The Book:
I Know You by Erik Therme
Published April 12th 2019 by Bookouture
Date read: July 23, 2021
The Characters:
Siblings Bree, Alissa, and Tyler
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The Plot (from Goodreads):
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.
The Twist:
The kidnapper was completely unrelated to the family: Tyler had hooked up with a crazy girl; she got into a car accident while she was upset after he ended it with her. She happened to be pregnant. The reader is led to believe the baby is Tyler’s, but Emma had actually asked her stepfather to get her pregnant (ew). The stepfather was distraught over the death of his child, and kidnapped Alissa to get revenge on Tyler.
The Ending:
Bree tracks down Shane through Emma and finds Tyler and Alissa. Shane threatens to kill the girls, so Tyler kills him. He’s in jail at the end of the book, but Emma offers to help his case on the stand so that he can claim self-defense. There was a scene between Bree and her parents about the dad trying to reconcile with the kids, but the whole kidnapping aftermath felt pretty unresolved.
The Review:
This book was a slow-burn mystery. Unlike some thrillers, a lot of depth was given to the characters. I really liked Bree as the main character: the way she took over the role of responsible adult in her family, her dedication to her siblings, and her determination to save the day. I was really rooting for her to get out of the trailer park and make a life for herself beyond her parents’ legacy.
I really enjoyed Bree as the main character. The first half of this book was great, but the second half got someone convoluted. The aftermath of Alissa’s kidnapping felt somewhat unresolved, and I wasn’t satisfied by the ending.
This is a relatively quick read, and if you’re a fan of Erik’s other novels you’ll probably enjoy it.
QOTD: Are you close with your siblings (if you have them)?
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