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Someone Knows
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Bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Scottoline reaches new heights with this riveting novel about how a single decision can undo a family, how our past can derail our present, and how not guilty doesn't always mean innocent.
Allie Garvey is heading home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie is not only grief-stricken, she's full of dread. Because going home means seeing the other two people with whom she shares an unbearable secret.
Twenty years earlier, a horrific incident shattered the lives of five teenagers, including Allie. Drinking and partying in the woods, they played a dangerous prank that went tragically wrong, turning deadly. The teenagers kept what happened a secret, believing that getting caught would be the worst thing that could happen. But time has taught Allie otherwise. Not getting caught was far worse.
Allie has been haunted for two decades by what she and the others did, and by the fact that she never told a soul. The dark secret has eaten away at her, distancing her from everyone she loves, including her husband. Because she wasn't punished by the law, Allie has punished herself, and it's a life sentence.
Now, Allie stands on the precipice of losing everything. She's ready for a reckoning, determined to learn how the prank went so horribly wrong. She digs to unearth the truth, but reaches a shocking conclusion that she never saw coming--and neither will the reader.
A deeply emotional examination of family, marriage, and the true nature of justice, Someone Knows is Lisa Scottoline's most powerful novel to date. Startling, page-turning, and with an ending that's impossible to forget, this is a tour de force by a beloved author at the top of her game.
Bestselling and award-winning author Lisa Scottoline reaches new heights with this riveting novel about how a single decision can undo a family, how our past can derail our present, and how not guilty doesn't always mean innocent.
Allie Garvey is heading home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie is not only grief-stricken, she's full of dread. Because going home means seeing the other two people with whom she shares an unbearable secret.
Twenty years earlier, a horrific incident shattered the lives of five teenagers, including Allie. Drinking and partying in the woods, they played a dangerous prank that went tragically wrong, turning deadly. The teenagers kept what happened a secret, believing that getting caught would be the worst thing that could happen. But time has taught Allie otherwise. Not getting caught was far worse.
Allie has been haunted for two decades by what she and the others did, and by the fact that she never told a soul. The dark secret has eaten away at her, distancing her from everyone she loves, including her husband. Because she wasn't punished by the law, Allie has punished herself, and it's a life sentence.
Now, Allie stands on the precipice of losing everything. She's ready for a reckoning, determined to learn how the prank went so horribly wrong. She digs to unearth the truth, but reaches a shocking conclusion that she never saw coming--and neither will the reader.
A deeply emotional examination of family, marriage, and the true nature of justice, Someone Knows is Lisa Scottoline's most powerful novel to date. Startling, page-turning, and with an ending that's impossible to forget, this is a tour de force by a beloved author at the top of her game.
387 pages, Paperback
First published April 9, 2019
7252 people are currently reading
37065 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Scottoline
138 books15.6k followersLisa Scottoline is a #1 bestselling and Edgar award-winning author of 33 novels. Her books are book-club favorites, and Lisa and her daughter Francesca Serritella have hosted an annual Big Book Club Party for over a thousand readers at her Pennsylvania farm, for the past twelve years. Lisa has served as President of Mystery Writers of America, and her reviews of fiction and non-fiction have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter for the Philadelphia Inquirer entitled Chick Wit, a witty take on life from a woman’s perspective, which have been collected in a bestselling series of humorous memoirs. Lisa graduated magna cum laude in three years from the University of Pennsylvania, with a B.A. in English, and cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she taught Justice and Fiction. Lisa has over 30 million copies of her books in print and is published in over 35 countries. She lives in the Philadelphia area with an array of disobedient pets and wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,597 reviews
March 6, 2019
2.5 stars
Too much. It's like the author threw everything but the kitchen sink into this one. Despite having some problems with it, I still was interested in the story until the last quarter of the book or so. At that point though, it veered so far into ridiculous territory it made me cranky.
I had read and enjoyed a book by the author a few years ago and had plans to check out her other books but never got around to it until now. When the opportunity to read an advance copy of this one popped up, I jumped on it. I found the premise of the book intriguing as it's basically a story about a group of people who were involved in something terrible back when they were teenagers. Twenty years later the secret they have kept about what really happened is taking a toll on their lives.
The majority of the characters in this book are unlikable people, but that's not really the problem I had with the story. The mystery of what happened and what was going to happen in the present time was enough to sustain my interest so it didn't matter much to me I didn't like some of the people. I had much more of an issue with too many characters being used to advance the plot. It led to too many unnecessary side plots. I assume the author did this to add depth to the teenage characters, but in my opinion it made things worse. It began to feel like every problem a character faced was one rotten cliche after another.
I basically hated the last 75 pages or so and it's what brought the book down from a 3 star read to 2.5 stars. In order for something to be shocking it has to be believable and to me the big finale or whatever you might call it just didn't ring true. Yes, everything tied in together but again, too much.
Even though this one ended on a sour note and didn't completely work for me, I would still read another novel by the author. She is talented and you get to see glimmers of that in this book but unfortunately I think this is a case of being overly ambitious and it not paying off in the end.
Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
Too much. It's like the author threw everything but the kitchen sink into this one. Despite having some problems with it, I still was interested in the story until the last quarter of the book or so. At that point though, it veered so far into ridiculous territory it made me cranky.
I had read and enjoyed a book by the author a few years ago and had plans to check out her other books but never got around to it until now. When the opportunity to read an advance copy of this one popped up, I jumped on it. I found the premise of the book intriguing as it's basically a story about a group of people who were involved in something terrible back when they were teenagers. Twenty years later the secret they have kept about what really happened is taking a toll on their lives.
The majority of the characters in this book are unlikable people, but that's not really the problem I had with the story. The mystery of what happened and what was going to happen in the present time was enough to sustain my interest so it didn't matter much to me I didn't like some of the people. I had much more of an issue with too many characters being used to advance the plot. It led to too many unnecessary side plots. I assume the author did this to add depth to the teenage characters, but in my opinion it made things worse. It began to feel like every problem a character faced was one rotten cliche after another.
I basically hated the last 75 pages or so and it's what brought the book down from a 3 star read to 2.5 stars. In order for something to be shocking it has to be believable and to me the big finale or whatever you might call it just didn't ring true. Yes, everything tied in together but again, too much.
Even though this one ended on a sour note and didn't completely work for me, I would still read another novel by the author. She is talented and you get to see glimmers of that in this book but unfortunately I think this is a case of being overly ambitious and it not paying off in the end.
Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
February 27, 2019
Sadly this is a DNF for me at 60%. Lisa Scottoline has written some of my favorite books, in particular "Every Fifteen Minutes" was a psychological thriller that I loved.
"Someone Knows" has so many dysfunctional characters that it's unbelievable and that's just the teenagers! One teen is manic with a destructive, abusive side, another is crushed under the weight of his father's notoriety of being a well known pediatrician in prison for pedophilia, one teen is beginning to question whether he is gay and testing his theory by pretending to care for one of the girls, another is overtly spying on someone he supposedly loves and on and on and on, and these teens aren't even in high school yet, they average 15 years old!
The characters I could have dealt with if there was a great plot, but sadly I didn't find that to be the case. Half way through the book the teens are still sneaking around burying and unburying a gun which never should have been available to them, then bullets and now a blast and a murder. So one of the teens is also a murderer, because someone left a bullet in the gun.
I've just come to the conclusion that this book is not for me. I had been really looking forward to this book so I'm very disappointed but I'm sure that it will find it's audience. There are many rave reviews for this book so I'm an outlier on this one.
Since I did not finish the book and it may have a great ending, I will not post to public purchasing sites in fairness to the author.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
"Someone Knows" has so many dysfunctional characters that it's unbelievable and that's just the teenagers! One teen is manic with a destructive, abusive side, another is crushed under the weight of his father's notoriety of being a well known pediatrician in prison for pedophilia, one teen is beginning to question whether he is gay and testing his theory by pretending to care for one of the girls, another is overtly spying on someone he supposedly loves and on and on and on, and these teens aren't even in high school yet, they average 15 years old!
The characters I could have dealt with if there was a great plot, but sadly I didn't find that to be the case. Half way through the book the teens are still sneaking around burying and unburying a gun which never should have been available to them, then bullets and now a blast and a murder. So one of the teens is also a murderer, because someone left a bullet in the gun.
I've just come to the conclusion that this book is not for me. I had been really looking forward to this book so I'm very disappointed but I'm sure that it will find it's audience. There are many rave reviews for this book so I'm an outlier on this one.
Since I did not finish the book and it may have a great ending, I will not post to public purchasing sites in fairness to the author.
I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through Edelweiss.
February 6, 2019
I'm not going to leave a full review of this book. I've left my thoughts with the publisher. There are glowing reviews for this elsewhere and you can read those. This is a book about extremely bad, very spoiled rich kids and their egregious parents. This is not about a "prank gone wrong." It is about suicide, murder, extreme mental illness, horrifying incest, pedophilia and more. It made me sick to read it and that was with me only skimming through much of it. I appreciate the fact that there are Scottoline lovers out there. This one was not for me.
May 23, 2020
Wow, that was absolutely excellent! I would say it was my favorite of Scottoline's but I've only read two of her books so I'm not sure that statement would be fair! 😂 Even so, this one was a lot better than After Anna (her other book I've read).
Our cast of characters include:
-Allie, a fat girl who is struggling to find her place among her peers. She is also still reeling from her sister, Jill's, death. She is the main character of the novel and she felt so real and dimensional. Even though they were her own thoughts, there was a tiny bit of fat shaming. Fair warning.
-Julian, is a rich asshole. I hated him. I'm honestly not sure if he was supposed to a protagonist or antagonist. I kept waffling between the two. I mean he had a lot of creepy scenes (like watching his neighbour undress.. What the heck!!?) but I also pitied him because his dad sucks and his mom is sad and weird.
-David is a gay (I think?!) young man, who is friends with Julian (no idea why) and sometimes feel out of place with him because of their... Financial differences. I appreciated his character.
-Kyle has just moved to town and is trying to keep his past buried. His father is in jail for sexual abuse. Kyle just wants to escape the new anchors and rumors. I really felt bad for him. I honestly wanted to smack his mom. Gosh, she was such an idiot.
-Sasha is honestly a female version of Julian. She is a whiny brat and I hated her the whole time.
Allie's mom is also struggling with Jill's death but she is doing much worse than Allie and has slipped into a bad depression. I really appreciated the inclusion of mental illness (specifically depression). I'm rather disappointed by how it ended though. 😭
The book starts out in the present and then switches to the past for about half and then back to the present for the rest of the book. All of the characters are separately dealing with a tragedy that gets slowly revealed chapter by chapter. Once the reader realises what has happened, the book switches to present. It moved at break neck speed with an amazing twist at the end that I never saw coming.
Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review
Bottom Line:
4.5 Stars
Age Recommendation: 14+ (Blood, Gore, suicide, Depression)
TW: Suicide, Depression, Fat Shaming, Sexual Harassment
Cover: 4/5 • Plot: 4/5 • Characters: 4/5
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BONUS SPOILER DISCUSSION! 😀 **EVERYTHING PAST THIS LINE IS A SPOILER!!**
__________________________________________
First of all, I was not very surprised that Julian was evil. I honestly was relieved because if he had been redeemed I would have been soooo pissed. I'm glad that he killed Sasha though! Woot woot! 🙌🙌🎉🎉
What did surprise me is who loaded the bullet. I mean I never thought it would be Allie's dad. I think I was looking for someone who did it purposely to hurt. I never considered it was an accident. It was a bit hard for me to believe that Allie "forgot" that. I get trauma does weird things to the brain but it seems a bit stretched.
I was soon sad that Allie's mom died from cancer though. when I read that, it literally made me tear up. It was heartbreaking. (Also, I was reading this while I was in a psych ward so it was a bit triggering 😂)
At first, I felt bad for the kids but then I didn't. They were so stupid and I almost feel like they deserved the pain the went through. Like, who does that to a teen kid?!
and that's it!! Byyyyyeee!
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June 26, 2019
Someone Knows was good, but not great.
There was a lot of unnecessary words and descriptions in the book... it probably would have been a good 50 pages shorter if the editor had cut all the needless babble out.
I did have a hard time keeping track of who the parents were... I had to give myself a little cheat sheet to keep them all straight.
At the heart of it, it was a good story. Solid 3 stars
There was a lot of unnecessary words and descriptions in the book... it probably would have been a good 50 pages shorter if the editor had cut all the needless babble out.
I did have a hard time keeping track of who the parents were... I had to give myself a little cheat sheet to keep them all straight.
At the heart of it, it was a good story. Solid 3 stars
June 6, 2019
Lisa Scottoline is one of those authors that I have added her backlist to my endlessly long TBR after really enjoying the few newer titles I’ve managed to pick up. Seeing her name across the front of Someone Knows was enough to make me want it but looking closer at the cover I couldn’t help but think my favorite phrase, popcorn drama! and of course with old friends and secrets and lies you get plenty of drama with the suspense.
Someone Knows is a story that starts looking back twenty years before joining the characters in the present and is told from multiple points of view throughout. As teens twenty years ago Allie and her group of friends were out doing some really stupid and dangerous stuff when they pulled in the new kid and things of course went wrong.
Twenty years later the group loses one of it’s own and that forces them together again which in turn has them confronting the past. Someone has to know how the prank went so horribly wrong and now Allie wants answers to the past that has haunted her for years.
This book is one that may have just as many disliking it as there are that do as the characters were not exactly likable or winning any personality awards. On top of starting with a group of spoiled and unlikable teens though their actions were just plain wrong and oh so stupid. However, with all that being said I still found myself caught up in the drama and loving the twisty ride with one exception of a twist at the end so overall 4 stars from me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Someone Knows is a story that starts looking back twenty years before joining the characters in the present and is told from multiple points of view throughout. As teens twenty years ago Allie and her group of friends were out doing some really stupid and dangerous stuff when they pulled in the new kid and things of course went wrong.
Twenty years later the group loses one of it’s own and that forces them together again which in turn has them confronting the past. Someone has to know how the prank went so horribly wrong and now Allie wants answers to the past that has haunted her for years.
This book is one that may have just as many disliking it as there are that do as the characters were not exactly likable or winning any personality awards. On top of starting with a group of spoiled and unlikable teens though their actions were just plain wrong and oh so stupid. However, with all that being said I still found myself caught up in the drama and loving the twisty ride with one exception of a twist at the end so overall 4 stars from me.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via Edelweiss.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
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November 22, 2021DNF at 20%. No connection or investment in this ‘rich kids behaving badly’ storyline. Not a fan of this female audio narrator.
January 24, 2019
Lisa Scottoline is one of my favorite authors—I gave her last book, Feared, a 5 star review. So why did I dislike this book so much? I guess entitled, privileged teenagers aren’t my favorite protagonists, plus a book with no likable characters doesn’t usually work for me. I don’t think I would have even finished this one if I hadn’t received an advance review copy in exchange for an honest review. But I did finish it, and I really disliked both the characters and the plot line. Needless to say, I am very disappointed.
February 26, 2022
A gripping tale of a teenage secret that shattered the lives of five teenagers forever.
SUMMARY
Allie Garvey is heading home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie is both grief-stricken and full of dread. Going home means seeing the other two people with whom she shares an unbearable secret.
Twenty years prior, a horrible incident shattered the lives of five teenagers, including Allie. Drinking and partying in the woods, they played a dangerous prank that went tragically wrong. The teenagers kept what happened a secret, believing that getting caught would be the worst thing that could happen. But time has taught Allie otherwise. Not getting caught was far worse.
For the past twenty years the dark secret has haunted and eaten away at her. Allie now stands at a crossroads. She’s ready to learn how the prank went so horribly wrong. She digs to unearth the truth, but what she finds is a shocking conclusion that she never saw coming.
REVIEW
In your youth, did you every do anything really, really stupid? Kids just do things, they get caught up in the moment, caught up in peer pressure, and the next thing you know, something terrible has happened. SOMEONE KNOWS is a thought-provoking story of teenage mistakes, the kind of mistakes that tend to stay with you the rest of your life.
The teenage drama, dysfunction and angst in the first portion of the book made me think I was perhaps reading a young adult novel. But the story moves on in the second part of the book. The book has tons of characters and you may need to make a list to keep up...but it’s worth the effort! LISA SCOTTOLINE’s writing does not disappoint. The story is intriguing and the character development is well-done. You may not like some of the characters, but if everyone was perfect would you really even have a story! It’s a robust story and Scottoline has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.
Lisa Scottoline is a #1 Bestselling Author, The New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 32 novels.. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter Francesca Serritella for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective. Thanks to G. P. Putnam/Penguin, Netgalley and Lisa Scottoline for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher G. P. Putnam/Penguin Random House
Published April 9, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
Allie Garvey is heading home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie is both grief-stricken and full of dread. Going home means seeing the other two people with whom she shares an unbearable secret.
Twenty years prior, a horrible incident shattered the lives of five teenagers, including Allie. Drinking and partying in the woods, they played a dangerous prank that went tragically wrong. The teenagers kept what happened a secret, believing that getting caught would be the worst thing that could happen. But time has taught Allie otherwise. Not getting caught was far worse.
For the past twenty years the dark secret has haunted and eaten away at her. Allie now stands at a crossroads. She’s ready to learn how the prank went so horribly wrong. She digs to unearth the truth, but what she finds is a shocking conclusion that she never saw coming.
REVIEW
In your youth, did you every do anything really, really stupid? Kids just do things, they get caught up in the moment, caught up in peer pressure, and the next thing you know, something terrible has happened. SOMEONE KNOWS is a thought-provoking story of teenage mistakes, the kind of mistakes that tend to stay with you the rest of your life.
The teenage drama, dysfunction and angst in the first portion of the book made me think I was perhaps reading a young adult novel. But the story moves on in the second part of the book. The book has tons of characters and you may need to make a list to keep up...but it’s worth the effort! LISA SCOTTOLINE’s writing does not disappoint. The story is intriguing and the character development is well-done. You may not like some of the characters, but if everyone was perfect would you really even have a story! It’s a robust story and Scottoline has plenty of tricks up her sleeve.
Lisa Scottoline is a #1 Bestselling Author, The New York Times bestselling author and Edgar award-winning author of 32 novels.. She also writes a weekly column with her daughter Francesca Serritella for the Philadelphia Inquirer titled “Chick Wit” which is a witty and fun take on life from a woman’s perspective. Thanks to G. P. Putnam/Penguin, Netgalley and Lisa Scottoline for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher G. P. Putnam/Penguin Random House
Published April 9, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
May 10, 2019
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway!
What if your darkest secret wasn't a secret?
Allie Garvey is going back home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie's life is a mess because of a dark secret she's been keeping for 20 years. When she was in High School a horrific incident shattered the lives of her group of friends.
Someone Knows sounded so good but it was just meh. Nothing happened. This book was plotless. Even when the "horrific incident" happens its rushed through. I was so bored. Also why are we still "Burying the Gays" in 2019?
I like Lisa Scottoline. I've read one other book by her and I really enjoyed but this one just wasn't for me. From looking at reviews for this book, I know that I'm in the minority but Someone Knows just wasn't exciting. It was very fast to read but I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. I don't think I'll ever give this book another thought.
I didn't hate it, it was just uneventful.
What if your darkest secret wasn't a secret?
Allie Garvey is going back home to the funeral of a childhood friend. Allie's life is a mess because of a dark secret she's been keeping for 20 years. When she was in High School a horrific incident shattered the lives of her group of friends.
Someone Knows sounded so good but it was just meh. Nothing happened. This book was plotless. Even when the "horrific incident" happens its rushed through. I was so bored. Also why are we still "Burying the Gays" in 2019?
I like Lisa Scottoline. I've read one other book by her and I really enjoyed but this one just wasn't for me. From looking at reviews for this book, I know that I'm in the minority but Someone Knows just wasn't exciting. It was very fast to read but I never felt the urge to pick it up and read it. I don't think I'll ever give this book another thought.
I didn't hate it, it was just uneventful.
April 26, 2019
Unfortunately, this was not my favorite Scottoline book. There were too many inconsistencies and the ending felt implausible. I've enjoyed many of her books. Hopefully the next one will be better.
April 12, 2019
I was really into this book...
Until the end. I'm sorry, the ending was just so unbelievable.
Please know that I have loved every book I've read by this author. I always preorder the audiobook and always listen to it in one day.
This one was just a disappointment. The ending, that is. The rest of the book was as awesome as usual. I'm looking forward to next year's book.
Until the end. I'm sorry, the ending was just so unbelievable.
Please know that I have loved every book I've read by this author. I always preorder the audiobook and always listen to it in one day.
This one was just a disappointment. The ending, that is. The rest of the book was as awesome as usual. I'm looking forward to next year's book.
March 10, 2019
I received this book from goodreads giveaway...
I have read all of Lisa Scottoline and this so far
I think was the best!!
It was so suspenseful and had so many twists and
Turns..I loved it!!
So glad I won this book...
I have read all of Lisa Scottoline and this so far
I think was the best!!
It was so suspenseful and had so many twists and
Turns..I loved it!!
So glad I won this book...
April 4, 2019
I know LS has a huge fan base but for some reason over the years I’ve only read one of her books before. This one sounded exactly like the type of book I would like, there’s always something about domestic suspense that pulls me in and this was no exception, and made me eager to go back and check out her other books.
This is told via two timelines, present day and twenty years ago. It opens with the current day and then the majority is told in the past only flipping forward towards the end. One thing I really liked here was the multiple narrators, you hear from almost every single character in the story at some point and there are quite a few. I wasn’t confused by this, it was fairly easy to work out who was who and how they all related to each other early on. Most of the chapters were on the short side as well making this a compulsive read for me.
The plot focuses on one terrible night when a group of teenagers made typical awful teenaged decisions but their unfortunate choices ended in a tragic death. Along the way you learn that everyone from the kids themselves to their parents have some juicy and sometimes disturbing secrets, so there was also something interesting going on here no matter who’s viewpoint you were currently reading. It is on the slower side as far as suspense goes, it’s a gradual build but the ending packs a solid punch. There were twists, some I predicted and others that shocked me, but overall I was satisfied with how it all ended. It loosely reminded me of a Liane Moriarty novel in that it had the same lighter style but this one definitely had more dark moments too, it explored some heavy issues so keep that in mind.
Someone Knows in three words: Tense, Gripping and Dark
This is told via two timelines, present day and twenty years ago. It opens with the current day and then the majority is told in the past only flipping forward towards the end. One thing I really liked here was the multiple narrators, you hear from almost every single character in the story at some point and there are quite a few. I wasn’t confused by this, it was fairly easy to work out who was who and how they all related to each other early on. Most of the chapters were on the short side as well making this a compulsive read for me.
The plot focuses on one terrible night when a group of teenagers made typical awful teenaged decisions but their unfortunate choices ended in a tragic death. Along the way you learn that everyone from the kids themselves to their parents have some juicy and sometimes disturbing secrets, so there was also something interesting going on here no matter who’s viewpoint you were currently reading. It is on the slower side as far as suspense goes, it’s a gradual build but the ending packs a solid punch. There were twists, some I predicted and others that shocked me, but overall I was satisfied with how it all ended. It loosely reminded me of a Liane Moriarty novel in that it had the same lighter style but this one definitely had more dark moments too, it explored some heavy issues so keep that in mind.
Someone Knows in three words: Tense, Gripping and Dark
February 10, 2020
“If you don’t have a plan, you’re not a businessman, you’re a gambler.”
― Lisa Scottoline, Someone Knows
So I spent most of today reading this book. It is pretty long.
I knew nothing about Someone Knows when I picked it. I picked it because I have read other Lisa Scottonline books and I loved them. I love this writer. I still love her even though this book wasn't for me.
When rating a book it is tough sometimes. I did not DNF this but I did skim ALOT. I could not get in to the story as much as I would have liked and as much as I have with some of her other books. There are a few reasons for that.
First off, this is a good book and that is why I am giving it a three. But it's alot. What do I mean by that? Well..there are MANY characters. To many in my opinion and they all have their own individual story which kind of makes it feel like ten novels in one. It was tough going for me frankly.
Also..you meet all the characters early on. So by 100 pages in, it feels you've read twice that much. To say this an an exhausting read is putting it mildly.
Also..this one felt alot more YA then some of her other books I have read. And these particular YA kids were tough to read about. You get POVS from their parents too(some of them.) And everyone is unhappy. It felt less like a thriller to me then a book on each person's personal issues. I like me a dark read but I did not know I was getting this. To such an extent.
The thriller aspects never really got there for me because from almost the first page, you know what the secret is. And when the secret DOES occur over 100 pages in, it feels matter of fact. There isn't any tension to it.
Parts of the book were painful. Allie and her family..their characters were beautifully woven and I was brought to tears over the losses, the darkness, the beauty of family. This is a book that did not fit me personally, at this time but that I c an respect and appreciate.
I will continue to read this author as she is so talented and always seems to find a way to leave me touched even with a book I did not love. It is such a testament to her talent.
― Lisa Scottoline, Someone Knows
So I spent most of today reading this book. It is pretty long.
I knew nothing about Someone Knows when I picked it. I picked it because I have read other Lisa Scottonline books and I loved them. I love this writer. I still love her even though this book wasn't for me.
When rating a book it is tough sometimes. I did not DNF this but I did skim ALOT. I could not get in to the story as much as I would have liked and as much as I have with some of her other books. There are a few reasons for that.
First off, this is a good book and that is why I am giving it a three. But it's alot. What do I mean by that? Well..there are MANY characters. To many in my opinion and they all have their own individual story which kind of makes it feel like ten novels in one. It was tough going for me frankly.
Also..you meet all the characters early on. So by 100 pages in, it feels you've read twice that much. To say this an an exhausting read is putting it mildly.
Also..this one felt alot more YA then some of her other books I have read. And these particular YA kids were tough to read about. You get POVS from their parents too(some of them.) And everyone is unhappy. It felt less like a thriller to me then a book on each person's personal issues. I like me a dark read but I did not know I was getting this. To such an extent.
The thriller aspects never really got there for me because from almost the first page, you know what the secret is. And when the secret DOES occur over 100 pages in, it feels matter of fact. There isn't any tension to it.
Parts of the book were painful. Allie and her family..their characters were beautifully woven and I was brought to tears over the losses, the darkness, the beauty of family. This is a book that did not fit me personally, at this time but that I c an respect and appreciate.
I will continue to read this author as she is so talented and always seems to find a way to leave me touched even with a book I did not love. It is such a testament to her talent.
April 15, 2019
In true Scottoline fashion another book I could not put down. I will say it is not a lot like her other books in that that the twists and turns were not as heavy. I did not however see the ending at all. I am a hard core Scottoline fan and will say I HIGHLY recommend this book.
4 stars and can't wait for her next book.
4 stars and can't wait for her next book.
April 23, 2019
This was yet another hit LS read for me!! Every year I look forward to a few select author's releases and auto-buy these releases and LS is most definitely one of them. I put her in the same box as Harlan Coben in that I'm almost guaranteed to enjoy my reading experience with every new release. I've found myself comparing the two authors as their releases usually come out around the same time each year, and I can very confidently say this year LS certainly won the contest for me!! I definitely enjoyed Someone Knows much more than I did Run Away (Coben), which was also a solid read. This book, however, was a very strong 4 star read all throughout and even hit close to 4.5 star territory for me towards the end especially. I felt like the characters were all so brilliantly fleshed out, especially during the first half of the book, and I could not put this book down!! I realized I was bringing it with me everywhere I went, hoping to get a few pages of reading in. I read this in just a few sittings, which for me, which this size of a book, is a record speed! I would recommend this to any thriller/mystery enthusiast, as it was just so incredibly clever towards the end with the final few reveals. I cannot wait for LS's next great release!!!
December 12, 2018
By far the best scottoline book ive read....and ive read them all!
This domestic thriller takes on multiple subjects and is told from the POV of multiple MCs. The twists and turns will have you turning the pages and the characters will make you laugh love cry and hope
I loved every page and didnt want the book to end
Hitting shelves in 2019, thanks to netgalley....the publisher and the author for the early read.
This domestic thriller takes on multiple subjects and is told from the POV of multiple MCs. The twists and turns will have you turning the pages and the characters will make you laugh love cry and hope
I loved every page and didnt want the book to end
Hitting shelves in 2019, thanks to netgalley....the publisher and the author for the early read.
April 3, 2022
Twenty years ago four teenage neighbors convince a newcomer to play Russian Roulette with an unloaded gun. Oops. The surviving teens flee, swearing each other to secrecy and never speak again. Now one of the group has committed suicide and the remaining three return for his funeral, each living a darker life than they imagined.
Lisa Scottoline is hit or miss for me. I loved the premise of SOMEONE KNOWS and the backstories of the five teens, each rich enough to have been a main character in another book. Scottoline took a while to introduce the characters and get to the death, though interesting, I was ready to get into the plot. As usual, her flawless writing engaged me.
Once the story moves to the present time and the funeral, one of the characters takes a preposterous turn to the dark side. I can’t say more without giving plot away.
I enjoyed the reading experience and liked SOMEONE KNOWS more than the quality of the story. I can see why some people will be dissatisfied and others with be thoroughly engaged.
April 23, 2019
I really liked one book by this author and have tried a few times unsuccessfully to find another. This is my reminder to stop trying. Despite a great hook, premise, and engaging plot, this book fell apart quickly. The author covers a LOT of hefty topics here, none of them particularly well —- terminal childhood disease, pedophelia, homosexuality/phobia, suicide, depression, voyeurism, obsession, PTSD, broken marriage — way too many to give satisfactory attention to any. The ending is Scooby-Doo like in its final encounters and absurdity. Then despite a confounding effort to wrap everything up neatly, the author left errant loose ends in random spots. I was hoping for an adult version of “I know what you did last summer” and instead felt trapped in a bad lifetime movie. I didn’t hate it enough to shelve it so there’s that and I did finish it quickly (to get it over with) but wholly unsatisfied.
August 19, 2019
Whoa!! Slow down Lisa! There was too much that happened uselessly. The pace could have used some acceleration at the start but then it dwindled so rapidly that we desperately needed a belt to hang on to our seats. The author draws us into dark deplorable secrets that were unsparing and traumatizing right to the unraveling finale.
August 22, 2019
Unputdownable. Lisa Scottoline does it again. An incredible plausible story of death, murder, grief, guilt. And that often the hardest person to forgive is the one we see in the mirror.
It would have been a 5 star rating - except there were not legal shenanigans involved at the centerpiece of the story.
It would have been a 5 star rating - except there were not legal shenanigans involved at the centerpiece of the story.
December 21, 2018
I am a huge fan of Lisa Scottoline and I felt that SOMEONE KNOWS was not her best. I found the start too long with too much time spent on teenage angst. It took a while for the book to gel for me.
Perhaps, I related better to the characters as they aged.
This is the story of 5 people, involved in an unspeakable act 20 years earlier. The survivors are brought together by the death of another one of the people who were there that night. This becomes a catalyst for more deaths and revenge.
I found it difficult to reconcile all the pieces and find satisfaction in the simplistic ending.
So, I can’t wait to read Scottoline’s next book, but I felt this didn’t live up to her other work.
Perhaps, I related better to the characters as they aged.
This is the story of 5 people, involved in an unspeakable act 20 years earlier. The survivors are brought together by the death of another one of the people who were there that night. This becomes a catalyst for more deaths and revenge.
I found it difficult to reconcile all the pieces and find satisfaction in the simplistic ending.
So, I can’t wait to read Scottoline’s next book, but I felt this didn’t live up to her other work.
May 3, 2019
I am a fan of Lisa Scottoline's but this book wasn't for me. It felt so far fetched. I didn't like the multiple points of view that kept changing. I did not like or relate to any of the four main characters: the spoiled, grieving sister of a Cystic Fibrosis victim, a rich daughter to absent parents, a sexually confused boy of a rich, hard man, and a rich, spoiled boy of a divorced couple. I just didn't feel the story was believable. I am sure many fans of Scottoline's will enjoy it though.
April 30, 2019
Whoa, that was absolutely awful. I can't believe this is the same author that wrote the wonderful "Every Fifteen Minutes". I'm just amazed at how bad everything was: the story, the stilted dialogue, the so called twist...Stay away from this book, don't say I didn't warn you!
December 23, 2018
Lisa Scottoline has done it again with this domestic thriller! A supposed accident when Allie was a teenager has left her grief stricken and full of guilt. A lot of this book goes back to her teenage years and what happened then. You must keep reading because it packs a powerful punch full of twists that you don't see coming. The ending is absolutely explosive! I felt like I knew each one of these characters on a personal level. I could feel so many emotions throughout this book. Horror, grief and shock. The past can shape our future and this book shows that. Well written with incredible flow. This is one book you don't want to miss. Another blockbuster by Lisa Scottoline!!
March 11, 2019
This book was great! There were just enough twist and turns to keep you reading and not enough to lose you. It was a smooth read that kept my interest peaked! One of Lisa’s best! Wow!
August 3, 2019
I usually love Lisa Scottoline's books, but this one didn't work as well for me. The first half read more like a teen soap opera than a suspense story. Every imaginable family problem was addressed, from death and divorce to homosexuality, pedophilia and voyeurism. It was a little too much, the characters were stereotypical, and it went on for far too long. Still, I found myself inexplicably getting caught up in the story. The second half picked up and became more interesting and exciting. I did feel that the ending was over-explained. I know that readers don't like loose ends, but sometimes a little speculation is a good thing. All in all, an easy and entertaining read; just not one of Lisa Scottoline's best.
January 2, 2019
Let me start by saying that Scottoline is one of my favorite authors, so it pains me to write this review. I had a really hard time getting into this book, and I ended up skipping around a bit, at times. Overdetailing of past events stalled things, especially in the beginning. The characters and dialogue didn't seem as developed as I'm used to reading in her books. The premise was good, but it didn't live up to its potential. While I didn't enjoy this book as much as I'd hoped, it won't stop me from checking out the author's books in the future.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
April 9, 2019
Kind of 2 books in one with what happens to a group of teens comes to a head when they’re adults. An intense read that has great twists and turns and an ending that leaves you breathless like the end of a roller coaster ride!
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