What's the childhood secret Marnie is running from? Told in the first person, Marnie is a self-portrait of a con artist who serially changes identity in order to build a better life for herself. The secret to her success is complete emotional detachment. So when her latest boss falls in love with her, they're both headed for a series of painful surprises. This 1961 novel was filmed in 1964 by Alfred Hitchcock, who wanted Grace Kelly, but settled for Tippi Hedren.