This was so well-written, but so very intense and hard to read that I'm having trouble even articulating my experience for this review. The premise is that Kenetria (Ken) Nash, who has dissociative identity disorder, wakes up in her own identity after being dormant for. years only to find herself about to board a ferry to head to her new job, which is as the caretaker to a very creepy mansion on an isolated private island. There's a lot very strong foreshadowing - "if you survive the first night" and so forth. Things are also immediately iffy because the house she's agreed to stay in looks a whole lot like the castle in her mind in which all of her identities live. A few figures from Ken's past suddenly show up - including an ex-boyfriend and his father. Years prior, Ken had assaulted the father and been imprisoned. I found it challenging to switch in between the identities (I always struggle with multiple POV already and this goes way beyond that), but I did think that the creepy, isolated island vibes were very much on point here. There's a lot of pain and trauma here - personal trauma for Ken and her other identities but also intergenerational racial trauma. Content warning for most of the bad things you can imagine happening to people - assualt, rape, attempted murder, and more. Well-written and totally unique, but a tough one to read.

Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Ken has DID and takes a job as a caretaker of a castle on an island. I liked how the author handled the different identities; each so distinct with their own voice, and it t was relatively easy to keep track of who was who. I don't want to give much away but the reason Ken was hired is sinister, and chaos ensues. I liked the storyline of this book; it is different than what I'm used to. This was the first book I've read by this author; I'll definitely read more of her books.

Loved Alyssa Cole’s first book so I was excited to read this one. Both thrilling and entertaining I was entranced through and through. I devoured the novel in just a few days. Definitely will recommend this book in the future.
I just reviewed One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole. #OneofUsKnows #NetGalley

This story had a unique narrative in that it intertwined mystery and the exploration of dissociative identity disorder (DID). Kenetria Nash, grappling with a history of DID and a shattered career, finds herself on an isolated Hudson River island as the resident caretaker of a historic home. The setup promises a compelling journey of self-discovery and redemption. Cole's portrayal of Ken and her alters is sensitive and respectful, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals with DID.

The protagonist, Kenetria Nash, grappling with a history of DID and a shattered career, finds herself on an isolated Hudson River island as the resident caretaker of a historic home. The setup promises a compelling journey of self-discovery and redemption. Cole's portrayal of Ken and her alters is sensitive and respectful, shedding light on the challenges faced by individuals with DID.

The plot takes an unexpected turn when a Nor'easter and a surprise visit from the home's conservation trust disrupt Ken's newfound stability. The introduction of dangerous strangers, including a figure from her past, sets the stage for a murder mystery that throws Ken into the spotlight as the prime suspect.

Cole skillfully weaves a web of secrets and suspense, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and tension. The race against time to uncover the truth of Kavanaugh Island keeps the reader engaged, with unexpected twists adding layers to the narrative. The novel successfully balances the exploration of mental health themes with the demands of a gripping mystery.

The supporting cast is a mix of well-drawn characters, each contributing to the overarching mystery. The island's history and the enigmatic figures populating it add depth to the storyline. However, at times, the complexity of the plot and the large cast of characters may prove overwhelming, making it challenging to connect with some individuals on a deeper level.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The premise for this novel had a lot of potential, however, I don’t think it reached it. For a book set mostly within one characters head who has multiple personalities, you have to make the personalities interesting enough to keep the reader entertained and invested. I wasn’t attached to any of the personalities which we spent so much time with. Overall, a solid idea for a fresh book but lacking execution.

Thank you William Morrow and Netgalley for my copy of ONE OF US KNOWS by Alyssa Cole, out 4/16/24!

I loved Alyssa Cole’s novel WHEN NO ONE IS WATCHING so I of course had to request her newest thriller about a caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer and the ghosts of her past.

Six years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her career as a historical preservationist, Ken Nash and her alters are given a second chance. Waking up from a dormant stage after the introduction of COVID-19, Ken realizes one of her alters got her a job at an isolated island as resident caretaker. With no job, money or home, she helplessly accepts the job.

Once she survives the first night, the conservation trust shows up which includes a man she had a heated moment with years before. He winds up dead and Ken is the main suspect. Her and her alters must band together to get to the truth and prove their innocence.

What a WILD ride…. This is a VERY unique book that has multiple point of views, all from Ken and her different alters (Solomon, Keke, Della and a few others). While it is an interesting premise, I’m not so sure it worked.

The book takes a long time to get going - nothing really happens until around 80% through the book. All the different perspectives made it hard to keep track of who was who and what was going on. There’s also a little weirdness with how the alters interact with each other and the relationships they have within Ken’s own mind (her crush on her own alter Solomon was too much for me).

But outside of the confusing alters, the book was funny, sharp and per usual, I loved Alyssa Cole’s insights into historical events when it comes to race and class. This wasn’t my favorite thriller, but I give her accolades for pulling off such a unique format and storyline.

This one took me a bit to get through. The premise was interesting and I really wanted to love it, but it was hard for me to get fully into it. I loved the idea of the main character having multiple personalities and hearing from each of those viewpoints in different chapters. For me it was quite confusing and hard to follow at times. The idea was complex, but the multiple characters of the MC were not developed enough to follow the complex storyline. I couldn't keep all the alter egos straight. However, the plot was interesting and original and I think many will enjoy this one.

Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow, William Morrow Paperbacks for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Widely anticipated. Well written and very intriguing book. With different view points. Worth a read, can’t wait for the next one

One of Us Knows
Alyssa Cole
Pub Date: April 16, 2024
William Morrow
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
From the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author of When No One Is Watching comes a riveting thriller about the new caretaker of a historic estate who finds herself trapped on an island with a murderer—and the ghosts of her past.
I flew through this book! I loved the mental health aspect and it had me hooked from the beginning to the end.
Highly recommend.
4 stars

Ok so growing up in New England I love a good snowed in isolation mystery thriller. That’s what I got for sure. I felt reminded of “And then there were none” but in a good way. I liked the realness of the mental health issue the MC was going through because too many books just throw mental health in there to seem trendy, but don’t mention it at all.

I thought that the premise of this book was instantly intriguing; a mystery involving someone with DID means lots of different POV's, clues, and detective work to piece together the truth. I really enjoyed each personality and how they were each very individual in their own right. Each one had their own banter and mannerisms that I enjoyed getting to see evolve throughout the book. The mystery of the house itself drew me in very early on as well, and I loved trying to figure things out as the story went along. I thought that this thriller was well-written, fast-paced, and an overall good read that I would recommend to others interested in the storyline. It was unique and I didn't see the ending coming, which is a marker of a good thriller!

Couldn’t put this down. Loved it from start to finish. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC. I honestly don’t know how to fairly rate this book. It was complex and very different. It was also extremely hard to keep track of what was happening. I couldn’t honestly explain this book to anyone. I was lost half of the time. I still love this author for the unique writing and creativity. I just reviewed One of Us Knows by Alyssa Cole. #OneofUsKnows #NetGalley

I was blown away by Alyssa Cole's When No One is Watching and was excited to see that "One of Us Knows" was available thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher.

One of Us Knows starts off wild! The main character Ken, has DID - which most of us commonly know as multiple personalities. But Ken's personality has been asleep for six years, not aware of what her others have been up to. She is put forward to find out she's now the caretaker of a haunted island with LOTS of red flags.

I had been in a reading rut, and this threw me right out. I was fascinated by all the different personalities and how they were presented both in interacting with each other and with the story.

I absolutely recommend this to everyone due to the uniqueness of the story and all the fantastic twists. I have to deduct a star because it ties up so nice with all the coincidences but I enjoyed it.

I really enjoyed Alyssa Cole's last thriller, so I was very excited for this one, and it did not disappoint. The story is told from the perspective of Kenetria Nash, an artist and preservationist with dissociative identity disorder, and her alters. Ken has been dormant for years and the alter who has been active in her place, Della, is missing. Ken and her alters have to try to figure out what's going on in her system while also navigating a new job as the caretaker of an isolated home. When the board shows up, including Ken's ex and her father with whom she shares a violent past, things take a deadly turn.

The book was full of twists and suspense, and I couldn't put it down. Much like her previous thriller, this book ends with a real bang, and a satisfying conclusion. The villains are believable but incredibly scary. At the end of the book, I was awed by Cole's ability to reveal some of the secrets the alternating POV had concealed, and I was so impressed at how she interwove Ken's emotional arc with the external plot. I really look forward to more Alyssa Cole thrillers!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced ecopy of One of Us Knows.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I loved When No One Is Watching, but I think maybe I had too many things going on outside of reading that I could not delve into the world of this character with different identities. It was far too difficult for me to keep track of. For the readers that could keep track - I'm sure they went for a wild ride!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Never read a book quite like this before. Told from perspective of narrator with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Honestly not sure how I felt about it. It was sometimes hard for me to keep track of where I was in the story.

This is an absolutely stunning thriller. I loved the use of DID not as a massively ableist twist but as THE core part of the premise, and I loved how each headmate/alter was fully fleshed out and described. I don't have DID myself, so I'll be super curious to see what those who do experience that disorder think of the representation, though. As for the more traditional thriller elements, Alyssa Cole is unmatched, as usual. Yes, I do think there are a few plot holes that could be explained (or at least lampshaded) better, and hopefully some of them will be before the book makes it to its final print version, but the ride itself was still mesmerizing. This book does deal with a lot of trauma, though, so be warned going in. It's not all fun and games, but the writing is so propulsive it carries from the more disturbing parts to other parts very quickly. I will also say that I DEEPLY appreciated the way Covid is handled in this book, unlike any other book I've read so far.

Interesting read. It was pretty original and fresh, which can be rare in thrillers these days. The writing flowed and the plot was gripping from start to finish. Recommended.

One of Us Knows is a story about a woman, Kenetria, diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder, who is the caretaker of a historic home.

Just as a storm blows in the Conservator Trust arrives - amongst whom is a man who once brought her down. When he is murdered all eyes turn to Kenetria.

It is up to her - all of her identities - to figure out just who the killer really is.