Next up on the blog today is something a little bit darker – ‘I Know You’ by Erik Therme. Many thanks to Bookouture for the blog tour invite and ARC. Here is my review:
‘I can help you save your sister. But I need something from you …’
Sisters Bree and Alissa Walker share a special bond. Neglected by their parents, they have always looked out for one another. But one day, sixteen-year-old Alissa goes missing. When Bree discovers her green backpack with all her belongings, abandoned on the steps of their run-down trailer, she knows that something bad has happened …
Then she receives a chilling text message. Someone has Alissa. But Bree will have to give up something very precious in exchange.
Desperate to save Alissa, Bree looks at everyone close to their family. She’s sure that Alissa’s best friend is keeping something back about her little sister and a boy at school, and why has their estranged uncle, who they’ve not seen in years, been hanging around again?
It soon becomes clear that the person behind the message knows a lot about the dark truths within the Walker family and will go to any lengths to get revenge. And as the search for Alissa continues, Bree discovers something about her brother Tyler that she wishes she hadn’t, a dangerous secret, which is also the key to bringing her little sister back home …
What does TWG think?
If you’re in the mood for something dark and suspenseful, ‘I Know You’ would be RIGHT up your street!
Older sister, Bree, has unintentionally become the guardian of her two siblings due to their parents neglect. I say ‘neglect’ loosely as they certainly haven’t had the typical childhood, nor have their parents been all there when they should have been. Without giving too much away, it seems as though their parents have multiple skeletons in their closets.
I thought the suspense of the novel was utterly brilliant. It was unexpected and had me racing through the pages like a woman on a mission. The fact that multiple portions of the book made for uncomfortable reading, actually had me more hooked because I had to find out who the puppet master was, so to speak.
I have to admit that, despite the fab levels of suspense, I felt as though something was missing. At times it felt as though I had walked into the storyline half way through, missing out on vital pieces of information which would have helped me to understand the why’s and wherefores about the entire situation. I felt as though the storyline had a lot going on in it, yet came together a bit higglepiggidly and as I say, confusingly.
For such a relatively short novel, ‘I Know You’ is an incredibly intense read. I thoroughly enjoyed the rollercoaster ride of uncertainty. The lead up to the conclusion had me glued to the pages, eager to find out more. I had goosebumps up and down my arms in anticipation! However, I was expecting the conclusion to have more of Big Bang to it, just as us readers were led to believe. It didn’t quite match up to the suspense surrounding it.
All in all, ‘I Know You’ ticks multiple boxes with its high levels of suspense and intensity; Erik Therme clearly knows how to keep the readers guessing, that’s for sure. I would have liked it even more if it didn’t have the anti-climax to it, however the events leading up to it were certainly one of a kind and a pleasure to read.
About the author.
Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering for his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his seventeen-year-old. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty places in the world UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature.
Author Social Media Links:
Website: www.eriktherme.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/ErikTherme
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831573.Erik_Therme
Facebook: www.facebook.com/erik.therme
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