It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.
Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
J.T. Ellison is an author I’ve read several times, and I’ve enjoyed most of her books, so when I saw the narrator casting for this one, I knew I had to listen on audio. This is a domestic psychological thriller that revolves around identity, revenge, family secrets, and how well we really know the people closest to us. I was also intrigued by the gorgeous, mysterious cover, and I decided to go in blind. I’m SO glad I did because this story gets moving quickly, with a lot of action early on and suspense throughout. The twists, misdirections, and reveals are nicely spaced throughout, and the story becomes more intricate and unpredictable in the second half.
This is a multi-POV story with an interesting structure. Most of the book is told through first-person POVs from protagonists Brooklyn and Eden Barrow, with other POVs from Detective Teresa, Chloe (Eden’s sister) in a past timeline, and Trey (Brooklyn’s husband) in just a handful of chapters. Because Brooklyn and Eden carry most of the narrative, I found it very easy to follow. It opens with a short, dramatic prologue from Eden’s POV eleven years earlier, telling us Chloe was murdered and that her husband disappeared. We then jump to the present, where Trey suddenly announces that he wants to take Brooklyn and their children to Italy, claiming a business meeting that they can turn into a longer family vacation—but Brooklyn is immediately skeptical, as he hates flying, hasn’t traveled in ages, and this is an extremely last-minute trip. So even before anything happens, I got the sense that something was not right about this trip.
And then the pacing starts moving and never really lets up. Their flight is cancelled and rebooked through Atlanta, where Eden approaches them and confronts Trey, asking whether he remembers Chloe. He insists he doesn’t know her or Chloe. Trey says he needs to use the bathroom and never returns to the gate. From there, Brooklyn’s panic escalates as surveillance footage suggests Trey simply left, leaving her with so many questions. Eden reappears and becomes entangled in Brooklyn’s predicament, offering assistance while also sounding Brooklyn’s internal alarm bells. What follows is a spiral of hidden identities, buried secrets, suspicious characters, red herrings, and a slow unraveling of what happened to Chloe and Trey.
One of the things I love about Ellison’s writing is that just when I think I know where the story is going, she adds another layer that changes the story’s direction. The more we learn about Brooklyn and Eden’s histories, the more complex everything gets. After a particularly dramatic plot development that changes Brooklyn’s circumstances, the book begins to take on more of a police-procedural feel as Teresa gets more involved and starts digging into Trey’s past, his connections, and Brooklyn’s own history—so this quickly becomes more than just a domestic thriller and eventually becomes just as much of a crime thriller.
The chapters are short, immersive, and packed with dramatic dialogue and fast-moving plot points, which makes this a fast read, and I was able to binge the entire audio in a day. The themes of sisterhood, trust, betrayal, and learning to listen to your instincts become especially pronounced later in the story. Brooklyn is forced to figure out who she can trust while trying to protect herself and her family, and there are so many points where the people offering help may be just as dangerous as the people she fears.
I appreciated that Ellison didn’t rush the ending. There are almost multiple climaxes as different storylines collide one after another, and Brooklyn is forced to confront dark parts of her past while her family is in danger. I kept thinking there were unanswered questions and potential plot holes, but the additional chapters address them, and I was pretty satisfied. The final chapter gives us one final reveal that I found predictable, but it was very effectively narrated on audio, and the final scene definitely left me a bit unsettled, as intended.
If you’re an audiobook listener, definitely listen to this one. The full cast does a fantastic job bringing their characters and the story to life in a high-quality production. I was completely glued to my headphones, and this is one where the performances elevate the experience.
If you’re planning to read this one, go in blind—the less you know going in, the more fun you’ll have with how deep the rabbit hole goes!
Narrator Performance
You Know Why is read by a stellar cast of seasoned narrators.
SAMARA NAEYMI portrays Eden in a dynamic performance, and I felt from early on that there was something more going on beneath the surface. When Eden attempts to help Brooklyn at the airport, she gives her a warm, compassionate, and reassuring voice, making Eden sound genuinely concerned about Brooklyn and her children, but there’s also an emotional restraint in her delivery that made me question her. As the story progresses, Naeymi subtly shifts Eden’s voice, bringing out more of her jealousy, resentment, and obsession—and it sounds like her mask is slowly lifting. The last chapter is a highlight of the performance, and even though there are some predictable reveals, it’s well executed and left me unsettled afterward!
SASKIA MAARLEVELD gives a standout performance as Brooklyn. Early on, you can hear her skepticism when Trey suddenly suggests their last-minute trip to Italy, and Maarleveld makes her suspicion much more palpable when Eden confronts him at the Atlanta airport. When Brooklyn allows herself to trust Eden, you can hear the creeping doubt in her inner monologues but also her need for answers. When Brooklyn is suddenly given some shocking news, Maarleveld delivers some of the most captivating scenes in the book, bringing out her fear, confusion, and paranoia. Later on, as the tension between Brooklyn and Eden escalates and Brooklyn is determined to find her husband, Maarleveld increases the tension and urgency in her tone and kept me completely glued to my headset. The climactic scenes, when Brooklyn’s forced to confront her past and survive, are some of the most thrilling scenes, and the narration is perfectly paced!
BRITTANY PRESSLEY brings Chloe to life in the past timeline with a younger-sounding, vulnerable voice that really conveys the situation the character is in. I already had an underlying sense of dread in Chloe’s POV because I knew of her fate from the prologue, but Pressley’s performance intensified that, especially as I learned more about the troubled relationship between Chloe and her sister. Pressley captures Chloe’s confusion and frustration perfectly, and I was rooting for her even though I knew the outcome. She also makes the connection between Chloe and Andrew feel authentic and emphasizes their chemistry.
HILLARY HUBER’S performance of Theresa made her one of my favorite characters in the book and probably the most likeable. She gives Theresa a steady, determined voice that makes it clear she’s completely invested in getting to the truth and won’t stop. Her interactions with her investigation partner are a highlight as they discuss their next moves and what they’ve uncovered, and the subtle romantic connection between them is conveyed without taking attention away from the investigation. You can also hear Theresa’s loyalty to her longtime friend Eden while she simultaneously tries to find Trey, protect Brooklyn and her children, and make sense of increasingly confusing evidence. A really dynamic delivery that kept me invested in the character just as much as the main two protagonists.
MACLEOD ANDREWS gives Trey a controlled, steady voice layered with almost too much enthusiasm early on when he’s trying to convince Brooklyn to take the family on a last-minute trip to Italy, and I found his intentions immediately questionable. After he disappears at the airport and has some dangerous encounters, Andrews completely shifts his performance to portray Trey as much more vulnerable and terrified, but also determined—and the performance kept me questioning his real intentions. The scenes where Trey visits his wife in the hospital are some of the most compelling scenes in the story because of Andrews’ delivery, and every interaction between Trey and Brooklyn from that point onward is intense and kept me fully engaged!
Overall, all five narrators give fantastic performances, and I thought they elevated the story tremendously, particularly during explosive dialogue and confrontational scenes. I was glued to my headphones and binged this in a day. You really can’t go wrong with this full-cast production!
Narrator Performance
You Know Why is read by a stellar cast of seasoned narrators.
SAMARA NAEYMI portrays Eden in a dynamic performance, and I felt from early on that there was something more going on beneath the surface. When Eden attempts to help Brooklyn at the airport, she gives her a warm, compassionate, and reassuring voice, making Eden sound genuinely concerned about Brooklyn and her children, but there’s also an emotional restraint in her delivery that made me question her. As the story progresses, Naeymi subtly shifts Eden’s voice, bringing out more of her jealousy, resentment, and obsession—and it sounds like her mask is slowly lifting. The last chapter is a highlight of the performance, and even though there are some predictable reveals, it’s well executed and left me unsettled afterward!
SASKIA MAARLEVELD gives a standout performance as Brooklyn. Early on, you can hear her skepticism when Trey suddenly suggests their last-minute trip to Italy, and Maarleveld makes her suspicion much more palpable when Eden confronts him at the Atlanta airport. When Brooklyn allows herself to trust Eden, you can hear the creeping doubt in her inner monologues but also her need for answers. When Brooklyn is suddenly given some shocking news, Maarleveld delivers some of the most captivating scenes in the book, bringing out her fear, confusion, and paranoia. Later on, as the tension between Brooklyn and Eden escalates and Brooklyn is determined to find her husband, Maarleveld increases the tension and urgency in her tone and kept me completely glued to my headset. The climactic scenes, when Brooklyn’s forced to confront her past and survive, are some of the most thrilling scenes, and the narration is perfectly paced!
BRITTANY PRESSLEY brings Chloe to life in the past timeline with a younger-sounding, vulnerable voice that really conveys the situation the character is in. I already had an underlying sense of dread in Chloe’s POV because I knew of her fate from the prologue, but Pressley’s performance intensified that, especially as I learned more about the troubled relationship between Chloe and her sister. Pressley captures Chloe’s confusion and frustration perfectly, and I was rooting for her even though I knew the outcome. She also makes the connection between Chloe and Andrew feel authentic and emphasizes their chemistry.
HILLARY HUBER’S performance of Theresa made her one of my favorite characters in the book and probably the most likeable. She gives Theresa a steady, determined voice that makes it clear she’s completely invested in getting to the truth and won’t stop. Her interactions with her investigation partner are a highlight as they discuss their next moves and what they’ve uncovered, and the subtle romantic connection between them is conveyed without taking attention away from the investigation. You can also hear Theresa’s loyalty to her longtime friend Eden while she simultaneously tries to find Trey, protect Brooklyn and her children, and make sense of increasingly confusing evidence. A really dynamic delivery that kept me invested in the character just as much as the main two protagonists.
MACLEOD ANDREWS gives Trey a controlled, steady voice layered with almost too much enthusiasm early on when he’s trying to convince Brooklyn to take the family on a last-minute trip to Italy, and I found his intentions immediately questionable. After he disappears at the airport and has some dangerous encounters, Andrews completely shifts his performance to portray Trey as much more vulnerable and terrified, but also determined—and the performance kept me questioning his real intentions. The scenes where Trey visits his wife in the hospital are some of the most compelling scenes in the story because of Andrews’ delivery, and every interaction between Trey and Brooklyn from that point onward is intense and kept me fully engaged!
Overall, all five narrators give fantastic performances, and I thought they elevated the story tremendously, particularly during explosive dialogue and confrontational scenes. I was glued to my headphones and binged this in a day. You really can’t go wrong with this full-cast production!
You Know Why is read by a stellar cast of seasoned narrators.
SAMARA NAEYMI portrays Eden in a dynamic performance, and I felt from early on that there was something more going on beneath the surface. When Eden attempts to help Brooklyn at the airport, she gives her a warm, compassionate, and reassuring voice, making Eden sound genuinely concerned about Brooklyn and her children, but there’s also an emotional restraint in her delivery that made me question her. As the story progresses, Naeymi subtly shifts Eden’s voice, bringing out more of her jealousy, resentment, and obsession—and it sounds like her mask is slowly lifting. The last chapter is a highlight of the performance, and even though there are some predictable reveals, it’s well executed and left me unsettled afterward!
SASKIA MAARLEVELD gives a standout performance as Brooklyn. Early on, you can hear her skepticism when Trey suddenly suggests their last-minute trip to Italy, and Maarleveld makes her suspicion much more palpable when Eden confronts him at the Atlanta airport. When Brooklyn allows herself to trust Eden, you can hear the creeping doubt in her inner monologues but also her need for answers. When Brooklyn is suddenly given some shocking news, Maarleveld delivers some of the most captivating scenes in the book, bringing out her fear, confusion, and paranoia. Later on, as the tension between Brooklyn and Eden escalates and Brooklyn is determined to find her husband, Maarleveld increases the tension and urgency in her tone and kept me completely glued to my headset. The climactic scenes, when Brooklyn’s forced to confront her past and survive, are some of the most thrilling scenes, and the narration is perfectly paced!
BRITTANY PRESSLEY brings Chloe to life in the past timeline with a younger-sounding, vulnerable voice that really conveys the situation the character is in. I already had an underlying sense of dread in Chloe’s POV because I knew of her fate from the prologue, but Pressley’s performance intensified that, especially as I learned more about the troubled relationship between Chloe and her sister. Pressley captures Chloe’s confusion and frustration perfectly, and I was rooting for her even though I knew the outcome. She also makes the connection between Chloe and Andrew feel authentic and emphasizes their chemistry.
HILLARY HUBER’S performance of Theresa made her one of my favorite characters in the book and probably the most likeable. She gives Theresa a steady, determined voice that makes it clear she’s completely invested in getting to the truth and won’t stop. Her interactions with her investigation partner are a highlight as they discuss their next moves and what they’ve uncovered, and the subtle romantic connection between them is conveyed without taking attention away from the investigation. You can also hear Theresa’s loyalty to her longtime friend Eden while she simultaneously tries to find Trey, protect Brooklyn and her children, and make sense of increasingly confusing evidence. A really dynamic delivery that kept me invested in the character just as much as the main two protagonists.
MACLEOD ANDREWS gives Trey a controlled, steady voice layered with almost too much enthusiasm early on when he’s trying to convince Brooklyn to take the family on a last-minute trip to Italy, and I found his intentions immediately questionable. After he disappears at the airport and has some dangerous encounters, Andrews completely shifts his performance to portray Trey as much more vulnerable and terrified, but also determined—and the performance kept me questioning his real intentions. The scenes where Trey visits his wife in the hospital are some of the most compelling scenes in the story because of Andrews’ delivery, and every interaction between Trey and Brooklyn from that point onward is intense and kept me fully engaged!
Overall, all five narrators give fantastic performances, and I thought they elevated the story tremendously, particularly during explosive dialogue and confrontational scenes. I was glued to my headphones and binged this in a day. You really can’t go wrong with this full-cast production!
