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I received a free copy from Beyond the page Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!



I've got mixed feelings about this book. There were moments I really enjoyed reading it, but at times I didn't like it at all. The writing is OK, and the story sounded really interesting, but it had its flaws. The story is based on (but not a description of) a real Los Angelos murder case, where Afro-American women (mostly prostitutes) have been murdered over a long time, without people paying a lot of attention to the case. Of course, it's very good that these things are brought to our attention.



My biggest problem was with the main character, and more specific with all the melodrama surrounding the main character. The list is almost endless, discovering bodies, stalkers, hate-mail, an it's-complicated boyfriend, breast cancer (and her sister has probably cancer as well). Oh, and she's a best-selling author/journalist, but actually she's just doing the job the police should do: investigating the murders. Her it's-complicated boyfriend, who's running the investigation (sleeping with the author who's going to write a book on your case seems a bit, uhmm, unprofessional?), even asks her to run some errands for him on the case; could he not ask his police-minions to do those kind of things for him? And besides, they keep her updated on every aspect of the case as well, even though the case is still open and she's a reporter! It's not just the it's-complicated boyfriend, the pathologist happily joins in and shares even more information with her.



There were a number of chapters with the POV of the serial killer, but I had some trouble understanding what they added to the story. It was obviously a way of creating more suspense by foreshadowing what was going to happen, I can see that. But it was an opportunity to give the serial killer character a body, and some character development other than him just being the big bad guy. (Not that serial killers aren't bad, of course they are). Unfortunately, the only things that becomes clear trough these chapters is that he's clearly mad and delusional. And that's the end of the explanation we get on why he does these things? (But why does he only murder one person a year if he is so mad and delusional?)



Overall, I really thought it has a good theme, but I've read a lot of detective stories, so obviously I've become more critical, especially when it comes to details like the ones I described above. ( )

I've been in a reading slump lately so writing a review for this book right now may not be entirely fair. Nothing wrong with this book, it just didn't grip me. I'm pretty sure I grabbed this because it was compared to The Women's Murder Club (which I loved until it became a tv show and then felt like the books were written for the screen). Some people complained about the amount of characters and sub-plots in this book, but they didn't bother me. Nothing real thought-provoking to say about this book, unfortunately. To be honest, I finished it a week or so ago and already forgot whodunit. I may try more of this author's books to see how they improve. ( )

It's hard not to admire the bravery of an author that opts to write a crime novel in a strong, first person voice. A lot of a reader's enjoyment of that novel may then be hanging on their like, or dislike, of the central character. In the case of crime reporter Syeeda McKay we have a very upfront woman, despite her recent breast cancer surgery; her on again, off again relationship with Detective Adam Sherwood; and odd friendships and encounters with old school friends.

Part of what works about McKay's voice is a hint of self-doubt, and humour. Which is particularly useful as she does seem to be prone to jumping off the deep end, straight into the mouths of sharks when it comes to her investigative technique. I suspect if her voice, and her personality is at all jarring to any reader, the number of times she seems to close her eyes, whack on the most inappropriate shoes (so to speak) and launch herself into the shark enclosure will drive you utterly bats. Somehow, luckily, for this reader, her voice worked, and whilst there were times when a good slap around the ears seemed warranted, at the same time it made sense that she'd be leading the charge of the well-intentioned but mildly daft.

Whilst elements of the plot revolve around another one of those "mad / bad / lunatic serial killer / targeting women / probably because he hates his mum or his aunt made him eat his sprouts or whatever" scenarios, NO ONE KNOWS YOU'RE HERE does manage to bring some new angles to that well raked patch. There's enough there to make you wonder whether it is the serial killer striking always, or whether there's a copycat, or even an opportunistic villain out there. And whilst we do have some concentration on the killer, there's nothing voyeuristic or uncomfortably intense about it. As McKay is the central figure, the action always comes back to her viewpoint, and she does a particularly good line in the poking a hornet's nest style of investigation, all the while dealing with her own personal issues in a rather matter-of-fact and refreshing manner. Although you do wonder what she did in a previous life as everything seems to happen to Syeeda McKay. Which leads us onto what appears to be the major downside of this book. The ending is just too unbelievable and yet somehow, sadly, very predictable.

But, even allowing for the odd wobble, if you'd like to read something which has a really strong, unique central female character then NO ONE KNOWS YOU'RE HERE has more than enough good to balance it all out. Certainly left me hoping that McKay makes another appearance.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-no-one-knows-youre-here-rachel-how... ( )

Syeeda, a recently laid off reporter is on the trail of a serial killer - with a complex relationship with the lead investigator, she unknowingly is in the killer's sight and stalked by a deranged fan, life is certainly not boring!
Great suspense thriller, the end threw me for a loop! Looking forward to what Howzell creates next! ( )

I struggled with scoring this book a 4 or 5. Thankfully LibraryThing allows me to split the difference.

This fine mystery novel with a message is set in the African American culture of Los Angeles. The author has obviously lived in the world of which she writes. She is articulate and easily bounces between the have and have-nots.

I found the storyline and characters to be engaging. I did not want to put the book down but I find life is better with occasional sleep. Give this indie author a chance. I, for one, am awaiting her next book. ( )