Review Detail

SECRETS NEVER DIE is a campy YA thriller/horror that follows Sam. Sam was a child actor who was happy to leave it all behind years ago. Now, he's just a regular teen who enjoys spending time with his friends - and their Halloween ritual of holding a funeral for their secrets in the woods at what they call the Dark Place. Not long after they bury their secrets this year, they begin coming back to haunt them in the form of texts and messages. While they try to figure out who is blackmailing them, everyone is suspect including the people Sam thought he could trust the most - his closest friends.

This was a bit of twisty thriller as it is hard to guess who is behind the messages and how they know all their secrets. The threats escalate as the story continues. Interwoven between this plot are themes around parental expectations and the cost of fame, describing Sam's experience as a child actor, his father's fame-seeking and how this is now being transposed onto his sister, and his mental health. These were strong themes that create a lot of potential discussions and insights into these thought-provoking topics.

The reveal ended up being pretty surprising, and it was hard to see coming. The mystery of who was behind it was a good one. While they investigate to try to figure it out, it takes them down some different paths with potential suspects. The horror elements were pretty well done with creating the right mood amidst the threats and mystery. This did get pretty slow in the middle as it started to feel pretty repetitive and the information disclosed comes slowly and feels a bit circuitous.

Overall, SECRETS NEVER DIE is an intriguing horror/thriller that combines a good mystery with plenty of twisty intrigue.