“Our Secrets Were Safe” by Virginia Trench
Books, Beverages & Author Conversations. Brie is joined by Virginia Trench to talk all about her debut thriller, Our Secrets Were Safe, available July 15, 2025. This interview is fun, twisty, nostalgic, and the perfect companion for thriller lovers who want “Pretty Little Liars” energy mixed with grown-up suspense.
The narrative: about Our Secrets Were Safe
Virginia’s debut novel, Our Secrets Were Safe follows two best friends who believe they’ve gotten away with a terrible crime… until the past comes crashing back. Told through three perspectives across two timelines, the story moves between the present day — where Brooke is newly engaged and starting a dream teaching job while Caroline is launching her feminist tech start-up — and the past, where their friend Sophia died under mysterious circumstances while they were all Yale students. As haunting messages begin to appear, their carefully constructed lives start to crumble, creating a tense, bingeable thriller full of secrets, guilt, manipulation, and “Pretty Little Liars”–level trolling — but make it adult.
The nightcap
An elderflower gimlet — shaken with gin or vodka, St. Germain, lime, and a touch of simple syrup, served straight up with a lime slice. Light, crisp, summery, and perfectly suited for a book partially set on Nantucket.
In the episode
In this episode, Virginia shares the inspiration behind her multi-timeline thriller, including her desire to give the victim a real voice and explore the psychological toll of carrying a dark secret. She talks openly about motherhood, writing through COVID lockdowns, consuming thrillers (especially audiobooks!) at a rapid pace, and the moment she realized she wanted to write her own. Listeners will love her honesty about outlining, the chaos of managing multiple POVs, and the surreal experience of holding her first printed copy. We talk about:
Virginia’s writing journey: from English teacher to unapologetic mystery girly to debut thriller author
How she built three distinct perspectives, two timelines, and a twisty puzzle that clicks together like a spider-web thriller map
The central question driving the novel: What happens when people think they’ve gotten away with it?
Behind-the-scenes insights on the publishing process, cover design, writing during early motherhood, and the emotional weight of giving a victim a narrative voice
Listen to the full author interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube Podcasts
Purchase your copy of OUR SECRETS WERE SAFE here (Narratives & Nightcaps is an Amazon Affiliate)
Connect with Virginia on her website and social media!