3.75 stars

WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS, Kate Alice Marshall's adult thriller debut, was one of my favorite reads of 2023 and I absolutely fell in love with it so I was excited for and worried about NO ONE CAN KNOW. I really wanted to love it but also tried to go in with lower expectations. I had also seen some mixed reviews and that a lot of people were feeling middle-of-the-road about it, so I set my expectations even lower.

In the end, I enjoyed it! It definitely was not WHAT LIES IN THE WOODS level for me and felt a bit more "typical thriller" and less of a stand-out, but I liked the story and liked the sisters. The jumping around between past and present AND switching back and forth between the different sisters' POVs was a little too much jumping around for me. It just felt a little choppy and the book didn't really run smoothly.

Ultimately, the ending just didn’t do it for me. It was kind of a make-or-break aspect of the book and I was really interested in the mystery portion, wondering who really killed the parents. There were a few different reveals and I liked part of it but didn’t like the other. I felt like one part of the reveal was overused and overdone, and I just personally didn’t enjoy it.

I enjoyed the book and the journey, but it really probably won’t stick with me and it won’t be something I’m wildly recommending. I liked it but it felt a bit more average for a thriller.

🎧Audiobook - 3.5/5 🌟🌟🌟💫
🗣️Narration 👍
📘Cover 👍

Emma returns to her childhood home out of necessity after several years. Her childhood was filled with unpleasant experiences and abusive parents, until they met their untimely death. Emma has been living under a cloud of suspicion since and when a new murder occurs she embarks on a quest to uncover the truth. Soon, she will realize that things aren’t always what they appear to be.

I enjoyed this audiobook. The murder mystery was well-done and suspenseful. I appreciated both the writing and narration. I also enjoyed the way it kept me guessing up until the end. I would categorize it as a better than average, whodunit. I didn’t rate it higher because it didn’t evoke a lot of emotion for me, and I reserve those ratings for when a book achieves that for me.

This one’s for you Mom!💜
#deannsdailydrop

Thank you @netgalley author Kate Alice Marshall and @macmillan.audio for granting me the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the gifted audiobook to review.

Emma and her husband Nathan just lost their home, Nathan was laid off and their down payment fell through. Convincing Emma to live in her parents’ house, which she owns along with her sisters, Daphne and Juliette, this decision brings back many secrets and bad memories. Her parents were murdered in this house and she was the main suspect.

Estranged for fourteen years after their parents mysterious deaths, the sisters will be forced to come back together.

To make sure no one knows.

Karissa Vacker is quickly becoming my top favorite audiobook narrator, I will credit her with making this novel so thrilling to finish.

I found the story of the sisters very compelling, growing up with very strict parents, keeping up certain expectations and appearances was very tough for them. This is a book about secrets and family and what people may do to protect that. The red herrings were fantastic and after the 85% mark, the reveals just kept coming and tied up the plot rather well.

This is my second novel from Kate Alice Marshall and I will definitely pick up her next! This was a thrilling ride, I couldn’t put down!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙩𝙬𝙤 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙨𝙚𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩.

I’ve read a few books from Kate Alice Marshall by now, and I can sincerely say I’m a huge fan of her writing and storytelling. I absolutely loved What Lies In The Woods when I read it last year, so I was extremely excited to pick this one up.

Fourteen years ago, sisters Emma, Juliette, and Daphne’s parents were brutally murdered. The sisters leave their home in Arden Hills and never speak to each other… that is until Emma decides to go back with her husband.

Emma has been accused of being the one to murder their parents, but as secrets begin to be revealed, not everything is as it seems.

I absolutely loved the audiobook of this story. These whodunit stories are always so fun and engaging, and this one was no different. I was immediately engaged from the very beginning, and these three sisters were each interesting in their own way.

The suspense in this book was so intense, I had no idea what was true and what wasn’t. The story was brilliantly written and the characters had so much depth that I had to keep reading until I finished.

My only issue with the book was the ending. I personally wasn’t the biggest fan, even though the twists and turns could seem enjoyable for some. It just didn’t seem as compelling to me.

I’m a huge fan of this author and will absolutely read anything she writes. I can’t wait to see what’s next, she’s definitely becoming one of my go-to authors for spooky reads. This was a page-turner, I would highly recommend checking this book out!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the review copy in exchange for my honest review!

3.5 stars rounded up. A great whodunit that twists until the very last page. I was addicted to this book but was left feeling like a lot was still unresolved with the story and the main characters’ actions (the sisters). Emma takes the blame for everything and never asks questions (though. This seems very unlike her teenaged personality at the time), JJ is selfish and said she wanted to protect her sisters but let Emma take the fall and then abandoned her, and Daphne did so many things to keep her sisters together but then didn’t speak to them for years. Also made some weird decisions. I also am still at a loss for why the mom ended up killing herself? This all could have easily been a self defense situation especially with how abusive he was. Just some points that left me wanting, but absolutely an entertaining read. Audio is 10/10.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author and I enjoyed it much more than her previous book! I listened to this on audio and thought the narrators did a great job. I found the story unpredictable and all narrators to be unreliable which was a plus. I did find some of the plot redundant and think it could’ve ended sooner. 3.5 stars!

Emma's got a closet full of skeletons, and when life throws curveballs, she spills the beans to her husband. Turns out, her parents' joint-owned house is not just any house – it's a stately mansion with a murder mystery attached. Emma's return to the mansion unravels family secrets, and the town is on the brink of explosion. As she tries to stitch her families together, old secrets resurface, threatening to blow everything apart.

The audiobook narrator, Karissa Vacker, does a great job. Her voice changes were on point, making it a breeze to distinguish between characters. The story flowed smoothly under her guidance, and the pacing was spot-on. Vacker's performance was a definite highlight!

While the story of "No One Can Know" had a captivating concept, the suspense element fell short of expectations. At times, the plot dragged, leaving me torn between the desire to put the book down and the curiosity to discover its conclusion. The book had its ups and downs, with moments of intrigue but lacking the consistent suspense I anticipated.

I rate this one 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan Audio and the author Kate Alice Marshall for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Kate Alice Marshall delivers another winner with No One Can Know! I enjoyed this audiobook from start to finish, and my attention never wavered. So many twists and turns, and the reader/listener is guaranteed to keep changing their mind on who they think is reponsible.......right up until the very end. I loved the character development of the 3 sisters and how Marshall rely dived into how the murders of their parents impacted each one of them. I also love how their relationship with each other changed throughout the book. This is definitely one of the best thrillers I've read in awhile, and Marshall definitely is now an auto read author for me!

Fourteen years ago, sisters Emma, Daphne, and Juliette were asleep in their treehouse when their parents were brutally murdered in their Arden Hills home. The murderer was never found, but lots of people in Arden Hills, including the detectives in charge of the case, blamed Emma for the events of that night. Now, the sisters are estranged from one another, their childhood home sits empty and abandoned, and Emma doesn't talk about her childhood with anyone, not even her husband Nathan. But when Nathan is fired from his job and they find out Emma is pregnant, they have no choice but to make use of Emma's one remaining asset: the childhood home she still owns with her sisters. After all these years, the house and the sisters are still keeping their secrets close, but everything that's buried will eventually come to light...

I'm finding No One Can Know difficult to review, because the issues I had with it are down to my personal preference. It's a well-composed, impeccably-written thriller with interesting characters, which deftly balances multiple timelines and perspectives, and lots of reviewers have enjoyed it. But it features two of my least favorite tropes in psychological thrillers: horrible husbands and small-town corruption. (Neither of those is a spoiler; you can immediately tell that Nathan is awful from his very first scene). So it just wasn't the best fit for me, personally, because those plot elements just irritated me.

I had some issues with Kate Alice Marshall's debut, What Lies in the Woods, because it I found it to be somewhat predictable, but I loved the rich, evocative atmosphere Marshall created in that book. Unfortunately, that atmosphere was missing from No One Can Know, and although this wasn't quite as predictable, it was still pretty easy to figure out who the bad guy was. Also, I'm not sure I understood Marshall's choice to tell the past timeline in the present tense, and the present timeline in the past tense.

I did enjoy how Marshall explored the bonds of sisterhood, raising interesting questions about what we would sacrifice or hide to protect our loved ones.

I listened to the audio version, read by Karissa Vacker, whose performance was engaging and impeccable, as always. Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the early listening opportunity.

After becoming unexpectedly pregnant, Emma and her husband return to Emma's childhood home. The home that's sat empty for years. The home where Emma and her three sisters' parents were brutally murdered. The home that holds all the secrets, that no one can know.

Marshall's last thriller, What Lies in the Woods, was my first 5 star thriller in 2023. I loved it! So when I had the opportunity to listen to her newest, I jumped! Especially once I saw it's narrated by one of my favorite narrators: Karissa Vacker!

No One Can Know is a twisty whodunnit, with great pacing and a well written plot. I'm pretty good at figuring out twists, but this one took me by surprise!

While this wasn't quite as strong as her last, I still really enjoyed and it and will continue reading whatever she writes. Marshall is definitely an author to watch.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC. 💗

I read this book back in September and wanted to listen to it as well because I really enjoyed it. I liked the audio a lot because the narrator was very pleasant and her tone was very engaging. There was childhood trauma and a bond between sisters that spans across 14 years of no contact. And way too many secrets to stay hidden. I felt the characters weren’t necessarily memorable but the plot and storyline was truly where the magic happened for me. Two murders turn into three and one main suspect the entire time. Emma having to prove herself throughout the story while protecting people who abandoned her years ago was what had me hooked.

I was hooked from the beginning. I had suspicions throughout and had to know how it was going to end. I may have guessed who the murdered was but the twists and turns it took to get there was truly entertaining. I loved how the story really unfolded in the flashbacks, I thought that was really unique. There were quite a few mysteries intertwined into one that I would definitely recommend to my thriller lover friends!

This was a great audiobook and wonderful story! I found myself a bit confused between which sister was who and who did what, but by the end I was hooked and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Emma has learned to live with the stigma of being accused of killing her parents fourteen years ago. She was not convicted but is the prime suspect. She and her two sisters left Arden Hills in the midst of the scandal and haven’t spoken to each other since.

Due to financial issues Emma and her husband return to her childhood home in Arden Hills. It is quickly evident that the community have not forgotten the incident. The unsolved case is reopened and Emma is pressured to confess. Her sisters unexpectedly return to Arden Hills and a secret that Emma’s husband has been keeping is unexpectedly revealed.

There are many twists and turns in this fast paced psychological thriller, some you will see coming and others will blind side you. Another great read by Kate Alice Marshall. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my ARC.

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall was granted to me by Macmillan Audio and a physical copy was sent to me by Flatiron Books. From page one through the end, I was sucked into this novel. I can't thank Macmillan Audio and Flatiron Books enough for gifting me this book. Marshall has a particular talent for crafting complex characters that are morally gray and likable. It's the combination of those traits that make the stories intricate and keep you guessing until the end.

Emma has escaped her past, or so she thinks. When her husband is laid off and their funds are running out, he suggests the unthinkable, move into Emma's family home. Reluctantly, Emma agrees, but within those walls lies many secrets and the truths that ripped this family apart. Emma is estranged from her sisters, but after asking permission to stay in the house, both emerge from the woodwork. In a town where Emma has been long labeled the family murder, despite evidence to support the claim in a court of law, the stares, the whispers, and her husband's shame of his wife's past are too much for Emma. As desperately as she wants to keep the past carefully sealed away, it becomes inevitable that the truth will come out.

This was a suspenseful read. I loathed some of the characters and then found myself empathizing with them. There is a bit of vigilante justice in this one that I loved and felt icky for loving too.

Family bonds that bind aren't always a good thing...or are they?

Rich, bad parents are killed. Emma is one of the three daughters and the number one suspect.

Emma was a teenager then, now she’s pregnant & married to Nate. The story flips from then to now and I swear I didn’t see the ending coming!

Three murders. Multiple suspects that all looked guilty to me. LOL

Really enjoyed this ARC!

Oh I hated Nate!

4.5 stars

•domestic thriller
•family secrets
•small town murder mystery
•multiple POV
•alternating timelines

Add this book to your list of twisty thrillers to read. The main character is Emma: she's in her early 30s, in a struggling marriage, with a husband who recently lost his job. They have no choice but to move back to Emma's small hometown and reside in the childhood home she inherited after her parents were murdered. Emma was the prime suspect in the case and the police are quick to let her know they still have their eye on her. To complicate matters, her estranged sisters come back into her life and the cold case is reopened. The three sisters have never talked about what happened that fateful night, but their secrets must come to light before someone goes to prison, or worse.

This was a really quick listen and I enjoy books with alternating timelines. But with that and multiple points of view, it often felt like too much. Especially the end, when most of the plot twists happen. So I was ultimately left feeling confused, but still enjoyed it as a whole. If you loved 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙤𝙤𝙙𝙨 then I think you'll also love this one. Narration was by the talented Karissa Vacker and once again I loved listening to her. She did subtle differences between the three sisters which helped to distinguish them from one another.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

I really enjoyed this book - all the twists and turns. It really made you think about what the characters were capable of. At the beginning I was sure I knew who actually did it. By the middle I had a list of about 5 suspects. At the end I was still wrong. I enjoyed the character development as well as the dual timelines- the then and now.

Thank you to NetGalley the publisher and author. ✨

This was my first book by Kate Alice Marshall and it was great! I loved the murder mystery vibes mixed with psychological thriller undertones. I enjoyed the writing style for the most part, but I did feel like the book was a little longer than it needed to be. I lost focus for part of the middle.

The narrator was excellent!

Fourteen years have passed since Emma, Juliette, and Daphnes parents were murdered in their family home. The three sisters leave their home town, go their separate ways, and haven’t spoken since.

Emma and her husband find themselves in a financial hardship with a baby on the way and no place to live, and with no other choice, return to the home she grew up in.

Emma never told anyone, including her husband, what had happened to her parents and what she had been accused of. But moving back home puts her secret in major jeopardy. When her and her sisters reunite in their home town, they realize just how far all of them have, and will go, to protect one another!

Kate Alice Marshall did it again with No One Can Know, this compelling, fast paced and twisty thriller will have you on the edge of your seat constantly guessing who did it!

Thank you NetGalley and Flatiron books for the Advaced Readers Copy of No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall.

This book shows the lengths sisters will go to protect themselves and each other. Years ago, Daphne, Emma, and JJ's parents were murdered. Everyone though Emma had done it, but no one could prove it. Now Emma and her husband are moving back into her family's house due to financial issues. It is here where the past surfaces and all three sisters and some old acquaintances must work together to solve what happened all those years ago.
I absolutely enjoyed the twists and turns this book took. Just when I thought I knew What was going on, a wrench was thrown in the gears and the plot took a turn. Sisters who protected each other, kept secrets to protect each other, and ultimately sacrificed pieces of themselves to survive more than just their parents' deaths, are pulled together with tragedy. I love the idea that family will protect you...eventually.