The Secrets We Keep

A haunting collection of twenty-five interconnected stories that blur the line between memory and fiction, "The Secrets We Keep" explores the hidden dynamics of family and community through the eyes of a narrator revisiting her childhood in a working-class neighborhood. These semi-autobiographical tales reveal how secrets function as both protective forces and sources of harm, shaping the bonds between family members while creating empty spaces where names used to exist. From the faded photograph of a Ziegfeld Follies dancer hiding a dark truth to the mysterious contents of a war veteran's dresser drawer, each story peels back layers of carefully guarded information passed down through generations. Set against the backdrop of post-war America, the collection follows residents of a diverse urban block-from the "Bottle Babies" struggling with addiction to the unlicensed doctor who treats the neighborhood's forgotten children. The narrator guides readers through a landscape of inherited myths, bloodlines, and personal memories that continue to influence future generations. These stories examine how people express their truths through overheard conversations, instances of missing persons, and brief moments of exposure in both public spaces and domestic environments. With prose that captures the cadence of whispered confessions and the weight of unspoken knowledge, "The Secrets We Keep" illuminates the ways secrets maintain their presence through empty spaces and unattended moments. This compelling debut reveals how the stories we think we've forgotten often contain the keys to understanding who we've become. Amazon Book Description What secrets would you keep to protect the ones you love? In this haunting collection of twenty-five interconnected stories, P.A. Farrell masterfully blends memory and imagination to explore the hidden truths that shape us. Set in a working-class neighborhood where everyone knows everyone else's business-except for the secrets that matter most-these semi-autobiographical tales reveal the delicate balance between protection and harm. From a former Ziegfeld dancer's carefully guarded past to the mysterious war veteran known only as "The Butcher," each story uncovers another layer of the complex web that binds a community together. The narrator, revisiting her childhood through the lens of adult understanding. "Some secrets aren't meant to be kept forever. Some secrets are meant to be buried under airport runways, sealed beneath concrete where no one can ever dig them up again." With lyrical prose that captures both the innocence of childhood observation and the hard-won wisdom of experience, "The Secrets We Keep" asks profound questions about family loyalty, survival, and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of an often senseless world.

About the Author :
P. A. Farrell is a psychologist and published author with McGraw-Hill, Springer Publishing, Cafe Lit, Ravens Perch, Humans of the World, Active Muse, Free Spirit Publishing, Scarlet Leaf Review, 100 Word Project, Woodcrest Magazine, Confetti, and LitBreak. She's a top health writer for Medium.com, has published self-help books, and is a board member of Clinics4Life. She lives on the East Coast of the US.