The Secretary

January 15, 2019
Having served her powerful employer at the expense of all else, a devoted secretary finds herself a pawn in her boss's ruthless game--a betrayal that comes with consequences.Reliable and conscientious to a fault, Christine Butcher is hired as secretary and personal assistant to Mina Appleton just as Mina is coming into power, having gently ousted her aging father from the family business. And so it is that Christine finds herself the right-hand woman to the new chair of Appleton's Supermarkets, a chain that was once "synonymous with fair trade and good practice"--principles that don't much interest Mina. Petite and polished--a media darling who charms the country on national TV--Mina demands total allegiance, and Christine, a workhorse who prides herself on absolute discretion, is only too happy to oblige. Catering to Mina becomes not just her duty, but her obsession; Christine serves Mina first and always, at the expense of her own family. "We flourished together, Mina and I," explains Christine. "She, undoubtedly, the dominant species. I, like a woodland plant, able to blossom in her shade. I was good groundcover, you might say." When Mina's business practices become the subject of a legal investigation, Christine is there--good groundcover--assisting her, making moves that will reroute the course of her own life. "I made some questionable choices," she reflects ominously in the novel's opening pages. "Choices I suspect many would have made in my position." But the power dynamic will shift: Christine, the silent, watchful, secretary, will not allow Mina's betrayal to go unpunished--no matter the personal cost. Mina and Christine--neither quite fleshed out--seem to exist only in relation to one another; this is not a book about character but about mutual destruction. This gives the novel a somewhat flimsy quality, but what it lacks in substance it makes up for with style. Knight lays it on thick, foreshadowing the violence to come early and often, giving the book an over-the-top gothic quality; not subtle but an awful lot of fun.A cinematic page-turner steeped in atmosphere and just awaiting its adaptation to miniseries.

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December 1, 2018
Title character and narrator Christine Butcher is a 24-year-old temp when she's hired as secretary to Mina Appleton, only child of Lord Appleton, founder and chairman of a string of supermarkets. As Christine becomes Mina's trusted personal assistant, her job assumes more importance to her than do her husband or daughter, both of whom eventually leave her. Meanwhile, Christine can sense what Mina wants, and she acts on her own to get it for her, even to precipitating Lord Appleton's downfall. When Mina, a budding television celebrity and frequent visitor at 10 Downing Street, is accused by a newspaper of bullying and hypocrisy, she sues for libel and wins, setting the stage for her later trial for perjury and perversion of justice. The latter charge also is made against Christine, who's been trying to be kind to strangers at the same time she's practicing deceit on behalf of Mina. Things turn increasingly dark when Christine asserts control, leading to a stunning finale. Knight, whose debut, Disclaimer (2015), was highly praised, again shows her skill in creating an absorbing psychological thriller.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

Starred review from January 1, 2019

Since the moment she started as a temp at Appleton, Christine Butcher has been a devoted and hardworking employee. When Mina Appleton, chief executive and daughter of the current chair, picks Christine to be her personal secretary, Christine is delighted. She works long hours for Mina that often interfere with her own personal time but ultimately feels it's worth it because she knows Mina is as loyal to her as she is to Mina. Appleton prides itself as a supermarket with a conscience. Mina, however, is eager to increase profits and consequently forces her principled father out of the company. When a newspaper reports on Mina's unethical deals, Mina relies on Christine to cover up her actions. Even as Christine faces increased personal and legal repercussions, she remains steadfastly devoted to Mina and her job. But one can only lose so much before devotion turns to hatred. VERDICT Knight (Disclaimer) builds tension in this page-turning story about misplaced loyalty, secrets, manipulation, and class with an alternating time line, slowly revealing what happens when one woman's desire to be helpful and needed ruins her life. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 8/27/18.]--Lynnanne Pearson, Skokie P.L., IL

Since the moment she started as a temp at Appleton, Christine Butcher has been a devoted and hardworking employee. When Mina Appleton, chief executive and daughter of the current chair, picks Christine to be her personal secretary, Christine is delighted. She works long hours for Mina that often interfere with her own personal time but ultimately feels it's worth it because she knows Mina is as loyal to her as she is to Mina. Appleton prides itself as a supermarket with a conscience. Mina, however, is eager to increase profits and consequently forces her principled father out of the company. When a newspaper reports on Mina's unethical deals, Mina relies on Christine to cover up her actions. Even as Christine faces increased personal and legal repercussions, she remains steadfastly devoted to Mina and her job. But one can only lose so much before devotion turns to hatred. VERDICT Knight (Disclaimer) builds tension in this page-turning story about misplaced loyalty, secrets, manipulation, and class with an alternating time line, slowly revealing what happens when one woman's desire to be helpful and needed ruins her life. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, 8/27/18.]--Lynnanne Pearson, Skokie P.L., IL