Is It Someone You Know by Jill Carol

Childhood dreams, shattered futures, and a community under siege

Is It Someone You Know? by Jill Carol follows the story of Detective Jennifer Cot, a 38-year-old investigator working tirelessly to uncover a mysterious killer targeting 11-year-old boys in Levittown, New York. 

Jennifer is at a transitional point in her life, trying to quit smoking and adjust to her son leaving home, while still holding herself together through the emotional demands of her job. We are also introduced to Amy, a Future Officer in Training, whom Jennifer mentors, along with several members of the police force who collaborate to solve the unfolding murders. 

The most compelling characters, however, are the boys themselves—ordinary children with dreams, flaws, and futures ahead of them, whose lives are violently cut short by the killer known as Phoenix. The central goal of the book is to follow Jennifer’s pursuit of this killer while she navigates the emotional weight of repeated loss and grief in the community.

The story opens with Devin Mastro, a young boy who dreams of becoming an Olympic runner. Despite a difficult background, with a mother incarcerated for drug-related offenses, Devin is determined to make his grandmother proud. His life, like many others in the book, is grounded in small ambitions and everyday moments.

Alongside his best friend, Charlie Cloud, Devin ventures into a dangerous, abandoned industrial park in search of wood for a treehouse they plan to build. This decision, though innocent in intent, leads to a terrifying encounter when they realize they are being followed. Panic forces them to split up, one escaping toward survival, the other toward tragedy.

Devin’s death becomes the first in a series of murders that shake the community. When clues begin to surface, including a disturbing signature left by the killer, Jennifer Cot steps fully into the investigation. As more cases emerge, the urgency intensifies, and the task force works against time to prevent further loss.

You can’t help but become emotionally invested in these victims. Characters like Devin Mastro are not just plot devices; they are fully human. Devin’s ambition to become an Olympic runner, his relationship with his grandmother, and his resilience despite hardship make his fate particularly heartbreaking. The same applies to the other boys. Whether they are ambitious, troubled, or simply navigating childhood, each one feels real. This makes every loss land with emotional weight.

Jennifer Cot is strong and believable too. She copes with trauma but continues on with her work, and she’s not just a detective but a mentor; she’s shaping the future of policing. This responsibility adds depth to her character.

The book’s pacing is another strength. The short, sharp chapters give it a cinematic quality, almost like watching episodes of a crime series. And there’s no wasted space—even the shortest chapters manage to push the narrative forward and maintain tension.

The suspects don’t feel quite as compelling however. They don’t stand out much to anchor suspicion, so you don’t really get to play that mystery game where you form defendable theories about who it is. 

Is It Someone You Know? balances investigation with human vulnerability. It leaves readers with a lingering sense of unease, not just about the mystery, but about how fragile ordinary lives can be when they’re placed in the path of something senseless and violent.