Honest Review of ‘No One Needs To Know’ by Lindsay Cameron
No One Needs To Know delves into the lives of three mothers living on the Upper East Side and showcases the immense pressure families face to gain admission into the most prestigious high schools. The author highlights how financial resources and the privilege they afford can dictate one’s life trajectory.
I was excited about this book’s interesting and unique premise, but I have to say, it didn’t quite live up to my expectations. I kept comparing it to Girls with Bright Futures, which had me hooked to my headphones the whole time. But this book was a bit of a struggle for me to get through, and I found myself looking forward to the end.
I appreciate the effort that goes into writing a book, so I prefer not to be overly critical in my negative reviews. Instead, I’ll summarize my thoughts in bullet points to highlight what I enjoyed and what didn’t quite work for me.
Synopsis
It was all confidential. Right up to the moment when it wasn’t.
UrbanMyth: It was lauded as an alternative to the performative, show-your-best-self platforms—an anonymous discussion board grouped by zip code. The residents of Manhattan’s exclusive Upper East Side disclosed it all, things they would never share with their friends or their spouses: secret bank accounts, steamy affairs, tidbits of juicy gossip. The same people who, as parents, go to astonishing lengths to ensure that their children gain admission to the most prestigious boarding schools and universities. So when a “hacktivist” group breaks into the forum and exposes the real identity of each poster, the repercussions echo down Park Avenue with a force that none could have anticipated.
And someone ends up dead.
Is the murderer Heather, the outsider who would do anything to get her daughter into the elite’s good graces and into their even better schools? Norah, the high-powered executive failing to balance work with the emotional responsibilities of motherhood? Or Poppy, whose perfect-on-the-outside façade conceals more than her share of secrets?
Each of them has something to hide.
Each of them will do anything to keep secrets hidden.
And each of them just might kill to protect their own.
Why you should read it
Why you should skip it
CHARACTERS
PLOT
WRITING
Conclusion
While the premise was interesting, No One Needs To Know didn’t quite work for me due to excessive descriptive writing and an underdeveloped plot. Additionally, I found the characters to be unlikable. However, I know everyone has different tastes, so if you’re in the mood for an easy women’s fiction read with some parental drama set on the Upper East Side, it might be worth giving it a shot.
Best Quotes
Where to Buy
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No One Needs To Know
RATING: ★★/5 ᐧ || ᐧ No One Needs To Know delves into the lives of three mothers living on the Upper East Side and showcases the immense pressure families face to gain admission into the most prestigious high schools. The author highlights how financial resources and the privilege they afford can dictate one’s life trajectory.
URL: https://www.amazon.com/No-One-Needs-Know-Novel/dp/0593159101/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1685404866&sr=8-1
Author: Lindsay Cameron
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