In the book No One Can Know, Emma Palmer finds herself pregnant and moving back to her mudered parents’ house with her new husband, Nathan. At the height of her morning sickness, Emma’s sister, Daphne, breaks into the house and leaves her some toast. In light of the story as well as the Christmas holiday, I chose Egg Nog French Toast to pair with this book.  Check out the recipe here from Life Tastes Good Like it Should.

In the world of small-town politics, appearances can be everything.  Randolph and Irene Palmer had established a seemingly perfect life in the town of Arden Hills.  They had money, power, and three beautiful daughters- Emma, Juliette, and Daphne.  They were also willing to go to extremes in order to hone their flawless image.  Through control, abuse, and fear, they demanded their daughters uphold their impossible standards.  Juliette, the eldest, conformed to her parents’ vision and was often seen as the “perfect” daughter. Emma, the middle child, was the rebellious child who was known to openly challenge her parents.  Daphne, the youngest, was known as a strange child who often had macabre interest.  She was often treated as a child much younger than her actual age. As the girls grew older, the physical abuse began to increase.  Then, one night, both Randolph and Irene Palmer were murdered in their own home.  Rebellious Emma and her perceived boyfriend, Gabriel, were treated as the prime suspects.  Without concrete evidence, however, neither one of them were ever charged with the crime.  After the murders, Juliette, who was already 18,  left for college.  Emma and Daphne were shuffled to various foster homes.  None of the sisters kept in contact, and soon they became virtual strangers to each other.

Years later, Emma finds herself married to Nathan, a man she does not really love.  She discovers that she is pregnant on the same day that she learns that Nathan lost his job and all of their savings.  With nowhere to go, Nathan suggests the couple move into Emma’s parents’ home.  He had no ideas that the Palmers were murdered.  As they enter Arden Hills, Nathan is soon confronted with the true nature of Randolph and Irene’s death as well as the suspicion that still surrounds Emma to this day.

Emma quickly finds herself surrounded by the mystery of her parents’ murders.  What REALLY happened on that night?  Did one of her sisters kill their parents?  Was there a tie to Randolph’s shady business dealings or Irene’s affair?  When bad people die, does it really matter who you are trying to protect?

No One Can Know investigates the bonds that can form through severe trauma and the strength of family ties. Each one of the Palmer sisters severely wronged their siblings in some way, yet the sisters still pulled together in order to protect each other. They did so without feeling the need to ask each other who really did kill their parents. While No One Can Know did not include the same surprise elements as Kate Alice Marshall’s last book, What Lies in the Woods, it still includes a twisty story that keeps the reader guessing until the very end.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️