The Secret Speech – The Review
Written by Nikki-ann on Sunday, 21 August , 2011 at 3:31 pm
Author: Tom Rob Smith
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9780857204097
Having read and loved Tom Rob Smith’s debut novel Child 44, I had no doubt I’d be reading the follow-up novel The Secret Speech.
The Secret Speech takes us back to 1950’s Russia where former Secret Police Officer Leo Demidov lives with his wife Raisa and the two young girls they adopted. The young girls have not forgiven him for his part in their parents murder. It seems they’re not the only ones who haven’t forgiven Leo… Stalin’s successor Khrushchev has written a secret speech and it is distributed to the nation. The speech denounces Stalin as a murderer and, as such, the police are now enemies. With someone intent on revenge, Leo finds himself and his family in more danger than they’ve ever been.
So, did The Secret Speech live up to its predecessor?
It certainly did. Tom Rob Smith must delight in giving his readers tense and gripping reads. I kept telling myself I’d put the book down at the end of the chapter and go to bed, but found myself reading on through the chapters, needing to find out what happened next.
Once again, the reader gets a real feel for 1950’s Russia and the regime its people lived under. The book had me wincing at some of the treatment the characters sustained. How people could do that to other people is beyond my comprehension, but it happens and Tom Rob Smith writes it so you can imagine the scenes all too well. Admittedly, I didn’t think The Secret Speech shocked me as much as Child 44 did, but, nevertheless I found it a thrilling read.
If you enjoy thrillers that are tense, gripping and ruthless, then this is a series for you!
If you haven’t already read Child 44 then I would recommend doing so before reading The Secret Speech. I’m already looking forward to reading the 3rd book in this series, Agent 6, to find out what Leo Demidov must overcome next. I already have Agent 6, so look out for that review soon.
Buy The Secret Speech by Tom Rob Smith at the Book Depository.
Read my review of Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith.
Tom Rob Smith is a British author from London.
This is the 22nd book I’ve read for the British Books Challenge.
Comments (1)
Category: Books,British Books Challenge,Crime,Historical Fiction,Reviews,Thriller
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Comment by Petty Witter
Made Tuesday, 23 of August , 2011 at 5:14 pm
Glad to hear that this sequel was as good as the previous book, I have Child 44 on order at the library.
