This Secret Thing by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen

Polly, long estranged from Norah, is running from her own troubles. She has no one to turn to until her grandmother Polly arrives. But Norah's not the only one keeping secrets.Īfter her mother's arrest, Norah's teenage daughter, Violet, is devastated and alone. Everyone has a reason to lie.Įveryone in Raleigh, North Carolina, is talking about Norah Ramsey, the single mother accused of being a suburban madam. What issues will this bring up now that she is back in town? Everyone also seems to have a secret.Out of love. Jencey, Bryte, and Everrett grew up together, were friends, and Jencey and Everrett even dated in high school. While the children swim, the parents socialize, just as their parents had growing up. These characters are all brought together after an accident at the local pool, where they spend most of their summer days with their children. Cailey is left in charge of Cutter, as their mother is working two jobs.

They are new in town are don’t know anyone. Finally, we have Cailey and her brother Cutter, two young children who live with their mother, who is struggling to make ends meet. Lance needs help as his wife recently left and he finds himself as a single parent, and Zell is willing to help as much as she can. John keeps warning Zell not to get too involved in the children’s lives. Zell is married to John and is constantly helping out her neighbor Lance who has two children, Lilah and Alec. There’s Zell, the older neighborly lady whose children have all left home. Everrett is trying to connive Bryte that they should have another child, however, Bryte is reluctant and is thinking about returning to work. Bryte and Jencey were friends in high school, but haven’t really spoken since, not since Jencey suddenly left. Bryte is married to Everrett, and her son Christopher. She is returning home to live with her parents as she figures out what her next steps are. We have Jencey, a mother returning with her two daughters, Pilar and Zara, back home after her husband’a arrest and is left with nothing.

In this novel we follow multiple characters stories through the summer of 2014 in Sycamore Glen.

This Secret Thing by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen