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What I Know
This is what Della knows: that the worst monsters hide behind a confident smile. That most people don’t want to accept that. That no matter what you say, they won’t believe you…
Della was just eleven years old when her brother first tried to kill her. She has never forgotten the lessons she learned as a child—or forgiven herself for the mistakes she made.
So when Della meets Zoey, and looks into her cold, calculating eyes, she freezes. For a moment, terrifying memories threaten to overwhelm her. She has been watching out for people like her brother all her life, and she’s convinced that Zoey has darkness inside her.
When someone is attacked in their small town, and Della is sent a detailed description of the crime, she knows that Zoey is taunting her. She knows she has to stop her.
But to make people believe her, Della needs proof. Will she risk everything to get it? And without it, can she be sure she’s right?
Prepare to be hooked by this dark, gripping crime thriller, perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn and Rachel Caine.
Della was just eleven years old when her brother first tried to kill her. She has never forgotten the lessons she learned as a child—or forgiven herself for the mistakes she made.
So when Della meets Zoey, and looks into her cold, calculating eyes, she freezes. For a moment, terrifying memories threaten to overwhelm her. She has been watching out for people like her brother all her life, and she’s convinced that Zoey has darkness inside her.
When someone is attacked in their small town, and Della is sent a detailed description of the crime, she knows that Zoey is taunting her. She knows she has to stop her.
But to make people believe her, Della needs proof. Will she risk everything to get it? And without it, can she be sure she’s right?
Prepare to be hooked by this dark, gripping crime thriller, perfect for fans of Karin Slaughter, Gillian Flynn and Rachel Caine.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 24, 2020
About the author
Miranda Smith
11 books235 followersMiranda Smith writes domestic and psychological suspense. She is drawn to stories about ordinary people in extraordinary situations. Her debut novel, SOME DAYS ARE DARK, will be released in March 2020.
Miranda has been a staff writer at a local newspaper and a secondary English teacher. When it comes to fiction, Miranda writes about complicated women, dark impulses and Southern settings.
She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three children.
Miranda has been a staff writer at a local newspaper and a secondary English teacher. When it comes to fiction, Miranda writes about complicated women, dark impulses and Southern settings.
She lives in East Tennessee with her husband and three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 205 reviews
September 8, 2020
Q:
Maybe people are wired differently. Maybe there’s something within each of us that makes us who we are, and there truly isn’t any reason behind it (other than general mayhem and a boo-moment). (c)
Crazy siblings time!
Zoey? Frankly, I'm in agreement with her on the necrophilia thing. There's a whole lot of BS in the curriculum and the kids have to boggle through it. And then they have to talk to shrinks - big wonder there!
Miss Q: I actively try to be forgettable. (c) might have been writen somewhere on the spectrum herself. Our MC:
- she lies: yes, she does it with good reason but still, she lies to hubby without good reason, she lies to obtain info, etc,
- she believes she's 100% correct all the time and everyone else is wrong,
- she goes about informing her parents about every thingy her bro does wrong without discerning important stuff / not important stuff / not her business (dates her friend - wrong! kidnaps her dog - wrong! breaks her dad's guitar sting - wrong! sets her bedroom on fire - wrong!) Now, while setting a little sis' bedroom on fire is not a good idea, the guitar - she definitely could've just not meddled,
- yes, she meddles: while finding who attacked Darcy is a great idea, going about how very off is the new kid (all the time, she FEELS the new kid's off and tells about it to everyone), while this is a nice plot vehicle here, I'm pretty sure a lot of non-psycho public would've liked to file a restraining order if such stuff ever came to happen. People can be off and non-psycho. Or 'on' and very psycho. After all, many 'psycho' can be very charismatic and pleasant... right until they aren't any more.
While all of this is the very usual mystery/thriller skill set, still, as we are talking psychos, let me reiterate that a person doing all of this could have a nice chance to score high on the psycho testing scale themselves. (For whatever good it could do to anyone: all these tests are bogus shit that doesn't really distinguish between a great surgeon, Buddhist monk and a prospective serial murderer.)
Am I the only one who feels that the ending was a bit too tour-de-forced? No, really, there was zero motivation for this action party.
Okay, I'm not gonna dock stars for all the harping time.
Q:
No one believed me then, or in the years that followed. No one believed me until it was too late. (c)
Q:
But instead of buying luxuries, we travel. We crave new places like most people do caffeine.
Q:
I could change locations tomorrow, and my outlook on life wouldn’t change.
Q:
“What about her behavior?” I ask. I’ve had a strange feeling about Zoey since she arrived, but evidently Coach Gabe and now Marge haven’t picked up on it. “Don’t you think she’s a little smug?” (c) Frankly, this feels like a case of terminal jealousy
Q:
The one thing I do miss, with intensity at times, is the newness of life. (с)
Q:
Melanie is an overachiever. Maybe a fling would help her not be so highly strung about academics. (c) Why do these school 'mam's are always knowing what other people should do?
Q:
When she sees I’m watching her, she smiles and waves. As though someone slid a finger down the back of her dress and pushed a button. Brian used to do that; he could change his demeanor in a split second. I see parts of him in her, and it’s startling. I wave back. (c) Come ooon, people don't have to laugh all the time.
Q:
“Behaviors repeat themselves,” Zoey says. (c)
Q:
She’s pulling the wrong message from the text, just as she did with “A Rose for Emily” last week. (c) Actually, there shouldn't be a right or wrong message. We don't have a thought police establed yet, or do we?
Q:
Brian wasn’t getting wasted like a typical teenager. He was orchestrating the chaos and watching madness unfold. Something far more disturbing. (c) Ha-ha. Actually, it's wrong both ways.
Q:
I’ve had my fill of reading essays about the Salem Witch Trails. Who knew the Puritans were such avid hikers? (c) Poor teacha.
Q:
I wish there was a way I could blame Dad’s death on him. (с) Attasister.
Q:
Like most teenagers, I felt like every world event somehow had a direct impact on my life. (c)
Maybe people are wired differently. Maybe there’s something within each of us that makes us who we are, and there truly isn’t any reason behind it (other than general mayhem and a boo-moment). (c)
Crazy siblings time!
Zoey? Frankly, I'm in agreement with her on the necrophilia thing. There's a whole lot of BS in the curriculum and the kids have to boggle through it. And then they have to talk to shrinks - big wonder there!
Miss Q: I actively try to be forgettable. (c) might have been writen somewhere on the spectrum herself. Our MC:
- she lies: yes, she does it with good reason but still, she lies to hubby without good reason, she lies to obtain info, etc,
- she believes she's 100% correct all the time and everyone else is wrong,
- she goes about informing her parents about every thingy her bro does wrong without discerning important stuff / not important stuff / not her business (dates her friend - wrong! kidnaps her dog - wrong! breaks her dad's guitar sting - wrong! sets her bedroom on fire - wrong!) Now, while setting a little sis' bedroom on fire is not a good idea, the guitar - she definitely could've just not meddled,
- yes, she meddles: while finding who attacked Darcy is a great idea, going about how very off is the new kid (all the time, she FEELS the new kid's off and tells about it to everyone), while this is a nice plot vehicle here, I'm pretty sure a lot of non-psycho public would've liked to file a restraining order if such stuff ever came to happen. People can be off and non-psycho. Or 'on' and very psycho. After all, many 'psycho' can be very charismatic and pleasant... right until they aren't any more.
While all of this is the very usual mystery/thriller skill set, still, as we are talking psychos, let me reiterate that a person doing all of this could have a nice chance to score high on the psycho testing scale themselves. (For whatever good it could do to anyone: all these tests are bogus shit that doesn't really distinguish between a great surgeon, Buddhist monk and a prospective serial murderer.)
Am I the only one who feels that the ending was a bit too tour-de-forced? No, really, there was zero motivation for this action party.
Okay, I'm not gonna dock stars for all the harping time.
Q:
No one believed me then, or in the years that followed. No one believed me until it was too late. (c)
Q:
But instead of buying luxuries, we travel. We crave new places like most people do caffeine.
Q:
I could change locations tomorrow, and my outlook on life wouldn’t change.
Q:
“What about her behavior?” I ask. I’ve had a strange feeling about Zoey since she arrived, but evidently Coach Gabe and now Marge haven’t picked up on it. “Don’t you think she’s a little smug?” (c) Frankly, this feels like a case of terminal jealousy
Q:
The one thing I do miss, with intensity at times, is the newness of life. (с)
Q:
Melanie is an overachiever. Maybe a fling would help her not be so highly strung about academics. (c) Why do these school 'mam's are always knowing what other people should do?
Q:
When she sees I’m watching her, she smiles and waves. As though someone slid a finger down the back of her dress and pushed a button. Brian used to do that; he could change his demeanor in a split second. I see parts of him in her, and it’s startling. I wave back. (c) Come ooon, people don't have to laugh all the time.
Q:
“Behaviors repeat themselves,” Zoey says. (c)
Q:
She’s pulling the wrong message from the text, just as she did with “A Rose for Emily” last week. (c) Actually, there shouldn't be a right or wrong message. We don't have a thought police establed yet, or do we?
Q:
Brian wasn’t getting wasted like a typical teenager. He was orchestrating the chaos and watching madness unfold. Something far more disturbing. (c) Ha-ha. Actually, it's wrong both ways.
Q:
I’ve had my fill of reading essays about the Salem Witch Trails. Who knew the Puritans were such avid hikers? (c) Poor teacha.
Q:
I wish there was a way I could blame Dad’s death on him. (с) Attasister.
Q:
Like most teenagers, I felt like every world event somehow had a direct impact on my life. (c)
June 17, 2020
I approached this book as a ‘3rd time lucky’ as the previous 2 I had tried to read over the last day hadn’t lasted long so was wary in case was me and not the books
Am happy to say I loved it
Della is a teacher, a woman with a past BUT not her past, her brothers, he is never far from her mind nor what he did but she copes and life is good
Until Zoey, a new pupil arrives in her class, instinctively she knows she is bad, rotten, and will cause chaos but like her brother she is crafty and soon it is Della who is on the back footing trying to stop what she knows will happen, and when it does happen no one believes her
This book ‘jangled my nerves’ with its tense narrative and dark forebodingness as it went from the past to the present and didn’t let up in its intrigue and suspense
I really liked Della ( except for her crying, way way too much crying but I just grimaced in the end whenever she started and moved on ) and was routing for her all the way, Zoe with her snideness and wheedling plus hidden to many narcissism made her great to dislike
A really good story,well written and kept me rapt and ‘on edge’ from beginning to end
10/10
5 Stars
Am happy to say I loved it
Della is a teacher, a woman with a past BUT not her past, her brothers, he is never far from her mind nor what he did but she copes and life is good
Until Zoey, a new pupil arrives in her class, instinctively she knows she is bad, rotten, and will cause chaos but like her brother she is crafty and soon it is Della who is on the back footing trying to stop what she knows will happen, and when it does happen no one believes her
This book ‘jangled my nerves’ with its tense narrative and dark forebodingness as it went from the past to the present and didn’t let up in its intrigue and suspense
I really liked Della ( except for her crying, way way too much crying but I just grimaced in the end whenever she started and moved on ) and was routing for her all the way, Zoe with her snideness and wheedling plus hidden to many narcissism made her great to dislike
A really good story,well written and kept me rapt and ‘on edge’ from beginning to end
10/10
5 Stars
June 8, 2020
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 24, 2020
When Della was thirteen years old, her brother tried to kill her for the first time. After a childhood spent growing up with a psychopath for a brother, Della is desperate to live her own life, away from the traumas of her childhood. Now a teacher, married to a doctor, Della has been able to focus on teaching, and helping the teenagers in her class, and so far she has been able to put her past behind her. But when new student Zoey enters Della’s class, Della is immediately taken back into her past. Zoey is calculating, manipulating and charming—all the dangerous traits that made her brother get away with his crimes for so long. But everyone else sees Zoey as an over-achieving athlete, and assume that it’s all in Della’s head. Della puts her career, and her life, on the line to prove that something just isn’t right with Zoey.
Miranda Smith’s novel, “Good Girl”, is only her second fiction novel. Prior to these, she spent the majority of her writing career in information and non-fiction writing. I am super excited that Smith has made the foray into psychological fiction writing.
This novel focuses on my favourite topic of late (psychopaths) and I thoroughly enjoyed the telling of the psychopath’s life through a sibling’s eyes. Although obviously fictional, “Good Girl” lets us delve into the life of a seemingly normal boy, who turns into a murderous psychopath. This part was thrilling for me, and I wanted more of it. I found Della’s obsession with her student to be a little unrealistic and disturbing, but again, the twisted mind of young Zoey pulled me in and kept me entertained.
Hands down, this novel had everything I look for, and for a sophomore fiction novel? Colour me impressed.
I made a few guesses as to what kind of twists and turns would be revealed in the ending, and there really wasn’t a big twist. The ending was simple and concrete, but I was satisfied with the overall conclusion Smith brought to the novel.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. I will definitely be checking out Smith’s work in the future.
Expected publication date: June 24, 2020
When Della was thirteen years old, her brother tried to kill her for the first time. After a childhood spent growing up with a psychopath for a brother, Della is desperate to live her own life, away from the traumas of her childhood. Now a teacher, married to a doctor, Della has been able to focus on teaching, and helping the teenagers in her class, and so far she has been able to put her past behind her. But when new student Zoey enters Della’s class, Della is immediately taken back into her past. Zoey is calculating, manipulating and charming—all the dangerous traits that made her brother get away with his crimes for so long. But everyone else sees Zoey as an over-achieving athlete, and assume that it’s all in Della’s head. Della puts her career, and her life, on the line to prove that something just isn’t right with Zoey.
Miranda Smith’s novel, “Good Girl”, is only her second fiction novel. Prior to these, she spent the majority of her writing career in information and non-fiction writing. I am super excited that Smith has made the foray into psychological fiction writing.
This novel focuses on my favourite topic of late (psychopaths) and I thoroughly enjoyed the telling of the psychopath’s life through a sibling’s eyes. Although obviously fictional, “Good Girl” lets us delve into the life of a seemingly normal boy, who turns into a murderous psychopath. This part was thrilling for me, and I wanted more of it. I found Della’s obsession with her student to be a little unrealistic and disturbing, but again, the twisted mind of young Zoey pulled me in and kept me entertained.
Hands down, this novel had everything I look for, and for a sophomore fiction novel? Colour me impressed.
I made a few guesses as to what kind of twists and turns would be revealed in the ending, and there really wasn’t a big twist. The ending was simple and concrete, but I was satisfied with the overall conclusion Smith brought to the novel.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel. I will definitely be checking out Smith’s work in the future.
July 13, 2020
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Family can be evil, a gripping and suspenseful read
The story begins with the words ‘My brother was thirteen the first time he tried to kill me’ so you know it’s going to be a creepy thriller. It's narrated by Della Mayfair the sibling of a psychopath.
Della is a loving wife and a dedicated high school teacher, she has hidden her past from everyone and everyday of her life tries to block it out of her mind but when a new student Zoey starts school, memories resurface from her past and threaten to turn her world upside down.
Instinctively Della knows there is something evil about Zoey. She gives Della the same stare Brian used to give her half of her childhood, she gets under her skin and she’s also caught her out on a lie. Is it her imagination or is Zoey just like her brother Brian?
How would you feel if nobody believed you? All the other teachers think Zoey is charming and don’t take Dell’s suspicions seriously that she may be dangerous.
Della knows this time she has to do something before it’s too late, she won’t let history repeat itself.
This story was gripping, it kept me engaged to the finish, it was suspenseful, intriguing and well written.
I wish to thank Netgalley & Bookouture for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
Family can be evil, a gripping and suspenseful read
The story begins with the words ‘My brother was thirteen the first time he tried to kill me’ so you know it’s going to be a creepy thriller. It's narrated by Della Mayfair the sibling of a psychopath.
Della is a loving wife and a dedicated high school teacher, she has hidden her past from everyone and everyday of her life tries to block it out of her mind but when a new student Zoey starts school, memories resurface from her past and threaten to turn her world upside down.
Instinctively Della knows there is something evil about Zoey. She gives Della the same stare Brian used to give her half of her childhood, she gets under her skin and she’s also caught her out on a lie. Is it her imagination or is Zoey just like her brother Brian?
How would you feel if nobody believed you? All the other teachers think Zoey is charming and don’t take Dell’s suspicions seriously that she may be dangerous.
Della knows this time she has to do something before it’s too late, she won’t let history repeat itself.
This story was gripping, it kept me engaged to the finish, it was suspenseful, intriguing and well written.
I wish to thank Netgalley & Bookouture for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.
June 15, 2020
Deila is convinced that one of her students, a new girl, Zoey is going to just like her brother, Brian was. Brian had been convicted of murder. Is Deila being unfair to Zoey, jumping to conclusions and tarring them with the same stick? Or has her past experience of her brother make Deila more astute.
What would you do if someone was evil and no one believed you? Deila's brother was a psychopath and no one believed her until it was too late. She recognised similarities between her brother and new student Zoey. But the other teachers don't have a problem with her. The story jumps back and forth in time. Thenstory is told from Deila's perspective. This is a roller coaster read you won't want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Miranda Smith for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What would you do if someone was evil and no one believed you? Deila's brother was a psychopath and no one believed her until it was too late. She recognised similarities between her brother and new student Zoey. But the other teachers don't have a problem with her. The story jumps back and forth in time. Thenstory is told from Deila's perspective. This is a roller coaster read you won't want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Miranda Smith for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2020
Two psychopaths for the price of one! Miranda Smith has written a deliciously dark thriller like no other you’ve read before. Della is a happily married teacher trying to put the past behind her. That is until the day Zoe shows up in her classroom. There is something in the girl’s eyes that reminds Della of her brother Brian, the brother who tried to kill her when she was only 13. When something happens at the school and Della finds out more details about the event, she is more convinced than ever that Zoe is evil. The story bounces back-and-forth between past and present, Della dealing with her brother Brian and then Zoe. All the characters in the story were so well developed. Della was great, I was frightened and frustrated right alongside her. Brian and Zoe were so manipulative, charming, and calculating. Most of the secondary characters were so maddening, they just did not want to believe Della. And if I’m being honest there were times in the book I started to doubt her myself. A very compelling tale of evil.
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
January 2, 2022
It took me a little while to get into this book, but once I did I couldn’t put it down! My heart really broke for Della. Always on the defensive along with the burden of guilt, the load she carried was immense. What would you do if you knew someone was evil to the core, but no one believed you? Read What I Know by Miranda Smith to find out. You won’t be able to stop until you reach the exciting conclusion! Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC.
June 24, 2020
Della is a teacher, married to a physician, no children. They were childhood friends, actually Her husband was her brother's best friend when they were young.
Today in early class, Della welcomes a new student, Zoey, even though there's only a few more weeks before summer vacation. Della feels something 'off' about Zoey ... her eyes seem cold and calculating. Zoey reminds her of her brother.. Her own brother, the town’s darling, couldn’t keep his true nature hidden for ever. Della has been watching out for people like him ever since, determined to stop them before it’s too late. And Zoey fits the bill.
Again, no one agrees with her ... no one sees the evil .... just like when she was a youngster and she tried to warn people about her brother.
She swore she'd never let what happened before, ever happen again. She needs proof ... that Zoey isn't the sweetness and light teenager that everyone else sees .. and they don't hear what she says to Della when no one is around.
This extremely well written psychological thriller bounces back and forth .... when Della was a young child living at home with her parents and brother... the torment .. knowing what she knows but having no one believe her ... to today knowing what she knows but having no proof. The plot is tightly woven with skillfully drawn characters. It's like getting two stories for the price of one. I couldn't wait to find out what her brother did ... and I couldn't wait to see how far Zoey will go. The ending came fast and furious ... totally unexpected.
June 27, 2020
I really enjoyed this thriller! It was one of those books that is quite obvious in the sense of who's doing what to whom and when, but yet you still find yourself gripped by the story, desperate to know what will happen next!
Thanks to Netgalley, Miranda Smith and Bookouture for allowing me to review this ARC ❤️
Thanks to Netgalley, Miranda Smith and Bookouture for allowing me to review this ARC ❤️
June 20, 2020
Review coming soon.
June 15, 2020
Delia is convinced that one of her students, a new girl, Zoey is going to be just like Delia's brother, Brian was. Brian had been convicted of murder. Is Delia being unfair to Zoey, jumping to conclusions and tarring them with the same stick? Or has the past experience with her brother made Deila more astute.
What you do if someone was evil and no one believed you? Deila's brother was a psychopath and o one had believed her until it was too late. She recognised similarities between her brother and new student Zoey. But the other teachers don't have a problem with her. The story jumps back and forth in time. The story is told from Deila's perspective. This is a roller coaster read younwont want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Miranda Smith for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
What you do if someone was evil and no one believed you? Deila's brother was a psychopath and o one had believed her until it was too late. She recognised similarities between her brother and new student Zoey. But the other teachers don't have a problem with her. The story jumps back and forth in time. The story is told from Deila's perspective. This is a roller coaster read younwont want to put down until you reach the conclusion.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Miranda Smith for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 25, 2020
What I Know, formerly titled 'Good Girl', is a ominous and sinister mix of domestic noir and psychological suspense and is my second sortie into Miranda Smith's writing.
English teacher Della is concerned that Zoey, a new student in one of her classes, is showing psychopathic traits, although none of the other teaching staff appear to share her unease. But Della, knows what to look out for in terms of alarm bells as her apparently pleasant and genial teenage brother, himself a diagnosed psychopath, tried to kill her when he was just 13. Della has been on her guard ever since, and when a student is viciously attacked and Della is sent a detailed account of the crime, she’s more convinced than ever that Zoey has a terrible evil lurking inside of her.
What I Know is a distinctive and original thriller with plenty of grit to keep those who appreciate bleak storylines captivated. It is a deliciously dark read and I particularly liked that Miranda Smith gave me the fodder to ponder the nature of evil whilst also featuring a plethora of twists, turns and misdirection to keep me flipping the pages.
The author knows how to structure a book for maximum uneasiness, alternating the chapters between past and present and it worked brilliantly. Wonderfully addictive and engrossing, I read What I Know in one go. Miranda Smith's writing is assured, the tension is taut throughout, and the pace never flagged at all. A fantastic read from a brilliant author I'm delighted to have discovered.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
English teacher Della is concerned that Zoey, a new student in one of her classes, is showing psychopathic traits, although none of the other teaching staff appear to share her unease. But Della, knows what to look out for in terms of alarm bells as her apparently pleasant and genial teenage brother, himself a diagnosed psychopath, tried to kill her when he was just 13. Della has been on her guard ever since, and when a student is viciously attacked and Della is sent a detailed account of the crime, she’s more convinced than ever that Zoey has a terrible evil lurking inside of her.
What I Know is a distinctive and original thriller with plenty of grit to keep those who appreciate bleak storylines captivated. It is a deliciously dark read and I particularly liked that Miranda Smith gave me the fodder to ponder the nature of evil whilst also featuring a plethora of twists, turns and misdirection to keep me flipping the pages.
The author knows how to structure a book for maximum uneasiness, alternating the chapters between past and present and it worked brilliantly. Wonderfully addictive and engrossing, I read What I Know in one go. Miranda Smith's writing is assured, the tension is taut throughout, and the pace never flagged at all. A fantastic read from a brilliant author I'm delighted to have discovered.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bookouture via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.
May 30, 2020
Good Girl by Miranda Smith is a thrilling ride from start to finish. I was looking for a read that would hook me early, and this one certainly delivered.
Della Mayfair is a high school teacher, devoted to both her husband and career, but living in the shadow of a past that can never be truly left behind. When Zoey enters her classroom as a new student, Della immediately senses that something is off with this clever girl who effortlessly charms the rest of the school community. Della, you see, recognizes evil, having grown up with a brother who terrorized her throughout the years, once even going so far as to attempt to kill her. Can one person encounter pure evil, so closely and personally, twice in a single lifetime?
This is a dark and unsettling tale, told from the alternating timelines of past and present, in the voice of Della. Ms Smith has really peeled back the layers of our narrator's state of mind, both in the now and then, and the result is both gripping and chilling. Recommended. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
Della Mayfair is a high school teacher, devoted to both her husband and career, but living in the shadow of a past that can never be truly left behind. When Zoey enters her classroom as a new student, Della immediately senses that something is off with this clever girl who effortlessly charms the rest of the school community. Della, you see, recognizes evil, having grown up with a brother who terrorized her throughout the years, once even going so far as to attempt to kill her. Can one person encounter pure evil, so closely and personally, twice in a single lifetime?
This is a dark and unsettling tale, told from the alternating timelines of past and present, in the voice of Della. Ms Smith has really peeled back the layers of our narrator's state of mind, both in the now and then, and the result is both gripping and chilling. Recommended. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC.
March 19, 2021
Family can be evil. People can be evil. And evil can make its presence felt.
The story opens with the words "My brother was thirteen the first time he tried to kill me". Okay. So that gives sibling rivalry a whole new meaning in that case. But Della's brother Brian was not normal. Not in the sense that we know it. Brian was a psychopath - that much was clear. Even at 13 years of age. And if he wasn't a psychopath he was just plain cruel. I hated him on sight. And that wasn't the first time he tried to kill her either. The whole watermelon wrestle I could see that coming...besides the fact the juvenile game was dangerous and went against pool safety anyway. And what was it about Della's mum? Brian could do no wrong in her eyes. Was the woman blind, or what? Everything, and I mean everything, was always Della's fault. She needed a good slap and I felt like delivering it more than once.
Then the story moves into the present day. Della is now a teacher of American Literature (why can't they just call it English like everyone else?) and happily married to her brothers former best friend Danny Mayfair, a doctor now in general practice. The couple live, not an extravagant life, but a comfortable one with no children so they could enjoy late nights and have the means to travel to various parts of the world on holiday. Della was adamant that she didn't want children...not after her childhood growing up with Brian. Brian who was no in prison for murder. And she put him there. Della and Danny escaped Florida to start their lives somewhere new...somewhere where they were unknown and people wouldn't be pointing the finger at Della and knowing what her brother did.
As a teacher at Victory Falls, Della has kept her past a secret and only Danny and her therapist know pain and shame she bears. She spends every day trying to block out any memory of her past...and she's succeeded fairly well. Until a new student arrives late in the school year, just a few weeks until summer. Something about Zoey Peterson reminds her of Brian. Her eyes have that same dead stare he gave her most of her childhood. They are cold and calculating. They are empty of emotion. Like black pools of nothingness. Zoey gets under Della's skin from the moment she arrives, causing controversy over the literature they are reading which Zoey claims to have read "just for fun".
And when, with that dead stare of hers, Zoey mentions she is from Florida Della freezes and feels her heartrate quicken. But upon checking with admin she learns that there is no mention of Zoey having come from Florida. So why did she say that she was? She can't know about her past...can she? Something about this girl doesn't ring true. Something about her is dangerous and Della feels she must do something before it's too late.
But Della's fears go unnoticed by others. The other teachers think Zoey is charming and don't take Della's suspicions that she may be dangerous seriously. But instinctively Della knows there is something evil about Zoey. Just like before, when no one believed her about her brother - the town's darling - no one sees the evil in Zoey. But psychopaths can be charming. They can be likeable. They can be the person next door. But that's what makes them so dangerous...their ability to blend in and appear normal. A chameleon.
But Della knows that if she doesn't do something soon before it's too late that history will repeat itself.
One word for this book - besides boring - is evil. Evil made its presence felt. And I felt it from the first pages, despite it not being enough to hold my interest. I've no idea why I requested this book and upon re-reading the premise I'm still none the wiser. But I dived in with an open mind ready to devour whatever it threw at me. However, I only got 15% in when I couldn't stomach any more and flipped to the final three chapters to find out how it all ended. It was really no surprise and if there was a big reveal, then I missed it.
The premise did promise a dark, disturbing creepy thriller and I guess it was that but...everyone just irritated me too damn much! From Della to her mum to Brian to Zoey to basically everyone. They were all pretty much unlikeable. And I felt like I knew the ending before I had barely begun. Brian and Zoey was just too evil for words and I honestly couldn't stomach them...or really anyone else for that matter.
Maybe it's just me, having come from a brilliant read I devoured in a day to something as confusing and as disturbing as this...I don't know. I usually enjoy deliciously dark and disturbing. I love creepy and twisted. But this just didn't do it for me. It could be that I prefer British thrillers and American personalities are a whole lot different. Or that I am just not a fan of teenage angst and anger and behaviour. I generally don't read books where the focus is on a school and teenagers.
Whatever it is, WHAT I KNOW just didn't do it for me. I couldn't finish it and at the same time I feel like I didn't miss much either. I really hope her next one is better as I am on the publicity tour for it.
I would like to thank #MirandaSmith, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhatIKnow in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
The story opens with the words "My brother was thirteen the first time he tried to kill me". Okay. So that gives sibling rivalry a whole new meaning in that case. But Della's brother Brian was not normal. Not in the sense that we know it. Brian was a psychopath - that much was clear. Even at 13 years of age. And if he wasn't a psychopath he was just plain cruel. I hated him on sight. And that wasn't the first time he tried to kill her either. The whole watermelon wrestle I could see that coming...besides the fact the juvenile game was dangerous and went against pool safety anyway. And what was it about Della's mum? Brian could do no wrong in her eyes. Was the woman blind, or what? Everything, and I mean everything, was always Della's fault. She needed a good slap and I felt like delivering it more than once.
Then the story moves into the present day. Della is now a teacher of American Literature (why can't they just call it English like everyone else?) and happily married to her brothers former best friend Danny Mayfair, a doctor now in general practice. The couple live, not an extravagant life, but a comfortable one with no children so they could enjoy late nights and have the means to travel to various parts of the world on holiday. Della was adamant that she didn't want children...not after her childhood growing up with Brian. Brian who was no in prison for murder. And she put him there. Della and Danny escaped Florida to start their lives somewhere new...somewhere where they were unknown and people wouldn't be pointing the finger at Della and knowing what her brother did.
As a teacher at Victory Falls, Della has kept her past a secret and only Danny and her therapist know pain and shame she bears. She spends every day trying to block out any memory of her past...and she's succeeded fairly well. Until a new student arrives late in the school year, just a few weeks until summer. Something about Zoey Peterson reminds her of Brian. Her eyes have that same dead stare he gave her most of her childhood. They are cold and calculating. They are empty of emotion. Like black pools of nothingness. Zoey gets under Della's skin from the moment she arrives, causing controversy over the literature they are reading which Zoey claims to have read "just for fun".
And when, with that dead stare of hers, Zoey mentions she is from Florida Della freezes and feels her heartrate quicken. But upon checking with admin she learns that there is no mention of Zoey having come from Florida. So why did she say that she was? She can't know about her past...can she? Something about this girl doesn't ring true. Something about her is dangerous and Della feels she must do something before it's too late.
But Della's fears go unnoticed by others. The other teachers think Zoey is charming and don't take Della's suspicions that she may be dangerous seriously. But instinctively Della knows there is something evil about Zoey. Just like before, when no one believed her about her brother - the town's darling - no one sees the evil in Zoey. But psychopaths can be charming. They can be likeable. They can be the person next door. But that's what makes them so dangerous...their ability to blend in and appear normal. A chameleon.
But Della knows that if she doesn't do something soon before it's too late that history will repeat itself.
One word for this book - besides boring - is evil. Evil made its presence felt. And I felt it from the first pages, despite it not being enough to hold my interest. I've no idea why I requested this book and upon re-reading the premise I'm still none the wiser. But I dived in with an open mind ready to devour whatever it threw at me. However, I only got 15% in when I couldn't stomach any more and flipped to the final three chapters to find out how it all ended. It was really no surprise and if there was a big reveal, then I missed it.
The premise did promise a dark, disturbing creepy thriller and I guess it was that but...everyone just irritated me too damn much! From Della to her mum to Brian to Zoey to basically everyone. They were all pretty much unlikeable. And I felt like I knew the ending before I had barely begun. Brian and Zoey was just too evil for words and I honestly couldn't stomach them...or really anyone else for that matter.
Maybe it's just me, having come from a brilliant read I devoured in a day to something as confusing and as disturbing as this...I don't know. I usually enjoy deliciously dark and disturbing. I love creepy and twisted. But this just didn't do it for me. It could be that I prefer British thrillers and American personalities are a whole lot different. Or that I am just not a fan of teenage angst and anger and behaviour. I generally don't read books where the focus is on a school and teenagers.
Whatever it is, WHAT I KNOW just didn't do it for me. I couldn't finish it and at the same time I feel like I didn't miss much either. I really hope her next one is better as I am on the publicity tour for it.
I would like to thank #MirandaSmith, #NetGalley, #Bookouture for an ARC of #WhatIKnow in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
June 22, 2020
What I Know, formerly titled Good Girl, is a dark and satisfyingly sinister cross between domestic noir and psychological suspense and is Ms Smith's second foray into the thriller genre. It asks the question: is it usually the outwardly creepy individuals who end up being the craziest psychopaths or those who are intelligent enough to be able to fit into their surroundings and with their peers with ease, much like a chameleon, without people suspecting a thing?
English teacher Della is convinced she recognises the trace of psychopathy exhibited by a new student in her class, Zoey, who, dangerously, doesn't appear to have aroused the suspicion of any of the other staff or her peers. Della, however, is more attuned to what to look out for in terms of red flags as her brother who was an attractive seemingly affable teen, himself a diagnosed psychopath, tried to kill her when he was merely a boy of 13. But although Della has determined enough red flags are present to warrant her concern, when she shares those concerns with her colleagues they scoff and laugh. Has this just let a dangerous presence off the hook to continue the trail of destruction happening throughout the school which Della contributes to her or was it a false alarm all along? Only time will tell.
This is a refreshingly original thriller with enough grit to keep those into bleak storylines captivated as well as enough gossip and school chaos to satisfy those who enjoy women's fiction. It is a deliciously dark read and I particularly liked that it managed to be thought-provoking as to the nature of evil whilst also featuring a plethora of twists, turns and misdirection to keep you glued to the pages from beginning to end. The author knows what she's doing in terms of structuring the book for maximum tension; she alternates chapters between past and present and it works exceptionally well. Smith addresses the age-old question of nature vs nurture and whether psychopaths are born or made. Admittedly, I wish she had delved a little deeper on the subject, but I guess this is fiction. Recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
English teacher Della is convinced she recognises the trace of psychopathy exhibited by a new student in her class, Zoey, who, dangerously, doesn't appear to have aroused the suspicion of any of the other staff or her peers. Della, however, is more attuned to what to look out for in terms of red flags as her brother who was an attractive seemingly affable teen, himself a diagnosed psychopath, tried to kill her when he was merely a boy of 13. But although Della has determined enough red flags are present to warrant her concern, when she shares those concerns with her colleagues they scoff and laugh. Has this just let a dangerous presence off the hook to continue the trail of destruction happening throughout the school which Della contributes to her or was it a false alarm all along? Only time will tell.
This is a refreshingly original thriller with enough grit to keep those into bleak storylines captivated as well as enough gossip and school chaos to satisfy those who enjoy women's fiction. It is a deliciously dark read and I particularly liked that it managed to be thought-provoking as to the nature of evil whilst also featuring a plethora of twists, turns and misdirection to keep you glued to the pages from beginning to end. The author knows what she's doing in terms of structuring the book for maximum tension; she alternates chapters between past and present and it works exceptionally well. Smith addresses the age-old question of nature vs nurture and whether psychopaths are born or made. Admittedly, I wish she had delved a little deeper on the subject, but I guess this is fiction. Recommended. Many thanks to Bookouture for an ARC.
June 26, 2020
Wow!!
Evil made its presence felt
Who knew...
A good psychopathic thriller, hair raising in its premise, the writing sure added to the darkness that this book imbibed then exuded from its characters. What I knew was that author Miranda Smith did cause me some heebers-jeebers with the evil magic of her writing.
Evil hidden amongst us...
Who knew
What I knew was that Delia, a teacher, knew from personal experience that some had darkness in them and they never stopped. When the new girl Zoey entered her class, she raised some hackles. When students started getting hurt, Delia had to decide to find that boundary between past and present. Or were they intertwined.
Evil rose at times
Who knew...
What I knew was that my second book by this author was a fast read. I was captured pretty quickly from the first few lines. Darkness and impending danger along with an unhinged brain was subtly felt. I wasn't sure at times if I ought to believe the main character. She pulled me close yet threw me off with her convictions. The author kept me dancing on my toes in the entire book.
Evil did die, did it not?
Who knew...
What I knew was that the story might not have had major twists, but it did have slow reveals and a shocking end.
Evil would rise again
Who knew...
What I knew was that it was a fun breakfast read that got done before I had to warm my tea for the second time.
Evil made its presence felt
Who knew...
A good psychopathic thriller, hair raising in its premise, the writing sure added to the darkness that this book imbibed then exuded from its characters. What I knew was that author Miranda Smith did cause me some heebers-jeebers with the evil magic of her writing.
Evil hidden amongst us...
Who knew
What I knew was that Delia, a teacher, knew from personal experience that some had darkness in them and they never stopped. When the new girl Zoey entered her class, she raised some hackles. When students started getting hurt, Delia had to decide to find that boundary between past and present. Or were they intertwined.
Evil rose at times
Who knew...
What I knew was that my second book by this author was a fast read. I was captured pretty quickly from the first few lines. Darkness and impending danger along with an unhinged brain was subtly felt. I wasn't sure at times if I ought to believe the main character. She pulled me close yet threw me off with her convictions. The author kept me dancing on my toes in the entire book.
Evil did die, did it not?
Who knew...
What I knew was that the story might not have had major twists, but it did have slow reveals and a shocking end.
Evil would rise again
Who knew...
What I knew was that it was a fun breakfast read that got done before I had to warm my tea for the second time.
June 3, 2020
Thank you too NetGalley and Bookouture for the Arc of this book!!❤️
Thanks to Miranda Smith for writing this gripping book!❤️
Follows Della who is a high school teacher who priority is her career, family and her husband!! But living with secrets from her past.. she has a new student in her class Named Zoey she senses something is not right with her.. as she charms the rest of the community.. Della senses and recognise Evil when she sees it as she's has grown up with her brother who has been trying to kill her and has been terrorising her for years but no one understood 😞
Is it true that one person can discover evil twice in her lifetime???😱
This is a dark gripping page turning thriller with huge twists and turns and a great flowing story which I couldn't put down read within the day this is my first Miranda Smith book and can't wait to read her others one and futures ones to come😍
Definitely recommend 🥰
5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to Miranda Smith for writing this gripping book!❤️
Follows Della who is a high school teacher who priority is her career, family and her husband!! But living with secrets from her past.. she has a new student in her class Named Zoey she senses something is not right with her.. as she charms the rest of the community.. Della senses and recognise Evil when she sees it as she's has grown up with her brother who has been trying to kill her and has been terrorising her for years but no one understood 😞
Is it true that one person can discover evil twice in her lifetime???😱
This is a dark gripping page turning thriller with huge twists and turns and a great flowing story which I couldn't put down read within the day this is my first Miranda Smith book and can't wait to read her others one and futures ones to come😍
Definitely recommend 🥰
5 stars⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
May 20, 2020
May 29, 2020
I enjoyed this book but wasn't as enthralled with this book as I would have liked. Lately, I have read a lot of superb thrillers so unfortunately this book had a lot to live up to from the beginning. I appreciated the flow of the writing. It kept me reading until the end, however I was never truly gripped by the plot. I found the main characters complete obsession with her high school students a little bizarre. I know this was the point of the drama for this book, but it overall just gave me a sense of ick from which I could not recover.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange of an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the opportunity to read this arc in exchange of an honest review.
May 12, 2020
This is one of those painless little popcorn reads.
While there’s not a ton of character complexity – everyone does exactly what you expect when you expect it and how you expect it - it still manages to be a suspenseful book. You have enough danger, characters you actually like, and a nicely creepy backstory adding to an atmosphere that has you biting your nails as you hope certain characters will be okay.
Super-fast read, a plot that keeps moving, and pure entertainment.
Will I remember it tomorrow…likely not. But I still enjoyed it yesterday!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
While there’s not a ton of character complexity – everyone does exactly what you expect when you expect it and how you expect it - it still manages to be a suspenseful book. You have enough danger, characters you actually like, and a nicely creepy backstory adding to an atmosphere that has you biting your nails as you hope certain characters will be okay.
Super-fast read, a plot that keeps moving, and pure entertainment.
Will I remember it tomorrow…likely not. But I still enjoyed it yesterday!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
May 27, 2020
"Good Girl" follows a teacher who is convinced one of her students is a psychopath. She's had experience with this behavior in the past. This story switches from past to present weaving everything together. I really liked the writing. It gave off an eerie vibe that had me turning pages pretty quickly. The story was interesting and full of suspense. I recently read Miranda Smith's first book "Some Days Are Dark" and loved it. She seems to be very good with thriller/suspense novels. I look forward to reading more.
May 12, 2020
Thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for this ARC!
While there’s not a ton of character complexity – everyone does exactly what you expect when you expect it and how you expect it - it still manages to be a suspenseful book. You have enough danger, characters you actually like, and a nicely creepy backstory adding to an atmosphere that has you biting your nails as you hope certain characters will be okay.
I sped through this in one sitting, and cannot wait to read more from this author.
While there’s not a ton of character complexity – everyone does exactly what you expect when you expect it and how you expect it - it still manages to be a suspenseful book. You have enough danger, characters you actually like, and a nicely creepy backstory adding to an atmosphere that has you biting your nails as you hope certain characters will be okay.
I sped through this in one sitting, and cannot wait to read more from this author.
June 29, 2020
Finished reading: June 3rd 2020
"It's wildly unfortunate we live in a society that waits for bad things to happen before doing anything."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Bookouture in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
P.S. Find more of my reviews here.
May 12, 2020
[Thanks to @netgalley and @bookouture for this ARC!]
#GoodGirl is the story of Della, a teacher with a dark secret from her past. When a new student, Zoey, joins her class she becomes convinced that the girl is just like her brother - a clever psychopath. However, she has a hard time convincing those around her that Zoey could be responsible for all the bad things suddenly happening in the school.
Overall this is a great book. The story pulls you in and you want to keep reading because of the constant tension present - will Della be branded mad or will the others finally see the truth? The way it is structured, with chapters in the present and in the past, reminds me of Gillian Flynn's Dark Places.
The main question that comes up - nature or nurture - is very interestingly developed. There is no finite answer, although I believe the author could have delved a bit more into it.
The writing style seems a bit simple at first, but it definitely does not subtract from the reading experience. And aside from some minor inconsistencies (Della has no social media, but wants to plan her trip on Pinterest) and moments when the main character feels a little too pushy suspicious (especially because she is suspicious of a teenager), the book leaves an excellent impression.
I simply couldn't put it down! 🤩
#GoodGirl is the story of Della, a teacher with a dark secret from her past. When a new student, Zoey, joins her class she becomes convinced that the girl is just like her brother - a clever psychopath. However, she has a hard time convincing those around her that Zoey could be responsible for all the bad things suddenly happening in the school.
Overall this is a great book. The story pulls you in and you want to keep reading because of the constant tension present - will Della be branded mad or will the others finally see the truth? The way it is structured, with chapters in the present and in the past, reminds me of Gillian Flynn's Dark Places.
The main question that comes up - nature or nurture - is very interestingly developed. There is no finite answer, although I believe the author could have delved a bit more into it.
The writing style seems a bit simple at first, but it definitely does not subtract from the reading experience. And aside from some minor inconsistencies (Della has no social media, but wants to plan her trip on Pinterest) and moments when the main character feels a little too pushy suspicious (especially because she is suspicious of a teenager), the book leaves an excellent impression.
I simply couldn't put it down! 🤩
May 21, 2020
I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked from the very beginning and finished it in one sitting. I couldn’t put it down because I had to know what happened next. I loved the story line about Della’s past just as much as her present story line. I enjoy how the author incorporated both into the book. This is a great read for anyone who enjoys suspenseful thrillers.
June 24, 2020
This enthralling game of car and mouse is voiced entirely from the perspective of our main character Della and has chapters that flipped back and forth between the present and the past. From the moment that young Zoey joins Della's English class, Della does come across as rather judgemental and appears to take a instant disliking to the new student. Della insists that she senses something evil about the girl, the same evil that she sensed in her brother Brian all those years ago. But no one had listened back then until it was too late and now history was repeating itself. Even her husband Danny who had also known Brian thinks that she is seeing similarities between Brian and Zoey that aren't there. I had high hopes for Danny after I had read the first interaction between him and Della. I thought he was going to be one of the rare breeds of men to feature in the world of psychological thrillers, someone who would actually believe and support his wife. But no, he had to disappoint me and play the devil's advocate, he just sat on the fence and stayed there, that said, he wasn't as bad as some fictional husbands/partners. So was Della right about Zoey or was her judgement being clouded by events from the past? In the chapters that were set in the past, we follow Della's life at home with her parents and Brian between the years 2000 and 2006. We witness the malicious way that Brian treated Della, her struggles to convince her parents especially her mother that there was something seriously wrong with Brian and what drove her to make the biggest decision of her life. I could fully empathise with Della throughout the chapters that were set in the past, I know what it's like to be the black sheep of the family, the least favourite who was always in the wrong. I don't know anything about the inner machinations of a school but the author's descriptions of the bureaucracy and the protect the reputation of the school at all costs attitude came across as very believable.
What I Know which was originally titled Good Girl is a captivating tale of regret, suspicion, denial, manipulation and deception that holds the reader's attention throughout. The tension built in both time frames as the stories unfolded and Della struggled with her conscience and tried decide what to do for the best. The characters were well rounded and believable and there was some unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and would happily read more of this author's books in the future.
What I Know which was originally titled Good Girl is a captivating tale of regret, suspicion, denial, manipulation and deception that holds the reader's attention throughout. The tension built in both time frames as the stories unfolded and Della struggled with her conscience and tried decide what to do for the best. The characters were well rounded and believable and there was some unexpected twists and turns. I really enjoyed this book and would happily read more of this author's books in the future.
May 13, 2020
My first book by the author and a very interesting story overall.
The beginning of the book made me think that this story is not going exactly where I was expecting but shortly I get to understand the mystery.
The chapters are told from then, the years of her childhood teenage and now, her life as a wife and a teacher.
Going back to her childhood life, when she supposed to have a normal relationship with her family and brother, Della is revealing some horrifying moments and events that her brother made her live. All these memories are coming back when a new girl is attending her class but something is not quite adding to her stories.
It was an interesting read with compelling characters and some unexpected twists.
The beginning of the book made me think that this story is not going exactly where I was expecting but shortly I get to understand the mystery.
The chapters are told from then, the years of her childhood teenage and now, her life as a wife and a teacher.
Going back to her childhood life, when she supposed to have a normal relationship with her family and brother, Della is revealing some horrifying moments and events that her brother made her live. All these memories are coming back when a new girl is attending her class but something is not quite adding to her stories.
It was an interesting read with compelling characters and some unexpected twists.
June 18, 2020
A solid psychological thriller from start to finish. Going up as the sister of a psychopathic serial killer has made Della extra sensitive to people who strike her as...off. So when a new student in her class brings back eerie memories of her childhood, she's confused. No one believes her when she says that Zoey is not who she seems.
The writer keeps the pace steady and the plot strong. The story unfolds in two timelines - the past where Della uncovers the truth behind her brother's behavior and the present where she struggles to prove she is right - once again.
I think this book is also published under a different title - What I Know.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
The writer keeps the pace steady and the plot strong. The story unfolds in two timelines - the past where Della uncovers the truth behind her brother's behavior and the present where she struggles to prove she is right - once again.
I think this book is also published under a different title - What I Know.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.
June 18, 2020
A good psychological thriller that will have you racing through the pages.
Della knows something is off about a new student but can’t put her finger on what it is.
Her older brother is now in prison and made her life a misery when she was younger, and she recognises the same traits in Zoey but the other teachers don't have a problem with her.
The story goes back and forth in between Della finding out what her brother was really capable of and the present day with Zoey.
Della had trouble getting people to believe her about her brother and now faces the same challenge with Zoey.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
Della knows something is off about a new student but can’t put her finger on what it is.
Her older brother is now in prison and made her life a misery when she was younger, and she recognises the same traits in Zoey but the other teachers don't have a problem with her.
The story goes back and forth in between Della finding out what her brother was really capable of and the present day with Zoey.
Della had trouble getting people to believe her about her brother and now faces the same challenge with Zoey.
This is a gripping psychological thriller that will have you hooked.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
October 24, 2020
This is my second book by Smith and I have absolutely loved them both. She is a fantastic author with thought provoking new ideas. I read almost all thrillers and eventually they are redundant... I almost always know the ending long before they happen and sometimes think that I could add better twist and plots. The fun thing about this novel was that it wasn't really meant to "figure out" Della had it all figured out; you just had to listen to her. I liked everything about this novel the only hiccup there was for me, was the fact that no one but Danny really trusted or believed Della. And she hid things from Danny...... Why? He was the only one who truly trusted and believed in her. Women 🙄
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