Crime

Catering has never been this exciting - unfortunately it's still pretty dull. ( )

4.5 stars.

No One Needs to Know is another suspense-laden and intriguing mystery by Kevin O'Brien. This slow-building novel has multiple story arcs that keep the story moving at a brisk pace while frequent plot twists make it impossible to guess how the seemingly unconnected storylines will converge.

The novel opens with an ominous confrontation between Laurie Trotter, a widow with a young son, and a customer at the diner where she works. At first, she cannot figure out why someone would target her, but once the connection becomes clear, Laurie is anxious to keep a secret from her past from being revealed. She suffers in silence as she is mercilessly stalked and after an altercation turns violent, she is desperate for a new beginning. Her new job working as an on set caterer for a movie production is the answer to her prayers, but Laurie's dream job quickly turns into a nightmare when people connected with the movie begin dying under mysterious circumstances.

Unbeknownst to Laurie, her new boss Cheryl Wheeler is keeping a few secrets of her own. Not too long before hiring Laurie, Cheryl's co-worker and friend, Maureen Forester, met an untimely death when their food truck exploded. Although the police ruled out foul play, Cheryl is convinced the explosion was no accident, but she does not let this stop her from hiring Laurie to work with her on the movie set.

The pair immediately hit it off, but Laurie rapidly senses that all is not right with Cheryl. Doubts quickly set in after she learns startling information about Cheryl from her new neighbors in the complex where both women live. Cheryl's behavior on the movie set is also quite suspicious and her unsettling familiarity at one of the film sites raises even more red flags. But it is not until Laurie sees Cheryl arguing with a man in public and the man (along with his wife) are later murdered that she becomes truly fearful for both her and her son's safety. However, before she can get herself and her son out of harm's way, Laurie becomes an unwitting accomplice in Cheryl's quest for justice.

In No One Needs to Know, Kevin O'Brien seamlessly weaves events from the past and present into a fast-paced and riveting mystery that is virtually impossible to solve. The main characters are sympathetic and well-developed with complex histories. The premise is unique and the plot is quite interesting with numerous of twists and turns that effectively keep readers guessing whodunit (and why) until the novel's dramatic conclusion. An absolutely outstanding thriller that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy. ( )

I had never read a book by Kevin O'Brien before, but I will definitely be looking for more after reading this one. This is a thriller that you do not want to put down. There are actually two storylines in the book that come together with the main character.

Laurie is a widow raising her son Joey in the small town of Ellensburg, but is being stalked by a former boyfriend (Tad) and his crazy brother (Ryder). They both insist that Joey is Tad's son, regardless of all proof to the contrary. When they break into her home and Tad is killed, she decides to quietly relocate and begins a new life in Seattle. Cheryl, her new boss in Seattle, has secrets, but Laurie just does not know what they are. She is working in a catering business that is working on a movie set of a brutal killing 44 years earlier. There seems to be bad luck surrounding the movie as people are dying, including Cheryl's previous co-worker. Cheryl even sets it up for Laurie to live in her co-worker's old apartment. Meanwhile Ryder is still searching for Laurie and Joey. Are the things happening related to her old life or her new one? Lot's of secrets abound in this book. I definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

A special thank you to Kensington, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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I found No One Needs To Know by Kevin O'Brien, a bit disappointing. The book was enjoyable, but seemed to lack the dark, eerie tension, and edge of your seat suspense found in many of the authors previous books. I was shocked that I could actually put the book aside, noting that it took me 9 days to complete.

The books synopsis sets the stage for what should be a thrilling story, one that has lots of twist and turns, mysterious characters, false leads, gothic themes, and plenty of people to link to the past. Alas the book has at least 4 themes all running in parallel, and for the first ¼ of the story, it actually had me questioning if I was reading the correct book.

The majority of the action happens in the wrap up starting around the 80% point of the story. The jumping between the plot threads was not as smooth as it could have been, but it all worked out, leading to a satisfying conclusion.

My Favorite part of the book was the yummy sounding food and deserts that seemed to be the glue that tied the various themes together. I love books and videos that include food themes, and characters, so this was a standout positive for me.
I received my copy of the book from NetGalley on behalf of Kensington Books / Pinnacle.
The expected publication date is July 28th, 2015

For me overall this was a 3 star read

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