This book had me hooked from the start with its engaging mystery plot! The story starts when Alex, impulsively applying for a job as a replacement for the deceased Dear Constance writer (Francis Keen), gets pulled into the mystery surrounding Francis’ death.

The sleuthing adventures with Alex and her quirky diner crew, Janice and Raymond, gave off some fun Only Murders in the Building vibes. The newsroom setting was also a highlight—one of my favourite backdrops, though I wish we had spent more time there. The ending was super satisfying, but I won’t spoil it!

I loved how the Dear Constance letters were seamlessly woven into the story. Jessa Maxwell balances serious topics with humour, giving the mystery a lighter vibe and keeping the readers entertained and emotionally invested.

After this one, I’m excited to read the author’s debut, The Golden Spoon, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thank you Atria, S&S Canada and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

Alex Marks is named the new advice columnist after the death of the long-serving beloved Francis Keen writing as "Dear Constance". But then things start happening, and people are acting weird, and Alex wonders if she's gotten in over her head.

This was a fun, fast thrill ride of a read with alternating chapters between the action and letters to Dear Constance. I would definitely recommend this one.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell is an excellent second adult novel from the author. The setting of a old school newspaper's office gave me a greater appreciation for communications, especially in a world of forced technology. The anonymity of letter writing leads to more suspense within the novel.

When the previous Herald's advice columnist was unexpectedly murdered, her replacement, Alex, is understandably nervous. The reader soon finds that Alex is an unreliable narrator and you are not sure who exactly to trust.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Publishing for the opportunity to read this novel.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I had a really difficult time connecting to this story and the characters. I found the mystery to be okay, nothing super engaging but enough to keep most readers interested. The ending was okay, it was mostly lackluster on the surprise end of things. The main character felt disjointed and I really just did not enjoy learning about her and following her on this journey. I just overall was not a fan. It think fans of cozy mysteries or lighter told thrillers will love this story and should pick it up.

This dark mystery could maybe be considered a slower paced thriller; I did end up reading it in one day. While the main character, Alex, did have me wanting to bang my head against the wall sometimes, I did enjoy this book. There is a sprinkling of the found family trope for those (like me) that like that sort of thing but if you are triggered by domestic violence you might want to skip this one.

Thank you to netgalley for providing me this arc the publisher was Atria Books. I read Golden Spoon by and I know I had to read this book. In the past the second book, by an author has disappointed me but, not this book. This book was a quick suspense read. The setting of the book was a newspaper office where the main character had to become the new advice columnist. This book ties in mystery, love, and suspense. I am looking forward to reading all books by this author.

I enjoyed this book. The pros: It was very readable, it was well-written, and I enjoyed the interludes of the letters. The cons: Alex was quite annoying at times (of course, Francis wasn’t perfect and she didn’t actually know her?!), and some of her internal monologues didn’t match her backstory. This book’s New York didn’t feel like a real place, but more like a cliche. 3/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for letting me read an ARC of this book.

This is the first book that I have read from the author and I can say that after reading this I will definately be looking into picking up more from her! I really enjoyed everything from the writing style, to the characters and felt the entire story just was done very well. I would highly recommend this book, the shorter chapters also made me fly through it. Could not put this one down!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy of I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell in exchange for an honest review. Note: I got this before publication but it is out now so you can read it.

Alex Marks has just gotten her dream job: working for the New York Herald as the new Dear Constance advice columnist to replace beloved long time icon Francis Keen after the latter’s (unsolved) murder. But Alex is hiding something, too …

With an eclectic cast of characters, this is a unique murder mystery cloaked in a second mystery: what’s going on at the Herald? Who can (and can’t) Alex trust? What is the big secret she herself is hiding? And who is sending threatening letters to Constance?

It took me a while to get into this one, which didn’t grab me as quickly as Maxwell’s previous novel, The Golden Spoon. Still, it was entertaining and kept me guessing until almost the end.

Three stars.

Jessa Maxwell’s I Need You to Read This is a clever, suspenseful, and addictive mystery that will have readers hooked from the first page. Drawing comparisons to her earlier work, The Golden Spoon, Maxwell once again proves her knack for creating atmospheric tension and layered mysteries, this time centering on an advice columnist who becomes dangerously entangled in her predecessor’s unsolved murder.

The protagonist, Alex Marks, is a compelling character with a carefully constructed life in New York City. Having fled from her past, she keeps a low profile, avoiding close relationships and limiting herself to the familiar comfort of her daily routines. But the sudden murder of Francis Keen, the famed advice columnist of Dear Constance, whom Alex had long admired, throws her world into chaos. Alex’s decision to apply for Francis’s vacant position is impulsive and somewhat out of character, but it adds an intriguing element of fate to the story, as if Alex is being pulled toward something darker and more dangerous than she realizes.

Maxwell excels at building tension, especially as Alex begins to settle into her new role as the voice behind Dear Constance. The advice column, which once provided solace to Alex in her younger years, now becomes a source of unease. Strange letters start arriving, and Alex can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her—perhaps the same person responsible for Francis’s death. The steady, mounting paranoia is palpable, and Maxwell captures Alex’s gradual unraveling as she gets closer to uncovering the truth.

One of the strengths of I Need You to Read This is how it blends the professional world of advice columns with the dark undercurrent of murder and suspense. Alex’s knack for solving other people’s problems through her writing contrasts sharply with her inability to solve the mystery of Francis’s death—or to confront her own buried secrets. This duality makes her a relatable and complex character, as she’s drawn deeper into a mystery that threatens not just her job, but her life.

The cast of characters around Alex is equally intriguing, particularly her boss, Howard Dimitri. Maxwell crafts Howard with enough ambiguity to keep readers guessing—his late nights at the office and heavy drinking make him a prime suspect, but is he truly capable of murder? The other office staff and the people Alex interacts with as she investigates also keep the reader questioning everyone’s motives, turning the novel into a tense game of cat and mouse.

The novel’s pacing is generally effective, though there are moments where the tension could have been heightened with more urgency. The middle sections, in particular, feel a bit stretched, as Alex wades through the office politics and mysterious letters without enough immediate danger. However, the final act ramps up the stakes, taking Alex from the bustling streets of Manhattan to Francis Keen’s secluded summer house, the site of her grisly murder. Maxwell skillfully uses this change of setting to create an isolated, almost claustrophobic atmosphere that culminates in a thrilling and chilling confrontation.

If there’s a critique to be made, it’s that some readers might find the mystery’s resolution predictable. While the journey to uncovering the truth is filled with twists and red herrings, the ultimate revelation may not shock readers who are seasoned mystery enthusiasts. That said, Maxwell’s strength lies in her ability to craft atmospheric tension and character-driven suspense, which makes the journey just as compelling as the destination.

Final Thoughts:
I Need You to Read This is a sharp, atmospheric thriller that keeps readers engaged with its blend of psychological tension and dark secrets. Jessa Maxwell has crafted a well-paced mystery with a complex protagonist in Alex Marks, whose journey from passive observer to active investigator is both intriguing and satisfying. While some twists may be predictable, the novel’s eerie atmosphere and well-developed characters make it a gripping read for fans of mysteries like The Haunting of Hill House and The Golden Spoon.

3.5 rounded up to 4. I have not read any books by this author so I wasn't sure what to expect. I really liked this one. Was it predictable at times? Absolutely. Was it unrealistic at times? Absolutely. But I flew through it and wanted to confirm my suspicions. Trigger warning: the book contains domestic abuse and mentions of sexual assault. Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

I wanted to love this more than I did. The cover of the book is wonderful, and the plot drew me in, but unfortunately the book itself wasn't for me. It was quite repetitive and it seemed to take ages for anything of substance or anything exciting to happen, and once it did, the reveals and twists weren't anything majorly shocking, and the final one just felt anticlimactic.

I NEED YOU TO READ THIS is a wonderfully addictive character-driven mystery. Maxwell crafted a story full of heart, suspense, and carefully placed reveals.

This story begins and ends with Alex. I connected instantly with Alex and enjoyed watching as she navigated through trusting people and overcoming her past. She is the backbone of this thriller and is put through it all as she stumbles down the rabbit hole to discover who killed Francis Keen. And it is not only our main character that adds depth to this mystery. The reader is gifted with a brilliant cast ranging from our Bluebird crew, Janice and Raymond to Alex’s coworkers at the HERALD to a surprising new man entering her life, Tom. They are what made this book for me. The interactions, the personalities, and the way they all fit within the investigation of the murder were perfect.

I would be remiss to mention that there are weighty issues addressed in this book. What Alex went through and her escape to New York is something many women of domestic violence have to deal with daily. This coupled with a few of the other’s back stories enriched the narrative in a way that didn’t exploit any topic just for the storyline.

Simply stated. I devoured this book. The writing was perfectly paced. There were just the right amount of twists, turns, and moments of intense suspense. It took me know time to realize that this was exactly what I needed to read. Maxwell delighted me with THE GOLDEN SPOON and has pulled me in again with I NEED YOU TO READ THIS. I cannot wait to see what she has next for us.

Who do you ask for guidance when your favorite advice columnist has been murdered?

Alex lives a life of routines, working from home in her small NYC apartment & having breakfast every morning at the Bluebird with waitress Janice & retired NYPD detective Ray. When the news breaks that the acclaimed Dear Constance column is seeking a new writer after the unsolved murder of the previous columnist less than a year ago, Alex is incensed - no one can replace Francis Keen, & after a few glasses of wine Alex decides to see what exactly the criteria for the job listing entails, & ends up impulsively applying. As fate would have it, she is hired - & between the creepy old part of the building she works in, the new man in her life, the sinister letters she starts receiving, & her own secrets from the past, this new job may just be the end of Alex…

I loved how this book captured the way that NYC can be an anonymous place, & it was interesting to see everything that Alex encountered her first week on the job with piles of snail mail to answer & a chock-full email inbox as well. The way the author framed advice columns in general changed my perspective on them a bit: Maxwell talks about how they are a way to see a problem solved in a newspaper after reading about global tragedies that are vastly more complex, & they’re about the need for human connection.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was very good! I enjoyed the concept and characters and definitely wanted to read until I figured out what happened. Felt like it got a little predictable at the end but it never took away from my engagement!

What a fun popcorn thriller. It was easy, it was readable and it was suspenseful. The pages turned quickly and before u knew it, I had finished.

The premise of the book is that a young writer with a past accepts a new job answering advice columns for a national newspaper. Her predecessor, Francis, was murdered, opening up this position. In a nationwide search, Alex Marks scores the job with her well thought out, empathetic responses. It doesn't take long for things to go awry. Alex has to confront her past to be able to solve Francis' murder and the deceit that lies within.

I cannot wait to read more from this author!! Thank you!

This was such a fun thriller/mystery. There were definitely a few plot points that I figured out before the ending, but I still enjoyed the ride! I also did not expect the Lucy twist!! Jessa distracted me with Francis' murder. I purchased The Golden Spoon right after this.

This book has a great premise and I loved the NYC setting especially as someone who has lived in the city.

I just don’t have many outstanding thoughts as I felt like I didn’t connect with the story or Alex & some twists surprised me but others I could see coming.

Not a bad thriller or book, just not for me.

I really couldn’t get into this one. I found the main character juvenile and the story overall lacking.

This one was a bit slow moving but wrapped up nicely. I recommend if you enjoy a slower thriller. It was twisty and I recommend not reading to much into the story before starting.