Review: No One Can Know by Lucy Kerr

Title: No One Can Know by Lucy Kerr
Stillwater General Mystery Series Book Two
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

hree months. That’s how long ER nurse Frankie Stapleton has agreed to stay in her sleepy little hometown of Stillwater, helping her estranged sister save the family hardware store, working a few shifts at the local hospital, and most importantly, rebuilding the bridges she burned on her way out of town twelve years ago.

When a pregnant car crash victim arrives at Stillwater General, Frankie and the team race to save both mother and child—but only the baby lives. Rumors swirl that the accident was deliberate, and Frankie’s horrified to realize that she let the driver escape. But why would anyone want to kill Kate Tibbs, a social worker and the wife of an up-and-coming local politician? Frankie’s investigation turns up plenty of motives, from revenge to dirty politics, and even more suspects. There are secrets in Stillwater, and she’s determined to uncover them, even if it means involving her loved ones for help.

But when the baby disappears, her search for the truth becomes a desperate, deadly race against the clock. No matter the cost, Frankie must piece together the truth to stop a killer and save a tiny life in Lucy Kerr’s riveting second Stillwater General Mystery, No One Can Know.

Review:

No One Can Know is another perplexing mystery starring ER Nurse Frankie Stapleton. This second installment in Lucy Kerr’s Stillwater General Mystery series can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the first novel as well.

Frankie is on duty during a violent storm when John Mueller arrives with minor injuries he claims were sustained in collusion with a deer.  Just as his treatment is wrapping up, Katherine Tibbs is rushed into the ER barely clinging to life.  Pregnant with her first child, her injuries are so severe that ER Dr. Paul Costello quickly turns his ministrations to saving her unborn baby. Once the baby boy is safely delivered and rushed to the NICU, Kat unfortunately succumbs to her injuries. Katherine’s husband, Steven Tibbs, an assistant district who is in the middle of a political campaign, arrives in the ER just as Frankie discovers the first patient she was treating walked out of the hospital which immediately raises suspicions he was involved in Katherine’s accident. Plagued with guilt over not acting on her instincts that something was off with John, Frankie cannot help but poke around the investigation despite her ex-fiancée Sheriff Noah MacLean’s warning to stay out of the case.

Frankie has reluctantly made peace about her extended stay in her small hometown for the next few months. She is working part-time at the ER while also filling in at the family’s financially precarious hardware business. frankie is temporarily bunking with her eight year old niece Riley who has a huge case of hero worship on her fun aunt. She dodges her mother’s matchmaking efforts while at the same time putting up with her sister Charlie’s verbal barbs.  Frankie gets along great with her fellow nurses, but her relationship with Dr. Costello remains a bit acrimonious.

The police investigation quickly arrives at a standstill since they have the daunting task of trying to unearth a motive for Katherine’s accident. Frankie just cannot sit around waiting for the police to locate missing patient John so she begins looking for him on her own.  Running into him at the cemetery, he tells her some very puzzling information before disappearing once again. Following a couple of troubling murders and a shocking kidnapping, the pressure is on to figure out who is responsible for these crimes and why.

No One Can Know is a very clever whodunit that is fast-paced and engaging. Frankie is an excellent nurse and a very adept amateur sleuth. Her situation with her family adds interest to her character (although it would be nice if Charlie would take her sniping down a few notches). With a few well placed red herrings,  Lucy Kerr brilliantly keeps the identity of the perpetrator(s) and motive for the nefarious goings on carefully under wraps until a somewhat dramatic and nail biting conclusion. Another outstanding installment in the Stillwater General Mystery series that old and new fans will enjoy.