I really enjoy Engels writing style and her ability to suck you into her story and not let you go until well after the last page.

This was no different from her other one I read - all consuming and gripping. This style was much more of a slow build, but was so incredibly layered and truly built upon itself as it went.

I really enjoyed this one!

What a ride!
This book kept me guessing the entire time! Even towards the end I was still trying to figure it out how it would connect all the dots.
It was a easy and fast paced read.
This was my first book of @amyengelauthor and I will definitely read more from her.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Coming out in 07/25/2023

I basically read this entire book in one sitting the writing flowed so quickly. There was a good amount of detail as well as being extremely plot driven with no unneeded fluff which I thoroughly enjoyed! I read it so quickly that I didn’t even have time to predict the twists which kept me engaged and surprised!

Thank you so much to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you so much to Dutton and Netgalley for the advance readers copy.

3 stars.

I overall enjoyed the story but didn't find it anything mind-blowing. I read the Roanoke Girls by the same author and loved it and I find myself comparing this authors books to that one. I loved the concept of the story but found myself putting this one day quite a lot. I liked the characters and their backgrounds but I found this story to be more character driven vs. plot and I typically like more plot driven stories.

Would recommend as a beginner thriller for those who are looking to get into the genre.

Greer’s sister Eliza was murdered along with her boyfriend, years ago. Greer moved away from home and has tried to move on with her life but is forced to return when she sees that another couple have been killed in the exact same way years later.

This is a twisty fast paced thriller but I just didn’t connect with it really, I also found the side plot romance really odd which I think kind of spoilt it for me.

Not a bad book, just not for me.

Greer Dunning's older sister Eliza and her boyfriend were murdered when Greer as fourteen. Even though the killer was quickly caught, the nightmare hasn't ended even fourteen years later. Her family fell apart with her dad taking to drinking and her mother to cleaning and neither seemed to have time for Greer.

Greer had some support from her best friends Cassie and Ryan but she still left her small Kansas hometown as soon as she graduated high school. She has made a sort of shallow life for herself in Chicago where she works as a middle school guidance counselor.

When she hears that another teenage couple has been killed in the same way Eliza and her boyfriend were, Greer decides that she has to go home and face up to all that she lost. She can't believe that these new killings aren't related to the previous ones despite the killer having been executed in prison. Greer always felt there was more to the story and that the killer didn't work alone.

Her friends are there to support her. In fact, Cassie never left and Ryan is back home after a divorce. But Greer ends up teaming up with Dean who was the older brother of the young man who was convicted of murdering her sister and her sister's boyfriend. Dean has questions and his own share of guilt about the way things turned out during the first trial. As the two investigate, they gradually unearth secrets in the town and buried in Greer's memory.

This was an excellent thriller with a twisty plot. It was also an in-depth depiction of the grief and guilt that surrounds this sort of tragedy. I found it very moving.

I Did It For You felt like a nice summer read without being totally basic. The characters weren't super flushed out, but it didn't feel needed. The end was good, but did not feel hinted at enough in the rest of the novel.

I am such an Amy Engel fan! I Did It For You is the perfect combination of small town thriller with complicated high school relationships. Greer’s sister Eliza was shot to death alongside her boyfriend Travis 14 years ago. Roy Matthew’s confessed to the murders and was executed soon after. But Greer always had her doubts about his guilt. When another high school couple is shot in her hometown, Greer is pulled back to search for answers she’s always wanted.

Greer’s story is a lyrically woven tale of grief, friendship, family, betrayal and forgiveness.

While I feel like the tropes in this book have been used a LOT in the past 2 years I think Amy Engel did a good job at bringing us a fresh take on it. I Did It For You is a good thriller and I read this one really fast. I think there were some great twists and I definitely gasped a little. However, I do get tired of reading the same things in books over and over again- it lessens my enjoyment of the book no matter who the author is. In any event, this one gets 4 solid stars from me!

Thank you to the author Amy Engle, publishers Dutton and Penguin Group, and as always NetGalley, for an advance audio copy of TELL ME I'M WORTHLESS.

I've been getting more into crime novels, but I need a really creative human connection in the narrative in order to enjoy selections in this genre. For, coming in that close to a killer's mentality from the human side, rather than the horror side, was uncomfortable for me for two reasons.

First, when a killer is written from a horror framework, it puts a great deal of idealogial distance between the reader and the killer. The book's own opinion is that the reader and the killer are very different kinds of people. Crime novels, on the other hand, when their killers are written from this human place, close the distance between the reader and the killer. I most enjoy crime novels that exploit this proximity in clever and creative ways, expecially if they cause me to exercise empathy in new way.

I DID IT FOR YOU does that--causes me to exercise empathy in news ways.

Also, Engle closes the gap between the reader and killer in another way, in showing how few degrees of seperation lay beween a killer and the main character, whose perspective the reader shares during the duration of the book. Any decent writer exploits this truth to point out the mortal vulnerability in being so close to a killer. But a creative author knows how to exploit the underlying vulnerability in such closeness-- makes us remeber that we might once or forever love a killer.

I DID IT FOR YOU does this too, it's suspenseful, making me wonder the whole time about the violent capacities of the main character herself and every person she touches.

I also love that Engel includes a satisfying romance subplot without making it either cheesy or wholly toxic. I found the development authentic to both characters' trajectories and it took the story to such interesting places.

I think this book officially made me love the crime genre!

Rating: 🗣🗣🗣🗣🗣 / 5 dark secrets
Recommend? Absolutely!
Finished: June 23 2023
Format: Advance Digital, NetGalley
Read this if you like:
🩸 Crime thrillers
🩸 Stories about violence
🩸 Small town murder myths
🩸 Main characters with traumatic pasts
🩸 Suspense and mystery

14 years old Greer Dunning’s older sister, Eliza, was murdered. Since then, Greer and her parents are barely living as they wrestle with the ‘why’ of the murder. Greer, now living in Chicago, hasn’t been home since she left Ludlow after high school but when two teens are murdered the exact same way Eliza was, Greer knows she needs revisit Ludlow before any more victims turn up.

I adored Amy Engel’s last book The Familiar Dark. It was gritty, dark, and original. It was one of my favorite reads from 2020 and I can’t recommend it enough. When Dutton offered me a copy of her upcoming release I Did It For You, I was stoked!

While the premise, the lost ‘daughter’ returns home to solve a decades old mystery isn’t unique, Engel is a fantastic writer and I love the way she writes. Unfortunately, this lacked the grittiness that we had in The Familiar Dark and seemed to be more a mainstream thriller. Which is fine, but just wasn’t what I was expecting.

I did enjoy this one, but I just didn’t love it. While the depiction of grief and the aftermaths of a tragedy were executed excellently, I didn’t connect much with Greer and found her to be insufferable. I also just don’t want to accept the ending. I would still recommend this book, but it’s going to be your traditional thriller where the lead character is semi-gaslighting themselves. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.


I Did It For You comes out July 25, 2023. Huge thank you to Dutton for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.

Thank you, Dutton Books, for the gifted e-galley of I Did it For You by Amy Engel {partner}

Genre: Mystery
Format: 🎧
Pub Date: 7.25.2023

Unfortunately, I started reading this and it couldn't hold my attention. I had to stop reading a few times and then tried to come back to pick it back up, but it wasn't for me. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and storyline as it felt like something I have already read before.

I appreciate the opportunity to give the book a try and I know there will be lots of others out there who enjoy I Did It For You!

Thank you to the publisher for my copy - all opinions are my own.

Amy Engel has rocketed to the top of my must-buy, fave author list and I honestly cannot get enough of her intense character-driven, atmospheric, dynamic and addicting mystery thrillers.

I Did It For You is a perfect example of everything I love in a thriller. A decades old murder that has come back to haunt a small town; characters who are messy and complicated and prone to making bad decisions; a killer on the loose, with a murky and unknowable motive; tense vibes matched with perfect story pacing; literally, this story serves it all.

This is truly a one-sitting read kind of book. I was pulled right in and I didn't even realize how fast I flew through this one until I noticed the % left to read on my kindle and noticed I was on the home stretch. It sucks you in, and you want to know the answers as bad Greer does - did the killer executed for her sister's murder act alone? Who is repeating these copycat killings now? Is it ever a good idea to dig up old ghosts from a past better left behind?

I don't want to give anything away on this one, but know that the story is solid, the twists are fantastic and this is truly a must-add to your summer TBR pile. It is summer escapism reading at it's finest.

This was a VIBE! Small town gossip and secrets mixed with a creepy, gritty feel. The plot was good and flowed well. It was an entertaining story that held my attention and the character development was pretty good. Would definitely recommend!

2.5/5
Disclaimer: I was gifted a copy of this book via netgalley and in exchange I'm leaving an honest review
All opinions my own, as always.
While it was well written, I was rather disappointed in the big reveal at the end. It really didn't make any sense whatsoever.
A lot of people shamed the FMC in the book for *checks notes* grieving over her sister and wanting to know what happened to her?? Grief has no linear timeline.
The relationship with Dean kind of felt weird and forced, just for it to end within weeks?
I think with revision and reconsideration of the many, many plot twists it could be a good book. It felt like so many of them were unnecessary.
The cover was really pretty and the concept is cool, but it fell flat for me.

3.5🌟
Grieving the murder of her sister and her sister’s boyfriend, Greer chooses to move away. Justice was sufficiently served. The killer caught and his death sentence completed.

That should be the end of it right!? New beginnings? Starting afresh?

But when two teens are killed in her hometown with similarities to her sisters’ murder Greer is now questioning everything. It’s time to go home and get some answers!

I loved the previous book by this author, The Familiar Dark. And like the title suggests…it was dark and edgy! Unfortunately this book just fell a bit short. It did include some clever twists, but the overall trope of a girl returning home years later to uncover answers to an old murder is just a bit tiresome.

A fast, entertaining read I’m sure you’ll be drawn into, but just lacked the hard edge suspense I was hoping to experience again from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and a Penguin Group Dutton.

3.5 stars for Amy Engel's newest thriller set in a small town filled with secrets.

The first half is slow going, with a focus on developing the characters, which I appreciated as all of them are important to the story. The pace slowly starts to build in the second half, along with the tension. However, the focus is definitely light on action, with an emphasis on dealing with grief and guilt. I figured out the main twist early on and was disappointed in it's reveal and lack of development. I would still recommend to anyone who has enjoyed Amy Engel's books in the past.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts on this book. The review will appear on episode 16 of the podcast which will drop on July 10. The review will also appear on the website that same day and I will also share a brief review on Instagram that same week.

Review:
I think I mentioned in an earlier episode that until recently, a friend and I had a weekly true crime podcast. We did it for almost three years - it was pretty successful, but then it ended up really wearing on us. Reading about murders and disappearances and the effects it had on the families really took a toll. While I’m happy to be away from true crime, I love reading about fictional crime and as soon as I read the synopsis for this one on NetGalley, I knew I wanted to give it a shot. While I liked the book, I didn’t love it - mostly because I felt the revelation was a little “meh”.

When we hear the words true crime, we tend to think of serial killers - or at least that’s where my mind goes. I think maybe it’s just that I am an 80s kid raised on threats of being kidnapped and ending up on a milk carton, and/or being murdered by a serial killer. What I learned while doing the podcast is statistically we’re more likely to be murdered by someone we know than by a stranger - let that sink in. Our next most likely murderer would be a stranger who wasn’t out simply to kill us for fun, but more likely because of an altercation, robbery or in connection with some other crime.

All that to say, I really liked how the plot in this book was contained to a single crime that rocked a small Kansas town. Police caught the guy who did it - in fact he even confessed to doing it. He was sentenced and eventually executed, so when two more teenagers are murdered in the same way 14 years later, Greer Dunning returns home to find out what is going on. Her sister Eliza was one of the victims fourteen years ago and Greer has always felt as though there was more to the story. She’s had this nagging feeling that the killer wasn’t working alone, so she leaves her job as a school counselor in Ohio and returns home to poke around.

Greer has a difficult relationship with her parents. After Eliza’s death they all grew apart and things are still strained between them. Upon returning home, she immediately reconnects with her childhood BFFs Ryan and Cassie and it’s not long before she also connects with Dean Matthews - the brother of Roy Matthews who was convicted of murdering her sister and her sister’s boyfriend all those years ago. She figures Dean is her only hope in figuring out what was going on with Roy before he murdered her sister, and this information could help her figure out who Roy may have been working.

The author does a great job of creating the small town vibe. I also really liked the character of Greer and the complex relationships she had not only with her family, but also with several people from her past - including Cassie and Ryan.

The book is a good read and unravels much like a classic true crime case, but it lost me toward the end when we find out how the murders were connected and why they occurred. It was way too much of a stretch for me to fully get behind. I ended up giving this one 3 stars.

In I did it For You we follow Greer, it’s been fourteen years since her sister got murdered and Greer and her family has never been the same. Even though they long ago caught the killer something about that night has never felt right.⁣
⁣
I was beyond excited at getting a chance to read Amy Engel latest novel. While her books are usually slow burn thrillers, I promise you they are so worth it. Amy really knows how to stick a knife into your heart and twist until you feel the most gut wrenching pain and this book was no different.⁣
⁣
By, the end of this novel you will feel so many emotions at once and finding out what really happened to Eliza will absolutely break you! If you want an intense novel with a great ending read I Did IT For You.

I was confident that I would love I Did It For You having been blown away by Engel's previous novels. And I'm happy to say I love this one too! Amy Engel is such a good writer, her books are insanely readable and captivating.

In I Did It For You, we follow Greer Dunning who returns to her small hometown many years after her sister was murdered. The man that killed her and her boyfriend was executed for the crime. But now two other teens have met the same fate. Greer always had questions about what happened to her sister and now she's determined to get answers.

It's obviously hard for her going back. Her parents still aren't handling things well. Add to that being in a small sad town where everyone knows everyone's business. And people know things they're not telling, Greer included. At least she has her two best friends who continue to be fiercely loyal despite the fact she's stayed away all this time.

In the midst of her investigation, she forms a tenuous bond with an unlikely ally. They are the last person she should be hanging out with so she keeps it a secret. Together they're able to interview everyone that knew her sister and the killer. They start getting closer to the truth endangering them both.

What I loved about I Did It For You is the slow burn style of writing that was in no way slow paced. Things take their time to unfold but I had no problem zooming through and was never bored. It's also worth mentioning I Did It For You isn't half as dark as her previous novels, The Roanoke Girls and The Familiar Dark. I personally love dark and disturbing but it's obviously not a requirement.

There wasn't anything I disliked but I think the ending was a bit rushed compared to the rest of the story. I also got the killer and their motive right but that obviously didn't take away from my enjoyment overall. In fact, I will say I'm pleasantly surprised a cliché thing didn't happen. No spoilers here!

It's safe to say Amy Engel is an auto-read author for me. I Did It For You is a perfect mystery/thriller. And since it comes out in July, it's also the perfect beach read!

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton and NetGalley for the e-ARC.