Bookseller Reviews
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Hard-hitting but brilliant!
July is 10 years old. She knows 18 things about her mother, who died when she was young, and her family found too upsetting to talk about. So when her teac... READ MORE
Compelling and addictive read!
I received a proof copy of What July Knew and was so excited to get my hands on a copy. This is one that definitely did not disappoint and I became hooked ... READ MORE
Synopsis
One death. Eighteen facts. What's the truth?
How do you solve the mystery of your mother's death if no one wants to talk about her? Not even your family. Especially not them.
July knows a lot about her mother. She knows that she loved dancing on tables. That she was covered in freckles. She also knows that she misses her. Her mother died in a car crash when July was little. Or so she's been told.
July is determined to find out the truth. But it might be more painful than the lies she's been told all these years.
A compelling and moving mystery about family, community and the secrets people keep to protect those they love. Perfect for fans of Joanna Cannon, Janice Hallett and Elizabeth is Missing.
______________________________________
Praise for What July Knew:
'July Hooper is a brilliant creation. . . a captivating story' T.M. Logan
'Touchingly effective in conveying a childhood lived in fear' Sunday Times
'Tenderly told and utterly compelling, full of twists and surprises' Emma Stonex
'Funny, thrilling, nostalgic and deeply affecting' Chris Whitaker
Publisher information
- Publisher: Vintage Publishing
- ISBN: 9781784709433
- Number of pages: 336
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 20 mm
- Weight: 237g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allTotally absorbing.
A totally absorbing psychological drama from Emily Koch, you'll read Juky's story and fall utterly in love.
It is compelling from the get go, you are with... READ MORE
I absolutely loved this book
I absolutely loved this book. This book is not like anything else I have read before, and these days that's getting rarer for me.
Set in the summer of 199... READ MORE
What July Knew
I have read, and enjoyed, a couple of this author's books already so I was quite excited to get my hands on this!
July Hooper, aged 10, lives with her fath... READ MORE
A book club must read!
July Hooper is a 10 year old girl whose mother has died. She believes that this is due to a car accident but events suddenly occur to challenge this belief... READ MORE
Heartbreaking but wonderful
This is certainly a very compelling novel, though at times, a little hard to read what July has to endure.
It's a family drama packed with emotion, poig... READ MORE
Excellent premise, less than stellar delivery
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel for an honest review. It is set to be published in February 2023.
"Wha... READ MORE
Compelling read - great for book clubs
This is an extremely well written and moving account of a 10 year old child's quest to find out more about her late mother. July was told her mother died i... READ MORE
Unexpected and bright
It took me a little while to get into this story but when I did, I needed to keep reading. July is a bright, inquisitive ten year old who has an abusive f... READ MORE
A rollercoaster of emotions
Loved this story. July didn't know a lot about her Mum at the beginning of this book, but, after her teacher decided to set the class a task that would pur... READ MORE
July is an endearing child
July Hooper is a lonely girl who knows that her mother died in a car accident when July was very young. There are very few other facts that July knows beca... READ MORE
Brilliant sensitive story
It is July 1995. July is ten years old. She lives with her father, stepmother & stepsister. She keeps a list of the things she knows about her mother- not ... READ MORE
Beautifully written
Absolutely loved this story. There was a character I despised greatly in it, and would encourage people to check out trigger warnings for this book.
We f... READ MORE
Totally engaging story about love, family and the dangerous assumptions we can make about them
Totally engaging story about love, family and the dangerous assumptions we can make about them. What starts as one version of events, is completely changed... READ MORE
Intense and moving, this is an utterly captivating mystery.
“This rare ribbon of information was handed over by her grandma, who promptly realised she had pulled it loose from the forbidden fabric of conversation th... READ MORE
Emotional rollercoaster
I read this book courtesy of NetGalley. A strong, and sometimes disturbing, book which I was thoroughly engrossed in, reading it in a day. A well written... READ MORE
Dark twisted read
This is a dark and at times upsetting book to read about a young child being emotionally and sometimes physically abused by her father and when she is aske... READ MORE
Great story-telling, characters you care about. Brilliant read!
What a brilliant read! I loved this book and read it avidly, desperate to find out what happened.
In a similar vein to 'The Trouble with Goats and Sheep' ... READ MORE
I enjoyed every page a fabulous book, a disturbing topic
What a fabulous read that was! It’s Summer of 1995 and 10 year old July Hooper lives with her father Mick, stepmother Shell and stepsister, Sylvie. Thoug... READ MORE
Brilliant, I loved it
This story is so well written. It took me through an emotional rollercoaster, with parts that made me smile, but many that made me sad and angry. It’s a ta... READ MORE
goid but a bit overlong
I've enjoyed Emily Koch's previous books, but this one didn't quite win me over. I did like the gradual unravelling of the secrets of July's past, her re... READ MORE
A Child's Need To Find Out More About Her Deceased Mother.
summer, 1995. July Hooper knows eighteen things about her mother. Like number 13: she loved dancing on the kitchen table. And number 8: she was covered in ... READ MORE
An endearing child character study / mystery
4.5⭐️
The setting is 1995, July Hooper is a sweet kind good natured child who lost her mother as a youngster. No one will talk about her mother or what ha... READ MORE
An enthralling story
My first book by this author & it certainly won’t be my last. A brilliant read & definitely a different take on a crime/psychological thriller. Let me take... READ MORE
What July Knew
⭐️ 5 ⭐️
I knew from the very beginning that I was going to love What July Knew — I was instantly captivated by Emily Koch’s writing — it’s fresh, flows be... READ MORE
A very moving story
This is a true to life story about an abusive parent, who abuses both his wife and child. It is very sad when people see that something is wrong but are af... READ MORE
What July Knew
It is a hot summer in 1995 and the children have broken up from school for the summer holidays. They have holiday homework and that is to write a story ab... READ MORE
Hardhitting – in many ways
July Hooper knows eighteen things about her mother.
Like number thirteen: she loved dancing on the kitchen table. And number eight: she was covered in frec... READ MORE
Super intriguing - totally recommend
Thank you to NetGalley and Harvill Secker for accepting me as a pre-publication reviewer of this book.
Emily Koch, you had me totally hooked reading this... READ MORE
The Hardness and Happiness of Life Through a Child's Eyes
I really enjoyed reading this book, it pulls you in with both the story and the fantastic descriptive writing.
July is a great character, she'll remind you... READ MORE
Beautifully written
July Hooper lives with her dad, step mum and step sister. This story starts on her 10th birthday, a day July loves and dreads in equal measure. Try as sh... READ MORE
Captivating read
What a captivating read! Uncomfortable in places but I never wanted to give up as I felt like I would be abandoning July when she needed someone. Excellent... READ MORE
Must Read
I was amazed that Netgalley approved me to read this book and the publisher Vintage Books / Penguin Random House!!
I had seen other people raving about ... READ MORE
Uncomfortable, challenging, brilliant
In places this book felt deeply uncomfortable and challenging. July is trying to find out more about her mother but the truth is not what she is expexting.... READ MORE
A beautifully written book of childhood, innocence and the realities of being a victim of child abuse
Set in the 1990s, a period in time when peoples reactions to domestic abuse was cautious; a reluctance to interfere,; a fear of making unwarranted allegati... READ MORE
A fantastic book
It’s July 1995 and there’s a heatwave, the kind that boils your blood and induces rage which is always easy to achieve for Mick Hooper, father of July aged... READ MORE
Great read with a brilliant central character
July collects facts about her dead mother like a magpie but with a father so unwilling to talk about her it’s an uphill struggle. That is until July turns ... READ MORE
Fabulous!
I was sent an advance proof copy of What July Knew by Emily Koch to read and review by NetGalley. I absolutely adored this book! I almost feel grateful t... READ MORE
Amazing character
This is a brilliant read told from the point of view of ten year old July who finds a sticky note in her school book which prompts her to investigate if he... READ MORE
Well written, recommended!
10 year old July lives with her Dad, his partner and her daughter. July longs to know everything about her Mum who died when July was two, but no-one will ... READ MORE
Literary mystery with an endearing protagonist
July Hooper was endearing in her innocence. We meet her in the pivotal summer she turns ten years old. She adores her father, Mick, and tries valiantly to ... READ MORE
Phenomenal
Happy publication day @emilykochwriter
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July knows 18 things about her mother. But not the truth.
OK, so this is tough to read in places d... READ MORE
Can't rate this book highly enough
"What July Knew" by Emily Koch deserves so much more than the maximum 5 stars I can give it. This book could be so easily dismissed based on the cover, as... READ MORE
A mystery that will break your heart
My heart is broken for July Hooper, 11-year-old heroine of this moving story of a motherless girl who knows very little of her dead mother - and is afraid ... READ MORE
Recommended
I really enjoyed this. Great story line and really well written characters. The ending was amazing. Highly recommended.
Powerful and poignant
As July starts her school project to discover more about her dead mother, layers and secrets are gradually revealed. Trying to find the truth from adults c... READ MORE
Thought Provoking
A lovely, thought provoking novel; July wants to know about her late mother, but no-one is prepared to tell her anything so she treasures the few things sh... READ MORE
A hard to put down novel
This brilliant novel is like being carried along at speed by a tidal wave. I found it so hard to put down following July as she tried to discover the truth... READ MORE
Psychological mystery surrounding death of a young girl's mother
July (10) knows her mother died in a car accident seven years ago, but her father, Mick, blocks all requests for details with angry words – or a fist. She... READ MORE
Sad yet beautiful
July's mission in life is to find out about her dead mother. She keeps a secret list of all the things she has so far managed to find out, but her father d... READ MORE
An Enjoyable Read
What July Knew is a very powerful and emotional book.A story of a blended Family,domestic violence and a small 10 year old girl July trying to find out how... READ MORE
Powerful and emotional story
It is the summer of 1995 and there is a heatwave. But it is also July Hoopers tenth birthday. She wished her mother was with her, but she has been told tha... READ MORE
Beautifully written with great characters and perfectly paced.
This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read this year, an emotional family mystery with excellent characters that will pull at your heart strings.
... READ MORE
Absorbing
I have read and enjoyed a couple of Emily's books before and this was no exception and something a little different to my usual reads.
July has had a diff... READ MORE
July just wants to know about her mom so why is she punished for asking questions?
July is almost 10 and wants to find out about her mom who died. If she mentions her she risks punishment from her father. What is going on and can July fin... READ MORE
A very special book with a very special main character
What does July Hooper know? She only knows 18 things about the mother who died when she was little. She knows that her father is a difficult man who keeps ... READ MORE
Endearing protagonist in a compelling literary mystery
July Hooper is ten years old. She lives with her father, stepmother, and stepsister. Though she and her stepsister are only ten months apart in age, Sylvie... READ MORE
An excellent read
What a rollercoaster of a book!!! It had me in tears. It is also the reason that I am dead tired today as I was awake for the majority of the night finishi... READ MORE
What July Knew by Emily Koch
Emily Koch is not a new author to me. I had the pleasure of reading If I Die Before I Wake back in 2018 and it kind of blew my mind. I loved it for many re... READ MORE
Absolutely brilliant - one of those books you won’t forget
Summer 1995, a never ending heatwave, and July Hooper has a school project for the holidays: research an unknown family member. July doesn’t know much abou... READ MORE
Love Emily's books!
Having loved Emily's previous two books If I Die Before I Wake and Keep Him Close I was very keen to read What July Knew.
Now I knew before I started to r... READ MORE
Gripping
School is about to break up for the summer and July Hooper is given an assignment to write about a family member they don't know. July mum died when she wa... READ MORE
What July Knew by Emily Koch
What July Knew by Emily Koch is a story of July who never knew her mother and lives with her father and stepmother and half sister. July Hooper is never al... READ MORE
gripping
School is about to break up for the summer and July Hooper is given an assignment to write about a family member they don't know. July mum died when she wa... READ MORE
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