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The Deepest Secret: A Novel
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The Deepest Secret: A Novel
Unavailable
The Deepest Secret: A Novel
Audiobook11 hours

The Deepest Secret: A Novel

Written by Carla Buckley

Narrated by Kirsten Potter

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

What if you did something unforgivable—and had to live with it? This intimate family drama for readers of Jodi Picoult explores the profound power of the truths we’re scared to face . . . about our marriages, our children, and ourselves.

Eve Lattimore is barely keeping things together. Her husband works fifteen hundred miles away, leaving Eve to juggle singlehandedly the demands of their teenaged daughter and fragile son. Tyler was born with XP—the so-called vampire disease: even one moment of sun exposure can have fatal consequences. So Eve does what any mother might do: she turns their home into a fortress. Every day, she watches the sun rise and fall, and keeps a close eye on her child. Friendships fall away. Her marriage is on the rocks. Her daughter’s going through something but won’t talk about it. Still, Eve believes that it’s all a matter of time before a cure is found, and everything can resume its normal course.

Until the night she makes a terrible decision, and it’s not only the sun she has to hide from.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateFeb 4, 2014
ISBN9780804192026
Unavailable
The Deepest Secret: A Novel

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Reviews for The Deepest Secret

Rating: 3.881147474590164 out of 5 stars
4/5

122 ratings57 reviews

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  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    Repetitive, wordy, overstated and on and on and on
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Eve’s son Tyler has a rare disease called XP that prevents him from being exposed to UV light. Eve has made their home a fortress, blocking light from all the windows and making sure nothing will seep around the door frames. She feels like she’s the only one who really watches out for Tyler, especially because her husband works out of town and is only home on weekends. Their sixteen-year-old daughter Melissa starts acting up - sneaking out of the house and drinking and driving. When a neighborhood girl is missing, everyone bands together to find out what happened. Only Eve knows the truth, but she can’t tell anyone - for a good reason. This book had great suspense despite knowing whodunit from the get-go.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    How far would you go to protect your children?
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There is much to this story and I enjoyed the read. The storyline reminds me of a Jodi Picoult work, introducing a real life issue in the situation. Eve isn't my favorite character, she has an awful lot on her plate and comes across way too in control to make it realistic. The story moved smoothly and made me want to pick up the book and read at every opportunity to get to the end - not to be done with it, but to find out what was going to happen. I enjoy not knowing ahead of time :)
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    An interesting read; not sure how to classify this novel, but it's the story of a small neighborhood, focused on one family in particular. There's lots in this book -- marital bonds, family drama, fatal illness, and more. I liken it to a tamer Blue Velvet -- a look into a suburban neighborhood where things look normal on the surface, but lots of strange stuff happening behind closed doors. And it raises the question of what someone would do to protect an ill child and the different shades of truth and civility. A page-turner at times, with some interested twists, but the ending wraps things up a bit too quickly for my tastes... but definitely worth reading!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this! I received this book from first reads for a honest review.I adored Tyler's character and it made me wonder what it would be like to live with XP or have a loved one that had the disease.A great book about never knowing who you can trust and the secret's that can lead to disaster. It was pretty clear at first who was responsible for the disappearance but then with new details I started to wonder what is really going on here?The ending was good and still had a surprise element to it.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I received this book as part of LT's Early Reviewer program. I had to put it down after the first 88 pages. Not because the book was bad, but I just couldn't continue after the first dramatic turn. The main character, Eve, just drove me crazy. She has a son with a disease that prevents him from coming into contact with any UV light at all, ever. Her teen daughter is rebellious and irritating, her husband lives in a different city and commutes some weekends. And the first chapters are hinting at an affair to come between him and a co-worker. I quit reading before finding out if that does indeed come to pass. Eve has a tough life. I can't imagine it. And because of it, she is pretty tightly wound. So now the reason I put the book down. First 100 pages SPOILER alert: Eve is driving near her house one rainy night and trying to text at the same time. She hits something in the road, stops to check, and finds it was the daughter of her best friend who is now dead. After trying CPR, she realized Amy is dead and decides to leave the scene because if she goes to jail, there will be no one who can take care of her son. As the police and neighbors search for the young girl, she sits next to her best friend and says nothing. As the mother of a young girl, I just had to take a break from the book. It was too horrifying.I do plan to pick the book back up in hopes there will be some other twist. Maybe she isn't the one who killed the girl and did indeed hit a deer like she thought. Something. But I suppose that still doesn't change the initial bit that she kept quiet. The book is good, but very dark so far. Too much for me all at once.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Terrific story! The Deepest Secret: A Novel by Carla Buckley is a well told story about a family that was just a little different from ,ost others. The Parents, are David and Eve Lattimore, they have a daughter Melissa who is just sixteen, and Tyler. a son about to start high school. But he won't be getting on the school bus with his sister, he will be learning at home. He will be in a room that protects him from UV light. Light that can burn him, and in fact, kill him. In fact, eventually it will. Xeroderma pigmentosum, XP as it is called is a rare skin condition that is passed down genetically, but only rarely. Tyler knows that because of his condition, it is doubtful that he will live to see 21 years. He is in touch with others like him, an online group that supports one another. They always know when one of them loses the battle.The Lattimore family lives in a safe quiet cul de sac, where every family has agreed to use special lighting outdoors, and to live with no street lights, and they do this for Tyler's sake. They do it, just in case. WE all know about just in case. Just in case, they all drive down the street with their headlights off at night, because if Tyler is outdoors, he could be burned.But changes have come to the neighborhood. New people moving in and changes in the lives of some familie, such as divorce. A broken relationship. And then one night someone goes missing. It's a little girl. Everyone rallies around the child's mother, Eve's best friend in the neighborhood. There are flyers and searches and ...all this time, and well before it began, we find out that one of the people there in the cul de sac has been living a secret life. Does that person have anything to do with the disappearance? OR is there more to it than that?This book is hard to put down, and well worth the time spent consumed by the story. No one is perfect. Not even the nice ones. And everyone has secrets. IF you look deep enough, they are there. We find out what the people on this little street have been hiding,Good story, Recommended
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    What's your secret? How far are you willing to go to keep that secret? How far would a mother go to keep a secret in order to protect her family? These questions and more beg to be asked in this book. It is truly gripping. I found it easier to read this book while pacing rather than sitting because I was so anxious. It only takes an instant for something to go wrong. It only takes an instant for your whole world to get turned upside down. It only takes an instant to be infected with a secret. As the readers will find in this book, each of the (incredibly well written) characters have a secret, none are willing to share. Some harmless, some you can figure out with the clues given, but the biggest secret the reader experiences within the first few chapters. Interestingly enough, the biggest secret ends up revealing the other characters' secrets by the powers of misunderstanding and assuming. It is difficult to discuss this book (and the secrets within) further without spoiling it, but I will say that this book will make you question your moral judgment. "There are other kinds of vanishing points, he thinks, ones that reach into forever, carrying with them their deepest secrets" (429).Please note: I received this Advanced Reader Copy for free through Goodreads First Reads.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Deepest Secret by Carla BuckleyBantam, 2014Crime Fiction; 448 pgsI did not know much about Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP) going into this novel, nor how limiting survival with this genetic defect could be. Not only does Tyler have to stay indoors during the daylight hours, but certain types of light, including from car headlights, can be detrimental to his health. Extreme care must be taken for Tyler to get to doctor's appointments and the like. His mother, Eve, has gone out of her way to make life as comfortable and safe for her son as possible. She's gotten most of the neighbors on their cul de sac to avoid halogen bulbs and advocated to get the street lights in their vicinity turned off. She will take no chances at keeping her son safe--and alive. The Deepest Secret is an engrossing novel that takes the reader into the life of Tyler's family. Tyler dreams of being a photographer, and often ventures out into the night without his family's knowledge to capture photographs of nature and life. He peeks into the windows of his neighbors, and probably knows more about what goes on behind closed doors than anyone else. His older sister, Melissa, is the "perfect" child. The one without the genetic defect. Her own life has begun to spiral out of control, something her mother doesn't at first realize. Eve's attention and concern has always mostly fallen on Tyler. She's had to play the role of father more often than not too, her husband living and working in another city, only coming home on the weekends or when he can. The novel is told from alternating viewpoints, giving the reader multiple perspectives into the lives of the Lattimore family. The author takes her time setting up the story, making sure the reader has a clear and in-depth picture of the players involved. As a result, The Deepest Secret is not a fast paced novel. However, it was difficult to put down. I became so invested in the characters, in their lives, and in their fate. I felt for Eve's friend whose daughter was missing, and I felt for Eve and her family, who seemed to be at the center of it all.I often forgot as I read just how young Tyler is--only 14. At times he seemed older, and then he would do or say something that would remind me just how young and innocent he is. I can't imagine living like he does, how lonely an existence he has, even with his few friends. And to know that your life could be cut short any day . . .I did not warm to Eve, Tyler's mother, right away. It's easy to see why the neighbors and outsiders might have a poor attitude about her, given her obsession with keeping her son safe. She often has to be assertive and sometimes even aggressive about it. As annoying as that might be, it's a necessary evil. Wouldn't any of us do the same in most situations, knowing our child's life depends on it?I felt from the start for not only Tyler, but also his sister, Melissa. She too has been impacted by the shut in life her brother has had to lead. In many ways, she has been shut in too. It is no wonder she has begun to act out.As for the father, David, well, I have mixed feelings about him even now. He was so often absent, and when he began to realize just how much he didn't know or understand about his own family, his first reaction was to run away. I know that people cope in different ways, but I often found his reactions disappointing. At the same time, I did feel for him on some level, knowing it was not easy on him either. And I felt that Eve could have been more flexible in some things than she was. Honestly though, I cannot imagine it was easy on any of them.The way the story unfolds, the fate of the missing girl, and the roles the Lattimores and their neighbors play make this thrilling novel all the more intriguing. This is one of those books I am having difficulty reviewing for risk of spoiling any part of it. It's such a good book on many levels, one I enjoyed thoroughly--and one that left me wondering what I would have done in the same situation. Or, at least, understanding why certain choices were made, even if I did not quite agree with them. I am still thinking of this book weeks after finishing it.Recommendation: Read it!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was a curious story. The inclusion of a rare chromosomal condition like XP, which results in a boy that lives in the dark of night, voyeuristically exploring his neighbor's lives, gives the story an offbeat feel. It reminded me a little of the movie Powder, and came off feeling part Powder, and part Gone Girl. There is a feeling that this family is living in a separate world. The book focuses around their neighborhood cul-de-sac, and the families that live there. You get glimpses into the lives of these people, through the eyes of Tyler during his nightly outings. The cul-de-sac lends a sense of isolation and a feeling that they are alone in this. About three-quarters in I was dreading the end of the story, and yet compelled to keep going. I couldn't see any way to have a satisfactory ending to the story. It was going to leave me miserable and unhappy any way it played out, from what I could figure. But I was driven to see whether the author could find a way to leave me happy when it was all over.In the end, the story didn't leave me miserable at all, but I was left with the nagging feeling that it was a little bit of a cop out (sort of like the feeling you get when outrageous things happen in a series, and at the end you find out it was all just a dream and didn't really happen. That's sort of the feeling I had at the end of this story. But just a touch of it.). The story was believable, and didn't destroy all hope and leave me heavy and depressed and wondering why I just allowed myself to become emotionally invested in these characters for that. Although the final 10 pages or so fell slightly flat for me, the author did indeed find a way to end the story satisfactorily, and I loved this book overall. This one is bound to be a favorite of 2014 for me!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent. Didn't know how things would end until the end. Touching family story with substance.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    3.5 StarsThe Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley tells a riveting story that looks beyond family conflicts and ponders the deeper issues and realities of families, friends, and relationships. The author did a fantastic job at creating emotional, authentic characters. Along with a well written and intriguing premise, this is a compelling story that will keep you turning the pages.Summary:The book revolves around Eve Lettimore, a mother who works hard at maintaining her family in a suburban Ohio community with an often absent husband, a rebellious teen daughter, and a terminally ill son with the rare sickness XP (Xeroderma Pigmentosum), a genetic disorder that makes Tyler's skin extremely sensitive to UV light; any exposure to sunlight can be fatal. While Eve obsesses with protecting Tyler in her house and out in the real world, her fragile family is crumbling. Then when a young girl Amy disappears from the neighborhood, the entire community swirls into chaos, and its inhabitants' deepest secrets are exposed.My Thoughts:What I loved the most about this book is that the author painted vivid pictures of families that we can all relate to because these are ordinary people who we encounter in our everyday lives. I appreciated that the events are told from different perspectives, so we can observe the characters and their struggles closely. It gives the storyline an interesting taste and provides more insight into these characters' decisions and motivations.The story was a bit slow at times, but overall I really enjoyed it. I would definitely prefer a more climactic ending, but nonetheless it's an amazing book with good character development (for some characters), engaging plot, and thought-provoking ideas for readers.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I received this book from LibraryThing giveaway. I enjoyed this book but would have liked the author to go deeper into the characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had NO idea what to expect when I started reading The Deepest Secret. Straight adult contemporary is not a genre I venture into often. I used to read a lot of Jodi Picoult, but it has been many, many years. And yet, I have always said that I read books based on blurb, not genre. If the blurb interests me, I am interested in reading it. First of all, I like learning things. I tried to read a book about XP last year (What We Saw at Night), but I didn't like it. I thought I would try again with this book, and I am glad I did.I have never read a book by this author before, but I will be certain to do that again in the future. I really like Carla Buckley's style. She is great at building atmosphere, and it REALLY felt like the majority of this book was set in the middle of the night. It's not an easy thing to accomplish, making a reader be able to get lost in the book and forget about the world around them. But I sat up at night with this book in my hand for three days, reading and burning the midnight oil. The book gave off a Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock vibe for a little while there, and I was in LOVE.The Deepest Secret is written in multiple POVs and I know some readers don't like that, but I was completely satisfied with the way they were handled. The voices of each character were different--Eve sounded like a troubled mother who was trying her hardest to keep her son alive, David felt like a disillusioned, lonely father trying to make the best of the living situation he has to deal with, and Tyler REALLY sounds like a restless teenage boy suffering from a terminal illness. I was convinced. And if an author can convince me that their characters really do exist, they can write in TWENTY different POVs, for all I care. The characters were all remarkably well-developed, and even if you don't like them, you will think about them and be invested and question their choices.That said, I had a few small issues, and man they are really small because I so badly wanted to give this book 5 stars but I sat and thought on it for almost 24 hours, and I just couldn't do it. This is primarily a character-driven novel. And I know the blurb makes it seem like that is not the case, it just isn't so. That is not what I am marking the book down for. I had a few pacing issues. The book gets off to a bit of a boring start. There is all this exposition and getting to know the characters going on, and I was never bored, but I do think it could have been shortened. And then...I also felt there were some unnecessary scenes that really didn't add much to the story. It is a bit repetitive at times but I was really invested in the characters (mainly Tyler) so I didn't care about that so much. What I really would have liked to see is a bit of a shorter book by maybe 50 pages. But I don't think it's the type of thing that is going to make you not like the book, because I really still did love it despite that small issue. All in all, this is probably the best book I have read this year so far. It took me away from the world, made me question my moral choices, and wonder how I would react in the situations these characters faced. This is one of those books that I call a thinking book, and there is nothing more that I like than a book that makes me get all philosophical in my head.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    If you are a mother, just how far would you go to protect one of your kids? This is the question almost every reviewer is asking and with the premise of this novel being about a mother keeping her very sick (pretty much terminal) child safe at the expense of everything and everyone else, then this question I'm sure will be easy for a mother to answer. For a childless person...maybe not so easy to answer and probably NOT the audience the author was looking to snag.The idea behind this story was a good one. Take one highly strung and demanding mother, give her a husband who lives and works several hours away by plane. Then you need to add in a child who has the horrible genetic disorder called xeroderma pigmentosum (a disease that *may* kill the child before he/she reaches 20), add in a daughter who has been sometimes neglected and who is experiencing `mature' life for the first time. Toss liberally with some truly bizarre neighbors and you end up with a sometimes brilliant, sometimes confusing and often a very harsh and frustrating story.I cannot seem to be able to consistently, put myself into the main characters shoes. I think it may be that I have no children, so I cannot fully appreciate the fact that Eve thinks that an entire street should bow to her son needs, and do it with understanding and no resentment.Later on in this novel, we find out just closely some of Eve and David's neighbors are guarding secrets. However...Eve is guarding the largest of all the neighbor's secrets and it isn't a pretty one.It is a secret that can get Eve many years behind bars.I couldn't buy the entire thing and as I've said I think it is because I have no kids of my own...I am not a person who can give up the majority's rights for the sake of one person. Therefore, I saw Eve's actions as being extremely selfish (sometimes) and no matter how the author glossed it over, sometimes even cruel.So, this book is all about secrets and lies -a Carla Buckley specialty! *ARC Supplied by Publisher*
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Carla Buckley is a new to me author. The Deepest Secret is her third novel. A rainy night...a deserted road....a quick flash of something in the headlights....a distracted driver....and lives are changed forever. From the beginning we know that Eve has struck her best friend's daughter Amy - and that she chooses to not report it. Why? Her son. Tyler has a rare disease called Xeroderma Pigmentosum. His life is a tightly controlled orchestration of avoiding UV rays from not just the sun, but from headlights, light bulbs and more. And Eve is the conductor. "What will happen to Tyler?" And so, she makes the fateful decision to drive away. Buckley has come up with an excellent premise. How far would you go to protect the ones you love? At what cost? Could you live with yourself? The mystery takes a backseat to Buckley's deft exploration of family dynamics and relationships of all types. Three main characters are given a voice and a narrative. There are many secrets - both within Eve's family and in every house on their quiet cul-de-sac. Each character is somewhat flawed - or perhaps I should say they are just realistically portrayed. The one character I was drawn to was Tyler. He too makes errors in judgment, but a lot of that comes down to Eve. I was torn on how I felt about her, but ultimately landed on the other side of the fence. I applauded her love for her son, but deplored her actions, duplicity and machinations. The neighbours' secrets begin to be exposed through Tyler's nighttime ramblings with his camera. Some of them seem a bit contrived and only there to help muddy the waters. The small glimpses of their lives are never really fully explored. And I wanted to know more. There is one scene where the entire street starts slinging insults that I thought was well done. I felt slightly cheated by the resolution of The Deepest Secret - it seemed to wrap up quickly after 400 pages getting there. The neighbourhood's loose ends are also tied up in quick fashion. The Deepest Secret would be a good choice for book clubs - there's lots of discussion material within the story. The publisher has suggested that fans of Jodi Picoult would enjoy this latest book by Carla Buckley. I think that's a good recommendation
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I seem to be reading quite a few books that center around the community that forms within the confines of a suburban neighborhood. I can immediately think of at least half a dozen books I've read in the past six months or so that have this theme and, considering the diversity of what I tend to read, that's pretty outstanding. I don't know if it's a theme to watch for, or if right now with so much in the world going crazy between school shootings and other attacks happening on children, it is something that is prominent in people's (see: authors) minds. And, as you have no doubt surmised, it was the theme in The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley.Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on Feb. 24, 2014.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was an book dealing with a huge family drama. Not only does the family in this book have a 14 year old son suffering from a rare, life-threatening disease that can kill you if you are exposed to light, but there is another very tragic event that happens.The story is heart wrenching. It leaves you sympathizing with the culprit of a horrible crime while at the same time, thinking how could they have done that?I learned a lot more about this disease known as XP. Also the book exposes all the many secrets, some big, some small that everyone keeps. I was really impressed with this story and it kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I do wish the ending had a bit more too it, but I think the author really wanted us to focus on the dilemma this person had to go through. Most of the story is told from Eve's point of view. She is the mom of Tyler who has the XP disease.I thought this was a really good book that I would definitely recommend to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book has a very strong start and a satisfying ending but the middle of the book bogs down in my opinion. The premise is that a woman on a rainy night strikes and kills her best friends daughter with her car and then covers the crime up. Things are complicated by the fact that she has a son with a rare skin disease which can be fatal and she is his principle caretaker.. The book also has a strong and satisfying ending. The middle of the book which deals with the heroine's guilt and anxiety that her crime will be exposed just drags on way to long. This this book was a mixed bag for me. During the first 50 pages I am excited and the last 30 pages brings back my interest after a 100 page hiatus..
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Carla Buckley has done it again. I've read each of her books, and they've all been interesting page-turners.The Deepest Secret is about a family, including a teen boy with Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), which makes him allergic to sunlight. His mother would do anything to keep him safe -- and she ends up doing something awful, and then is desperate to keep it secret.But she is not the only one with secrets. Others in the family, and in the neighborhood, are hiding their own secrets. The Deepest Secret is suspenseful and intriguing, and filled with interesting characters. It also raises some "what would you do in that situation?" questions.Recommended.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Deepest Secret by Carla Buckley was extremely difficult to read because as a mother I could imagine myself in the place of Eve. It proves that there isn't anything a mother will do for her children.This definitely will make a great book club choice since it is extremely thought provoking. Great story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    If there's one thing I love about books, it's secrets and family. I love stories that delve into rich family history, divulging all the deep, dark secrets that exist between familial lines. That's what this book was about. It forces you to ask yourself how well you *think* you know your family. The people who are closest to you may be the people you know the least. I was impressed with the rare illness Buckley introduced with her character. I'll admit to having to look it up and doing some back research which for me -- is awesome. I know a lot of other people might not like that, but I do. Xeroderma Pigmentosum brought an element to the novel that made it fresh, unique and interesting. I found the plot in this book to be compelling to the point where I'd turn the page and want more more more. That, to me, is a sign of a good book. I wish the "secret" was a little less predictable but overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I highly recommend it for fans of Jodi Picoult.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This was a tough book to read. It was about secrets in a family. In the beginning we were led to believe that it was only the Mom who had secrets but it turned out that the whole family was living with their own secrets. It was about a family with a special needs family and how the other child felt neglected and the parents (especially the mother) worked so hard to make things normal. It was a book that made you ask yourself what you would have done in the same circumstances!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The Deepest Secret is a family drama played out, for the most part on the cul-de-sac where the Lattimore's live. Fourteen year old Tyler suffers from a rare genetic condition, xeroderma pigmentosum, which makes him hypersensitive to any UV light whether natural or artificial. It is necessary for his entire family, parents, Eve and David, plus older sister, Melissa, to adjust their every movement and decision to ensure that Tyler is not accidentally exposed to dangerous light. Family outings, birthday parties, trips to the park - all are conduted after the sun goes down. Neighbors are asked to use not UV outdoor lighting because even this could prevent Tyler form being able to leave the house at night.David has had to take a job in another city while Eve works part-time from home. She knows her neighbors, and is especially close to Eve, attractive, divorced and the mother of Amy. When Amy is involved in an accident, it changes forever the character of the relationships in the quiet neighborhood. We know that one of the Lattimores has undisclosed information about exactly what happened, but does not come forward. The story unfolds, alternating primarily between Eve and David, but told in the third person. The dialogue is believable, and while Eve is the most developed character, we get a sense of each of the others. Author, Carla Buckley, does a good job of establishing and maintaining a suspenseful narrative, making The Deepest Secret a satisfying read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I loved this book. It was a quick read. I generally enjoy books that switch the person narrating the story. After it ended I kept wondering what happened to the characters.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received this book as part of the Early Reviewers and read the Advanced Reader's Addition. Carla Buckley does not disappoint in this book. I've not read a story by her, but will look for additional books, as I loved her writing style.Eve's family is like any other family, with the exception that her son has a medical condition which makes him sensitive during the day to UV light. She's like many other overprotective mothers who just want the best for her children. One night though, tragedy strikes and she is left with an unimaginable secret (this happens fairly quickly at the beginning of the book). The story weaves it's way though normal-everyday life with this large secret from Eve throughout and how she tries to live normally. Although the end left me hanging a bit, days after I've finished the book, I'm still thinking about the characters. Bravo Carla Buckley!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Wonderfully written novel! Fans of Jodi Piccolt will find this very reminiscent of her style. The novel can be at times a bit easy to anticipate however it is still a pleasant read.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Excellent novel! Buckley has delivered a wonderful story of a family living with situations none of us would even like to consider. A young teenage son, Tyler, with a fatal disease that forces him to be locked away from family, friends, and light - except at night - and then only with extreme precautions. Eve, his mother, has devoted her life to protecting and fighting for Tyler since learning of his diagnosis. Many times, this pits Eve against friend and neighbor as she attempts to lobby for Tyler's needs over the wants and needs of others. All this occurs while she is also dealing with a somewhat rebellious older daughter and a husband who commutes several hundred miles weekly to work.While Eve's daily life would be enough to stress most people past the breaking point, and incident occurs one rainy night that serves to test everything Eve stands for. It presents us with the overarching question in the novel, what would you do to protect the ones you love?Buckley developed the novel brilliantly. While the reader abhors Eve's act and her secret, I believe most of us would understand her rationale behind keeping the secret and proceeding with life as she does. We are taken within the family as each of their lives unravels as a result of a brief moment one rainy night.This book draws you in and keeps you interested until the last sentence. I extend a round of applause as well to Buckley for having the restraint to not tie up all the loose ends in her story for the reader. As in real life, we are left to ponder what the future holds for the characters we have grown to care about. I finished the book a week ago and still find myself thinking about it several times a day.I would recommend this book to anyone.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.0 out of 5 stars - What lengths would you go through to protect someone you loved?I thought about this one overnight, deciding how to rate it. Even though it left a few unanswered questions and loose ends, I thought the topics raised within the story would make for a great book club discussion.The novel is about an ordinary woman -- a wife, a mother of teenagers, a friend. Eve Lattimore has a son, Tyler, who has a rare medical condition that makes him so sensitive to light that exposure to any UV or sunlight could be fatal. So Tyler lives in a darkened boarded up room upstairs, allowed out only at night. He roams the streets and area surrounding the cul-de-sac that his family lives in, peeking in neighbors' windows, uncovering some secrets that can only be hidden under the cover of night. Because he's only 14, with limited outside interaction, he doesn't always fully process what he sees, and his basic drive for survival is tied very closely to his need to protect his family -- the ones who have safeguarded him for his entire life despite his champing at the bit for a little freedom and a normal existence. His desire to experience the normal joys of growing up is hampered by the fact that those with XP rarely make it to age 20 so he lives with the constant threat of death.One stormy evening, Eve is on her way to the airport when something happens that will change the course of her life and all of those around her. The decisions she makes and the resultant consequences strain and rip the fabric of her relationships in her family and throughout the neighborhood. Does anyone really have control over another person -- and how can a mother fail to protect her child no matter what the cost? What secrets would you keep? What lies would you tell?I think that it is true that you never really know another person -- you know what you are allowed to know. There are some things that people keep in the deep, dark recesses of their hearts and souls that are never let out to see the light of day. What are yours?I really enjoyed this novel and will think about it for a long time to come. I had previously read Buckley's other novel: The Things that Keep Us Here, so I was happy to see that she had written another. Both of these books dealt with ordinary women forced to extremes by things that happen to their families. Highly recommended!