TESS: A Secret Life: Second Edition

(This Novel was previously published as FAITH: A Secret Life)

Josh Miller, 18 years old, sits in a packed courtroom, accused of the rape and murder of his high-school girlfriend, Tess. The undisputed facts leave little doubt that he is guilty. Why did he do it? They were deeply in love. Their relationship, like Tess herself, seemed perfect. Was she involved with someone else? Did he find out and turn on her in anger? Everyone has a theory but none of them make sense. Yet all agree that Josh is guilty. Therefore, he must not be the gentle generous soul everyone believed him to be. No one bothers to inquire after Tess’s state of mind in the weeks before her death. And why should they? She was beautiful, charming, gifted, never down or depressed. She was the delight of teachers and parents, the envy of classmates, an avid lover of life. She had no enemies. Yet the evidence does not lie. Tess is not only a young adult or coming of age novel; it is not only a complex mystery; not only a courtroom drama involving the police, an alleged crime and the application of law. It is also a powerful adolescent romance that takes an unexpected turn into a different world, the world of depression, psychology, mood disorders, counseling and, lastly, death and grief.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT TESS (Previously published as FAITH)

“Every writer has a rhythm in the words that tell their story. Thomas Kirkwood … is a masterful conductor of the written word … In addition to being a captivating read, this engrossing book is an opportunity to gain a better understanding of how mood disorders are frequently not recognized in teens. I will never forget the characters of this story. Anyone looking for a great read need look no further than this wrenching story of love and loss.”

“Protagonist Josh Miller, age 18, is on trial for the rape and murder of his 17-year-old girlfriend who, it is obvious, he loved dearly. The reader gets to follow the trial as well as the love story of Josh and Faith in sequential and alternating flashbacks, through Josh's eyes. Josh is intelligent, and has a unique sense of humor as well as some wonderfully quirky friends. Oh, and he does not think much of adult society. Very likely, he is right. PS The portrayal of mental illness was very much on the mark.”

“I'm not an adolescent anymore, not by a long shot. But I work with young people about the age of the characters in this story. The book is beautifully written. The story made me remember in a visceral way how strong the basic emotions of youth are, what it's like to fall in love for the first time and how easy it is to get hurt. If you have teenage children, you'll understand them so much better after reading FAITH. You'll also finish the book knowing some of the things you should watch for in "the perfect child." All of the great things of youth are here for the reader to relive, too, and all the shocking discoveries you make as the years go by. You'll cry but you'll also laugh . . . and you'll do a lot of both. I don't think I've read anything for a long time that has moved me like this novel. It's something that should be in every school library, on the bookshelf of every program for gifted students, and required reading for every dead-to-the-world school administrator or psychologist.

“As someone who deals with mental health issues, bipolar in particular, this book was incredibly moving and touching. It was very realistic and heartbreaking to see the struggles from the outside looking in. Then, to find out Faith is no longer living and her caring, devoted boyfriend is on trial is unfortunately not shocking. This book is all too realistic and as such, is very moving and touches a person deeply.