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  • Secret Smile

  • By: Nicci French
  • Narrated by: Julie Maisey
  • Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (331 ratings)
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Secret Smile cover art

Secret Smile

By: Nicci French
Narrated by: Julie Maisey
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Summary

Secret Smile is a gripping psychological thriller from the top-ten bestselling author Nicci French.

You have an affair. You finish it. You think it's over. You're dead wrong....

Miranda Cotton thinks she's put boyfriend Brendan out of her life for good. But two weeks later, he's intimately involved with her sister. Soon what began as an embarrassment becomes threatening - then even more terrifying than a girl's worst nightmare. Because this time Brendan will stop at nothing to be part of Miranda's life - even if it means taking it from her ....

Nicci French is the pseudonym for Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. The couple live in Suffolk and have written thirteen other best-selling novels, all published by Penguin: Complicit, What to Do When Someone Dies, Until It's Over, Losing You, Catch Me When I Fall, The Memory Game, Beneath the Skin, The Safe House, The Red Room, Land of the Living, Killing Me Softly, and, most recently, Blue Monday and Tuesday's Gone in the brilliant new Frieda Klein series.

©2003 Nicci French (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

Critic reviews

"Creepy, genuinely gripping." ( Heat)

What listeners say about Secret Smile

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping

Really enjoyed. Mainly listened to whilst driving and ironing. Have to admit , ironed slowly as it kept me gripped. Totally believable although once or twice I thought it was a big daft towards the end but on the whole thoroughly enjoyed

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

HOT PILE OF GARBAGE

I struggled to finish this complete waffle. The main character is a self absorbed alcoholic idiot, the supporting characters were frustratingly dull. The story was drawn out redundant twaddle. I can get behind a story even if the plot is a but unrealistic but NOTHING HAPPENED in 90% of this book?!!

I spent 8 hours waiting for something to happen and when something finally did happen?? OH NO.. LET'S SKIP IT.

Never before have I ever been so enraged by a massive pile of hot garbage.

DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

An irritating and frustrating listen

I have read/listened to all the Frida Klein series except one and enjoyed them. I therefore thought I would have a look at what else Nicci French has written. Maybe I got hold of the wrong end of the stick and this book's real title should be: Secret Smile, what NOT to do if a psychotic narcissist enters your life. Miranda, the "heroine" is inept, clumsy, uncommunicative when she needs to warn people and says too much when she should be discreet. She walks into every trap that is set for her, right up to the very end which is unconvincing, to say the least. If you start this book, you will be unable not to listen to the whole dreary story because you will want to know how she gets out of the mess in the end. Best thing to do, choose another book.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Compelling

Initially was very frustrated by the story line but found this to be a compelling listen .

Becomes less frustrating as the story develops.

Good listen for those who like psychological thrillers.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

engaging story and an easy listen

the narrator was good, sounded like she had a cold but at emotional parts it helped make it sound authentic. I think the ending could have been expanded more as it sounded like an after thought rather than a twist, but I liked it and if you want an interesting easy listen with a good narrator and characters then download this one.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Irritating and far fetched

This had the potential to be brilliant, with a great concept of a story line. Disappointingly, French has suspended real life and replaced it with a story line full of implausible scenarios and a lead character who gets more irritating as the book progresses, as she puts herself in ridiculous situations and is treated like a criminal by the even more irritating police officer who seems to be best friends with the psychopath and can’t see the wood for the trees.
Implausible ending too that was all wrapped up far too quickly and leaves the reader with even more questions than answers... would not recommend you waste your time on this one.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
  • MM
  • 19-03-21

Poor

Story not great, standard of writing poor throughout, and narration whilst clear did not have a great text to work with.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it… read the book years ago

And also watched the three part drama which was on tv years ask.., love it ! I don’t usually do audiobooks but I was hooked
Excellent of you like a thriller

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Sometimes no gaps between scenes, otherwise good

Unfortunately the editing of the audio version meant that some gaps between scenes weren't obvious, causing confusion when scenes changed mid chapter

Story was good but with a slightly disappointing ending

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Gripping and haunting

What struck me most about this book was how well written it was. The authors never resorted to lazy clichés but seemed to find exactly the right words to describe the feelings of the first person narrator. I was so gripped by the story that I kept having to stop what I was doing to listen, and once when I listened in bed I got so angry on her behalf that I couldn't sleep.

Julie Maisey was exactly the right narrator for this book. She made the characters real for me. I felt I knew Miranda.

I'm still haunted by the story, and its ending.

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