible this stranger's story may be, if my daughter, sister or friend felt that they were in danger I would have to be inclined to at least look into it. For this reason and this reason only I give this book 4 instead of 5 stars because all other aspects including the twist at the end kept me riveted. Surely it will not be another two years before I pick up another one of this authors books!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Nicci French (husband and wife team) have found a niche for themselves in the psychological thriller. I belive one of the reasons for their success is the obvious attention to detail. They also manage to elicit empathy in the reader. However appalling the anti-hero is, we are interested in them. Brendan Block is a compelling character - and any woman who has had an experience with a sociopath will recognize with dread the tell-tale signs of obsession.
I also enjoyed Miranda's descent into depression and that powerless feeeling of not being credible in other's eyes.
Her friendship's with other women were, for me, the only low point of the novel. I find it hard to belive that an extremely close female friend would be unable to support another woman's anxiety about an 'ex'.
Saying that - I read this in one day - swept along by Miranda's personal 'Tempest' and her desperate efforts to make sense of her world that cracks under the weight of a strangers' insanity.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I rank mystery writers into three classes: I'll check the book out of the library; I'll buy the paperback; I'll spring for the hardback. With Nicci French, I just crossed over into category 3 and ordered Secret Smile.
It's about a plausible psycho who infiltrates a woman's life. Wait, no, that's The Safe House. There's a police officer who (maddeningly) won't take the woman's peril seriously. Oh, gee, that's the first third of Beneath the Skin. OK, a London woman has a terrifying experience and none of her friends believe. . . . Sorry: Land of the Living. Well, there's a seemingly loving guy who only the main character really sees for what he is and the book's called Killing Me Softly.
Right. All the Nicci French books are great. And this is all the Nicci French books rolled into one. And less. Even if you are a fan, take my advice: get it from the library.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Terrifrying but had issues with the characterisation
This is a gripping novel and I found it hard to put down, however I had issues with some of the characterisation. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Laura
Gripping
Secret Smile is your standard Nicci French formula, a strong woman who comes to harm or suspects harm at the hands of a man and no-one believes her. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Justhavingfun
More of the same
I enjoyed the first few books by this author but 'Secret Smile' is too similar to others, the theme of charming boyfriend turning nasty and girl defeating him.
Published 2 months ago by lmh
Secret Smile - Nicci French book
They never disappoint! I love the Nicci French books and this one was equally as good as all the others I've read. Thrilling!
Published 11 months ago by Carol Anne
A sinister Secret Smile with a twist
Secret Smile
This was my first book of Nicci French's but I was pleasantly surprised by "Secret Smile
Just like all the best films it is based on a few very close... Read more
This was my first book of Nicci French's but I was pleasantly surprised by "Secret Smile
Just like all the best films it is based on a few very close... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Vinyl_Spurs
Good as ever
I love crime thrillers and Nicci French never disappoints me. The husband and wife writing team are so good at writing creepy, suspenseful page-turners and although you sometimes... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Linreviews
A re-writing of `Killing Me Softly' from another angle
Miranda starts a casual affair with Brendan but he seems to take things far more seriously than she does. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Roman Clodia
terribly annoying and tedious
This is the worst by this(these) author(s) that I have read - not only is the plot unconvincing, the characters and the characterisation are totally unconvincing, and the silly... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Parkview International S. Harrison
Not a good read
I didn't enjoy this book at all! Extremely frustrating to read and it was as if the ending was just thrown in as an afterthought after not knowing where to take it, very... Read more
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by Minidaisy13
revenge is gratifying
This has it all: mystery, cruelty, suspense and a satisfying ending. A page turner thriller . The best of this genre. Read more
Published on 3 Oct 2009 by Alexander Bryce
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