A brilliant, accomplished family that had been New England town's chief benefactors, was ripped apart by a brutal crime that nearly destroyed them with shame. Charlotte Dawes was only fourteen when it happened. The terrifying ordeal would rob her of her childhood innocence and haunt her for the rest of her life. She was a gifted architect trying to build a new world for others as she conceals her own. The Dawes family, once factory owners and prime employers in the New England mill town, are now plunged into debt and disgrace as they try to bury secrets that refuse to die. A family is nearly destroyed by secrecy but it is a story of redemption, the kind that grows when one person dares to tell the truth.
When Charlotte Dawes is raped by her cousin-by-marriage, Ted at 14, her parents are furious. Charlotte becomes pregnant, and as she recovers from a ruptured tubal pregnancy both parents are at her bedside. Meanwhile, Ted continues assaulting women until he is caught and indicted. He then escapes from prison into the night. Eight years later, Charlotte is working in Manhattan and despairs of forming a relationship with a man, until she meets Roger Heywood who coaxes her out of her traumatic fear of sex. Disaster follows when a flood happens, potentially revealing a terrible secret. It was a little farfetched but I notice with Belva Plain that you really learn to care about the characters. I give it an A+!
What do You think about Secrecy (1998)?
It's been several years since I last read a book by Belva Plain. I remember enjoying her books from years ago, however, Secrecy was disappointing. Part One was nothing if not predictable. The title is accurate. Every character lives with a secret. Unfortuantly, the characters are lack luster with a story line beyond belief. The secrets each character hides would have made for better life circumstances for all involved had the secrets been shared. Ah, but then there would have been no plot, and no reason to write the book.
—Janice
