THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS

4 stars out of 5 

Almost always, I cringe when I start to read a book that flips back and forth in time; maybe it’s my advancing age, but it takes me half the book to figure out what’s happening when, leaving not enough time to get truly invested in the story. I’m not sure why it didn’t happen here, but I’ll chalk it up to a rather unique style of writing by the author; at no time did I feel lost. Yes, the story was a bit complicated (and “dark” would be an understatement; if you don’t care for blood and guts, very large white teeth and characters who have no concept of what it means to play nice, this isn’t the book for you).

Set in Australia, almost entirely in the fishing town of Kangaroo Bay, the book showcases native daughter Minnow Greenwood, who, under a pseudonym, became a popular TV news reporter in Melbourne. When one of her interviews turned nasty, she was disgraced – and returned to her hometown nearly broke and hoping a print journalist friend could help her find work. Both her parents have been missing for years; her father ran a fishing charter but took out his frustrations on his wife – who ran away several times over the years but always returned home – and their children, Minnow and her very protective brother Heath. In fact, her father has long been suspected of killing their mother, but nothing has ever been proved. Another Kangaroo Bay fishing expert, long-time friend Terry Hargrave, finally tired of their father’s abuse and killed him; but here, too, no body has ever turned up nor any evidence that he’s not among the living somewhere.

But these days, Kangaroo Bay has a bigger problem: infestation by Great White whales, a protected species that is perpetually ravenous. Usually, they don’t hover close to shorelines, but lately they seem to have taken a liking to this town – or more specifically, a couple of humans who went swimming in the bay but should have thought better of it. Not long after Minnow returns home, one of those sharks strikes again – while she’s there to watch the gruesome chowdown.

Long confused and concerned about what really happened to her parents, Minnow begins to share childhood information with her journalist friend, hoping he’ll catch a whiff of a big story. As they poke around and interact with people Minnow knew way back when, chapters flash back to her harrowing childhood and what was really going on that made her who she is today. But as their digging – both figuratively and literally – continues, it becomes clear that someone, or several someones, will do just about anything to keep them from getting too close to the truth.

It’s truly a harrowing tale, softened only because some of the characters truly deserve what they get. A twist near the end comes as a surprise, though in retrospect, it shouldn’t have been. Definitely worth reading (it's short enough to polish off in a day), and I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to sink my teeth into it.

The Only One Who Knows by Lisa M. Matlin (Bantam, March 2026); 272 pp.

THE STRANGER UPSTAIRS

4 stars out of 5

In many ways, there's not much to like in this debut novel; certainly not the main character, Sarah Shade, or her meek husband Joe, or anyone in the small but upitty Australian town who are, shall we say, less than welcoming to newcomers. And for sure, Black Wood House, the broken-down old house Sarah and Joe purchased - dubbed the "Murder House" because of what happened there years ago - is less than inviting to all but the most desperate would-be homeowners (readers, however, can be pretty sure it will play a central role - probably a horrific one at that - in this book).

And of course, that's exactly the case - and that's what makes the book as a whole quite likable. The couple are hoping that new identities and a new-to-them house will help them escape secrets in the place from which they came and turn a tidy profit after Sarah and Joe fix it up. But thanks to a not-so-forthcoming realtor, they slowly learn the hard way that the old house - built in 1889 - is harboring more than a few secrets of its own (put another way, things that go bump in the night tend to do it loud enough to wake the dead). 

To make matters worse, all is not well between Sarah and Joe. Sarah, a therapist and successful media influencer and blogger, hopes that getting rich from the house flip will bring her closer to Joe, who for the most part isn't having any part of it. Gradually, readers learn what happened in the couple's earlier years and watch Sarah's not-so-gradual descent into madness as the house takes on a life of its own with a Stephen King-like flair. 

It's a not totally unfamiliar story concept, but it's cleverly written with plenty of twists and turns that made me wish I could finish it in one day (as it was, I managed it in two by postponing dinner by half an hour or so). The ending? Again, a twist - but one that wouldn't have been satisfying done any other way. Loved it, and I heartily thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy. For sure I'll be watching for more from this very talented author!

The Stranger Upstairs by Lisa M. Matlin (Bantam, September 2023); 278 pp.