NO ONE KNEW is a thriller that grabs you from the first page as a lonely teenager finds a dead body. Kendra Elliot knows the central Oregon setting well. Through her capable descriptions, we feel the bitter cold of winter as Noelle Marshall, along with her coworkers and FBI boyfriend, tries to figure out who is behind the man's murder and two other corpses that appear in succession --- and why the FBI is getting whispers about something big being planned by domestic terrorists.

This is the second Noelle Marshall book, and there are characters who have appeared in previous series. If, like me, you haven't read those other novels, you might be tempted to do so. Elliot provides just enough backstory so that it all makes sense without sharing too much, which is exactly the delicate balance that makes for a successful series.

"This is the kind of book that's difficult to put down not only because we want to know how it all ends, but because we've become emotionally invested in the characters and want to make sure they are finally all right."

Noelle met Max Rhodes, an FBI agent, in HER FIRST MISTAKE. Despite the fact that he was investigating the cold case murder of her husband, and she was a suspect, there was an attraction. Now Noelle is a Deschutes County detective, even though her husband's death left her wealthy beyond imagination. She loves her job, the excitement and helping others.

In NO ONE KNEW, Noelle gets a chance to try to help Emma Chambers, whose father disappeared months ago and left the teenager to survive on her own. He was abusive and cruel, and she's thankful he's gone. Now she lives in their small home with little food or heat. Her only companion is the stray cat she feeds with food that she buys with the money she gets from collecting bottles and cans. She has dropped out of school because of the constant torment from other students about her lack of decent clothing and her ragged lifestyle. It's while she's gathering bottles and cans that she finds the body of a murdered man. She's a fabulous character, and through Elliot's touching narrative, we immediately feel for her and want better for her.

Max's FBI office is busy working to investigate the rumor of some kind of disruption that is being planned by domestic terrorists. They don't know what kind of violence it might bring, and it's frustrating to proceed with little concrete information. He works with Mercy Kilpatrick, a special agent with the bureau who was featured in Elliot’s eponymous series.

Max and Noelle's work has a lot of overlap, and they quickly realize that the dead bodies just might be connected to the vague threats that the FBI is concerned about. As they both work to figure out what is going on, we see their relationship growing and evolving. Elliot manages to keep the tension high throughout the story as Max and Noelle eke out information but always feel that they are a step behind the criminals.

Elliot's soft spot for animals is apparent as there is not only a stray cat in the story but also a senior horse. There's a perfect balance of action and emotion, of threatened violence and compassion, and of those seeking revenge versus those who are determined to protect those in need. This is the kind of book that is difficult to put down not only because we want to know how it all ends, but because we have become emotionally invested in the characters and want to make sure they are finally all right. 

NO ONE KNEW stands beautifully alone, but it also works perfectly as part of a series as we watch the overarching development of the characters. It's all so lovely.