You Will Know Me by Megan Abbott

Pages: 340

Intended Audience: Adult

Genre: Suspense

Notes for Parents: The main character is an adult, and the story has coarse language, some sexuality, and mature themes.

The Back Cover

How far will you go to achieve a dream? That’s the question a celebrated coach poses to Katie and Eric Knox after he sees their daughter, Devon, a gymnastics prodigy and Olympic hopeful, compete. For the Knoxes, there are no limits—until a violent death rocks their close-knit gymnastics community and everything they have worked so hard for is suddenly at risk.

As rumors swirl among the other parents, Katie tries frantically to hold her family together while also finding herself irresistibly drawn to the crime itself. What she uncovers—about her daughter’s fears, her own marriage, and herself—forces Katie to consider whether there’s any price she isn’t willing to pay to achieve Devon’s dream.

What the cover doesn’t tell you:

The author is best known as a crime writer, but is also a blogger and journalist.

What’s good?

This is a disturbing story about parents who discover how deeply they’ve become invested in their daughter’s future as an elite gymnast. The plot reveals gymnastics as a subculture that begins at a young age and is full of stress, physical pain, sacrifice, determination, rivalry, and privilege. This is mixed with the world of teenage girls—self-esteem issues, sexuality, gossip, jealousy, back-stabbing, and drama. The characters are vivid and well-drawn. Devon, the gymnast, is cold and focused, while her mom Katie is hopeful and a bit clueless. Dad Eric is motivated by anxiety. And Devon’s little brother Drew is the forgotten, invisible child. Fellow gymnast mom, Gwen is an instigator that pushes the tension higher. The writing is good, the plot is solid, and the ending is provocative.

Best Part: Drew.

What isn’t good?

The action is predictable. Oddly, that didn’t ruin the story. The fascinating part is watching mom Katie as she realizes the truths about everything and everyone around her—her daughter’s desire, her husband’s desperation, her son’s observations…it’s like watching a train wreck. The pace was a bit slow to start, but it picks up. With the exception of Drew, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable.

Worst part: I don’t understand why it mattered where Katie was standing when Devon’s accident happened.

Recommendation ☺☺☺☻☻ (3/5)

It started slow, but by the end I was riveted. This is ultimately a story about relationships and the things we do for the people we care about.  It raised some interesting questions about what parents and spouses are willing to do to maintain a textbook façade. It wasn’t the mystery I expected, but it was a compelling story. 

Abbott, Megan. You Will Know Me. New York: Tom Doherty Associates, 2010.