The Secretary

“An explosive tale of revenge” – Good Housekeeping

The new novel from the No.1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Disclaimer.

As heard on BBC Radio 4 'A Good Read' 
 
'A cool, contemporary, whip-smart thriller.' Paula Hawkins, author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATER 
 
She knows all your secrets. But will she keep them? 
 
Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room? Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect? 
 
Or perhaps it's someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she's there to serve - the ones who don't notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important. 
 
There's a fine line between loyalty and obsession. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . . 
 
The eagerly anticipated new thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of Disclaimer. 
________________ 
 
'A scintillating double psychological portrait . . . an arresting ending reminiscent of Rendell at her flintiest.' Sunday Times 
 
'Clever, clever, clever. At the black heart of this story is a personal assistant - the colleague in your office who hears and knows everything about everyone - and Renée leads us on a deeply unsettling exploration of the limits of loyalty. Believe me, chats by the photocopier will never be the same . . .' Fiona Barton, author of THE WIDOW 
 
'A black diamond of a thriller . . . with a sting in its tail.' A. J. Finn, author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW 
 
________________ 
 
Readers love The Secretary: 
 
***** 'Kept me turning pages long into the night.' 
***** 'Head and shoulders above so many other novels in the genre.' 
***** 'I don't know how Renée Knight does it but her writing is exceptional.'

A cool, contemporary, whip-smart thriller.

Paula Hawkins, bestselling author of THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN and INTO THE WATER

A black diamond of a thriller - gleaming, sharp, deeply dark - but so much more: a cool, elegant novel with a heartbeat, a pulse, and a sting in its tail.

A. J. Finn, bestselling author of THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW

Clever, clever, clever. At the black heart of this story is a personal assistant - the colleague in your office who hears and knows everything about everyone - and Renée leads us on a deeply unsettling exploration of the limits of loyalty. Believe me, chats by the photocopier will never be the same . . .

Fiona Barton, bestselling author of THE WIDOW

A scintillating double psychological portrait . . . an arresting ending reminiscent of Rendell at her flintiest.

An explosive tale of revenge that had me completely hooked.

Truly menacing. A meticulously constructed thriller . . .

Susie Steiner, author of MISSING, PRESUMED

Woah, you are in for a treat with The Secretary! Dark and intriguing with utterly compelling characters. I genuinely couldn’t put it down.

An engrossing study of twisted dynamics in a relationship where one person holds all the power. Fans of Notes on a Scandal will love it.

Tammy Cohen, author of THEY ALL FALL DOWN

Deceptively clever and so unsettling. I love the way she casually slips in a twist that makes you shake your head at how wrong you were!

Filled with a creeping sense of menace that intensifies beautifully as the novel unfolds. Watch out for this one . . . absolutely brilliant.

I started reading #SecretaryBook last night and couldn’t put it down . . . Such a deliciously dark, hugely satisfying read.

The Secretary is an excellent, dark and clever thriller with a compelling central character. The story draws you in from the start and builds and builds to an intense and unsettling conclusion. I loved it.

Jenny Quintana, author of THE MISSING GIRL

The Secretary is an absolute masterpiece of pace, plot and precision to detail. Renée Knight so deftly winches up the tension that I found I was shallow breathing by the end, desperate to see the conclusion but terrified to watch all at once. I loved Disclaimer and now with The Secretary following it, Renée Knight has become a must read author for me.

Holly Seddon, author of TRY NOT TO BREATHE

A superb read - I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.

The Secretary is a dark addictive tale - utterly compelling - with characters drawn with such a subtle and subversive touch they compel you to plunge in headlong from page one to follow their twisted fate.

Kate Hamer, author of THE GIRL IN THE RED COAT

I totally loved #TheSecretary. Fabulous tale of the person in the room who is so often overlooked. Office politics at their most evil.

Clare Pooley, author of THE AUTHENTICITY PROJECT

A bitter betrayal spirals into a chilling comeuppance. Readers are sure to be left breathless.

A stunning finale. Knight, whose debut, Disclaimer, was highly praised, again shows her skill in creating an absorbing psychological thriller.

A cinematic page-turner steeped in atmosphere and just awaiting its adaptation to mini-series.

Knight builds tension in this page-turning story about misplaced loyalty, secrets, manipulation, and class . . . slowly revealing what happens when one woman’s desire to be helpful and needed ruins her life. Highly recommended.

Renée Knight worked as a documentary-maker for the BBC before turning to writing. She is a graduate of the Faber Academy ‘Writing a Novel’ course, and lives in London with her husband and two children. Her widely acclaimed debut novel, Disclaimer, was a Sunday Times No.1 bestseller. The Secretary is her second novel.

She knows all your secrets. But will she keep them? 
 
Look around you. Who holds the most power in the room? Is it the one who speaks loudest, who looks the part, who has the most money, who commands the most respect? 
 
Or perhaps it's someone like Christine Butcher: a meek, overlooked figure, who silently bears witness as information is shared and secrets are whispered. Someone who quietly, perhaps even unwittingly, gathers together knowledge of the people she's there to serve - the ones who don't notice her, the ones who consider themselves to be important. 
 
There's a fine line between loyalty and obsession. And when someone like Christine Butcher is pushed to her limit, she might just become the most dangerous person in the room . . . 
 
The eagerly anticipated new thriller from the No.1 bestselling author of Disclaimer.

Renée Knight

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