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I Know You Know
The darkest cards in the tarot deck reveal the darkest side of the man sitting opposite Janice—Mr. Edgar Kipp.
She feigns an inability to read for him, but will he believe her?
His parting words indicate that he knows she knows he's a serial killer.
And he plans to return.
The voice of her dead grandmother urges her to be careful, warning Janice she might be seeing her own future in those foreboding cards.
But Janice doesn't want to listen. Gran's dead.
How can she possibly help her?
She feigns an inability to read for him, but will he believe her?
His parting words indicate that he knows she knows he's a serial killer.
And he plans to return.
The voice of her dead grandmother urges her to be careful, warning Janice she might be seeing her own future in those foreboding cards.
But Janice doesn't want to listen. Gran's dead.
How can she possibly help her?
ebook
First published February 3, 2013
18 people want to read
About the author
Helen A. Howell
4 books5 followersHelen is the author of Jumping At Shadows, her debut Novella, a fantasy fiction for children 9/10 years up to adults, released in 2012.
Her second Novella I Know You Know, a Psychic Thriller for adults, was released by Crooked Cat Publishing on February 21 2013.
Her New Novella Mind Noise will be released early in 2014 by Crooked Cat publishing.
She is a fiction writer, who writes in several genres which include fantasy, noir, horror and humour. She has written several short stories, flash fictions, poems. Her work has appeared in both e-zine and print publications.
She was born in England and lives in Australia, where she is currently finishing writing the serial WIZARD
Helen is a member of Friday Flash Dot Org. and is a regular participant in writing Friday Flash.
Her second Novella I Know You Know, a Psychic Thriller for adults, was released by Crooked Cat Publishing on February 21 2013.
Her New Novella Mind Noise will be released early in 2014 by Crooked Cat publishing.
She is a fiction writer, who writes in several genres which include fantasy, noir, horror and humour. She has written several short stories, flash fictions, poems. Her work has appeared in both e-zine and print publications.
She was born in England and lives in Australia, where she is currently finishing writing the serial WIZARD
Helen is a member of Friday Flash Dot Org. and is a regular participant in writing Friday Flash.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 24, 2013
From the first line of the first page to the final word, I was completely hooked on Helen Howell's brilliant slice of psychic terror. Throughout the novella, the author masterfully ratchets up the tension and suspense, and creates a wonderfully claustrophobic world for her characters to inhabit. By the end, I was left a quivering wreck, but thoroughly entertained and in awe of the writer's command of the genre. The central conceit is original and main protagonists are well drawn, particularly the demonic and demented killer, Mr Edgar Kipp. Howell drags us kicking and screaming deep inside the damaged, twisted mind of a psychopath, and creates one of the best (if best is the right word), blade wielding maniacs since the gruesome Buffalo Bill in Silence of the Lambs. The final showdown is expertly staged managed with a wonderful and unexpected twist in the tale. I look forward to more dark and sinister stories from the devilish mind of Helen Howell. I know you know is a little gem and comes thoroughly recommended- But whatever you do, don't read it in bed..
November 3, 2014
As a follower of Helen A. Howell's blog, Writing My Words, I always enjoy her writing style. This novella includes the subtlest touch of a noirish element within a cross between hard boiled and horror story, that of serial killer Edgar Kipp, who targets tarot readers. It's a smooth flowing read written with a deft touch for details - from Kipp's first kill to the voice of protagonist Janice's dead grandmother - and timing, as characters are developed concordantly with the action building to a crescendo.
I Know You Know is a fun, quick read for anyone who enjoys a suspenseful plot with a surprising, but satisfying conclusion.
I Know You Know is a fun, quick read for anyone who enjoys a suspenseful plot with a surprising, but satisfying conclusion.
October 6, 2013
Helen Howell's 'I Know You Know' is a cross genre novella - suspense thriller meets speculative fiction, told from the viewpoints of the two main characters.
Janice is a tarot card reader who has inherited not only her grandmother's house but her psychic abilities. Edgar Kipp is a serial killer, a psychopath fixated on fortune tellers. When Edgar comes to Janice for a reading she sees the truth of him in the cards and in knowing is in imminent danger. The story is drawn along first from Janice's viewpoint and then Edgar's. Revelations of Edgar's horrid past and current plans are interspersed with Janice's increasing peril. Janice is coached and cautioned by the voice of her dead grandmother and the introduction of a suspicious policeman into the mix heightens the suspense.
I Know You Know has a strong plot with a surprise ending, one the reader is unlikely to guess. The characters are believable and consistent throughout. Helen is indeed a great story teller.
The reasons this is a three star review and not four or five rest on the writing style. I often became bogged down in the detail and for me this slowed the story too much. Things like Edgar making his way to the corridor, ambling to the lift, pressing the call button, waiting for it to arrive. This will not be everybody's opinion as other reviewers have appreciated this style as one of building suspense.
It was often the thoughts of the characters the reader is privy to and these are shown in italics. I found the frequency of the italics distracting.
However, despite this, the story is sound and entertaining and I would read Helen Howell again. I have enjoyed Helen's short stories and particularly like her drabbles (100 word stories).
Janice is a tarot card reader who has inherited not only her grandmother's house but her psychic abilities. Edgar Kipp is a serial killer, a psychopath fixated on fortune tellers. When Edgar comes to Janice for a reading she sees the truth of him in the cards and in knowing is in imminent danger. The story is drawn along first from Janice's viewpoint and then Edgar's. Revelations of Edgar's horrid past and current plans are interspersed with Janice's increasing peril. Janice is coached and cautioned by the voice of her dead grandmother and the introduction of a suspicious policeman into the mix heightens the suspense.
I Know You Know has a strong plot with a surprise ending, one the reader is unlikely to guess. The characters are believable and consistent throughout. Helen is indeed a great story teller.
The reasons this is a three star review and not four or five rest on the writing style. I often became bogged down in the detail and for me this slowed the story too much. Things like Edgar making his way to the corridor, ambling to the lift, pressing the call button, waiting for it to arrive. This will not be everybody's opinion as other reviewers have appreciated this style as one of building suspense.
It was often the thoughts of the characters the reader is privy to and these are shown in italics. I found the frequency of the italics distracting.
However, despite this, the story is sound and entertaining and I would read Helen Howell again. I have enjoyed Helen's short stories and particularly like her drabbles (100 word stories).
March 13, 2013
'"Well, tell me my fortune then. What do you see?" he asked in a sharp nasally voice.' From the first paragraph of the first chapter you know that Helen A Howell's second novella, I Know You Know, is going to be the bone-chilling horror story it sets out to be. There is no preamble; this novella starts in the middle of an important scene between the two main characters, Janice and Edgar Kipp. Janice is reading tarot cards for Kipp and sees something she shouldn't: that he is a serial killer. Her attempts at covering up her new-found knowledge are transparent and from chapter one we fear for her life.
Using the technique of multiple points of view has enabled Howell to create rounded and believable characters. Edgar Kipp is a dark and despicable man who everyone seems to abhor, and through flashbacks of his life we learn (to an extent) why he is the way that he is. That doesn't stop you shuddering involuntarily when you read about him though. Janice, a tarot card reader, is a gentle and ever-so-slightly naive character, who thinks that this man will leave her alone. It's only through the pleading voice of her dead Gran that she seems to take action of any sort.
Switching between the two main characters, and later Detective Inspector Tate as well, allows for greater suspense. Howell is an excellent storyteller and knows how to tell the tale slowly but surely, constantly building suspense, which leads to a crescendo at the end. A highly recommended read, but not for the fainthearted!
Using the technique of multiple points of view has enabled Howell to create rounded and believable characters. Edgar Kipp is a dark and despicable man who everyone seems to abhor, and through flashbacks of his life we learn (to an extent) why he is the way that he is. That doesn't stop you shuddering involuntarily when you read about him though. Janice, a tarot card reader, is a gentle and ever-so-slightly naive character, who thinks that this man will leave her alone. It's only through the pleading voice of her dead Gran that she seems to take action of any sort.
Switching between the two main characters, and later Detective Inspector Tate as well, allows for greater suspense. Howell is an excellent storyteller and knows how to tell the tale slowly but surely, constantly building suspense, which leads to a crescendo at the end. A highly recommended read, but not for the fainthearted!
July 9, 2013
A nice mix of the paranormal and good solid detective work, Helen Howell’s novella I Know You Know introduces great characters and locations, inviting this reader, for one, to hope there’ll be more to come. Dialog’s smoothly convincing and convincingly British, food includes my beloved “fish and chips,” and the level of danger climbs steadily, evoking that feeling of “No, somebody save her!” remembered so well from good scary movies.
Janice is such a minor talent at reading the cards compared to her grandmother, but her readings, combined with wit, wisdom and kindness, seem to get the right results. Then she starts hearing a voice in her head and perhaps there’s more to all this than she ever imagined. Of course, danger is often the gateway to more, and some unwary slips, fueled by her generous spirit, soon leave the young tarot reader in danger of finding herself on the wrong side of a very physical experience. Luckily there’s a kindly policeman who uses natural means to see behind the lines.
The combination’s convincing and compelling, making for a great story with pleasing lessons in kindness, hope and syncronicity. Both story and characters behave logically, even while coincidence and spirituality are busily intervening. And the contrasts have me hooked.
A thoroughly enjoyable novella—I really hope there’ll be more to come from these great characters.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy from the author with a request for my honest review. I honestly loved it.
Janice is such a minor talent at reading the cards compared to her grandmother, but her readings, combined with wit, wisdom and kindness, seem to get the right results. Then she starts hearing a voice in her head and perhaps there’s more to all this than she ever imagined. Of course, danger is often the gateway to more, and some unwary slips, fueled by her generous spirit, soon leave the young tarot reader in danger of finding herself on the wrong side of a very physical experience. Luckily there’s a kindly policeman who uses natural means to see behind the lines.
The combination’s convincing and compelling, making for a great story with pleasing lessons in kindness, hope and syncronicity. Both story and characters behave logically, even while coincidence and spirituality are busily intervening. And the contrasts have me hooked.
A thoroughly enjoyable novella—I really hope there’ll be more to come from these great characters.
Disclosure: I received a free ecopy from the author with a request for my honest review. I honestly loved it.
February 21, 2013
There are questions you shouldn't ask.
"Tell me my fortune then. What do you see?" That's right up there with them. Particularly when you ask it of someone who might actually see such things.
This is where "I Know You Know" starts and so begins the reader's journey with Janice, a fortuneteller, Edgar, the questioner, a Detective Inspector...and Gran.
Not only can Janice see Edgar's future, she gets a sense of his past and the menace that represents draws the reader along, the tension steadily increasing.
The different threads of the story are skillfully interwoven and what emerges is an excellently told tale.
The tension does not let up until it resolves in an explosive ending. The resolution, while a surprise to all — characters and readers alike, fits well within the world Ms. Howell has created.
As I read the story I, hearing the voices of the characters in my head, was transported back to Ireland and England where I grew and worked. Ms. Howell has a good ear for dialogue.
A very entertaining read.
"Tell me my fortune then. What do you see?" That's right up there with them. Particularly when you ask it of someone who might actually see such things.
This is where "I Know You Know" starts and so begins the reader's journey with Janice, a fortuneteller, Edgar, the questioner, a Detective Inspector...and Gran.
Not only can Janice see Edgar's future, she gets a sense of his past and the menace that represents draws the reader along, the tension steadily increasing.
The different threads of the story are skillfully interwoven and what emerges is an excellently told tale.
The tension does not let up until it resolves in an explosive ending. The resolution, while a surprise to all — characters and readers alike, fits well within the world Ms. Howell has created.
As I read the story I, hearing the voices of the characters in my head, was transported back to Ireland and England where I grew and worked. Ms. Howell has a good ear for dialogue.
A very entertaining read.
January 12, 2014
A novella challenges the author to create a story to engage the reader, and leave the reader satisfied, and with "I Know You Know," Helen has accomplished it.
"I Know You Know" is a psychic thriller about Janice, a tarot card reader whose life is in jeopardy after she does a reading for the mysterious, and somewhat creepy, Edgar Kipp. The cards tell Janice one thing, something that puts her life in jeopardy but she keeps it from Edgar who has his own past to contend with.
She thinks he knows she knows which puts them on a collision course.
The world Helen has created is at once familiar and common, allowing the reader to be warmed by the world of Janice and her deceased grandmother, and freaked out by the dark and abusive world of Edgar.
It's a good thriller, mixing the action with the detective genre and adding a paranormal element, and it's not a genre I usually read.
The opening line sets the tone nicely and maintains it throughout. The end has a great little twist I didn't see coming; I thought I knew how it might end but Helen turned it around to keep me guessing.
"I Know You Know" is a psychic thriller about Janice, a tarot card reader whose life is in jeopardy after she does a reading for the mysterious, and somewhat creepy, Edgar Kipp. The cards tell Janice one thing, something that puts her life in jeopardy but she keeps it from Edgar who has his own past to contend with.
She thinks he knows she knows which puts them on a collision course.
The world Helen has created is at once familiar and common, allowing the reader to be warmed by the world of Janice and her deceased grandmother, and freaked out by the dark and abusive world of Edgar.
It's a good thriller, mixing the action with the detective genre and adding a paranormal element, and it's not a genre I usually read.
The opening line sets the tone nicely and maintains it throughout. The end has a great little twist I didn't see coming; I thought I knew how it might end but Helen turned it around to keep me guessing.
February 21, 2013
I had the pleasure of reading this novella as it was being written and, believe me, I couldn't wait for each chapter to arrive! I Know You Know is a supernatural, paranormal thriller that you won't want to put down once you've started reading.
The internal conversations between Janice, the Tarot reader, and her deceased grandmother are entertaining, even as Janice's menacing client, Edgar Kipp, keeps the reader on high alert.
From the very start, we are drawn completely into Janice's world and Edgar Kipp's as well (not a very nice place at all). We know that Gran is right -- Janice is in danger -- but who will protect her? Detective Inspector Rob Tate eventually realizes what's going on -- but he may be too late to prevent Kipp from carrying out his deadly mission.
Go ahead. Read it. You Know You Want To.
The internal conversations between Janice, the Tarot reader, and her deceased grandmother are entertaining, even as Janice's menacing client, Edgar Kipp, keeps the reader on high alert.
From the very start, we are drawn completely into Janice's world and Edgar Kipp's as well (not a very nice place at all). We know that Gran is right -- Janice is in danger -- but who will protect her? Detective Inspector Rob Tate eventually realizes what's going on -- but he may be too late to prevent Kipp from carrying out his deadly mission.
Go ahead. Read it. You Know You Want To.
March 3, 2013
I Know You Know is a short but sweet thriller that pits a fortune-teller against a serial killer. Janice knows that something is wrong the moment Edgar Kipp comes through her door, and the reading she does for him only confirms it. The rest of the story explores Kipp's violent past and distasteful present, interleaved with Janice's attempts to get someone to believe her -- someone besides the voice of her departed grandmother (or is it her subconscious?).
The story was once an online serial, which helped a lot while I was reading it. I often had long breaks between times I could read, and its origins as a serial helped me to stay oriented.
Like a runaway train, the story barrels down the rails to its inevitable conclusion. Does Janice survive? You'll have to read it to find out!
The story was once an online serial, which helped a lot while I was reading it. I often had long breaks between times I could read, and its origins as a serial helped me to stay oriented.
Like a runaway train, the story barrels down the rails to its inevitable conclusion. Does Janice survive? You'll have to read it to find out!
March 8, 2013
I had the good pleasure of hearing the author narrate some parts of this novella during the book launch week. That really brought the story to life and as I read the whole thing myself, I read it with her voice in mind.
This thriller puts the protagonist in an odd situation. She has a bad feeling about a client she does a card reading for. That voice in the back of her mind tells her to fudge things just to appease, you see.
Meanwhile, the antagonist has designs of his own—he is a nefarious dastardly dude with a history of violence. but it is a history only the reader is made privy to.
Without evidence, how does she convince anyone that trouble is afoot? Helen amps up the thrill ride right to the finish!
This thriller puts the protagonist in an odd situation. She has a bad feeling about a client she does a card reading for. That voice in the back of her mind tells her to fudge things just to appease, you see.
Meanwhile, the antagonist has designs of his own—he is a nefarious dastardly dude with a history of violence. but it is a history only the reader is made privy to.
Without evidence, how does she convince anyone that trouble is afoot? Helen amps up the thrill ride right to the finish!
November 25, 2013
This is a fab page turner which I read in one sitting as I wanted to find out what happened. The characters are interesting and well written and the plot full of suspense, which draws you in and keeps you wanting more.
The length is perfect too. Not so long that you lose interest, but not too short either.
A great read, I thoroughly recommend this book :)
The length is perfect too. Not so long that you lose interest, but not too short either.
A great read, I thoroughly recommend this book :)
July 24, 2013
A thoroughly good read, superbly plotted and paced. It's difficult to add more to what has already been said without spoiling the plot, which would be a real pity. If only Alfred Hitchcock were still around to make the movie...
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews