You Don’t Want to Know
By Lisa Jackson
Two years ago, Ava’s two-year-old son Noah went missing, and his body has never been found. Ava has spent most of the past two years in and out of Seattle mental institutions, shattered by grief and unable to recall the details of Noah’s disappearance. Now she’s back at the family estate she once intended to restore to its former grandeur. But as Ava’s mind comes back into focus, her suspicions grow. Ava can’t shake the feeling that her family and her psychologist know more than they’re saying. Unwilling to trust those around her, Ava secretly visits a hypnotist to try and restore her memories. But the strange visions and night terrors keep getting worse. Ava is sure she’s heard Noah crying in the nursery, and glimpsed him walking near the dock. Is she losing her mind, or is Noah still alive? Ava won’t stop until she gets answers, but the price may be more than she ever thought to pay…
Review: If you are looking for a book that will leave your head reeling, heart pounding and have you glued to the pages, You Don’t Want to Know by Lisa Jackson is the perfect book for you!
Lisa Jackson has an amazing talent for weaving tales of suspense, thrills and the unthinkable into explosive stories that engage and hold a reader’s attention from beginning to end. When I first began reading You Don’t Want to Know, I knew that I was going to love it. I was not disappointed! For me, this story had a certain gothic feel to it, which was unique and appealing. The idea of a mother’s struggle of coming to terms with a disappearing child is one that touched deep into my heart. As a mother myself, I cannot imagine the earth alternating terror of such a thing happening. Ms. Jackson takes this idea and soars with it; combining psychological torture and trauma and an entire cast of characters that are shifty, questionable and distrusting. Add a liberal dose of murder, the macabre, and a dash of romance and you have yourself an unforgettable story!
Filled with constant twists, turns and questions, You Don’t Want to Know is a rather strenuous read. I do not mean that in a bad way, at all. In fact, the reason I say it is exhausting is for the fact that when I read a story of suspense, I find myself trying to figure out the “whys” and “hows” as I read along. I want to have the questions answered and the mystery figured out before I reach the end of the story (I think it is some weird “beat the author in their own game” thing, who knows, lol). With You Don’t Want to Know, just when I had something figured out – or so I thought – something totally out of the blue was thrown in and burst my bubble. There are truly an unending amount of things going on in this story and it is wonderfully delightful! I LOVED the fact that there were things that I could not figure out until the very end. I LOVED the fact that Ms. Jackson created such an unpredictable story and I LOVED the fact that the author created such dramatic characters that I had such a love or hatred for them.
There is a large pool of characters within this story. Each plays a very vital part and had very unique and stand out personalities. Though there are several players, they are very easy to keep track of and not mix up – I think that is simply because the author has written them in such a way that each one is very memorable in and of themselves. I really found myself connecting to Ava, the main character. Her inner torment was incredibly profound and the way she develops from fragile to amazingly strong throughout the story was a highlight for me.
Do I recommend You Don’t Want to Know? Absolutely yes! It is an incredible read by an amazingly talented author. The story will keep you guessing and though I did have a couple of things figured out, there was MUCH that I did not. The ending is unpredictable and will leave the reader satisfied – at least it did me. So, if you are looking for a story of suspense, thrills, psychological highs and lows, a dash of romance and tons surprises, go out and grab a copy of this now!