No One Knows You're Here

 

No One Knows You're Here by Rachel Howzell Hall
6/30/26; 363 pages, reissued
Thomas & Mercer 

No One Knows You're Here by Rachel Howzell Hall is a recommended thriller. This novel was originally published on 11/21/11 and is being reissued.

Syeeda (Sy) McKay is a crime reporter in LA who is currently following the Phantom Slayer investigation. She is writing stories on the investigation and hopes to publish a book on the serial killer who has targeted sex workers in South Los Angeles for nearly twenty years. She was reached out by the latest victim to meet with her for more information. Instead Sy discovered her body at the meeting site. This latest victim, as a minister's daughter, didn't really seem to fit the profile of the victims.  It helps that Sy's on/off boyfriend Adam is a police detective on the cases and can feed her more information along with other inside sources like Spencer, the medical examiner. There is also a delusional stalker who is following Sy.

There is a lot going on in this novel and not all of it relates to the current investigation or past cases. The reason I'm reading the novel is for the mystery and the investigation. While some personal life of the protagonist inserted into the plot is expected, it seemed that much of the drama inserted in this story follows events in Sy's personal life and these minor story lines sometime overwhelms the actual investigative. The perpetrator was easily identified early on in the story which perhaps made the added personal drama more frustrating.

Ultimately, Syeeda became an unlikable character. While she is intelligent, it seems she often makes foolish choices and bad decisions which put her directly in the path of danger. Be prepared. If you have an alarm system, use it. Don't meet strangers anywhere by yourself. If you have that little feeling you are being watched, listen to it and get to a safe place. And, for a woman recovering from recent cancer surgery, she could allow herself to take some time off to recover rather than continually put herself in the path of danger. Or, alternately have her recovered now and don't include this in the plot.

The ending was very abrupt, which was a disappointment. In the author's end notes it was interesting to know she based the plot on the true story of the Grim Sleeper case, however, as a reader, I wasn't there for the additional lecture. It made some assumptions about the readers. This is a revised and reissued edition of the novel that you can tell it was originally published in 2011.  3.5 rounded down when required. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.