It's One of Us: A Novel of Suspense
It's One of Us: A Novel of Suspense book cover

It's One of Us: A Novel of Suspense

Hardcover – February 21, 2023

by
Price
$18.79
Format
Hardcover
Pages
400
Publisher
MIRA
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0778311768
Dimensions
6.31 x 1.2 x 9.23 inches
Weight
1.14 pounds

Description

“A smart, taut, mind-blowing thriller full of heartbreak and betrayal that moves along at breakneck speed. IT’S ONE OF US is a force to be reckoned with. I’ve always been a fan, but Ellison has outdone herself with this one. Readers will be obsessed!” —Mary Kubica, New York Times bestselling author of Just The Nicest Couple “Betrayal, obsession, and familial ties that bind create a tension-filled story with an intriguing theme. Readers will race through the pages to an end they didn’t see coming.” — Library Journal , STARRED REVIEW "A heart-stoppingly tense thriller about the price of secrets and the layers behind every marriage." —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman In Cabin 10 “J.T. Ellison has done the impossible by crafting a riveting domestic thriller full of twists and turns, but also heart and emotion. You’ll root for her heroine Olivia Bender every step of the way, as soon as a knock on the door brings shocking news that threatens her marriage and her world. You won’t be able to put this novel down!” —Lisa Scottoline, New York Times bestselling author of Loyalty “Expertly explores the intensely complex emotions surrounding infertility, loss, and marriage. Throw in murder, a vivid cast of characters, and shocking secrets, Ellison masterfully mines the human heart in this treasure of a thriller that will keep readers turning the pages long into the night.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author of The Overnight Guest “J.T. Ellison is one of my favorite authors. I eagerly await everything she writes. And in IT’S ONE OF US she is at the very top of her formidable game. Don’t miss this layered, emotional, and twisting thrill ride.” — Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six "Beautifully written and impossible to put down, master storyteller J.T. Ellison will have you spellbound with this deeply layered psychological thriller. Immersive and propulsive, IT’S ONE OF US, keeps you turning pages with an ending you’ll never see coming. I loved it!” —Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish "An extremely compelling thriller shot through with twists and turns, a strong emotional pulse, and heartfelt exploration of the pressures of marriage and starting a family. Impressive and gripping." —Gilly Macmillan, internationally bestselling author of The Long Weekend “Brings all the twists, chills, and thrills I expect from the preternaturally gifted Ellison, and it’s also an emotionally resonant read that I can’t wait to recommend to my book club. The secrets snarled in the threads of an unraveling marriage and a heroine who wholly won me over put this one on my keeper shelf—you are going to love it!” —Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author of With My Little Eye "One of the most compelling psychological suspense stories I’ve read in years." --Jacquelyn Mitchard, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean "This gripping, breathless thriller, adds an incredibly unique premise and delivers a novel that’s also a deeply poignant story about our deepest desire for love, family and happiness." --Hannah Mary McKinnon, internationally bestselling author of Never Coming Home “ It’s One of Us is an emotional and thrilling psychological journey through the shadows of the human heart. Just when you think you know what’s coming, prepare to gasp with each new revelation. Through multiple fascinating points of view, layers of secrets, lies, love and loss are revealed. I did not put this book down until the last unexpected and breathless page. Unpredictable, intense and riveting, J. T. Ellison is at her heart-stopping best." —Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of Once Upon A Wardrobe "The perfect mix of edge-of-your-seat tension, deep emotion, and impeccably developed characters, J.T. Ellison’s latest is a masterclass in storytelling. Secrets and lies, love and loss mix flawlessly to create a novel that touches every single emotion. Fans of Lisa Jewell and Ruth Ware will flock to IT’S ONE OF US, and book clubs won’t be able to stop talking about it. Five dazzling stars." —Kristy Woodson Harvey, New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Veil "An extraordinary, unpredictable, absolutely riveting thriller and a fiercely insightful, emotional journey, this is psychological suspense at its most enthralling and intense." –Jayne Ann Krentz “Secrets and lies abound, relationships are tested, and the twists keep coming. Ellison outdid herself, a master storyteller. This is a must read, especially the author’s note at the end, which gutted me.” --Kerry Lonsdale, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post & Amazon Charts Bestselling Author J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 25 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary show A WORD ON WORDS. With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim, prestigious awards, and has been published in 28 countries. She lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens.

Features & Highlights

  • “A smart, taut, mind-blowing thriller full of heartbreak and betrayal that moves along at breakneck speed. Readers will be obsessed!”
  • —Mary Kubica,
  • New York Times
  • bestselling author of
  • Just The Nicest Couple
  • Everybody lies. Even the ones you think you know best of all . . .
  • Olivia Bender designs exquisite home interiors that satisfy the most demanding clients. But her own deepest desire can’t be fulfilled by marble counters or the perfect rug. She desperately wants to be a mother. Fertility treatments and IVF keep failing. And just when she feels she’s at her lowest point, the police deliver shocking news to Olivia and her husband, Park. DNA results show that the prime suspect in a murder investigation is Park’s son. Olivia is relieved, knowing this is a mistake. Despite their desire, the Benders don’t have any children. Then comes the confession. Many years ago, Park donated sperm to a clinic. He has no idea how many times it was sold—or how many children he has sired. As the murder investigation goes deeper, more terrible truths come to light. With every revelation, Olivia must face the unthinkable. The man she married has fathered a killer. But can she hold that against him when she keeps such dark secrets of her own?
  • This twisting, emotionally layered thriller explores the lies we tell to keep a marriage together--or break each other apart . . .

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(514)
★★★★
25%
(428)
★★★
15%
(257)
★★
7%
(120)
★
23%
(393)

Most Helpful Reviews

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Closely Guarded Secrets Come to Light in J.T. Ellison’s New Shocker, ‘It’s One of Us’

When two people fall in love, it seems inevitable that they will eventually want to start a family. Sometimes, through no fault of their own, however, that dream is shattered into a million pieces when they discover one of them is infertile. Having experienced this firsthand, we know how devastating this can be. Now, in It’s One of Us, master storyteller J. T. Ellison (Her Dark Lies) offers readers a look into the troubled world of couples who are unable to have a child. But this story comes with a shocking twist, one you will never see coming.

Meet Park and Oliva Bender, childhood sweethearts who seemingly have it all, including successful careers they love. The one thing they don’t have yet is a child. So far neither IVF nor fertility treatments have proven successful.

Although Park is open to adoption, Olivia is adamant in her desire to give birth to a child. However, it just doesn’t seem meant to be. Olivia just lost baby number six. How can she possibly disappoint her husband yet again?

When Olivia goes to the kitchen to tell her husband, Park answers the door. As he leads two homicide detectives into their kitchen, Olivia looks up from the television where it is being announced that the body of Beverly Cooke has been found. Suddenly, she realizes that her world is about to change.

The detectives reveal that a partial DNA match to Park has been found in Cooke’s car and the evidence points to Park’s son. This stunning revelation opens the door to carefully concealed trove of secrets, and soon more of them must be revealed. For years before, Park donated his sperm to a clinic and has no clue how many children he helped bring into the world.

From this moment on, readers are led down a dark and twisty path filled with more questions than answers, questions which will have readers wondering just how well they know the people closest to them. The result is a novel rife with tension and palpable suspense.

While this story captivates due to Ellison’s careful plotting and skillful writing, it gains its verisimilitude through Ellison’s graceful and candid handling of Olivia and Park’s infertility trials. As such, readers will feel the Bender’s anguish, despair, and disappointment along with them.

As life tests their mettle, readers will likely wonder how they would react in the characters’ shoes. This is where Ellison shines, even as she makes us all examine our own flaws and strength of character. It’s One of Us is a tale that takes readers on a thought-provoking and insightful journey through a marriage and examines how disappointments and trials test even seemingly rock-solid relationships. This book will live on in your imagination long after the final page is turned.
4 people found this helpful
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One of the best psychological thrillers I have read

I loved this book, stimulated questions, thoughts, very interesting dynamics
1 people found this helpful
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solid read

I ordered this book for my book club and it didn't disappoint. I figured out a lot of what happens before it happened (probably because I've read so many murder mystery books) but there were still a few surprises. Is it predictable? a little. is it still great read? definitely. I would recommend it.
1 people found this helpful
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Good read

Easy to read and hard to put dowb
1 people found this helpful
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Heart stopper

This book is so heartwrenching that you forget for a few minutes that it is a thriller. Then the knock at the door happens and you are then taken on a crazy ride. I have read all of JT's books but this one is so different and personal. This one is a must read but be prepared to not put this book down until you are finished.
1 people found this helpful
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Thriller

Loved this book read it in one day. This book was very interesting and an edge of the seat thriller.

Great book J T
1 people found this helpful
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Fantastic

Excellent from the very first page. Clever storyline and terrific and complex characters. Fantastic book!
1 people found this helpful
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When a DNA test finds more than you expected.

Olivia and Park Bender have been wanting a child. In between her demanding job as a designer her attempts at becoming pregnant have failed. She has had several miscarriages. Fertility treatments and IVF has been hard for them.

Out of the blue they get the news that Park’s son was suspected of murder. Olivia knows this is a mistake as he does not have children.

With Park’s admission that he donated sperm to a clinic while he was in grad school, it is possible he has children. There are strict rules on how many times your sperm can be used, but sadly the clinic did not follow those and finds out he has over twenty something children and 19 males are under suspicion.

A young girl has found out she has half siblings because of the clinic. She has tried to contact several of them online and by the time she meets Park, things get out of control.

One emotional and intense roller-coaster of a ride. The past has come back to haunt them. We all make decisions every day and have no idea how they affect others.
1 people found this helpful
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Had my fingers flying through the pages! (5+ stars)

Despite a glamorous career as an interior designer for the wealthy, Olivia Bender’s life still feels unfulfilled. She would gladly sacrifice her perfect life for one thing. A child. But fate has not been her friend. Over the past two years she has endured one fertility treatment after another ranging the gamut from IUI to IVF only to still be left childless. Heartbreakingly, Olivia’s problem doesn’t seem to be getting pregnant, but staying so. And it has happened yet again. So when she hears the doorbell that morning, she’s pretty sure it won’t be good news. And she’s right. It’s the police. And they want to talk to her husband, Park.

Making themselves comfortable in the couples well-appointed kitchen, the two detectives reveal that there has been a partial DNA match to Park. With further explanation, it appears that, despite his lack of any offspring, the DNA found belongs to his son. Olivia’s doomsday thoughts turn to relief. It has to be a mistake. They obviously don’t have any children. Then Park makes a life altering confession. Years ago, before he and Olivia got serious as adults, he made a donation to a sperm bank. He was assured that the company was above board and highly ethical, but Park has no idea how many children he may potentially have out in the world. A fact that terrifies Olivia.

Surely that’s the worst she could learn about her adoring husband though. But as the police investigation delves even deeper, more and more deception is laid bare. Olivia watches as her once idyllic life threatens to crumble right before her eyes. But that is the least of her worries. For Park is not the only one in their marriage holding dark secrets. She has her own. Perhaps this makes the two even. But, even if it does, will she ever be able to look at her husband the same way again?

Unsurprisingly, I am in full, unadulterated love with It’s One of Us. Why was this so expected? Well, for one, I am never disappointed by a J.T. Ellison thriller. But, this time around, she really outdid herself by crafting a story unlike anything I’ve ever read. Wholly original, this premise had my fingers flying through the pages. Sigh, why can’t all books be like that?

So what made it so out-of-this-world? To begin with, I was wrapped up in this addictive tale right from the start which is apropos for Ellison. Circling around some pretty shocking secrets and lies, there is a certain amount of real world experience that must have been part of the planning for this novel. If not, then I’m even more blown away. Regardless, the entire book came off as well-written, perfectly organized (which is saying something considering the number of POVs), and completely spellbinding. Just the way I love my thrillers.

Next up on why this was so darn good is all down to the mind-blowing twists and turns. While I’ve read quite a few books recently which came off as over-the-top, not once did I feel that way with this one. Even with the gripping climax. Quite frankly, I’m just not sure how Ellison managed to pull that off, but I’m overjoyed that she did.

Finally (don’t get me wrong, there was plenty more that I loved, but I have to limit myself after all), the characters screamed authenticity. From the sometimes back-and-forth warring emotions of marriage to the heartbreaking decisions mothers sometimes have to make, each individual felt genuine and straight out of real life. Bravo, Ms. Ellison, bravo!

After closing the book the final time, I’m left thinking about the pivotal topics. Already an auto-buy author for me, I was thrilled to find myself so taken by yet another one of her books. While the murderer was alluded to early on (which led me to correctly guess who it was), it not only didn’t ruin the plot, but kept me hunting for why. And I certainly didn’t expect the heartrending conclusion. So, if you love compelling yet captivating books that fall heavily on the psychological thriller spectrum, pick this one up ASAP. I can’t imagine that you’ll be disappointed. Rating of 5+ stars.

Trigger warning: fertility issues, miscarriage, abortion, infidelity, breaking and entering, stalking, kidnapping, mention of: rape

**Just a bit of a warning concerning the triggers, this book focuses extensively on infertility and miscarriage straight off the bat and continues to be a major plot thread throughout. So, if you have any experience with either, you may want to rethink picking this one up. Forewarned is forearmed, I always like to say.
1 people found this helpful
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Unique!

I just started the book and already intrigued by its uniqueness! Topic is rare but exciting. Donor fathers are more common than you think!
1 people found this helpful

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