Scan barcode
izzywizzy's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bear_reads_books's review against another edition
5.0
This was good. I enjoyed the podcast, it was entertaining. And also a huge part of what flips everything you thought you knew about the case and everyone involved around in the end! So that was unexpected and made for an even better ending.
alybre13's review against another edition
2.0
Rounded up from 1.5. This book was a mess. The story was all over the place and lacked cohesiveness. I didn't latch onto Amy if the characters, and the ending was horribly unsatisfying
vickyfarbs's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
nahyee's review against another edition
2.0
I received an advance reader’s edition of this book as a Goodreads Giveaway. Expected publication is in September 2018.
“I Know You Know” tells the story of the murder of two 11-year-old boys, revisited 20 years later after the man convicted of the crime (Sidney Noyce) kills himself in prison and a man’s body is uncovered near the original murder site. Scott Ashby and Charlie Paige were best friends, along with Cody Swift. Cody was being punished the night the boys were killed, which is the reason he wasn’t with them. As an adult, Cody begins recording and airing a podcast and starts dredging up details based on an article by a reporter who covered the original trial and doesn’t believe that the right man was convicted. Interesting premise, not so interesting execution.
The first few chapters hooked me pretty well. I wanted to find out how the murders 20 years ago tied to the discovery of the body in the present day. Throughout the book, we meet many characters who are developed well – the detectives on the original case, Charlie’s mother and her current family, her former “boyfriend” Felix, and a variety of other characters who seem more incidental to the story. The exception in character development is Cody Swift, and he’s the one we should know the most about. He felt to me like a faceless public radio personality. His voice in my imagination was very humdrum and quiet, almost like he was introducing “the soothing sounds of smooth jazz” or something – not at all like a true crime/detective recording, which is what he was portraying. And every chapter that was an episode of the podcast had the lines: “My name is Cody Swift. I’m a filmmaker and your host of ‘It’s Time to Tell,’ a Dishlicker Podcast Production.” By the end of the book, I had had enough of Cody’s introductions, and his podcasts were excruciatingly boring. I’m not a listener of podcasts, but if they all play dialog like this, I’m not missing anything.
“Annette, hello! Is that really you?”
“You’re all grown up, Cody Swift. Look at you!”
“You recognized me right away!”
“You’ve still got that up-to-no-good look about you.”
“Really? I’m not sure that’s a good thing!”
***Spoilers ahead***
I felt like there were a lot of things wrong with the plotlines.
First, you have a detective who is portrayed as really caring about putting away the person who killed the two boys, but he destroys evidence, covers up for pimp-turned-PR-guy Felix, helps frame the lead investigator on the case to get him pulled off the case, convinces witnesses to fit their statements and testimony to his story, and pries a false confession out of the mentally handicapped Sidney, ignoring all other leads.
Second, when the new body is uncovered near where the boys were killed, the reader almost has to believe that the murders are unrelated and years apart because how could the man’s body not be discovered at the same time as the boys. Through the course of the book, however, we learn that the boys were killed because they saw the other crime taking place. Why would the killer hide one body and leave the other two out in the open? And supposedly the killer hid the body so well that it wasn’t found for 20 years?! And the man who was killed was reported missing two days later, and no one questioned whether there was a connection? There’s also the fact that Charlie was found alive, and muttered the word “ghost” before he died in the detective’s arms. The author tries to bring that reference full circle at the end of the book, and it’s completely irrelevant in my opinion. But you’re telling me that no one investigated that 20 years before?
Third, we find out that Cody actually knew all along what happened to his friends, kept quiet all of these years, and only came forward when the article came out because he wanted a publicity stunt to start a new business…using the pimp/PR guy as his PR guy.
Finally, the actual killer is already dead and doesn’t even get his comeuppance. What a letdown!
I just didn’t enjoy this at all. And the book title should have just been “It’s Time to Tell.” That’s the name of Cody’s podcast, and it just seems more fitting. I didn’t find a reference to “I Know You Know” anywhere.
My opinion…skip this one.
“I Know You Know” tells the story of the murder of two 11-year-old boys, revisited 20 years later after the man convicted of the crime (Sidney Noyce) kills himself in prison and a man’s body is uncovered near the original murder site. Scott Ashby and Charlie Paige were best friends, along with Cody Swift. Cody was being punished the night the boys were killed, which is the reason he wasn’t with them. As an adult, Cody begins recording and airing a podcast and starts dredging up details based on an article by a reporter who covered the original trial and doesn’t believe that the right man was convicted. Interesting premise, not so interesting execution.
The first few chapters hooked me pretty well. I wanted to find out how the murders 20 years ago tied to the discovery of the body in the present day. Throughout the book, we meet many characters who are developed well – the detectives on the original case, Charlie’s mother and her current family, her former “boyfriend” Felix, and a variety of other characters who seem more incidental to the story. The exception in character development is Cody Swift, and he’s the one we should know the most about. He felt to me like a faceless public radio personality. His voice in my imagination was very humdrum and quiet, almost like he was introducing “the soothing sounds of smooth jazz” or something – not at all like a true crime/detective recording, which is what he was portraying. And every chapter that was an episode of the podcast had the lines: “My name is Cody Swift. I’m a filmmaker and your host of ‘It’s Time to Tell,’ a Dishlicker Podcast Production.” By the end of the book, I had had enough of Cody’s introductions, and his podcasts were excruciatingly boring. I’m not a listener of podcasts, but if they all play dialog like this, I’m not missing anything.
“Annette, hello! Is that really you?”
“You’re all grown up, Cody Swift. Look at you!”
“You recognized me right away!”
“You’ve still got that up-to-no-good look about you.”
“Really? I’m not sure that’s a good thing!”
***Spoilers ahead***
I felt like there were a lot of things wrong with the plotlines.
First, you have a detective who is portrayed as really caring about putting away the person who killed the two boys, but he destroys evidence, covers up for pimp-turned-PR-guy Felix, helps frame the lead investigator on the case to get him pulled off the case, convinces witnesses to fit their statements and testimony to his story, and pries a false confession out of the mentally handicapped Sidney, ignoring all other leads.
Second, when the new body is uncovered near where the boys were killed, the reader almost has to believe that the murders are unrelated and years apart because how could the man’s body not be discovered at the same time as the boys. Through the course of the book, however, we learn that the boys were killed because they saw the other crime taking place. Why would the killer hide one body and leave the other two out in the open? And supposedly the killer hid the body so well that it wasn’t found for 20 years?! And the man who was killed was reported missing two days later, and no one questioned whether there was a connection? There’s also the fact that Charlie was found alive, and muttered the word “ghost” before he died in the detective’s arms. The author tries to bring that reference full circle at the end of the book, and it’s completely irrelevant in my opinion. But you’re telling me that no one investigated that 20 years before?
Third, we find out that Cody actually knew all along what happened to his friends, kept quiet all of these years, and only came forward when the article came out because he wanted a publicity stunt to start a new business…using the pimp/PR guy as his PR guy.
Finally, the actual killer is already dead and doesn’t even get his comeuppance. What a letdown!
I just didn’t enjoy this at all. And the book title should have just been “It’s Time to Tell.” That’s the name of Cody’s podcast, and it just seems more fitting. I didn’t find a reference to “I Know You Know” anywhere.
My opinion…skip this one.
rachcannoli's review against another edition
4.0
I very much enjoyed this book despite the ending leaving me a bit unsatisfied. I love the many perspectives giving you great insight into our characters as well as the podcast breaking it up now and again. I enjoyed this book and found it very gripping, I couldn't wait to find out what had actually happened to these boys and loved the unraveling style of the narration.
However it then just kind of hits a wall when it reveals the truth, but it doesn't make much sense and doesn't really reveal too much. There's a lot of plot holes based off of what they're claiming and it feels like not all the people who deserved their comeuppance got it.
I still really liked the book despite that, but I'm sad that it didn't really give me that gone-girl shocker moments I was expecting and hoping for.
However it then just kind of hits a wall when it reveals the truth, but it doesn't make much sense and doesn't really reveal too much. There's a lot of plot holes based off of what they're claiming and it feels like not all the people who deserved their comeuppance got it.
I still really liked the book despite that, but I'm sad that it didn't really give me that gone-girl shocker moments I was expecting and hoping for.