Another clever thriller read here that I enjoyed. This author is on my auto read list. Many thanks to Netgalley and Hachette Books Ireland for the ARC

This is a dual-timeline novel set in 1980s Ireland and the present day.
Cara has always known she was adopted, however, the time to search for her birth mother has never been right. As her adoptive Mother is dying, Cara hears something that triggers the need to research her past.
Somebody Knows is a gripping saga that will trigger memories of how woefully women and young girls were treated in Ireland's recent past. I struggled to put this book down; it is superb.

This was a very engaging read by Michelle McDonagh and big thanks to Hachette ireland for my early copy of the book. Having just discovered the identity of her birth mother, Cara goes in search of how she ended up buried in a Connemara bog. Buried family secrets come to light as Cara is convinced that someone knows the full story. Highly recommended.

*Somebody Knows* by Michelle McDonagh is a gripping psychological suspense novel centered on themes of family secrets, betrayal, and the impact of the past on the present. The story follows Cara Joyce, a journalist who uncovers shocking truths about her own origins after overhearing a revelation on her adoptive mother’s deathbed. This discovery connects her to the decades-old unsolved murder of Lucia Casey, a young woman found buried in a Connemara bog. As Cara becomes consumed with uncovering the truth, she finds herself entangled with the powerful Casey family and the dangerous secrets they hide.

McDonagh masterfully captures the rural Irish setting, infusing the narrative with a strong sense of place while exploring the complexities of family dynamics and the lengths people go to keep dark secrets hidden. The novel blends atmospheric descriptions with suspense, drawing readers into Cara’s increasingly dangerous journey.

McDonagh, already recognized for her debut *There’s Something I Have to Tell You*, brings her experience as a journalist into this novel, lending it authenticity and depth. The story is rich in Irish culture yet universally relatable in its exploration of deceit, family ties, and the quest for truth.

Readers of Irish rural noir and psychological thrillers will find *Somebody Knows* an engaging and well-crafted mystery that keeps them turning pages until the shocking conclusion.

Sources: [6], [7], [8].

After her mother’s death, Cara learns a shocking secret about her family and her birth mother. A thirty year old murder of a young woman found buried in the bog of Connemara. The more Cara digs, the more she unearths of this shocking crime.
I absolutely loved Michelle McDonagh’s debut novel last year so I was super excited to read this! Michelle is fast becoming one of my favourite Irish crime writers. Her second book did not disappoint at all. Just as fast paced and twisty as her first with a story that just flowed from start to finish. Lots of characters to suspect and no idea how it would end I was gripped the whole way through! I would definitely recommend. Thank you so much to the publishers for the chance to read.

Somebody Knows by Michelle McDonagh is quite honestly a book that took me completely by surprise. It hooked me from the very first page and kept me gripped as we delved into Cara and Lucia's stories.

The author captures rural Irish life so well. She uses this story to tackle very difficult parts of Irish history, such as how we as a nation dealt with unplanned pregnancies and the adoption process that still to this day leaves many people without any knowledge of where they have come from.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dual timeline and dual narrators. It is a book full of twists and turns, with shocking revelations that are unfortunately very much the reality in some cases.

I must go back and read Michelle's first book because I really feel she will be an auto-buy author for me going forward.

With sincere thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to honestly review this book.

I loved this author’s previous book “ There’s something I have to tell you “ so I was very excited to have this book in my holiday read list. Unfortunately it didn’t live up to my expectations with a lot of repetition and a bit too maudlin in parts. That won’t stop me looking out for another from McDonagh because if one was so good another one might suit me too.

In her sophmore novel, Somebody Knows, Michelle McDonagh tackles the culture of secrecy and shame that surrounds unmarried mothers, and the fallout of the adoptions that took place throughout Irish history for one of the children 'adopted' through this system. Having just lost her mother, Cara discovers that her whole family knew both that she had been adopted, and that her her biological mother was murdered when Cara was a child.
Sent into a spiral searching for answers, the novel alternates pov between Cara's struggle to reconcile with her new reality, and her mother, Lucia's, experience up until her death. Full of familial secrets, twists, and rooted in Irish country life this novel is a worthy follow up to her debut, displaying a command of the genre through these characteristic hallmarks of McDonagh's style.

I had been waiting for this book to come out since I read the last one. Holding the reader in until the very end.

This is the first novel I’ve read by the author and it was a moving and emotional read.
Cara Joyce has always known that she was adopted but when her mother dies she discovers that her birth mother Lucia was found buried in a Connemara bog thirty years ago, her killers never found.
As Cara is reunited with Lucia’s family she begins her own search to discover the truth about her mother’s death.
This was a powerful novel and as an adopted person myself I was immediately drawn into Cara’s life and wondered how I would have felt if such a secret had been kept from me. The author sensitively portrays Cara’s need to find the truth alongside the grief she is experiencing for both of her mothers.
It’s also a reflection on religion and shame in Ireland and how so many young girls and women were treated.
The setting is beautiful and transported me to an area I’ve never visited but would love to.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

Wow, wow, another beautiful little book from Michelle McDonagh. Beautifully written, beautifully Irish. The quest for Cara to discover her birth mother’s story continues throughout this book, ever twisting and turning, reminding the reader of an Ireland of not that long ago. And like every family there are skeletons in the every closet. I love the turns of phrase used throughout as well as the little references that remind me this is my Ireland too. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

Another fantastic book by Michelle McDonagh. I loved her previous book, she's such a talent. Being from Ireland, a lot of the places mentioned in the book are very familiar to me. Compelling mystery, hooked from the opening pages.

What a rollercoaster of a book!
In a hospice Cara overhears a conversation with her aunt and her dad while her mother is battling her last breaths. She confronts them and now she’s in limbo her mother is dead and she discovers her birth mother is to.
She has a happy childhood always knowing she was adopted but how could her parents keep this from her.
As an investigative reporter she will find out what happened to her mother.
Twists and turns galore as she starts on a journey that yields so many secrets will she ever find out who’s telling the truth.
Brilliant read well written and keeps you guessing until the end

As this book begins, Cara's mother passes away. Overcome by grief, more information comes to light about the circumstances of her birth and subsequent adoption . Cara is a reporter, so starts looking into the life and death of her birth mother, who was found in a bog in Connemara. Little by little, the truth is revealed as Cara's and Lucia's stories are told.
I thought that the book was well written, it definately has an Irish feel, as people remember what happened 30 years ago and who was involved. My one criticism is that Kyan, Cara's husband, was not really fleshed out as a character and as such their relationship didn't feel so realistic . The plot is well thought out and comes together well, the final twist was unexpected
A good read though and I look forward to reading more from this author, thanks to Net galley for the ARC

I was delighted to get the opportunity to review the newest book by Michelle McDonagh as I had loved her previous book. As a Galway native, I loved all the local mentions in the story. I found the plot gripping from the start and I read the book over the course of a day. McDonagh is a talented Irish author that is quickly becoming one of my favourite writers. I can’t wait to read more books from her in the future!

Journalist Cara Joyce is looking after her adoptive mother who is dying. She overhears some information about her origins which connects with an unsolved murder 30 years ago, when a body was found in a Connemara bog. The body was that of Lucia Casey and the murder was never solved. In her quest to ascertain what happened to Lucia, she comes up against the powerful Casey family and at odds with everyone around her. The more Cara digs for answers and the truth, the more she’s up against a wall of silence. A compelling story which keeps you guessing, a page turner and one that is full of dangerous secrets. The ending is fantastic, one that the reader will never guess.

I loved the authors first book and was one of my favourites and was very excited to get accepted to read this one. The beginning of the book hooks you in but unfortunately for me I found it over complicated in parts but it was full of suspician and mystery through out. Even though I didnt love this one as much as her first one it is still an enjoyable read and have rounded this up to four stars and looking ofrward to what she writes next. Thanks to the punlisher and to netgalley for this e-arc.

Set in Ireland,a woman tries to find out about her biological mother after the death of her adopted mother. Lots of twists and turns and a bunch of entitled characters.

I loved this book. Cara always knew she was adopted, when her Mum dies she finds out that her mother was murdered. She then begins to investigate what really happened her Mum and the twists and turns keep on coming, A brilliant read

From the opening chapter this book hooks you in, then prologue further entraps you...
Told over dual timeline in the third person POV we hear from Cara and Lucia as the past comes back to haunt to the present.
With a strong cast of characters written with style and flair the writer takes on us on a journey full of secrets and dark lies interwoven with topical news worthy social observations and told in my favourite voice, an Irish one, although it doesn't have the same amount of dark humour as say a Graham Norton novel it does have the same amount of Irishness that makes these books that bit special, and to be honest the tone matches the serious of the plot.
This books works as both a mystery whodunit and as a family sage character novel. While I worked some of the twists the ending still packed a punch.
The writer captures the relationship between mother and child beautifully, furthermore she tackles the subject of dying with tenderness and care.
This is a book that will keep you reading long into the night and will stay with you long after reading.
If you haven't read the authors other work I highly recommend "There Something I Need To Tell You" along with this novel.