Every Last Secret Book Review | A Thriller by A.R. Torre

I love domestic suspense books, and Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre is no exception. I first read this book a couple of years ago, and recently listened to the audiobook again to see if it stood up to my memories.

The end result? It did! While Every Last Secret may seem like a silly story about catty women at first, it quickly becomes so much more. 

Keep reading for my full review and thoughts on Every Last Secret. And if you enjoyed this, you can read more of my book reviews here.

What is Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre about?

Every Last Secret focuses on William and Cat Winthorpe, and the woman who tries to get between them.

William and Cat live an extremely comfortable life in their neighborhood of Atherton. They have a beautiful home and host fantastic parties for all their neighbors and friends. To afford this lifestyle, William runs Winthorpe Tech, a company in Silicon Valley. Cat stays home and manages the house as well as their charitable foundation.

The two are almost nauseatingly in love. So when their new neighbors turn out to be Neena and Matt, Cat isn’t worried. Neena may be the newest employee at Winthorpe Tech but she has nothing on Cat. Cat even scoffs at Neena’s title, assuming that she’s a glorified life coach.

But as the story progresses and weird situations keep throwing the two couples together, Cat starts to notice Neena’s secret fixation on William. At first she welcomes them with warm hospitality, but then she starts trying to put some space between them. Williams insists there’s nothing going on and still tries to be a good neighbor.

Are Neena and Matt really just a friendly new couple, or does Neena have designs on Cat’s husband? And maybe even her life?

Who is A.R. Torre?

A.R. Torre is the pen name for Alessandra Torre. She’s an American author who writes contemporary romance novels under her full name, and domestic suspense & thrillers as A.R. Torre.

I first discovered her a couple of years ago because some of her books were available to read for free in Kindle Unlimited. 

She has had quite a few New York Times Bestsellers, If you enjoy Every Last Secret you may also enjoy her other books: The Good Lie, A Familiar Stranger, A Fatal Affair, The Ghost Writer, and more.

Alessandra is also the creator of Alessandra Torre Ink, where she offers courses and other resources to help writers on their own publishing journeys.

What is the Conflict in Every Last Secret?

We have two main couples in this story. There’s William and Cat. And then there’s Neena and Matt. The two couples seemingly get along well at first, but as secrets are discovered and jealousies come into play, the friendship soon falls apart.

William and Cat seemingly have everything. They live a posh lifestyle and a great relationship. At first, Cat doesn’t show any signs of jealousy over Neena. She’s way too confident and sure of herself. She knows William would never cheat on her.

But their new neighbors Neena and Matt add some drama to their lives. Neena is the new motivational coach at William’s company, Winthorpe Technologies. And she’s not going to let a little thing like a wife keep her away from William. With their growing friendship and work relationship, Neena starts wedging herself into the Winthorpe’s lives in a variety of ways.

Some of the ways are more natural than others, which is when Cat begins suspecting that Neena wanted a place in her husband’s life, and not just at William’s company

Let’s Talk About The Toxic Jealousy

Part of what made this book so interesting to me was the dynamic between Cat and Neena. The two of them were so petty and I loved it.

First, let’s discuss Cat. She’s the first wife that we meet. She’s a stay at home wife who takes her job of managing the home and the Winthorpe foundation very seriously. Plus she has tennis games to play with her neighbors and “ridiculous” pool to swim in. Plus a very loving and handsome husband who seems very devoted to her. Cat’s life really seems perfect and like she has it all.

Then there’s Neena. Right off the bat, she gave a vibe. But that may be because she was shamelessly flirting with William. Neena and Matt bought the abandoned house next door to the Winthorpe’s but quickly announced that they wouldn’t be renovating because they didn’t have the money. The neighbor’s are a little judgmental and notice Neena’s social climbing attitude right away.

It’s clear from the start that Neena was jealous of Cat, and Cat didn’t even bat an eyelash. She was so secure in her marriage and in her social standing. Maybe a little smug. I understand why Neena may have felt less than, compared to Cat. While Cat could spend money on whatever she wanted, Neena was not a fellow lady of leisure. She had to go to work every day in off the rack dresses. I can understand why Neena might be jealous of Cat’s perfect life and her gorgeous home. And I also understood why Cat was annoyed with Neena. Her constant flirting with William Winthorpe along with her insistence that everyone call her Dr. Ryder was a bit much.

What is A.R. Torre’s Writing Like?

I felt that is book was very well written and it also had some humor. I loved how Cat and Neena would pretend to welcome each other to their respective houses with open arms, and then they would seethe behind their wine glasses. Their cordial interactions and pointed conversations with each other were very amusing. I feel like in any other situation they would be smacking each other or throwing wine on each other. But Neena doesn’t want to ruin her repuation in her beautiful new town, and Cat has her own reputation to uphold. I feel like their plotting is similar to that of women on reality tv shows.

What is the Crime Like In This Book?

As you know, in all thrillers there are people  doing devious things. But I felt that the crime in this novel was fairly low stakes. Maybe that is because it is more of a psychological thriller. As Neena’s infatuation grows, the mind games that she plays with Cat (and vice versa) are really the star of the show.

Would I Recommend Every Last Secret?

Yes. I would definitely recommend this book if you like domestic thriller novels. The main characters are very flawed with their own personal issues, but that’s what makes this book by ar torre so interesting! I’m hope you enjoyed this review of every last secret. This was my first book I read by her, and it was filled with all things I love: juicy rumors, drama, and a story line that kept me guessing.

But wait, there’s more!

If you like books by A.R. Torre or Tarryn Fisher, you can read some of my other book reviews here. And you can visit A.R. Torre’s amazon author page for a full list of her books.