It's a refrain I've used often at this point- I love a book about rich people behaving badly. Rich people behaving badly AND being weird competitive jerks about their kids going to boarding school? I loved it. Add in plenty of scandal and a mystery and this book was juicy and enjoyable. Several perspectives from people at different places within the stratosphere of wealth and privilege made it quick moving and interesting. I'd love for more to come from this author.

HAPPY PUB DAY🥳 to this gripping domestic thriller on May 9 2023! I enjoyed my read of NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW by Lindsay Cameron. Find her on Instagram @lindsaycaneronauthor

Thank you to the author Lindsay Cameron, publishers Bantam Books and Penguin Random House, and as always NetGalley, for an advance audio copy of NO ONE NEEDS TO KNOW.

Heather is a power mom who would do anything to protect her daughter, who has been accused of selling drugs at a school event. Poppy is being blackmailed by the man she's sleeping with. And Norah's great business acumen and greater wealth do little to protect her from the cutthroat anonymous posters on their swanky New York City condo association's community board. Each of them are seeking to protect themselves from their own problems, but as they keep running into each other and accusing each other, more information becomes clear -- like maybe they have something in common -- something like an enemy.

This is a super twisty domestic thriller with quite a few unlikable characters whom I enjoyed watching wriggle like worms. This is the best way to write unlikable characters, in my opinion, and the best way to write a plot in which all the characters' lives basically come apart: combine the elements!

It's a bit of a slow burn, but really turns up the gas at about the thirty percent mark. Once it picks up, the pace is solid for the rest of the book.

Somewhat convoluted at points, but overall an enjoyable read! Think you know what's going on? You don't, or at least not for long!

Rating 🏙🏙🏙.75 / 5 big city high rises
Recommend? Yes!
Finished May 6 2023
Format: Advance Digital, NetGalley
Read this if you like:
🔪 Murder mysteries
🏠 Domestic thrillers
🫦 Torrid affairs
🤷‍♀️ Benignly neglected children
🏙 Rich city zipcodes
🕶 Anonymous message board posters

When I tell you that I devoured this book!

Welcome to the Upper East Side, where acceptance to a prestigious boarding school is, for the children of wealthy families, a necessary stepping stone to an Ivy League education and a high-powered career. The parents compete for these coveted spots just as much as, if not more than, their children do, and there is no limit to how far they will go to secure their offspring are chosen.

There is also no limit to what these parents will share on UrbanMyth, a neighborhood social media platform that claims to be completely anonymous. There are affairs, extortion schemes, and scandals and secrets galore, all posted under the cloak of anonymity. But when a "hacktivist" group exposes the identities behind the platform's users, everyone is scrambling to protect their privacy...and someone ends up dead.

Sometimes you just need a juicy, dramatic read about rich people behaving badly, and No One Needs to Know is just the ticket for those times. Will you like the characters? For the most part, no. Will you even understand the characters? Again, mostly no. But will you be utterly transfixed by every single gossipy word? Definitely yes! I couldn't turn the pages of this book fast enough as Lindsay Cameron immersed me in the world of the 1%.

Told from the alternating points of view of three UES moms -- Heather, Norah, and Poppy -- and including excerpts from the UrbanMyth message board, No One Needs to Know is a compulsively readable, salacious neighborhood drama that is entertaining from beginning to end. It can be read as a lightning-fast, purely fun read, but there's also some interesting commentary about social media culture and some scathing criticism of the privilege that comes with wealth. Cameron weaves the complex, layered threads of her plot with ease, and even though some things are left unresolved in the end, overall I enjoyed (and definitely appreciated) how this wrapped up.

Thanks to Bantam Books and NetGalley for the early reading opportunity -- No One Needs to Know is available today!

When a hacktivist group hacks into the anonymous forum, UrbanMyth, it releases a firestorm of secrets for many people. But, in one affluent Upper East Side private school, it affects everyone. Some people will kill to keep those secrets under wraps, but who will it be? Is it Heather, the mother, who wants her daughter to become one of the elite? Or will it be Norah, the breadwinner in her family but failing to balance work and home life? Or will it be Poppy, the one everyone looks up to but who has the most to hide? Out of those three, who will kill to keep their secrets safe?

It is well known on this site that I have three children, two in high school and one in elementary school. I am well aware of the school’s social structure. I also find it silly that people compete for the title of PTA president. It is a huge popularity contest; honestly, I want nothing to do with it. I prefer to help the teachers out one-on-one (like volunteering in class) than to listen to a bunch of people argue over who will get what position. Anyway, when I saw that this book would be centered around three moms and their exposed secrets, I knew I wanted to read it. And I am glad that I did because this book was good.

No One Needs to Know initially captivated me, and I couldn’t put it down. The main storyline centers around Heather, Norah, and Poppy, with appearances by their husbands and children woven into the storyline. This storyline had so many twists and turns that I wondered when UrbanMyth would implode.

There is a secondary storyline that is intertwined with the main storyline. There are two parts to it. The first part is that Heather’s daughter has her picture taken with a vape at a school dance where no cameras are allowed. She is then painted as a drug dealer, and a few parents are on UrbanMyth spreading the lie. The second part is that Norah’s husband is sleeping with Poppy and blackmailing her. Those two parts are closely intertwined and linked to the main storyline.

As I stated in the previous paragraph, this book is twisty. If you aren’t paying attention, it can be easy to miss something. It didn’t bother me because I took notes (that you Kindle Scribe for that built-in feature), but it might be bothersome for some people.

I loved the characters in No One Needs to Know. I connected with the main ones (and the secondary ones) in a way that surprised even me. Those connections made the book so much better to read.

Heather reminded me of some moms I have encountered during my kids’ years at school. She wanted so badly to be accepted and would do anything to get into the inner circles. In the book, I wanted to shake her and say, “Lady, your kid is miserable.” By the end of the book, though, I was starting not to like her. She had lied to everyone, including her husband, about something significant. I understood why her husband freaked out. But Heather did surprise me. She threatened someone actively trying to get her daughter expelled (oh boy, that was a great scene) and secured her daughter’s future with another person.

Norah was an enigma to me. She wasn’t a huge presence in the book until about halfway through. I felt terrible for her and her poor daughter once I realized what was happening. She was a wreck when she told Norah what she captured on camera and how it tied into Poppy’s storyline. No child should have been put into that situation. I was glad that Norah took immediate action and got a little laugh (which then turned into a no way) when Norah’s mother offered to “help.” When Norah called to report her husband missing, she wasn’t expecting everything to blow up the way it did.

I didn’t like Poppy. She lived in her high tower, doing whatever she wanted without caring about who she hurt. She curried favors with people and treated them like they were dispensable. It didn’t surprise me with what she did to Norah. What did surprise me was that she almost felt guilty about it. I loved seeing her character decline mentally because of what she did. It was a perfect punishment!!

I loved that the author chose brief excerpts from UrbanMyth (before and after) and interactions with the police/faculty members (emails mainly) at the beginning of each chapter. It was like an adult burn book (remember those from high school!!) I almost want something like UrbanMyth to exist, but at the same time, I don’t.

The end of No One Needs to Know shook me up. I did not see anything coming, and it took me by surprise. Because of spoilers, I will not say anything else except that everyone got what they deserved.

I recommend No One Needs to Know to anyone over 21. There is violence, language, and nongraphic sexual situations.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam, NetGalley, and Lindsay Cameron for allowing me to read and review No One Needs to Know. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

Read if you like:
🔪 Thrillers
😩 Unlikable Characters
🗽 NY Elite
🔥 Slow Burn
🤫 Secrets
🍿 Popcorn Thrillers

This one is the definition of a popcorn thriller and I’m here for it! I loved the unlikable characters as part of this story since I feel like I enjoy thrillers more with unlikable characters.

All the secrets was also a point that I really really enjoyed in this one! This one has 3 POV and I feel like that really helped the movement of the story even more than if it had been a single pov.

If you want to read about the Elite’s darkest secrets getting out definitely pick this thriller up! Thank you Ballentine for my ARC of this one!

I love rich people drama, so this was great in that aspect. It wasn't perfect but I did find it to be compulsively readable and had a pretty good time with it. Family certain it's inspired by certain recent/past events and I ate that up, to be quite honest. A pretty good time.

This private school, rich family novel had me hooked. The kids suffered at the hands of their parents actions which is very realistic. Also, it makes you step back and consider what you're doing and posting online. I got such a heart drop feeling when the site was hacked!

Well this was an interesting yet annoying story!

So how do those things go together? It’s simple - the story was interesting while the characters were annoying. The thing is - I can guarantee that was the point. These characters were not supposed to be likable, and they certainly weren’t.

We follow parents of 8th graders at a fancy private school in NYC. They’re all gunning to get their kids into the best high schools so they can then get into the best colleges. The conniving methods and absolute drama that unfolds is insane but then the real twist occurs - one of the parents goes missing and several other parents have had interactions that make them a person of interest in this disappearance. It’s a wild ride with a pretty predictable storyline (for me anyway).

This is an incredibly quick read, very fast paced with the twists and turns in predictable spots. There were some loose ends I’d have preferred were tied up but the ambiguous ending for those threads is typical of a novel that likes to keep the reader guessing.

Overall we have a solid 4⭐️ read with this one. Its fast pace and completely unlikable characters really give this story its punch to keep the reader turning pages.

Thank you to @bantampub and @netgalley for my advance copy and goodies. I was really looking forward to this read after loving Just One Look.

I tell you, rich people behaving badly is such an addictive trope. This one fell right in there with Big Little Lies. Its full of secrets, deception, cheating, school scandals and of course a little social media. It was the perfect kind of slow burn because everyone is unlikeable and doing something shady. Lol

Told in three POVs, you never quite know when and how the murder from the beginning of the story will take place which keeps you on your toes. Super fun popcorn read and a great length. Not too long or too short. Great for a day at the beach!

I found this to be a fun and engaging read. No One Needs to Know is my first book by this author and her writing is compulsively readable. I was engaged from the start.

The pov's are distinct and I could not look away as things devolved. I did really enjoy my time reading this.

I did hope for something a bit more by the end. This was fun and quick but I did really hope for more twists and turns. Overall though, I am glad I read this and want to try some of this authors other works.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I loved Lindsay Cameron's Just One Look, so I knew I had to request and read this one!!!

The wealthiest of Upper East Side Manhattan plus an anonymous discussion board equals...craziness!!
Once again Lindsay Cameron has exceeded my expectations! I loved the unlikable characters - Poppy, Heather, and Norah and ALL their drama. This was one fast-paced and entertaining read!

Highly recommend reading if you love:
- suspenseful domestic drama
- juicy secrets
- alternating POVs
- surprising twists

Heather wants what’s best for her daughter, Violet, and that includes lying and desperately clawing her way to the top.
Poppy has everything she could ask for, but pushes for more w/ an affair outside her marriage.
Norah is happy to work and be the breadwinner of her family, and doesn’t really see the sense in competing with these,elitist parents.
All of them have turned to their secret online forum every now and again but when a hacker “Ashley Madison’s’” the site and releases their private info. All hell breaks loose and someone ends up dead. Who killed to keep their secrets?

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this e-arc.*

Ever wonder what the lives are like for families who live in the Upper East Side of Manhattan? No One Needs to Know is an inside view of Heather, Poppy and Norah--the mothers of eighth graders at an elite private school. Each woman lives a dramatic life with different focuses. Heather is definitely a helicopter parent who is obsessed with her daughter's future. Poppy is at the top of the social food chain and gets caught up with a secret that may cost her everything. Norah, sweet Norah, works as an executive and is seemingly clueless about what is going on under her nose.
What else do these three women have in common? The use of Urban Myths--an anonymous website where they post all of their secrets. Someone in their circle goes missing just before Urban Myths is hacked and all of their posts are made public by way of their email address. This makes them all suspects in the disappearance.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Despite the characters being a bit unlikeable, I really enjoyed all of their POV.

4 out of 5 stars.

I received a free ARC from Bantam and NetGalley; and I am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

3.5/4 stars (rounded up to 4 on here)

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!
*
Okay. So to start, I really wanted to love this book. The premise sounded so good and it initially brought me into the book. However, the longer I read it, the more bored I became and I felt like I was forcing myself to finish it. Like it was still decently enjoyable, but I felt like the characters were mainly annoying and the secrets aren’t really secrets at all. It just seemed slow at times and also confusing due to all the characters and their significant others. I saw some good reviews for it, so it might be one of those books that just didn’t work for me but other people enjoy!

An enjoyable read that I couldn’t put down! The story follows a group of parents on the UES who have high expectations for themselves and their kids. But they also have secrets that might tarnish the perfect images they present to the world. When these secrets are exposed and a parent goes missing, everyone is a suspect. Highly recommend for a quick read that gives suspense and juicy stories of the 1%.

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC is exchange for my honest feedback.

This book was intriguing and it kept me turning the pages until around the 50% point.. Then it became slow paced, the situations that the characters found themselves in became predictable and repetitive.
Just an OK read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review the digital ARC.
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Poppy - The Queen Bee mother that singlehandedly runs the Upper East Side due to her uber wealthy husband and his old family money.

Heather - A mom that has fought her way into this elite society and will do anything for her daughter to receive the same accommodations as the other spoiled rich kids.

Norah - A successful business woman who has little in common with the other moms except that her daughter also attends the Crofton School. Her hectic schedule leaves little time for gossip over coffee and wine and she is more than fine with that.

It's the end of eighth grade for their children which means acceptance into an elite boarding school. Admission is extremely selective and all parents and children must be on their best behavior to even be considered.

Urban Myth - an alternative to Instagram where residents of the Upper East Side can post whatever they want whenever they want all while under anonymity. Sound like a good idea? Think again!

Hacktivists have infiltrated and now all those juicy little secrets have been exposed and a few of the local mothers have reason to be frightened.

A husband to one of these women has gone missing and they all have a reason to make him disappear. Does Urban Myth hold the answers? The detectives on the case sure do hope so but you'll have to read this to find out!

Do people behaving badly pique your interest? Look no further as this book has no shortage of unlikeable people with nefarious motivations and intentions. Lindsay Cameron has shined a light on the wealthy and let's just say the image isn't nearly as glossy and glamorous as one would think.
I gladly turned the pages just waiting to see how low the characters would go and I wasn't disappointed. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine that kindly granted my wish to read this book.

Take a group of affluent families, add in a forum where you can post anonymously, and secrets are guaranteed to be spilled. But when the site is hacked, names get attached to every secret. And then someone disappears.

This book dives into wealth and class, and the divisions even among the wealthy themselves. It also looks a lot at women and their relationships, both with other women and with the men in their lives.

This is an interesting read, suspenseful for sure. I struggled to keep track of which character was which thought, which often meant I was confused while reading until I figured it out again. If you’re looking to read about what happens when the wealthy meet real world consequences, with a mystery thrown in, this book is fine.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for the complementary E-ARC! This book was ok. I feel like the plot twists were just there and I wasn't too big on the characters. I did like the setting though.

I absolutely loved this book! It had all the consequences. The consequences of using social media unwisely - to spread rumors, to bully, or to share secrets. The consequences of having affairs, of competing for your child's advancement in the cutthroat world of private school admissions, and most of all, the consequences of living a high-profile lifestyle as a one percenter.

While the idea of an anonymous site where you can bare your soul (and there are several real-life sites) has a heady draw for the moms on the UES (Upper East Side) of NYC, the backlash can be quick and vicious. So, when a picture taken at a private teen dance goes public, there is blood in the water!

Each of the families involved in the scandal that erupts has secrets and lies, and once the police get involved after one of them goes missing, it's confession time. Not because they've decided to tell the truth; but because the UrbanMyth site has been hacked, releasing the so-called "anonymous" information.

This was a fast-paced read, filled with not-so-nice people, gray areas and ethical choices that will keep you mesmerized. This is my second 5 star read from Lindsay Cameron and I can't wait for her next book!

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Bantam for an advance reader's copy.