I love a good "everyone has a secret" and "families are complicated" story!

I must admit, my mistake was reading this book first out of the series, so the initial pages didn't make much sense to me: I didn't know the characters and didn't care much for them.
However, as I got further into the pages and established the relations and timelines, I knew it was something good.

First of all, kudos to the author – I couldn't pinpoint the culprit until the formal investigation reached its climax. Secondly, I liked the relationships between the characters, the time jumps, and the change of POV. The story did feel a bit too tangled at times with the amount of details, connections, and coincidences, but all in all, it was good.

And the ending, the very last page - very satisfying.

This is a highly enjoyable read and actually quite clever with the plot twists.
It's a fast paced book that doesn't get too bogged down in anything and always brings you back to the narrative.
The plot twists I thought were clever, as was the use of forensic linguistics and it makes a nice change for an author to actually go into a bit of detail and it's obvious that she's done her research.
I also love the strong female lead who has her faults and isn't little miss perfect.
Can't wait for the next one

The Truth You Told picks up right after the first book in the series, even overlapping with the end of the first. Raisa Susanto is a forensic linguist who uses her skills to help the FBI catch killers.

This book was not as suspenseful as the first and I honestly knew who did it the first time the character was introduced, just because it felt like they stuck out like a sore thumb. That said, I didn't find the unraveling of the crimes as suspenseful or interesting as the first book, mainly because I honestly couldn't understand the WHY of it.

Also, in my mind, the main male character is Agent Hotchner from Criminal Minds. They have a similar kind of story, job and personality. Which isn't a terrible thing, but it was funny to realize.

This is the second book in a series that follows FBI Agent Raisa Susanto.
Susanto is working through the shock of the events that occurred in book 1 (The Lies You Wrote) while finding herself desperately trying to solve a puzzle from a serial killer.

Picking up where "The Lies You Wrote" ended, Susanto and Kilkenny find themselves working together to solve more puzzles and justice for Kilkenny's wife, Shay.

Puzzle one: is Conrad, the serial killer accused of killing Shay, telling the truth that he's NOT her killer, or is he toying with Kilkenny again?

This time, the story is written in two POVs, Shay and Susanto. I loved hearing Shay's voice and getting to know her. While the story could have been written without her perspective it gives readers another puzzle to solve: who can be trusted?

Shay provides compelling evidence convincing readers they know what happened only to be burned later. With more than one twist, this is a captivating book that doesn't clearly give away the truth until the end.

"The Truth You Told" is for anyone who likes trying to solve a mystery; puzzles; human psychology and other books by the author. I received an ARC copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for a review.

The book was filled with twists and turns. One page I thought I knew who had done it but then the next made me rethink everything that I had pieced together. Overall I enjoyed it!

Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 out of 5.

First takeaway from this book was that it was a second in a series. I have not read the first and I believe to get a full understanding of what is going on, reading the first one is important. I'm a sucker for crime/mystery/thriller reads and this one put some other recent crime reads to shame. The hardest part of this book was keeping up with the timelines/POVs that were happening. Lots of fingers being pointed in different directions and I love that! At one point, it did get to be VERY confusing with the number of characters that were present and trying to remember who was who and who did what.

Awesome read to constantly be on your toes and not have ANY clue as to who did it

I was so intrigued by this book and it did not disappoint. It's a great mystery with well written characters and a very solid plot. It never felt like the story was dragging, it had a great pacing and it was constantly interesting.

It relied very heavily on the characters and, while I find it can be a risk in these types of book, it worked so extremely well. Every character was flashed out just enough for you to care and doubt them at the same time; I sure had my moments of suspicion towards all of them. There was a great number of characters, which can be confusing, but they were all essential to the story and not a single one of them felt out of place.

The double timeline was so fascinating, just like the various excerpt that were shared every now and then (newspaper articles, letters, notes, forum chats) — they made it so easy to get involved in the case and start theorizing with them. It felt like everything you needed to solve the case was laid right in front you but you still needed that one missing piece, putting you on the same page as the characters all throughout.

There was no big twist or anything like that and the end felt a bit underwhelming. I liked the reveal overall but I feel like some threads were left hanging there; some of the characters' ending felt a bit rushed and left me wanting more, but it definitely wasn't bad, and it's just a small detail in a very good book.

Now— I had no idea it was the second book in a series when I picked this up and, while you can feel there's more to the story you don't know, it did not make it any harder to read this one. Some things are, for obvious reasons, brushed over as, I suppose, they are more detailed in the first book, but it was still very easy to follow along the storyline of this one. I will surely go back to read the first one and then read this one again to see how that changes my reading experience, and I would suggest reading that first to have more information, especially on Raisa, but going into it without that was not a big issue to the overall enjoyment of the story.

Tightly plotted thriller that kept me guessing.

This is the second in a series featuring FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto and her sometimes work partner, psychologist Callum Kilkenny. I really like this duo!

The Alphabet Man, Nathaniel Conrad, is scheduled for execution after being convicted of torture and murder of many victims over a long period of time. Suddenly, the press is abuzz with the information that he had a disciple, or that someone else had been involved in some of the kills. The focus is on Shay — the wife of Callum, long believed to be a victim of Conrad. Now they say that Conrad did not kidnap and murder her. Raisa’s sister, the convict Isabel, reveals that Nathaniel was not involved. So now they are on the hunt for the elusive cipher partner who had a different agenda.

I really enjoyed both of the books in this series that definitely should be read from the beginning. I love the author’s writing style and her ability with words. I’ve grown fond of Raisa and Callum who don’t have a romance but have a work relationship. The other characters are also very vividly drawn and are quite interesting. The field of linguistics has proved to be integral in the two cases and I am fascinated by the analysis of writing and idiolect.

Be sure to read the first in the series before tackling this one. Thank you to the publisher for this e-book ARC to read, review, and recommend.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.
I really liked this book. I loved that Raisa, the main character, was a forensic linguist. I was fascinated with the role that specific skill played in the FBI search for a serial killer.
The story is told alternating between the past and the present. I felt this was very skillfully done, and really added to the story. We know that Callum’s (the FBI profiler) wife was supposedly killed by the Alphabet Killer 5 years ago. However, new evidence that it might have been a different killer is brought to them by a documentary film maker.
The unfolding of the story introduces us to Shay (Callum’s wife) and her two siblings. We get to know all three of these characters very well.
At the same time, we see the investigation by Raisa and Callum into this new evidence. The careful interweaving of these two narratives blend well and gives the reader different perspectives and clues. Many times I thought I knew where the story was going, then it shifted. I found that I needed to pay close attention because every character in this story is important. And I am so impressed with how the author blended everything together rather effortlessly.
This is the second story in the series. I had not read the first, and was able to understand most of the story and relationships. However, to really understand Raisa, I feel the need to find the first book and read it. I am hoping the author will continue the series!

Highly recommend for readers who enjoy cat and mouse, dark fbi thrillers.

I received this ARC and am writing this review voluntarily.

Thank you to theauthor for giving me an ARC!

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐/5

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I noticed that this is a sequel so if you want to read it, read "The Lies You Wrote " first.

A serial killer is about to be executed after sitting on death row for some years. However, there seems to be a few murders that they believe are copy cats. Callum Kilkenny is a forensic psychologist who lost his wife to the hands of Nathaniel Conrad, the same serial killer. Or was it the copy cat? Everyone is racing for answers before the execution. Will they find them?

You have to pay real close attention to all the characters as there are many of them and most of them are suspects but this is one ofthe things i loved about the book as it was difficult to guess and i was more shocked at the end.

Let me just say the author did an amazing job with this book

release date: july 2nd 2024

The sequel dives back into the thrilling world of forensic linguist Raisa Susanto and psychologist Callum Kilkenny as they investigate fresh claims from the Alphabet Man, Callum’s wife’s alleged killer. New evidence suggests different authors for the incriminating letters, reopening old wounds and a case they thought closed.

As the execution looms, the duo races to untangle the truth. The narrative intertwines Raisa's present-day findings with Shay’s past, keeping readers a step ahead and eager to see how the puzzle is solved. The story probes deep moral questions amidst its captivating suspense, making it an unmissable read for fans of intense thrillers.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

The Truth You Told by Brianna Labuskes was a good book. It was a little slow in the beginning but then it pulled me in. (Part of that could be that I don’t normally read on kindle). This was the first book by Brianna Labuskes that I have read and I look forward to reading more from her. I would recommend this book to other.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.
I am pleasantly surprised by this book. I haven’t been into police procedurals in a long time. While I would put this book in that category, it colored outside the boundaries. It’s written from two POVs on two different timelines. Sometimes this can feel confusing for me at the beginning of books but the author does a great job with it; zero confusion and quickly engaged in the story.
I loved Shay’s story. The countdown timeline that opened her chapters really kept me engaged in what was going to happen next. It also softened the police side of the story.
I liked Raisa but felt she wasn’t as developed as Shay. I haven’t read the 1st book in the series and suspect that’s where I would get to know her better. I liked the linguist angle and wish there would have been a deeper focus into that aspect.
I enjoyed the complexity of the story. However, I felt like we were verging on too many characters to keep track of. Delaney’s part in the story felt too convenient for her contribution to solving the mystery.
There are multiple times I thought I solved the mystery only for my theory to be smashed 2 chapters later. While I didn’t figured out the ending early, I wasn’t blown away by the reveal at the end. Overall, this was a solid mystery and I would read another book from this author.

Great book….love this author! thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read the book in exchange for an honest review!

I found the first book in this series to be quite the delight, so I'm glad to say that the follow-up didn't disappoint. The story was sharp and compelling, and I'm really into the world-building that Labuskes is doing in these books.

Forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, haunted by the loss of his wife Shay at the hands of the Alphabet Man, Nathaniel Conrad, believed the chapter was closed when Conrad was condemned to death row. However, the narrative takes a spine-chilling turn when Conrad claims innocence just before his execution. The revelation that Shay's true killer is still at large sends shockwaves, prompting Callum to confront the possibility of a copycat or an unknown accomplice. The intricacies of the killer's coded letters, analyzed by FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto, add a layer of complexity that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and author Brianna Labuskes for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Mind-blowing. Captivating. Enthralling.
...
It's been long since I've read a thriller that made me question the sanity of the author 😅
I mean, you can't write such a complex, detailed book, featuring serial killers, psychologists and forensic linguist, and not expect me to be disturbed😂
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But, for real though. It was a literal masterpiece, the plot was extremely strong, I loved how the author added different excerpts from psychology evaluation reports, articles and even chat forums, which made the reading experience much more rich and hooking. It was as if I were searching and investigating with them.
Throughout, I never felt the storyline dragging, it was well balanced and consistently interesting.
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The characters were well written, Raisa and Callum were fantastic characters. With Callum, I liked his bond with Shay, his relationship with her, told through the POV of Shay l, was bittersweet. I've never read about a couple who had such matching love languages, they weren't carbon copies of each other, some would even call them incompatible, but they worked. Their love and appreciation for each other made for a beautiful five years, even if it ended with a tragedy.
Raisa was a character I felt myself idolizing. She was super mature and smart, her respect and care for Callum made her a precious friend and work partner. I can't deny my bias toward people who don't let their trauma define their lives.
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The book relied heavily on the side characters, and while usually a risk, this one has been successful. They added layers and depth to the stories, and they all had scenes where they were the main characters, which I loved.
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While the ending wasn't the level of earth shattering I expected, it wasn't bad or weak. It just didn't wow me the way the rest of the book did.
Definitely one of the best thrillers I've read.
*I received an ARC of this book through netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed Brianna Labuskes’s first Raisa Susanto book - The Lies You Wrote - and was so happy to receive this NetGalley ARC with the continuation of her story. Serial killer Nathaniel Conrad is known as the Alphabet. Man because of the codes he tattoos on his victims’ bodies. Just before he’s due to be executed on death row for his crimes, he denies being responsible for the murder of Shay Kilkenny, the wife of FBI forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny - Raisa’s colleague and close friend who hunted down the Alphabet Man for five years. Raisa analyzes the serial killer’s coded letters about each victim and concludes that there is indeed another killer on the loose. Raisa and Callum’s investigation into Shay’s murder uncovers many lies and deceptions. This one wasn’t as twisty and surprising as The Lies You Wrote, but it’s also really good. I’m looking forward to the next book in this series and can’t wait to read more of Brianna Labuskes’s books. Thanks to #NetGalley #Thomas&Mercer and #BriannaLabuskes for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the Advanced Reader copy. This was exactly the kind of thriller/mystery that I like to read; a psychological jigsaw puzzle where I never knew exactly what was going to happen. The constant tension kept me on the edge of my seat. The ending also didn't disappoint, which is where many other books like this can fall apart. Makes me want to go read the first in this series and to look forward to the next book.