Two girls haunted by the past...and destined to relive it
In Legacy of Lies, Megan has to stay with the uptight grandmother she wants nothing to do with. She's determined to get through the visit without any drama, but when she falls into a twisted love triangle with potentially fatal consequences, Megan may be caught up in her family's legacy in more ways than she realizes.
In Don't Tell, Lauren knows that by returning to the town where her mother drowned seven years ago, she'll be reliving one of her most haunting memories. When she arrives, she is propelled into a series of mysterious events that mimic the days leading up to her mother's death. Maybe her mother's drowning wasn't an accident after all...and maybe Lauren is next.Seasoned writer Elizabeth Chandler published a series of five books in the early 2000 called Dark Secrets. Simon and Pulse publishing company has taken it upon themselves to republish these novels in a series of three more books. Now on to the review!
After going through a recent dry spell with my reading,where nothing seemed to catch my interest, I was thirsty for a good long book. Something I knew I wouldn't be able to finish in just a couple of hours. So it was only natural, that on my next excursion to Borders, I would be attracted to the largest book on the shelf. Ironically it was a compilation of two novels.
Dark Secrets was a great read, and has quickly wormed its way in to my list of top books. It left me wanting for more, and angry with the fact I would have to wait so many months for the next installment. Neverthless, I was happy with each plot line and somewhat satisfied with the endings. The stories revolve around a fictional town on the Eastern Shore of Maryland named Wisteria and all of them contain some type of supernatural element.
Legacy of Lies was by far my favorite story in the installment. Megan, who is adopted, has not sustained the best relationship with her mother's family. Which is why, she begrudgingly accepts her welthy grandmothers request to come spend the summer at the Scarborough House. Having to contend with her indifferent cousin and a less than hostile grandmother are the least of worries for Megan. Apparently, a ghost inhibits the house. This and other strange events are leading Megan father and farther into her families' past. What she doesn't realize, though, is that her own past will soon catch up with her. I don't want to spoil the mystery for you, but all I will say is that I was glad with the outcome and the fact it wasn't that easy to solve. Instead, it kept me on the edge of my seat all the way till the end. The romance was a very sweet addition to this novel. Though it took a backseat to the stories main plot, I still felt it was developed nicely and I thoroughly enjoyed it towards the ending.
Don't Tell, the second story in the book, was also good. Seven years before, Lauren mother drowned. Now, after years of therapy, Lauren is finally able to face that fact and return to the small town that claimed her mother. The problem is, things around her are slowly starting to unravel, and events from the nights leading up to her mother's death are beginning to repeat theselves. Unlike the story before, the romance is less noticeable, and some of the events are more predictable. Also I was more than a bit with confused with how the author developed the supernatural aspect in this story. Even so, I was happy to see how the small town aspect added to the characterization. It complemented the story and helped give it more depth.
Consensus: Elizabeth Chandler is a great writer. The writing was simple and concise, and the novels were incredibly hard to put down. Though Dark Secrets is not the most in depth or heartfelt novel I've read, it was still a nice read. With endearing romances and some scary moments along the way, Legacy of Lies and Don't Tell will be the stories you miss once all has been said and done.
