No One Can Know

by Adrienne LaCava

Finalist, 2014 Readers Favorite Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards. Weary of Cold War politics, CIA operative Gabriel Haines can’t wait to leave the Company life for a job on his friend’s isolated Texas ranch. All he needs to do is go to Dallas and seal the deal. But when President John F. Kennedy is assassinated just yards from where Haines stands, the former agent finds himself in tighter crosshairs than ever before. Keeping a low profile on the ranch couldn’t come at a better time. Motherless preteen Ivy Jean Pritchard is a worrier, but she’s trying hard not to be suspicious when her father sends her to spend the weekend on a ranch with family she’s never met. And with her troublemaker teenaged cousin, high-society aunt, and her uncle’s mistress on the scene, it promises to be more than the western adventure Ivy had anticipated. Now, marksmen have tracked Haines to the ranch, getting the entire family involved in something very adult and very worrisome. When the weekend turns deadly, Haines and Ivy Jean are the first to learn that secrets, especially those devised and perpetuated “for the good of us all,” can breakdown a family—or a nation—in the blink of an eye.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller

384 pages, Paperback

First published October 3, 2013

Reviews

[Lex Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

As there are sufficient reviews that repeat the synopsis, I’ll dispense with another version. ‘No One Can Know’ by Adrienne LaCava is among the few authors of which I can truthfully claim their work to be ‘unable to put down.’ I’ve yet to learn to read from behind closed eyelids, or listen to an audio book while sleeping; otherwise, I would never have interrupted the reading of Ms. LaCava’s first novel. Reading that statement, one may question my star rating. Well…

For me to rate a story five-star, every aspect of storytelling must be above average…make that superior. While ‘No One Can Know’ is a captivating and entertaining story, there are two aspects of novel writing that I felt Ms. LaCava could have done better. She certainly has the talent and know-how to have done so. I won’t mention them here because to do so would require spoilers. I don’t do spoilers. Should she desire, I would be most happy to discuss these issues, personally with the author. I’m easy to find.

Among all of the bits and pieces that combine to create a novel, Ms. LaCava has shown exceptional talent in the art. This is especially noteworthy for a first book novelist. The narrator has an active voice that never wavers. The author has created believable characters, each of whom will leave an indelible imprint on you. Notably among these actors are Ivy Jean, Haines, Tucker, Vincent and Carla though even the supporting players are well and fully developed. There is a depth of verisimilitude in the background stories and actions revolving around the assassination of JFK that demonstrate extensive research and a finely tuned sense of artistic license that is absolutely admirable. My highlight in the book was the character, Ivy Jean. Ms. LaCava deftly examines and presents a combination of emotions, thought process, deductive reasoning and resolution of internal, personal conflicts that literally allows this character to jump from the page and into your heart. Her use of imagining news headlines was clever and useful. My second favorite character was Haines. Seldom have I met a story character more life-like, more authentic and you’ll have to trust me on this…I’ve known several Texans that perfectly fit the mold used to create Gabriel Haines.

All in all, notwithstanding an unusual ending, ‘No One Can Know’ is an excellent first effort. Baby boomers, JFK assassination, and CIA conspiracy theorists will appreciate the background storylines. More importantly, the coming of age/emotionally charged story of Ivy Jean will entertain a broad range of readers, young and old.

[Guy Teague · Rating 4 out of 5]

October 3, 2016
"No One Can Know"
~Adrienne LaCava
Review Summary: Nostalgia, coming of age, and the birth of the JFK conspiracies to come, make a great novel

I find it a very accurate truism that everyone alive and old enough remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing the day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. I was sitting in Mrs. Johnson's 5th grade classroom at Valley View Elementary School in Abilene, Texas on that warm and sunny fall day--the few leaves that lay scattered around the schoolyard fallen from the sparse and bare West Texas trees. Thus I am (forgive the word choice) a 'target' reader for anyone who wants to re-visit events from their childhood in their state.


Ms. LaCava can write, I concluded by the halfway mark of the first chapter. Due to having to work like child slave labor on my uncle's farm outside Mineral Wells every summer, I developed a lifelong loathing of livestock. But the author's little detail of how an Appaloosa mare shook the water off her back took me back to those sweaty August afternoons taking a break from baling hay in the shade next to the stock tank where the horses were cooling off.

"He poured some water over Bella’s flinching back and her big head dropped and rolled into an eleven-hundred-pound body shake before he could jump out of the way. All six feet of him dripped."

Texas was so backwards coming out of the Eisenhower conservative 50s that I joke all the time that the 60s didn't get here until the mid 70s. And it's not a joke. And the author captures this perfectly with hardly a mention of an anti-war movement and with her descriptions of how abortion clinics worked back then. I also enjoyed the use of the names of the small towns that most Texans have at least driven though.

But I think the surest note of this novel was struck with the choice of narrator--12-year old Ivy Jean. Through her completely innocent eyes flows most of the action and her discoveries are our discoveries. And I can attest that her having two names is 100% authentic for the place and the period--my mother and all my aunts had two names which were only rarely unlinked.

In short, being a Texan who grew up in the period around the area, I would have liked this book even without the added bonus of the thriller aspect which was the icing on the cake.

[Brenda McElyea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A snapshot in time

Take a moment in history. Add some characters to that event and stir. If you mix it all just right you may have an intriguing story to share. In the case of No One Can Know, the characters include a twelve year old motherless girl, her accountant father, his high society and philandering brother along with his wife, daughter and his mistress, and a retired CIA agent turned ranch foreman. The story takes place in Texas around the time of John F. Kennedy's assassination. Political events and family are intertwined to bring a story you will want to keep reading even when the book ends.

[Marcy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this story very much. The author had a wonderful way of combining history and fiction. I was a little girl when JFK was shot, and it affected the entire world. I was unaware of the conspiracy theories about the murder until much later on. I think it’s still a big question mark.
The characters in the story were varied, honest and dishonest, egotistical and humble, privileged and those without excess. I won this kindle edition in a Goodreads giveaway. Thank you to the author for her generosity.

[Maryann Geiser · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was trying to do too many things at once. It is a spy thriller, a coming of age story, a love story, conspiracy theory tale. The characters were not well developed and stereotypical (a Texas lawyer with political aspirations with a shrew wife, a spoiled daughter and a clingy mistress - oh please!). The entire book is written like a set up to read more in this series, except I don't care about any of the characters nor the tangled plot.

[Florence Primrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haines, who has worked for the CIA after military service, is tired of politics. He feels he is still being watched and longs to escape to a quieter life. He becomes foreman on a buddy’s ranch immediately after Kennedy is shot. But his pal, Tucker, a Texan, gets involved in Johnson’s activities and Haines ends up entrapped in domestic problems at the ranch while Tucker is away.

[Karlie Heinz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Feels unfinished

This books hints on many things that make it feel like the plot is thickening. But it finishes none of those thing. I finished this book wondering where the rest of it was. If you are a reader that likes an intro, body AND conclusion, this book will irritate you.

[Mary Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one Can Know

The beginning of th book was a little slow but as the story grew I was really enthused. I loved this book and would recommend it to every one who enjoys mystery’s and spy books

[Sharon Robidoux · Rating 2 out of 5]

I finished it. Boring book for me..

[Mike · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get past chapter 3....not engaging.

[Gayle Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review

I enjoyed the book a lot. I guess it had to end at some point, but I wasn’t quite ready for it to end when it did.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this in November, during the fiftieth anniversary of Kennedy's assassination proved to be timely. Although, the plot is not directly related to the shooting, it provides a nice point of reference for the novel. The story takes place near Dallas and weaves three men's lives together and their stories. The main character, a smart, twelve year old, named Ivy Jean, provides much of the perspective. She is brought to her uncle's ranch (who she has never met or known about) when her dad is asked to do a favor for his brother. Also at the ranch is a mysterious ranch hand with ties to previous covert jobs, an aloof aunt and an older cousin who is not a great example for young Ivy Jean. Almost immediately, a mysterious woman comes to visit and things kind of start to unravel. Meanwhile Ivy's dad is off tracking down a woman in Dallas and her uncle is involved in a top secret job for president Johnson, getting a first hand glimpse at how the KKK operates. All of these stories culminate at the ranch leaving a few loose ends which I hope, will prompt a second book!

The book was a fun read with nicely developed characters, an interesting plot with lots of turns, and a great setting, complete with gentle horses, and a unique house. The author did a nice job giving us all a peak into the lives of these three men. Each had challenges and secrets to keep and each had his flaws but somehow we wanted to cheer for them all to succeed. I would strongly recommend this book and I hope for a sequel.....

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel had such potential however, it falls completely flat at the end.

There are several stories occurring simultaneously in No One Can Know, with the JFK assassination being the primary story line, or at least I think it is. I'm not sure but since it's his face on the cover I imagine I am correct in my assumption.

The story is as follows: ex-CIA guy, Haines, in Dallas when JFK gets shot -- goes to work for his best buddy, Tucker, on his ranch where he meets best buddy's mistress, Carla -- Carla also good friends with Vincent who is Tucker's brother -- Carla is Vincent's daughter's,godmother who also happens to be at Tucker's ranch. Now throw in Tucker's wife and teenage daughter into the mix. Consequently none of the characters are developed to their full potential (although I really did like Ivy Jean).

There were some believable elements here and Ms. LaCava had a good concept in the conspiracy portion of her story. This all gets neutralized with an ending that comes off hurried and lacking in creativity.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a domestic novel set around a historical event- the Kennedy assassination. It tracks the lives of CIA operatives after the fact, and LaCava does a nice job of weaving together several story lines. Haines, an ex-CIA with the bad luck of being in Dallas at the wrong time, escapes to his buddy Tucker's ranch to lie low. But there's a lot going on at that ranch, with Tucker's flamboyant ex-wife, his mistress unexpectedly showing up with a secret that turns into everyone's problem, and naiive 12-year old Ivy Jean, who learns a lot that summer. LaCava, being a Dallas native, offers a little-known perspective on what happens around the fringes of national tragedies, and how what's included or excluded from the news affects the lives of real people. For me, the heart of the novel is Ivy Jean, and Tucker's mistress, who steal every scene they're in. Good reading, and part of a series that I look forward to reading.

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Adrienne LaCava has written a truly engrossing thriller. I had never heard of her before winning this book, No One Can Know, in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway, but I find LaCava's craft to be flawless -- just like that of any much beloved, bestselling author with a great many novels in the same genre to her name. It is strange to me how obscure her efforts have been to date; as I write, I'm learning that this book received a very positive review from Kirkus -- no mean feat, right?

I encourage readers to give this work a try if the plot appeals; LaCava is a storyteller who will not fail to steadily engage your imagination. I confidently recommend this novel to a broad audience.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked everything about this book except the Kennedy assassination and the follow up, but then again I am one of the few people that just doesn't care about the Kennedy clan. But I thought all the characters were well written and I especially liked Haines and Ive Jean. I liked the story line at the ranch not so much Mississippi.

I would love to see another book about where all these characters are now, did Wade make it home from the war, what has happened to Debra. The family was the heart of the story.

I received this book from the author for an honest review. I would recommend this book.

[John Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the background of the Kennedy assassination, this book evokes a subplot of conspiracy even possibly involving the CIA. There are several interesting things happening and the intrigue and sense of danger kept me turning pages. I would have woven in more about the storyline involving the risks to agents and others who were in Dallas at the time and the alleged coverup. I also would have included more references and technologies to describe the sixties and the Cold War period. Overall it was a good read especially for people who remember the assassination.

I got my copy free from librarything.com.

[Chuck Heikkinen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four main characters dominate the book, two retired CIA operatives, a single-father banker and his 12 year old daughter Ivy Jean. The setting begins with the Kennedy assassination, the conspiracy theories that arose and then dips a bit into the racial violence in Mississippi in the early 60s. Most of the action takes place at the ranch of Tucker, one of the retired operatives. As the book advanced, it became harder and harder to put down. At the end, the story became perfect for a sequel, which I will snap up as soon as it appears.

[Linda Branich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains a couple of different interwoven plots---the assassination of Kennedy, ( with all the rumor and speculation associated with it), and events within a family, members of whom had been involved in the CIA and government service for the President, illegal abortion, and a swift coming of age for Ivy Jean, who never knew her Mom.

It is fast-paced, a bit confusing at times, but holds your attention. I am not quite sure about the ending, but I would read at least one other book by this author.

[Susan Beamon · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are many things about the 60's that I am glad are gone, but not all of them have left. Some things cast long shadows, like the Kennedy assassination. While not the focus of this book, it does inform many of the actions we get to follow. This book serves as a reminder of a time not so long ago, when everything was different.

[Lori Ford · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this novel, but it is a light read with not much thinking involved. It tackles some tough subjects, but seems to gloss them over at the end, like the author got tired of his story. However, the multiple plot lines are initially well developed and interesting (to this reader anyway).

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A story surrounding the assassination of JFK and how it affected lives in so many different walks of life. This is fiction set around a historical event. I loved the characters, especially Ivy Jean. I didn't have her guts when I was 12. There is espionage, love triangles, coming of age, tragedy - all the great stuff of fiction. I enjoyed this story!

[Alyssa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not very good

This is probably one of my least favorite books.
The story lines very all over the place but the dialogue was decent.
I really got lost a few times through out the book and was most confusing

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this and quickly engaged with the characters and their stories. My only complaint...that the story had to end. Could there be a sequel in the works?

[James Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting story centering on the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination and how it affected an extended family. Well written and easy to read.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read and interesting to read about theories about the killing of JFK.

[sharon marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

this was very good reading. Interesting characters and a plot that keeps you wondering ..I would recommend this book to my friends

[Lavonia Snyder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping spin on Kennedy assassination.

Grabs your attention right away and holds it. Don't start this if you have an early call in the morning!

[Diann Harris · Rating 2 out of 5]

The ending left a lot to be desired for me. The story was good but seemed unfinished