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Knock Three Times

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Fast-paced, chilling, and bursting with tension, We Don't Leave is a psychological thriller in the vein of Jennifer Hillier, Riley Sager, and Kiersten Modglin.

Remey Owens is desperate to move on with her life after the brutal murder of her next-door neighbour, Marlena. When the opportunity to housesit for her best friend’s parents arises, it feels almost too good to be true. While staying in the beautiful Craftsman-style home, she hopes she won’t hear the banging through the walls or Marlena crying, even if it is now only in her mind.

But things don’t go as planned.

While she finds some solace knowing that Marlena’s killer is dead, the calls from Remey’s obsessive ex and the strange noises in the house make it hard to relax. And there’s a prickling down her spine when she returns late one evening after a date—something’s amiss.

Soon, it becomes apparent that she’s not as alone as she believed. The quiet isolation of the home that had once seemed peaceful, now feels far more threatening. Here, there are no neighbours close enough to save her.

To survive the night, Remey must let go of everything she thought she knew about Marlena’s death. Because the terrifying truth is more disturbing than she could have imagined, and it’s coming for her too.

"I am obsessed... A fast-paced, jaw-dropping, completely twisted story of friendship, heartache, and obsession... demands to be read in one sitting." -Kiersten Modglin, bestselling author of The Arrangement Trilog

149 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 23, 2023

47 people are currently reading
797 people want to read

About the author

Emerald O'Brien

35books601followers
Emerald O’Brien is a Canadian writer who grew up just east of Toronto, Ontario. She studied Television Broadcasting and Communications Media, and graduated from the program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.

When Emerald is not reading or writing unpredictable stories packed with suspense, she loves baking, bonfires, binging Netflix shows, and spending time with family.

A horror movie enthusiast, Emerald can be found watching them at the movie theatre with her best friend or while cuddled up on the couch with her favourite snacks.

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5 stars
76 (35%)
4 stars
53 (25%)
3 stars
55 (25%)
2 stars
20 (9%)
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8 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
Profile Image for Mallory.
1,808 reviews261 followers
February 11, 2023
I started this book in the middle of my day today and wasn’t able to sit glued to the pages until I finished. I was quite frustrated and recommend clearing a good chunk of time because you won’t want to put this one down. This is a great story of friendship, love, obsession, and a pinch of mystery. I will say there should be a trigger warning for domestic violence. The girl Remey lives next door to uses sunglasses to hide black eyes but she can’t always hide the loud violence in the home from the apartment next door. She tells Remey if she is in trouble she will knock three times and Remey must call her mother anyone else and she’ll be dead. But what happens when any safety plan falls apart? Wondering what more she could have done haunts Remey and leaves her jumpy and unsure of her own senses.
Profile Image for Kiersten Modglin.
Author67 books12.7k followers
January 23, 2023
I am obsessed with Emerald O'Brien's latest thriller, KNOCK THREE TIMES. A fast-paced, jaw-dropping, completely twisted story of friendship, heartache, and obsession. I was glued to the pages as Remy's story came to life, as cinematic as if I were watching it on the screen. Clear your schedule and lock the doors before you crack this one open. Scandalous, emotional, and totally riveting, Knock Three Times one demands to be read in one sitting.
Profile Image for Millie Cullen.
394 reviews
January 13, 2024
3.5 ⭐️

It would’ve gotten a higher rating if it wasn’t as predictable as it was. In the first 25% I already knew who the killer was 🙁
Profile Image for Jennifer.
655 reviews96 followers
February 10, 2023
Wow. I just finished this book, and my mind is spinning. I need to gather my thoughts! For now I'll say that this is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read, that will make you wonder if you're losing your mind right along with Remey (the main character)!

[A few hours later]

Okay, as I said earlier, this is a fast-paced book. There's relationships, there's family, there's action, there's a bit of a creepiness factor. Psychologists will want to read this and dive into all the issues each character has. All my questions were answered and there were no loose ends. This may be Emerald O'Brien's best book yet!

Thank you to Emerald O'Brien for an ARC of this book! All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Carrie Shields.
1,553 reviews141 followers
February 12, 2023
"𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒎. 𝑷𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆'𝒍𝒍 𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆."

When I was in my 20s, I lived in an apartment with my young son. The couple upstairs fought a lot, but one night, she came screaming down the stairs and pounded on my door, telling me to call the police, and then she was gone into the night, out the front door. I was terrified, both for her safety and for mine and my son's, especially when her husband came to my door a few minutes later, crying and begging me to open the door. I did call the police that night and found out later that she had miscarried and he had been arrested. A moving van showed up soon afterward. That incident has haunted me for years and came rushing back to my memory in the opening pages of this book.

Remey is haunted by the death of her neighbor Marlena. She along with everyone else saw the black eyes and bruises, but it was only Remey who was trusted enough to be told, "𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔, 𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒎." Hearing knocking in her sleep long after Marlena's death, Remey welcomes the opportunity to house-sit for a friend. But the quiet isolation of the house that initially seemed so welcome now seems sinister, and Remey has the unsettling feeling that someone is watching her. As she battles her mind to ascertain what's real and what isn't, she realizes that she has some unanswered questions about her neighbor's death, and the truth will shock her to her core.

This was such an expertly crafted book about good intentions, guilt, and grief. These complex emotions were expertly woven throughout the pages, and I was immersed from the first page. I'm so grateful for my place on the author's ARC team and for an early copy of this book that is now my favorite of hers! KNOCK THREE TIMES will release February 23, 2023.
Profile Image for Renko Dekker.
301 reviews7 followers
February 13, 2023
I received this book from the author Emerald O'Brien herself and I finished it in no time!

It's a quick read and that's the only negative thing - if only it had more pages! The story captivated me from the prologue; the somehow tangible tension coming from the sentences grabbed me and it kept me till the very last page.

A couple, Logan and Remey, living in an apartment with rather thin walls hear the abuse of the neighbour against his girlfriend. She turns up dead, but that isn't the end. Remey can't really cope with it and she ends up staying in the, remote, house of her best friend's parents. There, the story continues...

The author is very capable of getting tension across through words and that's why it was such a great thriller to read! The characters were relatable and, with Remey, you actually start to wonder about the fact she heard something.

A quick and great thriller - definitely a recommendation!
Profile Image for The Book Booth.
184 reviews25 followers
February 21, 2023
This was an intense read! Crazy fast paced�..with all the elements that make up a stellar thriller!

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, ignoring all adult responsibilities until I found out how this story ended! Let me tell you that it ends with a BANG, a splash of whiplash and a whole lotta chaos!

Whew, this was a excellent book!

Disclaimer- When you start this book�.you will not be able to stop reading until the very end. Be prepared! Cancel plans, book a sitter�.do what you need to do prior.


Profile Image for Erika Bucci | erikalaceyreads.
213 reviews12 followers
March 3, 2023
This book is told in 1st person from the POV of Remey who is extremely paranoid (I loved that part). This was a super quick read for me and it held my interest from the very beginning. I questioned everyone and everything and wasn’t sure who or what to trust. About halfway through I did get an inkling as to the killer but wasn’t completely sure on everything. I loved all of the twists and how the ending came together. If you like creepy psychological thrillers that will leave you feeling paranoid yourself, I definitely recommend this one!
Profile Image for Rusie.
76 reviews6 followers
February 28, 2023
I absolutely loved it! It was intense and fast-paced from the first page! You won't be able to put it down and will fly though the pages trying to figure it out! This easily reads like you're watching a movie. I found myself yelling at the kindle just as I would the big screen. I'm such a fan of Emerald's writing style. She has a way of pulling you in and taking you on a wild ride with each story. Emerald, you're brilliant!
Profile Image for Philomena Callan Cheekypee.
3,956 reviews418 followers
February 24, 2023
Well what a read this was. While reading it my mind was trying to jump ahead to no avail.. I just couldn’t guess what was going to happen next.

Remey the main female character is a strong and likeable character.

This was a really well written story that I highly recommend. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this author.
Profile Image for Jess.
Author4 books22 followers
June 12, 2024
Quick and fast paced. Remey is living with her boyfriend Logan next door to a couple that fights. All. The. Time. Marlena comes up with a signal for when she is in trouble. Knock Three Times. That night she does and Logan convinces her to not call the cops since they got a warning....then Marlena is found dead. It's traumatic for Remey. She keeps hearing the three knocks everywhere and the strain of it all causes Logan and Remey to break up and she moves out and is staying at a friend's parents house who are out of town. As much as she doesn't want to she goes on a date with Mike...what she doesn't know is that this night will change her forever.
Profile Image for KKEC Reads.
963 reviews65 followers
February 11, 2023
Knock Three Times by Emerald O’Brien

Published: February 23, 2023
Emerald O’Brien
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Pages: 149
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Emerald O'Brien is a Canadian author, born and raised just east of Toronto, Ontario. She graduated from her Television Broadcasting and Communications Media program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.
In 2014, Emerald decided to pursue her life-long passion for writing unpredictable stories packed with suspense. When she is not reading or writing, Emerald can be found with family and friends. Watching movies with her two beagles is one of her favourite ways to spend an evening at home.

“Knock, knock, knock.�

Remey wanted to help her neighbor, and she tried, but it was too late. In the wake of that tragedy, she is housesitting while she tries to figure out what to do and where to go. Secrets, grief, and guilt are heartbreaking things to process.

This was a heavy one. I enjoyed the build-up and found the story fast-paced. I liked the characters; Remey is loyal and kind, caring and compassionate. Nicole is fierce and brave, and honest. I liked their dynamic.

Something I love about Emerald if she has the incredible ability to write about emotions: bringing them to life in a very realistic, vulnerable way. Grief is such a complicated emotion to convey. And Emerald captured all sides of grief brilliantly in this story.

The guilt, the remorse, the sadness, the anger. Going through the emotional motions was exhausting and beautifully done. This was such an emotional story, and it packed a powerful punch.

Emerald has a talent for capturing the humanity in her characters and bringing that to life. The way she weaves fiction with reality is such a delicate line, and she nails it every single time.

The ability to tell such a high-impact story so quickly is a gift. This story will leave you gobsmacked and make you question what you would do if�
Profile Image for Elle (IG: piccolos_teacups_and_books).
564 reviews3 followers
October 27, 2023
Emerald has done it again with this fast paced and addictive thriller!

Indeed, the author didn't waste any time getting down to the nitty gritty. The prologue set the pace, and the pace was FAST! My fingers swiped my Kindle pages at warp speed! I really enjoyed the first person narration, and the combination of eerie suspense and short chapters made for a quick read - this beauty was done in one day, in two sittings. The second half of the book was read late at night and I jumped out of my skin more than once!

Thank you, Emerald, for the ARC of Knock Three Times, to read and review ☺️


Publication date: 23/2/23

Merged review:

Emerald has done it again with this fast paced and addictive thriller!

Indeed, the author didn't waste any time getting down to the nitty gritty. The prologue set the pace, and the pace was FAST! My fingers swiped my Kindle pages at warp speed! I really enjoyed the first person narration, and the combination of eerie suspense and short chapters made for a quick read - this beauty was done in one day, in two sittings. The second half of the book was read late at night and I jumped out of my skin more than once!

Thank you, Emerald, for the ARC of Knock Three Times, to read and review ☺️


Publication date: 23/2/23
Profile Image for Jennifer Maloney.
Author1 book45 followers
February 26, 2023
1.75 stars. I’ll round up to 2 stars for ŷ. It did hold my interest, I’ll give it that. So that was a plus. But this character. Oi. So dumb. So so dumb.

And the writing was so� I don’t know� unedited? Like there were all these non sequiturs and random bits of flowery descriptions that would jar me out of the flow of what was happening.

If it weren’t for the shortness of this book and the fact that it was a buddy read, I might’ve DNFd. I’m glad I didn’t. We all need a dumb Lifetime movie plot now and then. But I’m not ever going to read this author again. No thank you. 😂😑

Oh and I didn’t guess the ending. So that’s another plus. Two pluses. Two stars. There ya go. 😂
Profile Image for Jennifer Epling.
254 reviews3 followers
March 18, 2023
WOW! Just wow. This was my first by Emerald O'Brien, and I can 100% say it won't be my last. I started this one after I finished Don't Go Down There by Kiersten Modglin (who is also Emerald O'Brien's bestie- and for good reason) These two can write a thriller. I was glued to this story from the start and sucked into the drama and suspense right away. Her storytelling is beautiful, yet creepy, and you feel like you're in a movie, living what the characters are living. I needed more and had to know what happened. But the ending! What! I never saw that coming, total blindside. She knows what her readers want, and she most certainly delivers!
Profile Image for Barbie.
54 reviews
February 23, 2023
Three knocks� the secret code Marlena gave Remey to indicate she needed help. Marlena is now dead, but Remey still hears the knocking. Is it real or in her head?

As Remey attempts to move on from her neighbor’s murder and her breakup with her boyfriend, she finds herself questioning every noise. And maybe she should.

This fast-paced thriller from Emerald O’Brien had me leaning in at every moment. I couldn’t consume it fast enough as I looked for answers and started to hear knocking in my own head.
Profile Image for Nicki Melton.
395 reviews12 followers
February 22, 2023
3.75 ⭐️
Emerald O’Brien is a new author for me. When Kiersten Modglin raves about someone’s books, you know I’m adding to cart! This book was a super fast paced thriller that literally left me thinking the main character had lost her mind, I was even questioning if had I lost it. Lol. I read this in like two hours because I had to know who was crazy- the main character, me or someone else! It even left me questioning my past choices but I can’t say why because it would give a twist away. Can’t wait to read more by Emerald!
Profile Image for Meghan O'Flynn.
Author74 books660 followers
January 7, 2023
I just finished this shorter novel from Emerald O'Brien, and I can't stop thinking about it. Just as unpredictable as her longer psychological thrillers, Knock Three Times has all the twists and turns I've come to expect from this author in a delightfully compact package. Girl power infused into Girl on the Train plus In a Dark, Dark Wood.
Profile Image for Melissa (honeybee.reads).
1,112 reviews45 followers
September 10, 2023
Another great little popcorn thriller by one of my faves @authoremeraldobrien. I am seriously obsessed with this one, it was so damn well done, queue for applause. The more books I read by her the more I ADORE her stories. The most enjoyable for me is that there are NO FILLERS, you're never taken away from the story, everything has a purpose and is never dragged out.

This was super fast paced, twisty and completely jaw-dropping. I was steered in a direction, Emerald said nope.. and completely blew my mind with the ultimate twist. The way she has the skills for her stories to come to life vividly in your mind page after page. It's honestly amazing. It feels like your reading a movie. She is MY QUEEN for this specific skill.

Honestly, grab a drink, lock your doors, sit down and prepared to be entirely hooked from the start to the amazing finale. You'll want to read this in one sitting.

If you're looking for a fast paced, twisty, completely addictive popcorn thriller with amazing twists, don't miss out !

✨️Thank you to @authoremeraldobrien for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Terry  .
951 reviews31 followers
April 14, 2024
Really enjoyed this. Creepy and stalker vibed. Exactly what I like.
Feeling you’ve let someone down as they were struggling in a vicious relationship is hard enough. To then not know where your life is going too.
Relationships can be hard work, starting new can be, but this. Well, you gotta read it to see!
Profile Image for Rachel Browning.
318 reviews11 followers
September 22, 2024
I could not put this down. It is so intense and suspenseful, I read it in one sitting because I had to know what was going to happen. And each time I thought I figured it out, I was wrong. If you like real, dark psychological thrillers, this one is amazing. I can’t wait to read more from this author!
489 reviews7 followers
August 2, 2023
I am the new fan of Emerald O’Brien! This was a fast paced thriller that I could not put down! Amazing writing. The main character tries to help her neighbor stay safe, but fails, then is also being stalked by her ex. Amazing read, excuse me while I go get more of her books!!
Profile Image for Nini.
24 reviews5 followers
June 28, 2024
This was my first book by Emerald O’Brien and it definitely won’t be my last! The story gripped me from the start and I was done in just a few days (if you know me, that’s not the norm!). It’s a fast paced book but it played like a movie as I was reading it. It was suspenseful and had me guessing in every chapter. I didn’t see the twists coming! Can’t wait to read another book of her’s! I gave this one a 4⭐️!
219 reviews
February 24, 2023
Spine Tingling

A real page turner with twists and turns abound. A boyfriend’s abusive behavior turns deadly or does it. You will have to read this exciting book to find out.
Profile Image for Samantha.
482 reviews8 followers
September 13, 2023
Love the title. Found the book to be predictable yet still had me turning pages.
Profile Image for Alana.
Author0 books5 followers
Read
January 19, 2024
DNF. I just couldn’t get into it. It was dragging. And yes I’m adding it to my read. Because I picked it up AND READ SOME OF IT. Sue me. Or block me. Idgaf. 👹
Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews

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