A good mystery/thriller. I kept thinking I had it figured out then would second guess myself! A recommended read!

Kate Alice Marshall returns with her second adult thriller No One Can Know, a new murder mystery in which nothing is as it seems, nobody can be trusted and the twists keep coming until the final page. While the murder of our protagonist Emma’s parents took place 14 years in the past, the lingering effects of that traumatic night still haunt her and when dire circumstances force her to return home to the small town where everyone is convinced she committed those murders, long-held secrets will emerge with deadly consequences.

The story heavily favours Emma’s second-person perspective with chapters darting back and forth in time between ‘Then’ and ‘Now’, however her sisters Daphne and Juliette also have some chapters dedicated to their perspective in the past and present. We know from the start that Emma is innocent and takes charge of covering up the evidence that could link either sister to the murder of the Palmer parents, but the mystery throughout the book is which sister committed the crime or whether there’s the slim possibility of an outsider having killed their parents instead.

As a sixteen year old, Emma was determined to protect both sisters and weathered the intense police investigation as well as the scorn and disdain of the townsfolk, but now that she’s thirty and newly pregnant, her martyrdom is at an end as her baby’s future is her main concern and Emma has no intention of her child growing up with this tainted reputation hanging over their head. With renewed zeal, Emma begins to dig into the past to clear her name and ensure the real killer is brought to justice, but she has no idea of the Pandora’s Box that she is opening and the lengths people will go to in desperation to hide their sins.

As always, the plot is meticulously calculated to bamboozle the reader and lead us astray with red herrings a-plenty, copious motives for murder and no easy way to pinpoint the killer when the more Emma unearths about her parents’ lives, the more potential suspects stand out. Thriller aficionados may potentially be able to pick out the killer early on, but the twisty winding journey that Emma takes is sure to stump most readers and keep people changing their minds from one chapter to the next. This author excels at breathing life into her characters and fleshing out their backstories to provide them with real depth, believable agendas and complex interpersonal dynamics. The relationship between the estranged sisters is so thorny and layered with love, betrayal and sorrow; watching them navigate their complicated and shadowed history keeps us on tenterhooks, uncertain whether they will ally with each other or face off against one another instead.

This book’s appeal lies in the suspenseful mystery behind the murder of the Palmers and gradual unspooling of character motivations in the past and present timelines, ratcheting up the tension and drama as events spiral out of control the further Emma pries into her family history. What may affect the reader’s enjoyment is whether they require likeable characters to populate the cast; while Emma is the most sympathetic character given her self-sacrifice to save her sisters, she is frustratingly meek and downtrodden as an adult, accepting her husband’s increasingly appalling behaviour without protest. It’s difficult to witness their interactions without wishing to reach into the page and physically slap some sense into the man! Her sisters are survivors who have made difficult choices in their own best interests and it’s hard to root for them when we’re constantly wondering if they committed the murders. There’s a shortage of likeable characters with Gabriel being the only prominent character who is truly decent, but Emma’s childhood friend isn’t the main focus of the story, although his dynamic with her is lovely and endearing.

For a psychological thriller that offers a gripping murder mystery, suspenseful action and a compelling family drama with a focus on the bonds and trials of sisterhood, make sure to pick up No One Can Know.

WOW! This is an excellent thriller that will have you constantly changing your mind on who you think is the murderer. I highly recommend you pick this one up asap!

This is the second book that I have read by Kate Alice Marshall and she does such a great job with writing flawed and imperfect characters. Her characters are psychologically damaged and it shows in their personalities and lives.

No One Can Know is a story about three sisters who are raised in an abusive household. Then their parents are murdered with the middle sister being the ultimate suspect. However, she is innocent, so who murdered her parents? One of her sisters or someone else?!

I really enjoyed this story which is full of secrets, lies, and twists. The middle sister, Emma, is an unreliable narrator and basically still claims her head in the sand because she does not want to know the truth behind the lies she is fed. I highly recommend this book if you love psychological thrillers full of damaged relationships and characters.

Thank you @flatiron_books for allowing me to read this book ahead of publication in exchange for my honest opinion.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

No One Can know is a twisting and suspenseful thriller that will keep you guessing on who the killer really is and how well you know the people closest to you. This story is fairly fast paced and once you get invested, you’ll keep reading until you see the end. It’s a great murder mystery and would recommend to anyone wanting a quick and thrilling read with interesting characters and family secrets.

Multiple POV’s as well as multiple time lines! If that’s not something you enjoy then this isn’t the book for you.

This was my 1st book by this author and definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed her writing still. Thanks to netgalley for the book in exchange for a honest review. I enjoy the now and then chapters and the characters. If you enjoy horror and mystery this book is for you.

I didn’t go into this book with any expectations but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

The story following the three sisters and the murders of their parents was so incredibly twisty and dark. The characters were all unrealiable but not in a bad way. The pacing was really good and I was constantly changing my mind about who did what. I couldn’t put it down.

The only thing that dropped this to 4 stars for me was that I felt like I had a lot of unanswered questions at the end. There seemed to be some loose ends but I guess it made sense because at the end the sisters still seemed to be questioning things.

This author did a brilliant job with this. It can’t be easy creating a plot that’s well laid out when you’re dealing with three women, both past and present.

The details in this were pretty impeccable. So much is presented to you while reading, that your brain doesn’t know what to do with it. Every single character is guilty of something.

Family is also a big theme in this. The fact that the people who raised you and the sisters you grew up with might not know you enough to trust you, and you them. All of the family struggles, abuse, lies, and affairs that lead to inevitable violence.

The ending isn’t rushed at all. I appreciate this so much because I feel like most thrillers these days take their time building up, just to smack you in the face haphazardly with the end.

Overall, I think this book deserves 4 stars. I wasn’t sure in the beginning, but now I can say that I liked this book and would recommend it to others. I can also say that I won’t hesitate to pick up her other books. I'm interested in what else she has to offer!

I don’t usually review the book before I finish reading it but this is a special instance. I’m on chapter 37 and absolutely obsessed with it. My mind is going completely wild and I’m going to need to talk about it when it’s over. I’m speechless! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!!! Well done!!!!

Mystery Thriller told in multiple POVs & dual timelines in which three estranged sisters return to their childhood home and the secrets behind their parents murder.

4/5 stars: Marshall's latest is a stand alone that features three estranged sisters who haven't seen each other since their parents where murdered in their teens and what happens when they return to the childhood home where they were the main suspects of the killings and all the secrets start to unravel; told in multiple POVs and dual timelines. Marshall's mystery balances the suspects, clues and red herrings in such a way that you'll be left pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. Additionally, Marshall's character work is excellent. Each sister is very distinct and incredibly complex character. This book tackles some very tough topics, so take care and check CWs. Overall, a great read.

I received this eARC thanks to Flatiron Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This book had so many mixed reviews but I enjoyed this one because it kept me thinking and guessing. Filled with plot twists and secrets, I was putting the pieces together throughout the story. The characters are well developed, each mysterious and driven by their own motivations. I loved the past and present timelines and that the story shifts between each sister’s perspective, giving the reader various insights and clues.
The ending and reveal felt a bit drawn out and confusing at times but overall, this was another a suspenseful and twisty read by Marshall!

I really enjoyed this one! The storyline kept me guessing. This author is starting to become one of my favorites because I love how she writes the characters in ways that you question all of them up until the very end. Once you think you have something figured out, a twist comes in to make you believe something else is true. I loved the past and present timeline of this book and the dark secrets of a seemingly idyllic family.

My opinion: Would Recommend
Level: Medium High - 4/5⭐️

I discovered Kate Alice Marshall when I first read an ARC of What Lies in the Woods. I absolutely loved it and I have recommended that book to everyone. I was so excited to read this one as well and it did not disappoint.
This book tells the story of three sisters and their traumatic history when their parents were murdered. It has dual timelines, moving from “now” and “then” and weaves between the POVs of the sisters. This one is worth going into blindly and letting Marshall surprise you with her intricately woven storylines and plot twists. No One Can Know is another suspenseful page-turner full of family drama, twists, and a story that keeps you guessing until the very end. Pull up a chair and enjoy the smoke show folks because "No One Can Know" is true magic! 4 Stars!
Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron Books for this advanced copy.

I’d say 2.5-3⭐️The premise was a good one but it felt like there was so much happening without anything happening at all. The characters were not likable at all so I honestly didn’t care how things turned out in the end…and the end felt so underwhelming because so many twists and turns were thrown in along the way to try to throw you off track just for the sake of it, without any real effect to the plot. By like 50-60% in, I just wanted it to be done and know the ending instead of trying to guess with red herrings in every chapter. It was trying too hard to be a shocking thriller and fell way too short.

Deadly family secrets come to light in this domestic suspense featuring 3 estranged sisters whose parents were murdered. This is a twisty psychological suspense with a lot of shady characters with a lot of bad intentions. The gothic setting takes a front seat, giving this an eerily creepy vibe. The answers are provided to readers slowly, making this an intense build-up with a shocking ending. For fans of Megan Miranda and Heather Gudenkauf.

Having really enjoyed Marshall's YA novels I was excited last year to read her adult debut, and I wasn't disappointed, so this year I was excited to read her follow-up. At this point I can basically say that Marshall is an auto-buy author for me, so it should come as no surprise that I also really enjoyed this story. I'm always in awe at how mystery/thriller authors are able to weave so many different threads of a story together into something that (if done correctly) leaves you guessing all the way up until the reveal, and I think that once again Marshall has managed that. With this story she moves back and forth in time (between "now" and a handful of years prior when Emma, Juliette, and Daphne's parents were found murdered) as well as between three POVs (the three sisters) and all in all I think it works well. Personally I would have liked to see more of the other sister's POVs, especially from the current timeline, but by the time the story comes to an end I do see why from a narrative sense that probably wouldn't have worked. I honestly don't want to say too much about this book, because like all good thrillers I think it works best the less you know going into it, so in the end I think I'll just stick to the basics. I enjoyed the story, I enjoyed the characters, and I was surprised by more than one twist, so I think as a whole it did its job well. The romantic subplot seemed somewhat necessary, and it did seem a little strange that all three sisters decided to keep the house their parents were murdered in, but I suppose if they hadn't there wouldn't have been much of a story so I guess I can't really complain there. The cops were also once again rather useless (although in a mystery story like this that's not overly unheard of). I'll happily be recommending this to anyone who comes into my store looking for mystery/thriller recs, and I'll be excited to see what Marshall comes up with for her next story, be in YA or Adult. She's certainly managed to make a fan out of me no matter what she writes.

3.5⭐ 14 years after her parents' murder, Emma Palmer returns to her childhood home, setting off the unraveling of long-kept secrets.

After a strong adult debut with 'What Lies in the Woods' I was really excited to read this one. It didn't quite live up to that book, but still a good read.

'No One Can Know' is more of a slow burn than a twisty thriller, and gave some 'We Have Always Lived in the Castle' vibes. The beginning starts off strong and engaging, slows down a bit in the middle, and picks up again with a satisfying, if not shocking, ending. All of the characters are pretty unlikeable, but especially the murder victims. The story feels less like a whodunnit and more of a reveal of why/what exactly happened. The ending took many turns, but ultimately the reveal wasn't very surprising. Plot aside, Marshall is a great writer and I look forward to reading her future books.

-multiple povs
-family secrets
-small town murder
-lots of twists

CW: child abuse, infidelity, drug use

Thanks to NetGalley, FlatIron Books, and the author for an advance review copy.

I was a big fan of WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS and couldn’t wait to read this one. I enjoy the way Marshall writes her twists - they aren’t so outlandish that they are unbelievable and she does leave bread crumbs for the reader. The sisters' relationship was so interesting and perfectly flawed - it felt very real. This has a strong ending that fits the plot and wraps up loose ends nicely. I switched between the audiobook and ARC and would recommend either - my girl Karissa Vacker narrates this one well!

It was so hard to put this book down! I thought it was a well written mystery that had lots of secrets and twists and turns. Every time I thought I had something figured out, I found I was wrong. I liked that we got flashbacks to when the sisters were growing up so that we got to better understand all that they went through.

I have this author's previous novel on my TBR shelf, so even though I had this on Netgalley, I wanted a physical copy as well (you know...book lover problems!).

Thank you, @netgalley and @flatiron_books for the #gifted DRC of this book!