No One Knows- Review
I joined the Book of the Month Club last month after having left it years ago when it was still a Columbia CDs type setup. I had heard they redesigned the concept by having 5 books chosen per month with a write up on each one. For the first month, I picked 3 books (paying $9.99 each for the two additional). I am glad to say I was 3 for 3 in my first shot. If you would like to try the Book of the Month Club, here is a link that benefits both of us. Use “Refer50" in the coupon section.
The first pick was a book that I have been trying to get every person I know to read- No One Knows by JT Ellison. The first comparison every reviewer makes to this book is Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. The only comparison to Gone Girl is that there is a person missing in the novel, in this case the husband Josh, and people think the wife Aubrey did it. That is about the sole comparison to Gone Girl that one can make.
Otherwise, it is a wonderful book that stands on its own. The characters are fairly well developed, Aubrey’s “brother” and a coffee shop owner aren’t as fleshed out as they could be. Most of all it is a fantastic read.
Here is a quick run down- Aubrey’s husband Josh has been missing for 5 years. We enter the narrative a few days before Aubrey is about to get a massive payment from a sudden life insurance policy in which Aubrey was named as the sole recipient. The problem is that everybody thinks Aubrey actually killed her husband and that is why he has disappeared. Aubrey is racked with guilt and refuses to give up finding out what happened to her husband after they last kissed while he headed to a bachelor party five years ago. The more she investigates, the more intriguing it becomes, especially when a man shows up out of no where who not only reminds her of her husband, but has similar mannerisms. Where is Josh? What happened? Why does Chase remind her so much of Josh?
The narrative is told in such a way that we bounce throughout different periods of time, but it is done in such a way that it was easy to follow and you aren’t lost. Ellison places us back and forth in order to move the narrative along. It has been one of the few books that used this method really well. We also get the narrative from different perspectives.
The reason why I am recommending it to so many people is that it was a true page turner. I was actually sad when I realized I was nearing the end, but didn’t want to put it down. The book had so many twists, but done so well, and stayed within a reality that there wasn’t a moment when I cried “foul!”
Aubrey is a great character and an extremely strong woman. Not only has she endured the treatment that she has for the last 5 years, but has mourned that long as well. Throughout the book, we also learn that Aubrey isn’t the delicate little flower we think she is in the beginning of the book either. We learn that when her “brother” enters into the picture. Aubrey isn’t the most reliable of narrators as her grief and her desire to find what happens overshadows her logic. There are other reasons why, but I don’t want to spoil the fun.
There is one warning though- DO NOT USE the Amazon free preview. In the preview, it gives the first two chapters, but for some unknown reason also gives the last chapter and you will NOT want to read that. I was so tempted to turn to the back quite a few times, but the ride was so worth it that I would only cheat myself if I did.
I gave this one a solid 4.5 stars. The only deduction was for the two characters that seem to have interesting pasts that are just not explored at all. Otherwise, do yourself a favor and read this one!
Amazon Link- No One Knows JT Ellison
