All the Secrets of the World

A Novel

By: Steve Almond

Narrated by: Roxanne Hernandez

Who pays for the secrets we keep? For the lies we tell ourselves?

Lorena Saenz has just been paired with Jenny Stallworth for a school project by a teacher hoping to unite two girls from starkly different backgrounds. Jenny is pretty and popular, and Lorena is quickly drawn into the family’s picture-perfect suburban lifestyle. Jenny’s mother, Rosemary, is glamorous, but needy―she treats Lorena like a friend, if only to break up the monotony of lonely afternoons. Jenny’s father, Marcus, spends his days teaching and his nights wandering the desert, absorbed in his research on the scorpions of Death Valley. Outwardly, they are the perfect family, poised for success in 1981 Sacramento at the dawn of a glorious American decade. Lorena finds her access intoxicating and alluring, a far cry from her life in the small apartment she shares with her single mother.

But the veneer is shattered when Marcus disappears. The prime suspect: Lorena’s troubled older brother, Tony.

To uncover the truth, Lorena must embark on an unforgiving odyssey into the desert, into the secrets and lies of the Stallworth family, and the dark heart of America’s criminal justice system. A shape-shifting social novel, All the Secrets of the World is a propulsive tour de force from a writer at the height of his powers.

SO GOOD.

I’ve been waiting for this book to come out for months, and it absolutely did not disappoint. The prose is excellent and completely in line with some of the best classic literature I’ve ever read (only more clever).
The story itself was riveting, and whatever the word for page turner in audio form is, this is it. Almond developed the characters so beautifully and told a genuine, riveting story that was well researched, fascinating, and worth every second. My only lament is that it’s over.

Disappointed

The writer tries to write from a teenage girl’s perspective, but he really missed the mark. Also, the story seemed to wander a lot and seemed to go on and on at the end.

Outstanding

Heady stuff, well written and I would recommend it to anyone.

Buy the ticket. Take the ride.

Excellent Story

A friend of mine turned me on and to this author and I’m delighted that she did! The performer of this story brought all of the characters to life incredibly well. She and Steve Almond’s great writing made it very hard to stop listening!

Didn’t Want it to end

This book was so lovingly crafted and so true that at times it was painful. I truly delayed finishing it because I so enjoyed the listen. Highly recommend