‘Elegantly structured, unsettling, yet with moments of surprising wit - in this novel Suzanne Leal captures the life of a small community with real tenderness.’ Kathryn Heyman, author of Floodline

A popular teacher with something to hide.

A new principal determined to uncover the truth.

A young mother, suddenly single, who struggles to rebuild her life.

A grieving daughter who must learn to face the world again.

A family forced to flee their homeland and start afresh.

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, rumour and dislocation, and the search for grace and dignity in the midst of dishonour and humiliation.