Book Review: No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall

Rating: 3.75⭐️

When her husband Nathan loses his job, pregnant Emma Palmer returns to her childhood home – the same home where her parents were brutally murdered fourteen years ago. Emma and her sisters Juliette and Daphne were separated after the tragedy and have each gone their own way. Though they have drifted apart, together they share ownership of the family home. Emma’s return is accompanied by whispers and speculation, visits from the investigators who believe that Emma is the key to solving the cold case from fourteen years ago and the return of significant people from Emma’s past including her estranged sisters. Everyone has secrets and no one is above suspicion. Emma has never forgotten that fateful night but continues to maintain silence on what transpired on the night of the murders, not even sharing the story of her family tragedy with her husband before she returned to Arden Hills. After all, “No one can know..” and the sisters haven't yet broken the pact they made all those years ago, but it’s only a matter of time before the past comes back to haunt them.

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall is a well-written, intriguing read that I overall enjoyed. The author deftly weaves past and present timelines into a tight-knit, suspenseful narrative shared mostly from the perspectives of all three sisters. Though the premise of the novel does not strike you as quite original (for fans of this genre), the skillful execution, excellent characterization, the twists and turns and the satisfying ending make for an engaging read. The pace does falter in parts, but this does detract from the overall reading experience. I loved that the author keeps you guessing till the very last page and I especially enjoy such reads when my predictions turn out to be wrong!

Though I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as What Lies in the Woods overall, I found it to be a satisfying read and would be eager to explore more of the author’s work in the future.

Many thanks to Flatiron Books and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.