This is the third book in the series and what a strange conclusion…

First of all, you are kind of lost through the whole thing until about the 50% mark where things are slowly clicking into place.

The ending still had me surprised. I never would have guessed that is how it plays out at all. Overall it was a good book that kept you hooked to the pages!

By the Time You Read This is a great mystery full of suspense and some twists I truly did not see coming. It's a bit of a popcorn thriller, which is perfect for this time of the year. It's also a really fast read, so if you're looking for something you can read in a day or so, this is perfect.

I didn't realize it was a book in a series, however, so I didn't fully connect. The first few chapters discuss what happens in the last few books, but I definitely recommend reading the others first.

I really enjoyed By the Time You Read This. It was full of suspense, mystery, drama, secrets, lies, and betrayal.
I've enjoyed all three books, but I like By the Time You Read This the best of the three.
I was drawn in quickly, I honestly couldn't put it down.

Raisa, Delaney, and Kilkenny are all great main characters. All of them are interesting, charismatic, smart, and complex.
The storyline was compelling, intriguing, unique, and clever. The twists were crazy good, I didn't see them coming at all.

These books are the first I've read from Brianna Labuskes, and I'm definitely keen to read more.
I highly recommend.

5 well deserved stars from me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Especially for fans of the Lacey Flint series by Sharon Bolton and the Maeve Kerrigan series by Jane Casey.

Thanks to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Brianna Labuskes for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of By the Time You Read this.

This was a first by this author and to be honest I didn't realize it was book 3 in the series (oops it just sounded SO good). All in all, it was really great! I definitely would recommend reading it in order though just to get the character build-up - definitely adding them to my TBR to back read and catch up on this.

If you enjoy crime thrillers, this is fantastic. Highly recommend!

This is book 3 in the Raisa Susanto series. I did not read the first two and I probably would have enjoyed it more with some of the background story of Raisa's sister going to prison. Raisa thinks her life will now be normal with her serial killer sister in prison but her life takes a twist when she finds a not on her porch saying, By the Time you Read this I'll be dead. She then gets the phone call that her Isabel is dead. But it seems that one of Isabel's obsessed worshipers is picking up the slack and going on a new killing spree, with Raisa as a target. a page turner.

Thank you Netgalley, Brianna Labuskes and Thomas & Mercer for the eArc of By The Time You Read This (Book 3 of Raisa Susanto)

This series of books is the first Ive read of Brianna's works and I must admit I really enjoyed this trilogy. I would say that you are better off reading the first 2 in the series as it builds up the character development and the overall storyline. The storyline surrounds Raisa Susanto, a forensic linguist and Isobel, her serial killer sister, Although this is a lot more to the narrative itself through the 3 books.

I found the character development still continues through this 3rd instalment while Rasia is drawn back into this sordid, depraved world of serial killers. All the characters were really interesting and likeable ( even when you didn't like them) The plot line is twisty and engaging, which makes for a great page turning read. I also feel that the trilogy ends on a good satisfying note for both Raisa and the reader a like. Ill be looking for more from Brianna

I also listened to the audio version in which Caroline Hewitt narrated. I found her voice wonderfully paced and engaging.

4 stars

The Time You Read This by Brianna Labuskes
Raisa Susanto #3

~ Riveting read ~ twists and turns aplenty ~ Excellent conclusion to this trilogy ~

What I liked:
* Raisa Susanto: FBI Forensic Linguist, orphaned young in life, foster system, time on the streets, brilliant, sees patterns in words, resilient, survivor, intriguing, deserves love & happiness
* Callum Kilkenny: FBI Forensic Psychologist, widow, wife killed by serial killer, brilliant, profiler, guarded, loner, partners with Raisa at times, supportive, caring, deserves love & happiness
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* The look into the backstories of the three Parker daughters and learning more about them and their relationships to and with one another
* The strings Isabella, the serial killer oldest sister, tied to Delaney and Raisa ~ a truly amoral, psychopathic, evil person
* The police procedural aspect of the story with the slow unveiling of one puzzle piece at a time
* Maeve St. Ivany: lead detective, driven, ends up collaborating with Raisa
* The twists, turns, and unexpected surprises that had me guessing till the very end
* The dual storylines moving between Delaney and Raisa defined by day number with some moving between past and present with eventual overlapping and moving forward linearly
* That all of the loose ends were tied up at the end with a hopeful future for both Delaney & Raisa
* That though I missed book two, I was able to catch up and read this book without trouble even though I wonder if I would have gotten to know Callum better if I had read it, too
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about nature vs nurture and why the Parker sisters turned out so different from one another
* Knowing that there are people like the serial killers in this book and thinking about not only the heinous murders they commit but the impact those acts have on the family and friends left behind

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to review this ARC with honesty.]

I've been seeing a lot of reviews in regards to reading this solo. Having read the prior two, I urge readers to please read this series in order as it won't make much sense and honestly, it would do a disservice to the story. That being said, I did find this book a little off with the timelines (this could be a me thing honestly) and couldn't quite figure out when what took place in regards to Raisa and Delaney. Now that being said, I still absolutely loved Brianna's writing in this. Her writing style is one of those intriguing narratives that pull you in and I had a hard time putting this book down.

Another fun and wild installment of Raisa Susanto. Brianna Labuskes I feel is going to be one of those authors that'll be an auto-read for me.

Rating: 4 Stars!

The book is interesting and takes special care in making the reader understand the underlying tension and motivation between all three sisters. The characters are flushed out and interesting. The suspense is real and book keeps you guessing as to how will it end. Worth the time and energy that you invest in it. a good weekend read.

This is the 3rd book in the Raisa Susanto series and I enjoyed all of them. Raisa Susanto is an FBI forensic linguist who comes from an extremely dysfunctional family background. Her parents were murdered when she was young, her sister Isabel is a psychopathic serial killer who's now in prison, and it's hard to tell whether her other sister Delaney is more like her or like Isabel. Raisa receives a note from Isabel saying "By the time you read this, I'll be dead". Raisa and her FBI partner Callum Kilkenny are convinced that Isabel was murdered in prison and set out to prove it. With the help of a local detective, they look into some true-crime groupies who are obsessed with Isabel. They're convinced that one of them could be the killer, but figuring out which one is not an easy task. I look forward to reading more of Brianna Labuskes's books. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Thomas&Mercer for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have loved this series, this story is as well written as the previous books. I enjoyed the dual timelines and multiple points of view. Look forward to more from this author

I absolutely loved this series. The different timelines used keeps the reader engaged and drawn into the plot lines. Will definitely read more in future.

I absolutely loved this series. Brianna Labuskes writing style was fabulous. I love the multiple viewpoints and I especially loved the use of timeline in this one. It kept me so intrigued and when they finally started to come together I was impressed at how well she did it. Highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Hands down one of my favorite thriller series! I loved everything about it from the premise of the linguistics to the pacing that is a wild ride.

I didn’t love this one. I requested it because I saw it on a friend's TBR list. I hadn’t read the previous books in the series so that may have been part of the issue. Although it does have plenty of twists and turns, it still left me feeling unsatisfied. Also I didn’t feel any kind of connection with any of the characters.

An Even Deeper Dive Into The Parker Sisters

On arriving home, FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto finds an envelope slid under the door. She knows that it is from her oldest sister, Isabel Parker, who tried to kill her two years ago. She is now in prison. While the wound is healed, she still feels it. She puts the letter down and goes upstairs to bed. She can't sleep, so he goes down and opens the envelope. A single sheet of paper with the message, "By the time you read this, I’ll be dead." Her cell phone rings with a call from Callum Kilkenny, a forensic psychologist and often partner. She lets it go to voice mail. He sends a text to turn on the television. She already knew but turned on the television anyway. Across the bottom of the TV screen, the chyron read: “Serial Killer Isabel Parker Found Dead in Cell."

This novel has three main storyline threads. The first is Susanto and Kilkenny’s unofficial investigation into the death of Isabel in prison. This thread goes dormant as Susanto investigates a series of murders that mimic Isabel Parker’s Modus Operandi. Susanto faces two hurdles. Kilkenny becomes unavailable early in the novel. She tries to continue on her own, but she must do something very challenging. She must team up and work closely with a local police detective, St. Ivany. In the previous novels, Susanto worked alongside fellow FBI agents, but their relationships were strictly professional and not personal. She only crossed that line with Kilkenny. With the complexity of so many suspicious suicides and her sister, Delaney Moore, a strong candidate to be the prime suspect or a candidate to be the next victim, this aspect heightened the tension and the suspension. These aspects captured my attention. The third thread tells the story of Moore. This thread is critical, as it contains information from Isabel's possessions left in her cell that is a gold mine for understanding what is happening. Twists, turns, and red herrings are used extensively. One of these reached the level of what I call a literary grenade, as it changed the entire understanding of what was happening.l

When discussing the background in this novel, it must include all three Parker sisters. I thought that I had learned so much about this trio after the first two novels. Much more is provided in this novel than I expected. Seeing how Susanto overcame the obstacle of forming a solid working relationship with Detective St. Ivany was most telling. This B-storyline provides most of this information. I found this B-storyline thread involving Susanto and Detective St. Ivany quite interesting.

There is not much in this novel that can cause some readers to stop reading. There are no intimate scenes. Profanity and impious language were noticeable but at a low level. Most of the violence consists of describing generically the suicides. Even the only actual violent scene is relatively tame. Although this is the last of three novels, there is sufficient information to suggest that it can be read first.

Although it was not an issue that I disliked, it did cause some confusion. Each chapter title has a number under it. It is the number of days since Isabel’s death. The chapters are chronologically ordered. The Delaney Moore thread starts three days later than the other threads, so they are out of sync. I enjoyed the use of transcripts from podcasts, chatrooms, and other electronic media. Using these techniques enables the reader to receive a substantial amount of information in a concise format. With Isabel's protégé on the loose and killing in Isabel’s modus operandi, the investigation was highly complex. The uncovering of the connections that led to the identification of the protégé and the killer of Isabel kept my interest locked in this novel.

I have read seven of the author’s novels and purchased four more. She is in my Must-Read category. I am looking forward to her next novel. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and highly recommend reading it. I rate this novel with five stars.

I received the free prepublication e-book version of this novel from Thomas & Mercer through NetGalley. My review is based solely on my own reading experience. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

I genuinely don’t understand how Brianna isn’t blowing up right now—because I’m fully obsessed. Her writing? Impeccable. Her character development? Next level. And the way her mind works? Honestly, I want to live there rent-free. This finale was everything I wanted and more, and I’m genuinely sad it’s over. But on the bright side, I now get to dive into her backlist like it’s my new full-time job.

If you’re into sibling dynamics, FBI investigations, and serial killers who are disturbingly brilliant, this series is absolutely your vibe. And let me just say—Brianna did the work. The research?? Top-tier. I finished this series feeling like I, too, could moonlight as a forensic linguist.
This was a great read and I highly suggest diving into this series!
3.5 stars and thank you to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for the ARC!

The Review: 2.5
**Thank you to Net Galley and to Thomas & Mercer for the advanced copy of this book**
The premise behind this thriller was intriguing (B+), but the execution made the storyline disjointed and difficult to follow (C-). I understand that this is the third book in a series and believe that reading the first two books would have helped somewhat, as backstory and previous character development would have enhanced and clarified significantly. I can also see where this might be a better listen than a read, as so much conversational ping-ponging, with “he said” and “she said” written in every line, made it tiresome to get through. Should the right narrator take this one on, who can manipulate his or her voice without the need for repeated dialogue tags, it may take a different and more enjoyable shape. But as it stands, as an isolated novel and in hard copy, this thriller was not my taste.

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: May 27, 2025. Available now!


Thank you, NetGalley, the author, and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this was just a bit too slow moving for me. I do think if I had read the first two in the series prior this would have been more entertaining for me. I may give the whole series a go in the future!

I’ve been a fan of this author for quite some time and read all of this series. This is a dark psychological thriller involving three sisters with the kind of family drama nobody would want. The plot included the strange and unique relationships between three sisters with a serial killer. The family drama of these three sisters with multiple identities was distracting. Perhaps I was in the wrong headspace because it was my least favorite of the series. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer (via NetGalley) for providing the opportunity to read this Advance Reader Copy of “By the Time You Read This” (Raisa Susanto, #3), by Brianna Labuskes, publication expected 05/27/2025. These are always my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without expectation of compensation.