One of the fascinating aspects of the book is how little we know of our main character, Agent Thorne. Often, this genre will provide a detailed character description along with a list of their flaws and demons. Instead, Agent Lucy Thorne enters the story with very little background given. As the story progresses we learn about who Lucy is not by her history, but by her actions and by how she interacts with Sheriff Hicks and Deputy Grant.

While Lucy’s narrative is the central POV, mixed in are chapter’s from the events leading up to when Eliza confesses to FBI. Initially, I feared I would get bored of seeing only one person’s flashback. So I was pleasantly surprised when the past events were told from multiple points of view. By doing so we are given an incomplete picture of what transpired that helps to keep us guessing until the pieces finally start to fit together at the end.

In general, Her Final Words comes across as a straight mystery/suspense story with no alternating story lines told. For me, this approach worked as it allowed me to focus only on the story at hand. Once started, I became engaged rather quickly and am glad I picked it as this month’s First Reads choice.

Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC of her final words.
.
Wow. That was awesome!! The characters, the plot, the setting; they were all amazing.
I couldn't put the book down

FBI SA Lucy Thorne was surprised (well shocked really) when young Eliza walked in and confessed to murder. Turns out there was more to be shocked about. Theres a cult, children are being deprived of medical care, and others are missing,. How Lucy works through all of this makes for. good reading. She's a well formed character, the story holds together, and it's quite atmospheric. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

An atmospheric mystery, ripe with tension and featuring a cast of suspects. When a teenage girl arrives at the FBI offices and confesses to a murder, it seems like an open and shut case. But there’s a lot more to uncover in this small town! The writing is well done, the reader can keenly feel the grit and desperation in this town. The plot moves along nicely. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, so much so that it got a bit confusing. I enjoyed the ending, even though it was a bit overdone. 3.5 ⭐️ My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review.

This is one of those thrillers that stays with you after you turn the final page.
The setting and story line were unique - the murder confession of a teenage girl leads an FBI agent to a religious group in rural America with a history of missing and dead children.
I did find the flashbacks and jumps from forward to the past tricky to negotiate and they pulled me out of the story on several occasions but the plot sequence of revelations and secrets is well handled.
No, I did not believe the motivation for the murder of a 12 year old clever boy. It worked as a plot device to kick start the story. Same with Molly's story. Not credible, even in the context of the community where she lived.
Overall a book of mixed parts with some great characters but it could have been a lot more convincing.

A young girl goes to the FBI to report a murder, and yet that is not the whole story. Children of a "religious cult" are missing and no one seems to no why. What does these events have in common? I could see where the story was going but did not see the whole picture. I loved this story, it kept me glued until the very end.

I really enjoyed the way that this book pieced together. I found the snippets from “the past” really enhanced the story and this is difficult to get right.
I didn’t find many of the characters likeable but I think that’s mostly the point. Due to this, it did take me longer to get my teeth into.
Overall, I did enjoy this book.

mixed feelings about this one, some of it was absorbing , some of it dragged and got bogged down, i was glad overall that i read it but .......

I am trying to find the words to describe this book and I think “troubling” is the best I can come up with. Troubling because, even though it is shocking at times, I could absolutely see this as being an account of true crime rather than a work of fiction. On looking into the author’s background, I was not surprised to see thy are a journalist. They have distilled gritty, detailed descriptions in A way which seems all too true to life.

The cover and the title of this book are so compelling I just had to pick it up.

When Eliza Cook walks into and FBI field office and asks for agent Lucy Thorne she confesses to a murder. It seems like an open-and-shut case, after telling Lucy where they can find the body, how the boy was murdered, and where to find the murder weapon Eliza stops talking. Lucy has her suspicions and goes out to Knox Hollow to find out the truth. What she finds is a cult-like church, a tightlipped community, and a sheriff that only shares half-truths. Lucy got the weekend to figure out what Eliza didn't tell, what her motive was. Lucy uncovers more and more secrets when she is in the small rural community, solving this case becomes a bit of an obsession. When Lucy finally has all the puzzle pieces together she struggles to make them fit and see the full picture.

Right from the start, I had a feeling who was the murderer and where this case would go, I must admit I was slightly off. The story has a good flow about it and I like Lucy, she is a good character. One thing I did find a bit annoying is how many times the it is mentioned that Lucy has doubts about where this case is going and the people involved. She seems to doubt herself way too much and it detracts from the story. All in all, this was a good mystery read.

Thank You NetGalley. Publisher & Author for this gifted e-ARC.

Summary
It seems like an open-and-shut case for FBI special agent Lucy Thorne when Eliza Cook walks into the field office. The teenage girl confesses to murdering a young boy. Disturbingly composed, she reveals chilling details only the killer could know. Beyond that Eliza doesn’t say another word, leaving a vital question met with dead silence: Why did she do it?

Review
This was a suspense novel.
I wasn't overly thrilled with this book. Which was a bummer, because I was so excited to read this one.
It was just so hard for me to finish. I couldn't really get through it.
Wasn't what I thought it would be. I didn't really care for the story & writing.

Rating- 3/5

I normally read historical fiction and non-fiction but have lately been on a mystery/who did it kick.

I have never read any of Brianna Labuskes' other books but will definitely look for them. I hope hey are as engaging as Her Final Words.

I love strong and strong headed women and FBI agent Lucy Thorne is such person. She is pulled into a murder mystery that is not clear cut and has been given only 3 days to solve it. There are enough twists and intrigue between characters and a religious cult to keep my interest.

What started Lucy on this path was Eliza, a young runaway from a cult and admits to a murder and promptly stops talking. Lucy's boss gives her a long weekend to solve the case. What her guts says and what she learns do not necessarily coincide. I learned about shield laws and the power of keeping a religion pure. While the ending did not surprise me aspects of it did.

It is a very good, summer read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for an advance copy of Her Final Words in exchange for honest feedback.

Brianna Labuskes writes another intriguing, multi-layered novel of suspense, perfect for fans of kick-ass female FBI agents and religious-cult style mysteries.

Even though it lagged a bit in parts, Her Final Words is still a compelling novel about an FBI agent who has 3 days to investigate what her gut tells her isn't such an open-and-shut case. Though she already has the killer, the weapon, and a confession, Agent Lucy Thorne tries to uncover the motive for the crime in a small town who's citizens are imbued within a cult-like church and are reluctant to open up to an outsider, let alone a government official.

The mystery of this book does lean very heavily into cults, religion, the church, etc. I personally found the exploration of topics like shield laws and religious morality really interesting (if not a bit frustrating at times), but if you're not a fan of the topics listed above, this book will probably be a pass for you.

The conclusion of this book leaves more answers up in the air than I'd usually like, so if you're a firm believer in every single loose plot thread being tied up by the end of a story, the final few chapters in here may annoy you. There were a few things I would've liked more clarity on, but overall I enjoyed this book and would read another mystery novel from this author again.

Her Final Words was a good mystery I couldn’t put down. It begins with a teenage girl confessing to a shocking murder.. The lead investigator can’t walk away from this open and shut case. Her gut tells her there is more to this crime. Her investigation takes her to a small town with many secrets.

A terrific crime thriller that was so good!! I love this thriller, especially with the cult theme. If you love cult thrillers, then this book is for you!

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of Her Final Words by Brianna Labuskes.

It's hard for Lucy to fully believe the confession of Eliza, who claims that she has just murdered a young boy. The confession is cold, seems too rehearsed, and there is just something niggling at her to investigate further. So when Lucy launches herself into this small town and their "church" she gets way more than she bargained for. More people are turning up dead than is warranted for such a small town, and are they being protected because of their religion?

I'll admit, I kind of drifted in and out of this one. I never quite sunk my hooks into the characters, or the details of the story. However, I think it did a good job of demonstrating just how harmful authoritarian leadership and aggressive group think can be.

Another good one from Brianna Labuskes. In HER FINAL WORDS, Labuskes explores extreme religions that believe all illness is healed through prayer. The plot is intriguing and I was left guessing at what happened until the very end. The resolution made sense, though, unlike many in this genre that provide a wealth or red herrings and then the conclusion is completely unbelievable. Strong read.

Good story. Police procedural crime fiction investigating a religious cult and the murder of a 12 year old boy that leads detectives to stumble upon more child deaths. Very plot driven. I didn't feel like I connected just a whole lot with any of the characters, but the plot was good and fast paced. Enjoyable read.

Her Final Words by Brianna Labuskes is set in the small town of Knox Hollow, Idaho where FBI special agent Lucy Thorne is investigating the death of a young boy. Local teenage girl Eliza Cook has confessed to the murder, but refuses to give a motive. Agent Thorne has her work cut out for her in trying to work out all the small town secrets, and revealing what's really been going on.

This was my first encounter with the author, but it will definitely not be my last. I absolutely loved this book, it is a really suspenseful and well written thriller.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book.

"Just because someone isn't lying...doesn't mean they're telling the truth."

At 3:00 AM, Eliza Cook walks into the Seattle FBI office and asks for Agent Lucy Thorne. The 17-year-old girl then confesses to a murder, tells Lucy where the body is, and also gives the location of the murder weapon. Despite further interrogation, Eliza refuses to give any other information or answer the main question of motive. Eliza does, however, repeat several times the fact that she carved a psalm into the victim's skin. Agent Thorne is not willing to put this case to rest as she can't wrap her head around the fact that Eliza has murdered this boy, 12-year-old Noah Dawson. Lucy wants answers and begs the chance to travel to Knox Hollow, a small Idaho town that happens to be populated by a group known as the True Believers of Christ Church. This community is close-knit and secretive and Lucy is obsessed with finding the truth. NO SPOILERS.

What a delicious slow-burning mystery that grabbed me and kept me hooked so that I had to read it in a single sitting. The setting adds another layer to this complex story as do the characters. We don't learn that much about Lucy Thorne, but her determination to figure out what happened and why is evident with everything she says and does. She finds it very hard to trust even the local law enforcement in Knox Hollow, and the church members are even more difficult to fathom. The writing was excellent and the alternating points of view and flashbacks added another dimension to the investigation as the details and revelations were exposed. It's not so much a thriller per se, but the questions I had while reading kept mounting as did the tension as I wanted the answers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.