The Secretary cover art

The Secretary

An Addictive Page Turner of School-Run Revenge

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The Secretary

By: Zoe Lea
Narrated by: Colleen Prendergast
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About this listen

The teachers thought they knew her. They were wrong....

A gripping and deeply compulsive psychological thriller about a school secretary and how dangerous it can be to make enemies at the school gates. For fans of The Rumour by Lesley Kara and The Teacher by Katerina Diamond.

When single mum Ruth has a brief fling with Rob, she's mortified to discover that he lied to her. He lied to her, because he's married.

Worse still, he's the husband of Janine, head of the PTA at the primary school where Ruth works as secretary, and when the truth of their fling is discovered, Ruth suddenly has a lot of enemies at the school gates.

Threatening texts begin to arrive, rumours abound and the staff room becomes hostile. But when it also starts to affect her son, a student at the school, Ruth realises you can do anything if you convince yourself it's for the sake of your child.

Even murder.

©2019 Zoe Lea (P)2019 Hachette Audio UK Domestic Thrillers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction

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Critic reviews

"An addictive page-turner." (Samantha Tonge)

"Mind blown! The end was a triumph, absolutely brilliant!" (Rona Halsall)

"Gripping and powerful." (Lauren North)
Most relevant
Great Narration, one of the best narrators I have listened to in a while. Really enjoyed this book, definately my type of book, relatable characters, great story, which made me keep wanting to listen to find out what happens. Although I guessed who the culprit was, it didnt spoil it as it kept me wondering if I was right until it was revealed.

Loved it.

A Really Good Listen

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I listen to audible to help me sleep, this just kept me awake, just brilliant

Loved it,

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The School Secretary, she who wields power and has the ear of the headteacher, but what happens when she is the subject of gossip?

The Secretary is an entertaining read for lovers of the unreliable narrator. Working out whether Ruth Clarkson, school secretary, is the victim of a plot or simply playing a part will keep you thoroughly entertained.

Lovers of psychological fiction will enjoy that element but the author has also created characters that jump of the page giving you plenty of other aspects to think about beyond the thrilling twists and turns.

The narrator had an engaging voice which worked particularly well for the pace of the story which resulted in this being one of my favourite of audible listens to date.

Entertaining with a fantastic narrator

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It beats me how some of this stuff ever gets published. This is one of the most tedious novels I have listened to in a long while. A truly repellent central character and a plot so flaccid and poorly constructed, I struggled to keep my ears open.
Padded with tedious domsestic trivia and whinging self pity. All topped off, like one of the heroine's day glo cupcakes, with a dreary Geordie accent.
I would have returned it but I have returned so much rubbish recently, it's embarrassing.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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I really loved this at first. It promised hours of satisfying listening. However, by chapter 17, I had to conclude that there just wasn’t enough happening! Both mother and child have enemies. The story’s main thrust (as far as chapter 17) is various people trying to hurt and undermine each other in nastiness, and escalating revenge. This just can’t sustain a story for me for hours on end. I will be returning it.

Showed Such Promise . . . . . . . .

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