No One Knows, by J. T. Ellison (2016)
No One Knows, by J.T. Ellison is a fast-paced thriller. The novel begins on the day that Aubrey Hamilton’s husband, Josh, has been officially been declared dead. He disappeared 5 years earlier, shortly before amending his life insurance policy listing Aubrey as the beneficiary of his $5M policy. His mother, Daisy, however, always had an intense dislike of Aubrey and threatens to contest the policy.
Josh disappeared on the eve of his best friend’s wedding. Aubrey and Josh were to attend separate bachelor parties, but Josh never showed up at the groom’s party. What happened to him?
All that was left was a large pool of blood in their home. Aubrey was immediately cast as suspect in foul play and was tried for his murder. She was subsequently acquitted, but the experience, along with her past encounters with law enforcement left her shattered and bitter.
As we delve into the shared history of Josh and Aubrey, we go back and forth in time from Aubrey’s troubled childhood. Her parents were killed in a car accident when she was a young child and Aubrey spent much of her childhood living in a foster home. Her best friend there was her foster brother, Tyler, who became a druggie and minor criminal. Josh had his own childhood traumas. He grew up believing that his biological father was dead and was adopted by Tom, his step-father.
It was serendipity that Aubrey ran into Chase Boden, a man who resembles Josh. After a one-night stand, Aubrey finds herself falling for him. Chase claims to be from Chicago but is always just a few short minutes away from Aubrey. What are his motives?
Aubrey begins to hear rumor that Josh is still alive, so seeks to find out more of his past. The story is told from many points of view: Aubrey, Daisy, Josh, Tom, Chase … There is also Meghan, the care-free spirit who owns the coffee shop where Aubrey works to supplement her salary as a Montessori teacher.
Ultimately, the ending left me unsatisfied. The ending just come to any logical conclusion.
Spoiler Alert: I felt that Meghan should have played a greater role in the novel’s resolution. Furthermore, when Josh did appear, his behaviour over the past 5 years changed him from the loving husband to a mean, bitter and controlling man. We also learn that Daisy had been briefly been married before she was married to Josh’s father. She had a brief affair and gave birth to a son, who turns out to have been Chase. Thus, it was no coincidence that he resembled Josh and that he “bumped” into Aubrey. Then, we learn that Aubrey was in on the disappearing scheme all along. Sorry. Up until the last few pages, however, I enjoyed the book. I probably won’t seek out other books by this author, however.
Read: May 15, 2021
3 Stars
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