January 2024 Standalone BOTM - No One Can Know, by Kate Alice Marshall

[Alaina]

The author of What Lies in the Woods returns with a novel about three sisters, two murders, and too many secrets to count.

Emma hasn't told her husband much about her past. He knows her parents are dead and she hasn't spoken to her sisters in years. Then they lose their apartment, her husband gets laid off, and Emma discovers she's pregnant―right as the bank account slips into the red.

That's when Emma confesses that she has one more asset: her parents' house, which she owns jointly with her estranged sisters. They can't sell it, but they can live in it. But returning home means that Emma is forced to reveal her secrets to her husband: that the house is not a run-down farmhouse but a stately mansion, and that her parents died there.

Were murdered.

And that some people say Emma did it.

Emma and her sisters have never spoken about what really happened that night. Now, her return to the house may lure her sisters back, but it will also crack open family and small-town secrets lots of people don’t want revealed. As Emma struggles to reconnect with her old family and hold together her new one, she begins to realize that the things they have left unspoken all these years have put them in danger again.

**This BOTM thread will be open until February 5th @ Midnight (in your time zone)**

[Haley]

Telling myself I'll get to this one sometime this month :)

[Tiffany]

I have it in this months rotation too!!

[zizi]

This sounds great! Who else is reading it?

[Alaina]

I'm hoping to start it this weekend!

[Alaina]

Prologue: (view spoiler)[okay, but who killed them? I have questions! (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 1-10: (view spoiler)[I wonder who would try to burn the house down? Could it be Juliette? Gabriel? Or like she said... a random kid? I have so many questions. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 11-20: (view spoiler)[Ugh, I really don't like her parents. I'm also not a fan of her mom being okay with her dad cheating? Like why? What's the point? The cushy lifestyle - blegh.

Also, is Daphne saying that Nathan is cheating on Emma? Because honestly, that would track with how annoyingly psychotic he's been acting lately. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 21-30: (view spoiler)[Is it weird to say that I'm not sad Nathan is dead? Also, what the hell was this family into? There are so many secrets to keep track of. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 31-40: (view spoiler)[Secretly hoping it's a corrupted cop that killed her parents and Nathan. Which is definitely odd to say. Also, fuck you, Nathan. Cheating asshole who was still screwing around and wanting to take the money in the end. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 41-50: (view spoiler)[I HAD A FEELING IT WAS GOING TO BE A COP. (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Ch 51-Finish: (view spoiler)[Wow. I didn't see it being Daphne killing their dad one freaking bit. Nathan - sure. Wow. Just wow. (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack]

To 18%: I am enjoying the set-up. I'm unsure whether or not (view spoiler)[I actually like Emma's boyfriend or not. He sort of seems like a jealous, judgemental twat, but I guess we'll see. Also, I'm surprised that Emma's sisters have completely blacked her out. They must have actually really suspected that she killed her parents. (hide spoiler)]

I am listening to the audiobook, which is narrated by one of my all-time faves, Karissa Vacker!

[Alaina]

megs_bookrack wrote: "To 18%: I am enjoying the set-up. I'm unsure whether or not [spoilers removed]

I am listening to the audiobook, which is narrated by one of my all-time faves, Karissa Vacker!"

LOL I didn't like him one bit

[megs_bookrack]

Alaina wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "To 18%: I am enjoying the set-up. I'm unsure whether or not [spoilers removed]

I am listening to the audiobook, which is narrated by one of my all-time faves, Karissa Vacker!..."I'm at 27% now and that opinion has only been solidified! LOL

[megs_bookrack]

At 27%: (view spoiler)[Interesting timing for Juliette to show up, now going as J.J., directly after the flaming dog poo incident. Also, interesting to note neither she or Emma were home that night, at least not in the way they reported to the police. It seems Juliette has no emotions. What's going on with her? Sociopath, possibly? (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

megs_bookrack wrote: "At 27%: [spoilers removed]"

The sisters are something else but also the parents were something else too lol

[megs_bookrack]

Alaina wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "At 27%: [spoilers removed]"

The sisters are something else but also the parents were something else too lol"OMG, I can't believe (view spoiler)[the abuse they suffered. I just got to 60%. Both parents were monsters! It's surprising they actually turned out as well as they did...Daphne is the creepiest to me... (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack]

At 60%: (view spoiler)[How convenient for Gabe to show up like a knight in shining armor after Nathan gets taken out... (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

megs_bookrack wrote: "Alaina wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "At 27%: [spoilers removed]"

The sisters are something else but also the parents were something else too lol"OMG, I can't believe [spoilers removed]"

YES! (view spoiler)[It was crazy how they were treated and yes Daphne is definitely the creepy one lol (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Prologue: [spoilers removed]"

I liked the prologue! I had the same question, kind of obvious that I would. lol

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20: Ugh, I really don't like her parents. I'm also not a fan of her mom being okay with her dad cheating? Like why? What's the point? The cushy lifestyle - blegh.

Also, is Daphne saying tha..."

(view spoiler)[I agree! I thought the parents were awful, especially her mom in the way she treated the girls. I mean, they were both abusive but I always feel like a mother has (should have) a mother's heart, so I feel it's even worse. Her dad being a cheater...ugh! One time is enough and I'd be out! (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 31-40: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[LOL So, you hate cheaters? lol So do I! Nathan was a cheat and why? He was no good from the get-go but I was surprised who killed him. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 41-50: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[It's always the cop or teacher. lol BUT we still have the end for the full story. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Ch 51-Finish: [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[That was the twist that changed my 4 star to a 5! I least expected her, being the youngest and all. I loved the ending. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

megs_bookrack wrote: "Alaina wrote: "megs_bookrack wrote: "At 27%: [spoilers removed]"

The sisters are something else but also the parents were something else too lol"OMG, I can't believe [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[your instincts regarding Daphne were right. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki]

Comment can have spoilers for any portion of the book, so if you haven't finished it, I'd wait to read them.

(view spoiler)[I like how the sisters were able to reconnect and I assume most anyone reading this would know that with the girls saying, "no one can know" they obviously all knew something. I liked how the title was tied in. Funny how easily manipulated they could be. With Daphne sneaking around like she did, I wonder if she had alternative motives, but (I guess) because she was the youngest I never suspected her as the killer. When the cop was implicated, at first I thought it was him and just him until I saw how many pages were left to read and then I figured there was more to the story. lol This one was so good! (hide spoiler)]

[megs_bookrack]

at 90% -- wow, things are speeding along now! Once the pieces start falling into place, it goes crazy fast. I'm looking forward to finishing this one up in the morning!

[Vicki]

Hope you’re liking it!

[Alaina]

Vicki wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 11-20:..."

EXACTLY! After the first time?!?! Byeeee!

[Alaina]

Vicki wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 31-40: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

LOL yeah, I was kind of angry in that post.

[Alaina]

Vicki wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 41-50: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

hahah that's true but honestly, I wasn't surprised with that reveal. The other reveal??!? YES

[Alaina]

Vicki wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 51-Finish: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Purely bias here (view spoiler)[since I'm the youngest in my family (hide spoiler)] but SAME

[megs_bookrack]

Finished! I really enjoyed this. The tone, pace, etc., felt very similar to What Lies in the Woods. I haven't decided on a star rating yet, but somewhere in the 4 to 4.5-range.

[megs_bookrack]

Vicki wrote: "Comment can have spoilers for any portion of the book, so if you haven't finished it, I'd wait to read them.

[spoilers removed]"I loved how they reconnected too. So good!

[Vicki]

Alaina wrote: "Vicki wrote: "Alaina wrote: "Ch 51-Finish: [spoilers removed]"

[spoilers removed]"

Purely bias here [spoilers removed] but SAME"

LOL (view spoiler)[I'm the baby, too. :) (hide spoiler)]

[Alaina]

Today is the LAST day to add comments/get points for this BOTM!