A Deep Dark Secret: A Novel

by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Overview

Kimberla Lawson Roby explores the consequences of a life-altering family trauma in A Deep Dark Secret, tackling controversy with the same storytelling brio and startling insight into human nature that made her previous books New York Times bestsellers. Leaving behind the world of philandering preacher Curtis Black and his family—featured in her acclaimed novels Too Much of a Good Thing, Love and Lies, Sin No More, and The Best of Everything—Roby enters the life of a little girl hiding A Deep Dark Secret and gets to the troubling root of an all too prevalent societal and family issue. Both groundbreaking and ultimately hopeful, this coming-of-age story is powerful, brave, and unforgettable.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061959363
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/29/2009
Sold by:	HARPERCOLLINS
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	565,075
File size:	377 KB

About the Author

Kimberla Lawson Robyis the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the Reverend Curtis Black series as well as many other novels and novellas. She lives with her husband in Rockford, Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

Sexually abused for five years, studious 12-year-old Jillian Maxwell lives in terror of her pedophile stepfather, Byron James, in Roby's (The Best of Everything) powerful short novel. The nightmare begins with her stepfather's inappropriate fondling shortly after the birth of her half-sister, Layla, and gradually escalates. Byron warns her that Roxanne, Jillian's mom, won't believe her if she tells and later says he'll start abusing Layla if Jillian doesn't cooperate. When revelations about Byron's abuse of another underage girl surfaces, Roxanne kicks him out, but then takes him back. Meanwhile, Nikki, Jillian's BFF, is obsessed with promiscuous Marcus, who sees nothing wrong in “running a train” (gangbanging) on Nikki with two of his pals during a school dance. Nikki becomes a laughingstock and almost kills herself, which is the turning point for Jillian, who learns that Nikki is an abuse survivor. A heart-wrenching confrontation leads to a resolution with hopeful repercussions. An intense gem in an authentic voice. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

Jillian Maxwell was only seven when her stepfather began coming to her room while her mother was out. Now, at age 12, Jillian is afraid to refuse her stepfather for fear he'll move on to her little sister. Narrated from Jillian's perspective, Roby's (Love and Lies) brief novel holds a chilling implication: it's so easy to hide sexual abuse. The author veers a little into the didactic getting the backstory out and setting up the scene, but the story picks up as Jillian shows interest in a boy from school, her stepfather's demands escalate, and her best friend gets sexually involved with the wrong boy. Readers will be cheered when the villain finally gets his comeuppance. VERDICT Adult and teen readers of Jacquelin Thomas and Victoria Christopher Murray will enjoy this African American family drama with its clear message about the insidiousness of sexual abuse and about God helping those who help themselves.—Laurie Cavanaugh, Brockton P.L., MA

Library Journal

Powerful....An intense gem in an authentic voice.” — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher