A Page & Pairing Reading Guide
There is nothing quite like the rush of a Freida McFadden thriller. She writes the kind of gripping, suspenseful stories that make you want to double-check the locks on your front door while racing through the final chapters. In her latest page-turner Want to Know a Secret?, McFadden proves once again why she is the master of the domestic popcorn thriller, but her suburban settings are anything but comfortable. In her most recent novel, we are pulled into a world of neighborhood whispers, hidden pasts and the terrifying realization that you never truly know what is happening behind your neighbor's pristine curtains.
To complement the sharp twists and the escalating tension of the plot, we’ve curated a selection of pairings that range from zesty to dangerously indulgent. Whether you need a crisp limoncello to calm your nerves or an indulgent brownie to process the final cliffhanger, these pairings are the perfect companions for your reading journey.
Want to Know a Secret?
by Freida McFadden
From #1 internationally bestselling author Freida McFadden! Everyone has secrets. Some are worse than others.
Influencer and baking sensation April Masterson knows the secret to the perfect gooey brownies. Or how to make key lime squares that will melt in your mouth. But if you keep watching her offline, you may find out some other secrets about April. Secrets she'd rather you didn't know.
Like ... Where did her son go when he snuck out late one night? What was she doing with the local soccer coach behind fogged windows? And what's buried in her backyard? April's secrets are enough to destroy her. I'll make sure of that.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Freida McFadden peels back the layers of a seemingly flawless life to expose a picture of obsession, deception, and the quiet menace that awaits.
Discussion Questions for Want to Know a Secret?
1. Consider these three women from the novel: April, Julie and Janet. What were your initial impressions of these three characters?
2. Discuss how baking was used as a metaphor for April’s life
3. Considering the characters’ secrets, what commentary is the book making on the pressures of modern, suburban or influencer lifestyles?
Cookbook Pairing
Ravneet Gill didn’t gain her baking fame from YouTube videos, but she is a recognized presenter and judge on popular shows, such as Bake Off Junior. While we might not know her personal life off camera, or if she is hiding any secrets, she does share her love of baking for the sake of baking in her latest cookbook.
Baking for Pleasure: Comforting Recipes to Bring You Joy
by Ravneet Gill
"An indulgent pleasure trip of sweet and savoury treats for all to enjoy." - Michel Roux Jr.
"Another beauty of a book." - Ruby Bhogal
This book is all about baking for the pure joy of it - classic comfort bakes made with love for friends and family. Join acclaimed pastry chef Ravneet Gill as she reconnects with the simple pleasures that made her fall in love with baking in the first place.
From chocolate-malt baked custard to the ultimate apple pie, Ravneet takes things back to basics, sharing her easiest tips for everything you need to whip up your favorite home bakes to enjoy. Packed with more than 80 tried-and-tested recipes for brownies, tray bakes, cookies, tarts, puddings and cakes, this book will quickly become your most-used cookbook.
Food Pairing for Want to Know a Secret?
Dark Chocolate Brownies
Now you also know the secret to the influencers' delicious dark chocolate brownies. Let’s just hope that these delectable treats don’t lead us to uncovering dark secrets.
Source: Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
● 8 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
● 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
● 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
● 1 teaspoon baking powder
● ½ teaspoon salt
● 2 cups sugar
● 4 large eggs
● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
● 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional for some … but not for us!)
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan, then line with foil and butter the foil.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
3. Place butter and chopped chocolate in a medium heat proof bowl before placing the bowl over a pot of simmering water. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.
4. Stir until chocolate and butter are completely melted.
5. While that melts, in a separate bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and espresso powder until pale and thick.
6. Pour chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and whisk until completely incorporated.
7. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Pour flour mixture into the other mixture and whisk to incorporate.
8. Pour into the prepare pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Drink Pairings for Want to Know a Secret?
Limoncello
Straight from the Instagram of influencer Stephanie Wahler (@bevsbybeverly), this Limoncello might not hold up against April’s equally citrusy lemon bars, but it is a perfect drink to pair with sweet treats.
Source: Bevs by Beverly
Ingredients:
● 1 oz fresh lemon juice
● 6-10 mint leaves
● 3 oz limoncello
● 2 oz sparkling water
Instructions:
1. Add lemon juice, mint leaves, and limoncello to a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill with ice and shake well
3. Pour into a glass and top with sparkling water
Aloe Vera Lime Spritz
As part of her hydration series, influencer Lilly of @mocktailswithlilly offers a simple spritz that is refreshing, delicious and the perfect drink to enjoy while scrolling through social media.
Source: Mocktails With Lilly
Ingredients:
● 3 oz aloe vera juice
● 1 oz lime juice
● Sparkling water
● Mint leaves
Instructions:
1. Combine aloe vera and lime juice in a glass with ice.
2. Top with sparkling water, stir, garnish and enjoy.
Related Reads
The Dark Side of Influencer Life
It takes a lot of dedication, time and luck to grow a platform large enough to become an influencer. Or you can build your audience base on a foundation of lies. While Want to Know a Secret? takes a look behind one rising influencer, Everyone Is Lying to You dives deep into the world of social media.
Everyone Is Lying to You: A Thriller
by Jo Piazza
INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER
The #tradwife murder mystery we've all been waiting for. From the bestselling author of The Sicilian Inheritance and the creator of the Under the Influence podcast comes an explosive thriller about two estranged friends, a grisly murder, a sudden disappearance, and the truly shocking revelation that everyone is lying to you about something …
Lizzie and Bex were best friends in college. After graduation, Bex vanished, leaving Lizzie confused and devastated. Fifteen years later, Bex is now Rebecca Sommers, a "traditional" Instagram influencer with millions of followers who salivate over her perfect life on her ranch with her five children and handsome husband, Gray. Lizzie is a struggling magazine writer, watching reels while her young children demand her attention.
One night out of the blue, Bex calls Lizzie with a career-making proposition--an exclusive interview with her about her multimillion-dollar business venture and an invitation to MomBomb, the high-profile influencing conference. At the conference, Bex goes missing and Gray is found brutally murdered on their ranch.
Lizzie finds herself plunged into the dark side of the cutthroat world of social media that includes jealousy, sordid affairs, swingers, and backstabbing. She must learn who her old friend has become and who she has double-crossed to try to find her, clear her name, and maybe even save her life.
Piazza's master storytelling and razor-sharp insight into the world of social media brings us a pulpy, juicy, and cleverly plotted read that will have you guessing all the way through and leave you gasping for more.
The Family YouTube Channel
When everything is filmed for the internet, is there any real privacy? In Kids Run the Show, one family learns the dangers of putting every part of your life online when one of the children, the real stars of the channel, is abducted.
Kids Run the Show
by Delphine de Vigan - Alison Anderson
A cautionary tale for a world in which social media has shattered the boundaries of intimacy.
The first time that Mélanie met Clara, she was stunned by Clara's sense of authority, and for her part, Clara was struck by Mélanie's pink, glittery nails, which shimmered in the dark. "She looks like a child," thought the first. "She looks like a doll," pondered the second.
These two women, both of the same generation and exposed to the same forms of media throughout their lives, could not be more different in adulthood. Mélanie is a social media superstar, broadcasting her children's daily lives on a family YouTube channel. Clara is a young police officer, assigned to the case after Mélanie's daughter Kimmy is abducted.
Traversing the Big Brother generation, the social media influencer generation, and right up to the 2030s, Delphine de Vigan offers a bone-chilling exposé of a world where everything is broadcasted and monetized, even family happiness.
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