Anniversary Shadows Return

On the twentieth anniversary of a life-altering event, Elizabeth Davis, a New York writing professor, is haunted by the date May 20th. The day is heavy with memories she's tried to suppress, and reminders of the past seem to lurk everywhere. Her visit to her old landlord, Mr. Hank, who now suffers from dementia, offers a bittersweet comfort. But the day's significance is inescapable, and Elizabeth's anxiety grows as she senses the past is not as buried as she hoped.

The Manuscript's Ominous Echo

Elizabeth receives a chilling student submission in her fiction-writing class. The manuscript by "Hannah Greer," is not just a story—it's a near-verbatim retelling of a traumatic episode from Elizabeth's youth, involving a predatory teacher and a girl named Jocelyn. The details are too precise to be coincidence. Elizabeth's panic mounts as she realizes someone knows her secret, and the manuscript's dedication is a direct threat: "Your day of reckoning is coming."

Ghosts of the Past

Desperate to identify Hannah Greer, Elizabeth uses university resources and a helpful student worker to trace the mysterious student's email. The trail leads to Louisiana, her own hometown, but the sender could be using a VPN. Elizabeth's paranoia intensifies—she suspects everyone, including her casual lover, Sam, a police detective who has secretly investigated her past.

The Student's True Story

Elizabeth reads more of Hannah's chapters, which detail the grooming and abuse of Jocelyn by her teacher, Mr. Sawyer. The narrative is disturbingly intimate, describing manipulation, discipline, and the gradual erosion of Jocelyn's boundaries. Elizabeth is forced to relive her own trauma, recognizing herself in every line, and wonders if the manuscript is a threat, a confession, or a plea for justice.

Paranoia and Pursuit

Haunted by the manuscript, Elizabeth reconnects with Ivy, her estranged childhood friend and one of the only other people who knows the truth. Together, they try to deduce who could be behind the story. Elizabeth's paranoia grows—she suspects Ivy, Sam, her own mother, and even herself. The sense of being watched is constant, and every interaction is tinged with suspicion.

Secrets in Louisiana

Elizabeth travels back to Louisiana, ostensibly to visit her dying mother, but really to investigate the source of the threat. The trip is a gauntlet of old wounds: her mother's decline, the decaying family home, and the omnipresent reminders of her past. She visits her high school, the infamous motel, and the local bar, encountering old acquaintances and potential suspects, including Noah Sawyer, the son of her abuser.

Old Friends, New Fears

Elizabeth's interactions with Ivy and Lucas, another friend from her youth, are fraught with tension. Ivy confesses to her own involvement with Mr. Sawyer, deepening Elizabeth's sense of betrayal and confusion. The women's shared trauma binds them, but also makes them wary of each other. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's relationship with Noah becomes dangerously intimate, blurring the line between healing and self-destruction.

The Sawyer Connection

Elizabeth's sexual encounters with Noah are charged with both attraction and revulsion, as she recognizes in him the features of his father, her abuser. Noah's presence in her life feels both coincidental and orchestrated, especially as he reveals himself to be a writer working on a novel about family secrets. Elizabeth's suspicion that Noah is "Hannah Greer" grows, especially after she discovers he possesses a Saint Agnes pendant—a symbol from her own abuse.

The Motel's Dark Memory

Through Hannah's chapters and her own fragmented memories, Elizabeth relives the abuse at the motel, the manipulation, and the violence. She recalls the night she believed she killed Mr. Sawyer in self-defense, and the subsequent cover-up with Ivy. The manuscript's details force her to confront the reality that her identity as "Elizabeth" is built on the dissociation and erasure of her past as "Jocelyn."

The Mother's Confession

Elizabeth's mother, in her final days, is both a source of pain and unexpected revelation. After her death, Elizabeth discovers a letter and her old journal hidden in her mother's belongings. The journal contains the unvarnished truth of her abuse, pregnancy, miscarriage, and the night of violence. The mother's letter confesses to killing Mr. Sawyer in revenge for what he did to Elizabeth and her unborn child, finally explaining the true cause of his death.

The Truth About Jocelyn

Elizabeth realizes that she and Jocelyn are the same person—her mind had split to protect her from trauma, creating a false narrative of a friend's suffering. The manuscript, her journal, and Ivy's testimony all converge to force Elizabeth to accept her own history. The chapters from "Hannah Greer" are revealed to be a posthumous act of love and protection from her mother, not a threat from an enemy.

The Polaroid Evidence

In Noah's house, Elizabeth discovers a box of Polaroids—evidence of Mr. Sawyer's long history of abusing girls. The photos, labeled with the name "Jocelyn," include images of Elizabeth and Ivy, as well as other victims. The discovery is both validating and horrifying, confirming the scale of the abuse and the depth of the cover-up.

The Real Killer Revealed

Noah, initially suspected of being the manuscript's author and a seeker of revenge, is revealed to be innocent. The real killer was Elizabeth's mother, who strangled Mr. Sawyer after Elizabeth's failed attempt to defend herself. The mother's confession, found in her will, absolves Elizabeth of the crime and reframes her mother's legacy as one of flawed but fierce protection.

Healing and Moving Forward

Back in New York, Elizabeth begins regular therapy with Dr. Sterling, working through her dissociative amnesia, trauma, and guilt. She learns to integrate her past as Jocelyn with her present as Elizabeth, and to accept that healing is a process, not a destination. Her relationships with others, especially men, are re-examined in light of her new self-understanding.

The Final Confession

Elizabeth's journey culminates in a sense of closure—not through legal justice, but through personal reckoning. She forgives her mother, herself, and even the parts of her past she tried to erase. The cycle of abuse is broken not by vengeance, but by truth and self-compassion.

A New Beginning

With the past finally confronted, Elizabeth is able to imagine a future for herself. She reconnects with Noah, not as a symbol of her trauma, but as a potential partner who understands her pain. The possibility of love and trust, once unthinkable, becomes real.

The Saint Agnes Mystery

The novel ends with the installation of a Saint Agnes statue, donated anonymously by Noah in memory of his sister, Hannah Greer Sawyer. The statue, a symbol of innocence and protection, stands as a testament to the possibility of redemption and new beginnings, even after unimaginable pain.

Characters

Elizabeth Davis / Jocelyn Burton

Elizabeth is a complex, deeply wounded protagonist whose life is shaped by childhood abuse, dissociation, and the burden of a secret she believes she must carry alone. As a writing professor in New York, she has built a life of control and independence, but the arrival of a manuscript that mirrors her past forces her to confront the truth: she is both Elizabeth and Jocelyn, the victim and the survivor. Her psychological journey is one of integration, as she moves from denial and paranoia to acceptance and healing. Her relationships—with her mother, Ivy, Sam, and Noah—reflect her struggle to trust and be vulnerable. Ultimately, Elizabeth's arc is about reclaiming her narrative and choosing to live, not just survive.

Noah Sawyer

Noah is the son of Elizabeth's abuser, Mr. Sawyer, and a writer himself. Handsome, charming, and seemingly open, Noah becomes both a source of suspicion and a catalyst for Elizabeth's healing. His own childhood was marked by loss and abuse, and he is haunted by the legacy of his father's crimes. Noah's relationship with Elizabeth is fraught with tension, attraction, and the shadow of the past, but he ultimately proves to be a genuine ally, not an avenger. His donation of the Saint Agnes statue is a gesture of hope and remembrance.

Ivy Leighton

Ivy is Elizabeth's childhood friend and one of the few people who knows the truth about Mr. Sawyer. Her own history of abuse and her complicated feelings of jealousy and guilt add layers to her character. Ivy's confession that she, too, was victimized by Mr. Sawyer deepens the novel's exploration of trauma and complicity. Her role is both supportive and cautionary, illustrating the ways in which secrets can bind and isolate survivors.

Mr. Sawyer

Damon Sawyer is the central antagonist, a teacher who grooms and abuses vulnerable girls under the guise of mentorship. His manipulation, cruelty, and violence are depicted with chilling realism. Sawyer's legacy is one of destruction, but his death—at the hands of Elizabeth's mother—ends his reign of terror. The discovery of his Polaroids and the truth about his own abusive upbringing complicate the narrative, suggesting cycles of trauma.

Elizabeth's Mother (Theresa Davis)

Theresa is a deeply flawed, alcoholic mother whose neglect and judgment have scarred Elizabeth. Yet, in her final act, she becomes Elizabeth's avenger, killing Mr. Sawyer to protect her daughter. Her posthumous confession reframes her legacy, revealing a fierce, if misguided, love. Her actions force Elizabeth to reconsider the nature of forgiveness and the complexity of maternal bonds.

Sam

Sam is Elizabeth's casual lover and a New York police detective. His investigation into Elizabeth's past, though motivated by concern, is a violation of trust that ultimately ends their relationship. Sam represents the dangers of surveillance and the limits of good intentions in the face of trauma.

Lucas

Lucas is a childhood friend and former romantic interest of Elizabeth/Jocelyn. His presence in the narrative is a reminder of innocence lost and the possibility of connection. Lucas's support is genuine, but he is ultimately peripheral to Elizabeth's journey of self-discovery.

Mr. Hank

Mr. Hank, Elizabeth's former landlord, is a figure of stability and kindness. His dementia and fading memory are poignant reminders of the fragility of the past. He represents the possibility of unconditional support, even as everything else in Elizabeth's life is uncertain.

Father Preston

The local priest, Father Preston, is a confidant to both Ivy and Elizabeth's mother. His role is ambiguous—he is a keeper of secrets, a source of religious guilt, and a reminder of the ways institutions can both comfort and fail survivors.

Chief Unger

The local police chief is a background figure whose presence is both reassuring and menacing. His knowledge of the town's secrets and his interactions with Elizabeth add to the atmosphere of suspicion and surveillance.

Plot Devices

Manuscript as Confession and Threat

The central device is the manuscript submitted by "Hannah Greer," which functions as both a confession and a threat. Its chapters mirror Elizabeth's own trauma, forcing her to confront the past she has tried to erase. The manuscript's progression is a form of psychological torture, but also a catalyst for truth and healing.

Dissociative Amnesia and Identity

Elizabeth's dissociation—her belief that Jocelyn was a separate person—is both a defense mechanism and a narrative puzzle. The gradual revelation that she is Jocelyn is handled through flashbacks, therapy sessions, and the unearthing of physical evidence (her journal). This device explores the ways trauma can fracture identity and memory.

Unreliable Narration and Misdirection

Elizabeth's paranoia and the novel's shifting suspicions create a sense of unreliability. The reader is led to suspect multiple characters—Noah, Ivy, Sam, even Elizabeth herself—before the true author of the manuscript and the real killer are revealed. This structure heightens suspense and mirrors the protagonist's psychological state.

Physical Evidence and Symbolism

Key objects—the Saint Agnes pendant, the Polaroids, the journal, the letter from Elizabeth's mother—serve as anchors for memory and catalysts for revelation. The Saint Agnes statue, donated at the end, is a symbol of innocence, protection, and the hope for redemption.

Generational Cycles of Abuse

The novel explores how trauma and abuse are passed down through generations—Mr. Sawyer's own abuse by his mother, his predation on students, and the impact on his son, Noah. The cycle is only broken through confrontation, confession, and the refusal to keep secrets.

Analysis

Someone Knows is a masterful psychological thriller that uses the conventions of the genre—mystery, unreliable narration, and layered secrets—to explore the enduring impact of trauma and the complexities of memory, identity, and forgiveness. At its core, the novel is about the cost of silence and the necessity of confronting the past, no matter how painful. Through Elizabeth's journey from denial and dissociation to self-acceptance and healing, the book interrogates the ways in which victims are forced to carry the burdens of their abusers, and how justice is often found not in the courts, but in the messy, imperfect acts of love and self-preservation. The narrative's use of a manuscript-within-the-novel, the gradual unmasking of the true killer, and the ultimate act of maternal protection all serve to complicate easy notions of guilt and innocence. In the end, Someone Knows is a testament to the resilience of survivors and the possibility of new beginnings, even in the shadow of unimaginable pain.

Last updated: June 24, 2025