The Secretary by Renee Knight #Review

Today I am featuring The Secretary by Renee Knight on the blog, which is her second novel.

There is a dangerous line between loyalty and obsession… 

Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room?  Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect?

Or perhaps it’s someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she’s there to serve – the ones who don’t notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important.

There’s a fine line between loyalty and betrayal. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . .

My Thoughts

 This was a book which put me on the back foot from the start and kept me there until the last page. I realised half way through that I had interpreted completely wrongly where Christine had found herself and had to try to catch up with what she was up to. The author kept throwing me curve balls and she did a fantastic job with always keeping one step ahead. The ending was truly surprising. 

    The relationship between Christine and Mina is at the centre of the story and you never quite know whose perspective to believe in. I found it fascinating to realise that the narrator could have sold you a pup and that Christine's point of view might not be totally reliable- or could it? As an exercise in keeping the reader on their toes, I think this is a tour de force- well done! 

In short: An exercise in power.

   

About the Author

Renée Knight worked as a documentary-maker for the BBC before turning to writing. She is a graduate of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course, and lives in London with her husband and two children. Her widely acclaimed debut novel, Disclaimer, was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller. The Secretary is her second novel.

You can follow Reneee here: Goodreads 

Book links: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Renee Knight and Anne Cater of Random Things Tours  for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

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