This Secret Thing

Marybeth Mayhew Whalen is the author of Only Ever Her, When We Were Worthy, The Things We Wish Were True, and five previous novels. She enjoys speaking to women’s groups around the US, sharing how the power of story informs our own lives. Marybeth and her husband, Curt, have been married for a very long time and are the parents of six children, ranging from elementary age to young adult. Marybeth divides her time between the shores of Sunset Beach and the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina. She is always at work on her next novel. You can find her at www.marybethwhalen.com.

“This Secret Thing is intricate and contains several subplots with multidimensional characters. It is incredible that a small neighborhood could hold so much secrecy and mystery, but one never knows what goes on behind closed doors. Reading like a modern-day Peyton Place, this page-turner offers juicy gossip and mounting suspense, keeping one captivated up to the welcome and satisfying conclusion.” —New York Journal of Books“[Whalen] provides readers with more juicy plot than two full weeks of the average soap opera…Beyond a critique of gated-community values and keeping up with the Joneses, This Secret Thing resolves into a celebration of women’s friendships and family laws.” —StarNews“A deeply satisfying story of secrets, scandal, and the repercussions of the decisions we make, This Secret Thing is brimming with menace and hope, and showcases Whalen’s talent for bringing her multi-layered characters to life. An impressive page-turner with heart and soul.” —J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling author of Good Girls Lie“In her new novel This Secret Thing, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen deftly plumbs the depths of the hidden life of a seemingly placid suburb. With surgical precision and rare insight into the inner lives of her subjects, the author peels away layer upon layers of half-truths, secrets, and lies to reveal the shocking truth at the heart of this story. Marybeth Whalen is the new mistress of the suburban thriller.” —Mary Kay Andrews, New York Times bestselling author of Hello, Summer, Sunset Beach, and The High Tide Club“When a suburban mom is arrested and jailed for prostitution, the emotional fallout is devastating to her shocked friends and neighbors, her family members, even the detective investigating the case. But no one is hit harder than her teenage daughter, who must figure out a way to cope. In This Secret Thing, Marybeth Mayhew Whalen has written a psychological thriller, with engaging characters and plot twists that kept me turning the pages long past my bedtime. I read it in one sitting because I simply couldn’t stop!” —Maddie Dawson, bestselling author of Matchmaking for Beginners“If you love fiercely and believe it’s possible to make your own fate, you’ll treasure every moment of This Secret Thing. Whalen’s characters may be living in a chaos of their own making, but guided by her gentle, skilled hands, they turn their vulnerabilities into their greatest strengths, and emerge transformed. Exquisite, emotionally-charged storytelling.” —Laura Benedict, author of The Stranger Inside