The Review

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall has been on my radar ever since it was an “Early Release” pick for the Book of the Month club. The intriguing premise and Marshall’s reputation for crafting suspenseful, emotionally resonant stories immediately caught my attention. Though I don’t subscribe to it as often anymore due to the cost and a growing preference for borrowing through Libby, I still keep an eye on their selections to discover new titles. Marshall’s name popped up again with A Killing Cold as a January 2025 pick, which jogged my memory about wanting to read No One Can Know or What Lies in the Woods. While I still haven’t tackled What Lies in the Woods—arguably Marshall’s most acclaimed novel—when No One Can Know was marked “Available Now,” I downloaded it urgently. It felt like the perfect time to dive into one of her gripping tales, and I was not disappointed.

No One Can Know is an enthralling mix of suspense, family secrets, and raw emotion that had me hooked from start to finish. The story centers on Emma Palmer, the middle of three estranged sisters, who faces an emotional and devastating upheaval when her husband, Nathan, loses his job and their home—right as Emma discovers she’s pregnant, adding urgency and fear to an already dire situation. Pressured to come clean, Emma finally admits she owns her parents’ old home, but there’s a catch: the house comes with a dark history. Years ago, Emma’s parents were brutally murdered there, and Emma herself was the prime suspect. The chilling mystery of the murders looms large, and Emma’s return to the house becomes a catalyst for revisiting painful memories and uncovering long-buried secrets.

Determined to fix up the house and make it a safe space for her child, Emma moves back, only to find the town hasn’t forgotten her past. The house becomes a target of vandalism, and vindictive officers harass her at every turn. Nathan insists she stay inside for her own safety, but Emma refuses to hide. Instead, she’s determined to clear her name and uncover the truth about her parents’ murders before her child grows up with a suspected murderer for a mother. The tension mounts as Emma discovers new clues and faces relentless pushback from the community, all while grappling with her own fears and insecurities. The sense of isolation in her journey is palpable, and Marshall’s vivid descriptions of the decaying house and hostile small town add an extra layer of suspense.

What Marshall excels at with this novel is the use of multiple points of view, as well as the unilinear timeline, to slowly unlock more information about the past. These techniques build suspense masterfully, as each perspective adds layers of complexity to the narrative while the linear progression ensures a steady unraveling of secrets. This combination keeps the reader fully engaged, eager to piece together the truth alongside the characters.

This was heightened with the audiobook as Karissa Vacker did a phenomenal job altering each character’s voice from their childhood into adulthood, ensuring I was never lost. Juliette, now J.J., the eldest Palmer, is a stark contrast to the goody-two-shoes she was as a teen, and Daphne, the youngest, is even darker than the macabre child she was growing up. Then we have Emma, who as a child was the only one to push back against her parents’ overbearing rules and was willing to go to trial to ensure her other sisters were safe, has softened with age. Each time new memory is unlocked by a sister, and the puzzle pieces begin falling into place, the answer behind who was the original murderer gets even murkier. The intricacy of these dynamics adds immense depth to the story, making each revelation feel earned and impactful.

While I had my suspicions (I truly thought it was going to end up being the lawyer), the depth behind the story was clear—sometimes people simply want an answer that makes sense. ¹However, Marshall challenges traditional thriller expectations by demonstrating that the truth is often more complex and less satisfying than a neatly tied resolution, reflecting the messy, unpredictable nature of real life. The ending is both surprising and thought-provoking, forcing readers to grapple with the consequences of past actions and the lingering shadows of trauma. It’s a bold narrative choice that elevates the novel beyond a simple whodunit.

In conclusion, No One Can Know is a gripping, emotionally charged thriller that stands out for its nuanced characters, intricate storytelling, and thought-provoking themes. Kate Alice Marshall masterfully blends suspense with the complexities of familial relationships and the lingering impact of trauma. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers with depth and heart. Its ability to balance emotional resonance with pulse-pounding tension makes it a standout addition to the genre, one that’s bound to leave a lasting impression.

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Short Review (AKA TLDR)

No One Can Know by Kate Alice Marshall immediately caught my attention as a Book of the Month pick, and when I saw it available on Libby, I didn’t hesitate to dive in. This gripping thriller masterfully balances suspense, family secrets, and raw emotion. Emma Palmer’s journey back to her childhood home, haunted by her parents’ brutal murders and her own shadowy past, is both tense and deeply personal. The unraveling of the mystery is enhanced by Marshall’s use of multiple perspectives and a steady timeline, keeping the story engaging and layered.

The audiobook was a standout experience, thanks to Karissa Vacker’s exceptional narration that brought the characters’ evolution to life—especially the complex dynamics between Emma and her sisters, each with their distinct personalities and histories. As the puzzle pieces fell into place, the twists kept me guessing, and while I had my theories, Marshall proves that the truth is often messier and more complex than expected.

With its nuanced storytelling, emotional depth, and a bold, thought-provoking conclusion, No One Can Know is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers. It’s a story that lingers, challenging expectations and leaving a lasting impression.

1. If you also liked this concept in No One Can Know, I highly recommend watching the movie “Juror #2” starring my favourite actor Nicholas Holt ↩︎