Thriller
No One Knows
by J.T. Ellison
Quick take
I find nothing to be more satisfying than an edge-of-my-seat thriller. No One Knows had me practically levitating over my chair as I raced through it.
Why I love it
Liberty Hardy
BOTM Judge
Imagine for a moment you've been charged with a crime you didn't commit. Now imagine that the crime you're charged with may not have even taken place. That's the predicament Aubrey Hamilton finds herself in, in J. T. Ellison's supremely satisfying mystery No One Knows.
Aubrey Hamilton seemed destined to be with her husband, Josh. Childhood sweethearts, they were living an idyllic married life in a sleepy Tennessee town, with great jobs and a happy, companionable Weimaraner named Winston. Until the day Josh disappears. Five years after Josh's disappearance, Aubrey's monster of a mother-in-law, Daisy, has had Josh legally declared dead. Daisy has always thought that Josh was too good for Aubrey, and after he went missing, she was sure Aubrey was responsible. She plans to fight Aubrey for Josh's life insurance money but Aubrey couldn't care less about the money – she just wants Josh back.
Told in alternating voices that switch back and forth between the past and present day, this electrifying novel's magnificent line up of characters constantly keeps you on your toes. It is nearly impossible to know who is telling the truth and every time I thought I had worked out what was going on, Ellison turned the tables again. It's deliciously fun!
Ellison should be applauded for pulling off this wonderful story in a time when we've come to expect every mystery to have a big twist or two. I find nothing to be more satisfying than an edge-of-my-seat thriller. They are few and far between, but No One Knows had me practically levitating over my chair as I raced through it. I was guessing the ending right up until the last page! Spoiler: I never figured it out. And as soon as you finish, you'll be turning back to page one to see just how it was done.