| Title | : | Do I Know You? |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0063091291 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780063091290 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 352 |
| Publication | : | First published November 30, 2021 |
Jane Ellison is a “super recognizer” able to identify strangers by the slightest facial details—the curve of a head, the arch of an eyebrow. When she spies human rights activist and heiress Bella Valencia in a crowded Boston airport, Jane’s convinced she’s found the person responsible for her sister Kit’s disappearance and presumed death eleven years earlier. But her attempt to detain the suspect ends with Jane herself fired and humiliated.
As Bella prepares to marry Will Pease, scion of the uber-wealthy, influential, and ruthless Pease family, famous for their wholesome wellness and lifestyle brand, on their private Cape Cod island, she grows increasingly anxious that her dire secret will be revealed and used against her by—of all people—the man she loves.
She has reason to fear: Jane is ready to risk everything for the chance to publicly expose Bella’s crimes at her upcoming celebrity wedding. But the more she digs into what happened that night, the more she questions her own assumptions.
Combining magnetic, wise-cracking narration and a skillfully layered plot, Do I Know You? is a gripping psychological thriller and tale of redemption that reveals the power of a sister's love.
Do I Know You? Reviews
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With Jane’s special ability as a super recognizer, she works as a Homeland Security agent at Logan Airport, averting disasters by identifying passengers who pose threats. When she happens to come across a VIP and his fiancée, Isabelle, the woman she recognizes wanted for a felony murder, she has them detained. The felony murder happens to be of Jane’s sister that took place 11 years ago.
The problem is that VIP Will Pease comes from a powerful and wealthy family, and they’re released before Jane can corner Isabella for answers. Jane’s sister Kit had ties to Will and even worked at his family’s party the night she disappeared. Now that Jane has Bella back in her sights, she won’t let the truth slip from her fingers this time.
I think I counted at least five schemes, then I gave up because it wasn’t even ten chapters into the book. This book may qualify for how many schemes (not twists) can be shoved into one thriller. The idea of Jane using her special ability to solve her sister’s murder is fresh and clever. The writing is exciting, and the pacing is good.
However, this book could’ve been told without all the unnecessary loose end schemes and the Pease story line. Umm, one simple phone call would’ve cleared up years of anguish for Jane and avoided everything that unfolded. Therefore, the entire story just isn’t plausible, which is too bad because I really enjoyed Jane’s sarcastic voice and her sharp analytical skills. Jane began as a strong character (before doubting herself), and I could picture an entire thrilling series play out with her intriguing skills, catching killers and international criminals.
It seemed the author was unsure what direction to take this thriller, so the kitchen sink was thrown in. Why the need for the mental health issues and the unreliable storyteller? It was so unnecessary and added nothing. Jane doubting her own abilities after spying the subway client engaging in espionage was enough of a wink to the readers.
Things go downhill fast when Jane and her boyfriend rent the beach house to be closer to the Pease family. The Pease wedding is approaching, so of course, more schemes (not twists!) appear under the big top. Erik’s guests crashing for the week could’ve been the plot for the entire book. The guests' constant interference while Jane investigated Kit’s disappearance, and her boyfriend’s odd behavior was more interesting than the silly Pease family drama.
The book also delivers major cringe factors. The youngest Pease son not only has an ongoing affair with his stepsister, but he goes on to marry his adopted sister. Yes, you read that correctly. And no I don’t care if he spent most of his time in boarding schools, when they were all raised together! Hard sell because they’re FAMILY! And it all has to do with gaining company shares to be in control of their empire. Puke! (So add at least 3 more schemes to the clown car!) And the multiple types of gaslighting from those closest to Jane? How about Shelia using her own young daughter as a pawn? What the heck? (Yes, another totally oddball scheme thrown in!)
It’s all too much to juggle when there was enough material for a decent book, and possible series, without the three ring circus. That being said, this book was a burning plane crashing into an exploding train, falling into an ocean of lava, and you still can’t pull your eyes away from the high entertainment factor, which just may be the author’s best scheme yet.
Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. -
I selected this book because the publisher promised readers a "gripping psychological thriller".
Unfortunately, this book never "gripped" this reader.
Lesson learned: Don't always believe the publisher's descriptive blurb.
"Do I Know You?" is set in Massachusetts and that earned this book its one and only star from this Massachusetts native.
The book's character development was lackluster and the plot was contrived, unrealistic, and at times, all over the place.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by a full-cast, including Hillary Huber, one of my favorite narrators.
Usually, full-cast audiobooks are outstanding but this audiobook was an outlier.
One star rounded up. -
Reviewed for
www.mysteryandsuspensemagazine.com
Jane Ellison never forgets a face- literally. She has been deemed by the scientific community as a “super recognizer”, making her able to identify people from even the smallest facial details. This works to her advantage when she takes a job with Homeland Security, helping to identify criminals and other wanted individuals as they travel through Boston’s Logan airport. But when Jane recognizes the woman who was the last one to see Jane’s missing sister, Kit, alive, she becomes determined to figure out the truth. The problem is, the woman Jane recognizes is a famous humanitarian, and the fiancée of the son to a very wealthy family. Jane knows she has to be right or her mistake could cost her more than her reputation. Is she willing to risk it all? Is her confidence in her ‘super skills’ enough to lead her to the truth?
Sarah Strohmeyer’s new novel, “Do I Know You?” is edgy and gripping. A seemingly average woman with an above average talent, Jane is constantly made to doubt herself, and is constantly being gaslit by everyone in her life, including her researcher boyfriend, Erik. Beyond Jane herself, there are very few likable characters in the novel, which works to Strohmeyer’s plot as absolutely no one is who they pretend to be, and everyone is keeping a secret.
The story is told from multiple perspectives- Jane, of course, Eve (the new matriarch of the famous and uber rich Pease family) and the bride-to-be, Bella. Each woman brings her own perspective to the novel, and allows for the reader to get a deeper understanding of each character. “Do I Know You” has a twisted, V.C Andrews vibe to it, with siblings (albeit adopted) sleeping with and marrying each other, and the quest for fame and money trumping all else.
I found Jane’s “talent” to be incredibly fascinating, and Strohmeyer is able to build a convincing and entertaining story from this. “Do I Know You” is both unique and creative, and it brings something refreshing to the psychological suspense genre. Jane is an admirable character, sticking to her beliefs even though everyone around her is trying to disregard them as “obsessions” or “hallucinations”. Jane’s commitment to find out what happened to Kit is completely believable and full of emotion, and I wanted nothing more than resolution for the sibling pair.
Every page in this novel will leave you guessing, and when the ending finally comes, it is both unexpected and satisfying. A story that pulls you in right from the beginning, “Do I Know You?” is creative, page-turning and completely addicting. -
Jane has a rare talent to recognize people even when they are heavily disguised and her abilities have landed her a job at Logan Airport working for Homeland Security. But when Jane spies Bella Valencia roll through Logan and she confronts her about what happened to her sister Kit over a decade ago, she’s immediately fired and blacklisted. Convinced this means Bella does have more information than she’s letting on, Jane makes it her mission to infiltrate Bella’s wedding and find out the truth of her missing sister.
I liked the facial recognizing abilities Jane possessed as that wasn’t something I was familiar with. I also really enjoyed the story about the Pease family and especially their social media influencer status. I thought all the play on words surrounding their empire were really clever!
However, I didn’t really connect with Jane and the whole relationship with her boyfriend and then his advisor and his family just felt bizarre and overplayed. Some of the story dragged a bit and I wanted more from the Pease points of view.
I also really dislike when a book does an information dump for the last chapter in an attempt to close out the story. Not only did this book do that, but I felt like there were still loose ends. Perhaps I missed some clues, but some of the twists came out of nowhere and felt like they were included more for shock factor than anything else.
Overall, I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it and it isn’t one that will likely stick with me.
Thank you to Harper and NetGalley for a copy of this novel. -
This book started a bit slow for me, but it got faster as it went along, speeding towards a great ending. It was a pretty exciting ride!
Jane is a super recognizer - she’s one of the rare people who are actually better than computers when it comes to facial recognition. She works for Homeland Security at Logan Airport in Boston, watching for suspicious people.
One day, she is told to go check out the passengers on a plane that has a VIP onboard. When the VIP deplanes, she sees that he is William Pease, model and part-heir to the Love & Pease lifestyle empire. Then she sees the woman on his arm, and breaks her cover. That woman is the last person who was seen with her deceased sister, Kit.
After losing her job for freaking out and accusing a VIP’s fiancée of murder in the middle of the airport, Jane starts digging on her own. That’s when we get into the meat of the story about a strange, incest-y family, a town ruined by opiates and the mystery of what happened to Kit.
The parts of the book talking about the Pease family reminded me so much of the weird family dynamics in V.C. Andrews books. A man marrying his adopted sister, while his stepsister looks on with jealousy? Odd, but they are an odd family, selling dubious “natural” products for massive profits (think Goop). Their part of the book was a bit over-dramatic, but Jane’s parts were fantastic.
Towards the end, speeding towards that finish, things really pick up and the reader is given a whole lot of information at one time. Maybe that could have been drawn out a bit, but it also made for a good ending. Overall, I really liked this nice, cozy thriller. Four stars for this dark and entertaining story.
(Thank you to Harper Perennial, Sarah Strohmeyer and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.) -
DO I KNOW YOU?
Sarah Strohmeyer
D --- Deviated. The book often deviated from the author's main premise that Jane was a super recognizer. Yet she couldn't recognize the guy on the surfboard? Was almost computer-like and then becomes an emotional mess. Works for the government but has major mental health issues (you can't have it both ways). Is this super recognizer and has identified terrorist but the government fires her when she recognizes a rich person as someone who has committed murder.
R-- reliable narrator... no! readable? Only sometimes.
I -- irritating characters. Sheila
B -- Best bitch characters ever! Sheila is a terrible character, a rich bitch person who deserves everything in life... she characterizes a self-entitled person.
B -- banal
L -- ludicrous ending that is EVERYWHERE without a purpose .. almost funny
E --erroneous (I couldn't think of a good thing for E)
I bet you can't tell that this book was a shit show for me. I hate when an author jerks her own characters around and pulls the rug out from under them and the reader as well. This whole book was a hot mess... scattered and disjointed. Characters that were just crappy, a storyline that was off reality.
2 stars
Happy Reading!
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One of the reviewers wrote they weren't sure what they just read. I'm on board with that. Yes, it was a decent mystery but it just went from here to there and from there to here. At times I wasn't sure what I was reading as far as the main character portrayed as a gifted super recognizer. I would read more stories by Sarah Strohmeyer because she apparently has more hits than misses.
If you viewed this review as awkward then that's how I felt about this novel -- a bit awkward. -
Jane Ellison is working for Homeland Security at Logan Airport scanning incoming passenger faces for terrorists or any other threat. Her ability as a super recognizer makes her perfect for the job as she can recognize anyone from as little as the shape of a jaw, forehead or brow. Jane also never forgets a face so when heiress Bella Valencia enters the airport, she jumps to detain the woman she holds responsible for her sister Kit's disappearance eleven years earlier. All chaos ensues, and Jane ends up fired when the mega-wealthy Pease family intervenes. Disgraced and black-listed, Jane decides to infiltrate the Valencia/Pease wedding to finally get justice for her sister. What she learns may surprise her.
Do I Know You is an intriguing thriller with a unique plot line. It starts off strong and sets a steady pace as Jane pursues Bella searching for the truth. It becomes a bit convoluted midways with several schemes hatched by Jane that seem doomed to fail from the beginning. The basic plot line is thrilling, and I enjoyed the story based on that and Jane's character and unique talent. The pace picks back up in the latter half and that's when it becomes hard to put down. All in all, Do I Know You is an enjoyable roller coaster of highs and lows that kept me guessing for some time. Recommended for fans of mystery, suspense and thrillers. 3.5 Stars
*Special thanks to Harper for an arc of this book.
**Reviewed at
Cross My Heart Reviews -
Jane Ellison works for Homeland Security scanning faces at airports for terrorists, etc. Jane is a super recognizer who remembers every face she's ever seen. Her sister Kit vanished eleven years ago. At the airport, she spots the woman who was with Kit when she vanished. After a confrontation, Jane loses her job but that's not going to stop her from going after the woman.
The prologue was interesting and different and left me feeling intrigued. I liked the premise behind the story but that fizzled out pretty quick. It was interesting enough to keep reading but I don't think this was the book for me. Because the last quarter of the book picked up the pace, I upped the rating. -
So thankful to Harper and Sarah Strohmeyer for this unique thriller. It was about Jane, a woman with the ability to recognize strangers by the slightest facial details. Her sister Kit disappeared and is presumed dead, and Jane thinks she just spotted the person responsible. Jane is ready to risk everything to expose the truth, and she will stop at nothing to see the right person brought to justice.
Thoughts: The idea of a “super recognizer” is a very strange premise. I feel like there were tons of things shoved into this book that didn’t need to be there. The book wasn’t plausible and did have some plot holes. There was a lot going on, so I’m not sure the author knew which direction to take this book in. There are also lots of odd and twisted family dynamics that the book didn’t really need.
The plot was unique, but it did drag in the middle. The ending however, was anything but slow. It had every possible twist in the last few chapters, which isn’t really my style of book. I think one or two big twists always tops eight medium ones, but that’s just me. It was entertaining but could have used more fleshing out. 3-stars. -
The main character in this one is a super recognizer, meaning she has an ability to see peoples faces and pick out the slightest details of these faces even if they’re disguised or concealed. I thought that was such a unique angle and something I know nothing about, but it’s a real thing. Anyway, that was about the only original thing to be found here for me unfortunately. It has a decent opening and then it gets very slow only to pick up the pace in the end but in a wacky way. Think soap opera style twists that are outlandish. The audio was really well done though, truly the only reason I finished but ultimately nothing standouts for me with this one.
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Lord, do I miss Marilyn Stasio, the long-time NYT Crime Mystery columnist. Her successor pens delightful reviews, alas Sarah Weinman's choices either seem too creepy for me or too often turn out to not my type of mystery at all. Do I know You, one of her latest recommendations, turns out to be a real dud. The characters are nincompoops who strained my patience and credulity and the book's plot, like the central character, was way overwrought.
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This was an enjoyable read that held my attention, but there were too many unanswered questions and dangling plot lines for me, and the ending felt a bit rushed, and random.
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my mind is SPINNING!!!!! I don’t even know what I just read lol
the characters in this book were infuriating. our main character, jane, is a super recognizer who can remember any face she sees even just once who is obsessed with finding the person who killed her sister. so obsessed, I might add, she has become the most trusting person to strangers she just met. veryyyyy interesting.
and then there’s jane’s husband, erik, who seems like a teddy bear but he’s definitely making up for something because he’s a crap liar. dave and sheila, erik’s friends who they’re sharing their rental with, are the most spoiled people on the face of this planet. I wanted to slap them silly for taking advantage of poor jane the entire time.
and don’t even get me started with the pease family - who definitely covered up jane’s sister disappearance.
it all seemed so predictable and yet, I found myself unable to put it down, turning page after page until I figured out all of the twists. to be honest, I wasn’t expecting there to be any - I just wanted justice for jane and her sister.
UNTIL. the last three chapters. holy crap.
I was literally saying “wait what!!!” every other sentence I read. it seemed like the author crammed every single twist she could think of into one chapter. it was a bit much on my brain but I so appreciated it. they really had me fooled.
thank you to goodreads and the publishing company for sending me an advance copy to read in exchange for an honest review. in bookstores 11/30/21 (my birthday people!!!!)
3/5 stars :’) -
Jane is a super recognizer. This means she is capable of easily identifying strangers via their facial details. When Jane is at the Boston airport performing her duties, she recognizes Bella Valencia. Bella is a human rights activist and Jane is convinced that Bella was responsible for her sister, Kit’s disappearance 11 years ago. As Jane digs further into this situation, she is creating more questions than answers. Was Kit’s disappearance really tied to Bella?
I had never heard of a “super recognizer” so I was really intrigued by the premise of this book. I wasn’t disappointed! This was a fast paced story with plenty of unpredictable twists thrown in. It even offered some dry sarcastic humor as well. I found it to be a very enjoyable read!
Many thanks to Harper Paperbacks for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future. -
Boy oh boy this book was a hard one. So many characters, so much going on. I struggled trying to read it and figure out what was happening. I did finish it and it the ending wrapped up really quickly.
This was a different read for me.
The Mary Reader received this book from the publisher for review. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are our own. -
I initially had a hard time distinguishing between all the different characters, but once I got it figured out I was super invested in the story. I had NO idea how it was going to end and I was pleasantly surprised by it. Highly recommend for suspense and thriller lovers!
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Looking for spoilers? There's a summary link on my blog:
https://www.howdidthatbookend.com/sar...
Thank you to the publisher for a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review, and to Harper Audio for a complimentary audiobook!
I’m always fascinated by books about people with outstanding natural abilities. Jane is a “super-recognizer”, and one day while working for the TSA at Logan Airport she recognizes a girl that she believes was responsible for her sister’s disappearance and supposed death.
I loved Jane’s character. She was unique and clever, and very well-written. She herself at Logan in hopes of one day spotting her sister, and was determined to use her unique ability to figure out what really happened to Kit. Jane’s chapters were very enjoyable to read. I wish she stood up for herself more with her overbearing guests! Those scenes reminded me of Lights Out In Lincolnwood, where the boss did the exact same thing of helping himself to scarce resources. I would be so mad if someone wealthier than I crashed my vacation and expected me to foot the bill and watch their children.
Unfortunately, this book had too many loose ends for me. The Pease family drama felt entirely unresolved, and I think we could have done without their POVs. I would have rather had the story focus on Jane and her snark and wit. I’m not really into the whole “it’s incest but not technically” trope--as someone with an adopted sibling, that is way too yucky for me. There is NO WAY IN HELL my brother would date my adopted sister, despite not being genetically related, and this always completely grosses me out in stories.
The main storyline of Jane and what really happened to Kit was so good (other than one pet peeve that would’ve rendered the whole book implausible), but the side plots somewhat detracted from the overall feel of the novel. -
A fast-paced story that kept me guessing; the ending was a surprise! I will be watching for more from this author.
*Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review. -
Jane Ellison is a “super recognizer” able to identify strangers by the slightest facial details—the curve of a head, the arch of an eyebrow. When she spies human rights activist and heiress Bella Valencia in a crowded Boston airport, Jane’s convinced she’s found the person responsible for her sister Kit’s disappearance and presumed death eleven years earlier. But her attempt to detain the suspect ends with Jane herself fired and humiliated.
As Bella prepares to marry Will Pease, scion of the uber-wealthy, influential, and ruthless Pease family, famous for their wholesome wellness and lifestyle brand, on their private Cape Cod island, she grows increasingly anxious that her dire secret will be revealed and used against her by—of all people—the man she loves.
She has reason to fear: Jane is ready to risk everything for the chance to publicly expose Bella’s crimes at her upcoming celebrity wedding. But the more she digs into what happened that night, the more she questions her own assumptions.
Combining magnetic, wise-cracking narration and a skillfully layered plot, Do I Know You? is a gripping psychological thriller and tale of redemption that reveals the power of a sister's love.
My Thoughts: Alternating narrators delve into the lives of the characters, from the wealthy Pease family to FBI agent Jane Ellison. Other characters fill in the layered story and offer just enough intrigue to keep me reading Do I Know You?
I loved the setting of Boston and Cape Cod as it offered up the bits and pieces of the lives of them all. I was curious about how family friends with two toddlers dropped in on Jane and her boyfriend Erik in their tiny guest cottage, expecting to be waited on…and offering no help with cooking or cleaning up. As it turned out, the guests had a secret agenda which morphed into a frightening series of events for Jane.
Jane is searching for answers to what happened to her sister years before, and everyone seems determined to keep her from discovering whether she had disappeared or died. Meanwhile, the wealthy possible perpetrators are planning a huge wedding nearby, so Jane finds a way to join the event.
Suddenly a stunning series of twists and turns lead Jane to an unexpected denouement. 4.5 stars. -
Jane Ellison has a rare ability to recognize people even when they are heavily disguised and her abilities have landed her a job at Logan Airport working for Homeland Security. She is known as a super recognizer. When Jane recognizes Bella Valencia moving through Logan, she confronts her about what happened to her sister Kit over a decade ago. She is immediately fired and blacklisted. Jane finds out that Bella is engaged to be married to rich and powerful Pease, and is sure the family has done this to protect a guilty Bella. Jane is sure that Bella has more information and is determined to infiltrate Bella's and Will's wedding to find out what happened to her sister.
This is a book that had it's ups and downs for me. Jane is living with a University professor who always seems to treat her like she is beneath him, but she loves him. At times he looks like he is helping her, at others, not. I didn't like him very much and because of that was frustrated with Jane as well. It seems like she did nothing to discover her sister's killer for ten years, then suddenly became obsessed, once she saw Bella again. I can understand that as she has lost her job and has nothing else to occupy her mind. Parts of this story gripped me and other parts, were just meh. Once I got about 1/2 of the way into it, I couldn't stop and it got extremely suspenseful. My opinions and ideas completely flipped and had me wanting to do nothing else but listen. I guess what I am trying to say, is stick with it. The ending is strong and I loved the way the author ties up all the loose ends. The audiobook is narrated by a full cast and that always makes a story more interesting to me. They did a great job with the voices, accents and emotion in the story that kept me listening. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating and opinions shared are my own. -
Hippity Happity Hoppity! 😳😯🤯😳
Whoa! Double whoa! First let me start off by saying the premise of this book was not only refreshing, but very unique & that definitely helped keep me engaged. The crazy secret twists, the different characters, & the plot line was very enticing to me. You constantly question everyone, even Jane! And the lead up to the ending is nothing short of exciting & entertaining.
Jane works as a Homeland Security Agent and has a specific special ability known as "super recognizer". She's able to detect and avert any posing threats by certain passengers she sees. On duty one evening, she comes across a VIP, Will, & his fiancée, Isabella. She is wanted for a felony murder from eleven years ago, & Jane nearly puts herself at risk trying to have them detained, as it involves Jane's sister. Jane's sister, Kit, had ties to Will and his very wealthy & influential family back then & now Jane refuses to let Isabella get away again to seek justice for her sister. As Isabella is to marry to Will, she also will have to deal with his family and all the turmoil & secrets that entails them, as well as steering clear of Jane. What will Jane end up doing? Will she finally get the answers that's been years in the wondering.
Everyone along this story has a secret and no one is who you expect or they appear, which helps add another layer to this psychological thriller.
The ending was very unexpected for me and yet also rectifying & satisfying. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel & the crazy spins throughout. Sarah knew what she was doing writing this & throwing a unique plot & storyline to the genre. I'm still thinking about it. Very well executed.
I give this 4 / 5 Bouquets! 💐 -
This book was decent. I found the concept interesting however the plot of the book became confusing and hard to follow. The main character was interesting but the rest of the characters were infuriating. I think if the plot twist would have been left out, the book would have been better..
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This is one of those books that draws you in quickly at the beginning, starts to bore you in the middle and has a lot of info thrown at you in the end. The idea of a character being a super recognizer was new to me and I was very interested in reading this story because of that. We really get to hear about her using this skill at the beginning of the book, but then sadly, this ability is only used a couple more times. I was expecting it to be more widespread throughout the story, so maybe that's just on me. Lots of unlikable characters, some people can still get into a book that way, but I find the less interested I am in people, the more likely I am to skim along hoping for some excitement which doesn't really come along until the end of this one.
I'm having a hard time calling this one a thriller. It's more of a suspense. Not a bad book, but not a great one for me. -
Do I Know You by Sarah Strohmeyer had a slow buildup, setting the background for the Pease family as well as Jane Ellison's own family dynamic. However, as I got closer to the end, it becomes gripping, and kept me turning the page until the epilogue.
It's too slow, is what I think. I was invested in Jane's story at first, about why she thought that this girl from a wealthy and powerful family was her sister's killer. But then, the POV was swapped to a woman named Eve. Now, why should I care about Eve? She has had no relation to the story at all (at least, it was made clear later, but not at that point in time). And she's talking about the Peases with her daughter Megan. Throughout the whole part with the Peases, I cannot find a single redeeming factor about them at all. I mean, likely because that's supposed to be the case--you're not supposed to like them--but that would mean that every time the POV swapped to any of the Peases, I felt like putting the book down.
Not to mention that during the chapters with the Peases, there would be entire paragraphs of description about wedding attire, certain ceremonies they're supposed to conduct at the wedding, etc., which makes the whole thing rather long and it slows the pace down. Even Megan's interactions with Queenie, and the other Pease siblings, didn't feel at all necessary. I thought she would be playing a more major part in the story other than .
I also did think that the whole subplot with Sheila was unnecessary. .
Erik, and Dave, needn't be in the picture as much as they should have. They literally played no part in it other than to .
Moreover, why didn't .
All in all, I think you would need quite some patience to get past the first few chapters, dealing with many subplots that seem unrelated at first, but somehow ties together Kit's disappearance. However, there are also some subplots that make the whole thing seem more convoluted than it is. -
Jane Ellison is a "super recognizer" able to identify a face she has seen only once. It could be the shape of the head, the type of walk, and so on. But so what? It's just an idea from the author to have Jane recognize a woman she believes was involved in her sister's disappearance. It plays virtually no role in the story except to get Jane fired and have friends think she's crazy.
The book takes the reader down a lot of dead-end alleys; she doesn't offer red herrings so much as dead fish. There are plot points that end up going nowhere. Who punched Jane in the face while she was in the water? We never find out--Why was Bella ready to run off in the night to disappear just before her wedding? I don't know. Why do Will Pease, scion to a fortune, and Megan, daughter of the empire's founder, keep saying it will all get worked out. What? What will get worked out? We don't know.
And the worst offense of this book is its ending. No reader can have figured it out--none of how it ends has anything to do with Jane's adventures or misadventures. It just annoyed me. -
DO I KNOW YOU? has an interesting premise. A “super-recognizer” who is determined to solve the mystery of her sister’s disappearance. Jane’s perspective and love for her sister was what kept me reading. I would have preferred the story to be told only from Jane’s perspective. It felt a little chaotic at times with everything that was packed into the plot, but it will definitely keep you guessing.
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This was a super engrossing, really fast read. I meant to sit down and read for a few hours and ended up finishing the entire thing!
The story revolves around a woman named Jane who is something called a “super recognizer”. She literally works at the airport watching people and can detect a match from their watch list as soon as she sees a face. One day at work, she sees a face from her past and it triggers memories from her past. She's then pulled in to chase down the person she feels is responsible for her sister’s disappearance when they were teenagers.
But the more she remembers + digs in to the details from that fateful night, the more she questions what she knows. Who can she trust? Can she even trust herself? Why do so many other people seem to be involved?
This book is perfect for fans of Lisa Jewel with it’s pacing and plot twists. The ending made me go back and reread a few pages because I was like NO WAY!?!? Which I think is the sign of a skillfully layered plot. This is a great little psychological thriller with a side dose of sisterly devotion and love.
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Do I Know You? by Sarah Strohmeyer is a psychological thriller who follows Jane in her journey to find what truly happened to her sister who went missing when she was younger. Jane is a super recognizer, which means that once she sees you-- she never forgets your face. When she sees Bella, the woman who was with her sister that fatal night when she went missing, she will stop at nothing to find out what happened to her sister, Kit. But what do you do when Bella is about to be apart of a powerful and wealthy family-- the kind that has secrets of their own to hide.
I really enjoyed the super recognizer premise of this book. That was a new concept to me-- one that I have never read about before. It also made for the main character, Jane, to be an unreliable narrator at times-- which I love in my thrillers. It makes for an interesting read when you are unsure who to believe in the story.
I always like a book that has different perspectives. It adds a different layer when you can get into the other character’s minds. One of the aspects that was a little confusing was that not all the chapters were labeled with who’s perspective it was from. It just made it harder to figure out who you were reading about and made it so you had to read a few paragraphs before realizing whose story you were reading.
There were also many twists and turns throughout this story, especially at the end. I definitely did not see the ending coming. I was shook.
One thing that I am unsure about is the entire marriage between Bella and Will. They kind of left that a bit unanswered. Did Will really love her? Or is he planning on killing her and taking the shares to the company, which is why he didn’t really rip up the prenup? Is he going to kill Bella and marry Megan? It felt like that was a pretty huge storyline and kind of the point of Bella and Megan’s perspectives in the book, but it felt a little unresolved for me there.
Overall though, I really enjoyed this book. There were aspects to this thriller that were new to me and twist and turns throughout.
Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
