This is a wonderful twisty thrilling read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

It's official! Miranda Rijks is one of my top ten favorite authors!

With What She Knew, Rijks has created a tightly suspenseful novel. While there are just a few characters, all of them are suspects in the disappearance of Alison, a student at the time who lived in the same apartment as Stephanie. While Stephanie has mostly gotten over nightmares about what might have happened, she still questions why Alison's boyfriend Josh was convicted. And when an investigative journalist comes around asking questions, Stephanie's nightmares resurface.

While Stephanie begins to question what her husband is keeping from her, she's hiding some whopper secrets of her own. It was great to see the progression as Stephanie stands up for herself in her efforts to get to the truth. The ending was fast paced and unpredictable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for another wonderful review copy.

📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
What She Knew by Miranda Rijks Publication Date - 18th July 2021
Stephanie’s flatmate Alison went missing 10 years ago. No one knows what happened to her and Steph has started having the nightmares again, since someone called
David is trying to drag up the past! Stephanie is now married to her old college professor Oliver but is her life what she thought it was?

I absolutely loved this book and yesterday I didn’t want to put my kindle down. I have read the last book by this new author to me and yes I really liked it but this ..... this is a different level!
Brilliant read and I didn’t guess correctly! Perfect!!

#netgalley #mirandarijks #ARC #bookstagramshaz

https://www.instagram.com/Bookstagramshaz

I have read some books from Rijks before and while I don't remember much right now of others, at the time I realised I enjoyed reading her books.

Stephanie's character is relatable. Even though she made some naive choices, it is still easy to understand why she did it. I am not saying she is morally right but who is in these types of psychological thrillers. The ending was also unexpected which I think was hard to achieve since there aren't many characters in the story.

This is my first dive into one of Rijks’ psychological thrillers, and I was not disappointed.

One thing I must admit, I’m a sucker for thrillers/suspense/mysteries set in England/ the U.K. There’s something about the scenery, the language, the personal interactions that just attracts me to that locale. So to see that this is set in London made me happy from the start.

This thriller surrounds Stephanie and the mysterious disappearance of her flatmate, Alison. It goes back and forth between then (when Alison disappears) and present-day very seamlessly. This leaves little tidbits to make you think you know who did it, but do you really? It’s always the significant other, right? 🤔

There’s love, betrayal, secrets, obsession, and a lot of art. Oh and murder. There's also a lot of growth in the main character, Stephanie. She’s so used to living a life in a bubble created by her husband, Oliver, that it takes a while for her to pop out of it. I can’t say much more without giving too much away!

If you’re looking for a fast read of a really good thriller, go grab this one today! I know I’ll be grabbing more books from the fabulous Miranda Rijks.

Stephanie suffered a painful loss when she was a college student. Her roommate Alison disappeared and even though her body was never found, there was enough evidence to convict someone. Stephanie was grief-stricken and blamed herself for ignoring Alison's last call. She will never know if the story might have had a different ending if she had answered that call.
Vulnerable and not sure what she should do with her life, she becomes involved with a former professor, Oliver. The relationship moves at warp speed, and we now see them married with two children, Bea and Sam. For the most part, their life is good. Stephanie has finally stopped having nightmares about Alison, she lives in a beautiful home, and loves her family.
All that changes when an investigative journalist reaches out to her. He plans to reopen Alison's case, and while Oliver is dead set against it, Stephanie wants to know if the wrong man is in jail. Soon, it becomes apparent that someone wants her to stop digging into the past, and more than one closet will fly wide open, revealing the skeletons of secrets and lies that were never meant to see the harsh glare of daylight again.
There were quite a few red herrings and I went down the wrong whodunnit path more than once. No spoilers, but one thing Stephanie did after Alison was gone rubbed me the wrong way and made me suspect her too. While I had more than one guess about what happened to Alison, the motive came out of left field, and honestly surprised me. My first book by this author and I will gladly read more. 3.5 stars.

Stephanie and Alison were flatmates. One night, Alison went out and sent a text to Stephanie, but she ignored it to spend time with a new boyfriend. Alison never came back, and nobody knew what had happened to her.

Nine years later, Stephanie is happily married to Oliver, her ex-college professor; she has two beautiful children and a lovely home. Then a television researcher contacts Stephanie as he’s working on a true crime series and wants to re-look at Alison going missing. Oliver doesn’t really want his wife getting involved, but she goes ahead anyway – even though she ends up opening a Pandora’s box!

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review.

Miranda Rijks, What She Knew, Inkubator Books, 2021

Thank you NetGalley for this uncorrected proof for review.

My first Miranda Rijks, and it shall not be my last. What She Knew is a satisfying read, with a title that resonates with the content, and a very smart combination of domestic drama and crime. The characters are believable, with no great potholes in their motivation and their representation. None made me wonder why they behaved as they did, each was devised to play his or her role with meticulous attention to the situation, event, or relationship.

Most importantly, the depiction of Stephanie whose marriage and the relationship between her and her husband, Oliver, is under the greatest scrutiny, delivers. The couple is first seen against a domestic background that firmly places each in a traditional role: Stephanie is attending to the children and will prepare a late supper for Oliver. Meanwhile, Oliver is going to be late as he is working. One job is associated with his profession, a professor in the History of Art Department of a university; the other is his pleasure, an online auction that is taking place in New York. Stephanie’s work is grounded in their home, with views over south London. Or so it seems. Stephanie has a secret which she shares only with her mother.
Stephanie’s attitude toward Oliver, her secret, her current role and past make for a complex interweaving of feelings and actions. What stands out is that with every episode of Stephanie’s reflection on her life her thoughts and behaviour never veer from what is feasible. Stephanie is not a character of whom one despairs, she is realistic about her past, present, and role in society. Her thoughtfulness for her husband, children and friends never grates, she is not a victim at any time in the novel, despite past traumas, reminders of these, and present dissatisfaction.

The past holds the disappearance of her flat mate and long-term friend, Alison. In the prologue an intelligent, thoughtful, and appealing woman is murdered, possibly Alison? The murderer reflects on the event without remorse: it was essential. Man or woman, the person remains unknown. However, Alison’s partner is convicted of her murder despite no body being found. He has been in goal for almost nine years.
The introduction of a researcher for a true crime series which is to include the disappearance of Alison provides the pivot for looking into the past, and the relationships between Stephanie, Alison, and their university friends. Oliver, at the time of the disappearance was Stephanie’s tutor. Now they are married, and their friends are a wealthy married couple whose lifestyle contrasts with Stephanie’s past. Nevertheless, it is a comfortable difference.

The cracks that appear in Stephanie’s new lifestyle are only augmented by the intrusion of the researcher. As the title advises, she is aware of the limitations imposed by her choices, at the same time acknowledging their comfort and necessity. Stephanie’s awareness of all the factors that make up her lifestyle is drawn sensitively. Rijks is compassionate in her depiction of a woman in these circumstances.

What She Knew is a book worth reading. Plot, characterisation, and resolution are satisfying, with an added touch of something more.

Excellent mystery about a young woman who suffered a great loss while in college. When Stephanie was in college her best friend/ roommate Alison disappeared without a trace. Alisons boyfriend Josh is convicted of the murder, but Stephanie always questioned whether he actually did it. Years later Stephanie is contacted by a true crime researcher looking to do a story on the case. As new facts come to light Stephanie questions everything she knew about the case and her still missing best friend. Fast paced mystery thriller that is not to be missed.

Twisty story with some formulaic domestic thriller elements that blow up into something bigger and more interesting. This was a fun one!

The cover of What She Knew drew me in immediately and when I read the description I knew it was my sort of book. I loved it. It had plenty of twists, turns and suspense and I read it in one sitting.

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for my ARC.

I have read all of Miranda's books and this one is just as good as the others.
During her time in university Stephanies flatmate Alison disappeared, despite never finding a body her boyfriend was charged with her murder and sentenced to prison. Years later and Stephanie is happily married with two children to her former college professor Oliver. When a TV researcher calls to say he is looking into cold crime cases and investigating Alisons disappearance it brings the nightmare of that time back to haunt Stephanie. But someone doesn't want the past brought back into the present and soon Stephanie is being threatened.
A great psychological thriller. Many thanks to Netgalley and publishers for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I was drawn in by the cover of What She Knew, with the beautifully wrapped present covered in blood. I am always intrigued by the lies and turmoil behind a beautiful façade, it is what intrigues me so much about thrillers and mysteries. Add to that friendship, marriage and true crime researchers, and you have yourself the recipe for a thrilling read. Thanks to Inkubator Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For me, being a student was a crucial time of my life. There is so much going on in those few years of protected freedom, where you're away from family but not entirely our on your own yet. If you're lucky, you always have home to fall back on or to get advice from when suddenly you get gas bills for the first time or have to send formal emails. Major events during these years are formative, they stick with you, and therefore it is no surprise that thrillers love revisiting their characters' younger years. Now that I'm an older student surrounding by young'uns in their very early twenties I also realise just how vulnerable young adults are in those years. Professors are everything, so powerful and influential in your choices. The smallest knock feels like the end of everything. Add a murder to that and no wonder Rijks' main character spiralled.

Stephanie thought she had moved on from the loss of her university flatmate Alison, but when a true crime researcher comes knocking it stirs up new memories and questions. Is the right person really in jail? And what has happened to Stephanie's life since? Where have her dreams and hopes gone? Who is sending her weird packages and letters? And why is her husband so against finding out the truth? We spend all of What She Knew with Stephanie, but we do move back and forth in time. We get to see young Stephanie fall apart when Alison disappears, while adult Stephanie does her best to stay strong in the face of new information. I enjoyed the back and forth as her earlier experiences make it easier for the reader to understand why she is struggling now. While some of the elements of What She Knew are a little cliché and not entirely developed, it is overall a very enjoyable and fun read.

This is my first book by Miranda Rijks, but I really enjoyed her quick and gripping writing style. She doesn't linger too long but makes sure readers have an idea of their surroundings and the characters they encounter. At roughly 250 pages, What She Knew isn't a long read and provides plenty of entertainment and twists along the way. Some of the twists are a little predictable, which is part of the fun of reading thrillers, but it means it can drag a little to wait for characters to catch up with you. While not every plot development of What She Knew is equally believable or grounded, the novel does remain a lot of fun. I have seen quite a bit of praise for her previous book The Influencer which I have added to my TBR for this summer!

What She Knew is a very enjoyable, fast thriller that moves between domestic and psychological in its best moments.

Will go live on my blog on publication day.

Loved it so much just downloaded the visitors now. This one is another page-turner from Miranda Rijks, and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for readers next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for an ARC.

Thanks to netgalley for the advanced ebook to review.
I really enjoyed this one, the author builds a nice pace, and once about half way through it was hard to put down!

When a researcher approaches her for an interview about her college roommate, Stephanie's husband advises her not to speak to him. He doesn't want her dredging up bad memories. It's been almost ten years. Allison's presumed murderer is behind bars even though her body was never found. There's an explanation for why Stephanie didn't ask more questions at the time, but it seems like at some point between then and now she would've started to wonder more about what happened.

I didn't love this one. It had me reaching for the dictionary twice in the first few chapters. I didn't have that reaction to The Visitors or The Influencer, so I'm guessing that it was supposed to be the protagonist's educated vocabulary. I didn't really warm up to Stephanie although until the plot started to unfold. Near the end of the book, things got much more interesting.

I love a good mystery. I love true crime more than most people I know. What She Knew is full of suspense, characters who will have you wanting more and a thrill ride you won’t want to stop.

I read this book in one sitting because the plot pulled me in - I like stories about missing people and finding what happened to them. But to be completely honest I found the characters a bit two-dimensional and ended up skipping paragraphs because of the unnecessary details that did not add much to the story, and not very interesting characters. I wanted to like Stephanie but it was hard to feel sympathy towards her suffering. Her past and her trauma were a bit too repetitive (and she was drowning in her self-pity), and her character was weak. Do people really get PTSD from having their roommate to disappear? Perhaps. But the husband Oliver was completely unlikeable, quite appalling, which ruined the story because he is supposed to be very attractive. If he was actually quite likeable, the end would have such a better twist! The only likeable character was actually the mom and she was barely a character.

I admit it was quite unique but I think the writer made a mistake to reveal that the missing person is killed in the first chapter. It would have been better to keep it as a mystery and give some hope that she was still alive.

Lastly, it is not clear why David wanted Stephanie to look at the picture albums of Alison. A jump from Oliver to Rahul is also a bit too quick, as if the writer wants a desperate happy ending. Life does not get resolved in 10 pages! It is not clear why Naomi did what she did. I wish I learned more about her psyche. The extensive descriptions of her luxurious life with William add no charm and actually were quite boring to me..

Overall I have recently read many mystery books and this one was a bit on a weak side but it had enough mystery to keep me going. It is slightly above the average and some readers might enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy.

I have mixed feelings about What She Knew. I was quickly drawn into the story and even enjoyed the flashback parts of the narration, which often can be distracting. However, the overall execution felt a bit lackluster. The threats, which I thought would increase the tension, fell flat, and the ending was underwhelming. I was hoping for a big twist or reveal, and instead, the conclusion confirmed everything I'd already figured out.

Stephanie is just getting over the nightmares she had when her roommate went missing years ago. She is now married to her prior professor Oliver. When a researcher contacts Stephanie to look further into the disappearance of Alison, the nightmares and doubts come back. Did Alison's boyfriend really kill her? Is she really dead or still just missing? What actually happened that night?
Some of the characters fell a little flat for me. More information about their backgrounds would have helped make the characters seem more real. But I still enjoyed this book a lot. I didn't see the end coming in some ways but had my suspicions all along.

Thanks to netgalley and Inkubator Books for the arc.