Loved it! This story is full of suspense and had me flying through the pages to see what was going to happen. Perfect mystery!

I loved the suspense in this book
I was glued to the pages and couldn’t put it down! Late at night reading had me spooked a few times 😊. Some of the things I figured out but there were plenty of twists and I enjoyed the characters so much!

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC
Loved this one! 5 star
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5 rounded up!

When Frances Keen, the woman behind the Dear Constance advice column, is found murdered, her entire community of readers is devastated. When The Herald puts out an advertisement for her replacement, Alex jumps at the chance to take her hero’s place. However, with Frances’ murder unsolved and Alex’s own mysterious past, taking on such a public role may come with a cause for concern…

I NEED YOU TO READ THIS by Jess Maxwell is a slow-burn mystery set in the bustling city of New York.

I loved how Maxwell intercut the present-day timeline with “Dear Constance” letters from the past and the whole premise of this murder mystery being focused on an advice columnist was so so good.

There was a sense of dread woven throughout, which really added to the suspense and atmosphere of the story, making it incredibly difficult to put down!

Definitely recommend this one if you’re looking for a fresh take on a slow-burn thriller!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for the early copy for review!

Publication Date: August 13

Alex has stumbled upon her dream job- an advice columnist for a popular newspaper that she grew up reading herself. The former writer for the advice column had mysteriously been murdered, and she feels like she may be next.

This was a slow, slow, sloooooow burn. I felt like it took until the end of the book to really get into the meat and potatoes of the plot. The Dear Constance letters, while being somewhat important to the story, were severely long-winded and unrealistic for advice column letters. I can’t imagine a universe where I would write full conversations in search for advice.

I definitely had a few theories throughout the book, and it constantly had me theorizing what direction it was going to go in. Also what drew me to the book to begin with was the cover art. Definitely check it out if you like slow burns with quite a few twists! Overall, I will definitely be checking out Jessa Maxwell’s other work.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Jessa Maxwell, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This was a solid thriller - one that kept me engaged and I absolutely loved the Dear Constance element.
I didn't find this to be overly dark or scary, but it was truly engaging and entertaining.

An advice columnist at a newspaper is being followed by her past..

I think this is marketed so far as a thriller, but it felt more “cozy” to me! Character development, pacing, and plot layering were all there and consistent. The twists were there too, but I wouldn’t call the earth shaking. Fun, easy, with bonus OCD representation. Worth a read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. I love that they delved into anxiety and some agrophobia. Loved this mystery and couldn't figure out the end. This one had some unique twists.

I really enjoyed this little thriller. It was fast paced, kept me on the edge of my seat, and the characters were interesting. I loved the Dear Constance letters and what they added to the story. It took me til halfway through before I figured out who was writing them. I loved the twist at the end and I did not see it coming! This was well done and I will be reading more from this author in the future.

Thank you to Net Galley and Atria Books for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Alex Marks lives a routine life with a job in New York City as a copywriter that pays the bills but she isn't passionate about it. One day she reads that her childhood hero, Francis Keen, has been killed and the newspaper she worked for is taking applications to replace Francis as the writer of the "Fear Constance" advice column. This column got Alex through some darker times when she was younger so on a whim, she applies. She is shocked and thrilled when she is hired! She loves the idea of following in her hero's footsteps on the job, but when she starts receiving threatening letters, she's afraid she may be in danger just like Francis had been.

I enjoyed this book, but in spite of the title and cover, I wouldn't consider it a thriller. It was an entertaining mystery that was fairly light except for a portion that dealt with domestic violence. Alex is a likable character who truly wants to help people. She is great at her new job, but is definitely over her head when it comes to investigating. Luckily she has help from some new friends, including Janice who is a waitress at  her favorite diner and Raymond who is a former detective. I liked their friendship but wish their characters, especially Janice, would have been fleshed out more.

The mystery of who killed Francis Keen is interesting and Alex is determined to get justice for the woman had looked up to for so many years. Most of the story is told in the present, but events from the past are brought to light through older letters written to "Constance" that show a young woman in peril from an abusive boyfriend. I liked this method of giving up backstory that turns out to be relevant to the current plot. There were some red herrings in the death of Francis and threats to Alex, but I was suspicious of all the right people. There were still a couple of plot twists that took me by surprise. I had to suspend disbelief at some of them but I found the hopeful ending satisfying. 

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and Atria Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

4.5 stars. What an interesting mystery!

I really enjoyed The Golden Spoon so felt pretty confident I’d like this one - it’s very different in overall tone but sets some great suspense throughout. It was so compelling that I didn’t want to put it down! I really liked Alex and the new family she was able to make for herself, especially after landing her dream job.

Another hit from Jessa Maxwell!

Thank you to NetGalley, Jessa Maxwell, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
This one was fun, but not a favorite thriller. It was pretty quick paced but in the end just didn't stick with me. Thanks to netgalley for the eARC.

I love Alex.
Loved the book.
Wish if never ended.
I was so caught up in all of the characters.
Thank you for my ARC copy!

I really liked The Golden Spoon by this author and was excited she had another book coming out. I really liked The Golden Spoon and I really liked this book!

In “I Need You to Read This” we are following Alex who takes over the role of advice columnist “Dear Constance” who was murdered. While reprising the role of “Dear Constance” Alex is determined to find who committed the crime. As she starts digging into the murder, dark secrets start to emerge and Alex’s dark past surfaces.

I liked the cast of characters in this book, I liked Raymond, Janice and Tom. They were all fun and had unique personalities. This reads like a cozy mystery to me, with just a bit more thriller. I read the entire book in a day, it was a thrilling page turner. I liked that there was a little romance, sprinkled into our mystery as well. The book had some twists and turns that kept me on my toes. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries, mysteries and thrillers.

Thank you Atria Books for an advanced copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this twisty thriller. It kept me guessing, and a couple moments made me actually gasp out loud.

I love the concept of this book. A murder and an advice column and mystery- it all had potential. It fell flat for me. I couldn’t relate to the main character and I liked the side characters, but it all just felt very surface level.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Thank you Netgalley & Atria Books Publishing for an eARC♥️

I loved the idea behind the story - a murder at a newspaper advice column? So intriguing! I mean, who wouldn't want to read about a column that's all about secrets and scandals, and then a murder happens? It's like the ultimate whodunit.

But, to be honest, I had a bit of a hard time connecting with the main character, Alex. I wanted to know more about her, you know? What makes her tick? What's her backstory? I felt like we only got glimpses of her personality, and I wanted more.

And the supporting cast was pretty interesting, but I felt like we only scratched the surface. I wanted to know more about the people around Alex, like her colleagues and friends. What were their motivations? What secrets were they hiding?

The mystery itself was pretty good, though. I didn't see everything coming, which is always a plus. I loved how the author jumped back and forth between the past and present. It kept me on my toes! I was trying to piece together the clues along with Alex, and it was fun.

One thing that did bug me a bit was the pacing. Sometimes it felt like things were moving too slowly, and I just wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery already! But overall, it was a good read, and I'm glad I stuck with it.

All in all, it was a good read, but not my absolute fave. If you're into mystery and suspense, you might really enjoy it, though! Three stars from me.

This book was absolutely unputdownable; I originally scheduled three days for myself to read this and finished in half the time - it was THAT compelling. It had every element I love in a story - unlikely friends, a mystery, alternating timelines, varied narrative devices. I put together early on who the author of the Dear Constance letters was but I eagerly read as the story unfolded. At first, I wasn't sold on the addition of Tom as a character but I do think he was an excellent device for Alex to reveal and process her trauma.

This story was unique, fast-paced, and at times gave me Only Murders in the Building vibes with the odd trio of Janice, Ray, and Alex. I was on the edge of my seat and though I found some parts of this story predictable, there were enough twists and turns to keep me guessing and gasping. One of my favorite thrillers of the year thus far and one I'll be recommending to anyone in search of heart-pounding, page-turning thriller.

From the author of The golden spoon (a favorite 2023 debut for me) comes a new murder mystery involving Alexis, the new advice columnist for a NYC newspaper who finds herself trying to solve her predecessor's murder and ends up having her past come back to haunt her. Good on audio narrated by Carlotta Brentan. Heads up that this book contains mentions of sexual assault in the workplace and domestic abuse. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and Simon.Audio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Alex's favorite advice columnist has been murdered. Now the newspaper is advertising for a replacement. Alex, stuck in her apartment and in a boring job, has an extra glass of wine and applies. Of course she gets the job and what follows is not quite a cozy as she starts making her way in Frances' footsteps and out of her own apartment, hunting down Frances' killer, and trying to protect her own anonymity. Many plots points seemed obvious, but even more were surprises! I especially enjoyed the historic letters to "Dear Constance" that were placed throughout the book to provide context. I do wish a few more pages were given to the ending. It felt a bit rushed after the rest of the story. Other than that, this was a good book to read where it is heavier than fluff but doesn't require massive brain power. Take it to the beach! Read it on a train! Great summer read!

Thanks again to #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for a chance to read the ARC of #INeedYouToReadThis !

I must confess I was hoping for something like Jessa Maxwell's prior book "The Golden Spoon" as I loved it. (if you haven't already, get yourself a copy of the fun food tv type who-dun-it!) So I was a little disappointed to realize that INYRT is a completely different feel. My disappointment didn't last long.

This a twisty fun mystery / thriller that takes shape in NYC. Alex, plagued by anxiety and hiding her past, is hired to take over a famous advice column with a big city newspaper. The former "Dear Constance" was murdered a year ago but no killer was found. Alex starts wondering about the murder and becomes embroiled in the lives of those around her. While she receives threatening letters, she also makes strides in finding out what happened to the original Constance.

"I Need You to Read This" kept my attention throughout and I basically devoured the novel in one day/night. Maxwell crafts a great story!