You Don't Want to Know by Lisa Jackson

Author: Lisa Jackson
Publisher: Kensington
Date of Publication: August 2012

 Almost everyone, including Ava’s semi-estranged husband, assumes the boy drowned after falling off the dock near their Church Island home.  Ava has spent most of the past two years in and out of Seattle mental institutions, shattered by grief and unable to recall the details of Noah’s disappearance. Now she’s back at Neptune’s Gate, the family estate, her strength slowly returning. But as Ava’s mind comes back into focus, she can’t shake the feeling that her family, and her psychologist, know more than they’re saying. Are they worried for her well-being—or anxious about what she might discover?


 I thoroughly enjoyed You Don't Want to Know.  I will readily admit that I didn't figure this one out until Ava did. I thought I had it figured out in the beginning, but I was so wrong!  I think this book would make a great movie.  It reminded me of the 1944 movie Gaslight with Ingrid Bergman.  You know the main character is sane, but things keep happening that you start to wonder if she really is slowly going crazy. I really don't want to say much more about the plot.  Aside from making her look crazy, someone is trying to set her up as a murderer.  Ms. Jackson throws so many twists and turns into this book that you will not know who to trust. 

I loved Ava's character.  I felt for her every time she thinks she sees or hears her missing son.  I think losing a child would be enough to make her go out of her mind.  All of the other characters in the book seem a little shady.  All of them have a motive to want to drive Ava out of her mind and back into the hospital.  I was so rooting for Ava to get back on track and figure out what was going on.

The only thing I didn't like about the book was the "romance" between Ava and Austin Dern.  I wasn't exactly sure when they were supposed to have fallen in love.  Aside from an attraction, I just didn't see it.  Everyone kept mentioning that she looked like she was in love with him.  How and when did it happen?  Honestly, I think it would have been fine to leave out that whole side plot. While it was a nice addition to the ending, the book really didn't' need it.  

I know fans of Lisa Jackon's books will enjoy this latest stand alone novel.  Want to know if Noah is still alive?  Is Ava going crazy?  Read the book and find out!