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I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson

Young adult

I Have No Secrets

by Penny Joelson

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Quick take

A voice for the voiceless, literally. It'll make you think about how to better listen to those who can't speak.

Good to know

  • Illustrated icon, Emotional

    Emotional

  • Illustrated icon, Fast_Read

    Fast read

  • Illustrated icon, Social_Issues

    Social issues

  • Illustrated icon, Family_Drama

    Family drama

Synopsis

Jemma knows who the murderer is. She knows because he told her.

He thought his secret was safe because Jemma can't speak or move.

But Jemma observes all kinds of things about everyone around her. His secret is just one of them.

And when a new technology means she may be able to communicate and reveal all she knows, Jemma no longer feels powerless in the face of this deadly secret. It's a race against time before the killer acts again...or tries to stop her.

Free sample

Check out a preview of I Have No Secrets.

I Have No Secrets

1

I tense up as soon as I hear the doorbell. I know it’s him. I know it’s Dan. Sarah’s still upstairs getting ready, and I hope she comes down soon. I don’t want him coming in here.

Mom calls up to Sarah, and I hear Sarah say she’ll be down in a minute. “We’ve been keeping her busy, I’m afraid,” Mom tells Dan, “so she hasn’t had much time to get ready!”

“I know she wouldn’t have it any other way,” says Dan. “She’s a gem—and you too. What you do for these kids.”

I listen to them chatting away and Mom laughing at Dan’s jokes. Everyone loves Dan. Then Mom says she has to get back to the kitchen—she’s left things on the stove and she’s sure Sarah won’t be long.

It’s quiet for a moment. I hear the distant clattering of pans in the kitchen. Then I hear Dan’s voice, coming closer as he speaks.

“What show are you watching? Ah...Pointless!”

I can hear him breathing. Then he whispers, “A little like your life, isn’t it, Jemma?”

He’s standing behind me now, but I can’t see him because my wheelchair is facing the TV. I try to focus on the game show questions and forget he’s there, but he gives a long, dramatic sigh.

“Don’t know how you can stand it.” His voice is low, not loud enough to be overheard. “Watching television must be the most excitement you get.” He only speaks like this when no one else is around. He used to ignore me completely, but not anymore.

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Why I love it

“If I were you, I’d kill myself. Listen, if you ever want a little help, I could —”

Jemma is a sixteen-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, unable to speak or move without assistance. Her world is mainly her home—her mom, an aide, and the aide’s ever-present boyfriend, Dan. Outwardly, Dan is charming and kind, but secretly, he’s a bully: the kind of person who whispers horrible things to Jemma, like the above … and the fact that he’s a murderer.

Dan knows his secret is safe with Jemma. That is, until a scientific breakthrough gives Jemma the chance to communicate and tell all she knows. Suddenly, she’s no longer a passive bystander to a crime. Suddenly, her life is on the line.

This is a seriously creepy read with an ending you won’t see coming. Jemma is a clear-eyed heroine with some truly long odds to overcome, and you’ll root for her as she fights for her life against an off-kilter killer unafraid to strike again. Thank you, Penny Joelson, for this unique read—but no thanks for freaking us out so much! ;)

Member ratings (520)

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Young adult
View all
The Wild Huntress
Ruthless Vows
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Dragonfruit
The Thirteenth Child
The Reappearance of Rachel Price
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love
Check & Mate
Divine Rivals
Foul Lady Fortune
Anna K Away
I Must Betray You
A Wilderness of Stars
Warrior Girl Unearthed
Bloodmarked
Instructions for Dancing
The Boy in the Red Dress
Color Me In
Not So Pure and Simple
Throw Like a Girl
Frankly in Love
Wayward Son
The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
Anna K
Patron Saints of Nothing
The Kingdom of Back
Yes No Maybe So
Permanent Record
Full Disclosure
Oasis
Where the World Ends
I Have No Secrets
When the Stars Lead to You
All the Bright Places
Saving Zoë
Symptoms of a Heartbreak
All of Us with Wings
The Boy and Girl Who Broke the World
Past Perfect Life
There's Something About Sweetie
Again, But Better
Sky Without Stars
How (Not) to Ask a Boy to Prom
Night Music
Shout
The Deceivers
Top Ten
A Million Junes
And We're Off
Salt to the Sea