Wanda M. MorrisRezensionen

Good character-driven novel with a lot of tenseness running through, but also heart-breaking for many reasons.

An intriguing set-up, I just didn’t love the execution.

I liked these sisters well enough, each were placed in an interesting predicament, Violet, on the run after she murdered her rapist, and Marigold, single and pregnant by someone other than her boyfriend.

I wanted more obstacles in Violet’s story, she’s a black woman in 1964 running from the police. It seemed like her journey should have been more difficult and more tumultuous than it is. She easily finds a way out of town, easily travels, easily finds shelter, easily lands jobs, easily finds a community and serious boyfriend who are mostly fine with how little she reveals about herself. There’s a couple big moments she faces, overall though, I didn’t feel like there were enough heart in your throat situations where you wonder how is our heroine going to get through this.

As for Marigold, we’re told over and over how intelligent she is, only for her to constantly make dumb decisions. It was one thing for Violet to occasionally act without thinking because acting rashly is supposed to be a big part of her personality, but don’t keep telling Marigold is smart and never show me any evidence that she actually is, it’s annoying, I mean, for instance, if your sister is supposed to be in hiding, would a smart person practically point the way to her?

I wasn’t a fan of the POV chapters of Mercer, a guy for hire, who is trying to track Violet down. His thoughts felt repetitive and unnecessary, they didn’t really add to the story and he wasn’t much savvier than Marigold. I guess he was supposed to provide suspense, show us he was closing in or whatever, but for me, it seemed like it would have been more suspenseful if we only saw him from the sisters’ POV, if Mercer were more of a mysterious figure following them and we didn’t know why he was there or when he would pop up, instead you’re overly informed about the guy.

If so much space wasn’t occupied by Mercer, maybe a bit more time could have been spent on developing Violet’s romance in a way that I could feel some attachment to it or exploring Marigold’s interest in the civil rights fight and as mentioned earlier, this could definitely have devoted a few more pages to amping up the suspense around Violet’s run from the law.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Violet and Marigold are sisters who live in Jackson, Mississippi. Their parents and another sister are deceased. Three men are found murdered for trying to help Black folks register to vote. Violet and Dewey, a white man, are in love and run away together after Violet suffers a brutal attack. While on the run, Violet still doesn’t feel safe in the company of Dewey, so she leaves him and disappears. Dewey returns home and hires someone to find Violet.
Meanwhile, Marigold is working for attorneys in the Mississippi Summer Project, trying to further the cause of the Black right to vote. When the police show up at her front door asking about Violet, Marigold realizes she must leave town too. And now both sisters are on the run but for very different reasons.
This story is told in alternating viewpoints between Violet and Marigold, along with some other characters. Very engrossing storytelling – I felt invested in these sisters’ stories.

Set in 1964, this novel used the murders of three innocent men who were working to secure the voting rights for Black Mississippians as the catalyst for the story. Violet and her sister Marigold are close, being the only family left after the deaths of their older sister and their parents. Violet is the fun-loving sister while Marigold is the more serious, hardworking one. Violet is raped by a White man, but gets no justice from the local sheriff. She takes matters into her own hands, and now must flee her home state, hiding out in a much smaller town. Marigold finds herself in a delicate condition, and is abandoned by the baby’s father. She, too, feels the need to run away. Thus starts a long and dangerous journey for both these young women. Though they start out alone, each not knowing where she is headed, eventually they get in touch with each other, and are finally reunited. But danger follows them, and much violence will ensue before the end comes. This tale is an accurate account of a time inundated with turmoil, violence, illegal acts, murder, and more. The characters are real, and their story is gripping. Readers will be rooting for Violet to escape the law, and for Marigold to find safety and acceptance for her baby. The ending of the story is chaos, and an important story thread is dropped without resolution, but, regardless of the few flaws, this is an amazing read.

Highly recommend this historical mystery that begins in the summer of 1964 in Jackson, Mississippi. I read this earlier in October & I could not put it down, reading it almost in one sitting! I only stopped to go to work. 🤣 Weeks later I continue to think about the story. I loved it for so many reasons, especially the portrait of a nuanced and fiercely loving relationship between sisters. 💙💙

Unfortunately this one didn’t do it for me. I felt a disconnect from the beginning with the authors writing style.

I am looking for a thriller and not an individuals thoughts on how racism. I could care less if authors thought purple people were killers, but don’t mention it to the world.

Keep hate, racism, judgment, stereotypes, politics out of fiction books! We are in 2022! Live in the here and now! I could go on and on about all the injustices of this world that needs a hell of a lot more notoriety than race. We have so many more marginalized people who DO NOT HAVE A VOICE TODAY!

I couldn't decide whether to round this down to a 3 or up to a 4. I ultimately settled for three because while I liked a lot of the novel, it had a lot of the pitfalls of a debut. I will likely read Wanda M Morris' next book though because I think she's got a lot of promise as a writer.

My main issue is that the protagonist, Ellice Littlejohn, is a little too passive as a character. For some things, that makes sense: why she carried on a prolonged affair with her married-with-children boss for years and why doesn't have any close friends, for example. But it also means that a lot of the plot just happens to her without her having any impact on it, which in turn meant a few loose strings are left blowing in the wind. Also, Ellice should have brought her closest friend Grace in way earlier and gotten her to help. Their friendship was fun and sweet and some of my fave parts were between them.

I really liked how unflinchingly Morris covered the reality of a dark-skinned Black woman struggling with the racism and misogyny of the very white and male corporate America, especially with how Ellice remade herself into someone else who didn't have a brother or a poverty-stricken background. The way she felt walking into rooms being the only Black face, or the only woman, was super real and relatable - you can absolutely tell the author is drawing on her own experiences there.

There's a twist about 75% through where Ellice accidentally uncovers a national white-supremacist conspiracy but it didn't feel earned because Ellice was such a passive character. She stumbled upon it by accident looking into the already-perilous world of white-collar crime, so it felt tacked on to sort of 'prove' she was right about the misogynoir at work when it was believable and appalling all by itself. The whole thing was enough for its own thriller novel, it didn't need to added in with so little time to really explore it.

Ultimately, I liked the author's writing quite a lot and I found Ellice an engaging, relatable protagonist that was easy to root for. I hope Wanda Morris writes more thrillers in the same area because I'll totally read them.

Vera/Violet and Marigold were compelling characters who I wanted to continue to get to know. Hank had a small piece of my heart. While there is a lot of love in this book, there's also hatred, jealousy, discrimination, and sexual assault. Definitely read the author's note before going in as well, but there is a lot of value in this book.

This book took awhile to get into. I was half way through and decided (forced myself) to finish it. I was glad I did. The plot FINALLY came together. It brings out good points for discussion (race, equality, women in the work force, bigotry etc.)

A fast paced novel with many twists and turns.

What a great book! Set in 1964 in the deep south, 3 freedom fighters are brutally murdered, trying to help blacks in MS register to vote. Then, Violet, the youngest of her mother's bouquet (Rose, Marigold, and Violet) is raped by a white man, and she murders him. She begs another white man, Dewey, to help her run to safety. However, Violet doesn't want to be with Dewey, and jilts him and runs.
Her sister, Marigold, dreams of becoming a lawyer, and gets pregnant by a lawyer in the office. When she tells him of the pregnancy, he bolts. Now, unwed and pregnant, she must make a plan. So, she agrees to marry Roger. But, when Roger beats her, she runs from him.
These 2 sisters are now on the run, hiding in GA. But, although they try to make a new life, danger is not far behind. They are still being pursued.
I really enjoyed the way Morris told the story, and I loved the fierce independence of Violet/Vera. I also liked how she was flawed, and felt guilty (not warranted) for the death of loved ones. Great book!

Ellice Littlejohn seemingly has it all: an Ivy League law degree, a well-paying job as a corporate attorney in midtown Atlanta, great friends, and a “for fun” relationship with a rich, charming executive—her white boss, Michael.

But everything changes one cold January morning when Ellice goes to meet Michael… and finds him dead with a gunshot to his head.

And then she walks away like nothing has happened. Why? Ellice has been keeping a cache of dark secrets, including a small-town past and a kid brother who’s spent time on the other side of the law. She can’t be thrust into the spotlight—again.

But instead of grieving this tragedy, people are gossiping, the police are getting suspicious, and Ellice, the company’s lone black attorney, is promoted to replace Michael. While the opportunity is a dream-come-true, Ellice just can’t shake the feeling that something is off.

When she uncovers shady dealings inside the company, Ellice is trapped in an impossible ethical and moral dilemma. Suddenly, Ellice’s past and present lives collide as she launches into a pulse-pounding race to protect the brother she tried to save years ago and stop a conspiracy far more sinister than she could have ever imagined…

I am not usually a reader of mysteries, and I felt there were too many coincidences to make this credible, but the book was worth reading for other reasons. I appreciated gaining insight in to how this Black woman and many people of color feel they must live and present themselves. I also learned about the rampant racisim, sexism, anti-semitism, and misogyny that is part of corporate America. I also liked reading about the everyday life of the main Blackl character.

When the promotion of lawyer, Ellice Littlejohn, turns out to be a token promotion of a Black female to hopefully prove that Houghton Transportation is not racist proves to be a token move, Ellice is troubled by many things. First there’s the death of her lover and chief legal counsel. It looks like suicide but its murder. Ellice has so many secrets to hide ranging from the romance she hoped to keep under wraps to events that happened to her growing up poor in rural Georgia and the brushes with the law her brother, Sam, finds himself enmeshed in over and over. Ellice finds herself the suspect of the Atlanta police and searches for what really happened. There’s a lot in this story about the “boys’ network” and the power of white supremist groups. The more she uncovers the more sinister the plot is. This debut thriller packs a real punch as the action moves swiftly, exposing the deep racism in the workplace. The audio version is competently read by Susan Dalian whose ability to portray both male and female characters and Black and white characters.

John Grisham and Michael Connelly should be looking over their shoulders now that Wanda M. Morris has released her debut, All Her Little Secrets. Tightly plotted and unpredictable, Morris’ novel is a welcome addition to the canon of legal suspense thrillers. Ellice Littlejohn has carefully sculpted her life to reverse the trauma and abuse of her childhood. Now a respected attorney at an Atlanta law firm, Ellice has created an entire new identity for herself. The character is ambitious and determined, but also insecure about her chances of success in a firm where no one else looks like her. When one of the executives dies unexpectedly, Ellice is thrust into a promotion for which she feels inadequate. In her new position, she begins digging into the firm’s dealings. Ellice notices some underhanded activity that may be connected to the earlier death of the boss. It may even be part of a larger, more insidious conspiracy. Meanwhile, remnants of Ellice’s past have tracked her down and threaten both her status and safety. Ellice is a flawed but forgivable protagonist who is strong and complex. All Her Little Secrets also deftly handles issues of discrimination and power imbalance without becoming too didactic. With this promising debut, Morris provides an enticing plot, a unique point of view, and cleverly woven commentary about current social ills.

Thanks to the author and Harper Collins for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

4- The tension remains high throughout this mystery/thriller about a Black woman corporate attorney keeping secrets, present and past. Read my full review here.

An attorney running away from a murder scene? What was Ellie thinking?

She should have reported what she saw.

When they first thought Michael had committed suicide, Ellie was a bit relieved, but when it was confirmed Michael was murdered, it was something for Ellie to be worried about.

Since Michael was her boss and they needed to fill his position, not surprisingly Ellie got his job.

And out of the blue Michael's wife summoned Ellie to her home. This had Ellie worried since she was having an affair with Michael. Is that what his wife wanted to confront her with or was it something else?

We follow the investigation, Ellie’s worries about people knowing she was there and ran from the scene, her new high-level position, as well as learning about her life as a child. Her childhood was filled with an-always-in-trouble brother.

Many people to not trust and lots of things kept under wraps in this tense mystery.

ALL HER LITTLE SECRETS actually was slow off and on, but very well written.

There is a lot of sensitive information in this book and makes reading it difficult at times. 4/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.