When her mother falls victim to a rare illness, Karen Bradley sets out to find the only person who can help save her--her sister Sharlene, who had fled the shame of living as a mixed-race child in the Detroit slums--but saving her mother's life could destroy Sharlene's new life
A sexy novel full of twists and turns... most entertaining.” --Eileen Goudge, New York Times bestselling author of Garden of Lies
SUSPENSEFUL LOVE STORY
ByLUV TO READon August 14, 2002
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Verified Purchase
A very sexy novel with twists and turns that really kept my interest from cover to cover...It is a strong story of two by-racial sisters from Detroit who had a black mother and a white father. Sharlene passes as white and leaves her family, thinking that her mother does not love her. She changed her name to Camille, reinvented herself, and married into a very rich prominent Virginia family...As the story unfolds we learn that this "very dangerous" aristocratic family has many dark secrets that they keep well hidden from the world......Sharlene's(Camille) sister, Karen who has dark skin searches for her "white" sister, believing that only she can save the life of their dying mother....This story of passion, ambition and betrayal is a page turner and is worth reading.
ByReadinDivaon June 13, 2001
Format: Hardcover
I found this book to be very good. Of course it is an old story revisited. It reminded me of the old movie "Imitation of Life" with a deadly twist. The story moved quickly and kept my attention. The story had a little bit of everything including romance and intrigue. Some of the happenings within the family were a little hard to take, but it goes to show that we never know what goes on behind closed doors. It takes an open mind to read and enjoy a story like Dark Secret. Take it from this black woman who loves to read this book will be well worth the time spent reading it. If you enjoy it then you have to read "White Chocolate" also by Elizabeth Atkins Bowman.I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.
ByTheodore Christopheron September 15, 2001
Format: Hardcover
After reading "White Chocolate" which was also very good, Mrs. Bowman did not disappoint with this one at all. The book literally had everything: mystery, intrigue, action, sex, you name it, and it did keep you at the edge of your seat. It was very hard to put down when you finished a chapter.
However, I think the most valuable thing that Mrs. Bowman brings to this work is her unique insight into biracial/interracial America. This subject, which may be controversial for some is definitely a great niche for Mrs. Bowman. You could almost say that she plays the part of Aesop telling a wise old fable, albeit a very long one.
ByThe RAWSISTAZ Reviewerson July 30, 2002
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Bowman's sophomore effort, Dark Secret, is a mover and a shaker.
There are none of those "dull moments" that we as readers often find
in 400+ page books. The saga of Sharlene (aka Camille), a biracial
woman passing for white and striving for the love and affection of a racist-riddled political family, unravels and unfolds at lightning speed.
Sharlene leaves home at a tender age and reinvents herself, becoming part
of a world that accepts her based on her achievements and outward appearance.
But how far will she go? Bowman tells the story of Camille, whom her mother
refers to as "ghost chile" and Camille's "sweet praline" sister Karen with an
awakening edge.
Bowman's characters and language grab the reader from the first page, and never let go of the chokehold until the last word. She is a no-nonsense writer, and you won't find any fluff or frills in this novel, just 416 pages of action-packed reading. This is not a book you want to pass up.
Reviewed by CandaceK
