I like the way the author sets this up: everyone has something to hide and is worried that they’ve contributed to the deaths of a beloved wife and son! Then all hell breaks loose in the last 30% when we find out everyone’s secrets. There were just too many characters and secrets to care about any of them, and ultimately the great reveal fell a bit flat for me. But the writing was impeccable and I was entertained throughout.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Lexi arrives in a small village as a substitute teacher at the local school. The village is reeling from the disappearance of the massively popular Cate Walker, the teacher Lexi will be replacing for now, and her eight year old son, Archie. They left school, but never made it home. The local gossip mill is suspicious of Cate's husband, Oliver. Too charming, too slick, and why is he even at work? Even though Lexi has never met Cate or Archie, she is determined to find out what happened to them.

Prepare yourself for a story that's twistier than an incredibly twisty thing. True to form, this small community is filled to the brim with suspicious characters, dark secrets, and lies. So many lies. Very few of the characters come across as likeable, mostly because they all seem so untrustworthy. And don't even get me started on the helicopter parent who's head of the PTA. Good grief. 

There's Oliver, the grieving husband. It doesn't take a genius to figure out he's not telling the truth about the night his wife and child disappeared. But did he hurt them? There's also Jeanie, who likes to keep a close eye on her neighbours, using binoculars if need be. But who also seems to be hiding something and really doesn't want people in her house. There's Lexi, who seems far too interested in the fate of people she doesn't know. And last but not least, a mysterious character who apparently has a long list of confessions to make. 

Is one of them responsible for the disappearance of Cate and Archie? Or someone else in the village? Why would anyone want to harm Cate, and her little boy especially, when she was so popular and loved by everyone? How many skeletons will fall out of the closet when the detectives begin their investigation?

I thought the 'The Teacher's Secret' was pretty absorbing and addictive. Once I started reading, I found it hard to put the book back down. I had a great time putting the pieces of this puzzle together, trying to make sense of how the various POV's were connected. Admittedly, I figured out quite a few things beforehand but that didn't ruin my enjoyment at all. There was still a mystery or two that I couldn't work out before the reveals. 

Full of suspense, 'The Teacher's Secret' has lots of things to discover and uncover, and keeps the reader on their toes throughout. Will you be able to spot the red herrings and get to the bottom of this mysterious disappearance? Whether you do or don't, you'll be in for an intriguing and entertaining couple of hours.

In a small village called Leedham, Cate Walker and her son Archie go missing without a trace after school one Friday. Lexi arrives in town to cover for Cate. Lexi is a substitute teacher but she has an ulterior motive for coming to the small Village. She decided to join in the search Cate and Archie when she starts receiving threatening notes warning her to stay away. 

Oliver Walker is Cate’s husband and Oliver’s father he also works as a teacher at the same school. He becomes a prime suspect after it’s discovered that he’s been having an affair with Gemma. He tries to convince everyone that Cate is not the person she’s portrayed herself to be. 

There are a lots of twists and turns throughout the book that keep you engaged and guessing. When you think you have an idea of what’s going to happen you quickly learn that you were wrong. This is the second book I’ve read by Lauren North and hope that I get to read many more. Thank you to Bookoutre and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. 

I love Lauren North novels, she has the ability to reel you into her stories, turn you inside out and then put you back together again. 
In this novel Lexi arrives to teach in a primary school as a substitute teacher. Mrs Walker, the Headmaster's wife, and their son Archie have been missing for a few days. But with many points of view, all of which have their own secrets it's hard to know who to trust and who's telling the truth. 
Overall it is a very satisfying psychological thriller. 

This book is a medium-paced thriller with a multi-character POV that can be a bit overwhelming at the beginning of the story. I could see it was way deeper than just a missing person case. Every time I thought I figured something out a twist happened, and I didn’t. 

 

There’re so many twists and turns and so many well-kept secrets among the village people. It is one of those books where you wonder if the way people portrait themselves in public is who they are behind closed doors. If the perfection they show is there. 

 

Overall, this was a great story after it’s slow beginning, the character development was right on top, and the story kept me engaged until the end. The village has so many intrigues and creepy people waiting and hiding in the shadows. I recommend it to those who enjoys a book that will keep you guessing every single thing until the very end. 

 

Thank you, Bookouture & NetGalley, for approving me to read this arc and write this review. 

I had no idea what was going to happen while reading this book. It didn’t give me chills or anything and it wasn’t jaw dropping per say but I enjoyed reading it to find out how everyone was connected.

Read if you like-
- multiple POVs
-teacher work environment
-character connections
-plot twists
-small town drama

I enjoyed this book! I loved having different POVs. I had no clue what the twist would be until it was revealed! A fun & quick mystery read!

I had the opportunity to read an advanced copy of 'The Teacher's Secret' by Lauren North. The ARC was provided by Net Galley and I received no compensation of any sort for this review. 

This well-written thriller offers good twists and turns, although I found it to be a bit slow-paced for the genre. I believe about 20% of the content could have been trimmed to maintain a more gripping narrative. However, the shifting opinions about the characters were intriguing, and the ending left me satisfied. Overall, I'd give it 3.5 stars.