The Only One Who Knows

by Lisa M. Matlin

A failed TV news reporter with a talent for shark-fishing returns to her hometown just as bodies begin washing ashore in this nail-biting suspense novel from the author of The Stranger Upstairs.

Minnow Greenwood, previously known for stealing her way into the hearts of viewers as Melbourne’s number one morning show host, is now back in her small hometown of Kangaroo Bay. After a horrifying and unexpected episode, she has no choice but to join her estranged brother in their family business of shark fishing. For an insomniac like Minnow, the work is strangely thrilling—there’s something alluring about the dark water at night. Something exciting, grimy… fitting. And maybe it’s not even so bad reconnecting with her brother, who’s the only person who ever saw her for herself. But the last thing she expects to surface on the beach is a human body.

Kangaroo Bay is a town quietly brimming with rage towards invasive tourists and host to a disquieting number of shark attacks—there's no sympathy for the wayward swimmer. Except the media soon uncover that the victim was declared missing weeks before, and was long dead before they even entered the water. When the journalist in Minnow kicks back into drive, she discovers something for over forty years, there have been a steady number of missing persons around the area, including her own father’s disappearance ten years ago.

This is her one opportunity to reclaim her career as a journalist, and to learn what really happened to her father, but as Minnow digs deeper into the spate of missing tourists and the mystery of her father, she realizes someone is desperate to keep the secrets buried. . .and then another body washes ashore.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery

272 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication March 3, 2026

About the author

Lisa M. Matlin was a guitarist in a band before switching from song writing to story writing.

She lives in Melbourne, Australia, with her golden retriever. She’s probably rewatching The Walking Dead right now and trying not to laugh at her own jokes. Matlin is a passionate mental health advocate and your dog’s number one fan.

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS was a Book of the Month pick. Her second novel, THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS, is out March 2026.

Reviews

[Court Zierk · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Fun fact about me… I’m equally terrified of and fascinated by sharks. Point me to a movie, a show or a book about sharks and I’m consuming it, no questions asked. While we’re on the topic, why aren’t there more books about sharks? Let’s step up our collective game. Shark it up.

This one was pretty sharky, so I’ll give it that, but otherwise it was pretty run-of-the-gill. The characters felt a bit fin and scaled down, and the mystery floundered a bit.

I didn’t want to mako big deal about it though because overall it was decent. I’ll definitely sink my teeth into some of the author’s other work.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really just thought this book was confusing and had no flow at all. It was hard to follow, and I don't think the writing style was for me. It just all felt disorganized. The premise was good though, and it had some good bones, just really lacked in execution.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine Books for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC for review. To be published March 3, 2025.

3 stars

Have I mentioned that within a two week period I read two ARCs where the FMC was named Minnow and they are about sharks? No wonder we only get comic book movies and remakes, the well of ideas is, sadly, empty.

That sad, this wasn’t half bad. The story is set in the Australian coast. Minnie has returned to her very blue collar hometown and is staying with brother, Heath, who fishes on the same boat owned by his late father. The two grew up nearly feral. And, of course, something is going on in the town, which is seeing shark attacks.

Since, as I may have mentioned, I JUST read another book about sharks I actually knew exactly what was happening from the very beginning and I just had to wait on ol’ Minnow to get there (you name your kid “Minnow” and you probably aren’t setting her up for a job as the first female President.). You guys won’t have all my very specialized and in-depth shark knowledge from the other book, so you won’t get it (you’ll probably get it.). The book had witty portions but a bit of a detached tone. I liked it, though.

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not a feel good book.

This is a book about a very mean town filled with cruel and desperate people.

While I liked our main character, I'll admit that for some she might be hard to like. Actually, I'll just say that she's very...hard. She fits her town well, though.

It did take a little bit for the book to capture my attention, but once it did, I was riveted.

I'd keep in mind that this isn't an escape sort of book. It's incredibly bleak. But it's also well written, unique, and I would read the author again.

* ARC via Publisher

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review is for an ARC copy received from the publisher through NetGalley.
After an on-air blow up, journalist Minnow Greenwood returns to the fishing town of Kangaroo Bay. Needing to get away, she's back to the place she thought she'd left well behind after the disappearances of her mother and, later, her abusive father years before. With a recent shark attack tn the news, Minnow thinks maybe there's something to get her back on her career track. But she left more than just bad memories in Kangaroo Bay - both the town and she have many skeletons waiting in the closet.
Lisa Matlin's strong writing is again on display here. The plot is definitely a different one, with a main character who is beyond flawed, having been forced to go back to a place where many dark secrets from her past lurk, unknown to anyone but her. The story is ripe with tension and enthralling mysteries throughout. I definitely had no idea where most of them were going. However, it may just be me, but the real "mystery" of what's going on in the town just didn't resonate as being all that big a deal to me. And the resolution portion of the story felt like it was dragging on longer than necessary. But there was quite a bit going on which kept you guessing.

[Regina · Rating 4 out of 5]

FINALLY! I've been waiting forever for another Lisa Matlin book after loving and devouring The Stranger Upstairs. While this book didn't quite reach my five-star expectations, I was still extremely captivated by the story and enthralled by the suspense that chilled me to the bone with the turn of every page. Between the hostile residents in town, the nighttime shark attacks, Minnow's memories of her childhood, and the disturbing behavior of some of the characters, there was no shortage of darkness. It just crept right in and enveloped me like a storm cloud. The mystery and secrets unraveled slowly but the pacing was fast and frenzied. Minnow was an interesting and layered character, but I didn't quite understand her quirks and why she did what she did. I would have liked more of an explanation on this for closure. I feel like this book should be marketed more as a psychological thriller / horror. I wouldn't say that it was scary, it was more dark and disturbing and WEIRD! And I love weird! Would definitely recommend!

Thank you to Ballantine for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully, tragic, dark thriller. This book was truly an experience. I loved the setting and the descriptions of the town so much. I found myself completely engrossed in the characters and the world very early on. I loved mysteries and getting to know these characters so much (trying to avoid spoilers here) the flashbacks were fascinating and interesting. Never guessed the twist and was so satisfied with the ending. A fantastic read and a fabulous introduction for me personally as this was my first read by Lisa M Matlin.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC

[Abby · Rating 4 out of 5]

•Minnow Greenwood returns to her hometown of Kangaroo Bay, right around the same time bodies begin piling up on shore after numerous shark attacks. Born and raised in Kangaroo Bay, Minnow and her brother Heath were raised by a mother who disappeared, and an abusive father, who subsequently disappeared as well. Upon returning, Minnow discovers a long list of missing people, many more than just her parents.

•I really enjoyed this book. The characters were dark and unpolished. I also enjoyed the decades of secrets.

•Thank you to NetGalley, Lisa M. Matlin, and Bantam books for this ARC. It will become available on March 3, 2026.

[Paula Kitsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading about other countries and cultures is a great thing… it helps you understand what goes on and how things are relatable to you. This book is dark and twisted and while I had to google many things about Australia, Kangaroo Meat… and fishing lure this book was good. I’ll definitely be looking into reading the author’s other novel.

[Aubrey Daly · Rating 2 out of 5]

What a heart pounding rollercoaster of a tail this is! My adrenaline was quite literally all over the place during this book and it gave me the heeby jeebies. This story isn’t a happy feel good story, it’s creepy, eerie, and human and sits with you afterwards. I loved jaws or other shark movies, but i had never had the book equivalent before. It really lived up to the same energy as a shark movie.

I appreciated that the sharks were their own character and plot device, it didn’t feel just like a random point of action, it felt like its own mystery we were trying to solve.

The main character had some undeveloped and strange elements that i felt were unnecessary to the story. She is a dark and gritty character who is hard to support in general.

Thanks to NetGalley and bantam for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Bantam for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Lisa M. Matlin follows up her standout debut “The Stranger Upstairs” with “The Only One Who Knows,” a dark, atmospheric, and deeply unsettling thriller set against the eerie backdrop of a small Australian coastal town.

At the center of the story is Minnow Greenwood, a morning show co-host whose very public on-air meltdown sends her fleeing back to Kangaroo Bay, which is the town she swore she’d left behind for good. It’s a place defined by salt, sharks, and secrets, a fishing community whose outward charm masks decades of violence, disappearances, and shady dealings. Minnow grew up here under the brutal hand of her alcoholic father, and the scars of her childhood still haunt her as she reconnects with her estranged brother, revisits old traumas, and discovers that her family may be tied to far more than just her personal pain.

Soon after her return, a gruesome shark attack rattles the town. Enter Chris, a reporter investigating the death, whose probing questions dig beneath the surface of Kangaroo Bay’s carefully maintained facade. Teaming up with him, Minnow becomes entangled in a web of cover-ups, illegal poaching, simmering resentments, and violence that seems to ripple through the entire town. With every layer uncovered, the lines between truth and rumor blur, and Minnow must confront not only what Kangaroo Bay is hiding, but also the darkness she has inherited from her own family.

Matlin excels at atmosphere with the briny sting of ocean air, the menace lurking in shark-filled waters, the suffocating weight of small-town hostility. The tension builds in frenzied waves, the pacing both fast and fevered, and by the time the full truth surfaces, readers will feel wrung out and breathless. Yet while the plot is packed with disappearances, secrets, and shocking turns, the real heart of the story is Minnow herself: prickly, flawed, and unforgettable. This is as much a character study of trauma and inheritance as it is a mystery.

That said, this is not a book for the faint of heart. The violence—whether domestic, criminal, or natural—is stark and sometimes overwhelming, and I did find the poetic language of the climax jarring against the raw brutality of the narrative. However, I was still captivated by the strangeness, the weirdness, and the unhinged energy that Matlin infuses into her work.

In the end, “The Only One Who Knows” is bold, disturbing, and uniquely told—a story of sharks and secrets, survival and scars, family and fate. While not as universally accessible as Matlin’s debut, it proves her as a fearless writer willing to take risks, and it cements her place as one of the most intriguing voices in contemporary psychological thrillers.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Only One Who Knows.

TW/CW: domestic abuse, shark attacks, harassment

** Minor shark spoilers ahead **

After a public meltdown on TV, Minnow Greenwood returns to her violent hometown to flee her troubled life only to be confronted with the trauma of her past and childhood.

Recent shark attacks have the community on high alert and a recent death causes Minnow and an acquaintance, a TV reporter, to delve deeper into the victim's death.

Soon, Minnow discovers there are worse things than sharks lurking in the waters. Humans.

I didn't like Minnow but I understood her standoffish behavior, people pleasing personality stems from living with a brutal, violent man for a father.

I liked Heath; he's a good brother and a good man and is doing the best he can considering the circumstances.

The community is poor, uneducated and generations of families have made their living fishing to provide for their families.

One of the best part of this novel is its exploration of the relationship between humanity and nature.

The ocean and the sharks are secondary characters as the author illustrates the ocean's beauty and danger, emphasizing the need for respect and understanding of the natural world.

The shark attacks are a metaphor for the consequences of human actions, reminding us that nature does what nature does. Humans are worse. We intentionally harm and abuse and disrespect.

This cycle of using the ocean as financial gain also mimics the cyclical nature of violence.

Minnow mentions often that abusive men father abusive sons and the pattern continues, especially since she can attest to having strange violent urges and thoughts.

Her environment, the people she grew up with, both adults and children, are dangerous and violent, as predatory than sharks in many ways.

As a result, her behavior has evolved to deal with her father but at the same time channeling the lessons he's taught her so she may one day be able to protect herself.

When Minnow discovers the reasons behind the shark attacks and her mother's fate, she begins to come out of her shell and take responsibility for her actions though not at all of them.

She has secrets that no one will ever know.

A part of her still and always will be her father's daughter.

The narrative was pretty interesting but not a mystery, more of a domestic drama and much darker than I thought.

The shark attacks are more of a subplot to the deeper issues at play; how the entire town and its inhabitants, including Minnow and Heath are severely damaged by abuse and violence and it continues through the generations because its 'a part' of them.

[Amber Boos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me: Some of my favorite things are murder thrillers, creepy small-town stories, the ocean and Shark Week. Therefore, the perfect book for me does not exist.
Lisa M. Matlin: Hold my beer.

"Always take a knife."
"Look at the ripples on the surface. There's a struggle below. Life and death. Mainly death."
"Some wounds don't heal they just harden."

Those are just 3 quotes from this book, and I NEVER quote books.

WOWZERS!!!! This story is INSANE!!! I had previously read this author's debut, The Stranger Upstairs. That one turned out to be one of my favorite books for 2023. I had been waiting not so patiently for this 2nd book to come out and absolutely jumped around screaming at being given the opportunity to read an early copy! THIS BOOK DELIVERED!!! Holy Cow! Minnow is sick of her job as part of a trio of women on a morning talk show. She has an on-air meltdown. Nowhere to go from there other than back to Kangaroo Bay, the grimy, creepy small-town she grew up in with her abusive father and long-suffering mother. Kangaroo Bay is mostly a fishing town that gets some tourists in the Summer. Minnow left to escape the violence and trauma from her father, and she wanted something better. Well, now she's back and her brother runs the fishing boat that her dad used to run. Her mom disappeared years ago, later her dad disappeared, Meadow may or may not have tried to drown a classmate back in elementary school, there have been a few recent shark attacks and something weird is going on. Yes, something weird in addition to what I already mentioned. Chris, a reporter acquaintance, comes to town to investigate a recent shark attack. His questions stir up old issues in the town and Minnow, in need of work, is helping him. What follows is a story that is just completely unhinged and deranged. And I mean that in a good way! I love how both books from Lisa M. Matlin use plot devices that I have never seen used before. She also excels at setting a scene. I could practically smell the salt air and fish and feel the despair in this town as I read. I plowed through this book and couldn't put it down! I hope, hope, hope this author has more tricks up her sleeve for another book. I for one cannot wait!!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Lisa M. Matlin and Ballantine | Bantam for this ARC.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a public breakdown on camera, Minnow returns home to Kangaroo Bay to reset and try to get her life together. But she soon realizes that it won’t be the calming timeout she was hoping for. Kangaroo Bay is a bleak fishing town on the Australian coast where men toil all day and drink all night, neglecting their wives and kids except to put their hands on them. Her own family fit right in – both of her parents disappeared years apart when she was a teenager. Her older brother never left and continues to run the family fishing boat. She’s happy to reconnect with him but hasn’t missed the town since she left years ago.

It's even worse than it used to be, as more people have disappeared and the number of shark attacks has increased. Her very first night back, she witnesses one close to shore, and it unlocks something inside of her. No longer content to let the questions from the past continue to plague her, she’s determined to discover what really happened to her parents and all the other missing people. But facing the past means coming to terms with why she broke down and what she’s been holding in all these years. And hoping she’s not the next victim.

There are surprising levels of depth to this story and it’s much more intricate than just a coming home and facing your demons tale. However, it is that, for sure. I’ve never been scared of sharks, but there are some graphic descriptions in this story. I wouldn’t say it's too gory, though, so most people should be fine unless you have a phobia of sharks or water.

The author is quite talented at describing the atmosphere throughout. I could really see myself in Kangaroo Bay, surrounded by the locals and their contempt for outsiders. And the crushing fear she had of becoming one of them, with her own abusive husband and unruly kids barely able to scrape by. You can see why there was a darkness that infested the town and its people and how it never left her, even when she escaped to the city.

This book is so much more than just a shark tale – don’t let it pass you by. My thanks to NetGalley for the free advanced reading copy of this book.

[Sacha · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

I enjoyed Matlin's previous book and was enthused to dive into this next effort about a young woman from a small town with big secrets. There are icky individuals galore, along with all of the undersea creatures one expects off the Australian coast. Oh, and there is a pretty surprising body count that seems to be growing all the time. That's what we came for!

Minnow (her actual name) makes a kind of iconic choice in the beginning of the book, and while it messes up her life for a sec, much more importantly, it's indicative of the sort of person she is: one who may be inclined to violent and unexpected moments. Now, once we learn about Minnow's winner of a fiance, it seems like maybe just knowing him is cause for some excused bad behavior. But the action really starts when Minnow heads home to her small town of Kangaroo Bay: current home of her brother and last location seen for both her mom and dad, who have been missing for years.

Kangaroo Bay is populated by folks who hate tourists, which is just fine, because no functional reader could possibly want to visit this place when the stakes and secrets are revealed. The top quality of these residents? No or poor coping skills.

I enjoyed this book and while there's some gross out content, the only major problem I had was worrying about the safety of Minnow's dog. I feel like this in EVERY thriller that includes pets of any kind. It's important to note that the author's bio includes that Matlin has personal dogs AND "is your dog's biggest fan," which are facts that kept me going even when I got extra worried about this issue. The creatures that live in the water? All bets are off for them, so readers need to be prepared for some violence on that front.

This was a tense reading experience (you know...suspenseful), but in a good way. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to read more from Matlin.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for this arc, which I received in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wild ride!

“The Only One Who Knows” brings disgraced journalist Minnow back to her hometown that’s plagued with secrets, missing persons and now bloodthirsty sharks. Reconnecting with her brother she struggles to find her footing, but when an old colleague shows up to investigate the recent attacks she offers up some of the skeletons in her closet to secure a job only to find that it was a Pandora’s box of betrayal, murder and and mayhem that not even the strongest of waves could wash away.

I don’t even know where to begin with this one I was immediately sucked in and I could not put it down!

Minnow is such a complex character and how we met her is so vastly different than who she ultimately is. A child of domestic violence she finds herself falling victim to repeating the pattern of her mother with her controlling fiancé, but upon her return home she slowly falls back into the wildness of her youth and, while not exactly healthy, she really does come into her own and accepts the darkness within her. She has her secrets and the reasons behind them and while you can see how you get from point a to point b it doesn’t take away the shock of it all and that was one of my favorite parts.

The interweaving of past and present was done so well here as we work through the many mysterious included in this book. Between the rising shark attacks, the missing townsfolk and the question about whether or not her father was a murderer is teased in a fashion not unlike a rising tide slowly at first before consuming the narrative in a rather bloody climax that kept me on the edge of my seat!

I truly cannot wait for everyone to read this and I can see it being added to my summer beach reads just to have my toes in the sand and hopefully far less blood in the water.

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

[Jess Reads Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another NetGalley ARC here.

Minnow grew up in a volatile home in a volatile fishing town. While the men ruled the town, the women and children kept their heads down and stayed out of their way. Years after leaving town and tryin to make it in the big city, Minnow now finds herself back in town and staying with her brother. There are a lot of strange occurrences here, and somehow, Minnow finds herself looking into every story, every death, every disappearance.

There are some trigger warnings, so please be mindful. This might be one of the few books I’ve come across with a very distinct and unique setting. I know nothing about fishing , so in a way it was a very refreshing location.

I found Minnow very likable, and really enjoyed digging into her past, understanding why she is the way she is. Her relationships with others and even with herself are pretty complex, always changing and evolving. The timeline in this book jumps around between present day and back when she was around ten, and we get to see her parents and her peers through two different perspectives. This really adds to the atmosphere and the character development.

Story wise, I’d categorize it as a whodunnit, but more complicated. Instead of a locked room, it’s a whole town. Some deaths seem pretty out of a person’s control, but who’s to say humans can’t be there to pull the strings? While I really loved the buildup and the mysteries, Th ending was somewhat anticlimactic. Not overly, but just a bit. I found myself initially rushing through 3/4 of the book then the ending kind of came to me. That’s not to say it wasn’t worth the read. It was extremely enjoyable with some good twists!

Pub date: March 2, 2026
Publisher: Ballantine Books

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The Only One Who Knows,” by Lisa Matlin, has a sinister thread of darkness that runs throughout the book. It begins when Minnow Greenwood, a journalist on a morning show, throws a microphone at her co-host and flees to her childhood home in Kangaroo Bay, in South Australia. Kangaroo Bay is a small, insular town dominated by the fishing industry and a reputation for a large number of shark attacks, which are attributed to the vibrations from the fishing lines. The town is filled with sullen, angry boys that grow into abusive husbands and fathers. Minnow was reared in such a family, where she and her brother Heath feared their father who regularly abused them and their mother, until she left when they were young and was never heard from again.

When Minnow returns to Kangaroo Bay, the shark attacks increase in frequency. After a friend of hers, Chris Cooper, an investigative journalist, comes to Kangaroo Bay to look into these attacks with Minnow’s assistance, Minnow and her friend each receive shark teeth as a warning to drop the investigation.

The book is hard to categorize since it’s not clear at the beginning if it’s a mystery, a thriller, or a literary noir novel. The author does an incredible job ratcheting up the tension and filling the book with a sense of foreboding, where even the ocean becomes a sinister character. I recommend this book to anyone who likes atmospheric novels with unusual, insular characters who attract and repel the reader simultaneously.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bantam Books for providing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Monica Hills · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very dark and foreboding thriller. Minnow leaves her life as a news anchor in an abusive relationship in the city, to go back to her hometown on the coast to move in with her brother. I instantly felt compassion for Minnow as I learned that she had a rough life growing up. She lost her mother when she was young and then shortly after her father. On the night Minnow gets back she goes to see her brother at his job, running shark fishing tours. She goes out with him and they happen upon a shark attack. As the story continues we learn that there have been an unusually high number of shark attacks happen. Minnow's investigative skills haven't left her and she starts to delve into these mysteries along with another journalist who is visiting her hometown. Things get much darker as we learn more about Minnow's past and things she has seen and even done. There is a hidden and darker side to this town.

There was an interesting mystery here but I have to be honest that I did not really like Minnow. I felt for her especially in the beginning of the book but I didn't care for some of her actions. I was also a little frustrated with how some of the events turned out. I did enjoy the setting and felt like I learned more about Australia's maritime life. However I just couldn't connect with the characters the way I wanted to. It's hard to be fully invested in a book when you really don't like the main character. I do think that people will enjoy this book especially if they like dark thrillers with a solid mystery.

Thank you to Bantam Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Martin Baggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kangaroo Bay is a grimy Australian fishing town soaked in violence and secrets, where "silence is their first language" and the darkness runs deeper than the ocean. When disgraced TV reporter Minnow Greenwood returns after a public meltdown, she finds a place where locals vanish, shark attacks pile up, and domestic violence festers behind closed doors like an infected wound.

Matlin uses the Australian beach culture to brilliant effect, creating atmosphere that feels both exotic and claustrophobic. The "blood boys" and "blood men" of Kangaroo Bay aren't just colorful details—they're the rotting heart of a community built on unspoken brutality. "Nobody really spoke about the violence. It's not something you speak of. It changes you, though."

What fascinated me most was the central question: what happens when you finally snap? When you've had enough of holding it in, of being prey? Sometimes you become the shark instead. The book explores the masks we wear, the polished exteriors hiding feral rage, and asks who we really are underneath—or if we're the only ones who truly know ourselves.

The twists caught me off guard. Most characters are deeply unlikeable, including Minnow, but that's the point. These are damaged people in a damaged place, and Matlin doesn't flinch from the ugliness.

If there's a weakness, it's that the relentless darkness can feel overwhelming. But for a story about generational violence and predation—both human and animal—maybe that's exactly right.

A big thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Raelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a little torn on this one. The writing was largely solid and very atmospheric, and the book was on the short end, which I appreciate, but I didn't find the mystery aspect wholly satisfying. Largely because there were no stakes on Minnow. Her reason for returning to her hometown was kind of flimsy and if she stopped poking around at what everyone left in town was doing, there was nothing to lose; her own curiosity was the primary driver of the narrative. That kind of thing detracts from establishing tension, which is not so great in a suspense/thriller. There was also a lot of emphasis on how bad the town was with all of its secrets and darkness and violence and how treacherous the ocean can be with dozens of chapters opening/closing on these sentiments, I get the importance of that to the story, but it got pretty redundant.

This said, I found this very readable. The Australian fishing town setting was unique and drove atmosphere nicely, I liked Minnow well enough as a main character, the us vs them aspect of a small community with a legacy built on secrets made the mystery interesting, and the climax did a great job in building anticipation. The use of sharks and the darkness of the ocean to drive the horror aspects was great, and there were some satisfying gory bits in the shark attacks.

Would I read this again? Probably not, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to readers who like bleak small-town mysteries and shark-driven horror.

3.5/5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Bantam and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Thoughts

For 10 long years Minnow Greenwood has sought to leave behind her past behind her.

However, in one brief moment her career is over and the last place she wishes to be is the only place she has to go, home to Kangaroo Bay.

Minnow Greenwood is by no means the girl-next-door you would bring home to meet your family.

Her childhood in Kangaroo Bay shaped her into someone who tries hard to deny the darkness that lives closer to the surface than she likes.

A darkness born and bred into the bones of every man from the bay and unfortunately for Minnow into hers as well.

As the body count grows so does Minnows suspicions and her inability to trust even her older brother in her quest for the truth also becomes cause for concern.

When her questions bear fruitful answers, Minnow puts herself in danger as the last person she expects turns out to be who she should have been watching out for.

A book whose story relies a lot on horrific descriptions, a set of mysteries that for the most part proved to be fairly obvious to me early on and a villain whose identity was not such a shock for me as it was for Minnow.

A disturbing psychological thriller that has some elements of horror and a town full of people that I am glad are fictional characters.

A dark and gritty, sometimes gruesome read.

[EArc from Netgalley]

[Tracey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa M. Matlin’s previous novel, The Stranger Upstairs, is one of my favorite books of the last few years. I can’t even remember all the details of the plot (which is more the fault of my poor memory than any flaw in Matlin’s writing); I just remember Matlin’s incredibly entertaining writing style, and the many intriguing plot twists.

All of this is to say, I was so excited to read Matlin’s latest novel, The Only One Who Knows, and I was not disappointed.

After a dramatic exit from her job on a toxic morning news show, Minnow returns to her hometown of Kangaroo Bay, a place fueled by toxic masculinity. Minnow’s parents both died under mysterious circumstances, and her only remaining family member is her brother Heath. Heath runs the family business, shark hunting. However, when dead bodies wash up, and shark attacks become more frequent, Minnow must don her journalist hat once again, and uncover some incredibly murky things beneath the water’s surface.

Matlin has written another engrossing, twisty novel, which I got through in about four sittings. The central character, Minnow, is strong and relatable; right from the start I was cheering her tenacity and determination to shed herself from her hateful past. The supporting characters are also well-drawn, especially Minnow’s brother Heath, and his nemesis Luke.

Imagine Jaws written by Liane Moriarty, but with a little more levity, and you’re pretty much there. Fun, engaging, and terrifying.

[Lisa Allard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This suspense novel was beautifully written and impossible to put down. After a breakup and a crashout on live television at her job, journalist Minnow Greenwood returns to her hometown of Kangaroo Bay, where her brother, Heath, still resides. The town is quite literally swimming with secrets—and has a dark, deadly aura that is equal parts frightening yet captivating, drawing in tourists for its beaches season after season, much to the dismay of its year-round inhabitants. The author does an incredible job of setting the scene… and diving into the depths of each character arc. From mysterious deaths and disappearances to deadly shark attacks and shady business practices, it seems like everyone has something to hide…. Maybe even Minnow, too.

Lots of detailed, thought-provoking imagery of the ocean collide with the deep, dark and twisted history of the town—and Minnow’s traumatic childhood, too. I loved the writing and was rooting for the protagonist the whole time as she tried to search for answers regarding the mystery of her own mother’s death while constantly feeling in fear for her own life. The sibling relationship between her and Heath was incredibly uplifting and drove the story forward.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Advance Reader’s Copy

Minnow Greenwood grew up in an abusive home, fearful of her father and missing the mother who fled. Turning herself into Melanie Holmes, she becomes co-host of “Morning, Sunshine” . . . until she has a melt-down on the air.

Fleeing to her home, Kangaroo Bay, she heads for the house where she grew up, still the same scared kid she was all those years ago. Minnow discovers that sharks have been spotted in the bay and more than one person has disappeared.

A shark attack adds to the town’s list of dead and missing and Minnow sets out to investigate.

What secrets are hidden in the town? What will Minnow discover?

=========

Kangaroo Bay is a dark and violent tale, filled with tension and secrets. Abuse and trauma take their toll; flashbacks and inner conversations provide the necessary backstory, but it is, at times, difficult reading. So much cruelty, so much pain . . . and truly frightening sharks only add to the discomfort.

This story is not for the faint of heart; filled with tension and foreboding, the story is spine-chilling and filled with unexpected reveals. Readers who enjoy character-driven mysteries may find this unique tale to their liking.

Recommended.

I received a free copy of this eBook from Ballantine / Bantam and NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving this review.
#TheOnlyOneWhoKnows #NetGalley

[Dig The Plot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book: The Only One Who Knows
Author: Lisa M. Matlin
Publisher: Ballantine
Pub Date: March 3, 2026

Right off the bat I loved the name Minnow. If you've kept up with my podcast or Instagram then you know names can make or break a book for me. The name Minnow made it 5 stars right out of the gate. So Minnow's  career is in flames; she has a public breakdown; a trail of mistakes she'd rather drown than relive. So she runs back to Kangaroo Bay right into a nightmare. Matlin is great at making you feel the setting - the salty air, the isolation, the fishy rotting decay smell and fog……I could feel and see it all. It's a dark psychological thriller set on the water full of sharks. I enjoyed the small town setting - the politics and the violence. The characters were well developed and Minnow's flashbacks to her childhood helped shape who she was in the present. This story is deeply unsettling - it drags you under with the sharks. I have to admit I never thought I would enjoy a story about fishing, the sea and sharks.

Thank you Ballantine and NetGalley for this sneak peak! Publication date is March 3,
2026.

[Elisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

A slow burn set in a filthy, violent town on the Australian coast. After having a public meltdown and leaving her fiancee, Minnow returns to the house where she grew up. Her brother, old neighbors and childhood buddies are still there, they never left; and they are all hiding really dark secrets. As soon as she gets there, she witnesses one more in a series of horrific shark attacks. Things get darker and grimier while secrets are exposed. Many readers will enjoy this, but it was not for me. There is too much animal death (my one and only trigger), and too many fishing and nautical terms. I couldn’t connect with the lead, so I wasn’t invested in the story. None of the characters were appealing to me. I really enjoyed the banter between Minnow and her journalist colleague Chris, as well as all the terrible fishy puns. The rest of the story was too slow for my liking, with too much inner turmoil and the same flashbacks revisited several times. Many readers will find this appealing but, unfortunately it was not for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Ballantine | Bantam.

[Debbie Viscosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

After years of trying to fit in and remain a background figure, Minnow Greenwood has had enough. During a live television broadcast, she breaks down and leaves her city life behind. She returns to her hometown, where everyone knows everyone else's business. Tragedy strikes on her first night back, drawing Minnow into long-buried secrets and lies.

Minnow is damaged and has managed to hide it her entire life. She has endured psychological and physical abuse. Her circumstances have been terrible, and although she works on herself, the damage remains. Does destiny shape your life, or can you forge your own path? Minnow's story unfolds slowly; given her upbringing, a quick reveal would overwhelm readers. Lisa Matlin's characters are well-crafted and realistic. Her vivid descriptions of the town and surrounding areas place the reader right in the middle of the action. This is a story that stays with you. You'll think about the story and characters long after finishing the book.

I recommend this book to fans of mystery or psychological thrillers. It has just the right amount of eerie creepiness!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok but I didn’t love it- the dynamics between the characters didn’t feel clear to me and I ultimately wasn’t interested in the storyline when the secret everyone was trying to hide came to light. The story centers on a woman named Minnow who returns to her tiny hometown after an embarrassing situation at work. There have been an abnormal number of shark attacks in the town and Minnow uses her investigative skills to try to figure out what is going on.

I felt like I didn’t ever truly “get” Minnow- what made her tick, who she liked and why, and why she made the decisions she did. I don’t really know why I felt this way- it just didn’t feel to me that there was much characterization. There were some decent twists in the book and I liked the suspense as she followed leads and connected dots, but ultimately the story fell short for me when all was revealed. I just found myself not that interested in the storyline or the character dynamics.

Overall, the book was well written and there were some ominous parts, I really just didn’t connect with this one. Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Kate Connell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Minnow Greenwood is from a small fishing town that isn't known for being friendly to outsiders. She left years ago and changed her name to Melanie and became a journalist, but when she finally works up the nerve to leave her fiancée and has an altercation at work, she takes her dog and heads home. There she returns to the childhood home her brother still lives in, haunted by memories of their parents, who are both missing. Minnow always assumed their mother ran away, as she was known to do, and it's an open secret in the town that everyone believes a rival fisherman killed Minnow's father. Minnow has memories of a night in the woods following her father she tries to reckon with and when a fellow reporter shows up in her town determined to get answers to his questions, Minnow decides she's going to help. But in a town known for its secrets, how deep can you dig before you're the one getting buried?

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of this book.