This is my second thriller by Vi Keeland, and I absolutely loved them both!
This book was addictive, I could not wait to find the time to read.
Elizabeth is a writing professor in New York when she receives chapters from a student that are word for word part of her past. In order to find out more, she's returned to her hometown in Louisiana.
Once she's home, she is flooded with haunting memories. It seems everyone she runs into is a possible suspect of who has written these chapters. She starts to question everyone until the ugly truth is revealed.
This is a fast paced, gripping, and chilling thriller. I loved every minute of it!

Stuck between 3.5 and 3.75

"Someone Knows" is a thrilling mystery that keeps you guessing until the very last page literally. The story revolves around Elizabeth, a character shrouded in mystery, whose past is slowly revealed through a series of shocking pages in a book a student of hers is submitting . Just when you think you have the plot figured out, the author throws another curveball. The ending is a killer cliffhanger, where the readers are left with the final truth however Elizabeth has no idea.

I loved the book and the main character a lot. I loved how despite what she was growing through she still was strong enough to complete her daily life routine and didn’t just give up on it. I liked how at the end of the book she went and got helped to help herself cope and grow as a person. I don’t tend to read mystery (working on it) so to me it was a plot that kept giving and was interesting. the review is kind of vague ik I was trying not spoil anything. Happy reading if you pick this book up!

Brilliantly Twisted!!

Someone Knows was just as thrilling and addictive as Vi Keeland’s psychological thriller debut, The Unraveling! There’s something to be said about Keeland’s writing style. It’s fast paced, addictive and leaves me utterly satisfied. She has a way of reeling me in and not letting go. The psychological aspect combined with the mystery-thriller aspect keeps the engagement at the forefront.

Someone Knows told the story of Elizabeth, a college English professor whose past caught up with her when she received a student’s creative writing assignment that eerily paralleled dark events from her high school years: a high school student and teacher affair that culminated in the teacher's death.

Keeland focused on a variety of themes throughout this psychological mystery-thriller, but the main themes revolved around the exploration of a character's past, the weight of secrets, and the consequences of trauma. All of these were heavy topics and therefore exposed some deeply disturbing scenes. Even more, this story looked into the emotional toll of repressed memories and the impact of past events on present relationships. As if the above mentioned themes weren’t excessive enough, this story also examined themes of justice, forgiveness, and the struggle to reconcile with one's own actions.

For those that are familiar with the psychological thriller genre, they know that all extraordinary psychological thrillers must have diabolically deranged characters with the most flawed personality traits in order to draw readers in. It’s without a doubt, Keeland achieved that in her newest book release. She cleverly fabricated the most perfectly fallacious cast of characters. Each one led me to believe the other was the culprit and each time I thought I knew who it was, I was once again mislead. The story was mainly told from Elizabeth’s perspective and Hannah’s Novel. I found Elizabeth a deeply compelling character. She suffered through many unimaginable traumatic situations of which some were buried deep in her memory. I couldn’t help but have empathy and hope for her.

All in all, Vi Keeland achieved another over the top psychological thriller novel! I loved Someone Knows as much as her debut thriller, The Unraveling. If you haven’t read either of these two, I recommend you add them to your TBR list. 4.5⭐️

Thanks to Net Galley, Atria and Emily Bestler Books for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

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

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.

TW's for this book: SA of a minor, grooming, and physical abuse.

Crazy ride, a couple of twists, disturbing plot, mixed with some consensual spice...sure sign me up! Vi Keeland does what she does best 💦🔪 🎢🌀👨🏻‍🏫

Expected publication June 17, 2025 by Atria/Emily Bestler Books

I really love the way the author keeps you on your toes. This was perfection and I loved every second. Can't wait for more thrillers from this author. I will be the first to read them

"Someone Knows" delivers that rare psychological satisfaction of correctly identifying the villain while still leaving me breathless with unexpected revelations. The nonlinear narrative structure brilliantly disoriented me from the first chapter—a submission that mirrors the protagonist's dark past and shatters her carefully constructed peace.

Keeland alternates between present-day academic life and the increasingly disturbing chapter submissions that reveal the protagonist's history. The novel doesn't flinch from portraying the psychological damage of grooming and abuse, creating sections that deliberately slow the pacing and brilliantly build tension before unleashing plot twists I genuinely didn't see coming despite my suspicions about the antagonist's identity.

The protagonist herself emerges as a fascinating study in trauma response and moral ambiguity. Her questionable decisions throughout the narrative initially frustrated me, particularly her self-destructive choices when confronted with mounting pressure. Yet Keeland skillfully connects these moments to deeper psychological wounds inflicted by her relationship with her mother and the formative experiences of her teenage years, creating a character whose flaws feel earned rather than contrived.

What lingered most powerfully was the ending—dark, unapologetic, and deliciously ambiguous in ways that continued to unsettle me days after finishing. The final pages don't offer neat resolution but something far more satisfying: psychological truth about how trauma echoes through lives and decisions.

If you appreciate thrillers that balance page-turning suspense with genuine character complexity and aren't afraid to explore the darker corners of human psychology, "Someone Knows" delivers just that.

Thank you, Atria Books and NetGalley, for my free ARC copies for review.

Someone Knows follows a gripping, emotional journey of love, secrets, and second chances. When two people with complicated pasts cross paths, their connection is instant—but what they’re each hiding could change everything. As their relationship deepens, so do the layers of mystery, leading to revelations that neither of them saw coming.

This was my first Vi Keeland book, and I have to say—I really enjoyed it! The beginning pulled me in right away. The setup was strong, and I was immediately curious about where it was all going. I will say the middle slowed down a bit, but just when I started to settle in, BAM—a twist would hit, and I couldn’t put it down. There are some seriously unexpected turns in this book that kept me on my toes.

I was also surprised by the amount of spice in this story—it’s definitely steamy, which added a layer of intensity to the characters’ chemistry. And the ending? It’s one of those that leaves things open to interpretation. I actually liked that—it made me think about what I believed would happen next.

Overall, a twisty, emotional, and steamy read that kept me hooked. I’ll definitely be checking out more by Vi Keeland!

This book is a fasted pace thriller. It was such an interesting concept so I just had to read it. I was a little disappointed in the ending it was too open ended for my taste. But it was twisty enough to keep me guessing and entertained. I wish we got a little bit more answers at the end.

I had a blast with the 2024 release of The Unraveling by Keeland, so I knew I wanted to give her next thriller a read. I saw it pop up on NetGalley and couldn’t request it fast enough.

This fast paced thriller is a great binge read. Some pieces are predictable but there are some elements of surprise.

As you get into this read, you’ll ask yourself: Where is Jocelyn? Who is this student Hannah? Why is EVERYONE suspicious?

Be cognizant of the trigger warnings with this read as there’s some material that is outright disturbing.

3.5-4 stars

Overall I liked this one. More of a psychological thriller than a straight up thriller, we've got an unreliable narrator and a crime committed 20 years prior that someone seems to be interested in rehashing.

Elizabeth was an interesting character, a professor type interested in no attachment sexual relationships. When one of her virtual students is seemingly writing about her past, chapter by chapter, she returns home to Louisiana and the scene of the crime to try and figure out who knows and who is taunting her. That's when things really start to get interesting and Elizabeth starts to slowly unravel.

I found the pacing to be pretty good and the story to be fairly compelling. There were a few editing issues where I felt like I turned the page and the story jumped, leaving me wondering if I missed something or if the story was designed that way as our narrator spun out of control. A little bit of polishing could really elevate this story as I think the bones are definitely there. Overall I enjoyed it. Definitely one for fans of A.R. Torre.

Wow! Vi Keeland is the master of non-stop twists and turns from the beginning to the very end! Lots of drama and some jaw dropping surprises - when I least expected them. Hard to put down - devoured this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I received this book as an arc from Netgalley

this book really screwed with my mind. it covers some deep topics that are hard to stomach but it's well written. I don't generally read thrillers but I've read a few this year and this is one of the better ones I've read. the thing about thrillers is you cannot predict the ending unlike say romance where they follow a typical trope. this book is no different, there is a 0% chance I could have predicted where it was going to go and it kept me gripping my kindle

⚠️ TW: Teacher/Student (age of consent in LA) & Child Abuse⚠️
Thank you NetGalley & Artia Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars. Elizabeth is a Professor in New York when one of her online students submits a first chapter of her book for class that is telling the exact story of Jocelyn, a high school friend who was having an unhealthy & abusive relationship with her teacher. Elizabeth can not trust anyone so she returns home for answers to find her mother sick, who is pushing her to repent her lies/secrets at church. But Elizabeth is traumatized by not only these chapters that keep being sent but what Mr. Sawyer did to Jocelyn that has caused Elizabeth to also have an unhealthy relationship with men - including sleeping with someone she shouldn't in a bar bathroom. Messy messy messy!

I have not read a Vi Keeland book since 2016 and I had no idea she was writing romance thrillers.... Is ThrillSmut a thing? I enjoyed the twists in this book and although I predicted 1 twist, there were other big ones I did not. I did believe the delivery of the first twist (aka spoiler without context * yearbook) was a weird way of announcing the twist and rushed which is mostly why this book is being rated 3.5 and not higher.

Absolutely loved this one! I'm not surprised because I was a big fan of The Unraveling by Vi Keeland. This was so addictive and I FLEW through the pages to get to the end so I could learn what exactly was going on. Loved this story.

Thank you NetGalley for early access of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not going to lie/ this book had a solid 3 rating from me until about 60% in, then my jaw was legit on the floor. I was reading this on a plane and bless the soul to the person sitting next to me because I was FLABBERGASTED and I cranked out the rest of this book like it was the Friday before summer break. Yes yes yes to this book. I’m still reeling from the end. Please run to read this.

What an amazing thriller! There were so many twists and turns. The ending was jaw-dropping!! I did not see that coming! Worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC to review

3.5 stars

Someone Knows is a slow-burn thriller that sneaks up on you. It starts off steady, building the characters and backstory, and while it felt a little slow at times, the payoff was worth it. Vi Keeland does a great job weaving emotional depth into the suspense, and the twists—when they hit—definitely landed.

I wouldn’t call it a heart-pounding read, but it kept me curious, and I appreciated the way everything came together in the end. A few lulls here and there, but overall, a solid, well-written thriller with just the right mix of mystery and emotion.

If you like your thrillers with a bit of heart and slow-building tension, this one's a good pick!

That ending was a surprise. I kept thinking I knew who was behind the story but then the book would take me on a different direction. I do wish that we knew why Mr. Sawyer was the type of person he became. I felt like he was the one that had two different masks he wore . It seemed to depend on the person how he treated them. I believe justice was served on a shiny silver platter. I was proud of her for seeking help to have a somewhat normal life after all the trauma that was endured. I was hooked from the first page . I highly recommend if you like a good suspense storyline.

Holly Molly! What a ride this was.
Picture this: Imagine a piece of fiction landed on your desk that wasn’t fiction at all, but a chilling retelling of something you’ve spent two decades trying to forget, complete with all the little details.
Intriguing premise, yeah?

Elizabeth, a college English professor, receives a student manuscript that hits far too close to home. The fictional story, The Reckoning, details a disturbing affair between a student and her teacher, something Elizabeth lived through as a teenager. But what makes it even more terrifying? She knows how the story ends, and it wasn’t pretty.

Someone Knows is gripping, intense, and layered with clever twists that’ll keep you second guessing everyone. As Elizabeth returns to Louisiana to confront the ghosts of her past while also caring for her dying mother, the suspense builds beautifully. There are some pretty dark themes throughout this one, including sexual abuse of a minor and physical abuse, so you might want to check the trigger warnings before diving in.

The book-within-a-book format is always a win for me, and VI Keeland executed it brilliantly here. Unfolding Elizabeth’s past through the chapters of the student’s manuscript added such a unique layer of depth to the story and kept the tension mounting.

There’s also a fair amount of spice here, and I loved reading those scenes. The chemistry between Noah and Elizabeth was so beautiful to see.

And the final twist? I thought I had it figured out. And I did. But that final reveal still left me with my jaw on the floor. Absolutely brillant!!

If you love fast paced thrillers with just the right amount of suspense that doesn’t let up, and a side dish of spice, then you should definitely read this one.

This book was fast paced, spicy and thrilling. It includes both of my favorite genres in one.
This is Vi Keeland’s second thriller and I am hoping for more in the future. It kept me guessing and entertained throughout the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.