Customer Reviews

SEVEN FOR A SECRET

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Thirteen year old Frederica (called so she tells us because there were many in her family line but she prefers to be called Fred) lives in what she calls "genteel poverty" with her mother and two maids. All questions about her Father are meet with a stone face and very little information from her Mother....the first secret surrounding Fred.

Soon Fred's Mother becomes so ill she has to be sent to a nursing home and Fred is sent to live with her Mothers sister in Wiltshire. Fred quickly makes friends with two of her new classmates. Rachel, quiet and reserved and Tamarisk, just the opposite! Other new acquaintances include Tamarick's much older widowed brother, who, much to Freds dismay finds her, at 13, plain. Fred dislikes him ....though she can not seem to stop thinking about the dark man. Also to be found here is Lucy Lane and her unbalanced (why she is this way is yet another secret) sister Flora. This is where Fred becomes reaquainted with the old child's rhyme One for sorrow Two for Joy Three for a girl Four for a boy Five for silver Six for gold and seven for a secret never to be told.

As the three girls grow to womanhood Fred finds there are many secrets surrounding their lives. When the truths are finally revealed will Fred be able to move past them and find happiness or will she be forever reminded haunted by them?

Many people complain that Victoria Holt's books are too alike. I think this is what keeps bringing me back. You can always count on a brave heroine, egnimatic love interests and of course a gripping story. "Seven For A Secret" is no exception. I found it a very interesting book. At just under 300 pages it is a quick and consuming read! If you have never read Holt it is a great book to start with... if you are a fan and somehow missed this book what are you waiting for?

Don't believe what's written in the editorial review from Publishers Weekly. Read the book and find out for yourself how good it is. As one would expect from Victoria Holt this book is yet another winner. All of her books are easy to read, and she spins an interesting yarn. I agree that her stories tend somewhat to follow a pattern but as the other reviewer has already pointed out, this is what brings readers back to her time and time again.
This book is as good as any of her other titles to start on if you haven't previously tried this author. You may also be interested to know that Victoria Holt wrote over 200 books (under several different pseudonyms). All I want to say to Publishers Weekly is - if the books are as bad as they say this one is why would a publisher have printed so many of her titles, and why would the author remain (to this day) so well-beloved to many readers all over the world. At the time of this review several of this author's books under the pseudonym of Jean Plaidy have just been reprinted. The Jean Plaidy titles are magnificent (if you like historical fiction) & they too are very easy to read.

It has been years since I last read a Victoria Holt novel--and then that opinion was that of any teenage girl desperate for a little darkly romantic fluff. And hey, it still is. That's how Ms. Holt intended it to be and that is why her large assortment of novels are so popular.And that's that. If you want suspense, intrigue, and romance minus all the sex and plus some interesting characters, this is fun."Seven for a Secret" holds all the great stuff: orphans who grow up together despite romantic triangles, sexy brooding heroes, and lots of murder.I liked the romance, but it's the mystery that intrigued me. And I guess I'm a sucker for all these feminist girls stuck in a Victorian world.Suspenseful fluffy goodness at its best.

I have read all of Victoria Holts books and this is by far the best! The story is very captivating and you will neaver EVER guess what the seacret that Chrispin has is, or that it is conected to the murder! I would definitly by this book! Victoria Holt is my favorite auther. The books of hers I would by are:
1. Seven for a Seacret
2. The Shivering Sands
3. Mistress of Mellyn