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You Don't Want to Know
Two years ago, Ava Garrison's cherished two-year-old son Noah disappeared.There was no ransom demand; his body was never found. Ava, wracked with grief, has been in and out of mental institutions since that night.Back on the family estate now, though, Ava is having strangely lifelike visions - visions of Noah on the dock of her island estate, or in his nursery. Visions that seem to be urging her to risk her own life . . .Ava doesn't trust anyone now. Not her husband. Not her cousins. Not the servants her wealth is paying for.They know more than they are saying. They appear to be anxious about her well-being. But the truth is more dangerous than Ava can imagine; and the price is higher than she ever thought to pay.
481 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 7, 2012
4832 people are currently reading
20200 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Jackson
271 books9,563 followersLisa Jackson is the number-one New York Times bestselling author of over ninety-five novels, including the Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya Series, the Pescoli and Alvarez Series, the Savannah series, and numerous stand alone novels. She also is the co-author of One Last Breath, Last Girl Standing, and the Colony Series, written with her sister and bestselling author Nancy Bush, as well as the collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous, written with Nancy Bush and Rosalind Noonan. There are over thirty million copies of her novels in print and her writing has been translated into twenty languages.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
Before she became a nationally bestselling author, she was a mother struggling to keep food on the table by writing novels, hoping against hope that someone would pay her for them. Today, neck deep in murder, her books appear on The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly national bestseller lists.
With dozens of bestsellers to her name, Lisa Jackson is a master of taking readers to the edge of sanity—and back—in novels that buzz with dangerous secrets and deadly passions. She continues to be fascinated by the minds and motives of both her killers and their pursuers—the personal, the professional, and the downright twisted. As she builds the puzzle of relationships, actions, clues, lies, and personal histories that haunt her protagonists, she must also confront the fear and terror faced by her victims and the harsh and enduring truth that, in the real world, terror and madness touch far too many lives and families.
Visit http://www.LisaJackson.com where you can find a Media Kit with photos and more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,514 reviews
January 8, 2024
This might have been ok but the writing was too frustrating to enjoy.
It was very repetitive; one ‘no more’ scene would have been enough – it loses its effect when it is repeated and never acted on.
Some of the characters were ridiculous. Tanya talked like that little girl in Sleepless in Seattle – H&B – Hi and Bye…
Unfortunately I didn’t like anyone so it was very difficult to care about who did what because I didn’t care about who it was happening to.
There were useless details thrown in that just wrecked the rhythm of the story – …'a pack of peanut m&ms she must have purchased from the vending machine located in the lunchroom, near the lavatories’… seriously – why do we care where the vending machine was located?!
The sedative at the end – I am a bad sleeper so I’d like to know the brand of the over the counter sleep aids that begin working almost immediately and are so strong that throwing yourself into a cold lake doesn’t lessen their effect.
I don’t think it is because I am so clever that I figured out ‘who done it’ so early on. The whole story seemed convoluted and though there was an effort to quickly wrap it all up with a nice little bow at the end, there were still many unanswered questions.
Overall – not a book I would recommend.
It was very repetitive; one ‘no more’ scene would have been enough – it loses its effect when it is repeated and never acted on.
Some of the characters were ridiculous. Tanya talked like that little girl in Sleepless in Seattle – H&B – Hi and Bye…
Unfortunately I didn’t like anyone so it was very difficult to care about who did what because I didn’t care about who it was happening to.
There were useless details thrown in that just wrecked the rhythm of the story – …'a pack of peanut m&ms she must have purchased from the vending machine located in the lunchroom, near the lavatories’… seriously – why do we care where the vending machine was located?!
The sedative at the end – I am a bad sleeper so I’d like to know the brand of the over the counter sleep aids that begin working almost immediately and are so strong that throwing yourself into a cold lake doesn’t lessen their effect.
I don’t think it is because I am so clever that I figured out ‘who done it’ so early on. The whole story seemed convoluted and though there was an effort to quickly wrap it all up with a nice little bow at the end, there were still many unanswered questions.
Overall – not a book I would recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2012
This was really tedious. It was like a movie chase scene shot in San Francisco. It was simply exhausting and not really enjoyable nor satisfying.
In the beginning everybody was suspect because, well frankly, they were all Looney Tunes - pretty much reminiscent of the Addams Family. And then, just like Ten Little Indians, they start getting knocked off. I thought it was pretty obvious who the perp was (motive, motive, motive!), I just didn't know all the associates/assistants!
The editing left a lot to be desired. For example, Dr. McPherson is referred to as a psychologist on one page and a psychiatrist on another. This confusion continues. Ditto the weather. When someone would go out in the "weather," it would be dark and sprinkling rain. On the next page concerning the same character, we would read, "as the storm escalated ... " Huh? We hadn't been told about a "storm." Another instance was close to the end where a point was made about a missing laptop. In the face of the missing computer, our heroine remembers that she can access the information on her smart-phone. On the very next page we're told that she's watching the image on her [missing] computer.
In the beginning everybody was suspect because, well frankly, they were all Looney Tunes - pretty much reminiscent of the Addams Family. And then, just like Ten Little Indians, they start getting knocked off. I thought it was pretty obvious who the perp was (motive, motive, motive!), I just didn't know all the associates/assistants!
The editing left a lot to be desired. For example, Dr. McPherson is referred to as a psychologist on one page and a psychiatrist on another. This confusion continues. Ditto the weather. When someone would go out in the "weather," it would be dark and sprinkling rain. On the next page concerning the same character, we would read, "as the storm escalated ... " Huh? We hadn't been told about a "storm." Another instance was close to the end where a point was made about a missing laptop. In the face of the missing computer, our heroine remembers that she can access the information on her smart-phone. On the very next page we're told that she's watching the image on her [missing] computer.
April 10, 2025
3⭐
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ an island
Publication date ~ March 1, 2012
Est Page Count ~ 472 (p+ 47 chapters)
Audio length ~ 17 hours 21 minutes
Narrator ~ Christina Traister
POV ~ multiple 3rd, except prologue is single 1st
Featuring ~ missing child, unreliable narrator, family drama
Ava's son, Noah, went missing at just 2 years old, which just broke my mama heart. I don't know why I'm drawn to missing children plots. Anyway, Ava hasn't been dealing with it well and has been in and out of mental institutions. She desperately wants to know what happened to Noah so she sees a hypnotist to try to help her recover her memories from the night he disappeared. Could she have had something to do with it and she's just blocked it out?
Ahh the old gaslighting, family drama plot. Man these people were something. And there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Didn't really like anyone, except maybe Dern, who works at the estate.
Overall, this was fine, but it was waaaayyyyy too long, repetitive and drawn out. Can't say I was fully shocked with some things either.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the above info for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
Genre ~ psychological thriller
Setting ~ an island
Publication date ~ March 1, 2012
Est Page Count ~ 472 (p+ 47 chapters)
Audio length ~ 17 hours 21 minutes
Narrator ~ Christina Traister
POV ~ multiple 3rd, except prologue is single 1st
Featuring ~ missing child, unreliable narrator, family drama
Ava's son, Noah, went missing at just 2 years old, which just broke my mama heart. I don't know why I'm drawn to missing children plots. Anyway, Ava hasn't been dealing with it well and has been in and out of mental institutions. She desperately wants to know what happened to Noah so she sees a hypnotist to try to help her recover her memories from the night he disappeared. Could she have had something to do with it and she's just blocked it out?
Ahh the old gaslighting, family drama plot. Man these people were something. And there were a lot of characters to keep track of. Didn't really like anyone, except maybe Dern, who works at the estate.
Overall, this was fine, but it was waaaayyyyy too long, repetitive and drawn out. Can't say I was fully shocked with some things either.
Narration notes:
I did not listen to this one, but am just giving the above info for reference.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ X
August 2, 2014
This book was not one of my favorites, not even one that I enjoyed reading. I kept reading it only to find out where Noah was. I knew he wasn't dead. The book was incredibly wordy and I just skipped pages in order to say that I finished the book. I wouldn't recommend this book for any of my friends to read. I just wasn't into it like I would have liked to have been. I kept telling myself just read another chapter and maybe then you'll start of at least like the book. Never happened and by the point in time I realized that I told myself to just finish the book.
The recaps of the past that take place all through the book were pointless. The author did not need to keep giving background information so often. I had the point of the history the first time she told about it. This book could have been cut down by many chapters and pages had the author not repeated so much. The term "broken record" comes to mind.
The recaps of the past that take place all through the book were pointless. The author did not need to keep giving background information so often. I had the point of the history the first time she told about it. This book could have been cut down by many chapters and pages had the author not repeated so much. The term "broken record" comes to mind.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2012
WOW!!! Ok i will start by saying at first I just couldnt get into the book in the first couple chapters but I decided to keep reading and see how it panned out! In my opinion it was slow to start out but once it picked up, the action and suspense just didnt stop! This book is about a woman named Ava Church Garrison whose mental state seems to rapidly deterioriate when her son goes missing at the age of 2 . Two years pass after her sons disappearnace during which Ava has been mentally institutionalized and heavily medicated, but remains determined to find her son whose body was never found. This is a story of betrayal, murder, deciet and good ole fashioned family drama! I was coming up with all kinds of scenarios to try and figure out what was going on but every time I thought I had it figured out...WHAM something crazy happened that threw things in another direction and kept me guessing! I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a good murder mystery or suspense thrillers!
May 3, 2015
Book was sooo long and drawn out; could have been very good if condensed. Started skimming pages half way through. So glad it is finally over! I used to really like Lisa Jackson.
June 2, 2013
I had never read (nor heard of) Lisa Jackson when I picked up You Don't Want to Know. I can tell you what I do know: I will not read another of her books if this one is indicative of her writing abilities. The poor writing infuriated me. The superfluous descriptions were such a waste of paper -- the book could have easily been much shorter. And I think the author needs a thesaurus, as she must have used the word "gaslighted" at least a hundred times.
There were too many characters and the introduction to each was extremely awkward. I did not like any of the characters, and found the situations in which they were placed trite and predictable. None of the characters was a real human being -- no one on the face of the earth possesses all of the cliche characteristics of these dolts.
The plot was predictable and disappointing and just, well, unreal. There was nothing relatable about the characters or the plot, and I just couldn't wait for it to end. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Ms. Jackson is a NYT best-selling author and has other works published! I think I am going to begin writing novels tomorrow, if it's that easy.
There were too many characters and the introduction to each was extremely awkward. I did not like any of the characters, and found the situations in which they were placed trite and predictable. None of the characters was a real human being -- no one on the face of the earth possesses all of the cliche characteristics of these dolts.
The plot was predictable and disappointing and just, well, unreal. There was nothing relatable about the characters or the plot, and I just couldn't wait for it to end. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that Ms. Jackson is a NYT best-selling author and has other works published! I think I am going to begin writing novels tomorrow, if it's that easy.
September 24, 2012
This is the best Lisa Jackson book I have read in a long while. I have to admit, I got sick of her constant serial killer angle and the growing gruesomeness within her books. I was thrilled that this book kept the serial killer angle at an absolute minimum, and instead focused on a rather old fashioned gothic novel kind of story.You know the type----a cluster of relatives all live together and one of them may or may not be a killer. I really enjoyed the story and the characters, and am hoping this book marks a shift in Jackson's writing. Her serial killer stories seemed to be repetative of late.I do have one complaint, however, and this is also what kept me from giving this book a full five stars. (This may contain a spoiler, so please stop reading if you have not yet read the book), at the conclusion of the book, it seemed far to implausible that there were so many people in ca-hoots. Really ? That many mean, cruel, crazies under one roof..... That just went a little to far.
November 2, 2012
I put this book on hold and my local library because the description piqued my interest. Once I got the book in hand, my interested waned. Why? First, there were way too many characters introduced, several of which were only mentioned but had no dialogue. You knew Immediately that the rescuer and the rescued would get together, which means that any significant others had to go. Therefore I knew early on who would be a crook. Then later on when one of the characters who actually had dialogue went from being mean to all of a sudden being nice, I had my Crook #2. The why was really not worth killing anybody, and the ending was unintentionally comical. Side point: the word "gaslight/ed" was way overused. Count the instances.
September 1, 2012
I give this book 2 stars, only, because I finished it. Frankly, I should have been given a GOLD star for just this reason.
Within the first 50-100 pages, I knew about Ava and Austin. I knew about Ava's husband, Wyatt; her best friend, Khloe, her "wheelchair bound" cousin, Jewel Ann and what had happened to her son, Noah. I wasn't told what had happened, but I had it all figured out and in the end, guess what?! I was right!
This story is over 400 pages long. After about page 150, I started skipping and skimming. I couldn't take it -- reading this was absolute torture, but I kept thinking it's Lisa Jackson! She's a great writer ... it has to get better ... it didn't.
Within the first 50-100 pages, I knew about Ava and Austin. I knew about Ava's husband, Wyatt; her best friend, Khloe, her "wheelchair bound" cousin, Jewel Ann and what had happened to her son, Noah. I wasn't told what had happened, but I had it all figured out and in the end, guess what?! I was right!
This story is over 400 pages long. After about page 150, I started skipping and skimming. I couldn't take it -- reading this was absolute torture, but I kept thinking it's Lisa Jackson! She's a great writer ... it has to get better ... it didn't.
August 30, 2012
I do not like stories with a background of a huge antiquated familial home on an isolated island. I do not like stories with simpering and scheming servants. I do not like stories where the husband is obviously in cahoots against his wife. I do not like stories where the handyman turns out to be a stud and savior. I do not like stories where a particular word is repeated ad nauseum. I did not like this story.
November 2, 2018
This book was not in my to-read list, and i did not read anything by this author before, but a friend of mine chose it for me and i am really glad she did.
It is more like 4.5 stars.
The story was very interesting and caught my attention from the first page and kept me interested and guessing till the end and i liked that very much.
What would you do if your son went missing? would you keep searching even though everybody tries to convince he is dead? and most importantly how would you react if you start hearing his cries and seeing him everywhere?
This is what happened to Ava Church Garrisson.
Was she loosing her mind? is there somebody who wants to drive her crazy? or there is much more than that in the story?
I enjoyed the book, the twists, the different creepy characters and especially the setting, a big mansion on an island, and the romance was also not bad.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book that made my holiday even better :)
It is more like 4.5 stars.
The story was very interesting and caught my attention from the first page and kept me interested and guessing till the end and i liked that very much.
What would you do if your son went missing? would you keep searching even though everybody tries to convince he is dead? and most importantly how would you react if you start hearing his cries and seeing him everywhere?
This is what happened to Ava Church Garrisson.
Was she loosing her mind? is there somebody who wants to drive her crazy? or there is much more than that in the story?
I enjoyed the book, the twists, the different creepy characters and especially the setting, a big mansion on an island, and the romance was also not bad.
Overall, this was an enjoyable book that made my holiday even better :)
August 30, 2012
I didn't really enjoy this book. I found the plot too convoluted and boring. The characters didn't really appeal to me especially Ava, the lead character. She annoyed me with her constant references to being "gaslighted". The rest of the characters, quite frankly, needed a good slapping and to perhaps look for paid employment instead of moping around the house. The story stretched out about 100 pages too long and by the end, I found myself not really caring about her lost son. The subtle romance line was not even that interesting and all up, I found the novel quite predictable.
January 15, 2015
It has been awhile since I read any Lisa Jackson, and I had been missing that. And after reading this book I realize why I had been missing her work. This was an awesome read. It was a pure rollercoaster ride. This book has everything. Great mystery and suspense, a ton of unbelievable twists and turns, that kept the story interesting and intriguing. It had a great plot and very strong characters. Jackson certainly did not disappoint!
Could you imagine losing your son? Then being institutionalized because you could not handle it. Then upon your release and on the road to recovery you start seeing him and hearing him calling out to you? And then you were made to feel like you have lost your mind. Unable to trust anybody, not even your husband. And to top that off to have a feeling that something was amiss, and you could not pinpoint it? This was life of Ava Garrison.
The story takes place on a small island called Church island. The only way on or off the island was by taking a boat from Neptune's Gate. On this island was also an abandoned insane Asylum but I did not really understand why it was brought up so much into the story. I think it could have played a much bigger role into the story than it did. Maybe add a bit more of the creepy factor to the book. So that was a little disappointing.
Jackson created plenty of character you both love and hate. I truly loved our main character, Ava. I think Jackson did well developing her. Allowed her weaknesses and yet let her readers watch her grow into her strengths. She is a very believable character and throughout the story was made to face many hurdles on her journey to discovering what happened to her son Noah. I loved her determination and pure will to fight back against her so called family.
I easily got very irritated with a lot of the characters in the story. I could actually imagine myself hitting them half the time because they were so cold and uncaring. Jackson did well instilling a hatred in me just from reading about these characters. I could not even imagine my family and friends treating me the way these people treated Ava. I think the one character I hate the most was Jewel-Anne. She got deep into the core of my brain, everything about her bothered me. I was seething every time I read anything about her.
I would recommend this story to any mystery/suspense fans out there, and Jackson fans as well. It was put together very well, also flowed very well too. Really nice twists in the story that I did not even expect. A solid 4 star read for me.
Could you imagine losing your son? Then being institutionalized because you could not handle it. Then upon your release and on the road to recovery you start seeing him and hearing him calling out to you? And then you were made to feel like you have lost your mind. Unable to trust anybody, not even your husband. And to top that off to have a feeling that something was amiss, and you could not pinpoint it? This was life of Ava Garrison.
The story takes place on a small island called Church island. The only way on or off the island was by taking a boat from Neptune's Gate. On this island was also an abandoned insane Asylum but I did not really understand why it was brought up so much into the story. I think it could have played a much bigger role into the story than it did. Maybe add a bit more of the creepy factor to the book. So that was a little disappointing.
Jackson created plenty of character you both love and hate. I truly loved our main character, Ava. I think Jackson did well developing her. Allowed her weaknesses and yet let her readers watch her grow into her strengths. She is a very believable character and throughout the story was made to face many hurdles on her journey to discovering what happened to her son Noah. I loved her determination and pure will to fight back against her so called family.
I easily got very irritated with a lot of the characters in the story. I could actually imagine myself hitting them half the time because they were so cold and uncaring. Jackson did well instilling a hatred in me just from reading about these characters. I could not even imagine my family and friends treating me the way these people treated Ava. I think the one character I hate the most was Jewel-Anne. She got deep into the core of my brain, everything about her bothered me. I was seething every time I read anything about her.
I would recommend this story to any mystery/suspense fans out there, and Jackson fans as well. It was put together very well, also flowed very well too. Really nice twists in the story that I did not even expect. A solid 4 star read for me.
January 23, 2025
WOW. Considering the amount of mixed reviews I was skeptical at first but I DEVOURED IT. This was my first Lisa Jackson book and holy shit I loved it. Such a rollercoaster/mind fuck, it kept me guessing until the very end! Felt like a big ass game of clue🔪🔎
August 7, 2017
I was actually given this book by my mother who swore up and down that it was amazing. Boy do I wish I would have followed my gut and quit while I was only part of the way through. I honestly only made it through this book because I kept telling myself "it has to get better" "there's no way this could honestly continue to be this bad". I was wrong. It remained that bad all the way through until the very last line. The story sounded so so promising, mother crazy with grief doing everything within her power to try and find her missing child on an island with crazy family members..cool! Instead what we got was a story so boring and long winded that you have trouble keeping your eyes open. Absolutely no character development at all. What felt like forced relationships; physical, actual friendships, family relationships. An awkward criminal brother hunt that is never really explained or really warranted within the story, and finally probably 70-100 pages literally describing the water around the island (both from past points of view and present).
As far as characters go the only one that actually felt real by any means was the main character Ava's best friend (who's name is escaping me right now). She was a mom who ran her own salon and just had way to much to do with not enough time in which to do it. Everyone else however just felt very one dimensional. Austin was your typical Alpha Male, he was attractive and of course completely mysterious and secretive with what he was actually doing on the island. The main character herself, Ava Garrison, was someone you just hated. She felt so completely useless even when she was trying to do everything she could. Rather than just trying to talk rationally to her therapist or the police about the disappearance of her son she throws blame at anyone and everyone she ever comes across. Her husband was just a scumbag who wanted all of her money and literally didn't give two shits about what actually happened to their son.
Normally it only takes me a day or so to complete a book, which I'm sure I've mentioned before. This book honestly took me a week to finish. There was nothing about this book that allowed me to be immersed in what I was reading, which is extremely sad for me since I've read other Lisa Jackson things and loved them. She usually has a writing style that makes me want to just keep reading and has me staying up until the wee hours of the morning with the lamp on squinting to see the words. I've waited several days to actually do this review hoping that something good about the book would come to mind however I'm still left with nothing.
As far as characters go the only one that actually felt real by any means was the main character Ava's best friend (who's name is escaping me right now). She was a mom who ran her own salon and just had way to much to do with not enough time in which to do it. Everyone else however just felt very one dimensional. Austin was your typical Alpha Male, he was attractive and of course completely mysterious and secretive with what he was actually doing on the island. The main character herself, Ava Garrison, was someone you just hated. She felt so completely useless even when she was trying to do everything she could. Rather than just trying to talk rationally to her therapist or the police about the disappearance of her son she throws blame at anyone and everyone she ever comes across. Her husband was just a scumbag who wanted all of her money and literally didn't give two shits about what actually happened to their son.
Normally it only takes me a day or so to complete a book, which I'm sure I've mentioned before. This book honestly took me a week to finish. There was nothing about this book that allowed me to be immersed in what I was reading, which is extremely sad for me since I've read other Lisa Jackson things and loved them. She usually has a writing style that makes me want to just keep reading and has me staying up until the wee hours of the morning with the lamp on squinting to see the words. I've waited several days to actually do this review hoping that something good about the book would come to mind however I'm still left with nothing.
April 28, 2013
I have accepted that I am helpless in the face of my addiction to grocery store novels--especially those which would make a wonderful lifetime movie. Seeing that Lisa Jackson had a new novel out and having run out of Karin Slaughter novels to read, I went right out and nooked this book. I am nothing if not predictable in my obsessions.
If Double Jeopardy and My Sweet Audrina had a smutty book affair and made a baby, it would be this book. With the exception of a brutal rape, every single element of both stories can be found in this incredibly long novel, right down to crazy cousin, Vera with her deep seated jealousy and her weird leg disease that made her nearly invalid. Only, her name is Jewel-Anne in this novel.
This novel abounds with mentally fragile heroines, missing time, a mental campaign of terror, a gothic mansion filled with hidden rooms, potentially complicit family members, crazy knife wielding serial killers, a morally questionable husband, missing children, and the ultimate virtue: a MOTHER'S instinctive knowledge that her child exists with the obligatory NEED TO NEVER GIVE UP THE SEARCH TO FIND HIM(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) How will our heroine ever survive? *gasp* Well, it won't be any thanks to the evil black cat Mr. T, because we all know cats bode ill for anyone in Jackson's novels.
Next to Karen Rose, Lisa Jackson is the number one spinster killer in the pulp fiction world. If you see a single woman with a cat in a Jackson novel, it's likely she will die a horrible death. A cat even drank the murdered woman's blood in this book. I am not sure what she has against single, childless women who enjoy cats, but I think she should look into it. It bothered me enough to check her website and sure enough, she is the proud owner of children and a dog lover--nothing as bland as a golden retriever, but a dog lover nonetheless.
I may have to write the spinster's response to novels like this where only married, devoted, golden retriever-owning mothers are killed.
If Double Jeopardy and My Sweet Audrina had a smutty book affair and made a baby, it would be this book. With the exception of a brutal rape, every single element of both stories can be found in this incredibly long novel, right down to crazy cousin, Vera with her deep seated jealousy and her weird leg disease that made her nearly invalid. Only, her name is Jewel-Anne in this novel.
This novel abounds with mentally fragile heroines, missing time, a mental campaign of terror, a gothic mansion filled with hidden rooms, potentially complicit family members, crazy knife wielding serial killers, a morally questionable husband, missing children, and the ultimate virtue: a MOTHER'S instinctive knowledge that her child exists with the obligatory NEED TO NEVER GIVE UP THE SEARCH TO FIND HIM(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) How will our heroine ever survive? *gasp* Well, it won't be any thanks to the evil black cat Mr. T, because we all know cats bode ill for anyone in Jackson's novels.
Next to Karen Rose, Lisa Jackson is the number one spinster killer in the pulp fiction world. If you see a single woman with a cat in a Jackson novel, it's likely she will die a horrible death. A cat even drank the murdered woman's blood in this book. I am not sure what she has against single, childless women who enjoy cats, but I think she should look into it. It bothered me enough to check her website and sure enough, she is the proud owner of children and a dog lover--nothing as bland as a golden retriever, but a dog lover nonetheless.
I may have to write the spinster's response to novels like this where only married, devoted, golden retriever-owning mothers are killed.
September 13, 2012
For the most part, this is an intriguing read, with a lot of characters to suspect and a couple of pretty big red herrings. However, I thought the eventual explanation for Ava's gaslighting / Noah's disappearance was way too far-fetched for me. Khloe being the killer was completely out of left field, with - as far as I can tell - no hints dropped earlier on in the story. And, I'm sorry, but being jealous of your best friend because she dated your ex in high school and then got a nice house that you had to work in is not a good motive for sleeping with her husband and then killing three people to cover that shit up. Also, Wyatt and Jewel-Anne? Really? That seemed completely ridiculous. Why was Wyatt after Ava's money, when it was mentioned earlier on that he was well-off?
Finally, Wyatt's death was completely over-the-top. A flare gun to the face? Seriously? I actually laughed out loud at the sheer ridiculousness of it.
While this review makes it sound like I didn't enjoy the book at all, I actually did - I just thought the resolution left a lot to be desired. Until that point, however, it was a well-written, intriguing mystery.
(On second thought, one more thing: what was on the tapes recorded during Ava's hypnosis sessions? They were mentioned again and again, and Khloe seemed to be under the impression that they were very incriminating on Ava's part, but what was on them was never revealed.)
Finally, Wyatt's death was completely over-the-top. A flare gun to the face? Seriously? I actually laughed out loud at the sheer ridiculousness of it.
While this review makes it sound like I didn't enjoy the book at all, I actually did - I just thought the resolution left a lot to be desired. Until that point, however, it was a well-written, intriguing mystery.
(On second thought, one more thing: what was on the tapes recorded during Ava's hypnosis sessions? They were mentioned again and again, and Khloe seemed to be under the impression that they were very incriminating on Ava's part, but what was on them was never revealed.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 16, 2017
I wanted to like it. At times I really did like it - suspenseful mystery with an intriguing storyline. The suspense was palatable!
But,sadly,in the end:
> The plot just defied reality and the mystery's resolution was absurd.
> The characters were undeveloped- their motives unclear at best. Characterization drives a plot; If you don't care about the characters, then you can't care about what happens to them. And, there were too many characters to count-or care about! The number of the (flat) characters just added to the confusion of who's who which quickly became who cares?
> The storyline pacing lost a lot of its footing when the rising action bogged down in redundancy of repeating the same dialogue in various scenarios (adding new meaning to "padding the pages"). This was a big problem; the author had the character fretting endlessly about the same thing over and over and over without moving the plot along! The book could have been 100 pages shorter.
> Editing was lacking, grammatical errors as well as with sequencing of events.
> Chapters didn't segue well, as if chapters were written independently of the preceding ones then slapped together, resulting in a lack of cohesiveness. Very convoluted novel.
But,sadly,in the end:
> The plot just defied reality and the mystery's resolution was absurd.
> The characters were undeveloped- their motives unclear at best. Characterization drives a plot; If you don't care about the characters, then you can't care about what happens to them. And, there were too many characters to count-or care about! The number of the (flat) characters just added to the confusion of who's who which quickly became who cares?
> The storyline pacing lost a lot of its footing when the rising action bogged down in redundancy of repeating the same dialogue in various scenarios (adding new meaning to "padding the pages"). This was a big problem; the author had the character fretting endlessly about the same thing over and over and over without moving the plot along! The book could have been 100 pages shorter.
> Editing was lacking, grammatical errors as well as with sequencing of events.
> Chapters didn't segue well, as if chapters were written independently of the preceding ones then slapped together, resulting in a lack of cohesiveness. Very convoluted novel.
March 17, 2013
highly recommend
I won this book in a book club i am in and had put it off for a bit bc it was near 500 pgs and now i wish i had not done that! It was a great book, kept me guessing and the characters and the town were written where you could imagine how it was all layed out. It starts out with Ava's son Noah gone missing or so you think but then reality strikes and he has been missing for 4 yrs now and Ava has been in and out of of psych ward and is now at home with a shrink whom she thinks is sleeping with her hubby as there marriage has been on the rocks since the boy went missing. Ava is starting to wisen up and realizes that the people she is living with, family of hers, is tryng to make her think she is seeing her son and several people in the home are in on it....finally you start guessing who did it and then when you do people start dying off and then you realize nope not them....it is a realy good book and i will stop there as to not give to much away but i can say that you wont suspect who did it and you wont see the ending coming! Motto keep your enemies close and your friends and family closer!
I won this book in a book club i am in and had put it off for a bit bc it was near 500 pgs and now i wish i had not done that! It was a great book, kept me guessing and the characters and the town were written where you could imagine how it was all layed out. It starts out with Ava's son Noah gone missing or so you think but then reality strikes and he has been missing for 4 yrs now and Ava has been in and out of of psych ward and is now at home with a shrink whom she thinks is sleeping with her hubby as there marriage has been on the rocks since the boy went missing. Ava is starting to wisen up and realizes that the people she is living with, family of hers, is tryng to make her think she is seeing her son and several people in the home are in on it....finally you start guessing who did it and then when you do people start dying off and then you realize nope not them....it is a realy good book and i will stop there as to not give to much away but i can say that you wont suspect who did it and you wont see the ending coming! Motto keep your enemies close and your friends and family closer!
September 30, 2024
Heavy eye roll on this one.
Despite the circumstances, I did not like Ava at all. I sympathize with her in a basic level, but she was so annoying, it negated that feeling.
Spoiler alert
Once again, an overly complicated plot that wasn’t executed well enough, it came off convoluted. Ava’s memory loss came off as a convenient plot tool instead of enhancing the mystery.
Then, to add I love yous when said couple had spent less than 24 total hours (not in succession but total) on the page together. How can they be in love? Then the author has one say at the end we have to get to know each other??? But you had them in love. I eye rolled so much they almost got suck in the back of my head.
The motive for one was so weak for the murder plot. Why another would give up her son was also weak.
I just can’t at how bad this all was. Two stars because I didn’t DNF and listened all the way through.
Thank goodness it was free and a part of my membership. I didn’t pay or use a credit. Otherwise I’d really be mad. And sadly, I’ll probably listen to another book by LJ.
The narrator was good.
Despite the circumstances, I did not like Ava at all. I sympathize with her in a basic level, but she was so annoying, it negated that feeling.
Spoiler alert
Once again, an overly complicated plot that wasn’t executed well enough, it came off convoluted. Ava’s memory loss came off as a convenient plot tool instead of enhancing the mystery.
Then, to add I love yous when said couple had spent less than 24 total hours (not in succession but total) on the page together. How can they be in love? Then the author has one say at the end we have to get to know each other??? But you had them in love. I eye rolled so much they almost got suck in the back of my head.
The motive for one was so weak for the murder plot. Why another would give up her son was also weak.
I just can’t at how bad this all was. Two stars because I didn’t DNF and listened all the way through.
Thank goodness it was free and a part of my membership. I didn’t pay or use a credit. Otherwise I’d really be mad. And sadly, I’ll probably listen to another book by LJ.
The narrator was good.
March 31, 2013
I wanted to love this book as much as the blurb intrigued me. Strike one.
I long books that hold my interest. Strike two.
I wanted the book to end with a wow-I never saw that coming, but it makes perfect sense. And you're out.
This isn't a bad book. But it isn't a great or even good book either. Enough people have summarized the book that I'll go light with the recap.
Ava's son Noah went missing two years ago and she went A little crazy. She's convinced he's still alive. She owns and lives in a gothic mansion with her creepy husband, odd servants, and nutty relatives, none are very likable, except Ava when she refuses to be pushed around. Oh, there's a mysterious stranger, too. And the most unethical therapist ever to walk the planet who wouldn't know the word confidentiality if it smacked her in the face.
If you can get past all that and the utter lack of realism in any of the characters or in the storyline, you might like this book.
I long books that hold my interest. Strike two.
I wanted the book to end with a wow-I never saw that coming, but it makes perfect sense. And you're out.
This isn't a bad book. But it isn't a great or even good book either. Enough people have summarized the book that I'll go light with the recap.
Ava's son Noah went missing two years ago and she went A little crazy. She's convinced he's still alive. She owns and lives in a gothic mansion with her creepy husband, odd servants, and nutty relatives, none are very likable, except Ava when she refuses to be pushed around. Oh, there's a mysterious stranger, too. And the most unethical therapist ever to walk the planet who wouldn't know the word confidentiality if it smacked her in the face.
If you can get past all that and the utter lack of realism in any of the characters or in the storyline, you might like this book.
May 9, 2024
Last 25% of this book was so dumb and far fetched 😩
July 22, 2012
I received this ARC from NetGalley
Full review: http://readingmymindreviews.blogspot....
You Don’t Want to Know is a suspenseful novel filled with an intriguing cast of characters who will keep you guessing until the bitter end. Just when you think you have it figured out, Lisa Jackson throws another twist into the mix that turns everything you thought you knew upside down.
Ava Garrison is a woman tormented by the disappearance of her son, Noah two years ago. She’s been in and out of mental hospitals as she tries to deal with her loss, heavily medicated and for the most part has lost contact with reality. She can’t remember things happen in her daily life, she loses time and has little connection with people anymore. Sequestered in the family/s home on Church Island, Ava is constantly plague by visions of her missing son and questions about what could have happened to him.
Church Island has also had its share of tragedy and infamy. There was a mental hospital for violent criminals which was housed on the island. Lester Reece was a serial killer with money and an excellent attorney who got him placed as a patient at Sea Cliff. He escaped and was never found. His escape ruined Ava’s uncle, who ran the facility and he had to retire in shame. Locals for years have reported sightings of the serial killer, but he has never been caught. When the sightings start again, everyone is on edge.
On the island Ava is surrounded by people, all with an opinion on what is best for her. Her husband Wyatt, her cousin, the doll-carrying Elvis loving Jewel-Anne who is confined to a wheelchair because of a boating accident but never misses an opportunity to make a dig at Ava and her lose grasp on reality. Add to the mix a bitter friend, a sketchy psychiatrist Ava is convinced is having an affair with her husband, servants, therapists and various relatives and spouses and you have all the makings of a nervous breakdown for an already fragile woman.
Convinced she’s again seen her son standing on the edge of the dock, Ava races out into the night and throws herself into the sea, only to be rescued by a mysterious man her husband recently hired by the name of Dern. Ava’s family is convinced she’s again on a downward spiral but Ava fights through the fog of her drugs and makes the decision to find out what happened to Noah. She secretly stops taking her medication and her head begins to clear. She is still missing large block of her time and events from her past but slowly, she beings to put the pieces together and finds out the people closest to her aren’t as trustworthy as she thought.
As she becomes more of her old self, she discovers someone is trying to drive her crazy. She begins hearing Noah crying and a calling for her in the middle of the night, but no one else admitted to hearing it. While outside she saw movement at the window in what had been Noah’s room. As she raced inside she found a soaking wet pair of Noah’s shoes on the floor. As she tries to put the pieces of the puddle together, she hits wall after wall. On the mainland her friend Tanya helps her get some recording equipment so she can find out who is messing with her head and why.
Dern continues to watch over Ava, popping up whenever she’s in trouble. Her marriage to Wyatt is in name only with them bickering more than getting along so she begins to develop feelings for Dern and his protective nature, but Dern has secrets of his own that will rock Ava when exposed.
You Don’t Want to Know is an action packed novel. Lisa Jackson created an intriguing cast in this book, many of whom you will love to hate. Ava doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn and you can feel that as you read. Everyone is suspect, everyone is less than kind to Ava in one way or another, but the real question is who hates her enough to torture her with her loss. And what actually happened to Noah? Will she ever have closure on that horrible day two years ago?
I highly recommend You Don’t Want to Know, especially if you’re looking for some heart pounding action that will have you cautiously looking around dark corners for days.
Thanks for Reading My Mind
Full review: http://readingmymindreviews.blogspot....
You Don’t Want to Know is a suspenseful novel filled with an intriguing cast of characters who will keep you guessing until the bitter end. Just when you think you have it figured out, Lisa Jackson throws another twist into the mix that turns everything you thought you knew upside down.
Ava Garrison is a woman tormented by the disappearance of her son, Noah two years ago. She’s been in and out of mental hospitals as she tries to deal with her loss, heavily medicated and for the most part has lost contact with reality. She can’t remember things happen in her daily life, she loses time and has little connection with people anymore. Sequestered in the family/s home on Church Island, Ava is constantly plague by visions of her missing son and questions about what could have happened to him.
Church Island has also had its share of tragedy and infamy. There was a mental hospital for violent criminals which was housed on the island. Lester Reece was a serial killer with money and an excellent attorney who got him placed as a patient at Sea Cliff. He escaped and was never found. His escape ruined Ava’s uncle, who ran the facility and he had to retire in shame. Locals for years have reported sightings of the serial killer, but he has never been caught. When the sightings start again, everyone is on edge.
On the island Ava is surrounded by people, all with an opinion on what is best for her. Her husband Wyatt, her cousin, the doll-carrying Elvis loving Jewel-Anne who is confined to a wheelchair because of a boating accident but never misses an opportunity to make a dig at Ava and her lose grasp on reality. Add to the mix a bitter friend, a sketchy psychiatrist Ava is convinced is having an affair with her husband, servants, therapists and various relatives and spouses and you have all the makings of a nervous breakdown for an already fragile woman.
Convinced she’s again seen her son standing on the edge of the dock, Ava races out into the night and throws herself into the sea, only to be rescued by a mysterious man her husband recently hired by the name of Dern. Ava’s family is convinced she’s again on a downward spiral but Ava fights through the fog of her drugs and makes the decision to find out what happened to Noah. She secretly stops taking her medication and her head begins to clear. She is still missing large block of her time and events from her past but slowly, she beings to put the pieces together and finds out the people closest to her aren’t as trustworthy as she thought.
As she becomes more of her old self, she discovers someone is trying to drive her crazy. She begins hearing Noah crying and a calling for her in the middle of the night, but no one else admitted to hearing it. While outside she saw movement at the window in what had been Noah’s room. As she raced inside she found a soaking wet pair of Noah’s shoes on the floor. As she tries to put the pieces of the puddle together, she hits wall after wall. On the mainland her friend Tanya helps her get some recording equipment so she can find out who is messing with her head and why.
Dern continues to watch over Ava, popping up whenever she’s in trouble. Her marriage to Wyatt is in name only with them bickering more than getting along so she begins to develop feelings for Dern and his protective nature, but Dern has secrets of his own that will rock Ava when exposed.
You Don’t Want to Know is an action packed novel. Lisa Jackson created an intriguing cast in this book, many of whom you will love to hate. Ava doesn’t know who to trust or where to turn and you can feel that as you read. Everyone is suspect, everyone is less than kind to Ava in one way or another, but the real question is who hates her enough to torture her with her loss. And what actually happened to Noah? Will she ever have closure on that horrible day two years ago?
I highly recommend You Don’t Want to Know, especially if you’re looking for some heart pounding action that will have you cautiously looking around dark corners for days.
Thanks for Reading My Mind
September 13, 2016
This was a first-time Lisa Jackson read for me, and I thought since I have a few of her books, I should read one.
You Don't Want To Know is about a wealthy woman, named Ava, who is seemingly going crazy after son disappears. Shortly after being released from a mental hospital, Ava decides to piece together the events surrounding her son's mysterious disappearance, only to be told by her family to stop looking for the answers.
As a first-time read of Lisa Jackson, I didn't know what to expect, and I am glad this was my first read of her's. The ratings on Goodreads are mixed, and I feel like that fact made this a good choice to read first.
Jackson knows how to write a mysterious, tightly woven story. There are several characters in this novel, and at first, I thought I would have trouble keeping them all straight, but Jackson does a good job at helping you remember how each character fits into the story.
The overall story is a really interesting premise. I am a mother of a toddler, and I could not imagine being in Ava's position. Losing your child, in any circumstance, is something no parent should ever have to go through. But throwing in the fact you have no idea what happened to your child, and everyone around you keeps telling you to forget it and to stop searching, has to be one of the worst feelings a parent could endure.
I really enjoyed how as I read, I started to formulate my own ideas about what was going on, and though, one of my ideas sort of turned out to be correct, I loved how Jackson really manipulated and wove this story so I had no idea what was going on. Even until the end, I had no idea what was going on, and was extremely surprised at some of the events and revelations revealed.
I liked Ava Gardner's character, and felt horrible for the things she was constantly having to endure. Was she really crazy, or was something, or rather, someone, more sinister part of a crazy scheme? There were times where I was so sure of one idea about Ava, but it turned out to be completely wrong.
Her husband Wyatt was a character who absolutely drove me crazy the entire novel. There were times if I didn't know if I was being realistic in my thoughts about him, or if he was really this poor husband, grieving for the loss of his child, and trying to save his wife from complete mental, nuclear meltdown. I know men grieve and handle tragedy differently than women, because it's just who we are as people. HOWEVER, I had a MAJOR problem with him. There was a certain part of this story where, as I was reading in bed and my husband was on his iPad, I turned to my husband and briefly explained what was going on, and told my husband if he ever said some of the things Wyatt says to Ava, I would divorce him. He just looked at me...LOL.
Overall, this was a decent read. It didn't blow my mind, but it was a nicely woven story, which I could not figure out most of it until it was revealed. I have to admit, there were times where, I just wanted this story to end. It's weird to say because, so many parts of this story worked to fit the big mystery and revelations at the end, but I almost wondered if some story line could have been taken out.
I am looking forward to reading more of Lisa Jackson's work. Surprisingly, this is one of Lisa Jackson's lower rated books on Goodreads, so it was probably a good first introduction to her work. Most of her books are high 3 stars and above, so I am looking forward to reading one of her better works.
You Don't Want To Know is about a wealthy woman, named Ava, who is seemingly going crazy after son disappears. Shortly after being released from a mental hospital, Ava decides to piece together the events surrounding her son's mysterious disappearance, only to be told by her family to stop looking for the answers.
As a first-time read of Lisa Jackson, I didn't know what to expect, and I am glad this was my first read of her's. The ratings on Goodreads are mixed, and I feel like that fact made this a good choice to read first.
Jackson knows how to write a mysterious, tightly woven story. There are several characters in this novel, and at first, I thought I would have trouble keeping them all straight, but Jackson does a good job at helping you remember how each character fits into the story.
The overall story is a really interesting premise. I am a mother of a toddler, and I could not imagine being in Ava's position. Losing your child, in any circumstance, is something no parent should ever have to go through. But throwing in the fact you have no idea what happened to your child, and everyone around you keeps telling you to forget it and to stop searching, has to be one of the worst feelings a parent could endure.
I really enjoyed how as I read, I started to formulate my own ideas about what was going on, and though, one of my ideas sort of turned out to be correct, I loved how Jackson really manipulated and wove this story so I had no idea what was going on. Even until the end, I had no idea what was going on, and was extremely surprised at some of the events and revelations revealed.
I liked Ava Gardner's character, and felt horrible for the things she was constantly having to endure. Was she really crazy, or was something, or rather, someone, more sinister part of a crazy scheme? There were times where I was so sure of one idea about Ava, but it turned out to be completely wrong.
Her husband Wyatt was a character who absolutely drove me crazy the entire novel. There were times if I didn't know if I was being realistic in my thoughts about him, or if he was really this poor husband, grieving for the loss of his child, and trying to save his wife from complete mental, nuclear meltdown. I know men grieve and handle tragedy differently than women, because it's just who we are as people. HOWEVER, I had a MAJOR problem with him. There was a certain part of this story where, as I was reading in bed and my husband was on his iPad, I turned to my husband and briefly explained what was going on, and told my husband if he ever said some of the things Wyatt says to Ava, I would divorce him. He just looked at me...LOL.
Overall, this was a decent read. It didn't blow my mind, but it was a nicely woven story, which I could not figure out most of it until it was revealed. I have to admit, there were times where, I just wanted this story to end. It's weird to say because, so many parts of this story worked to fit the big mystery and revelations at the end, but I almost wondered if some story line could have been taken out.
I am looking forward to reading more of Lisa Jackson's work. Surprisingly, this is one of Lisa Jackson's lower rated books on Goodreads, so it was probably a good first introduction to her work. Most of her books are high 3 stars and above, so I am looking forward to reading one of her better works.
September 22, 2012
This one is a definite page-turner, although I'll stop short of claiming it's one of Jackson's best efforts. The whole thing - all 481 pages - focus on Ava Church Garrison, a former businesswoman who lives with her somewhat estranged lawyer husband on family property she's both inherited and bought from other relatives who now live in on the huge and secluded island estate with her. Two years ago, she lost her two-year-old son Noah, and from then on, her life has been a downward spiral as she refuses to believe the boy has drowned as everyone else insists. Worse, she keeps hearing the boy's voice and seeing him on the dock of the property (or so she thinks).
But is she mentally ill, as her husband and relatives tell her, or is just unable to remember the events of her past? Could one or more of the relatives - including her husband - be trying to make her believe she's insane or even drive her to commit suicide as they say she once tried? Add in a secretive but (of course) very attractive handyman her husband has hired to "watch" over her, and there's always something going on to keep the reader interested as Ava tries to sort out the whole mess.
Make that somewhat interested. If it's so readable, why didn't I give it 4 stars? Three reasons, the first of which is that I'm quite certain the whole story could have been told in two-thirds the number of pages, if not half (that's keeping in mind, of course, that I'm a copy editor by profession and will snatch any opportunity to haul out my red pencil). At every new turn and twist, though, I was smacked in the face by rehashing of actions and thoughts that had been laid out in minute detail earlier in the book. Second, the plot, while intricate and well laid out, is relatively predictable; two-thirds of the way through I'd guessed most of the ending. And third, while the ending brought a couple of semi-surprises, they seemed far too contrived to be believable.
All in all, not a bad effort - but Jackson can and has done better.
But is she mentally ill, as her husband and relatives tell her, or is just unable to remember the events of her past? Could one or more of the relatives - including her husband - be trying to make her believe she's insane or even drive her to commit suicide as they say she once tried? Add in a secretive but (of course) very attractive handyman her husband has hired to "watch" over her, and there's always something going on to keep the reader interested as Ava tries to sort out the whole mess.
Make that somewhat interested. If it's so readable, why didn't I give it 4 stars? Three reasons, the first of which is that I'm quite certain the whole story could have been told in two-thirds the number of pages, if not half (that's keeping in mind, of course, that I'm a copy editor by profession and will snatch any opportunity to haul out my red pencil). At every new turn and twist, though, I was smacked in the face by rehashing of actions and thoughts that had been laid out in minute detail earlier in the book. Second, the plot, while intricate and well laid out, is relatively predictable; two-thirds of the way through I'd guessed most of the ending. And third, while the ending brought a couple of semi-surprises, they seemed far too contrived to be believable.
All in all, not a bad effort - but Jackson can and has done better.
July 1, 2012
Four Crowns, good read, on the way to swagger. This was almost a five crown what held me back was the length of time of the back story and the romance portion.
When I received my advanced readers copy I did a shimmy, shake and a watered down version of the fist pump. A.K.A I was excited. The book didn’t disappoint. I will be honest the first part of the book was solely focused on building the back story and really building the question of was Ava simply crazy. I urge readers to hang in there because it is worth it. I do want to caution if you are looking for a romance book then this isn’t for you this is a suspense thriller although lumped into the romantic suspense category. Ava was already married to Wyatt when the story began which made it a little awkward when she began to have feelings for Austin Dern. Thankfully the author didn’t focus on the awkward romance in fact for all the details that were put into the plot the romance portion seemed to be almost an afterthought. Even though my favorite genre is romantic suspense I almost wished the author would have left it out because it didn’t seem to fit.
I found myself blown away by her writing style. However, what really made this book great were the intricate details. Needless to say even the smallest details are given attention and play into the big picture. I want to give examples so bad its killing me but I don’t want to give anything away. The end, the end, the end shocked me. To clarify I wasn’t shocked at one of the characters involvement (again its killing me to hold back) what shocked me was that characters action and how everything played out. I have to give the author kudos for not being predictable.
When I received my advanced readers copy I did a shimmy, shake and a watered down version of the fist pump. A.K.A I was excited. The book didn’t disappoint. I will be honest the first part of the book was solely focused on building the back story and really building the question of was Ava simply crazy. I urge readers to hang in there because it is worth it. I do want to caution if you are looking for a romance book then this isn’t for you this is a suspense thriller although lumped into the romantic suspense category. Ava was already married to Wyatt when the story began which made it a little awkward when she began to have feelings for Austin Dern. Thankfully the author didn’t focus on the awkward romance in fact for all the details that were put into the plot the romance portion seemed to be almost an afterthought. Even though my favorite genre is romantic suspense I almost wished the author would have left it out because it didn’t seem to fit.
I found myself blown away by her writing style. However, what really made this book great were the intricate details. Needless to say even the smallest details are given attention and play into the big picture. I want to give examples so bad its killing me but I don’t want to give anything away. The end, the end, the end shocked me. To clarify I wasn’t shocked at one of the characters involvement (again its killing me to hold back) what shocked me was that characters action and how everything played out. I have to give the author kudos for not being predictable.
September 27, 2012
This was a little too wordy for my liking and could have easily been a good 100 pages shorter. The premise and plot had promise but eventually the book didn't deliver. It was easy to guess who the perpetrator is from the word go. And some of the things- like her flushing her pills own- seemed repetitive, we get it she isn't taking her pills must we be reminded of this every other page! The eerie relatives were a little too much, does this woman not have one sane family member?? Everyone was so weird and clearly everyone was meant to be the suspect, which is a little off putting. I enjoyed about the jest 150 pages nod then it was all downhill.
October 8, 2012
This novel started out with promise but then it started to drag rather quickly and did so for 75% of the book. I found myself skipping pages, and I HATE to do that. I am used to reading Tami Hoag, Lisa Gardner, and Chevy Stevens; their books never disappoint me. However, this one made me never want to read another Lisa Jackson book. Life is too short to read stuff you don't love. There were good things such as the spooky setting and the ending. However, there were just too many characters and it went off on too many tangents to keep me interested. I found many parts of the story unbelievable and forced. I'm so glad that it's over!
April 5, 2024
Way too long, by about 300 pages. Too many characters and details that weren’t relevant. Just meh.
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