We are first introduced to Tyler, who is a teenager with a rare medical condition that makes him not able to tolerate any UV light. I mean, none. It's like automatic skin cancer if he goes outside in the daytime. So, he lives his existence locked in his room during the day and can only come out at night. He still is in danger, and has to wear sunglasses even at night. He can't be in any halogen lighting either, because that contains UV. It's a difficult life.
Tyler's mother, Eve, lives to make him happy and keep him safe. The entire family is affected. Tyler's older sister, Melissa, can't live a normal life either. And David, his father, works away from home so is only there on weekends. There are complicated relationships, which make The Deepest Secret even more interesting.
The neighborhood is mostly supportive of Tyler, but he's keeping secrets about his nighttime activities. And, there is at least one house that refuses to cooperate and uses halogen yard lighting at night. Eve has had the streetlights turned off on their street. And they all know to turn off their headlights when they enter the road.
Things begin to unravel when a young neighbor girl goes missing. The reader knows what happened, well, at least part of it. So we go on this journey where we know people are lying, and eventually the house of cards is going to fall down. It's interesting to see relationships disintegrate just because of suspicions. Also, the lengths that people will go to protect their loved ones. And even though you think you know what happened, there are some surprises at the end which add a lot.
It's an interesting premise and I really enjoyed watching it all fall apart. I think The Deepest Secret is a little long winded. It takes too long for the "event" to happen, and the description of Tyler's life is long and drawn out. I thought the progression of the entire story could have moved along at a faster clip. But it's well written, and I had no problem sticking with it.
This is a minor complaint, and I think fans of what I will call the "family mystery drama" will enjoy The Deepest Secret a lot.
Published by Bantam, February 4, 2014
eBook obtained from NetGalley
448 pages
Rating: 4/5
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