Best Kept Secrets (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author) "It wasn't so much the cockroach that made her scream as the chipped fingernail..." (more)
Key Phrases: ranch that night, gambling license, racing commission, Sarah Jo, Nora Gail, Reede Lambert (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Alexandra Gaither is a savvy, beautiful attorney who finally has the power to get what she has always wanted-justice. Twenty-five years before, her mother died a scandalous death. Now as she investigates her mother's former lover, his best friend, and the father figure to them both, she will risk everything to uncover their best kept secrets.

About the Author

Sandra Brown is the author of more than 50 New York Times bestsellers, including CHILL FACTOR (2005), WHITE HOT (2004), HELLO, DARKNESS (2003), THE CRUSH (2002), ENVY (2001), THE SWITCH (2000), THE ALIBI (1999), UNSPEAKABLE (1998), and FAT TUESDAY (1997), all of which have been positioned in the top five spots. Brown began her writing career in 1981 and since then has published 65 novels. Her books have been translated into 30 languages, and there are presently 70 million copies of her books in print worldwide. Her 1992 novel FRENCH SILK was made into an ABC-TV movie. A lifelong Texan, Sandra Brown was born in Waco and raised in Ft. Worth. Before embarking on her writing career, she worked as a model at the Dallas Apparel Mart, and in television, including weathercasting for WFAA-TV in Dallas, and feature reporting on the nationally syndicated program "PM Magazine." Awards and commendations include the American Business Women's Association's Distinguished Circle of Success, B'nai B'rith's Distinguished Literary Achievement Award, the A. C. Greene Award and the Romance Writers of America's Lifetime Achievement Award. She is a member of Author's Guild, Mystery Writers of America, International Association of Crime Writers, Novelists, Inc. and Literacy Partners. She is married to Michael Brown, a former television anchorman who recently produced the award winning documentary film DUST TO DUST. They live in Arlington, Texas.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (April 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446353930
• ISBN-13: 978-0446353939
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 3.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #89,242 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Best Kept Secrets, June 17, 2008

By	Kelly "Reviewer for The Sinfully Sensuous" (Littleton, Colorado) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Best Kept Secrets (Hardcover)

Reede, Junior, and Celina were always known around town as the three musketeers. As far back as anyone could remember, they were joined at the hip until Celina's untimely death. This murder was never solved, and 25 years later Alex Gaither has made it her mission to bring her mother's murderer to justice. She has been groomed for her current job as assistant district attorney her entire life being raised by her grandmother with the constant propaganda about how pure and good Celina was. After initial research, Alex has determined that there are only three people that could have committed the murder - Reede, Junior, or Junior's father Angus. She travels back to the small Texas town she was born in, and announces to the three of them that the guilty party is going down.

Reede is the local Sheriff, and thus responsible for helping Alex as she reopens the investigation into her mother's death. He reluctantly helps her, and gives her an ominous warning about how some things are better left in the past. As they work more closely together, Alex and Reede fight off the attraction they feel toward each other. She finds herself in a similar situation as her mother with both men becoming an important part of her life. When more of the townspeople become vocal about the life Celina lived, Alex starts to understand Reade's warning when unpleasant tidbits of her mother's life are revealed. Reede takes it upon himself to protect Alex when attempts are made on her life. Apparently someone does not want the killer exposed.

I liked the story, but did have some ewwww moments when Reede and Junior made references about how they could have, and at some point wanted to be her father. Being involved with men her mother was involved with was uncomfortable reading at times during the story. Thank goodness Reede never slept with Celina because for me that would have been a deal breaker.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4-1/2 stars actually, May 8, 2000

By A Customer

Alex (Alexandra) Gaither, an attorney out to find out who really killed her mother, travels to Purcell County to investigate three men, one of whom she feels killed Celina. She finds herself attracted to Reede, one of the suspects. Bad things happen and she is involved every time especially as her investigation finds her closer to the murderer. I'm not so disturbed about the 18 years difference in ages; she's 25 and two of the suspects (Reede & Junior) are 43. The other suspect is Junior's father. I had a problem accepting the fact that Reede and Junior were both involved with her mother Celina and now wanted Alex the daughter. One could easily have been her stepfather had Celina not died first. I also found that I was angry at Reede most of the time because he was plain nasty to Alex throughout most of the book. I couldn't stand it that he treated her with so much disrespect. He's actually a good guy (deep deep down) but his mean attitude stemmed from an overwhelming desire to avoid the daughter of the woman he loved that had now filled his thoughts. (At least he acknowledges it's wrong). Junior, in my opinion would have been better for her in some ways as he was always kind to her, but he was such a 'Papa Pleaser'. Lastly, a few issues were never brought to justice and I'm not talking about the murder. Nevertheless, the ending caught me by surprise and the epilogue was good enought to merit the 4-1/2 star rating (Had it been available).

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Appallingly bad !, June 16, 2003

By	Beverley Strong (Australia) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

I'm normally a Sandra Brown fan but this is just TOO bad.How a supposedly intelligent young woman could ever find an oafish boor like Reede attractive is beyond me. Alex's mother had died a scandalous death in this small West Texas town 25 years previously and now she's back in her role of A.D.A. to reopen the case and discover her mothers murderer.The premise of the story is ok. but when the hero is portrayed as a man 18 years her senior who grabs her hand and places it on his crotch shortly after meeting her, the feeling of the book turns not to romance but to just plain lust and general nastiness.Could any woman find this behaviour appealing?