She Thought I Knew

West Coast Mystery, #1

by

C.S. Cowan

With its deceptively intricate plot and engaging main character, SHE THOUGHT I KNEW had me hooked from start to finish.

She Thought I Knew is the first book in author C.S. Cowan’s new West Coast Thriller series featuring Simon Fraser University criminology professor Dr. Maeve Rosetti. Maeve returns home to her roots to support her estranged sister when Kathleen’s 15-year-old daughter, Jessica, goes missing after sneaking out of the house to attend a local dance. With time running out for a happy resolution, Maeve must confront the demons of her past to help bring her only niece home. 

The plot for the book is robust and full of intriguing secondary storylines: the death of Maeve’s husband, the old hurt standing between the two sisters, and their father’s unsolved disappearance when they were young, to name a few. But even more tangles are in store for readers as the story progresses. The author cleverly eeks out clues but reserves just enough detail to obfuscate the truth behind Jessica’s disappearance. I was certain I had this one figured out, only to find out I couldn’t have been more wrong. 

The story focuses on the impact on the missing girl’s family and the subsequent unfolding of family secrets. Maeve and Kathleen’s estrangement runs deep, and there is a walking-on-eggshells tension, which extends to include Kathleen’s husband, Doug, whenever the two are together. The appearance of Doug’s best friend, reporter Hank Jensen, was like a breath of fresh air in the highly emotional atmosphere. He and Maeve worked well together as they talked to possible witnesses or checked out leads to Jessica’s whereabouts. One aspect I liked about the plot’s very foundation is that Maeve lets the police do their job. She is the first to draw a line between her profession and that of the trained investigators, and everyone adheres to and respects that distinction. What she does uncover is that there are consequences to our actions, some immediate and some that manifest themselves long afterward. 

The author’s writing style was comfortable and easy to read, and I was absorbed into these characters’ lives from the start. The story is smartly paced, with twists occurring as new clues to Jessica’s disappearance start to taper off. The setting on the Sechelt Peninsula’s Sunshine Coast was unique, providing a lot of possibilities to figure in the search: populous Vancouver and rural west Canada, tourist hotspots, lonely stretches of beach, and mountainous areas, with drifters, “Coasters,” and the indigenous people all present and available for plot twists. 

With its deceptively intricate plot and engaging main character, I recommend SHE THOUGHT I KNEW to mystery and thriller readers and those who enjoy Canadian settings. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from Reedsy Discovery.