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I Thought I Knew You

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I Thought I Knew You

By: Penny Hancock
Narrated by: Laura Kirman
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About this listen

For fans of He Said/She Said and Anatomy of a Scandal, Penny Hancock’s I Thought I Knew You is about secrets and lies – and whose side you take when it really matters.

Who do you know better? Your oldest friend? Or your child?
And who should you believe when one accuses the other of an abhorrent crime?

Jules and Holly have been best friends since university. They tell each other everything, trading revelations and confessions, and sharing both the big moments and the small details of their lives: Holly is the only person who knows about Jules’s affair; Jules was there for Holly when her husband died. And their two children – just three years apart – have grown up together.

So when Jules’s daughter Saffie makes a serious allegation against Holly’s son Saul, neither woman is prepared for the devastating impact this will have on their friendship or their families.

Especially as Holly, in spite of her principles, refuses to believe her son is guilty.

 Domestic Thrillers Friendship Genre Fiction Psychological Thriller & Suspense Women's Fiction Fiction Thriller Suspense Exciting

Critic reviews

Enthralling and addictive with relationships so real I can't believe they're not still continuing somewhere . . . Utterly brilliant (Lisa Jewell)
Brilliantly written and totally gripping. I loved it (S. J. Watson on Tideline)
A truly compelling story that captures exactly the complexity of friendship and motherhood and how everything we think we know can be challenged in one heartbreaking instant . . . Wonderful (Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl)
A standout novel that blends irresistible characters with an engaging plot
Thought-provoking . . . The characters' dilemma really does leave you on a knife-edge (Michelle Frances, author of The Girlfriend and The Temp)
Emotionally compelling, I Thought I Knew You gets under the skin of the conflict between family and friendship, loyalty and suspicion when a terrible crime is committed. The portrayal of a lost teenage boy is heart-wrenching, while both sides of the story are painted with equal plausibility, leaving only instinct and unflinching maternal love (Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You and Her Sister's Lie)
Guaranteed to send chills down every mother’s spine, cutting to the heart of what it means to be a parent. It’s also an incredibly clever, nuanced analysis of female friendship and its limits . . . Beautiful, highly atmospheric prose and superb plotting (Kate Rhodes, author of Hell Bay and Burnt Island)
This emotive and thought-provoking book will l keep you guessing to the end
The best books force you to question yourself. Penny Hancock's thought-provoking, morally complex novel, I Thought I Knew You, explores friendship and motherhood put to the ultimate test. Long after it ends, you'll still be tying yourself in knots asking, 'Well, what would I do?' (Tammy Cohen, author of When She Was Bad and They All Fall Down)
A wonderfully nuanced, captivating page-turner (Paula Daly, author of Just What Kind of Mother Are You? and Open Your Eyes)
A fabulous premise, expertly delivered . . . constantly leaving you on edge and fearful for characters you care about (Craig Robertson, author of Random and The Photographer)
This is a great example of 'grip-lit', where the narrative pull is strong
You'll probably want your friends to read it so you compare notes - were you Team Holly or Team Jules (or both, alternately)? And when you've finished discussing the book, you'll make extra sure you part on good terms
All stars
Most relevant
Thought provoking, trust and faith stretched to capacity. Loved the diverse characters, each brought to life with excellent narrator skills. No matter how long your list books to read, add this one and find the time to enjoy. 5 stars

It was a treat to read this book

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This book is twice the length it ought to be. There is a frustratingly unnecessary amount of repetition throughout . Does the author have such a low opinion of the intellect of the audience that they feel the need to repeat the most mundane information several times? Or are they just stretching out this rather basic plot line to death? The middle class, one dimensional characters are irritating to begin with. As their arrogance and superficiality increases with each repeating chapter, an unhappy ending seems preferential. Perhaps that is the point. Having said all of that, it served its purpose as light entertainment and spurred my curiosity on enough to want to listen to the end.

Repetitive and culturally one dimensional

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Great story . Yes the two women are not particularly likeable as others said, but they are not meant to be. It's a thriller not a cosy romance.
Great narrator too. Does teenage voices very well . Description of the fenns is good too..

Couldn't stop listening

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Great storyline. Twists and turns. Moral dilemmas. Well worth reading. Going to look for more by same author.

Couldn’t put it down

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a great story and a twist which I always like in a book
narrator was very good and you could picture the characters

a very good story

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