All Her Little Secrets: A Novel

Wanda M. Morris

Nov 2021 · Sold by HarperCollins

About this ebook

“All Her Little Secrets is a brilliantly nuanced but powerhouse exploration of race, the legal system, and the crushing pressure of keeping secrets. Morris brings a vibrant and welcome new voice to the thriller space.” —Karin Slaughter, New York Times and international bestselling author  

In this fast-paced thriller, Wanda M. Morris crafts a twisty mystery about a black lawyer who gets caught in a dangerous conspiracy after the sudden death of her boss . . . A debut perfect for fans of Attica Locke, Alyssa Cole, Harlan Coben, and Celeste Ng, with shades of How to Get Away with Murder and John Grisham’s The Firm.

Everyone has something to hide...

Ellice Littlejohn seemingly has it all: an Ivy League law degree, a well-paying job as a corporate attorney in midtown Atlanta, great friends, and a “for fun” relationship with a rich, charming executive, who just happens to be her white boss. But everything changes one cold January morning when Ellice arrives in the executive suite and finds him dead with a gunshot to his head.

And then she walks away like nothing has happened. Why? Ellice has been keeping a cache of dark secrets, including a small-town past and a kid brother who’s spent time on the other side of the law. She can’t be thrust into the spotlight—again.

But instead of grieving this tragedy, people are gossiping, the police are getting suspicious, and Ellice, the company’s lone black attorney, is promoted to replace her boss. While the opportunity is a dream-come-true, Ellice just can’t shake the feeling that something is off.

When she uncovers shady dealings inside the company, Ellice is trapped in an impossible ethical and moral dilemma. Suddenly, Ellice’s past and present lives collide as she launches into a pulse-pounding race to protect the brother she tried to save years ago and stop a conspiracy far more sinister than she could have ever imagined…

Ratings and reviews

John Grisham and Michael Connelly should be looking over their shoulders now that Wanda M. Morris has released her debut, All Her Little Secrets. Tightly plotted and unpredictable, Morris’ novel is a welcome addition to the canon of legal suspense thrillers. Ellice Littlejohn has carefully sculpted her life to reverse the trauma and abuse of her childhood. Now a respected attorney at an Atlanta law firm, Ellice has created an entire new identity for herself. The character is ambitious and determined, but also insecure about her chances of success in a firm where no one else looks like her. When one of the executives dies unexpectedly, Ellice is thrust into a promotion for which she feels inadequate. In her new position, she begins digging into the firm’s dealings. Ellice notices some underhanded activity that may be connected to the earlier death of the boss. It may even be part of a larger, more insidious conspiracy. Meanwhile, remnants of Ellice’s past have tracked her down and threaten both her status and safety. Ellice is a flawed but forgivable protagonist who is strong and complex. All Her Little Secrets also deftly handles issues of discrimination and power imbalance without becoming too didactic. With this promising debut, Morris provides an enticing plot, a unique point of view, and cleverly woven commentary about current social ills.

About the author

Wanda M. Morris is the award-winning author of All Her Little Secrets, which has been praised by Karin Slaughter as “brilliantly nuanced” and reviewed by The Boston Globe, LA Times, New York Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Seattle Times, and South Florida Sun Sentinel among others. Her second novel, Anywhere You Run, won the Anthony award for Best Historical Novel of 2023 and was longlisted for the prestigious Mark Twain Voice in American Literature Prize. She is married, the mother of three, and lives in Atlanta, Georgia.