The Teacher’s Secret

'Packed with heart and suspense; I absolutely loved it'— Jenny Ashcroft

Things aren't always as they seem…

A small town can be a refuge, but while its secrets are held, it's hard to know who to trust and what to believe.

The Teacher's Secret is a tender and compelling story of scandal, rumor and dislocation, and the search for grace and dignity in the midst of dishonor and humiliation.

Suzanne Leal draws us into a public school in the intimate town of Brindle, Australia in which vice principal Terry comes to generational loggerheads with stand-in principal Laurie concerning teachers and their treatment of their pupils. Told over four semesters, this conflict will slowly change their lives.

Perfect for fans of The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas, Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and A Song for Issy Bradley by Carys Bray

What Reviewers and Readers Say:

'Delicately woven… a big-hearted book,' Joanne Fedler

‘Elegantly structured, unsettling, yet with moments of surprising wit,’ Kathryn Heyman

‘Masterfully constructed, this moving novel warns us of our capacity to make or break the lives of those around us… Drawn with wit and clear-eyed affection, the inhabitants of this wonderful novel will remain with you long after you have put it down.’ Mark Lamprell

‘A rich interweaving of beautifully drawn characters told so gently and in such exquisite detail that they grew on me until I was lost in their world.’ Robin de Crespigny

'The Teacher’s Secret is a gutsy yet intricate examination of one of society’s nightmares, filled with strong characters and relationships interwoven in a storyline that has the reader engrossed to the last page,’ Robert Wainwright

‘Suzanne Leal writes with her hand on her heart, writing according to its beat… translating the ordinary into the extraordinary. An Australian talent, universally understood.’ Charles Waterstreet

‘Suspenseful, moving and full of heart. I couldn’t put it down.’ Richard Glover

‘An eloquent story of a life thrown into disarray; it drew me in and held me, page after page.’ Rachel Seiffert

‘Suzanne Leal is a writer of unusual sensitivity, with a rare ability to shed light on the dark tangle of emotional attachments which lies just below the surface of everyday life.’ John Colle

'What a great read! I could not put it down. I can imagine this book being talked about and passed around from teacher to teacher in the school staff room and from parent to parent in the school car park …' Schooldays Magazine