Thank you to the author, publisher, narrator and Net Galley for providing a free audio version of this book in exchange for my review.

This was my first book by Rijks, though I've seen her name around as a good thriller/suspense author, so I thought I'd take a chance with this title. At the time, I was surprised by the low ratings. Now that I've finished it, I understand them a bit more.

Narration for the audio book by Ella Lynch was well done, Lynch had nice voce to listen to and was enjoyable to listen to.

The writing style wasn't necessarily bad, but the main character, Stephanie, is so annoying and just so clueless. I was really shocked when I heard this was supposed to be a woman in her 30's, as she sounded more like a clueless, pampered 20 year old. She is so trusting, so gullible, and spends more than half the book reminding herself that her husband is wonderful and loves her and their kids, etc ... But he's obviously a very controlling man. The whole thing with wanting a big family was pretty creepy, too, given that he was one of her college professors, and is more than 10 years older than her.

The marketing and blurbs all promise twists and turns, but what was supposed to be a twist was seen so far ahead and was so disappointing, I just felt cheated. And the book felt overly long. Half of the book could easily have been cut with no loss, and the whole story line about her being pregnant seemed really unnecessary. IT didn't add to the story at all, and we just had to hear her constant complaints all the way through. I suppose it was a nice touch for the wholly unbelievable ending, but it served no real purpose. And the ending - Ugh. Really? A fairy tale ending on top of all else just added to my disappointment.

I might consider another of this author's books in the future, but I'll be careful to read the reviews closer before I spend my time on them. I really hate to give ARC's such low ratings, but I have to be honest. This is a 1 star book for me for "I didn't like it". I really can't even go for 2 stars for 'I liked it."

My thanks to Net Galley and Dreamscape Media for this audio.to review.

9 years ago, Stephanie s room mate Allison went missing and presumed dead. Now married to her former tutor Olive and expecting her 3rd child. Stephanie is contacted by a researcher that brings up the cold case again and rehashes all the bad memories and obsession Stephanie still carries. .Many secrets are discovered that Stephanie does not want to face.

Liked narrator ,quick read but silly ending. Just a so so for me.

The "queen" of signature jaw-dropping plot twists, author Miranda Rijks is back with another multi-layered, gripping psychological thriller that will keep you glued to the pages.

"I raced through the (audio and e-book) of WHAT SHE KNEW, wholly absorbed in the mystery and intrigue of the story as it kept me guessing. I found it compelling, dark, twisty, and a definite must-read/listen!"

WHAT SHE KNEW could be deadly from murder, lies, greed, and betrayal with an intriguing connection to the mysterious art world. The secrets will not stay buried when opening the door to a nine-year-old murder case. Anyone who gets close will be collateral damage. How far will they go to protect their secrets?

Present Day: Stephanie is married to Oliver, her old professor, and former tutor while studying art history at a London university. They are married with two children (Sam and Bea), and Stephanie is a stay-at-home mom attending law school. She desires to be a solicitor (attorney) specializing in personal injury. She is driven by justice due to her past. However, the timing is not right, but she will not give up on her dream. She thinks she might be pregnant again and is not pleased since this will further delay her law studies.

Past: Nine years ago Alison was her flatmate when attending university, and they were close. However, she went missing, and the body was never found. They pinned the murder on Josh, her boyfriend, who is currently serving time in prison. She does not think Josh is guilty. What happened to Alison? She is haunted to this day.

But when David Green, claiming to be a TV researcher working on a true crime series about Alison, wants to interview her about the case—Stephanie is forced to confront the past and help in any way she can, even though Oliver wants her to stay out of it as well as her friends.

Oliver (husband) is a full professor in the History of Art department. He enjoys academia and his hobby, art curation, with William. Oliver and Stephanie are friends with William and Naomi De Villeneuve, who live in a village in Oxshott. They are wealthy, live in a vast mansion, and are well connected in the global art world. (collecting and antiquities)

Then Stephanie receives threats about digging up the past. "I know what you did." What did she do? She is determined to meet David and visit Josh in jail without telling her husband. But the more she digs, the closer she is to danger.

When odd things start showing up in the home safe, and Oliver is acting weird, and new information surfaces from David that Oliver and Allison might have been connected in the past, she fears for her life? How well does she know her husband and friends?

Miranda expertly unravels the layers of mystery and deceit at the heart of this chilling thriller. What begins with a missing woman, with each discovery, taking a sharp look at the people we think we know. Packed with tension and twists, a gripping, haunting story kept me guessing until the satisfying conclusion.

As I have mentioned previously, I recently discovered this author and currently reading everything I can get my hands on between my new books. Love her style - she delivers compelling, fully drawn characters. Check out some of her backlist that is now in audiobook format. I highly recommend her latest book (7/24) The Insomniac.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ella Lynch for an engaging performance. Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia and #NetGalley for an ALC to listen to, enjoy, and review.

I also purchased the e-book and enjoyed the LETTER FROM THE AUTHOR regarding her family's lost/discovery art restored to its rightful owners from back in the 1920s being stored at a European museum.

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@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pub Date: July 21, 2022
July 2022 Must-Read Books

⭐️ARC AUDIO REVIEW⭐️ - What She Knew
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release: TODAY!

*Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

First off, the narrator was fantastic. I absolutely loved her voice. She could read me my grocery list.

Second, this book was well written with no extra fluff. Just how I like it! The ending gets a little bit silly in my opinion, but I was overall pleased listening to it! It kept me engaged the whole time!

#DreamscapeMedia #WhatSheKnew #NetGalley #MirandaRijks
This is a review of an audio ARC of What She Knew. The story was an enjoyable listen, gradually piquing the listener's interest. Ella Lynch, the narrator, did a great job. It is the story of Stephanie, a young mother of two, married to her handsome tutor from college. We get drawn into the story of her roommate Alison, who mysteriously disappears one day and has not been seen since. When an investigative writer shows up asking about Alison, Stephanie relives her college days, remembering the events surrounding the disappearance and its aftermath. The story line is gripping. She starts questioning the people closest to her until she gets to the truth at great risk to herself. I liked it very much.

This one starts out promising. Stephanie is a wife and mother struggling with the emotional effects of her college roommate vanishing several years earlier. The story loses steam in the middle as Stephanie receives threatening messages, and ends in fairytale land. It is a quick read.

This was so so for me. I didn’t find it to be as much of a thriller as I expected or as the description claimed it to be.
Narrator did a decent job.
This one just wasn’t for me though.

This book grabs your attention in the beginning with a likeable FMC whose roommate is murdered. She spends her life plagued by the not knowing what happened. All will be revealed but at what cost?

What She Knew
by Miranda Rijks
⭐⭐⭐⭐🌑

[Blurb] Nine years ago, Stephanie’s best friend vanished. Now she’s back to haunt her.

[Review] So I've mentioned this in my reviews before, but, I have a book review notebook. I jot down ideas, themes, guesses, etc. This is the first book in a while that I filled my page dedicated to this book. Lots of “oh shit”, “No way!”, “Okay, I see you…”, “but why?”

I was totally and completely engrossed in this book. That start. That first 1% of the book. Good Lord.

**Also, I need to note here there should be a Trigger Warning in this book. And if they don't add it, I'll say it. There is a scene where the Husband coerced his wife into sex. Even though she said no several times. Sexual assault is still assault even if it's your husband/Wife, and No means No even if it's your husband/Wife.**

This book is full of twists and turns, and you think you know who did it and why. You think you know how it will end. You're wrong. I was wrong. You think it's an easy who done it. But it's so much more.

Highly recommend. One of my favorite thrillers I've read recently!

Thank you Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for the ARC of this audiobook.
Thank you to Miranda Rijks for creating such a gripping tale.
Thank you to Ella Lynch for giving voice to these characters even when I kind of wanted to shake them.

So many twists with not much to back it up. Stephanie was a college student studying law when her flat mate goes missing. No body but her boyfriend is tried for her murder. Stephanie is traumatized so bad she cannot go to class but finds Allison's thesis and uses it as her own. Eh... She also has a thing going with one of her teachers but since she is not really a student any longer it is okay but then ends up pregnant and they immediately get married. Now, present time, 10 years later, Stephanie finds out she is pregnant again, she already has 2 children and is not really happy to have another, has been studying and going to classes behind her husband's back trying to get her law degree. A reporter wants to do a story about the missing student who has never been found. Again, so many twists and so many secrets. Too many secrets and the way they are uncovered...this one left me shaking my head...

This was my first book from this author. I honestly didn't vibe with the writing style I don't think. The thriller aspect wasn't very prominent to me. I will pick up more from this author.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved Stephanie and how she handled (most) everything she went through. There are times where it is predictable and times where what was happening was an absolute shock, but the story flowed beautifully. Even when it was predictable, the writing was so captivating that you didn't mind.

I liked Ella Lynch's voice for this novel. My biggest complaint (and the most distracting thing) is that she takes such loud, big breaths, sometimes in the middle of sentences. I may just be extra sensitive to this.

I can't wait to read another Miranda Rijks novel!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC.

I love cold cases that get solved. Unfortunately, that’s all I really liked about this story. The premise was so interesting and there was a lot of room for a great thriller. The problem is Stephanie, the main character; she’s annoying and so naïve that it really ruins the story. Her gullibility was astounding and frustrating. There were some twists and turns, all pretty obvious, with one at the end that just seemed so out of the blue that didn’t even seem plausible. The story started out strong but then started to drag and never quite hit its stride. This just wasn’t for me.

4/5 stars

Thank you Dreamscape Media for the advanced listening copy for review!

Stephanie's life has been stable and happy for the last few years-- married to Oliver and raising their lovely kids. Prior to that, however, she experienced the vanishing of her flatmate, Alison, with no real answers as to her disappearance. When a true crime documentary researcher turns up looking for answers, Stephanie is forced to revisit this traumatic experience and question everything she has thought to be true in the last nine years.

This book was a pleasant surprise for me. At the start, I wasn't certain how it would turn out but what a wild and twisty ride! The narrator was easy to listen to and follow. The story was fast-paced, well thought out, and enjoyable. I really couldn't figure out what was going to happen in the end and I felt satisfied with the ending, which is rarely the case. I'm definitely eager to pick up another of Miranda Rijks' books SOON!

Miranda Rijks writes enjoyable books. Well, enjoyable if you like suspense, psychological thrills, backstabbing, betrayal and reading about characters who, hopefully, live lives nothing like yours. What She Knew is her latest novel about a long time missing college student and her flatmate who has gone on to create a happy life with her former professor and some kids.

Stephanie, stay-at-home mom to two and wife to slightly controlling Oliver is contacted by a documentary researcher trying to solve the case of the missing college roommate. Having had to deal with trauma following the disappearance, reliving this event is hard for her and Oliver wants her to stop cooperating. I swear to you, at various times, I pegged each character as having been involved. There are a couple plot twists, but basically What She Knew is a quick beach read that won’t require a ton of effort and will fill an afternoon with some good storytelling.

I listened to the audio arc and absolutely LOVED narrator Ella Lynch. I have not listened to her work prior to this, but would be glad to listen to more of her work. She has a delightful voice and brought the characters to life.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Miranda Rijks does a great job describing her characters and the book’s settings. As you read the book, the suspense builds and you can feel the psychological stress that the main character, Stephanie, is feeling. Stephanie has battled many emotions since her college roommate has gone missing, from guilt to joy when she falls in love with a former teacher. Years after Alison, Stephanie’s roommate, has disappeared, Stephanie has to face everything all over again when a true crime reporter contacts her to try see if he can find any other clues on what really happened to Alison and whether the person that the police arrested really was responsible for her disappearance or not. As the reporter dives deeper into Alison’s relationships and Stephanie reconnects with former friends, she starts to worry about who she herself trusts and who may know more than they have told her or the police.

I received an ARC of this audiobook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
What She Knew was fast paced with just enough twists and turns to keep me guessing. I enjoyed Stephanie’s point of view and her need to know what happened to her college roommate many years before. The narrator does well executing this story. 4/5 for me!

What She Knew by Miranda Rijks

A fun, fast-paced story! Thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for an advanced audiobook approval!

Nine years ago, Stephanie's roommate Allison disappeared. Now, a true crime reporter has shown up on Stephanie's doorstep asking questions about this near decade-old case. Dual timelines go back and forth from Allison and Stephanie's time at college, to the present day investigation, until the ultimate reveal of what happened to Allison.

I did kind of feel like this story has been done before. Though there was definitely an unexpected twist involved, for the most part I felt like I knew where this was going. Overall, I still did enjoy the read and it was an easy listen!
3.5/5⭐

Ugh this MC. The amount of times she informs us (or really herself) about how great of a husband she has when he is literally 100 red flags disguised as a hot guy is too much for me. My eyes rolled so far back I saw my brain - and it was cowering from her naivety. She actually makes a list of all the reasons she shouldn’t trust him - and they’re good reasons - and then says “none of those are any reason not to trust him”…seriously. This book could have been wrapped up in a short story if she got her head out of her nether regions and trusted her own instincts instead of the nonsense her husband spews at her.

If there was a different main character I think I would have loved this. It’s a good murder mystery type story. It felt like reigniting a cold case even though the case was solved - but was it? Such a great story idea! The worst part was dealing with our dummy of a MC.

Sometimes the main character really ruins a book. ⭐️⭐️

What She Knew is a fast paced audiobook that keeps you on your toes. While I did guess part of the big twist, this book still kept my attention and the ending was satisfying. If you read “The It Girl” by Ruth Ware and loved it, then this book has similar vibes and you should enjoy this read as well.

Thank you @netgalley and @dreamscape_media for allowing me to listen to this audiobook ahead of publication in exchange for my honest review.