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No One Knows
In an obsessive mystery as thrilling as The Girl on the Train and The Husband’s Secret, New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison will make you question every twist in her page-turning novel—and wonder which of her vividly drawn characters you should trust.
The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on; she wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious yet strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?
In No One Knows, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series expertly peels back the layers of a complex woman who is hiding dark secrets beneath her unassuming exterior. This masterful thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins will pull readers into a you’ll-never-guess merry-go-round of danger and deception. Round and round and round it goes, where it stops…no one knows.
The day Aubrey Hamilton’s husband is declared dead by the state of Tennessee should bring closure so she can move on with her life. But Aubrey doesn’t want to move on; she wants Josh back. It’s been five years since he disappeared, since their blissfully happy marriage—they were happy, weren’t they?—screeched to a halt and Aubrey became the prime suspect in his disappearance. Five years of emptiness, solitude, loneliness, questions. Why didn’t Josh show up at his friend’s bachelor party? Was he murdered? Did he run away? And now, all this time later, who is the mysterious yet strangely familiar figure suddenly haunting her new life?
In No One Knows, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of the Nicholas Drummond series expertly peels back the layers of a complex woman who is hiding dark secrets beneath her unassuming exterior. This masterful thriller for fans of Gillian Flynn, Liane Moriarty, and Paula Hawkins will pull readers into a you’ll-never-guess merry-go-round of danger and deception. Round and round and round it goes, where it stops…no one knows.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2016
About the author
J.T. Ellison
73 books5,871 followersJ.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,951 reviews
October 15, 2017
3 stars to J.T. Ellison's No One Knows, a suspense and thriller mystery novel. I received this as a giveaway but was very interested in reading it... in the end, I'm glad I did as there were many good parts, but the ending was definitely a puzzle.
Story
Aubrey Hamilton's parents died young and she fell prey to the repugnance of a bad seed in the foster system. She had a few people watch out for her, including one she married when Josh became the love of her life. A few years into their marriage, he disappears while at a friend's wedding and is presumed dead. Many think Aubrey did it, and she almost went to jail for it. After a few stints in rehab and jail, she finally gets her life in order, but she's not really enjoying her time. When her mother-in-law has her son declared legally dead, Aubrey's world turns upside down. She's due to inherit $5M but her mother-in-law plans to take it. Sightings of Josh occur around town, and people suspect he might be alive. A look-a-like falls in love with her and she gives him a chance. And a drug dealer starts stalking her. She's determined to figure out how it all fits together so she can move on with her life, but when it all comes to a crashing revelation 80% through, readers will be left spinning not knowing who to believe anymore!
Strengths
1. Aubrey has a grave struggle, and readers will root for her. You want her to survive and either find Josh and have their happily ever after, or if he's truly dead, ride off into the sunset with Chase even though it started out as a lie. She even takes care of her mother-in-law (who HATED her) when she's sick... so the sympathy card definitely gets played.
2. It's a page-turner... I read 30 pages the first night and was really tired so went to sleep, but the next day, I sat for 3-4 hours to finish it because I just had to know... was he alive? did she have something to do with it? Was Chase a bad guy? Was it the mother-in-law all along? Was it the best friend? Was it Arlo, her husband's best friend? Someone was rotten and I couldn't stop til I knew!
Suggestions
1. Oh what a confusing ending. And I'm a smart guy. Not Einstein, but pretty swift at solving these types of mysteries after reading a few hundred. No spoilers here, but a lot is left out for readers to interpret and/or choose their own ending. I like some openness, but I think the lack of true clarity was a big let-down.
2. Too many holes in the story. Parts left unanswered... Do Tom and Daisy stay together? Why did the foster brother tell us Megan was bad news without any real ending - what was Megan's deal? Where does the foster brother end up? Who gets arrested? The last page jumps 2 years into the future and is vastly different than the entire wrap up / epilogue. Too offbeat for me.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I still liked the book. I like the author's style... it could have been a little tighter, had more suspense and included solid, obvious structure to the way in which it was narrated. But if you can look past those things, and you like a good plot with some intense characters, and a bunch of guess-work, give it a chance! I will definitely try another book by the author.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
Story
Aubrey Hamilton's parents died young and she fell prey to the repugnance of a bad seed in the foster system. She had a few people watch out for her, including one she married when Josh became the love of her life. A few years into their marriage, he disappears while at a friend's wedding and is presumed dead. Many think Aubrey did it, and she almost went to jail for it. After a few stints in rehab and jail, she finally gets her life in order, but she's not really enjoying her time. When her mother-in-law has her son declared legally dead, Aubrey's world turns upside down. She's due to inherit $5M but her mother-in-law plans to take it. Sightings of Josh occur around town, and people suspect he might be alive. A look-a-like falls in love with her and she gives him a chance. And a drug dealer starts stalking her. She's determined to figure out how it all fits together so she can move on with her life, but when it all comes to a crashing revelation 80% through, readers will be left spinning not knowing who to believe anymore!
Strengths
1. Aubrey has a grave struggle, and readers will root for her. You want her to survive and either find Josh and have their happily ever after, or if he's truly dead, ride off into the sunset with Chase even though it started out as a lie. She even takes care of her mother-in-law (who HATED her) when she's sick... so the sympathy card definitely gets played.
2. It's a page-turner... I read 30 pages the first night and was really tired so went to sleep, but the next day, I sat for 3-4 hours to finish it because I just had to know... was he alive? did she have something to do with it? Was Chase a bad guy? Was it the mother-in-law all along? Was it the best friend? Was it Arlo, her husband's best friend? Someone was rotten and I couldn't stop til I knew!
Suggestions
1. Oh what a confusing ending. And I'm a smart guy. Not Einstein, but pretty swift at solving these types of mysteries after reading a few hundred. No spoilers here, but a lot is left out for readers to interpret and/or choose their own ending. I like some openness, but I think the lack of true clarity was a big let-down.
2. Too many holes in the story. Parts left unanswered... Do Tom and Daisy stay together? Why did the foster brother tell us Megan was bad news without any real ending - what was Megan's deal? Where does the foster brother end up? Who gets arrested? The last page jumps 2 years into the future and is vastly different than the entire wrap up / epilogue. Too offbeat for me.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I still liked the book. I like the author's style... it could have been a little tighter, had more suspense and included solid, obvious structure to the way in which it was narrated. But if you can look past those things, and you like a good plot with some intense characters, and a bunch of guess-work, give it a chance! I will definitely try another book by the author.
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on Goodreads, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at https://thisismytruthnow.com, where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
March 14, 2016
Spoiler alert: I understand having an unreliable narrator, but you can't just pull a 180 and have that tie everything together. I enjoyed the premise and 85% of the book, but the end ruined it all for me.
September 13, 2023
A twisty psychological thriller with lots of surprises. Audrey’s husband Josh disappeared five years ago the night of a party. Now he’s finally being declared officially dead and the news is affecting Audrey and her mother in law in different ways. But what really happened to Josh five years ago and is it possible he could still be alive?
It’s going to be difficult to review this one without giving away spoilers and plot twists, so I’m not going to say too much except to say this was REALLY good with tons of characters, complex plotting and lots of twists. And I loved the way I never knew which narrators I could trust!
It’s going to be difficult to review this one without giving away spoilers and plot twists, so I’m not going to say too much except to say this was REALLY good with tons of characters, complex plotting and lots of twists. And I loved the way I never knew which narrators I could trust!
March 12, 2016
I received a copy of No One Knows by J.T. Ellison from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley, Gallery Books, and J.T. Ellison for the opportunity.
I know. I know. I know.
This book has received higher ratings than mine. In truth, this one registers at perhaps a 3.5 which isn't all that much different. However, my itch that needed to be scratched was far more in the line of technique than storyline.
Joshua Hamilton is missing. He and his wife, Aubrey, are guests at the wedding festivities of a friend. Aubrey is mingling among the guests, but no one claims to have seen Joshua the entire evening. Her story of arriving with Joshua doesn't seem to hold up. In a panic, she arrives home only to step into the likes of a crime scene. The police are having none of her flimsy excuses and Aubrey is arrested. Even her own mother-in-law, Daisy, has testified against her. However, without solid proof, Aubrey is found innocent.....for the time being.
Fast-forward five years: Now here's where this over-used technique gets more back and forth play than a speed ball at a tennis match. The story constantly jumps from past to present even going back to when Aubrey was ten years old. These "fill-ins" are such a distraction. The story is a good one, but it's like stargazing at the bright lights of Las Vegas never realizing that you have had to travel through the desert to get there.
J.T. Ellison is a worthy author who writes a good story. And we all love a story with a good ol' twist or multiple twists within. This one has that going for it. J.T. Ellison is an author to watch and I will be looking forward to the next one.
I know. I know. I know.
This book has received higher ratings than mine. In truth, this one registers at perhaps a 3.5 which isn't all that much different. However, my itch that needed to be scratched was far more in the line of technique than storyline.
Joshua Hamilton is missing. He and his wife, Aubrey, are guests at the wedding festivities of a friend. Aubrey is mingling among the guests, but no one claims to have seen Joshua the entire evening. Her story of arriving with Joshua doesn't seem to hold up. In a panic, she arrives home only to step into the likes of a crime scene. The police are having none of her flimsy excuses and Aubrey is arrested. Even her own mother-in-law, Daisy, has testified against her. However, without solid proof, Aubrey is found innocent.....for the time being.
Fast-forward five years: Now here's where this over-used technique gets more back and forth play than a speed ball at a tennis match. The story constantly jumps from past to present even going back to when Aubrey was ten years old. These "fill-ins" are such a distraction. The story is a good one, but it's like stargazing at the bright lights of Las Vegas never realizing that you have had to travel through the desert to get there.
J.T. Ellison is a worthy author who writes a good story. And we all love a story with a good ol' twist or multiple twists within. This one has that going for it. J.T. Ellison is an author to watch and I will be looking forward to the next one.
March 12, 2016
No. No. No. Don't bother.
I am not even going to review this one. I could barely get through it. I am done reading books that are compared to GONE GIRL and GIRL ON THE TRAIN. I am done reading books with unreliable narrators and those that have twists that really don't make any sense other than to be a "gotcha" -- know what I mean? When you know there is one and are looking for one, you're prepared and it is a gimmick. I want to believe my characters and like them -- and even if I can't, I still expect plausibility in context.
I am thankful to NetGalley for offering me the e-book ARC when I requested it.
I am not even going to review this one. I could barely get through it. I am done reading books that are compared to GONE GIRL and GIRL ON THE TRAIN. I am done reading books with unreliable narrators and those that have twists that really don't make any sense other than to be a "gotcha" -- know what I mean? When you know there is one and are looking for one, you're prepared and it is a gimmick. I want to believe my characters and like them -- and even if I can't, I still expect plausibility in context.
I am thankful to NetGalley for offering me the e-book ARC when I requested it.
February 27, 2016
Now anyone that follows my reviews (thank you!) will know that I’m a huge fan of twisty tales, those stories with incredibly well drawn characters that keep you on your toes for the entire time and hopefully surprise you at the end.
There have been rumblings that this type of story has now been done to death, that there are no surprises, nothing new. Well whilst J T Ellison has not necessarily done something new here what she HAS done is written a corker of a psychological thriller, with some intensely disturbing yet loveable characters, subtle twists that make you crazy and created a brilliantly atmospheric page turner.
Aubrey is entirely fascinating – dealing with the loss of her husband, facing down an uncertain future and haunted by a challenging childhood. We first meet her just as Josh is being officially declared dead, from there things just start happening, she keeps seeing familiar faces but is someone watching her or is she going crazy? Frankly I think I’ve gone crazy trying to get a handle on her, but this is the beauty of this kind of novel when it is done this well.
Aubrey is not alone in the fascinating character department. As we start getting snippets of the past, time hopping to start bringing the bigger picture into focus, we have Mother in Law Daisy who has never liked Aubrey, new man in her life Chase, best friend Meghan and indeed Josh himself. Weaving an intricate web around this bunch, J T Ellison creates a truly engaging tale of human nature and nurture, reminding us once again that you can never really know someone when it comes to their inner thoughts or motives. Clever, unpredictable and GREAT fun to read.
You may or may not see the end coming, but it doesnt matter – in “No One Knows” the solution could be anything – some seriously twisted people in here – JUST the way I like it.
Highly Recommended.
There have been rumblings that this type of story has now been done to death, that there are no surprises, nothing new. Well whilst J T Ellison has not necessarily done something new here what she HAS done is written a corker of a psychological thriller, with some intensely disturbing yet loveable characters, subtle twists that make you crazy and created a brilliantly atmospheric page turner.
Aubrey is entirely fascinating – dealing with the loss of her husband, facing down an uncertain future and haunted by a challenging childhood. We first meet her just as Josh is being officially declared dead, from there things just start happening, she keeps seeing familiar faces but is someone watching her or is she going crazy? Frankly I think I’ve gone crazy trying to get a handle on her, but this is the beauty of this kind of novel when it is done this well.
Aubrey is not alone in the fascinating character department. As we start getting snippets of the past, time hopping to start bringing the bigger picture into focus, we have Mother in Law Daisy who has never liked Aubrey, new man in her life Chase, best friend Meghan and indeed Josh himself. Weaving an intricate web around this bunch, J T Ellison creates a truly engaging tale of human nature and nurture, reminding us once again that you can never really know someone when it comes to their inner thoughts or motives. Clever, unpredictable and GREAT fun to read.
You may or may not see the end coming, but it doesnt matter – in “No One Knows” the solution could be anything – some seriously twisted people in here – JUST the way I like it.
Highly Recommended.
February 1, 2016
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Fairy tales don't come true. Parents die and leave you alone in the world. Little girls get molested. Lovers die; husbands lie, and disappear, then try to pretend all is well.
Aubrey's husband Josh has been missing for five years and now the evil mother-in-law, Daisy, is having him declared dead. And Aubrey is livid that this woman is doing this, I didn't even know a mother could override the wife, but anyway.
The story moves back and forth in time, from when Aubrey and Josh knew each other as kids, between Aubrey then/now and some with Josh then and up to the day he went missing. I know it sounds confusing, but it's really not. The book reeled me in and I just wanted to know what happened. It wasn't all that climatic when the reader finds out what truly happened but it did have an end game and a happy ending in my opinion.
One evening when Aubrey and Josh are on their way to their friends bachelor and bachelorette parties, they get into a little fender bender, nothing major. They run into the back of a vehicle, exchange information and continue on, they get to the hotel and go to their separate destinations within the hotel and that is the last time Aubrey sees her husband. Where did he go? She has to wonder this over and over for five years, she writes letters to him on his email praying he will one day answer. Even after her mother-in-law declares him dead, Aubrey has a hard time moving on. And on top of that she has to deal with Daisy taking her to court to contest the insurance money from Josh, it's a huge chunk of money and Daisy thinks she deserves it and not the wife, Aubrey. Daisy is one evil lady. She has treated Aubrey like dirt since her and Josh were young kids.
Aubrey has a long history with Josh, he was there for her when she got put into a foster home. He doesn't really know all that happened to her there, but Aubrey has a sort of savior in her foster brother Tyler, even though he's in and out of jail. Aubrey has always loved Josh and misses him so much, I can't even image if someone I loved just disappeared off the face of the earth. I think that would be worse not knowing, at least if you know they died or something, you had some kind of closure.
There are a great group of characters in the book that all take part in this story. We start to find out some strange things that finally comes to a conclusion and what happened to Josh. We also found out Daisy was keeping a very big secret from everyone and it is strange how it all comes about, but it actually works out for the better.
I think the author did a very good job of creating characters you wanted to learn more about and wrote the book in such a way that you wanted to hurry up and get to the end to find out what happened.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
Fairy tales don't come true. Parents die and leave you alone in the world. Little girls get molested. Lovers die; husbands lie, and disappear, then try to pretend all is well.
Aubrey's husband Josh has been missing for five years and now the evil mother-in-law, Daisy, is having him declared dead. And Aubrey is livid that this woman is doing this, I didn't even know a mother could override the wife, but anyway.
The story moves back and forth in time, from when Aubrey and Josh knew each other as kids, between Aubrey then/now and some with Josh then and up to the day he went missing. I know it sounds confusing, but it's really not. The book reeled me in and I just wanted to know what happened. It wasn't all that climatic when the reader finds out what truly happened but it did have an end game and a happy ending in my opinion.
One evening when Aubrey and Josh are on their way to their friends bachelor and bachelorette parties, they get into a little fender bender, nothing major. They run into the back of a vehicle, exchange information and continue on, they get to the hotel and go to their separate destinations within the hotel and that is the last time Aubrey sees her husband. Where did he go? She has to wonder this over and over for five years, she writes letters to him on his email praying he will one day answer. Even after her mother-in-law declares him dead, Aubrey has a hard time moving on. And on top of that she has to deal with Daisy taking her to court to contest the insurance money from Josh, it's a huge chunk of money and Daisy thinks she deserves it and not the wife, Aubrey. Daisy is one evil lady. She has treated Aubrey like dirt since her and Josh were young kids.
Aubrey has a long history with Josh, he was there for her when she got put into a foster home. He doesn't really know all that happened to her there, but Aubrey has a sort of savior in her foster brother Tyler, even though he's in and out of jail. Aubrey has always loved Josh and misses him so much, I can't even image if someone I loved just disappeared off the face of the earth. I think that would be worse not knowing, at least if you know they died or something, you had some kind of closure.
There are a great group of characters in the book that all take part in this story. We start to find out some strange things that finally comes to a conclusion and what happened to Josh. We also found out Daisy was keeping a very big secret from everyone and it is strange how it all comes about, but it actually works out for the better.
I think the author did a very good job of creating characters you wanted to learn more about and wrote the book in such a way that you wanted to hurry up and get to the end to find out what happened.
*I would like to thank Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*
April 8, 2016
I don't understand how this has good reviews. I don't know how to say this without revealing the ending of the book, so I've hidden it because of spoilers. How in the world did we go through the whole book with Aubrey narrating....and not know that she knew the whole story? This book was a cheat. You can't have an unreliable narrator and then have the narrator know everything at the end and call it a twist ending. That's not a twist ending - that's a lie. I thought this book was barely okay until the end. I didn't like the writing too much and the love scenes were unnecessarily long, but the ending was just ridiculous. And there was absolutely nothing that brought Chase into this story? It's just a coincidence that they are brothers? What are the chances of that happening, seriously.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 7, 2021
This book has a premise that always draws me into a story--someone missing without a trace. I was engrossed throughout and really wanted to know what happened. However, I felt manipulated by the author in the end.
Here are my opinions--I had to put a spoiler warning because there's just no way to say this without it being a spoiler: If she knew about everything, then why were we, the readers, led to believe that she didn't throughout most of the book? That twist just came out of nowhere. She was the epitome of the unreliable narrator. Plus her drug use was a puzzle, just kept getting thrown in there from time to time but it wasn't really a factor.
Some other puzzles were Meghan: character had so much potential, but ended up being a red herring. Chase being his brother was WAY too convenient.
The only thing that saved it was the thin thread that she thought he was dead because he didnt' come back for her. But that just elevated it from a 2 star to a 3 star.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
Here are my opinions--I had to put a spoiler warning because there's just no way to say this without it being a spoiler: If she knew about everything, then why were we, the readers, led to believe that she didn't throughout most of the book? That twist just came out of nowhere. She was the epitome of the unreliable narrator. Plus her drug use was a puzzle, just kept getting thrown in there from time to time but it wasn't really a factor.
Some other puzzles were Meghan: character had so much potential, but ended up being a red herring. Chase being his brother was WAY too convenient.
The only thing that saved it was the thin thread that she thought he was dead because he didnt' come back for her. But that just elevated it from a 2 star to a 3 star.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2016
3 1/2 stars
My View:
The premise of this book enthralled me, the execution did not.
This book did not follow through with its promises – I did discover the merry go round but it made me dizzy and did not entertain. Unfortunately there were large tracks of this narrative where I could no longer suspend my disbelief - events, situations and characters that confused or just didn’t work for me.
Maybe it was me? Maybe I was tired and unable to give this the concentration it needed? And a few of the plots twists and reveals I guessed so the impact wasn’t there. My main issues were; uneven writing and I was not able to suspend my disbelief – maybe you can?
My View:
The premise of this book enthralled me, the execution did not.
This book did not follow through with its promises – I did discover the merry go round but it made me dizzy and did not entertain. Unfortunately there were large tracks of this narrative where I could no longer suspend my disbelief - events, situations and characters that confused or just didn’t work for me.
Maybe it was me? Maybe I was tired and unable to give this the concentration it needed? And a few of the plots twists and reveals I guessed so the impact wasn’t there. My main issues were; uneven writing and I was not able to suspend my disbelief – maybe you can?
April 1, 2016
Are all the really good reviews a joke? I don't get it. Way too much going on in this book, the "twists" were ridiculous, the plot was a mess, & the characters were laughable. I hate reading a book with so much buzz that falls so flat. Skip this one
August 28, 2017
No One Knows is another one of the multitude of books being touted the new 'Gone Girl', and while I enjoyed the latter, I don't think it's necessary to compare all thrillers to that book. Anyway, there goes my little gripe;-) The book has an intriguing premise and is told from different POVs as well as jumping around in time. At times, this felt a little jarring, but overall, I do enjoy multiple POVs as they often add layers to the story and make characters seem more developed. The only problem was really that I wasn't invested in any of the characters in this case. They were so-so and I definitely didn't trust the narration of any one of them, which can be thrilling or annoying. In this case, it fell a little flat for me. While No One Knows had a clever ending I did not expect, I wasn't stunned by the story in its entirety. Still, JT Ellison can write well and I will keep an eye open for what she comes up with next.
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 25, 2016
I loved this book so much when I read it as an ARC, I gave it a blurb: "Unputdownable, a gripping story that begs to be read in one sitting."
Writing blurbs is actually hard, because you want to tell potential readers everything about the book, but you only have a few words. "Unputdownable" fits this book better than anything. I started it and when I was forced to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it--I had to know what happened. That's a sign of a great story.
I've read most of J.T. Ellison's Taylor Jackson and Samantha Owens series (one a cop, one an M.E.) and I really enjoy those. But there was something about reading a stand alone, a book that is not and can not be part of a series, that is particularly attractive to me as a reader. This book delivers in all the best ways.
Writing blurbs is actually hard, because you want to tell potential readers everything about the book, but you only have a few words. "Unputdownable" fits this book better than anything. I started it and when I was forced to put it down, I couldn't stop thinking about it--I had to know what happened. That's a sign of a great story.
I've read most of J.T. Ellison's Taylor Jackson and Samantha Owens series (one a cop, one an M.E.) and I really enjoy those. But there was something about reading a stand alone, a book that is not and can not be part of a series, that is particularly attractive to me as a reader. This book delivers in all the best ways.
March 1, 2016
Oh, I so wanted to love this book. I started to. I was falling deep into it, curious, fascinated, and then... Well, the 'and then' aspect is difficult to talk about without spoilers, but I will do my best.
First, I want to say that I do love Ellison's writing style. She puts me in the story, with the characters, and lets me feel what they're feeling. The concept here is compelling and full of possibilities.
But I am a detail person. I want the pieces to fit, to make sense. I have to believe it can happen. And, with this story, the details didn't work.
The story is told from Aubrey's perspective. I want to like her. I want to trust her. I couldn't and I didn't. She alludes to a problematic past, trouble she's gotten into, things she did. Beneath the grieving, maybe-widow she shows us, she is whispering that we shouldn't take her at face value. That maybe she isn't such a nice person, after all.
The problem, for me, isn't so much with the questionable narrator, but with the story's execution. The details. My short explanations follow, without spoilers to fully back up my reasons:
The police immediately suspected Aubrey during the initial police investigation of Josh's disappearance. Yet, once that falls flat, the investigation appears to go nowhere else. Josh's background, his life, his friends, his associates, are never explored by detectives. Had this been done, as it should and would have been, the truth would have been uncovered rather than the case going unsolved. The answer was just too easy, too obvious.
Chase: His whole character was too convenient, from his appearance at exactly the right moment, to the instant attraction, to, well, all of it.
The flashbacks: They are constant. The story is told in back-and-forth time, disordered, with chapters from Aubrey's youth, chapters from Josh's youth, chapters from Aubrey and Josh's marriage, etc. Maybe this is a pet peeve of mine. It probably is. But I get annoyed when this technique is relied upon as a constant throughout a story, in order to make readers understand the characters. I don't need to see the character acting out as a teen, falling in love as a teen, fighting with his mother as a teen, and on it goes. I don't need or want constant chapter flashbacks. With rare exceptions, I want to be in the moment, in the story that is happening.
Finally, what had me rolling my eyes and muttering, is the string of unrealistic coincidences, combined with the revelation at the end, which isn't much of a surprise, but still made me question all that I'd read.
And, so, this story requires that you not look too hard at the details. If you're able to do that, then the story does offer an intriguing look at human nature.
*I was provided with an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.*
First, I want to say that I do love Ellison's writing style. She puts me in the story, with the characters, and lets me feel what they're feeling. The concept here is compelling and full of possibilities.
But I am a detail person. I want the pieces to fit, to make sense. I have to believe it can happen. And, with this story, the details didn't work.
The story is told from Aubrey's perspective. I want to like her. I want to trust her. I couldn't and I didn't. She alludes to a problematic past, trouble she's gotten into, things she did. Beneath the grieving, maybe-widow she shows us, she is whispering that we shouldn't take her at face value. That maybe she isn't such a nice person, after all.
The problem, for me, isn't so much with the questionable narrator, but with the story's execution. The details. My short explanations follow, without spoilers to fully back up my reasons:
The police immediately suspected Aubrey during the initial police investigation of Josh's disappearance. Yet, once that falls flat, the investigation appears to go nowhere else. Josh's background, his life, his friends, his associates, are never explored by detectives. Had this been done, as it should and would have been, the truth would have been uncovered rather than the case going unsolved. The answer was just too easy, too obvious.
Chase: His whole character was too convenient, from his appearance at exactly the right moment, to the instant attraction, to, well, all of it.
The flashbacks: They are constant. The story is told in back-and-forth time, disordered, with chapters from Aubrey's youth, chapters from Josh's youth, chapters from Aubrey and Josh's marriage, etc. Maybe this is a pet peeve of mine. It probably is. But I get annoyed when this technique is relied upon as a constant throughout a story, in order to make readers understand the characters. I don't need to see the character acting out as a teen, falling in love as a teen, fighting with his mother as a teen, and on it goes. I don't need or want constant chapter flashbacks. With rare exceptions, I want to be in the moment, in the story that is happening.
Finally, what had me rolling my eyes and muttering, is the string of unrealistic coincidences, combined with the revelation at the end, which isn't much of a surprise, but still made me question all that I'd read.
And, so, this story requires that you not look too hard at the details. If you're able to do that, then the story does offer an intriguing look at human nature.
*I was provided with an advance ebook copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest opinion.*
October 7, 2019
This is the second time I've read this nearly unputdownable suspense novel. Here's what I said after my first read, in 2016:
"This is a totally riveting thriller with an unreliable narrator, lots of twists and turns, and a shocker of an ending. I may have to reread this to figure out just how I feel about the conclusion."
Well, this time I read the newly released mass-market paperback edition, which has a revised, expanded, less-ambiguous epilogue. Some readers may still not like the ending, but at least this time there's more clarity to it. The revision was enough of an improvement that I changed my rating from 4 stars to 5.
"This is a totally riveting thriller with an unreliable narrator, lots of twists and turns, and a shocker of an ending. I may have to reread this to figure out just how I feel about the conclusion."
Well, this time I read the newly released mass-market paperback edition, which has a revised, expanded, less-ambiguous epilogue. Some readers may still not like the ending, but at least this time there's more clarity to it. The revision was enough of an improvement that I changed my rating from 4 stars to 5.
June 17, 2017
As I read No One Knows, I fluctuated between feeling like I wanted to roll my eyes at the (exaggerated) drama and wanting to keep reading to find out what really happened to Aubrey's husband, Josh, who disappeared after an accident 5 years ago and at the opening of the book, is declared dead by the state of TN.
I don't know if I'm learning after reading a few Thrillers that they're just not my preferred genre (due to the excessive dramatization), or the ones I'm reading just haven't been captivating enough for me to enjoy, like other books.
That said, after a certain point, I felt like I had come too far and wanted to keep reading to find out how it ended. There was an unexpected twist, which I did not anticipate. I also wasn't crazy about the final ending. It seemed... hasty? Random? The twist was a good plot move, but at the end I wasn't sure I really liked the book as a whole.
Thanks to Gallery Books - I received a copy of No One Knows in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know if I'm learning after reading a few Thrillers that they're just not my preferred genre (due to the excessive dramatization), or the ones I'm reading just haven't been captivating enough for me to enjoy, like other books.
That said, after a certain point, I felt like I had come too far and wanted to keep reading to find out how it ended. There was an unexpected twist, which I did not anticipate. I also wasn't crazy about the final ending. It seemed... hasty? Random? The twist was a good plot move, but at the end I wasn't sure I really liked the book as a whole.
Thanks to Gallery Books - I received a copy of No One Knows in exchange for an honest review.
February 25, 2020
Phenomenally good book: Ellison takes us through the twists and turns of a plot as we learn more and more about the main character and her husband and the day he disappeared.
Highly, highly recommended.
Highly, highly recommended.
September 3, 2017
J. T. Ellison delivers a cautionary tale, a perfect marriage, childhood sweethearts, a devastating loss, cracks, a disappearance--now a widow, trying to deal with the fallout.
NO ONE KNOWS —the author’s first standalone featuring a cast of desperate, unreliable, flawed, psychotic and dysfunctional characters---lies, secrets, betrayal, evil. A mind-blowing suburban domestic suspense thriller- leaving you guessing until the end.
"Years of love had been forgot in the hatred of a minute."—Edgar Allen Poe
Intriguing, Evocative, Shocking. Be prepared for a lot of head spinning, crazy, mystery, shifting, and switching back and forth, between characters and time periods. One wild roller-coaster ride.
Set in Nashville, Aubrey Hamilton, is trying to move on with her life after her husband's disappearance and probable death. The book opens five years after her husband disappears, on the day she receives official notice that the state of Tennessee has declared him dead. Dead or missing?
They had been childhood sweethearts. The old oak tree. The lovers’ tree. Their carved initials. They played here as children and as adults. Josh David Hamilton plus Aubrey Marie Trenton equals True Love Always. They would be tied together forever. They were a perfect match. He wanted to give her the moon, since her parents died when she was so young.
"Fairy tales don’t come true. Parents die, little girls are molested, lovers die, husbands lie, and disappear. "
Flashing back and forth some nineteen years, five years, and the present---readers hear from a cast of damaged characters; each with motives, an agenda, baggage, and dark secrets. Who is lying?
Joshua David Hamilton has been missing for five years. The State of Tennessee has declared him legally dead. Aubrey, his wife (widow), is a teacher at the Montessori school. She does not want his estate settled, nor does she want to say goodbye. However, his evil mother Daisy wanted closure. Seems everyone was ready to move on except for her.
Daisy and Aubrey are enemies. This began years ago when her son Josh began dating Aubrey – the young teen, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Daisy hated Aubrey’s real mom, hated that Aubrey was a foster child and she lived in the bad part of town. Aubrey was only fourteen. Money was vital to Daisy, and she always wanted to be richer. Appearances were everything to her. Coveting was her favorite pastime. Keeping up with the Joneses (socio-economic/cultural inferiority).
A mother’s lies. Her first husband, Ed Hardsten Josh’s father (not dead, in jail) and second, Tom, Josh’s step-father. An affair? What else is she hiding in her past?
Aubrey thinks Daisy is a bitch. Aubrey’s entire life looked like one long episode of Law and Order. The Nashville media did a good job of turning her into a devious liar with a sordid past. A black widow. They said she had snuck away from the party, murdered her husband, planted herself in the bar for an alibi, and after time had passed, made a show of searching for him.
Once they unsealed her juvenile record and realized Aubrey wasn’t a plain-Jane suburban housewife, they went at her doubly hard. The $5 Million insurance fueled the fire. Daisy had not helped matters, volunteering to be a witness for the prosecution.
Aubrey’s world was broken into thirds: She was damaged. Seven and seventeen and five. Seven years before he came into her life. Seventeen in-between years when she’d seen Josh almost every day. Seventeen years of joy, love, sex marriage, heartache, and happiness. Five years of After. Five years of wondering. She thought they were happy.
Then Josh was gone. Her world was shattered. The last five years she has been empty and lonely. He had disappeared. Her house was gone and she lived in a shabby little house. She had been forced to sell their dream to make ends meet. She wanted to dull the pain—nothing seemed to be working: therapy, drinking, work, her friends, the dog Winston, and her occasional suicidal thoughts—nothing helped her sleep at night. She turned to running.
Flashing back to five years earlier, we learn about the accident. Josh was in his third year of medical school with plans to become a family practitioner or surgeon. He was on the way to a bachelor party. The cops even suspected her, having to go through the humiliation of being charged with murder. The jury found her not guilty.
Flash forward to the present—Aubrey knew she had not killed her husband and she knew Josh had sent her the gin and tonic that night. It had to be him. We then hear back twenty-one years earlier. From Daisy, Josh, Aubrey, and now a mystery man surfaces.
A journalist, from Chicago. Chase Boden. An investigative reporter. A story in Nashville. There was a clear resemblance between Josh and Chase. He seems familiar and they are attracted to one another. Josh was fair and Chase had darker skin, more olive and blond hair. But something was similar but so very different.
We meet Aubrey’s brother Tyler having been released from prison and staying with Aubrey—a drug problem. Of course, Ty thinks she is coming into some money to share with her older brother. He had always been jealous of Josh.
Betrayed. She was on the edge of the truth. Her sanity is on the line. Is Josh hiding in plain sight? Was someone screwing with her, trying to unhinge her mind? Someone was playing a dangerous sick game. Aubrey was sick of being manipulated. Someone is trying to torture her. She has to pull it together, in order to solve the mystery. Blackmail?
As the five-year anniversary approaches, readers can feel the suspense building, anxiously turning the pages, dying for answers to this dangerous whodunit saga.
Aubrey, an "unreliable narrator", (a troubled past), the author cleverly unravels the complex mystery layer by layer as she spins and explores the tale from multiple points of view.
Skillfully plotted, fans of mystery, crime, psychological, domestic, and suspense rolled into one edge of your seat action-packed thriller. The last part of the book is un·put·down·a·ble!
Fans of Mary Burton (Morgans of Nashville), Lisa Gardner, Lisa Unger, Liane Moriarty, Paula Treick Deboard, and Carla Buckley will appreciate the complexity of relationships, and its multiple twists and turns.
My first book by the author --looking forward to more. Have pre-ordered the audiobook- should make for an entertaining adventure. Am enjoying the new books surrounding, widows and their husband's secret lives.
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover.
JDCMustReadBooks
NO ONE KNOWS —the author’s first standalone featuring a cast of desperate, unreliable, flawed, psychotic and dysfunctional characters---lies, secrets, betrayal, evil. A mind-blowing suburban domestic suspense thriller- leaving you guessing until the end.
"Years of love had been forgot in the hatred of a minute."—Edgar Allen Poe
Intriguing, Evocative, Shocking. Be prepared for a lot of head spinning, crazy, mystery, shifting, and switching back and forth, between characters and time periods. One wild roller-coaster ride.
Set in Nashville, Aubrey Hamilton, is trying to move on with her life after her husband's disappearance and probable death. The book opens five years after her husband disappears, on the day she receives official notice that the state of Tennessee has declared him dead. Dead or missing?
They had been childhood sweethearts. The old oak tree. The lovers’ tree. Their carved initials. They played here as children and as adults. Josh David Hamilton plus Aubrey Marie Trenton equals True Love Always. They would be tied together forever. They were a perfect match. He wanted to give her the moon, since her parents died when she was so young.
"Fairy tales don’t come true. Parents die, little girls are molested, lovers die, husbands lie, and disappear. "
Flashing back and forth some nineteen years, five years, and the present---readers hear from a cast of damaged characters; each with motives, an agenda, baggage, and dark secrets. Who is lying?
Joshua David Hamilton has been missing for five years. The State of Tennessee has declared him legally dead. Aubrey, his wife (widow), is a teacher at the Montessori school. She does not want his estate settled, nor does she want to say goodbye. However, his evil mother Daisy wanted closure. Seems everyone was ready to move on except for her.
Daisy and Aubrey are enemies. This began years ago when her son Josh began dating Aubrey – the young teen, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Daisy hated Aubrey’s real mom, hated that Aubrey was a foster child and she lived in the bad part of town. Aubrey was only fourteen. Money was vital to Daisy, and she always wanted to be richer. Appearances were everything to her. Coveting was her favorite pastime. Keeping up with the Joneses (socio-economic/cultural inferiority).
A mother’s lies. Her first husband, Ed Hardsten Josh’s father (not dead, in jail) and second, Tom, Josh’s step-father. An affair? What else is she hiding in her past?
Aubrey thinks Daisy is a bitch. Aubrey’s entire life looked like one long episode of Law and Order. The Nashville media did a good job of turning her into a devious liar with a sordid past. A black widow. They said she had snuck away from the party, murdered her husband, planted herself in the bar for an alibi, and after time had passed, made a show of searching for him.
Once they unsealed her juvenile record and realized Aubrey wasn’t a plain-Jane suburban housewife, they went at her doubly hard. The $5 Million insurance fueled the fire. Daisy had not helped matters, volunteering to be a witness for the prosecution.
Aubrey’s world was broken into thirds: She was damaged. Seven and seventeen and five. Seven years before he came into her life. Seventeen in-between years when she’d seen Josh almost every day. Seventeen years of joy, love, sex marriage, heartache, and happiness. Five years of After. Five years of wondering. She thought they were happy.
Then Josh was gone. Her world was shattered. The last five years she has been empty and lonely. He had disappeared. Her house was gone and she lived in a shabby little house. She had been forced to sell their dream to make ends meet. She wanted to dull the pain—nothing seemed to be working: therapy, drinking, work, her friends, the dog Winston, and her occasional suicidal thoughts—nothing helped her sleep at night. She turned to running.
Flashing back to five years earlier, we learn about the accident. Josh was in his third year of medical school with plans to become a family practitioner or surgeon. He was on the way to a bachelor party. The cops even suspected her, having to go through the humiliation of being charged with murder. The jury found her not guilty.
Flash forward to the present—Aubrey knew she had not killed her husband and she knew Josh had sent her the gin and tonic that night. It had to be him. We then hear back twenty-one years earlier. From Daisy, Josh, Aubrey, and now a mystery man surfaces.
A journalist, from Chicago. Chase Boden. An investigative reporter. A story in Nashville. There was a clear resemblance between Josh and Chase. He seems familiar and they are attracted to one another. Josh was fair and Chase had darker skin, more olive and blond hair. But something was similar but so very different.
We meet Aubrey’s brother Tyler having been released from prison and staying with Aubrey—a drug problem. Of course, Ty thinks she is coming into some money to share with her older brother. He had always been jealous of Josh.
Betrayed. She was on the edge of the truth. Her sanity is on the line. Is Josh hiding in plain sight? Was someone screwing with her, trying to unhinge her mind? Someone was playing a dangerous sick game. Aubrey was sick of being manipulated. Someone is trying to torture her. She has to pull it together, in order to solve the mystery. Blackmail?
As the five-year anniversary approaches, readers can feel the suspense building, anxiously turning the pages, dying for answers to this dangerous whodunit saga.
Aubrey, an "unreliable narrator", (a troubled past), the author cleverly unravels the complex mystery layer by layer as she spins and explores the tale from multiple points of view.
Skillfully plotted, fans of mystery, crime, psychological, domestic, and suspense rolled into one edge of your seat action-packed thriller. The last part of the book is un·put·down·a·ble!
Fans of Mary Burton (Morgans of Nashville), Lisa Gardner, Lisa Unger, Liane Moriarty, Paula Treick Deboard, and Carla Buckley will appreciate the complexity of relationships, and its multiple twists and turns.
My first book by the author --looking forward to more. Have pre-ordered the audiobook- should make for an entertaining adventure. Am enjoying the new books surrounding, widows and their husband's secret lives.
A special thank you to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Nice Cover.
JDCMustReadBooks
February 22, 2016
This was a quite engaging mystery and a quick read. I was given this ARC copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are really just a handful of characters in this novel but we see them develop as the story takes shape. Aubrey Hamilton has somewhat settled into her life as a teacher after the sudden disappearance of her husband Josh. The disappearance was very traumatic as it was thought that Josh had been murdered and Aubrey was, in the beginning, thought to be the main suspect in the investigation. As it turned out she was released and now after 5 years he is about to be declared legally dead.
Just at this time, a man appears in her life whom she is immediately drawn to. Chase seems so similar to Josh that Aubrey becomes infatuated with him and they immediately become involved in an affair. Her brother Tyler has just been released from prison and is crashing at Aubrey’s home in yet another attempt to free himself from his drug habit. He is none to happy to see her become involved with Chase, who is a journalist, and Tyler suspects that he is interested in Aubrey for more than love.
Her ex-mother in law, Daisy Hamilton, plays a significant role in the story. She has never liked Aubrey, in fact suggested to the police initially that she suspected her of murdering her son. Josh had taken out a very large insurance policy and changed the beneficiary to Aubrey and Daisy is set to “fight it out” in court as soon as the policy disperses the money.
There are lots of layers to the story and every narrator is suspect, who exactly is telling the truth and to where is the story leading us???? The chapters switch back and forth in time and change narrators often but the writing is very good and the story is easy to follow. My main issue with the plot was that it all seemed just too contrived, and many of the twists I found to be predictable.
I was about to rate this book a 3 and one half but the ending was good enough to bump that rating up to a 4. I’m sure that anyone who enjoys a quick mystery will enjoy this book
There are really just a handful of characters in this novel but we see them develop as the story takes shape. Aubrey Hamilton has somewhat settled into her life as a teacher after the sudden disappearance of her husband Josh. The disappearance was very traumatic as it was thought that Josh had been murdered and Aubrey was, in the beginning, thought to be the main suspect in the investigation. As it turned out she was released and now after 5 years he is about to be declared legally dead.
Just at this time, a man appears in her life whom she is immediately drawn to. Chase seems so similar to Josh that Aubrey becomes infatuated with him and they immediately become involved in an affair. Her brother Tyler has just been released from prison and is crashing at Aubrey’s home in yet another attempt to free himself from his drug habit. He is none to happy to see her become involved with Chase, who is a journalist, and Tyler suspects that he is interested in Aubrey for more than love.
Her ex-mother in law, Daisy Hamilton, plays a significant role in the story. She has never liked Aubrey, in fact suggested to the police initially that she suspected her of murdering her son. Josh had taken out a very large insurance policy and changed the beneficiary to Aubrey and Daisy is set to “fight it out” in court as soon as the policy disperses the money.
There are lots of layers to the story and every narrator is suspect, who exactly is telling the truth and to where is the story leading us???? The chapters switch back and forth in time and change narrators often but the writing is very good and the story is easy to follow. My main issue with the plot was that it all seemed just too contrived, and many of the twists I found to be predictable.
I was about to rate this book a 3 and one half but the ending was good enough to bump that rating up to a 4. I’m sure that anyone who enjoys a quick mystery will enjoy this book
March 18, 2016
3.5 stars
This book had all the components of a really great thriller - a mysterious disappearance, plenty of shady characters, an often unreliable narrator and that nagging quality that forced me to examine every single little detail of the plot. It took a while for me to settle in and sort of succumb to the chaos though. Because that’s what this felt like - utter chaos.
This story was all over the place - the points of view, the periods of time and ultimately my thoughts.
Aubrey’s husband disappeared five years ago and the circumstances have always been questionable. She's been the main suspect since day one and trying to live that down hasn't been pretty. Some might say she’s a little crazy. Now that Josh is officially being declared dead, without a body, she takes some steps to move forward - finally. Until rumors start to swirl that he might actually be alive.
How could you, how could you, how could you?
Both Aubrey and I woke up when Chase entered the picture. I was having a really hard time connecting with the story at that point, but he piqued my curiosity enough to keep going. I think it was Aubrey’s constant thoughts that there was something oddly familiar about him that made me desperate to find out what his connection was. The best part - he brought a little sexiness to the story. Even though there is no way to deny it was insta-love, all the way.
I have to give it to J.T. Ellison for writing something that felt so completely different. I truly appreciate that. I can't say that everything worked for me, but it certainly kept me guessing. There were aspects of the ending I found surprising, while others left me sort of scratching my head. It felt like she had been force feeding me this theory throughout and I just had to sit back and watch it all unravel at the end. Don’t get me wrong, I love an ending that completely changes the way I look at everything, but I was a little confused about how it really all fit together. Was it possible? And my biggest question - why???
*Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
This book had all the components of a really great thriller - a mysterious disappearance, plenty of shady characters, an often unreliable narrator and that nagging quality that forced me to examine every single little detail of the plot. It took a while for me to settle in and sort of succumb to the chaos though. Because that’s what this felt like - utter chaos.
This story was all over the place - the points of view, the periods of time and ultimately my thoughts.
Aubrey’s husband disappeared five years ago and the circumstances have always been questionable. She's been the main suspect since day one and trying to live that down hasn't been pretty. Some might say she’s a little crazy. Now that Josh is officially being declared dead, without a body, she takes some steps to move forward - finally. Until rumors start to swirl that he might actually be alive.
How could you, how could you, how could you?
Both Aubrey and I woke up when Chase entered the picture. I was having a really hard time connecting with the story at that point, but he piqued my curiosity enough to keep going. I think it was Aubrey’s constant thoughts that there was something oddly familiar about him that made me desperate to find out what his connection was. The best part - he brought a little sexiness to the story. Even though there is no way to deny it was insta-love, all the way.
I have to give it to J.T. Ellison for writing something that felt so completely different. I truly appreciate that. I can't say that everything worked for me, but it certainly kept me guessing. There were aspects of the ending I found surprising, while others left me sort of scratching my head. It felt like she had been force feeding me this theory throughout and I just had to sit back and watch it all unravel at the end. Don’t get me wrong, I love an ending that completely changes the way I look at everything, but I was a little confused about how it really all fit together. Was it possible? And my biggest question - why???
*Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.*
January 22, 2016
Pub Date Mar 22, 2016
Aubrey Hamilton's husband, Josh, went missing 5 years ago. There one minute ... gone the next. Blood was splattered all over their home, leading authorities to assume he had been murdered. And since, the spouse is always the primary suspect, Aubrey had to go through the humiliation of being charged with murder. The jury found her not guilty. Her mother-in-law had Josh declared legally dead and sent Aubrey a letter stating that she was going to contest the $5 milllion insurance payment.
She thinks she's on the way to recovery when she accidentally bumps into a man who reminds her so much of Josh. Who was this mystery man? And what does he want with her?
The book is told by different people at different times. Sounds confusing, but it was actually easy to follow. There is Aubrey's memories, things that were happening in Josh's life, and then there's Chase, the mystery man. Even Daisy, the mother-in-law has her say.
Seems like everyone has secrets and things they definitely do not want to see the light of day. Some are not who they purport to be. There are many twists and turns until the reader doesn't know what ... or who ... to believe.
My only complaint is that the ending was a little disappointing. I was looking for a big bang and got a firecracker instead. That accounts for my 4.5 rating.
This author is well known to me as I have read everything she's written. She has 2 series that are particularly good with tightly woven plots and believable characters.
Many thanks to the author / Gallery Books / NetGalley who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Aubrey Hamilton's husband, Josh, went missing 5 years ago. There one minute ... gone the next. Blood was splattered all over their home, leading authorities to assume he had been murdered. And since, the spouse is always the primary suspect, Aubrey had to go through the humiliation of being charged with murder. The jury found her not guilty. Her mother-in-law had Josh declared legally dead and sent Aubrey a letter stating that she was going to contest the $5 milllion insurance payment.
She thinks she's on the way to recovery when she accidentally bumps into a man who reminds her so much of Josh. Who was this mystery man? And what does he want with her?
The book is told by different people at different times. Sounds confusing, but it was actually easy to follow. There is Aubrey's memories, things that were happening in Josh's life, and then there's Chase, the mystery man. Even Daisy, the mother-in-law has her say.
Seems like everyone has secrets and things they definitely do not want to see the light of day. Some are not who they purport to be. There are many twists and turns until the reader doesn't know what ... or who ... to believe.
My only complaint is that the ending was a little disappointing. I was looking for a big bang and got a firecracker instead. That accounts for my 4.5 rating.
This author is well known to me as I have read everything she's written. She has 2 series that are particularly good with tightly woven plots and believable characters.
Many thanks to the author / Gallery Books / NetGalley who furnished a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 28, 2020
4.5. Wow - a superbly crafted story: Aubrey Hamilton's beloved husband is declared dead. Simultaneously it is revealed her husband had taken out a $5m insurance policy: with her as the beneficiary just before he 'disappeared'.
A complex story, many layers deep, wonderful characters, mystery layered upon implausibility and a surprising ending. Ie I never guessed the ending.
Unputdownable
A complex story, many layers deep, wonderful characters, mystery layered upon implausibility and a surprising ending. Ie I never guessed the ending.
Unputdownable
March 20, 2016
When I was finding any excuse to read other books, I should've just given up then. I couldn't connect with any of the characters and didn't care for the story. Some of it was predictable, but I will admit the end threw me for a loop. Overall it was just an 'ok' read for me.
June 9, 2016
Wow, what a thrill ride! And that final twist...yowza. Read. This. Book.
October 3, 2022
I've made several attempts at writing this review and it's just not working, so I'm just going to have to do it and get it over with; quick and dirty. Hopefully, you enjoy it.
Aubrey Hamilton has been grieving the loss of her husband Josh for almost five years. They grew up together and loved each other from the beginning. They get married, but the unthinkable! Josh disappears the night of his bachelor party (he didn't even make it)! Aubrey the prime subject in Josh's murder, but there isn't a body. In fact, there are a lot questions about the night he disappeared.
Five Years Later:
Aubrey is trying to recover and live her life accepting it is without Josh. Her best friend and business partner wants her to move on, and start a new life. She is an incredible friend, and is always, always there for Aubrey whenever she needs her. We should all be so lucky!
So here we are. Aubrey has a job with her best friend, and is starting to feel good again. She recently met someone and is dating.
However, she has started to catch glimpses of someone who looks like her dead husband! She isn't crazy is she? Josh would have come back long ago if he wasn't dead, he wouldn't put her through this agony! Has she really lost her mind this time?
If I explained why I gave it only 2 stars I would give away far too much. I'll just say I did not like how it ended at all, and my dislike started several chapters before the finale.
Aubrey Hamilton has been grieving the loss of her husband Josh for almost five years. They grew up together and loved each other from the beginning. They get married, but the unthinkable! Josh disappears the night of his bachelor party (he didn't even make it)! Aubrey the prime subject in Josh's murder, but there isn't a body. In fact, there are a lot questions about the night he disappeared.
Five Years Later:
Aubrey is trying to recover and live her life accepting it is without Josh. Her best friend and business partner wants her to move on, and start a new life. She is an incredible friend, and is always, always there for Aubrey whenever she needs her. We should all be so lucky!
So here we are. Aubrey has a job with her best friend, and is starting to feel good again. She recently met someone and is dating.
However, she has started to catch glimpses of someone who looks like her dead husband! She isn't crazy is she? Josh would have come back long ago if he wasn't dead, he wouldn't put her through this agony! Has she really lost her mind this time?
If I explained why I gave it only 2 stars I would give away far too much. I'll just say I did not like how it ended at all, and my dislike started several chapters before the finale.
February 16, 2016
Seven and seventeen and five. That's how Aubrey Hamilton breaks down her life.
The seven years before she met Josh, the seventeen years they knew each other and were together and the five years since he went missing. Josh vanished the night of a friend's bachelor party under mysterious circumstances. Five years of questions, rumors and a trial for Aubrey haven't provided any answers as to where Josh went or why.
As the state of Tennessee has her husband legally declared dead, Aubrey's life takes an interesting turn with a man who reminds her a lot of Josh and the coming battle with her mother-in-law, Daisy, over the beneficiary of Josh's rather large life insurance policy.
With the abundance of unreliable narrator mystery/thrillers on the market today, J.T. Ellison's No One Knows could easily feel like it's just another entry in an already crowded field. But Ellison deftly weaves in enough questions about Josh's disappearance and gives readers just enough of a glimpse of the history of Josh and Aubrey to set the hook early and continue reeling you in for the entire story's length.
But there's always the question lurking under the surface of just who is telling the truth and just how much of it we're getting. Ellison allows the layers to slowly be peeled back and takes the reader on an interesting journey with her characters.
As a resident of Nashville, I'll admit that it's fun to hear references to locations and places around Music City.
Overall though, I can't say this is the strongest of the questionable narrator novels I've read in recent memory. It's a good story with a nice hook, but I felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit as we got toward the conclusion. And while Ellison does put the pieces in place for the big reveals that come over the course of the novel, I still can't help but feel that not all the twists and turns were as surprising or as interesting as I'd hoped they would be.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The seven years before she met Josh, the seventeen years they knew each other and were together and the five years since he went missing. Josh vanished the night of a friend's bachelor party under mysterious circumstances. Five years of questions, rumors and a trial for Aubrey haven't provided any answers as to where Josh went or why.
As the state of Tennessee has her husband legally declared dead, Aubrey's life takes an interesting turn with a man who reminds her a lot of Josh and the coming battle with her mother-in-law, Daisy, over the beneficiary of Josh's rather large life insurance policy.
With the abundance of unreliable narrator mystery/thrillers on the market today, J.T. Ellison's No One Knows could easily feel like it's just another entry in an already crowded field. But Ellison deftly weaves in enough questions about Josh's disappearance and gives readers just enough of a glimpse of the history of Josh and Aubrey to set the hook early and continue reeling you in for the entire story's length.
But there's always the question lurking under the surface of just who is telling the truth and just how much of it we're getting. Ellison allows the layers to slowly be peeled back and takes the reader on an interesting journey with her characters.
As a resident of Nashville, I'll admit that it's fun to hear references to locations and places around Music City.
Overall though, I can't say this is the strongest of the questionable narrator novels I've read in recent memory. It's a good story with a nice hook, but I felt like it overstayed its welcome a bit as we got toward the conclusion. And while Ellison does put the pieces in place for the big reveals that come over the course of the novel, I still can't help but feel that not all the twists and turns were as surprising or as interesting as I'd hoped they would be.
In the interest of full disclosure, I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2016
Absolutely awful. Ridiculous plot, poor writing, and ludicrous dialogue. The heroine goes to a restaurant to drink champagne with her returned from the grave husband, after she has been shot in the leg? Just one example of what occurs in this poorly written crazy novel. To compare it to Girl on the Train, which is a well written, believable thriller, is doing that book a grave injustice.
February 9, 2017
I liked maybe 90% of this book. It had mystery, a missing person, twists and turns. This book sounded so up my alley ... and it was until i got down to the last two chapters and I was let down with a crappy ending.
May 4, 2016
“No One Knows” by J.T. Ellison.
Five years ago, Josh Hamilton vanished into thin air, leaving his wife behind as the number one suspect in his disappearance. Managing to skirt a murder conviction, Aubrey is now dealing with her evil mother-in-law, Daisy, who has had Josh declared legally dead, and is hell bent on challenging the life insurance policy, which is worth a whopping five million dollars.
But, when a man walks into Aubrey’s life who bears a striking resemblance to Josh, her fragile world begins to unravel even more. Is someone playing tricks on her? Is she in is danger? Could Josh really be alive?
First of all, I have to confess something a little embarrassing... This is my first book by J.T. Ellison. I know, right? Well, it might be the first, but not the last. This book was right up my alley and I can’t wait to read more by this author!
It’s hard to review a book like this because I don’t want to give anything away. So, let me just warn you, this is a very well written, cleverly plotted story. It’s also a little bit of a twisted, cautionary tale that will keep you turning pages long past your bedtime. You will never see the twist coming and the darkly outrageous conclusion, almost had me laughing out loud at the irony.
If you like traveling on roads with sharp inclines at night without guardrails, with hairpin turns and sudden drop offs, then fasten your seat belt and climb aboard, because this is your kind of ride. This book was absorbing, emotional, moody, with shady characters, shadowy figures, secrets, lies, betrayals, double crosses and a few gut punches thrown in for good measure, with just a little dark humor to put the cherry on the cake. It’s a long, strange trip, but, if you are anything like me, it’s worth it once you reach your destination. 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Julie Whiteley for Suspense Magazine
Five years ago, Josh Hamilton vanished into thin air, leaving his wife behind as the number one suspect in his disappearance. Managing to skirt a murder conviction, Aubrey is now dealing with her evil mother-in-law, Daisy, who has had Josh declared legally dead, and is hell bent on challenging the life insurance policy, which is worth a whopping five million dollars.
But, when a man walks into Aubrey’s life who bears a striking resemblance to Josh, her fragile world begins to unravel even more. Is someone playing tricks on her? Is she in is danger? Could Josh really be alive?
First of all, I have to confess something a little embarrassing... This is my first book by J.T. Ellison. I know, right? Well, it might be the first, but not the last. This book was right up my alley and I can’t wait to read more by this author!
It’s hard to review a book like this because I don’t want to give anything away. So, let me just warn you, this is a very well written, cleverly plotted story. It’s also a little bit of a twisted, cautionary tale that will keep you turning pages long past your bedtime. You will never see the twist coming and the darkly outrageous conclusion, almost had me laughing out loud at the irony.
If you like traveling on roads with sharp inclines at night without guardrails, with hairpin turns and sudden drop offs, then fasten your seat belt and climb aboard, because this is your kind of ride. This book was absorbing, emotional, moody, with shady characters, shadowy figures, secrets, lies, betrayals, double crosses and a few gut punches thrown in for good measure, with just a little dark humor to put the cherry on the cake. It’s a long, strange trip, but, if you are anything like me, it’s worth it once you reach your destination. 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Julie Whiteley for Suspense Magazine
February 8, 2016
After I finished the first few chapters of this book, I was pretty sure I wasn't going to care much what happens to Aubrey Hamilton, the central female character. Her much-loved husband Josh went missing five years earlier after mysteriously failing to show up at a friend's bachelor party. As the prime suspect, Aubrey was arrested, charged and put on trial but acquitted for lack of evidence; now, and her nasty mother-in-law Daisy finally succeeded in her quest to have her son declared legally dead.
When Aubrey meets a new guy (about whom I'll provide no details so as not to spoil it for anyone else), she turns into the angst-ridden, hand-wringing female who questions everything everyone says or does - including herself - and I got that old familiar feeling of, "Oh no - not another of the wishy-washy women I so dislike."
But then - thanks to chapters that switch back and forth among various characters (including Aubrey) and time periods, I began to realize what Aubrey was all about. This is a technique that's been overused in books of late, IMHO, but in this case, the author has used it to, in effect, build layers of each character that results in an ending that came as a bit of a surprise to me.
Bottom line? I'd give this 4.5 stars if it were possible - and I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a review (it's scheduled for release on March 22). This is a good one, folks!
When Aubrey meets a new guy (about whom I'll provide no details so as not to spoil it for anyone else), she turns into the angst-ridden, hand-wringing female who questions everything everyone says or does - including herself - and I got that old familiar feeling of, "Oh no - not another of the wishy-washy women I so dislike."
But then - thanks to chapters that switch back and forth among various characters (including Aubrey) and time periods, I began to realize what Aubrey was all about. This is a technique that's been overused in books of late, IMHO, but in this case, the author has used it to, in effect, build layers of each character that results in an ending that came as a bit of a surprise to me.
Bottom line? I'd give this 4.5 stars if it were possible - and I thank the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me an advance copy in exchange for a review (it's scheduled for release on March 22). This is a good one, folks!
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