For fans of He Said/She Said and Anatomy of a Scandal, Penny Hancock's I Thought I Knew You is about secrets and lies - and whose side you take when it really matters.

Who do you know better? Your oldest friend? Or your child?
And who should you believe when one accuses the other of an abhorrent crime?

Jules and Holly have been best friends since university. They tell each other everything, trading revelations and confessions, and sharing both the big moments and the small details of their lives: Holly is the only person who knows about Jules's affair; Jules was there for Holly when her husband died. And their two children - just three years apart - have grown up together.

So when Jules's daughter Saffie makes a serious allegation against Holly's son Saul, neither woman is prepared for the devastating impact this will have on their friendship or their families.

Especially as Holly, in spite of her principles, refuses to believe her son is guilty.

Who do you know best? Your oldest friend? Your child? And who do you believe when one accuses the other of something terrible?

About the Author
Penny Hancock is the author of Tideline, a Richard & Judy book club pick, The Darkening Hour and A Trick of the Mind. She works at Anglia Ruskin University, supporting students with their writing, and lives in Cambridge. She is married with three children.

Reviews
Enthralling and addictive with relationships so real I can't believe they're not still continuing somewhere . . . Utterly brilliant -- Lisa Jewell
Brilliantly written and totally gripping. I loved it -- S. J. Watson on Tideline
A truly compelling story that captures exactly the complexity of friendship and motherhood and how everything we think we know can be challenged in one heartbreaking instant . . . Wonderful -- Jenny Quintana, author of The Missing Girl
A standout novel that blends irresistible characters with an engaging plot * Woman & Home *
Thought-provoking . . . The characters' dilemma really does leave you on a knife-edge -- Michelle Frances, author of The Girlfriend and The Temp
Emotionally compelling, I Thought I Knew You gets under the skin of the conflict between family and friendship, loyalty and suspicion when a terrible crime is committed. The portrayal of a lost teenage boy is heart-wrenching, while both sides of the story are painted with equal plausibility, leaving only instinct and unflinching maternal love -- Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You and Her Sister's Lie
Guaranteed to send chills down every mother's spine, cutting to the heart of what it means to be a parent. It's also an incredibly clever, nuanced analysis of female friendship and its limits . . . Beautiful, highly atmospheric prose and superb plotting -- Kate Rhodes, author of Hell Bay and Burnt Island
This emotive and thought-provoking book will l keep you guessing to the end * Woman's Weekly *
The best books force you to question yourself. Penny Hancock's thought-provoking, morally complex novel, I Thought I Knew You, explores friendship and motherhood put to the ultimate test. Long after it ends, you'll still be tying yourself in knots asking, 'Well, what would I do?' -- Tammy Cohen, author of When She Was Bad and They All Fall Down
A wonderfully nuanced, captivating page-turner -- Paula Daly, author of Just What Kind of Mother Are You? and Open Your Eyes
A fabulous premise, expertly delivered . . . constantly leaving you on edge and fearful for characters you care about -- Craig Robertson, author of Random and The Photographer
This is a great example of 'grip-lit', where the narrative pull is strong * Literary Review *
You'll probably want your friends to read it so you compare notes - were you Team Holly or Team Jules (or both, alternately)? And when you've finished discussing the book, you'll make extra sure you part on good terms * WI Life *



Book Information
ISBN 9781509867851
Author Penny Hancock
Format Hardback
Page Count 400
Imprint Mantle
Publisher Pan Macmillan
Weight(grams) 530g
Dimensions(mm) 224mm * 145mm * 39mm