📖 Book Review ~ I know You by Claire McGowan

 

Thomas & Mercer
Amazon Publishing
19 October 2021

My thanks to the publisher and FMcM Associates for my copy of this book

When Rachel stumbles upon a body in the woods, she knows what she has to do: run. Get away. Do not be found at the scene. Last time, she didn’t know, and she ended up accused of murder. But when this victim is identified as her boyfriend’s estranged wife, Rachel realises she’s already the prime suspect.

With mounting evidence against her, Rachel’s only hope is to keep the truth about herself well hidden. Because twenty years ago she was someone else—Casey, a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles. When the family she worked for were brutally murdered, all the evidence pointed to her and she went to prison. Back then, she narrowly escaped the death penalty and managed to free herself on appeal. Now she’s fighting to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together.

But with her behaviour raising suspicion and the police closing in, Rachel can’t help wondering: Was her discovery in the woods really just an awful coincidence, or is someone framing her for murder? Someone who knows who she is, and wants revenge.

📖My thoughts...

When Rachel finds a body in the woods she instinctively runs away, however, her actions that morning will have long lasting repercussions. For Rachel is no stranger to tragedy and it's only when the story gets underway that we start to learn just what has brought Rachel to this particular moment in time. 

Without giving away any spoilers I can say that the story is divided into two distinct time frames where we follow the story of Rachel in the here and now, and twenty years ago when she was known as Casey who finds herself working, as a nanny, in Los Angeles, with an interesting, and rather dysfunctional, family. It's not clear, at first, just what these two sides of one character have in common but as this clever thriller continues, all will be revealed.

I flew through I know You in almost one sitting, as it is very easy to get into the story and both time elements are done cleverly so that you get drawn into two quite separate tragedies. The author writes this genre well and she certainly builds the tension to a high level with neither story seeking to outshine the other. As the plot progresses, I did sort of guess where it was heading but that didn't spoil my overall enjoyment of the story and there were some twists which I didn't see coming at all.

I know You is a cleverly put together murder/mystery written with a interesting plot and a great set of characters.

About the Author

Claire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. She also writes as Eva Woods.

Twitter @inkstainsclaire #IKnowYou

#ThomasandMercer

@FMcMassociates