The Secret Word, also known as Summer's Novel, is a novel authored by Martin Summer, published in 1969. The plot details a man committing the perfect crime in order to take revenge on a friend who betrayed him. As his first book, the novel was considered to be one of his best works and propelled him to fame, with critics calling it "a gritty descent into the darkness of the human soul", and winning the Mystery of the Year award. The book first appears in Hotel Dusk: Room 215 as a copy owned by Rosa who wanted it to be signed by Summer, and in Last Window: The Secret of Cape West, it returns in Kyle's suitcase. Kyle himself describes it as "pretty moving" and "fairly complex", placing it above Summer's latter works, an opinion shared by Rosa as well.
Background[]
The novel was originally written by Martin Summer's friend, Alan Parker, in a manuscript that he wanted to submit into a writing contest. He showed his work to Summer, who described it as "a work of singular power and beauty". However, the manuscript was stolen by Summer, driven by personal jealousy and rage, as he plagiarized and submitted the book in a contest, eventually winning the contest and publishing the novel in 1969. It helped Summer achieve his dreams of being a novelist at the cost of his friendship, as Alan vanished without a trace.
Fragment[]
The Secret Word's manuscript, written by Alan Parker
TAKE 1
"The sun sets and the city shifts. Traffic reverses direction as people abandon their offices and shops to join the evening commute. They take the sounds of the day with them as they go, leaving me alone in a..."
Trivia[]
Kyle recognizes the manuscript's contents by stating that he read the same writing in the novel that he has in his possession. However, there is no proof that he ever read the book up to this point via gameplay or narration.
Gallery[]
Hotel Dusk: Room 215[]
Last Window: The Secret of Cape West[]
