MoMoBookDiary

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The Book

When an elderly eccentric collector and a troubled teen become each other’s only hope of getting their lives back on track, what can possibly go wrong?

Alfred is an elderly widower who uses antiques and collectibles to fill the hole in his heart left by his late wife. Kian is a lost teen who has been let down by the care system and finds it difficult staying on the straight and narrow.

After Kian throws a brick through Alfred’s window, the shock sends Alfred to hospital and a social worker to his home, where his hoarding becomes impossible to ignore.

Begrudgingly, and at the request of the authorities, they both agree to enrol Kian on a restorative justice programme, helping to make Alfred’s home liveable again. The only problem: Alfred doesn’t want to throw any of his treasures away, and he certainly doesn’t want Kian for company.

What unfolds is a surprising and delightful journey of two characters who help each other more than they ever could have anticipated and, along the way, form the unlikeliest of friendships.

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My Review

A touching and beautifully human debut about healing, found-family, and the treasures we carry—both in our homes and our hearts.

The Secret Collector is a truly lovely and enjoyable read. From the very start, I felt for both Alfred and Kian – two people who did not choose to be thrown together, yet needed each other more than they realised. What begins with a brick through a window slowly unfolds into a tender, often funny, always heartfelt story of two lives being rebuilt, piece by piece.

I loved that neither character wanted to be in this situation – Alfred mourning his wife through his collected treasures, and Kian trying to stay afloat in a system that’s let him down. Their reluctant bond, full of ups and downs, is beautifully written and deeply believable. You understand their perspectives so clearly, and you grow to care about them both in very different but equally strong ways.

Reading this brought back my own memories of losing my mum and how difficult it was to let go of her things. Like Alfred, I didn’t want to part with anything at first – every object held a memory. Over time, with the help of friends, I began to let go, and while I still have a few regrets, most items have found new life with others. A few years on, I’m finally in a headspace to continue clearing space, and it feels therapeutic. This book gently reminded me that letting go doesn’t mean losing, it can mean making room for something new.

Abigail Johnson has done something really special in her debut. She hasn’t just written characters, she’s created two deeply human souls and shared them with us. Both Kian and Alfred are better for having found each other, and their story is a reminder that family isn’t always the one you’re born into – sometimes, it’s the one you stumble into when life doesn’t go to plan.

A wonderful, warm debut I’ll be thinking about for a long time. Highly recommended for anyone who loves stories of second chances and unlikely friendships. 

All views expressed are my own. This review, or parts of it, may also be shared on my social media channels and various book platforms. Links are accurate at the time of publication.

Sincere thanks to Abigail Johnson, Pan Macmillan, and NetGalley for providing the digital advanced reader copy. I have since purchased a copy to keep on my bookshelf in order to read again and again.

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