It's a beautiful day for a wedding. White roses scent the air and the summer sunlight streams in. A spoon chimes against a champagne flute and the room falls silent. And there he is - my husband - getting to his feet to propose a toast. He's still handsome. His new wife is next to him, gazing upwards, oblivious.

I'm not supposed to be here. All these years in the same town and I had no idea until I saw his name on the seating plan. He lived with me, once. Loved me. Small-town memories are long, but the people in this room don't want to remember.

They say the healing is in letting go, but after what he did, he needs to know we haven't gone away just because he's shut his eyes.

So I take Daisy by the hand and step forward from the shadows. He notices us and his eyes widen. The champagne glass falls from his hand and smashes. Then he sags forward, making a terrible sound - a sort of strangled scream...

A powerfully emotional novel with a dark secret at its heart. This family drama will keep you hooked until the very last page. Perfect for fans of The Silent Wife, Kate Hewitt and Jodi Picoult.

What readers are saying about His Secret Family:

'Absolutely fantastic, had me gripped Loved it Can't wait for more from this author. Storyline was great, characters were easy to connect with.' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

'Wow, this novel packed a lot more "feels" that I expected ... A quick read for me because I HAD to see how this emotional read would end... There was great character development... twists and turns that took me by surprise I am looking forward to reading more from Ali Mercer in the future ' Steph and Chris's Book Review

'A book that grabs you on the first page and doesn't let go. It is well written and full of emotions. This is a "Must Read" ' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

'Absolutely brilliant and had me gripped from cover to cover I found the writing style to be very captivating and the characters to be immaculately developed... Would highly recommend ' NetGalley Reviewer

'Compelling. Heart-breaking. The character development was superb. It was an emotional read... an evocative story that left its imprint. I highly recommend this book.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars

'Ali Mercer writes with heart and soul... well written, true-to-life... Each character is lovingly developed and all-so-human. Secrets abound and the reader won't know them all until the end. A definite for your TBR list ' Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars

'This is a powerful family domestic drama filled with emotion and secrets. The story is well developed with lovable "real" characters that you find yourself very invested in. A captivating story that kept me hooked until the end.' NetGalley Reviewer, 5 stars