The House of Secrets

Written by Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg

Narrated by Scott Brick and January LaVoy

A secret worth killing for, a woman with no past, and an act of treason that changed America: #1 bestselling author Brad Meltzer returns with The House of Secrets.
"When Hazel Nash was six years old, her father taught her: mysteries need to be solved. He should know. Hazel's father is Jack Nash, the host of America's favorite conspiracy TV show, The House of Secrets.
Even as a child, she loved hearing her dad's tall tales, especially the one about a leather book belonging to Benedict Arnold that was hidden in a corpse.
Now, years later, Hazel wakes up in the hospital and remembers nothing, not even her own name. She's told she's been in a car accident that killed her father and injured her brother. But she can't remember any of it, because of her own traumatic brain injury. Then a man from the FBI shows up, asking questions about her dad -- and about his connection to the corpse of a man found with an object stuffed into his chest: a priceless book that belonged to Benedict Arnold.
Back at her house, Hazel finds guns that she doesn't remember owning. On her forehead, she sees scars from fights she can't recall. Most important, the more Hazel digs, the less she likes the person she seems to have been.
Trying to put together the puzzle pieces of her past and present, Hazel Nash needs to figure out who killed this man -- and how the book wound up in his chest. The answer will tell her the truth about her father, what he was really doing for the government -- and who Hazel really is. Mysteries need to be solved. Especially the ones about yourself."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette Audio
• Release date: Jun 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781478929857

Brad Meltzer

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod and twelve other bestselling thrillers. He also writes nonfiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series. Brad is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag with his show, Brad Meltzer’s Lost History.

Reviews for The House of Secrets

[classyhomemaker · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was very cleverly done. Many twists and turns and a super fast read. Lots more language than his usual, though. I wonder if that is because of his collaboration with Goldberg. Quite a bit darker and gorier, too. Meltzer is better on his own, in my opinion.

[dara85 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The House of Secrets is a television show that tries to unravel the secrets of such stories as "Ghosts of Ireland" or "The Shroud of Turin". The show is hosted by Jack Nash and often seen with him is his son, Skip. Staying in the background is his daughter, Hazel. After Jack dies, Hazel and Skip launch an investigation into Jack's death, taking them all over the world. As they get closer they find two men also deceased who seem tied to their father's death. Then the whole case speeds toward its conclusion. If you liked the Da Vinci Code, you should enjoy this book.

[lbswiener · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The House of Secrets is a confusing story. There are so many stories within a story and nothing came to a conclusion. There was no beginning middle or end because the story jumped around from today to yesterday. It was difficult to remember the characters with who is a good guy and who is a bad guy. This book earns three stars.

[livelylady · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

A car accident renders a young woman unconscious and her father dead. When she awakens, her memory is gone. In retrieving her self, she finds her past. I found this kind of boring. I love this author, but felt let down this time.

[carol420 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I expected a little more "suspense" from Brad Meltzer...but I have to say that I enjoyed the plot and characters. The biggest drawback for me was that I felt left with way too many unanswered questions. I also liked the history about Benedict Arnold and the "tongue in cheek" description of Jack's TV show. I've seen some recently much like "The House of Secrets"...which was Jack & Skip Nash's TV show where they try to prove or debunk historical myths/legends. Overall it was a good read. The story meshed well and was easy to follow. The book will not only appeal to mystery fans but history buffs as well.

[bucketofrhymes · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Thanks to Goodreads and the publisher for a free copy!

This book, okay? This book has the absolute greatest first chapter that I have ever read. I made an audible gasp and forced everyone around me to read it as well. It is amazing, and I'm currently torn between gushing about it and a general feeling that maybe I shouldn't spoil anything.

The rest of the book is a fantastic, gripping read as well. It gets into amnesia (always a fun thing to explore), TV shows about historical artifacts and conspiracies (where the author's expertise shines through), and good old espionage and government corruption. I loved the characters, I loved the ethical issues that they raised, and I loved the twists and turns the plot took. Highly recommended.

[cataloger623 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

We are introduced to Hazel Nash an anthropologist whose father is the famous Jack Nash a TV personality that investigates mysteries and conspiracy theories. The family on the surface is neck deep in show business and mystery solving. Even the older son Skip, is a pop / teen movie star. But question is, is that all they are involved in?

Jack has who taken Skip to all the worlds hots spots. Suddenly stops doing that, and even more suddenly cancels his show in the middle of a near life long search for Benedict Arnold's bible. There is a car crash in which Jack Nash dies, and Hazel is injured and wakes up with amnesia. While Hazel is recovering her health and her memory , she is questioned by a man working for a unit of the FBI asking her about her father and a corpse dressed in a revolutionary war uniform with Benedict Arnold's bible sewn into its chest. In the next few weeks more bodies in the same condition are found in various parts of the world. Why is this happening? What are the connections between the Nash family, the bodies, Benedict Arnold, and the mysterious unit of the FBI? Was Benedict Arnold the true villain history makes him out to be? These are the core questions of this novel.

I enjoyed this mystery that combines elements of contemporary conspiracy paranoia, show business, personalities and historical fiction. If you are a newbie to this genre of literature this book and author are a good place to start. None of the characters are what they seem to be. Trying to solve this mystery will keep you involved in the story until the very last page.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Fast-moving and twisting, this is a wonderful ride of a book. There were moments where I was sure Meltzer and Goldberg wouldn't possibly bring everything together, the various threads seemed to be so far-reaching, or that the whole of it would feel forced and contrived with what would have to happen to make things come together. And yet, as the book kept going, it was harder and harder to put down, and each twist made perfect sense while also being something of a surprise--in other words, each twist and each development was just what you'd want in a fast-moving book of mystery, murder, and suspense.

All told, I wasn't at all disappointed. I'd have liked the main character to be a little bit less over-the-top, but still, I liked her, and that's a small wish for a book that brings together so many various elements, and so tightly.

Certainly, I'd recommend it to readers of suspense/thrillers and mysteries. And, certainly, I'll read any further collaborations from these two authors.

[iadam-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I received this audiobook free from Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review. The host of a popular TV show about conspiracies and well-known mysteries appears to be involved in a conspiracy himself, something about Benedict Arnold’s Bible. His daughter, Hazel, and son, Skip, may also be involved but Hazel is having issues with her memory after being injured in a car accident. This is a well-written political thriller full of action, twists and turns, and surprises with excellent character and plot development. There are conspiracy theories, moral dilemmas, and evil characters. The action never quits. I loved the character Butchie, Hazel’s skydiving pal and trusted friend. Scott Brick and January LaVoy are the best. They do a great job as they narrate and interpret the text. I never tire of listening to them. This is a keeper and I look forward to listening to more audiobooks by Scott Meltzer.

[asomers_8 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although I enjoyed the Culper Ring trilogy more, this was exciting, fast paced, and suspenseful.

[lamb521 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Title: The House of Secrets
Author: Brad Meltzer & Tod Goldberg
Pages: 368
Year: 2016
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
My rating is 4 stars.
I couldn’t put this novel down because the mystery is so well written. There is no sexual content, which I really liked. The authors focused on telling a story that has more twists to heighten the enjoyment of the book. There is some foul language sprinkled sparingly in the book though it never took my attention away from where the plot was heading. Sometimes when I pick up a novel that isn’t by an author known to me or a Christian one, it’s hard to be prepared for what I might read. As I delved deeper into the story, there were a couple of places that just seemed weird such as how one character, Hazel, acts toward the end of the book.
There are components of mystery, spies, lies, “the family business” type feeling though not mafia, and the multitude of layers of government involvement with me trying to figure out who were the bad guys and the good guys. The story involves many nations and the people involved with governments in very secretive ways. What a surprise the ending of the novel was, which I thought was brilliant!
There have been other novels I have had to quit reading as the story wasn’t the focus, where authors thought sexual content or language would make the novel stand out. However, here is a novel where there is no sexual content and while there is some foul language the story really is riveting. Readers will be pulled in by the historical characters of George Washington and Benedict Arnold with their life story as the background for a story that entwines generations.
Normally, I would tell some of the story to help people know whether they want to read the book or not. This happens to be one book that I think is best enjoyed going in cold with no known facts from me, though you could read about it on retailers’ sites. It is quite apparent the authors did research history as it adds so much depth to the story. The writers even suggest two books for people to read about George Washington and Benedict Arnold that they found interesting and helpful. It was really a well-written novel and if the authors could tone down the cussing even more, because their tales can carry themselves without that addition, it would have gotten a 5-star rating from this reviewer.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”