By the Time You Read This (Book 3 in the Raisa Susanto series) has FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto dealing with her family's twisted past again. The publisher's book blurb gives a good synopsis, so I won't repeat it here.

I have really enjoyed the main character, Raisa, and the relationship she has with her work partner FBI forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny throughout this series. Labuskes offers enough twists to keep things interesting. I have reduced my rating because I found this particular book confusing at times. There are a lot of characters to keep track of, and the entries written from the viewpoints of Raisa and her sister Delaney talk about the same days and events, but they are each on different days. As a result, I felt bounced around and had to go back to previous chapters to clarify the actual sequence of events between the two POVs. I would have appreciated a more straight forward flow.

Though this book, as the other books in the series, can be read as a stand-alone, readers will enjoy it more if they read the entire series in order.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for letting me access a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is 5/27/25. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

Book 3 of FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto’s twisted family story. Raisa must use her skills and everything she knows of her family to uncover the truth.

All of the books were so interesting as you learn more about what Raisa and her partner do in the FBI. It was a great twist learning about her serial killer sister and the intrinsic relationship of nature/nurture as the psychological thriller progressed from book 1-3.

Thank you to author, Brianna Labuskes, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

The book is a decent one time read. It's book3 of a trilogy but the author has added enough info so that you don't feel confused.

But there are a lot of issues. For instance the character names. For whatever reason the author doesn't use he, she. She keeps using the names of the characters almost every other line. It was very tiring.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing | Thomas & Mercer for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest in the Raisa Susanto series by Brianna Labuskes. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto thinks she’s through with the past now that her psychopathic serial killer sister, Isabel, is locked away forever. Then Raisa receives a letter from Isabel. It’s just a single message: By the time you read this, I’ll be dead. Then Isabel is found dead in her cell. Soon, Raisa and FBI forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny are back investigating who killed her and why, as well as finding her possible protege before someone else dies.

I have been a huge fan of this series. While you could read this one as a stand-alone, don't - go back and enjoy the series because it's worth it. The story is wrapped up nicely with this book, but hope springs eternal that we haven't heard the last of Raisa and Callum! Do pay close attention to the time periods stated before each chapter to alleviate confusion - but it’s such a great way to tell this story. It's a fascinating look at forensic linguistics - something I had never heard about until this series. Plus, there's the whole topic of nature vs nurture among the three sisters. This is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you intrigued and guessing until the end.

Raisa Susanto, FBI forensic linguist, has been told that her sister, Isabel Parker, has died in prison. Prior to this, Raisa had received a letter from Isabel saying, "By the time you read this, I'll be dead." As much as Raisa would like to believe this is true, she harbors some doubt. Could Isabel's killing spree finally be truly over? It is discovered that a series of new murders have the same look as those that Isabel committed. Raisa and forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, investigate. Are they searching or a copycat or possibly Isabel?

This third book in the series can be read as a stand-alone, the author does a good job of providing the backstory, but I would recommend reading the first two. The book is fast paced and we are thrown some red herrings and twists. There are different timelines in the story which confused me a few times. I would say this is an engaging mystery thriller perfect for readers who like a smart, strong female protagonist.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for an ARC. The review is my own.

The characters are very interesting and well developed. The book draws you in from the very beginning and has you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Raisa is an FBI linguist who is relieved to have her serial killer sister, Isabel, finally locked up and away from her. But when Isabel is murdered in jail, Raisa enlists the help of FBI psychologist, Callum, to help her figure out what happened.

This is a well written, psychological thriller that ticks all the boxes for me: murder, mayhem, serial killer, and the FBI! I am a fan of Labuskes books and was excited to receive this installment! This is by far the best installment in this series!

Highly recommend that you read all of the books in the series or just start with this one!

Thank you Net Galley and Thomas and Mercher for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This had be hooked from page 1. It gave me Criminal Minds vibes. Like I could have totally seen this taking place on an episode in that show.

When Raisa and Delaney sister Isabel is killed while in custody, they are both sent of a path of discovery to figure out what happened, who did it, and how Isabel planned. The only problem is they are not working together and they both got different information at the start.

I really like how the story line bounced between 2 of the sisters and that with each change you got another small piece of the puzzle. The psychological aspects blended with the family drama really add layers to this read.

Overall an enjoyable and quick read.

I did not realize this was third in the series but did not feel like I missed anything, so it can be read as a standalone. There were lots of twists that I was not expecting, which is what we always want from a mystery thriller!

I just couldn’t get into this story. A thriller for some, the thrill just wasn’t there for me. This is the first book I’ve read in the series, and maybe it would’ve been helpful to read the previous ones.

I've enjoyed this series, and this one was good. The way it played with the timelines was creative, but I'll admit I ended up very confused. There's so much played up about Isabel pulling the strings, that I got lost in what actually ended up happening. I also thought the climax was a bit...anti-climactic. It all seemed very matter-of-fact, so I didn't feel compelled to keep reading. Anyway, I really like this writer, and I'll keep reading the series if she keeps it going!

This was an entertaining read if you want a popcorn thriller! It is the third book but the first few chapters give enough backstory that it is easy to follow as a standalone story.

It felt like there weren’t enough characters in this book, but I found the story enjoyable enough

This is the third in a series featuring Raisa, an FBI psychologist, and her venomous sister Isabel who is now dead. It should be fine as a standalone because Labuskes gives you enough background to understand the characters and the issues. Fans of the genre might predict some of the twists but Labuskes will keep you turning the pages. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I am obsessed with this series! ...and especially with Raisa Susanto! Give me all the forensic linguistics, psychological twists, and morally gray brilliance. I’ve been hooked since book one, and By the Time You Read This just took things to a whole new level.

This installment is dark, layered, and absolutely gripping. Raisa thought she could finally move forward with her life, but when she receives a cryptic letter from her infamous, serial-killer sister and Isabel ends up dead in her cell… all bets are off. What follows is a tense, cerebral spiral of copycat killers, true crime cults, and twisted family ties that had me turning pages like my life depended on it.

And that ending?! I need the next book right now. Like, yesterday! Raisa is one of the most compelling leads I’ve read in a thriller series, sharp, haunted, and completely unforgettable. If you haven’t picked up this series yet, start from the beginning and thank me later.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I had to know what was going to happen! I loved the characters and the storyline. I thought the characters had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley! I’ve never read anything by this author before. This book started out well. And I really enjoyed the premise. I found myself drifting in and out and not being able to focus on the storyline as much as I would have wanted.

By The Time You Read This - Brianna Labuskes
Pub Date - 5/27/25
Rating - 3/5
Pacing - Slow/Medium
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley, Brianna Labuskes, and Thomas & Mercer for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is the third installment in the Raisa Susanto series, which I didn't know before starting. You can most definitely read this as a standalone, as I did. Raisa is an FBI linguist who's big sister Isabel is locked away for commiting 25 murders. Raisa finds a note left on her front door stating "by the time you read this, I will be dead". She instantly knows that it is Isabel and she gets a call from the prison saying just that.

Meh, this book wasn't for me. I found myself drifting in and out and not focused on the story. It was very slow paced and the ending wasn't fulfilling. It was a near DNF, but I pushed to the end. I don't know if I'll read her other two books, but this was average and you may like it if you're a fan of slow burns.

I love a good procedural series that goes outside the box with their main character. Unlike most procedurals (my own included), the main character is usually the typical law enforcement agent. But in this series, Raisa Susanto is not only an FBI agent, she’s a renowned forensic linguist. I love her character because she’s so unique. As a person who loves patterns and puzzles, her character is so intriguing to me! This book, like the previous ones, was an absolute page turner. And now with Isabel out of the way, we got to have a deeper look at the relationship between Raisa and Susanto. I would have liked a little more puzzling and time with Callum in the story, but of course that was part of it! I had to keep reading to find out what happened because this one could have gone so sideways! The only thing I had trouble with was keeping track of the timelines. Even though each chapter had a day heading, I still found myself getting lost. Things that I was reading I thought happened months ago, even though I knew the perspectives shifted. It got pretty confusing sometimes. Otherwise, it was an awesome story and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Huge thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I had a hard time trying to articulate my feelings about this. There are quite a number of things that I don't like in this.

I like the premise. It's really interesting. But, at 40% of the book, I became bored. Nothing much was going on and I feel that the plot keeps going round in circles.

The non-linear timeline doesn't help too. What seems to be Day 5 for Delaney is Day 2 for Raisa. I find it hard trying to keep up with the timeline.

The introduction of too many characters added to the confusion. I was no longer invested after the introduction of Essi.

Too many questions unanswered. I feel like the author is trying too much, leaving more holes and questions than answers.

Additionally, Raisa pisses the hell out of me. As an FBI, her deduction and problem solving skills are BAD!!! Her EQ is also bad for an FBI.

Overall, a disappointing read.

This was a great book! I had an amazing time reading this and would be suggesting this to anyone looking for their next read