⭐⭐⭐ 1/2
🌶️🌶️
Content Note/Warning - grooming, abuse, sexual abuse, miscarriage, mental health struggles

I wanted to love this. I LOVED the idea that an English professor with a 20 year old secret receives a story from a student that feels too real. That somehow they know about her secret and are writing it. The reason it's only a 3.5 for me is I figured out each twist except the last one before they were revealed. And the last one left me with too many questions and feels more like a plot hole than a conclusion

Throughout the book, Elizabeth is trying to figure out who knows her secret. For me, there were 3 possibilities. Of those, 1 was the safe/predictable choice. The one I said while reading chapter 5 "if it ends up being this person, I'll be disappointed". I really wanted it to be someone else, it would have been such a great twist. But predictable won out and it was the safe choice.

As we learned more about Elizabeth and Jocelyn before they left their small town in Louisiana and Jocelyn headed to Florida while Elizabeth went to New York, something felt off about their shred history (hence the unreliable narrator mention coming up) and I thought "I wonder if . . ." and a couple chapters later, I found out I was right.

I almost tagged this as unreliable narrator because in a way Elizabeth isn't fully honest but at the same time the reason is because of the mental health struggles so it's iffy but if you're a fan of unreliable narrators this could check that box for you.

The final twist is the one I didn't see coming but it left me with more questions than answers.

This book was predictable, boring and fucked up. Very fucked up. This book has very dark content, and should not be read if you struggle with abuse, child abuse and other forms of abuse.
This story felt very cliche. The twists were easy to see, the narrator was chaotic and had too much happening. But also not a lot happened in the book. There was a lot of time skipping and when information was delivered it had no flow to it.
It felt like I got whiplash from trying to keep up from scene to scene.
I was not a fan. But that doesn't mean you won't be. The writing was well done, the pace could use work, but the story has good bones.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book, I hope this helps it finds it's audience.
Lily's Little Library

I just finished this book, and I can honestly say this may put me in a book hangover. Like my jaw is still dropped, and I am rethinking everything I read.

To start, this book does deal with sexual abuse, physical abuse, and grooming. This is something that has happened to characters in the story, and it is neither glorified nor portrayed in a grotesque way. But if these are triggers for you, this may not be the story for you.

This story felt almost too perfect in the beginning. Like the plotting was nice and tight, and there were times when I felt almost bored because there wasn't anything too unexpected. And then I hit the midway point and this story got insane. You immediately realize this was intentional, and then I loved the plot even more. I am normally a big advocate of not continuing a book you aren't enjoying but for this one, I would get through it because it will be worth it.

The ending of this book was insane. My eyes had to have been like saucers after every twist because I was not expecting it at all. Elizabeth's character was unlike any I've read, and the author managed to make me feel disgusted and empathetic towards her all at the same time.

This will easily be a favorite book for me. Excellent writing, the twists were crazy, but they made sense (aka they didn't just come out of left field), and the cast of characters keeps you guessing.

Thank you NetGalley And Atria Book for the advanced copy!

An English professor’s deadly past comes back to haunt her in this chilling and sexy thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Vi Keeland.

As a college English professor, Elizabeth looks forward to the start of each new semester teaching her creative writing seminar. At least until she reads chapter one of The Reckoning, a tale about a high school senior who has an affair with her teacher. To anyone else it would be the beginning of a great page-turner, but to Elizabeth it is the beginning of the end.

She knows this story. It’s all familiar because she lived it. The girl in the story was her best friend Jocelyn, and Elizabeth knows exactly how the story will end—with the professor dead. Because she was the one who killed him.

Someone knows what Elizabeth did twenty years ago and her secret is about to be exposed, but who is the mystery student submitting the chapters? In an effort to find out, Elizabeth returns to her Louisiana hometown where it soon becomes clear that no matter how many years have gone by, she can’t escape her past.

My thoughts:

This was my first read by VI Keeland and it will not be my last!! This book drew me in from the beginning, and it kept me on the edge of my seat! The plot twists towards the end of the book left my mouth wide opened! I know a second book should be in the making because I want to know does this game ever end. There are some trigger warnings to be mindful of such as child abuse, miscarriage, drug/alcohol abuse.

Thank you to the publisher for sending me this ARC on Netgalley!

2.75 stars.. This book was less than 300 pages and fast-paced, which sucked me in immediately. I read the entire book in one sitting. However, I do have some mixed feelings about some aspects of the story that gave me pause. There are some very dark themes in this book, which were addressed in a somewhat odd mixture of being empathized with and almost glossed over? While there were several victims within this story, it felt like only one character received the empathy that each & every one of the victims deserved. This was off-putting for me as a reader of this book. I also found the ending to be extremely disturbing and also left me with a ton of questions (i.e. who actually sent the letter? who actually killed him? who peeked in the blinds?)

While I initially thought I would love this book, I feel unsure of how I feel about the way some of the abuse in this book was addressed within the story.

TW: pedophilia, SA, substance abuse, murder, child abuse

This thriller hooks you with a chilling premise: English professor Elizabeth's dark secret resurfaces when a student submits chapters mirroring her own past—an affair, a murder *she* committed. While the start felt a bit slow and predictable for me, Vi Keeland absolutely **redeemed it with unexpected twists I never saw coming** – seriously, the plot took some sharp turns! 🤯 Elizabeth's panic and the unraveling mystery as she returns to her Louisiana hometown create genuine tension. The core concept is fantastic, and the pacing *does* pick up significantly. My only wish? **A deeper dive into the heavy themes** (guilt, trauma, consequences) and their impact on Elizabeth over those 20 years. It felt like the emotional weight could've been explored more thoroughly. Still, the suspenseful payoff and clever twists made it a satisfying, page-turning read overall. Great for fans of domestic thrillers with a dark past!"

Elizabeth is a college professor and always looks forward to reading her students creative writing assessments. Except this term, the story is quite familiar, as she was involved. She also knows it ended without someone dying, and she killed them.
This one was so wild, addictive and completely entertaining. There were a couple of surprising twists and as my first novel by the author, I certainly look forward to reading more.

Eh, potential...yes. But I just listened to a Radio Rental episode where an English teacher assigned a story assignment and a student submitted a paper, explaining how he could kill her. This....this is of that ilk.

Vi Keeland is a great romance writer, but this left a LOT to be desired for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The pace of the story was a little slow, a bit predictable, but interesting enough to keep my attention invested in the outcome. The ending plot twist was enough to satisfy me enough to want to read more from this author.

Elizabeth is an English professor with a dark secret, but when an anonymous student threatens to potentially expose her secret she sets out to find out who it is and why someone is threatening to expose her past.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for this Advanced Reading Copy in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Vi Keeland's debut thriller, I jumped into this one without even reading the blurb.

Someone Knows follows Elizabeth, an English professor living in NYC. She is very much an independent woman, focused on her career and doesn't allow men to get to close to her. She breaks it off before allowing any real relationship to form. A serial dater with no real connections through and through. When one of her students starts submitting chapters of an eerily familiar story, Elizabeth is reminded of a traumatic past and starts to wonder who knows her and her friends' secrets.

With a plot containing a "story within a story" Keeland pulls her audience in with all the little details and some interesting characters. We are taken from the big city to a small town that Elizabeth grew up in and are totally immersed in small town living and wondering who might be "haunting" Elizabeth with details of a past she'd rather forget. But with a religious and dying alcoholic mother and running into connections of a past, we are left with a woman that is running in circles trying to find answers while also forgiving a dying mother that never really showed her any love.

Keeland's sophomore psychological thriller is fast paced, with a not so likable protagonist that is set on uncovering a truth. There are flawed characters, some predictable twists, yet still left me totally invested and turning those pages to see if I was truly right. While I questioned if I even liked Elizabeth, I was quite drawn to her (possible) love interests in both NY and her childhood hometown. The twists of the story and her realizing how she was connected to her student's story had me excited when she discovered the truth. I felt like I was right there with her. Although the story within the story included some troubling content, to see it all come to the climax was 100% satisfying. And then the ending? What a clever little twist that had me smiling and shaking my head.

If you are a fan of Keeland's romances and want to dip your toe into a thriller, Someone Knows has a good combination of suspense with a side of romance that may be a little troubling, but still page turning excitement. 3.75 stars

Rated 4.5 Stars

Someone Knows was a riveting read. It kept me fascinated and glued to the pages from start to finish. I loved how everything unfolded. I thought it was very well done from the characters to the plot to the twists and turns. I loved it. It was a bit disturbing to read but I loved it all the same. It was interesting, intriguing and I most definitely recommend it.

This book was a solid 4 stars for me, especially as a first adult thriller from Vi Keeland! It was a little bit of a slow start for me, but the twist halfway through totally shocked me and even though I did have an inkling about the whodunnit, I wasn’t really prepared for the reveal! I am excited to see what else Vi Keeland writes!

This is my second thriller by Vi Keeland, and I possibly like this one even better than The Unraveling. Someone Knows is an intense and solid, fast paced thriller with some erotic moments and medium spice. While I didn’t like the main character at all at first, the story and plot kept me at the edge of my seat. It quickly turned into a roller coaster of emotions and surprises. The first twist was delivered with a bang, and I hadn’t seen it coming until it was obvious. The end was a bit abrupt but a total surprise and shocker. I would definitely like to read a sequel to find out what happens to the MC next.
There are some trigger warnings like sexual abuse, cancer and death, and if you don’t like spice, keep that in mind too. All in all, for me, this was a gripping page turner and I couldn’t stop reading. Also, the cover is just stunning and immediately grabbed my attention. I can’t wait for what’s coming next from Vi Keeland, she’s become an automatic read for me. The way she develops characters and builds suspense is amazing.
I’d like to thank Netgalley, @Atria Books/Atria Emily Bestler Books and #ViKeeland for gifting me a digital advance copy. I truly enjoyed reading it and the above is my own opinion and honest review .

Sadly this one didn’t work for me. I found it to have too much romance and not enough “thrill.” Which isn’t a bad thing but when a book is marketed as a psychological thriller, I want to be thrilled!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Vi Keeland, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

3.5 Stars

"But the most dangerous lies are the kind an innocent person wants to be true."

Elizabeth was an interesting character, to say the least. I wasn't the biggest fan of hers. Some of the things she did were just plain silly.

I liked how we got chapters that were actual chapters from the book that the mystery person was writing. That was interesting.

The writing was good and held my attention. I just wanted it to be more thrilling. I also still have an unanswered question.

Elizabeth Davis is an English professor and has put her past behind her. Until a virtual student begins submitting stories that ARE her past.

I loved the ending of this one! It’s one of those thrillers that was a twist after a twist; so unexpected. There was one small part of the book, which was an earlier twist, that felt unrealistic to me, but besides that everything worked well and I liked it. I particularly liked that it had some steamy moments, which one doesn’t always find in thrillers.

“Who would go through all that trouble? Someone who wants revenge.”

Someone Knows comes out 6/17.

Oh this was so GOOOOOOD!!! This was very meta in that it was a story within its own story and I love when a thriller can feel fresh and new.

Vi Keeland is a new author for me. The cover caught my eye and when I read to the description I had to read it. Apparently this is a new genre for the author who normally writes romance novels. I think her venture into thrillers is a smashing success!

Description:
As a college English professor, Elizabeth looks forward to the start of each new semester teaching her creative writing seminar. At least until she reads chapter one of The Reckoning, a tale about a high school senior who has an affair with her teacher. To anyone else it would be the beginning of a great page-turner, but to Elizabeth it is the beginning of the end.

She knows this story. It’s all familiar because she lived it. The girl in the story was her best friend Jocelyn, and Elizabeth knows exactly how the story will end—with the professor dead. Because she was the one who killed him.

Someone knows what Elizabeth did twenty years ago and her secret is about to be exposed, but who is the mystery student submitting the chapters? In an effort to find out, Elizabeth returns to her Louisiana hometown where it soon becomes clear that no matter how many years have gone by, she can’t escape her past.

My Thoughts:
This read was totally addictive and riveting. I read it in a day, just couldn't turn the pages fast enough to absorb Elizabeth's spiraling journey. Going back and forth between her tragic past and what was happening to her in the present. There were chapters she was receiving by email - things no one should have known - but yet they did. The ending was absolutely chilling! This book will haunt me I'm sure. Anyone who loves psychological thrillers will love this book - one of the best psychological thrillers I have read.

Thanks to Atria/Emily Bestler Books through Netgalley for an advance copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

As much as I truly wanted to love this, I think it fell a little short for me. The premise was really cool and I loved that the story started right away and sucked you in. The writing was also simple enough which was good for the story. My major issues were the characters, they just act the complete opposite of what we’re told and so it’s hard to materialize them.
We’re told the MC is so smart and careful yet I honestly see nothing of that. Also as someone who is very familiar with crime shows and thrillers and who’s not easily surprised by a twist, I did see the reveal coming which I could have let slide if it was properly explained.

In the end I’m a bit torn, this was far from being a bad book and I could see myself reading others by the same author, this one just didn’t completely hit the mark.

We follow Elizabeth, a creative writing professor who stumbles upon a student’s manuscript that hits a little too close to home. Like… murder-from-my-past close. 👀 With every new chapter, someone’s clearly playing a dangerous game—and Elizabeth’s long-buried secrets aren’t staying buried anymore.

What I loved:
🖤 Lightning-fast pacing—no fluff, no filler, just addictive drama.
📚 Short, punchy chapters that dared me to stop reading (I didn’t).
😈 The perfect balance of thrill and heat—Vi doesn’t do romance here, but damn, it’s still steamy.
💥 Twists on twists that had me questioning everything.

Yes, some reveals were predictable and the ending left me wanting just a bit more, but the ride was so wild I didn’t mind. Think erotic thriller meets small-town secrets, and you’re halfway there.

Would I recommend? 1000%. Especially if you like your mysteries a little dark, a little sexy, and totally unputdownable.