You Know Her
by Meagan Jennett

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Two women in a small Virginia town deal with misogynistic men differently in Meagan Jennett's vicious and complicated thriller, You Know Her. One, a cop, tries to put them behind bars whenever possible; the other fixes the world by killing them. Bartender Sophie Braam warns a guy she'll kill him if he doesn't stop trying to grope her. It's not her fault he doesn't take her seriously. Neither does the next guy, who meets the same fate as the first. Sophie becomes hellbent on ridding the world of men who don't take no for an answer.

Fed up with a lack of advancement and with male colleagues calling her "sweetheart" at her former place of work, Officer Nora Martin is newly arrived in the Virginia town on the promise of making detective as soon her mentor, a detective named Murph, retires. She quickly gains a friend in Sophie. But a different police station and new community don't change the fact that Nora's a woman. Long work hours followed by unpaid detective training wear her down. Her situation might improve if she can help solve a string of local murders. Though Murph disagrees, Nora thinks the killings are connected and are being committed by a woman, given that the victims are male and have their tongues cut out. After all, both Nora and Sophie can understand telling men to shut up.

Early in Jennett's dark and brilliant first novel, an expletive-laden rant from one character's perspective makes a frighteningly convincing case for murdering men. You Know Her should make for lively discussions among readers of all genders. --Paul Dinh-McCrillis, freelance reviewer

You know her: She’s a barista at your favorite local coffee shop. You know her: She takes your order at that restaurant you love. You know her: She works the cash register at that bougie store you get your groceries from. You know her: You’ve yelled at her about a faulty coupon. You know her: You’ve given her your number, unsolicited. You know her: You’ve patted her ass and called her darling. You know her: She lead you to her car, where she slit your throat….and you maybe deserved it, according to Sophie, one of the main characters in You Know Her by Meagan Jennett.

I know that fiction featuring “unhinged women” is super popular right now and has been for a few years, but no one is talking about You Know Her, and I think that’s a crime! The perfect mix of They Never Learn by Layne Fargo and A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers, You Know Her should be on your radar if you like reading about women behaving badly! You Know Her has the added perk of being a dual perspective Southern Gothic, so not only do you get the POV of the killer and the detective on her case, but you also get a nuanced look at biracial identity, generational issues, small town ennui, and gender trauma. Also, by placing the main character in a bartending job, we see how her daily troubles helped shape her own brand of deadly feminism. If you’ve ever worked a customer service or food service job, you know just how grating your everyday experiences can be on your mental health, especially if you’re a woman. The rage can be overwhelming. The character of Sophie perfectly encapsulates how it feels…minus the murderous tendencies lol.

I’m purposefully not saying much about the plot because I truly believe it’s better to go in not knowing much. Here’s what you need to know: Men are going missing in town, their bodies showing up maimed weeks later. Sophie, the bartender, is responsible, and she ends up befriending Nora, the new police officer in town who’s sure there’s a serial killer in town. This plot, coupled with Jennett’s luscious prose that’s dripping with a slow and slightly gross Southern charm, makes for a read that you won’t soon forget. I think about Sophie and Nora often and how their relationship examines female friendships and the deep feeling of wanting to belong to someone who sees life the way you do. With this debut, Meagan Jennett has cemented herself as a writer to watch, and I’ll never look at a jar of pickled things the same way ever again. If you’ve read the book, you know why!

Just two hours before his inexplicable disappearance, Mark Dixon had swiped a glass of wine. At least, that's what bartender Sophie Braam recounted to the inquisitive police officers when they probed her about the man whose mutilated body had been recently discovered. However, Sophie concealed the chilling truth—she was the one responsible for his demise.

Officer Nora Martin, a newcomer to the Bellair Police Department, navigates her path carefully, striving to learn the ropes under the mentorship of Detective Murphy. She confronts the skepticism and chauvinism that pervades the male-dominated department, determined to prove her worth. Her introduction to Sophie marks the beginning of a tenuous bond founded on shared frustrations.

As winter yields to spring and the body count climbs, Nora's instincts lead her to question the eerie and enigmatic bartender, suspecting that all is not as it seems. "You Know Her" by Meagan Bennett stands as a thriller with substance, unflinching in its portrayal of gruesome details associated with death and decomposition. Delving into thought-provoking themes and weaving mythic parallels, the book offers a compelling and intellectually stimulating read. While a more conclusive ending would have been appreciated, the author's choice to leave some questions unanswered lends an intriguing quality to the story.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mark Dixon stole a glass of wine. That’s what bartender Sophie Braam tells the cops when they question her about the customer whose mutilated body is found. What she doesn’t tell them is that she’s the one who killed him. This is a small town psychological thriller about a woman who is pushed to the edge and a young female police officer out to find a killer.

This is Meagan Jennett’s debut novel. I enjoyed her writing style (even though it was a bit lengthy at times) and the flow of her story. She did well on the duel POV’s and the character development. I can’t wait to see what other stories she comes up with.

I want to thank NetGalley, Meagan Jennett and Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

spooky and slow until it devolves into the predictable. i did love the vibes and goodness that is a gorgeous cover. kind of outsells the drama in this book, imo.

A new spin on a less than familiar trope- female serial killer. Overall it was a well developed thriller but the pacing was a bit uneven. The novel held my attention and the main character was well written- suspenseful with a satisfying ending.

You Know Her was different than what I expected, but Meagan Jennett did some things with it I really enjoyed. I so appreciate seeing a female character become a killer. It's so rare to see. There was plenty of commentary that was so spot-on. The book deals with Sophie, a local bartender turned killer, and Nora, a police officer trying to solve the case in a male dominated field. This book raises questions that make you think.

Story of a girl becoming a serial killer after the satisfaction of killing the first…like shes cleaning up the world…

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

📣📚 Thrilling, suspenseful, and full of twists! 🐱🔍 Dive into the gripping world of “You Know Her” by Meagan Jennett, where secrets lurk in every corner of a small-town Virginia!

In this crackling cat-and-mouse thriller, bartender Sophie Braam becomes entangled in a spine-chilling mystery when she reports that a customer who has been found murdered, had stolen a glass of wine from her just hours before vanishing.

Enter Officer Nora Martin, determined to prove herself to Detective Murphy and overcome the skepticism of her male colleagues. As Nora and Sophie start a friendship amidst shared frustrations, a haunting series of murders are unfolding with the changing seasons – from winter’s icy grip to the awakening of spring.

But suspicion looms over Sophie as Nora starts connecting the dots. Is the enigmatic bartender hiding something sinister? Could she be involved in these gruesome killings? Convincing Detective Murphy becomes an uphill battle as he dismisses the possibility of a female serial killer haunting their town.

Prepare yourself for heart-pounding suspense and an electrifying chase through dark secrets and dangerous encounters. Will Nora unravel the truth before it swallows them whole?

So, let’s talk about You Know Her by Meagan Jennett. First off, can we take a moment to appreciate that gorgeous cover? I mean, it’s stunning! Now, onto my review. This book? Amazing! If this is Jennett’s debut novel, color me impressed. Seriously, one of my top reads this year.

I’ll admit, it took me a few chapters to really get into the story. The writing style is pretty wordy and has this ornateness to it that might not be everyone’s cup of tea. But once I got used to it, I was totally hooked. The plot is original and the pacing is on point. And let me tell you, those characters are intriguing as heck.

Now, here’s where things get a little iffy for me. The ending… wasn’t exactly what I hoped for. No spoilers here, but let’s just say it didn’t have that big bang I was craving. It left me wanting more oomph. But hey, considering this is Jennett’s first book, it’s still pretty darn amazing.

Get your copy of “You Know Her” now and lose yourself in this thrilling page-turner! Available at leading bookstores and online retailers. 🔎✨ #YouKnowHer #ThrillerNovel #SuspensefulReads

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
This was so so for me. I didn’t find it to be face paced as it was advertised. It was just ok.

You Know Her wasn’t quite my cup of tea. From reading the summary, I expected a much more exciting faster paced read. What I got was a slow burn that wrapped up rather quickly in the last 20 or so pages. While Meagan Jennett’s descriptions were beautiful and poetic, but seemed to drag the story out more than they needed to.

I wish I had not read anything about this book before starting it. Some pre-pub blurbs felt misleading, and now that I read the official jacket copy, I think it gives way too much away! That being said, my reading experience was probably (negatively) affected by the discrepancy between what I expected and what I got. This is a very interior novel - more for fans of literary fiction than thrillers, IMHO. Hopefully if you know this, you'll enjoy it more!

You Know Her by Meagan Jennett - I really wanted to like this book but the writing style just wasn't for me. It was slow and tough to follow along with. I had to keep re-reading things. I did like the restaurant descriptions and found those interesting. I very rarely DNF books but this was a DNF for me. I really think it was the pace of the book coupled with the writing style.

It is unfair to compare this book to Sharp Objects because Sharp Objects was beautifully done in its own way. This book was beautifully done in its own way and does not need to be compared to anything.

Unfortunately I have to DNF this book because it’s just not holding my attention. The writing is good, but it’s just not connecting with me for some reason.

I could not finish enough of this book to be able to leave a comprehensive review, but I hope it finds its audience and I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This was a great cat-and-mouse type thriller with a female serial killer aspect. Sophie Bram is a bartender and also a serial killer. She befriends a new police officer in her town and the officer soon notices something is off with Sophie. But can she convince others that this seemingly friendly bartender is actually a serial killer?
This was definitely a great thriller with some very unexpected twists included. If you like intense plots, female friendship, and a serial killer, then this is the book for you. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

I am giving this 3 stars although it’s more like a 3.5-3.75. There were a lot of things I loved about this book and a few things that left me scratching my head. First of all the commentary throughout the book of women being objectified and what women deal with throughout their life, in every facet of their life was just brilliant. I highlighted so many quotes and was basically cheering at parts. It’s vert much a “good for her” situation. I liked that we were getting it from two different women. The serial killer and the cop trying to catch the serial killer. I hated what Sophie was doing but also understood in a way. She simply had enough! Some things I’m questioning is the ghosts that Nora saw. I feel like that wasn’t explained fully and felt like an afterthought by the end. Some of the descriptions were a bit much but that’s just me. This was definitely more of a slow burn. I wouldn’t call it a cat and mouse chase like it’s described. It was enjoyable and definitely worth the read. Thank you so much NetGalley and Farrar, Straus and Giroux for my advanced copy.

This was just a case of me not being a fan of the writing. I know I’m in the minority here. People have been raving about the beautiful writing but it was too poetic for me. I’m not a fan of poetry.

An unforgettable story that will continue to resonate with me. I dare any woman to not relate to the phrases we’ve all heard and been expected to accept. The narrative is unsettling, uncomfortable, murder is after all unpleasant. The dialog is beguiling with almost poetic descriptions, gut punchingly brutal, visceral, thought provoking.
Sophie is a bartender at a little town in Virginia and on New Year’s she becomes a murderess. She’s so calm it unnerved me. The plot includes Nora, a police officer, new to the town, trying to solve the case. She’s so much more though, a woman in a male dominated field trying to prove herself. Yes, it’s a crime mystery but, look deeper and you’ll find women still attempting to be equal and respected. Was Sophie justified? Each reader will reach different conclusions. I hope it makes you think about what women deal with every day. I won’t forget.
Sincerest thanks to NetGalley for providing the digital advance reader copy of “You Know Her” by Meagan Jennett, published by MCD. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.