Tell Me Your Secret by Dorothy Koomson
excerpt
“For 48 hours you must not open your eyes. If you do, I will end you.”
Dorothy Koomson really knows how to serve a twist, and Tell Me Your Secret is no exception. This psychological thriller is packed with suspense, emotion, and enough jaw-dropping moments to keep you flipping pages deep into the night, but I’ll be honest, this book was a rollercoaster for me.
From the start, I found myself gravitating towards Pieta. A hardworking, single Black mother, dedicated journalist, and mum. She’s everything we love to see. I admired her strength and the way she kept moving despite her trauma, but at the same time, my feelings became conflicted.
Her coping mechanisms were toxic, and at times, hard to read. She wore bright, vibrant clothes and smiles to hide what was really going on inside. I started to find her irritating, there, I said it! But I had to check myself: this woman is a victim, doing what she can to survive. If that’s what works for her, I had to respect it.
Then along came Jody, and let me tell you, she quickly became my star girl. Jody brought the grit, the energy, and the clarity I was craving. She’s layered, relentless, and honestly carried the second half of the book for me.
Now, the middle of the story dragged a little, I won’t lie. There were a few chapters where I was ready to tap out. The back-and-forth between timelines and narrators made things feel a bit jumbled. At times I was reading and thinking, wait—who’s talking? When did this happen? Where even are we? It wasn’t the smoothest ride.
But just as I was losing patience, things started heating up again and I was glued. That ending? Spicy. I still wasn’t sold on The Blindfolder’s motives (they felt a bit weak and unconvincing for me), but I appreciated the emotional layers Koomson added in especially around infertility. That topic is still so underrepresented, and I loved how she gave it space here without making it feel forced.
So overall? A fairly decent read. It’s dark, it’s twisty, and if you like stories that explore trauma, secrets, and the ripple effects of past choices, this might be your thing.
One thing’s for sure: Dorothy Koomson knows how to get under your skin.
