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I Know You
In this tense thriller from the bestselling author of What You Did and The Other Wife, a woman finds a dead body. Will she make the same mistake as last time?
Rachel lives a quiet life in the peaceful countryside, content with her perfect man and her lovely dog. But when she stumbles upon a body in the woods one day, all that shatters. She knows what she has to run. Don’t get 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 her past well hidden. Because before she was Rachel, she was Casey, a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles—and when the family she worked for were brutally murdered, she narrowly escaped the death penalty. Now, she’ll do anything to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together.
But the police are closing in, and Rachel can’t help 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…
Rachel lives a quiet life in the peaceful countryside, content with her perfect man and her lovely dog. But when she stumbles upon a body in the woods one day, all that shatters. She knows what she has to run. Don’t get 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 her past well hidden. Because before she was Rachel, she was Casey, a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles—and when the family she worked for were brutally murdered, she narrowly escaped the death penalty. Now, she’ll do anything to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together.
But the police are closing in, and Rachel can’t help 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…
365 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 19, 2021
About the author
Claire McGowan
29 books1,782 followersClaire 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. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 707 reviews
April 24, 2022
A psychological thriller that checks all the marks to make it one heck of an awesome book! I have read one other book of hers and loved it....ranking her pretty high. The book was portrayed as realistic and dealt with some heavy issues. The audio-book narrator, Esther Wade, made the book even more addictive.
Present day: In London, the main character Rachel has been seeing a married man, Alex. While walking in the park, she comes across a body and realizes it is Alex's estranged wife, Anna. Instead of calling the police, she runs from the scene and vows to tell no one. Rachel is running from her past.
Twenty years earlier: Casey, as a nineteen year old, worked as a nanny for a Hollywood producer David and his wife Abby with their two children Madison, 5 years old and their son, Carson, just a few months old. When Casey returns from a walk with Carson, she finds the other three dead in their home. She was convicted and sent to prison. When she was released, she moved back to London and changed her name to Rachel. She maintained her innocence throughout and it became heartfelt and realistic how someone could be charged and sentenced if they did not do it. This is the reason she chose not to call the police to avoid rehashing her past and being convicted again.
I love the evidence in place and the pity for Rachel/Casey and how the evidence stacked against her. Each expression and detail is made visual by her thorough portrayal of feelings.If you get a chance to read this one, do not pass it up. I did not guess the ending and loved the surprises.
Present day: In London, the main character Rachel has been seeing a married man, Alex. While walking in the park, she comes across a body and realizes it is Alex's estranged wife, Anna. Instead of calling the police, she runs from the scene and vows to tell no one. Rachel is running from her past.
Twenty years earlier: Casey, as a nineteen year old, worked as a nanny for a Hollywood producer David and his wife Abby with their two children Madison, 5 years old and their son, Carson, just a few months old. When Casey returns from a walk with Carson, she finds the other three dead in their home. She was convicted and sent to prison. When she was released, she moved back to London and changed her name to Rachel. She maintained her innocence throughout and it became heartfelt and realistic how someone could be charged and sentenced if they did not do it. This is the reason she chose not to call the police to avoid rehashing her past and being convicted again.
I love the evidence in place and the pity for Rachel/Casey and how the evidence stacked against her. Each expression and detail is made visual by her thorough portrayal of feelings.If you get a chance to read this one, do not pass it up. I did not guess the ending and loved the surprises.
November 20, 2021
There's always that one person who steps in the ol' dog doo doo and tracks it all over the house. If stuff is gonna happen, their name is all over it.
Rachel goes about her regular routine by clipping the leash to her dog and heading for the nearby park early in the morning. Not a soul about. But she's mistaken. She spots a coat on the ground in the distance that looks like it was carelessly abandoned by its owner. As she draws near, she sees a slender hand poking out of the sleeve and those dead vacant eyes are a giveaway.
The shock sets Rachel's feet in the opposite direction running back towards her house. There will be no 911 call from her cell phone. Involvement is the last thing on Rachel's mind. Rachel has a whole pack of trouble in her past. No sense stirring that up......ever.
But the police are going door-to-door asking questions and trying to locate witnesses. Rachel lies like her hair is on fire. But eventually, the truth always floats to the surface.
Claire McGowan flips the switch and we find ourselves back in 2000 in L.A.. Nineteen year old Casey
has become the British nanny for Abby and David's two young children. Abby is trying to revamp her Hollywood career after motherhood took a hit on her. David, a producer, is always searching for the next point of success in a cut-throat business. Casey is now caught up in a world of children's beauty pageants and a totally hands-off mother. Tragedy strikes and Casey walks into the lavish home to find its members dead within. Casey will be tried for the murders.
Back in the outskirts of London, Casey/Rachel will make a mad dash to cover her tracks. She eventually finds out that the woman's body belongs to the wife of her married lover, Alex. (Ya spot those icky tracks now?) Someone has found out about Casey/Rachel's past in L.A.. She's told no one what had happened to her there. Someone is setting her up for that recent murder. McGowan sets up possibilities like bowling ball pins.
I Know You was pretty predictable and I rated it a 3.5 kicked up to 4 Stars. Except for Casey/Rachel, we only had brief encounters with the majority of these characters so we weren't that invested in any of them. The storyline was a creative one, though, and the interest level was pretty high. You may just want to check it out for the crazy details. Murder.....she certainly did write.
Rachel goes about her regular routine by clipping the leash to her dog and heading for the nearby park early in the morning. Not a soul about. But she's mistaken. She spots a coat on the ground in the distance that looks like it was carelessly abandoned by its owner. As she draws near, she sees a slender hand poking out of the sleeve and those dead vacant eyes are a giveaway.
The shock sets Rachel's feet in the opposite direction running back towards her house. There will be no 911 call from her cell phone. Involvement is the last thing on Rachel's mind. Rachel has a whole pack of trouble in her past. No sense stirring that up......ever.
But the police are going door-to-door asking questions and trying to locate witnesses. Rachel lies like her hair is on fire. But eventually, the truth always floats to the surface.
Claire McGowan flips the switch and we find ourselves back in 2000 in L.A.. Nineteen year old Casey
has become the British nanny for Abby and David's two young children. Abby is trying to revamp her Hollywood career after motherhood took a hit on her. David, a producer, is always searching for the next point of success in a cut-throat business. Casey is now caught up in a world of children's beauty pageants and a totally hands-off mother. Tragedy strikes and Casey walks into the lavish home to find its members dead within. Casey will be tried for the murders.
Back in the outskirts of London, Casey/Rachel will make a mad dash to cover her tracks. She eventually finds out that the woman's body belongs to the wife of her married lover, Alex. (Ya spot those icky tracks now?) Someone has found out about Casey/Rachel's past in L.A.. She's told no one what had happened to her there. Someone is setting her up for that recent murder. McGowan sets up possibilities like bowling ball pins.
I Know You was pretty predictable and I rated it a 3.5 kicked up to 4 Stars. Except for Casey/Rachel, we only had brief encounters with the majority of these characters so we weren't that invested in any of them. The storyline was a creative one, though, and the interest level was pretty high. You may just want to check it out for the crazy details. Murder.....she certainly did write.
April 26, 2022
“ People hide deep pockets of secrecy, of darkness and we don’t like to admit it.” Rachel has many secrets she had hidden. When she stumbles across a dead body, she fears her secrets will be revealed. Rachel has a dark past that is dangerously close. Will the past repeat itself, leaving Rachel’s life in shambles, or will she finally have the fresh start she desperately wants? This book hooked me from the first sentence. This character driven thriller made me care for Rachel and had me asking, “What would I do?” Wrongfully accused, finding a dead body, needless to say she had a lot on her plate and I was captivated as her story unfolded.⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for my copy.
October 19, 2021
That was actually really, really good. The book grabs you right from the start and doesn’t let you go until the very end. Poor Casey never had a chance with her useless mother, Jenna, filling her head with rubbish. It’s 2000 as she heads off to LA at the tender age of 19 to be a nanny to a ‘Hollywood couple’ with the hope of breaking into the industry at some point. So she ended up, little more than a child herself, looking after 5 year old Madison and 6 month old Carson.
The story is told on two timelines - 2000 and beyond and then the present day. As Casey starts her nanny job she soon realises this is a family on the brink…. The mother, Abby, is a washed up actress obsessed with getting back into the biz so she was starving herself and ignoring her children. Basically living in la la land. The father, David, is a producer who, despite the stories he peddled to the media and to Casey, was slowly going bankrupt. Casey enters this madhouse and does her best to look after the children until the fateful day where it all turned toxic and she is charged with murdering the family, apart from baby Carson. Casey is found guilty and sentenced the death. Yikes!
Lucky for her, high school crush (him, not her) Jeremy fights tooth and nail to have the conviction overturned and have Casey exonerated. He brings her back to the UK. In the present day Rachel is living a quiet and unassuming existence. She works for no pay at an animal shelter and tries to fly under the radar. She has a passionate relationship with Alex, separated from his wife Anna. When Rachel finds Anna’s body one morning while walking her dog Brandy she panics and runs, scared that the past is coming back to haunt her.
I’ve read a couple of books by this author but this is by far the best. Casey/Rachel comes across as a very real and sympathetic character. Everybody else is shrouded with suspicion. Is someone trying to punish her for what she apparently ‘got away with’ nearly 20 years ago? Or is the link with the past more a convenient excuse? Your thoughts will vacillate from one option to the other as the author dangles suspects in front of you and then throws in a red herring or two. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
The story is told on two timelines - 2000 and beyond and then the present day. As Casey starts her nanny job she soon realises this is a family on the brink…. The mother, Abby, is a washed up actress obsessed with getting back into the biz so she was starving herself and ignoring her children. Basically living in la la land. The father, David, is a producer who, despite the stories he peddled to the media and to Casey, was slowly going bankrupt. Casey enters this madhouse and does her best to look after the children until the fateful day where it all turned toxic and she is charged with murdering the family, apart from baby Carson. Casey is found guilty and sentenced the death. Yikes!
Lucky for her, high school crush (him, not her) Jeremy fights tooth and nail to have the conviction overturned and have Casey exonerated. He brings her back to the UK. In the present day Rachel is living a quiet and unassuming existence. She works for no pay at an animal shelter and tries to fly under the radar. She has a passionate relationship with Alex, separated from his wife Anna. When Rachel finds Anna’s body one morning while walking her dog Brandy she panics and runs, scared that the past is coming back to haunt her.
I’ve read a couple of books by this author but this is by far the best. Casey/Rachel comes across as a very real and sympathetic character. Everybody else is shrouded with suspicion. Is someone trying to punish her for what she apparently ‘got away with’ nearly 20 years ago? Or is the link with the past more a convenient excuse? Your thoughts will vacillate from one option to the other as the author dangles suspects in front of you and then throws in a red herring or two. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
December 11, 2021
I Know You, by Claire McGowan is my first foray into this author’s work – it’s a wonderful 4.5-star effort. I was considering giving it 5-stars but, I need to have some wriggle room if any subsequent reads by McGowan are better. Yes, this was that good!
The story is told in 2 timelines/perspectives.
One follows Casey, a young English girl, who leaves London to work as a Nanny for a rich Hollywood family, around 20 years ago. The family she works for is a bit mad, the mother, a ‘wanna be’ actress, is highly strung and very difficult to be around. The father is a bit mysterious, there’s a couple of kids. A baby and a precocious young girl. Casey has her hands full and things go pear-shaped. Enough said.
The second, tells the story of Rachel, in present day England. Rachel works at a dog shelter; she lives on her own and is having an affair with a married man called Alex. Their relationship is full of passion and she is madly in love with him. Alex has not divorced his wife Anna at this stage, and Anna is not happy Rachel is seeing her husband. Again, things go pear-shaped. Enough said.
These 2 stories are linked and the author tackles both in alternating chapters. She tells the story in a very snappy, clear way – no messing around, everything written is relevant, important to the story and it had me thinking. It was so enjoyable, thought provoking as it contained more than one mystery. The ending was believable in a satisfying sort of way.
Excellent stuff and I’ve just added another book by McGowan to my TBR list, if it’s half as good as this one, it’ll be enjoyable.
4-Stars
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
The story is told in 2 timelines/perspectives.
One follows Casey, a young English girl, who leaves London to work as a Nanny for a rich Hollywood family, around 20 years ago. The family she works for is a bit mad, the mother, a ‘wanna be’ actress, is highly strung and very difficult to be around. The father is a bit mysterious, there’s a couple of kids. A baby and a precocious young girl. Casey has her hands full and things go pear-shaped. Enough said.
The second, tells the story of Rachel, in present day England. Rachel works at a dog shelter; she lives on her own and is having an affair with a married man called Alex. Their relationship is full of passion and she is madly in love with him. Alex has not divorced his wife Anna at this stage, and Anna is not happy Rachel is seeing her husband. Again, things go pear-shaped. Enough said.
These 2 stories are linked and the author tackles both in alternating chapters. She tells the story in a very snappy, clear way – no messing around, everything written is relevant, important to the story and it had me thinking. It was so enjoyable, thought provoking as it contained more than one mystery. The ending was believable in a satisfying sort of way.
Excellent stuff and I’ve just added another book by McGowan to my TBR list, if it’s half as good as this one, it’ll be enjoyable.
4-Stars
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my review.
January 6, 2022
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You know me, I love a good fucked-up lady thriller and thank goodness I have a friend (Heather!) who loves to read them as much as I do. I KNOW YOU is a checklist of several of my favorite tropes. It's dual timeline. It's got a woman confronting her past history. It's got hot dudes who might be evil. Basically, it's my crack.
Rachel works at a dog shelter and lives a quiet life in the UK. One day, she's taking her dog out for a walk and sees a dead body. It's the body of the wife of the man she's been seeing on the sly: Anna. Knowing she'll be seen as a suspect, she leaves the seen without telling anyone but then one of her scarves shows up by the body and she's implicated anyway. On the other timeline, in 2000, we see a girl named Casey working for a toxic family in LA as a nanny. A stressful job turns into a nightmare when the whole family is murdered and she's blamed as the suspect. The truths behind the two sets of murders converge, filled with all kinds of nasty secrets and lies, leading Rachel to hear the words she's hoped she'd never hear again: I KNOW YOU.
Did I tear through this in less than twenty-four hours? YES. It was amazing. I thought the author did a great job setting the scenes and giving both narrators plausible backstories. At times, it almost felt like a memoir because it was so grounded in reality. I guessed some of the twists (including one that I think was supposed to shock me) but others were a pleasant surprise. You know how it is though. Whenever you read a thriller like this, it's a tug of war between wanting to be right and wanting to be shocked.
I'd recommend this to fans of thrillers such as DARK PLACES, JAR OF HEARTS, WATCH THE GIRLS, and IF I DISAPPEAR.
4.5 stars
October 31, 2021
The Casey Anthony case meets the Jon-Benet Ramsey case in this suspenseful, well-written thriller by Claire McGowan. But what would happen if a child-killer like the one who killed Jon-Benet was exonerated on appeal, grew up, changed her name, and then stumbled upon another murder way too close to home? Did someone discover who she was and try to frame her? And was she actually innocent of the original crime?
This was a great premise, interesting and suspenseful, and very well-executed by McGowan. Speaking of executions, one thing I really appreciated about this novel is the way it took a look at America’s barbarous (in comparison to England) justice system and the experiences of women on death row. This was really thoughtfully done and had an impact that I wasn’t expecting from what I thought was the usual fast-paced psychological thriller. The author did great research on capital punishment in America and the scenes on death row were touching and thought-provoking. (The only note I would give her is that most executions in California are done at midnight.)
Rachel, the heroine, was well-drawn and sympathetic without being goody-goody or perfect - a normal, slightly irresponsible 19-year-old girl who finds herself accused of a terrible crime, and comes face to face with all the prejudices and tabloid media unfairness that come with being an attractive young girl who has not yet found her adult self and who os suddenly accused of being a murderer. Though I had the ending figured out early on, it was one of those books where the journey to that ending was suspenseful, fun and logical. Though there were other red herrings and possibilities for both the old and the new murder, the ending and resolution to each crime was satisfying and I wouldn’t have wanted to see it end any other way.
McGowan is a solid, thrilling, and thoughtful writer and she has become an auto-buy author for me. This book grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. Well done.
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley, and the author for this very good mystery/thriller. 4.25 stars.
This was a great premise, interesting and suspenseful, and very well-executed by McGowan. Speaking of executions, one thing I really appreciated about this novel is the way it took a look at America’s barbarous (in comparison to England) justice system and the experiences of women on death row. This was really thoughtfully done and had an impact that I wasn’t expecting from what I thought was the usual fast-paced psychological thriller. The author did great research on capital punishment in America and the scenes on death row were touching and thought-provoking. (The only note I would give her is that most executions in California are done at midnight.)
Rachel, the heroine, was well-drawn and sympathetic without being goody-goody or perfect - a normal, slightly irresponsible 19-year-old girl who finds herself accused of a terrible crime, and comes face to face with all the prejudices and tabloid media unfairness that come with being an attractive young girl who has not yet found her adult self and who os suddenly accused of being a murderer. Though I had the ending figured out early on, it was one of those books where the journey to that ending was suspenseful, fun and logical. Though there were other red herrings and possibilities for both the old and the new murder, the ending and resolution to each crime was satisfying and I wouldn’t have wanted to see it end any other way.
McGowan is a solid, thrilling, and thoughtful writer and she has become an auto-buy author for me. This book grabbed me from the first page and I couldn’t put it down. Well done.
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley, and the author for this very good mystery/thriller. 4.25 stars.
October 23, 2021
A really good thriller with a double mystery.
There are two storylines connected by the main character, Rachel. The story begins with Rachel finding the body of her boyfriend's ex-wife's murdered in the woods. She instantly becomes the prime suspect. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Rachel has experienced it. Years ago, when her name was Casey, she moved to Los Angeles as a babysitter for the Safrans. In a tragic turn of events, the entire family except the youngest child was brutally murdered, and Casey was found guilty of the crime. She always claimed to be innocent. So we're trying to find out not only who murdered her boyfriend's ex-wife, but also what happened twenty years ago in Los Angeles and whether Rachel/Casey is truly innocent.
I liked the whole idea and the execution. The author has done a great job of building an atmosphere of danger and confusion in the current part of the plot. You really feel that Rachel is being hounded and that she is alone in this situation. The police suspect her more and more and can arrest her at any time, accusing her of a crime she did not commit. Or did she?
The author also built the portrait of young Casey very well. A bit of a lost young girl who finds herself in a pathological situation from which she cannot escape. I loved how complicated her situation is and that Casey realizes it. I liked that this part of the story is not devoid of some reflection from the perspective of what happened next, and that Rachel herself tries to evaluate her actions and feelings at the time.
We are given a large group of very distinct yet complex characters in this novel. From the members of the Safran family to Rachel's ex-husband to her current lover and even the victim herself. Everyone hides some secrets, which adds to the suspense. And we are following Rachel, who tries to untangle all these threads and not get locked in prison again. A really good story.
This is my first book by this author, but I will definitely try some of her other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There are two storylines connected by the main character, Rachel. The story begins with Rachel finding the body of her boyfriend's ex-wife's murdered in the woods. She instantly becomes the prime suspect. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Rachel has experienced it. Years ago, when her name was Casey, she moved to Los Angeles as a babysitter for the Safrans. In a tragic turn of events, the entire family except the youngest child was brutally murdered, and Casey was found guilty of the crime. She always claimed to be innocent. So we're trying to find out not only who murdered her boyfriend's ex-wife, but also what happened twenty years ago in Los Angeles and whether Rachel/Casey is truly innocent.
I liked the whole idea and the execution. The author has done a great job of building an atmosphere of danger and confusion in the current part of the plot. You really feel that Rachel is being hounded and that she is alone in this situation. The police suspect her more and more and can arrest her at any time, accusing her of a crime she did not commit. Or did she?
The author also built the portrait of young Casey very well. A bit of a lost young girl who finds herself in a pathological situation from which she cannot escape. I loved how complicated her situation is and that Casey realizes it. I liked that this part of the story is not devoid of some reflection from the perspective of what happened next, and that Rachel herself tries to evaluate her actions and feelings at the time.
We are given a large group of very distinct yet complex characters in this novel. From the members of the Safran family to Rachel's ex-husband to her current lover and even the victim herself. Everyone hides some secrets, which adds to the suspense. And we are following Rachel, who tries to untangle all these threads and not get locked in prison again. A really good story.
This is my first book by this author, but I will definitely try some of her other books.
Thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 17, 2024
Claire McGowan’s I Know You is a splendid thriller. I wasn’t expecting any less from McGowan, having read her previous thriller, The Other Wife.
There are two storylines connected by the main character, Rachel Caldwell.
Rachel's living the good life in the peaceful countryside, loving her perfect man and her adorable dog, Brandy. But then, she finds a dead body in the woods, and everything changes. She understands that she needs to escape. Avoid being charged with murder. Rachel becomes the prime suspect when the victim is revealed to be her boyfriend's estranged wife. Rachel's only chance of survival is to conceal her past, given the increasing evidence against her. Rachel has a secret. Twenty years earlier, as a nineteen-year-old named Casey, she travelled from the UK to Los Angeles to work as a nanny while seeking her big break as an actor. After the brutal murder of three members of the Safran family, where she worked as a nanny, Casey was found guilty and given a death sentence. Following her release years later, she returned to the UK, settled down, and changed her name after being exonerated on appeal. She's willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the life she has painstakingly rebuilt. But the police are closing in, and Rachel can’t help. Is her discovery in the woods merely a terrible coincidence, or is someone setting her up for murder? There is perhaps someone who knows her and desires revenge.
There is a large mix of very complex characters. I really loved the character of young Casey. Rachel is absolutely believable. The story is fast enough and kept me on the edge of my seat. I finished it in just two days. Anyone looking for a smart and fast thriller will find this book suitable.
There are two storylines connected by the main character, Rachel Caldwell.
Rachel's living the good life in the peaceful countryside, loving her perfect man and her adorable dog, Brandy. But then, she finds a dead body in the woods, and everything changes. She understands that she needs to escape. Avoid being charged with murder. Rachel becomes the prime suspect when the victim is revealed to be her boyfriend's estranged wife. Rachel's only chance of survival is to conceal her past, given the increasing evidence against her. Rachel has a secret. Twenty years earlier, as a nineteen-year-old named Casey, she travelled from the UK to Los Angeles to work as a nanny while seeking her big break as an actor. After the brutal murder of three members of the Safran family, where she worked as a nanny, Casey was found guilty and given a death sentence. Following her release years later, she returned to the UK, settled down, and changed her name after being exonerated on appeal. She's willing to do whatever it takes to preserve the life she has painstakingly rebuilt. But the police are closing in, and Rachel can’t help. Is her discovery in the woods merely a terrible coincidence, or is someone setting her up for murder? There is perhaps someone who knows her and desires revenge.
There is a large mix of very complex characters. I really loved the character of young Casey. Rachel is absolutely believable. The story is fast enough and kept me on the edge of my seat. I finished it in just two days. Anyone looking for a smart and fast thriller will find this book suitable.
March 6, 2022
Interesting read, kept me pushing through to figure everything out. The ending was mind blowing and I did not see it coming!
December 16, 2021
2 1/2 Stars I've been in a bit of a reading slump, where the last few books I read really dragged for me. I can easily read a book in a few hours, but, just kept losing interest in previous books. I was really hoping this would be a real page turner. I saw a review that said this reeled you in from the beginning... unfortunately for me, it just didn't. It had some interesting twists and turns, but it was just ok.
October 20, 2021
I really enjoyed my first read of a Claire McGowan novel and look forward to reading more from this author.
Rachel discovers a dead body in the woods and immediately panics and runs from the scene. This is not the first time she has found a dead body and last time didn't work out well with her being accused of murder. This time the victim is her boyfriends estranged wife and Rachel knows she will be the prime suspect.
Rachel used to be known as Casey but was forced to change her name in order to try and start a new life without distractions. If her old identity is discovered there will be plenty of people to point the finger at her again. Twenty years ago when she was a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles a tragedy occurred that resulted with her being convicted of murder. The family she worked for were brutally murdered and 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.
Now twenty years later her innocence is again questioned and with growing evidence the police are starting to circle. Could this be a dreadful coincidence or is someone trying to ruin her life.
This is a real page turner and had me guessing to the end. Interesting, addictive plot, good characters and well written make this an exciting read.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Rachel discovers a dead body in the woods and immediately panics and runs from the scene. This is not the first time she has found a dead body and last time didn't work out well with her being accused of murder. This time the victim is her boyfriends estranged wife and Rachel knows she will be the prime suspect.
Rachel used to be known as Casey but was forced to change her name in order to try and start a new life without distractions. If her old identity is discovered there will be plenty of people to point the finger at her again. Twenty years ago when she was a young nanny trying to make it as an actress in Los Angeles a tragedy occurred that resulted with her being convicted of murder. The family she worked for were brutally murdered and 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.
Now twenty years later her innocence is again questioned and with growing evidence the police are starting to circle. Could this be a dreadful coincidence or is someone trying to ruin her life.
This is a real page turner and had me guessing to the end. Interesting, addictive plot, good characters and well written make this an exciting read.
I would like to thank both Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2022
Rachel is walking her dog when she sees a body, but she is not screaming, not calling the police, she is just returning home. Why? With the flashbacks, we find that Rachel is not Rachel, but Casey, a teenager, nany, who was convicted for murdering the family she was sitting in America.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.
April 8, 2022
again confessing my top fav thriller
creepy tropes, but who doesn't fall for
a British nanny, a podcast, a murdered
family, a glance at the movie industry...
all spiced up by clever ms. mcgowan?
creepy tropes, but who doesn't fall for
a British nanny, a podcast, a murdered
family, a glance at the movie industry...
all spiced up by clever ms. mcgowan?
December 17, 2022
I found this book to be great fun. It centers on Rachel, who is just trying to live her life after being exonerated from a murder charge 20 years ago. She has changed her name and moved far away but lo and behold, her boyfriend’s ex-wife is found murdered and it seems like someone might be trying to frame her.
The chapters alternate between Rachel in current time and Casey 20-ish years ago. I found the Casey chapters more suspenseful but the Rachel chapters evoke empathy. There are questions about what really happened when Rachel was Casey and also what really happened in the current timeframe. I thought I was so clever and had figured it out but I was wrong; the ending was both surprising and satisfying.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and read it late into the night. I recommend it for those who enjoy mysteries and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The chapters alternate between Rachel in current time and Casey 20-ish years ago. I found the Casey chapters more suspenseful but the Rachel chapters evoke empathy. There are questions about what really happened when Rachel was Casey and also what really happened in the current timeframe. I thought I was so clever and had figured it out but I was wrong; the ending was both surprising and satisfying.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and read it late into the night. I recommend it for those who enjoy mysteries and psychological thrillers. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2021
I Know You is your pretty run-of-the-mill thriller but still succeeds at telling a story you feel as though you might've read before. There's a lot to like with the writing but I couldn't find myself fully entertained with the story! Recommend to those who like dual-perspective suspense novels.
October 14, 2021
As Rachel is walking her dog in the English woodlands, she comes across a body but runs away, failing to report it to police or even check for life signs. So begins I Know You by Claire McGowan becoming immediately more complicated, given the victim is her boyfriend’s ex-wife. Another story told in a flashback to America in the year 2000 is that of Casey, an English nanny working in a struggling family. As both stories unfold, complications occur, revealing the darker side of human nature. An enjoyable domestic noir with interesting characters and inevitable twists – an above average three-and-a half-star rating.
October 20, 2021
I've read every book by Claire McGowan and I was strongly anticipating "I know you" and I wasn't disappointed. It was well worth the wait.
The protagonist is 19 year old Casey, who went from the UK to Hollywood to make a name for herself but mainly for her mother. Unfortunately she lands a job as a nanny in a utterly dysfunctional family that ends up being killed and Casey lands on death row because of it. 4 years later she is acquitted and she travels back to the UK where she changes her name and tries to live a unremarkable life.
20 years later, Rachel finds the body of her boyfriends' ex wife and instead of calling it in, she goes home and puts the kettle on. It won't take long before she is in the middle of a media storm once more.
This isn't your usual mystery read, as you will know quiet early on who did what, but it is all about characters and their motives. It is a sharp observation of the dangers of social media and true crime sleuths and the deceit of trial by media in general. It is also a harsh condemnation of the horrendous death sentences and the hypocrisy driving it.
A sincere thanks to Goodreads, the publisher Thomas & Mercer and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The protagonist is 19 year old Casey, who went from the UK to Hollywood to make a name for herself but mainly for her mother. Unfortunately she lands a job as a nanny in a utterly dysfunctional family that ends up being killed and Casey lands on death row because of it. 4 years later she is acquitted and she travels back to the UK where she changes her name and tries to live a unremarkable life.
20 years later, Rachel finds the body of her boyfriends' ex wife and instead of calling it in, she goes home and puts the kettle on. It won't take long before she is in the middle of a media storm once more.
This isn't your usual mystery read, as you will know quiet early on who did what, but it is all about characters and their motives. It is a sharp observation of the dangers of social media and true crime sleuths and the deceit of trial by media in general. It is also a harsh condemnation of the horrendous death sentences and the hypocrisy driving it.
A sincere thanks to Goodreads, the publisher Thomas & Mercer and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 31, 2022
3.5 rounded down.
October 29, 2021
3.5 ⭐
I was in such a murder mystery mood from the middle of August until a couple a weeks ago - that was practically all I wanted to read. So I did.
But after about a dozen of them, I kind of started to wish I never had to read another thriller, ever again.
And that's when I got the ARC of I Know You. And - it still managed to grip me. Practically from the page one. The premise was really good. The first few chapters so intriguing. I really liked the writing. And we follow two timelines, which added a nice dynamic to the pacing.
Even the atmosphere – a murder mystery set in October, the body that was found in the woods… It all contributed and made this book a good choice for this time of year.
The story had a strong beginning, but unfortunately it started losing some of its gripping factor the more I got into the book. And the ending was - I don't know. Fine, I guess. There was nothing wrong with it, I just maybe expected a bit more.
There was one thing, though, that really annoyed me throughout the book, and that was the repetitiveness. Luckily, there were no many things we got told more than a couple of times. But, I lost count on how many times she mentioned she was only nineteen. At some point, it just became ridiculous.
Other than that, I Know You was a nice, engaging thriller that I’m sure many people would enjoy very much.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of I Know You by Claire McGowan in exchange for an honest review.
What I had forgotten most of all was how quiet a crime scene is. No breath but yours. The faint breeze that stirs over lifeless hair and clothes. The glassy, open emptiness of dead eyes. It’s almost peaceful, a violent death, before they come in with heavy boots and tape and cameras. Before it becomes a story, out there in the world for people to read. Before it’s something that happened to you.
I was in such a murder mystery mood from the middle of August until a couple a weeks ago - that was practically all I wanted to read. So I did.
But after about a dozen of them, I kind of started to wish I never had to read another thriller, ever again.
And that's when I got the ARC of I Know You. And - it still managed to grip me. Practically from the page one. The premise was really good. The first few chapters so intriguing. I really liked the writing. And we follow two timelines, which added a nice dynamic to the pacing.
Even the atmosphere – a murder mystery set in October, the body that was found in the woods… It all contributed and made this book a good choice for this time of year.
The story had a strong beginning, but unfortunately it started losing some of its gripping factor the more I got into the book. And the ending was - I don't know. Fine, I guess. There was nothing wrong with it, I just maybe expected a bit more.
There was one thing, though, that really annoyed me throughout the book, and that was the repetitiveness. Luckily, there were no many things we got told more than a couple of times. But, I lost count on how many times she mentioned she was only nineteen. At some point, it just became ridiculous.
Other than that, I Know You was a nice, engaging thriller that I’m sure many people would enjoy very much.
Thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of I Know You by Claire McGowan in exchange for an honest review.
October 15, 2021
I Know You which is Claire McGowan’s latest book kept me up late into the night reading. When Casey was 19 yo, she was a nanny for a family and was charged with murdering 3 of the 4 family members. She went to jail for 5 years then it was overturned. Fast forward 20 years, she moves away, changes her name and she’s out jogging in a park and comes across a dead body in the woods. What? Again? How can this be? This kept me guessing till the end and I really enjoyed the story. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
January 31, 2022
THE PLOT
20 years ago, Casey was a British nanny trying to make it in America. But her dreams of red carpets and flashing lights are cut short when she comes home to find the family brutally murdered, and is subsequently sentenced to death row for their deaths. Casey's sentence is overturned, and she returns to England and becomes a new person: Rachel.
In the present, Rachel stumbles upon a body and runs. Was it a coincidence? Is she as innocent as she seems? And what really happened 20 years ago?
MY OPINNI
J'ADORE. 4.5/5 stars only because the "reveal" was obvious from the start. However, Claire's writing, character-building, and the original storyline kept me engaged.
This is the second Claire McGown novel I've read, and it didn't disappoint. She does a fantastic job of constructing characters that you can really hate, like Casey/Rachel's mother dearest, and the mom of the family she nanny's for. You really feel for Casey/Rachel, as she struggles with who she is, what she wants, and finding inner strength.
I felt the end was a lil bit of a reach... Maybe more than a lil bit. Overall, I was hooked by the exploration of familicide and challenging the theory "where there's smoke, there's fire."
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Characters you can connect with, well-paced, original storyline
Cons: Easy "whodunnit", ending was a bit of a stretch and rushed
20 years ago, Casey was a British nanny trying to make it in America. But her dreams of red carpets and flashing lights are cut short when she comes home to find the family brutally murdered, and is subsequently sentenced to death row for their deaths. Casey's sentence is overturned, and she returns to England and becomes a new person: Rachel.
In the present, Rachel stumbles upon a body and runs. Was it a coincidence? Is she as innocent as she seems? And what really happened 20 years ago?
MY OPINNI
J'ADORE. 4.5/5 stars only because the "reveal" was obvious from the start. However, Claire's writing, character-building, and the original storyline kept me engaged.
This is the second Claire McGown novel I've read, and it didn't disappoint. She does a fantastic job of constructing characters that you can really hate, like Casey/Rachel's mother dearest, and the mom of the family she nanny's for. You really feel for Casey/Rachel, as she struggles with who she is, what she wants, and finding inner strength.
I felt the end was a lil bit of a reach... Maybe more than a lil bit. Overall, I was hooked by the exploration of familicide and challenging the theory "where there's smoke, there's fire."
PROS AND CONS
Pros: Characters you can connect with, well-paced, original storyline
Cons: Easy "whodunnit", ending was a bit of a stretch and rushed
August 28, 2023
*Secrets*
Rachel thinks her life has started to come together, she lives in the countryside and has a boyfriend she loves albeit he is separated from his wife and has a small child. One morning on her regular walks with her dog she spots a body. What does she do? She runs it is the wife of her boyfriend. Should she report it? Well she has her reasons, 20 years ago when she was known as Casey she decided to fly to Los Angeles to become a Nanny thinking it was a stepping stone to fame.
Things were not as she dreamed it to be and the reality was far from ideal. Things take a tragic turn when all but one of the family is left alive. No one will listen to her and she ends up as the only suspect. So she ends up in prison and on death row she ends up freed after appeal. But mud sticks.
The story flip flops between her life in the present and the events that led up to prison in the USA.
So in the present she is now Rachel with and she looks different but she now finds herself as the prime suspect with incriminating evidence against her is history about to repeat itself? Someone knows her secret and in a small countryside village it won’t be long before she is judged…
Rachel thinks her life has started to come together, she lives in the countryside and has a boyfriend she loves albeit he is separated from his wife and has a small child. One morning on her regular walks with her dog she spots a body. What does she do? She runs it is the wife of her boyfriend. Should she report it? Well she has her reasons, 20 years ago when she was known as Casey she decided to fly to Los Angeles to become a Nanny thinking it was a stepping stone to fame.
Things were not as she dreamed it to be and the reality was far from ideal. Things take a tragic turn when all but one of the family is left alive. No one will listen to her and she ends up as the only suspect. So she ends up in prison and on death row she ends up freed after appeal. But mud sticks.
The story flip flops between her life in the present and the events that led up to prison in the USA.
So in the present she is now Rachel with and she looks different but she now finds herself as the prime suspect with incriminating evidence against her is history about to repeat itself? Someone knows her secret and in a small countryside village it won’t be long before she is judged…
October 10, 2021
Rachel finds a body in the woods while walking her dog. She runs away and doesn't call the police. The victim is found to be her boyfriend Alex's estranged wife, Anna. She is now the prime suspect. Twenty years earlier Rachel had a different life, she was named Casey and working as a nanny for a family in Los Angeles. The entire family was murdered except for the young son Carson. All the evidence was against her and she went to prison. She was able to get out on an appeal but now it seems her past is back to haunt her. After changing her identity someone knows who she is. Are they framing her for the murder of Alex's wife or did she really commit both of these crimes?
This was my favorite novel from Claire McGowan to date. I loved the alternating time lines and characters. The story about Casey being a nanny for a wealthy family in L.A. was very intriguing. I thought I had all of the answers figured out in this mystery but I was clearly wrong. I highly recommend this fantastic novel!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
This was my favorite novel from Claire McGowan to date. I loved the alternating time lines and characters. The story about Casey being a nanny for a wealthy family in L.A. was very intriguing. I thought I had all of the answers figured out in this mystery but I was clearly wrong. I highly recommend this fantastic novel!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
June 6, 2023
Talk about bad luck! Most people don’t ever find a dead body, but Rachel does so twice. When she stumbles on the body in the woods while walking her dog, she knows exactly what she has to do: Run. Because 20 years before she found the family that she’d been nannying murdered in their home. She spent time in jail but was released on appeal, returning from America to the UK and changing her name. But when the current dead woman’s identity is revealed as her boyfriend’s ex-wife, she becomes the main suspect.
Flipping between the murder now and the murders in the past, we follow Rachel/Casey as she tries to detangle herself from both murders. The story is a fun and entertaining one and I read it quite fast. I enjoyed the dual narrative and the characterization of both Rachel and Casey. An intriguing and entertaining ride.
Flipping between the murder now and the murders in the past, we follow Rachel/Casey as she tries to detangle herself from both murders. The story is a fun and entertaining one and I read it quite fast. I enjoyed the dual narrative and the characterization of both Rachel and Casey. An intriguing and entertaining ride.
February 7, 2024
predictable and incredibly stupid
March 15, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
I Know You.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
When Rachel was 19 years old, she was accused of a brutal crime she did not commit.
After five years in prison, she was exonerated and 20 years later, is living under a new name with a new life in a small town in the UK.
But, when the wife of her lover is murdered and her belongings are found near the crime scene, Rachel realizes she is being framed.
With no one to turn to and the police set on pinning her as the perp, she undertakes an investigation of her own and discovers that life has a bad way of repeating itself.
The narrative is told through Rachel's current perspective, and her past, when she was a naive 19 year old nanny struggling to adapt to the US and her new job in a wealthy home.
Rachel is a typical heroine in these types of books; she's annoying, frustrating, and whines often.
She's not likable, not when she was 19 and not 20 years later.
She ignores obvious tells and clues; when she unearths clues that jeopardizes her lover's alibi, she dismisses them and blames the errors on the witness.
She trusts a man she barely knows because...he's her lover?
Sigh. Another female nitwit protagonist dependent on a man for her self worth and fulfillment.
The narrative drags on far too long and most of it read as filler and was really repetitive.
There was a lack of urgency and tension through the story. Not once did I worry or fear for Rachel.
Rachel spends most of her time wondering why her lover hasn't called; playing Miss Marple, talking about how annoying Jeremy is and the reasons she left him.
As a 19 year old, she spends it whining about how naive she is at 19, how she's a foreigner in a new country, how she fantasies about the kids she's nannying being her own children, and how she and the husband have a connection.
There is a hard to belief twist (IMO), like how Rachel's lover was also accused of a heinous crime.
What are the odds the both of them would be accused of such heinous crimes and exonerated and found not guilty?
Also, how come in these books the main character always relocates to a small town?
If you have a sordid past, isn't the first place you go to a big city so everyone doesn't know your name and business?
I guessed whodunit early on, and what really happened 19 years ago.
I did like how Carson makes a reappearance and now he and Rachel have a secret of their own.
This wasn't a bad read, but I was looking for something more suspenseful with characters who weren't so slapable.
** Minor spoilers ahead **
When Rachel was 19 years old, she was accused of a brutal crime she did not commit.
After five years in prison, she was exonerated and 20 years later, is living under a new name with a new life in a small town in the UK.
But, when the wife of her lover is murdered and her belongings are found near the crime scene, Rachel realizes she is being framed.
With no one to turn to and the police set on pinning her as the perp, she undertakes an investigation of her own and discovers that life has a bad way of repeating itself.
The narrative is told through Rachel's current perspective, and her past, when she was a naive 19 year old nanny struggling to adapt to the US and her new job in a wealthy home.
Rachel is a typical heroine in these types of books; she's annoying, frustrating, and whines often.
She's not likable, not when she was 19 and not 20 years later.
She ignores obvious tells and clues; when she unearths clues that jeopardizes her lover's alibi, she dismisses them and blames the errors on the witness.
She trusts a man she barely knows because...he's her lover?
Sigh. Another female nitwit protagonist dependent on a man for her self worth and fulfillment.
The narrative drags on far too long and most of it read as filler and was really repetitive.
There was a lack of urgency and tension through the story. Not once did I worry or fear for Rachel.
Rachel spends most of her time wondering why her lover hasn't called; playing Miss Marple, talking about how annoying Jeremy is and the reasons she left him.
As a 19 year old, she spends it whining about how naive she is at 19, how she's a foreigner in a new country, how she fantasies about the kids she's nannying being her own children, and how she and the husband have a connection.
There is a hard to belief twist (IMO), like how Rachel's lover was also accused of a heinous crime.
What are the odds the both of them would be accused of such heinous crimes and exonerated and found not guilty?
Also, how come in these books the main character always relocates to a small town?
If you have a sordid past, isn't the first place you go to a big city so everyone doesn't know your name and business?
I guessed whodunit early on, and what really happened 19 years ago.
I did like how Carson makes a reappearance and now he and Rachel have a secret of their own.
This wasn't a bad read, but I was looking for something more suspenseful with characters who weren't so slapable.
January 3, 2022
Female-driven thrillers are kind of my thing right now (the more fucked-up the better), and luckily my friend Nenia is always down to buddy-read them with me.
This one didn't make it onto my list of favorites, but I thought it was a really engaging mystery. For a while I had no idea what was going to happen, and I read it super quickly, in less than twenty-four hours. It's dual timeline, which I almost always love. I'd definitely be open to reading this author again.
This one didn't make it onto my list of favorites, but I thought it was a really engaging mystery. For a while I had no idea what was going to happen, and I read it super quickly, in less than twenty-four hours. It's dual timeline, which I almost always love. I'd definitely be open to reading this author again.
January 29, 2023
This book is amazing I loved reading it it got my full attention while reading it nicely written 5 stars :)
October 23, 2021
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.
She feels like history is repeating itself. Twenty years, when she was known as Casey; as a young nanny, the family she worked for were brutally murdered, all the evidence pointed to her and she went to prison. She narrowly escaped the death penalty and managed to free herself.
Now she’s fighting to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together. She wonders if it’s a coincidence, or is someone framing her for murder? Someone who knows who she is, and wants revenge…
So first of all, I think this was a very well written plot. Execution wise, the dual timeline with the alternating POV’s between Rachel and Casey was amazing as it kept the suspense and excitement alive.
The characters are all well written, but I didn’t really like any of them. Even in the case of Rachel, I didn’t feel sympathetic towards her.
The one highlight from my point about this plot was the inclusion of the media trial and the social media condemnation which usually takes place when a person is accused of a crime (whether or not they are guilty!)
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!
She feels like history is repeating itself. Twenty years, when she was known as Casey; as a young nanny, the family she worked for were brutally murdered, all the evidence pointed to her and she went to prison. She narrowly escaped the death penalty and managed to free herself.
Now she’s fighting to save the life she’s spent years piecing back together. She wonders if it’s a coincidence, or is someone framing her for murder? Someone who knows who she is, and wants revenge…
So first of all, I think this was a very well written plot. Execution wise, the dual timeline with the alternating POV’s between Rachel and Casey was amazing as it kept the suspense and excitement alive.
The characters are all well written, but I didn’t really like any of them. Even in the case of Rachel, I didn’t feel sympathetic towards her.
The one highlight from my point about this plot was the inclusion of the media trial and the social media condemnation which usually takes place when a person is accused of a crime (whether or not they are guilty!)
Thank You NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for this ARC!
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