An incredible debut, this book is a superb piece of nostalgia that transported me to my own childhood summer. Unfortunately, that was where most of the similarities ended because I would love to have my own family mystery to unravel. The back and forth between the two sisters’ point-of-view, in addition to the paranormal aspect, gave this book a fun twist that I hadn’t expected nor seen since reading The Lovely Bones.

With innumerable moments of nail-biting suspense, it was difficult to put this book down. Characters and their dialogue are so expertly crafted, you come to love or hate them with an abrupt intensity.

The best part of this book was that you never knew what was going to happen, despite your best theories, and it was refreshingly unconventional in its conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for the advanced copy. The opinions are my own. ( )

The perfect "ghost" story. As I read, I was watching the motion picture in my mind... and I may just have a few nightmares. Don't read this one right before you go to sleep if you're not a fan of scary books.

Sometimes, it's the smallest things that change or happen, or that our mind tells us has happened. And the way we realize how different things really were once we are grown. I feel like this summarizes June's experiences with Avril Island. What she pictures and a great childhood experience, save for the summer her father took off, doesn't seem so beautiful now that she's an adult and owns the island.

However, we all know that the bumps in the night almost always have explanations and these explanations will leave your jaw on the floor. At least, for this thriller addict, I didn't see that ending coming - which is my favorite type of book!

I can't wait to read more from Jessica Hamilton and until April 13th when the rest of the world can read this one! ( )

“To what lengths would you go to protect your family, and what can you do if you’re no longer around?” Good book...and good question for the “ghost story junkie”. A story of love...loss... deep dark secrets...and whether it’s possible to ever truly escape your past; or who you are. It’s atmospheric...intriguing... and downright creepy at times. I was never sure May was actually in the house or if she was only real to June. In several chapters she was very present...others as only a constant memory. I learned this was a debut novel for Jessica Hamilton and I would have to say she has a winner. I’ll be looking for more by this author. ( )

Published: April 13, 2021
Crooked Lane Books
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Jessica Hamilton was born in Australia but grew up in Ontario, Canada. She has lived and worked in the Czech Republic, Taiwan, India and Japan. She studied writing at the Humber School for Writers as well as George Brown College. She lives in Orillia, Ontario with her husband, son and daughter

“My only thought—June’s going to be so mad at me.”

June returns to the island her family owns after losing her sister suddenly and tragically. June returns to the island that she thought her mother had sold years before. June returns to the island that holds more than secrets and more answers than she is prepared for. Upon her return, June is faced with many instances of the past. Small town gossip, and her first crush- Ezra. As she gets closer to the truth, the real question becomes will June survive Avril Island?

This was a different kind of thriller, but I’m not mad about it. I enjoyed how this story unfolded, and the way the truth gets revealed was clever. The way the characters were used within this book was brilliant.

The characters in this story were all fascinating in their own right. I enjoyed how the island took on a life force and that memories were also strongly represented.

There is so much to unpack in this book. The plot is really well written, the story is clearly defined, and the characters add so much to the mystery and the madness.

I enjoyed the themes throughout this book. Relationships, familial and romantic, bonds, trust, secrets, truth, and the past, are all heavily represented. But there is also a heavy focus on grief, loss, acceptance, and forgiveness.

This was a brilliant book. I did not see the twists coming, and the way they get revealed to the reader is so clever and original. There is a lot to like about this novel. There is also a lot of heavy, dark reality to be wary of.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Jessica Hamilton, and I am impressed. She is a gifted storyteller, and she paints a brilliant scene. If you are looking for a book that will make you think, make you feel, and most importantly- make you remember, this is the novel for you. ( )

What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton is a recommended atmospheric mystery.

June Bennet's mother passed away, followed tragically by her older sister, May. Settling May's will, June now learns, at age forty, that she owns Avril island. She had been told the island with her family's hundred-year-old cottage on it was sold years ago, after the summer she was twelve and her father disappeared. June travels to the island in search of answers. She had spent her summers on the island with her beautiful and mercurial mother and beloved, protective older sister May. Now she is alone to face what happened in the island and look for answers. Soon it becomes clear that what June was told was not the truth about what happened years ago and that her family, i.e. her mother, had rumors swirling around her during that time.

As June grieves for May, May is there, haunting her in a sense, as a ghost. June is discovering the mystery behind her family's time on the island while spectral May is present in alternate short chapters, trying to help/contact June. It is an interesting idea but doesn't quite work well here. June's actual discovery of the secrets behind her family's departure from the island and her mother's duplicitous behavior are much more compelling. Hamilton provides plenty of mysterious happenings that can't be explained and clues that someone may be more than just curious about a Bennet's return to the island.

As the plot unfolds and June uncovers more information, we also learn more about June, which makes her a realistic character, but not entirely a sympathetic character. She has several flaws. The immediate attraction and connection to her childhood friend, Ezra, seemed a bit off and unrealistic to me. Certainly, most adults would take things more cautiously. I'll admit that I felt no connection for either May or June.

All in all this is a decent debut novel and I stayed with What You Never Knew for the mystery. Alas, while it was a satisfying ending, I saw it coming early on. This is a quick read; you can fly through the pages and reach the denouement swiftly. (A little note about an error: There was a description that said June put sweet-n-low in her coffee for the sugar rush, which had me laugh aloud. Certainly it will be corrected to a caffeine rush in the final edition, but this was indicative of some of the errors in the writing of the ARC.)
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Crooked Lane Books in exchange for my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2021/03/what-you-never-knew.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3907107623 ( )