The Secret Birthday

A fantastic novel by the author of The Forgotten Garden. In 1959, on a hot summer day, while her family goes on a picnic to the stream on their farm in Suffolk, teenage Laurel hides in her childhood treehouse, fantasizing about a boy named Billy, an escape to London, and a grand future that awaits her eagerly. However, before that idyllic afternoon comes to an end, Laurel will witness a terrifying crime that will change everything.

In 2011, now a famous actress, Laurel is overwhelmed by the shadows of her past. Haunted by memories and the mystery of what she saw that day, she returns to the family home and begins to unravel every corner of her memory in search of that story. A story of three strangers from very different worlds - Dorothy, Vivien, and Jimmy - who meet in London during the years of World War II and whose lives will be intertwined in a fateful and inexorable way.

Alternating between the thirties, the fifties, and the present, The Secret Birthday is a fascinating tale of mysteries and secrets, theater and deception, of a murder and an enduring love. Reviews: "An enigmatic family drama exploring the youthful secrets of a mother, which resurface dramatically when her teenage daughter witnesses an unexpected crime. Kate Morton, a masterful storyteller with immaculate prose, skillfully delves into the eternal enigmas of love, betrayal, and reconciliation." María Dueñas. "It makes one think that the only important things that happen in life occurred in our childhood [...] The inaction and guilt of parents in the lives of their children underlie the novel." El País.

In the blogosphere... "Kate Morton's return could not have been more satisfying. The author has once again showcased the style that brought her success with The Forgotten Garden to gift us with an addictive and surprising story in its final pages." Blog De todo un poco. "The Secret Birthday is a fascinating tale about mistakes, second chances, forgiveness, redemption, love, and failed plans. With constant twists and surprises, the novel takes us through different eras as we witness a succession of episodes marked by hatred, revenge, obsessions, disappointments, passion, misunderstandings, betrayals, tragedy, and above all, the whims of fate." Blog Me gustan los libros. "Through intense, dynamic, clean, extremely polished, and very visual prose, The Secret Birthday delves into that dark area of the human being where fears and ambitions that lead to inexplicable, sometimes extreme behaviors are harbored. A story of second chances with which Morton manages to delve into that capacity that memory has to play with oneself until one deceives oneself." Todoliteratura.es.

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