Not only has J.T. Ellison been one of my must-read authors for decades, she has become a mainstay in the crowded psychological thriller field. With the release of her latest effort, she may have created her wildest story to date. The premise is so crazy that it nearly borders on implausibility. However, just like any news item you come across that initially seems too unbelievable to be true, you will be firmly taken aback when you realize just how close to the facts this book really is.

"The eerily titled IT’S ONE OF US opens with a scene that will creep out even the staunchest reader... While not for the squeamish, this twisty novel is one that you will not soon forget."

The eerily titled IT’S ONE OF US opens with a scene that will creep out even the staunchest reader: an extremely unfiltered depiction of a female corpse slowly rotting away under the mirrored glass of a lake, where it has now become a fresh ecosystem for a myriad of aquatic life. The woman had been reported missing for three months. We later learn that the killer periodically visits the area to check that the body has not yet resurfaced before all evidence of the crime has been washed away. Chapters are told from the points of view of various characters, and some even step back in time.

Park Bender and his wife, Olivia, are trying desperately to get pregnant. But IVF and fertility treatments keep failing, and their latest attempt has ended in a miscarriage, making for some truly difficult times for the couple. So imagine how much worse their lives will get when the police inform them that the DNA from the murder indicates that Park’s son is the prime suspect.

Park swears to Olivia that he has no children he knows of. His ex-girlfriend died tragically and was never pregnant. We eventually learn that, during his college days, Park went to a respected clinic on the prompting of a fraternity brother to donate sperm for some cash. Typically, a sperm donation might lead to a couple of pregnancies. What Ellison presents here is the irresponsibility of the laboratory, which utilized his sperm to yield at least 25 offspring.

Other chapters are dedicated to these offspring, who have found each other through online searches and created their own support group. Park claims he has no knowledge of any of them. But is he telling the truth? We also hear from the alleged serial killer and the bizarre things that drive him to commit these horrendous acts.

Ellison could have stopped right there and had a breathtakingly original story that frankly I have never seen before. However, being an expert plotter in the psychological suspense game, she adds an extra element --- Olivia has her own dark secrets that are bound to surface --- that makes for a complex plot and an incredibly satisfying read. While not for the squeamish, this twisty novel is one that you will not soon forget.