Review: All Her Little Secrets

Title: All Her Little Secrets
Author: Wanda M. Morris
Genre: Thriller, Contemporary
Publisher: William Morrow
Source: Purchased
Format: Paperback
Release Date: November 2, 2021
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a black lawyer who gets in over her head after the sudden death of her boss. A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get Away with Murder and John Grisham’s The Firm.

Everyone has something to hide… 

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…

Review:

Ellice Littlejohn has worked hard to become a corporate lawyer in Atlanta, but she has secrets. When she goes to her office to meet her boss, who she’s also having an affair with, she finds him dead in his office. Ellice doesn’t want to be brought into any investigation because her past would be uncovered, so she leaves and pretends she didn’t see anything. However, when Ellice gets promoted to replace her boss, the spotlight is put on her. She finds some documents that point to some shady business, and puts her in an ethical dilemma. The investigation becomes personal when parts of Ellice’s past is brought into question. Ellice has to face her history coming back to haunt her, while trying to save herself.

This was a fast paced thriller! I was hooked on it right from the first page. This was one of those books that I didn’t want to rush through because, even though I wanted to know who did it, I also didn’t want it to be over. It was a wild ride!

There was a lot of discussion of racism, white supremacy, and misogyny. Ellice was the only Black executive at the office, and she was only one of two women in the executive department. It was clear early on in the story that the other executives were treating Ellice differently because she was a Black woman. There was a deeper conspiracy at play, but that dynamic represents many offices in the world. I appreciated that racism was addressed in this novel, because I haven’t seen it in many contemporary thrillers.

All Her Little Secrets is a thrilling debut!

What to read next:

Have you read All Her Little Secrets? What did you think of it?