You Will Never Know

by S.A. Prentiss

After a lifetime of hardship, Jessica Thornton finally has the life she’s dreamed of: a new marriage to a realtor with burgeoning success; a daughter whose athleticism has won her a scholarship to college; and a freshly-secured grant from her bank to finally complete her own higher education.


Her life today is a complete reversal from the not-too-distant past, when the death of her first husband left her penniless and desperate to provide for her then-newborn child. But after the murder of her children’s high school classmate, a series of disturbances brings Jessica to question whether her dreams ever actually came true, or whether they’ve just been delusions all along . . .


In the days after the murder, suspicion creeps in at every corner, beginning with Jessica’s daughter and stepson, who won’t tell her where they were on that fateful night. Then she discovers that her husband’s business is failing, not growing, and that the stories he’s told of meetings with high-powered investors were nothing more than lies. And when a private investigator comes to look into the death of her first husband, her last foundation of truth slips suddenly away.

Genres: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

278 pages, Paperback

First published October 13, 2020

Reviews

[Tonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some unexpected twists and turns - not a likable character in the bunch

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick read fraught with suspense- I read it in just over a day. It centers on Jessica, who once longed for stability but is now married and raising her daughter along with her husband of 3 years and his son. Things were going well until a classmate of her daughter/stepson is murdered and questions start swirling around where the kids were when it happened and what exactly their relationships were with the victim. Told almost entirely from Jessica's POV, the reader is able to get into her head and learn how she thinks throughout the book.

The mystery is good, though there was a side story around an investigator looking into the death of Jessica's first husband that I felt distracted me from the main story instead of added to it. I thought I had it all figured it pretty early but ended up being surprised a couple different times and changing my prediction. There were definitely a few times where I had to suspend my disbelief, though- curious things happen that are not followed up on, which felt very unlikely in real life.

I didn't find any character in this book to be likeable, but I think that was intentional. Everyone was looking out for themselves in one way or another and it was difficult to empathize with any of them. That being said, the story that unfolds is interesting and unexpected and really allows you a glimpse into the mind of some not-so-nice people.

Overall, I thought this was a good read and I'd recommend it to those who like phycological thrillers , domestic suspense, and mysteries. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nan Williams · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly this book was just not for me. There were too many stereotypes and it was too predictable. There was a lot going on so I'm sure this will resonate with other readers. Best wishes to the author.

[the overstuffed bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank y0u to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for this advance reader's copy of You Will Never Know by S.A. Prentiss.

I had high hopes for this book. I was mostly disappointed. There were some high points, including the plot, which was original enough that I hadn't figured out all of plot twists before they were revealed. Multiple narrators made for some interesting diversions from the main plot. What is the main plot? Essentially, a blended family where the members don't like or trust each other for the most part and a crime that could or could not have been committed by one of the members of said family.

Unfortunately, I couldn't connect with any of the characters they way they were written. The dialogue didn't sound natural or any way that actual people speak to each other in real life. Also, I deeply disliked all of the main characters from the start, meaning that I didn't empathize or care about any of them. This was a fast read, which is a plus, but I won't remember it in a month.

[Francis M. Prensa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book HAD me, with the blended family, the mother Jessica coming from an abusive past, and then finally finding her a new man who will give her the life she always wanted for her and her daughter, Ted and his son Craig. The secrets between everyone in this book was so INTENSE, yeap I loved all of that, but then the book started to fall short after seeing how oblivious Jessica was to think that her daughter was an angel, and only caring for her well being and no one else’s, that got SOO annoying. There was so much going on, that I felt like the characters had to turn from being sweet people to sounding like creepy-thriller like characters, that was so damn spooky. I would say give this book a chance, a lot things did take me by surprise, but the ending could’ve been a little better.

[Andee · Rating 1 out of 5]

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not for me. The characters all spoke like caricatures of thriller characters- as if someone was just kidding the whole time. The story wasn't interesting, and, I felt like I had figure it out by 25% in. I went ahead and checked the ending and...I did. I was really hoping for a fun weekend read, and this just missed the mark.

[Morgen · Rating 1 out of 5]

So so bad

[Cassie’s Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

To say Jessica’s life has been difficult would be an understatement, finally happy she feels like she’s getting her happily ever after, with her new husband Ted and his teenage son Craig they are a blended family since Jessica also has a teenage daughter Emma. Jessica’s balancing working at the bank and being a mom. Until one night after falling asleep on the couch and Ted working late, they discover that Emma and Craig snuck out, the kids finally arrive back at home at 3am. The next morning it’s uncovered that the son from a well known family was found shot in the woods, when the police arrive at her door, Jessica is shocked when the police inform her that Craig has had some bullying issues with the murdered boy ,and ask where they were last night. Ted lies and says they were all home. Why would Ted lie? Soon her husband begins to act strange, the kids stories on where they were last night don’t add up and they are acting secretive. Was her family involved? Jessica soon discovers her husband wasn’t really working late so where was he?In the midst of the murder investigation a private investigator shows up and begins to ask Jessica about her past. Jessica soon finds the life she worked so hard to get crumbling around her. Wow so many secrets everyone in the story had something to hide and the ending shocked me. This was more of a domestic mystery not so much a thriller but I enjoyed it! Four stars!

[Jen (The Jenerator) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not what I expected at all! Crazy all the way through especially the ending! Definitely an edge of your seat read!

[David Dunlap · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is the cliche about train wrecks? They are horrible, but there is something in human nature that finds it difficult to look away from them. -- The blended Thornton/Donovan family is something of a human train wreck. This is Jessica's second marriage. Her first husband Bobby died in a one-car crash involving a deer; the postmortem revealed an elevated alcohol level. Jessica, who works at a local bank, lives for her daughter, Emma, a gifted track star at her school. She married her second husband Ted Donovan (a divorce with a son, Craig, who is a bit older than Emma and rather nerdy), a prosperous real estate agent (or at least Jessica thought so when she married him). But nothing about ANY of them is as it seems -- and the family secrets start popping out all over when the popular captain of the wrestling team (a scion of the family that centuries before had founded the town) is found shot to death. Was Bobby's death an accident? (His sister doesn't seem to think so and has hired a private detective to look into it.) Where was Ted on the night of Sam Warner's murder? (Not with his business partner, as he tells his wife, and certain not at home with Jessica, as he tells the police.) And where were Craig and Emma when their parents went looking for them that same night? More and more lies and cover-ups are revealed, to the point that the reader is not really sure who to believe. All comes out in the end, with something of a chilling twist. -- Frankly, while I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next (that train wreck!), I did not like the characters. They are vividly drawn and the situations are realistic-- they are simply unsympathetic. If it is important to you as a reader that the characters of your novel be likeable, you will probably want to give this a pass. As for the rest of us, keep your eyes on the train wreck -- it's a rather gruesome ride!

[blondethrillerbooklover · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Jessica’s life has been difficult. She finally feels like she has found her happily ever after with her new husband Ted. She is so thankful for her blended family- Ted has a son, Jessica has a daughter.
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The son of a prominent family in town is found murdered. When the police begin investigating, Jessica realizes that the whereabouts of her daughter and stepson at the time of the murder is suspicious. They are being secretive and Jessica is terrified that they were somehow involved.
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Her husband starts acting strange... The kids’ stories aren’t adding up....The police come to her house to question them...
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In the midst of all of this turmoil, a private investigator shows up, asking Jessica questions about her past.
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Jessica is panicked at the thought of losing her new life....
_______________________________
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This was a pretty good story, although it did drag a bit. It’s more of a domestic drama/ suburban

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jessica and Ted are married but each is more loyal to their child than to each other. When a popular high school wrestler is found dead the family is questioned about their whereabouts and lies are told in order to keep secrets. But is on of them keeping a deadly secret? What would a parent do to protect their child?

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an arc for my honest review

[Wayward Readers Book Blog · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mediocre suspense novel that played into multiple stereotypes of the genre. Characterization was severely underdeveloped, the writing was cast, and the trope was familiar with a plot that played out as any avid reader of the genre would expect. Perhaps this narrative may be a better fit to those new to the genre. 2 stars.

Thank you to #NetGalley for #GrantingMyWish. This ARC was read and reviewed voluntarily by Wayward Readers Book Blog.

[Shkolnikjx · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible story of lies and murder in suburbia kept me absolutely enthralled. The depiction of the characters in this high-school driven world was so precise and believable that it kept me turning the pages. Highly recommended!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

You Will Never Know (S. A. Prentiss) starts off as one mystery but quickly brings past events to the forefront. Lots of twists and surprises. Excellent read and difficult to put down. I want to thank NetGalley and Penzler for an early copy to review.

[Carol Ann Tack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Until the very last page, I had no idea what was going to happen. It worked for me!

[Amie Billington johnson · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. Gross, with unlikeable characters. Like "Gone Girl" but with worse writing. I am curious how the story ends, but as the title warned...

[Anika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could have SWORN I read another book by this author but I looked and if I did, I didn’t write it down or review it.

this book follows Jessica, a woman living in the suburbs of Boston, with her husband Ted, stepson Craig, and daughter Emma. She has a shady
past, her last husband (Emma’s father) died while drunk driving (allegedly) and there are a lot of mysterious circumstances surrounding Jessica and Emma’s life before Ted and Craig.

Awnyway, now her life is idyllic, and she is devoted to Emma (almost to a fault.) everything changes when a student in Craig and Emma’s school gets murdered. The summary of this book makes it seem like Ted and Emma and Craig are the ones
keeping their whereabouts a secret on the night of his murder, but in reality, it’s Jessica keeping secrets. Details of her past life come to light and show that she is not at all the person she is introduced to be.

My complaint with this book his the way that the circumstances of her first husband’s death are brought up, and it’s very compelling, but it literally doesn’t go anywhere. I guess is that those details are used to paint us a better picture of Jessica, but it’s a whole subplot that doesn’t go anywhere.

Anyway, I read the whole book in pretty much one sitting, it was difficult to put down. I cant say I saw the plot twists coming but I couldn’t if I tried, because the details are half painted until the twists are revealed. Overall it was a great read. I am a sucker for books set in a picturesque suburban town, crawling with terrible people and terrible secrets.

Overall 8/10

[Bri Childs · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! A seemingly simple small town murder mystery that oozes with secrets and unlikable, ticking-time-bomb-characters.

My first reaction in the beginning of this read was that the setting and the characters seemed a bit dry BUT I soon found that that was the author’s ultimate trick! Jessica is an excessively proud and defensive mother of a teenage track star daughter, and they’re settling into their new life as a blended family with Ted and his nerdy son. The story starts with the two teenagers suspiciously sneaking out and threatening each other endlessly to cover up where they really were. Then the town’s star athlete winds up dead in the woods and bit by bit we see dark secrets unravel from Jessica, Ted and the kids. I predicted the ending but appreciated all the tiny little details scattered throughout that all made sense at the close.

I loved the ride this book took me on, but I was not a fan of the characters. I felt a bit sorry and a lot disgusted at the pathetic men and the women were frustrating and very unlikable - but I think this was all intentional for the author. Overall, a fun twist of a suspense read as long as unlikable characters don’t turn you off!

Thanks to Scarlet Suspense for the review copy!

[Amy | amysbooknook8 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars! This book was very gripping at times but also a bit confusing haha 😆

This story is about Jessica and her teenage daughter Emma. Jessica is widowed after her first husband died when he was drunk driving. After some time, she remarries Ted, and her and Emma move in with Ted and his son, Craig. It’s one big happy family until one evening, Emma and Craig are missing. The very next day, a student from their school is shot dead. What happened that night and what does it have to do with Emma and Craig disappearing that same evening?

This was an easy read and I overall really enjoyed the storyline. It was interesting and gauged my interest throughout the book. You are given bits and pieces as the book unfolds and about halfway through, I had a pretty solid idea what happened. I gave it 3 stars because there were some sentences I had to re-read because it made no sense, the ending was predictable, and the actions among the characters were flat dumb. Some bits had me thinking I was reading an ARC... 😅

Overall, was interesting but predictable. I’d recommend for a fast and engaging read!

[Francis M. Prensa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

This book HAD me, with the blended family, the mother Jessica coming from an abusive past, and then finally finding her a new man who will give her the life she always wanted for her and her daughter, Ted and his son Craig. The secrets between everyone in this book was so INTENSE, yeap I loved all of that, but then the book started to fall short after seeing how oblivious Jessica was to think that her daughter was an angel, and only caring for her well being and no one else’s, that got SOO annoying. There was so much going on, that I felt like the characters had to turn from being sweet people to sounding like creepy-thriller like characters, that was so damn spooky. I would say give this book a chance, a lot things did take me by surprise, but the ending could’ve been a little better.

[Sejla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this book. The synopsis was really intriguing but as this is a new author for me, I didn’t want to have any expectations. I liked the plot and thought it was original and mysterious. The characters however, were not. They were a bit bland and without dynamic except for the main character Jessica. I was not expecting her to be the way she was and the things she had done. This book also misleads you. You assume a certain sequence of events but it’s actually not. I’m not sure how I feel about all the revelations and twists but one thing is for sure: I do wish Jessica had gotten a different ending. Overall, this was a fast paced read that does keep you guessing but it did miss the mark for me.

Thank you to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for this arc!

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was on the edge of my seat reading this book in one sitting. I could not put it down. I had to know what happened. Prentice wrote a deliciously chilling, riveting, and sinister tale. A tale of deception, murder, lies, schemes, and loyalty. As each chapter passes a reader will think they have a grasp on who is the one lying. Only to turn another page and discover another lie and cover up, from a different angle. The author has great plotting, skilled story telling, and talent for keeping a reader engaged. The only character I liked was the defense attorney, all the other main characters are despicable. But I was compelled to keep reading. I love a book that keeps me mesmerized. And hanging at the end. Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishing for the advance read.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

How far will you go to protect your daughter? How far will you go to protect yourself?

That concept is deeply explored in “You Will Never Know” as our main character Jessica navigates the news of a local high schoolers, Sam Warner’s, murder we find that she is more than just a housewife and bank teller. As heat begins to come down on her family she starts to unravel. The twists and turns kept me constantly rethinking who could be responsible for the murder of Sam. I truly thought I had predicted the ending as I was getting to the final pages but damn I was wrong !

I gave this a 4/5 since it was a captivating read but didn’t crack my “Top Thriller List”. However I did not start that list till this year so give it a read and let me know what you think!

[Larry Fontenot · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an entertaining book with no pretentions but a good plot and a great character. Psycopaths are always interesting and Jessica Thornton is a highly resourceful representative of the species. I enjoyed the twist of the plot, but the author really doesn't care to hide where we're going, and that's fine with me. The descriptions of her family are strong and lend themselves to the supporting roles they must play. I will admit that the faulty forensic evidence that the plot hinges on strikes me as a bit shoddy and the mark of a writer who really only cares about the shock. But, hey, that's why we have books like this. Again, I really enjoyed the character of Jessica and the real irony is that her precious daughter Emma will be just like her. And Jessica will love her for it!

[Candida · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great book. I've never heard of this book before I just ran into it and thought it looked good strictly by it's cover. I can't find any other books by this author and there aren't very many reviews but I've gotta say this author nailed the domestic thriller.
This helicopter mom is suddenly startled awake by her husband who says their kids are gone in the middle of the night. They are a blended family and their kids aren't that close so it is unbelievable that they would sneak out together. The parents are scared out of their minds but the kids come back 3 in the morning and confess to sneaking out to participate in a scavenger hunt.
As scary as this scenario is...this is just the beginning. How far would you go to protect your kids?

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things are just a little shaky in Jessica's world. She's hopeful that her blended family- her daughter Emma and her new husband Ted's son Craig- will succeed. She's balancing work and school and family. Then, Sam, a classmate of the kids, is found shot in the forest. Who did it? Readers of the genre know that some old secrets will come out as the investigation heats up. You also know that Jessica might be an unreliable narrator. The plot line here isn't unique but the characters (once you get past the beginning which is slow) will draw you in. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. No spoilers from me.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You Will Never Know, by S.A. Prentiss, is a standalone novel.

It has been several years since I read this book, so I do not remember it perfectly. From what I remember, this was a rather chilling psychological thriller about the lengths a woman will go to to protect herself and her daughter from enemies real (often created by their own actions) and perceived. Honestly, all of the characters came off as somewhat unlikeable and immoral. This isn't really the kind of book I usually go for, but, if this is the kind of book you're looking for, this would be a good choice.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Kim McGee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Blended families can be difficult as one set of parents/stepparents discover after one of the teen's classmates is murdered. Jessica will do anything to keep her daughter's rise to track glory on the right path. Ted wants the best for his son. Stepbrother and stepsister can't stand each other but find themselves in an uneasy alliance. One murder will uncover too many secrets that no one was ready to reveal. A twisty plot with really unreliable witnesses and alibis with more holes than swiss cheese. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessica Thornton and Ted Donovan are married, each for the second time. Jessica was a widow and Ted was divorced when they met. Their two children, Emma ( Jessica's) and Craig (Ted's) are the same age and tolerate each other. When Sam Warner, the star of the high school wrestling team murdered, the police have suspect Ted, who lied about his whereabouts the night of the murder. With Emma, who is not as perfect as her mother suspects and Craig, lying about their whereabouts as well, things are complicated. Jessica is also not exactly who she seems to be. Suspenseful and well done.