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The Secret Talker

A Novel
By Geling Yan
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.08 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 3,096 ratings, 417 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Secret Talker by Geling Yan is a gripping psychological novel that explores the intricacies of marriage through the lens of a mysterious stranger who begins sending enigmatic emails to Hongmei, a woman caught in a routine yet comfortable marriage. As Hongmei delves into the origins of these messages, she is forced to confront her past and her own hidden desires, leading to a profound journey of self-discovery and emotional awakening.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5500

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate psychological thrillers that delve into the complexities of identity, relationships, and hidden secrets. Set against a backdrop of mystery and intrigue, the story unfolds with captivating tension and unexpected twists, making it a compelling read for fans of character-driven narratives with a touch of suspense.

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Desperate and self-destructive, she embarks on an investigation into her emailer’s secret history…one that may tear her life and marriage apart forever.

A psychological story at its core, The Secret Talker elegantly examines how repressed desire and simmering silence can upend even the most idyllic marriage.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

The Secret Talker is a profound meditation on love, the difficulties of communication and the agonising joy and brutality of commitment. -- THE NEW YORK TIMES

A NEW YORK TIMES BEST THRILLER OF 2021 AND "GLOBETROTTING" PICK!

A woman reclaims her own story in this taut and wholly original literary tale from one of China’s literary superstars.

Hongmei is the perfect Chinese wife: beautiful, diligent, passive. Glen is the perfect American husband: intelligent, caring, well-off. From the outside, Hongmei and Glen's life in the San Francisco Bay Area seems perfect. But at home, their marriage is falling apart. Post-its left on the fridge are their primary form of communication.

When Hongmei receives a beguiling email from a secret admirer, naturally she’s intrigued. But what starts out as harmless flirting with an internet stranger quickly turns into an all-consuming emotional affair. As Hongmei spills more and more about her dark past as a military intelligence officer-in-training in China, she falls deeper and deeper into a tense cat-and-mouse game. Desperate and self-destructive, she embarks on an investigation into her emailer’s secret history...one that may tear her life and marriage apart forever.

A psychological story at its core, The Secret Talker elegantly examines how repressed desire and simmering silence can upend even the most idyllic marriage. As Hongmei pursues her stalker, her identity and agency come into question, and the chase curveballs into a captivating journey of self-actualisation. Yan Geling pierces the human psyche to reveal devastating and emotional truths – and an ending that will leave readers speechless.

Translated from the Chinese by Jeremy Tiang

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Secret Talker by Geling Yan is described as a profound exploration of love and communication, delving into the complexities of commitment. Critics highlight the novel's impeccable pacing and its engaging suspenseful nature, drawing readers into a cat-and-mouse psychological thriller. Yan's evocative and brisk writing conveys themes of listening and honesty as transformative forces. The narrative examines inner crisis and relationship dynamics, delivering a compelling mix of emotional intimacy and mystery.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780063004047

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 03 March 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: HarperVia

Contributors:

  • Translated by Jeremy Tiang

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 9.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 127g

Pages: 160

Collections

Crime & Thriller Fiction Geling Yan General Fiction Literary Fiction Psychological Thriller

About the Author

Yan Geling is one of the most acclaimed contemporary novelists and screenwriters writing in the Chinese language today and a well-established writer in English. Born in Shanghai, she served with the People's Liberation Army (PLA), starting at age 12 as a dancer in an entertainment troupe. She published her first novel in 1986, and ever since has produced a steady stream of novels, short stories, novellas, essays and scripts. Her best-known novels in English are The Banquet Bug (The Uninvited in its UK edition - written directly in English) and The Lost Daughter of Happiness, (translated by Cathy Silber) both published by Hyperion in the US and Faber & Faber in the UK. She has also published a novella and short story collection called White Snake and Other Stories, translated by Lawrence A. Walker and published by Aunt Lute Books.

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