Years after a breakdown and a diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder derailed her historical preservationist career, Kenetria Nash and her alters have been given a second chance they can’t refuse: a position as resident caretaker of a historic home. Having been dormant for years, Ken has no idea what led them to this isolated Hudson River island, but she’s determined not to ruin their opportunity.
Then a surprise visit from the home’s conservation trust just as a Nor’easter bears down on the island disrupts her newfound life, leaving Ken trapped with a group of possibly dangerous strangers—including the man who brought her life tumbling down years earlier. When he turns up dead, Ken is the prime suspect.
Caught in a web of secrets and in a race against time, Ken and her alters must band together to prove their innocence and discover the truth of Kavanaugh Island—and their own past—or they risk losing not only their future, but their life.
Release Date: Apr 16, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Imprint: William Morrow
Price: $11.99
A cross between Identity, Split, and Surviving the Game that ropes you in one chapter at a time.
This is my first Cole thriller, and I originally signed up unsure of what I was walking into except, thriller. I loved Cole’s Reluctant Royals and her Off The Grid series. Her jump to thrillers was a surprise, but ultimately, I believe in this author’s voice and ability to craft spectacular storytelling. One of Us Knows is a testament to writing a very complicated storyline and successfully pulling off a whirlwind ride.
I’m not going to dig too much into the plot of the story, but it’s well known that the main character, Kenetria, Ken for short, has DID (dissociative identity disorder). There are several personalities in this story, all of them in Ken’s head, and they each get a momentary chance to shine. While this element kept things interesting, it also proved frustrating. As a plot device, the main character, not always having full control over who was the main personality present, worked to drive tension and force me to keep turning the pages.
I also liked the romantic element of this story. There are plenty of twists, some more predictable than others, but there are plenty of hints that appeared masterful by the time I got about eighty percent through. There is nothing coincidental, and everything in this story connects to something else, which, in the end, I loved chasing back the details.
What slowed me down, aka kept this from a five? Ken is a tough character to like. She’s real, raw, and for a good portion of this book, I didn’t like her. Communication, or lack thereof, is used for a major portion of the conflict, which frustrated me. Finally, this book is slow. It has a slow build that often made it easy for me to put the book down until I got about fifty percent of the way through.
For readers who like twisty stories, this one may be for you. While it’s not a perfect book, I’ll say the story has stuck with me for days afterward, and that’s a good sign.
~ Landra
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