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The Secrets She Carried Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

Barbara Davis (Author), Tiffany Morgan (Narrator), Tantor Audio (Publisher)
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When a young woman returns to North Carolina after a 30-year absence, she finds that the once grand tobacco plantation she called home holds more secrets than she ever imagined.

Though Peak Plantation has been in her family for generations, Leslie Nichols can't wait to rid herself of the farm left to her by her estranged grandmother Maggie - and with it the disturbing memories of her mother's death, her father's disgrace, and her unhappy childhood. But Leslie isn't the only one with a claim to Peak.

Jay Davenport, Peak's reclusive caretaker, has his own reasons for holding onto the land bequeathed to him by Leslie's grandmother. Before she died, Maggie hinted at a terrible secret surrounding Adele Laveau, a lady's maid who came to Peak during the 1930s and died under mysterious circumstances. Jay is haunted by Maggie's story, yet the truth eludes him - until Leslie uncovers a cryptically marked grave on the property.

As they delve into the mystery of Adele's death, Leslie and Jay discover shocking secrets that extend deep into the roots of Leslie's family tree - secrets that have the power to alter her life forever.

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  1. Listening Length
    13 hours and 5 minutes
  2. Author
    Barbara Davis
  3. Narrator
    Tiffany Morgan
  4. Audible release date
    September 4, 2018
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Tantor Audio
  7. ASIN
    B07GT93R2B
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
Next slide of product details

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Product details

Listening Length 13 hours and 5 minutes
Author Barbara Davis
Narrator Tiffany Morgan
Whispersync for Voice Ready
Audible.com Release Date September 04, 2018
Publisher Tantor Audio
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B07GT93R2B
Best Sellers Rank #108,378 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#1,248 in Historical Mysteries (Audible Books & Originals)
#4,087 in Women's Fiction (Audible Books & Originals)
#5,493 in Historical Mystery

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
2,754 global ratings

Customers say

Customers find the plot beautiful, full of twists and turns. They also describe the book as wonderful and praise the author. Readers say the characters come to life and the pace is enthralling. They mention the plot is riveting and not cliched.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
PlotReading experienceStory and charactersReadabilityPlot paceEmotional storyline
50 customers mention "Plot"50 positive0 negative

Customers find the plot beautiful, well written, and full of twists and turns. They also say the book is interesting, wistful, and keeps them guessing to the end.

"Couldn't wait to pick up where I left off everyday! Lovely story of love, loss and forgiveness. Highly recommended read!!" Read more

"...It was such a good story, and I just didn’t want to be away from the characters. No wonder it only took me two days to finish...." Read more

"...However i could do without some of the language. The plots to the stories are good." Read more

"The plot was heavy with secrets uncovered during the reading. The ending was very good." Read more

38 customers mention "Reading experience"38 positive0 negative

Customers find the book wonderful, beautiful, and impressive. They also say it's a satisfying and impressive debut.

"...Lovely story of love, loss and forgiveness. Highly recommended read!!" Read more

"I am finding that anything by Barbara Davis is a good read. She keeps your interest and you can hardly lay one down once you start...." Read more

"...Overall, it's a satisfying and impressive debut. Can't wait to read more." Read more

"One of my favorites. Great content. Engaging and satisfying read." Read more

20 customers mention "Story and characters"20 positive0 negative

Customers find the story well written and the characters come to life.

"...The men in this novel were great too. Henry completed Adele’s story. They really made the best of their situation, and it was touching...." Read more

"...SECRETS hits all these marks. Adele is a fantastic character, and her connection to the modern world is told so well through Leslie and Jay's eyes...." Read more

"...The characters are people you like and relate to and their investigation into the past affects their present day outlook on life...." Read more

"I loved the uniqueness of the characters and the strong female leads. I only wish Leslie could have interacted with Henry, Maggie, Jemmy, or Viv...." Read more

18 customers mention "Readability"18 positive0 negative

Customers find the book very well written, with vivid images and a quick read. They also mention the plot is interesting.

"...Plus she was written very well. I liked her and felt sorry for her from the first few pages...." Read more

"Barbara Davis writes quite well. The prose moves along and paints vivid images so that it feels like I was there...." Read more

"Not only is her story unique, but I feel like her telling of it is almost flawless...." Read more

"I can't believe this is her first book. It so well written, the story flows, and the characters are real. It's a story that makes you think...." Read more

15 customers mention "Plot pace"15 positive0 negative

Customers find the plot enthralling, riveting, intense, and twisty. They also appreciate the interesting setting and mystery. Readers say the book has many surprises and is not cliched.

"I am finding that anything by Barbara Davis is a good read. She keeps your interest and you can hardly lay one down once you start...." Read more

"...to good fiction: you need three-dimensional characters, an interesting setting, and just enough mystery in the plot to keep you turning the pages...." Read more

"...are so intuitive, unique (I can’t think of a better word) and NOT cliched that I was a bit stunned...." Read more

"The book spans four generations and is absolutely mesmerizing...." Read more

9 customers mention "Emotional storyline"9 positive0 negative

Customers find the novels heartfelt and lovely. They also mention the story of love, loss, and forgiveness is highly recommended.

"...Lovely story of love, loss and forgiveness. Highly recommended read!!" Read more

"...They really made the best of their situation, and it was touching...." Read more

"...I like that she is a realist as well as a romantic and spiritual writer...." Read more

"I loved this book! It is, in equal parts, heartbreaking and hopeful, wistful and cruel...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

allie f
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on April 3, 2024
Verified Purchase
Couldn't wait to pick up where I left off everyday! Lovely story of love, loss and forgiveness. Highly recommended read!!
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Kathy
5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2013
Verified Purchase
I don’t know if I just read it at the perfect time, or if it was the perfect book or both. I read a sample and downloaded it right away. I didn’t even wait to see if it was at the library. It is one of those books that you fall asleep reading and grab the minute you wake up. Plus, I couldn’t walk by it without stopping to pick it up and read “just a few more” pages. It was such a good story, and I just didn’t want to be away from the characters. No wonder it only took me two days to finish.

The story is told by two women who lived at the same house over half a century apart. Adele, who was a lady’s maid in the 1930s, and Leslie, who has inherited the house in the present day.

As usual with these types of novels, I absolutely loved Adele’s “historical” plot line. It was Adele’s secrets that we needed to figure out, so reading about her story was so interesting. Plus she was written very well. I liked her and felt sorry for her from the first few pages.

Leslie, on the other hand, was a very modern woman. She had her own secrets and kept herself closed off. She had every intention to sell off the house and keep her bad memories in the past where they belonged. As her story evolved, she opened up and I really started to like her.

The men in this novel were great too. Henry completed Adele’s story. They really made the best of their situation, and it was touching. Jay was just wonderful, the kind of man any woman would love to meet and fall in love with. I liked the level of romance. Not too mushy or detailed, but just enough to get the point across. Perfect.

I think the best part of this book was the way the little details came together. Even to the end, Jay and Leslie were still finding pieces of the puzzle that was Henry and Adele’s life.
18 people found this helpful
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Kindle Customer
4.0 out of 5 stars Secrets she carried.
Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2021
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I for the most part enjoy her books. However i could do without some of the language. The plots to the stories are good.
One person found this helpful
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Gayle Fansler
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing writter
Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2023
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I am finding that anything by Barbara Davis is a good read. She keeps your interest and you can hardly lay one down once you start. I am in the process of reading all her books and I haven't been disappointed yet.
6 people found this helpful
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J. Kelly
5.0 out of 5 stars Great story with surprises.
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2024
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The plot was heavy with secrets uncovered during the reading. The ending was very good.
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T. Stoner
5.0 out of 5 stars touching story
Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2024
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Beautifully written story of finding love and truth. I loved how the story unfolded paralleling current day along side the past.
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CRB booklover
4.0 out of 5 stars Great beach or airport read
Reviewed in the United States on January 12, 2015
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Barbara Davis writes quite well. The prose moves along and paints vivid images so that it feels like I was there. And she managed to weave and reveal the secrets the characters carried into the book so that the reader was surprised to discover them. At best, the secrets were hidden well until the time was right. I enjoyed the book.
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Matt King
5.0 out of 5 stars A welcome addition to any bookshelf
Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2013
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It's always interesting to me to read books that are outside my usual genres. One thing that's clear is that there are universal truths when it comes to good fiction: you need three-dimensional characters, an interesting setting, and just enough mystery in the plot to keep you turning the pages. SECRETS hits all these marks. Adele is a fantastic character, and her connection to the modern world is told so well through Leslie and Jay's eyes. It's astonishing, really, to think back on how neatly these different voices wove together. The setting and plot are right in the wheelhouse for readers of Southern fiction, but you don't have to be from the South to appreciate it. There's a history to Peak, and like most things in history, there's enough pleasure and heartache in the past to paint a complex picture for those in modern times to decipher--and maybe apply the lessons they learn (if they're smart).

Overall, it's a satisfying and impressive debut. Can't wait to read more.
3 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

joann
5.0 out of 5 stars Well written
Reviewed in Canada on April 8, 2024
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Good
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars There are themes to these books, but i still read thee next one.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2020
Verified Purchase
When you have read some of these books you see some repatiion of ideas. That doses not make for a repetative story. I read the first by acsident, couldnt put it down, and read the next and next... this one deals with some dificult historic faults in americas old south, it does it wnith honesty and simpathy.
3 people found this helpful
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