Alfred has always collected unusual objects but since the death of his wife five years ago it's become an obsession. Things are so out of hand that he can barely move in his own home. When a teenager vandalises Alfred's home his social worker and the justice system see the opportunity for the pair to work together and restore Alfred's home to normal.
The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson is one of those stories that will tug at your heartstrings. It features characters at the opposite ends of the age spectrum, elderly Alfred and teenager Kian, who are forced to work together, a situation neither wants nor likes.
The book is set in 1999 and Alfred lives alone, his wife died five years before and he's estranged from his daughter. Alfred is a bit of a recluse, he doesn't want to get to know his neighbours, and his only interest is adding to his growing mountain of unusual objects. He collects things other people throw away, not because they're valuable but for their "beauty, uniqueness or even an imagined past". As soon as I started reading Abigail Johnson's description of Alfred my mind immediately thought of the 1999 TV series Life Of Grime and elderly Mr Trebus.
Seventeen-year-old Kian is the other main character. He's been raised in care for most of his life but now lives alone while his young brother, Dan, remains in foster care. Kian has no job and no prospects, the only things he cares about are getting custody of Dan when he turns eighteen and getting drunk with his friends. It's following a drinking session that the lives of Kian and Alfred collide when Kian throws bricks through Alfred's window, causing Alfred to have a heart attack.
It is decided that restorative justice needs to happen, with Kian helping Alfred clear out the junk in his house. Alfred is opposed to this but realises it's the only way of getting the social worker who seems determined to consign him to a care home off his back. Neither of the pair is happy and a battle of wills ensues, it becomes an immovable object against an unstoppable force. As Kian moves stuff into a skip by day, Alfred moves them back into the property at night - and continues to add to the collection. You can really feel Kian's frustration with the situation.
Slowly the pair begin to chip away at each other's rough exterior, realising that they do have some things in common, but it is not an easy road, sometimes it's a case of one step forward then two steps back. Alfred is proud, self-reliant, wily and stubborn, whereas Kian is headstrong, impetuous and has low self-esteem. It is the fact that Kian knows if he doesn't complete his restorative justice programme he will end up in jail and that will put an end to his chances of becoming Dan's guardian that keeps the relationship alive.
The author doesn't shy away from some difficult topics, particularly the reality of siblings in care, and while the ending is uplifting Abigail Johnson avoids waving a magic wand, keeping the overall story grounded and realistic.
The Secret Collector by Abigail Johnson will be published on 1st April 2025 in ebook format. The paperback and audio versions will be published on 10th April 2025. My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a review copy.
Author Details
Abigail Johnson wrote this novel while completing the Curtis Brown Creative three-month novel writing course, where she was tutored by author Laura Barnett. It was longlisted for the 2021 and 2022 Bath Novel Award. Her writing has also been longlisted for the Exeter Novel Award, shortlisted for the 2021 Edinburgh Flash Fiction Award and she was a Friday Night Live finalist at the Festival of Writing in 2017. She lives in Birmingham.
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