Someone Knows by Vi Keeland is a fast paced, engaging thriller about college professor Elizabeth, who reads a student’s chilling manuscript that mirrors a deadly secret from her past. She realizes someone knows her biggest secret after 20 years. As the student's chapters roll in, Elizabeth is forced to return to her Louisiana hometown to confront buried truths—and figure out who’s behind the story before her life unravels.

It was fast paced, intriguing, sexy and mysterious, and I loved it. The characters were well developed, had me invested in the mystery and what happened to them.

I think this book was trying to be too many genres, with too many twists. I loved the twist on the middle, but the ones at the end were a bit of a letdown.

Wow--hold on a second as I pick my jaw up off the floor. This book completely sucked me in from page one and did not let go. I devoured it from start to finish and could not put it down.

Elizabeth, a successful English professor living in New York has a dark past that she believes she has escaped from, but has she really? She begins to receive mysterious chapters of a novel that are eerily familiar--she has lived this story, this is her past--her best friend is the main character. Who knows what happened 20 years ago and what do they plan to do about it? Elizabeth sets off to her childhood home, a place she never thought she'd go again to try to find out who is doing this to her. Upon her arrival she finds her mother frail and on the verge of death, another complication. Twisty and turny--you cannot guess where the story will go and who will end up being the culprit in this cat and mouse thriller.

I kept guessing the entire way through as to who could be behind the chapters that were being sent to Elizabeth. I stayed up way too late into the wee hours of the morning to finish this book and I was not disappointed at all. I would highly recommend picking this up to anyone who loves a good thriller.

If a thriller leaves me shocked at the end because I didn’t see it coming, it’s a win in my book. This was such a quick and entertaining read.

I felt like someone just mind played me in the best way possible!! What was that???! Excuse me. Just when I thought that I had it all figured out, I got played and I wasn't even in the game!


Vi Keeland has taken a new turn recently and veered from the traditional romance read to exciting psychological thrillers and I'm here for it. I started this read a while back and due to real life interruptions, I had to put it down for a while but the minute I jumped back in, I was fully invested.

English Professor Elizabeth Davis loves her job and even more, she loves reading her student's work. Everything is perfect until one day she comes across a student's work called “The Reckoning”. The first two chapters were not only riveting, but it felt like it was made to be a movie. The only problem is that the story is very personal. So personal that she lived through every single word for it and it happened more than twenty years ago. Who would want to dig up her past and expose her most buried secret?


I really liked the premise of the story and I felt like I was on the edge of my seat trying to solve a puzzle that had a missing piece stuck at a place I didn't know about. I had this story all figured out and I was so proud of myself for being able to do that and do you know what happened? I GOT IT WRONG!!


I was not prepared for that type of madness and quite honestly, I think that this author should either release a novella or give us another book because I can't for the life of me wrap my head
around this madness! I am not okay right now and I need more!!

If you're looking for a summer thriller read, you should definitely try this one. You won't be disappointed.

A bit of mystery and some suspense with added romance, I did end up confused by the ending. I think the flashbacks confused me somehow and the ending didn’t make sense to me..

Mind-blowing is an understatement.

This book wrecked me—in the best way. Someone Knows is gripping, fast-paced, and so emotionally charged it had me flipping pages (on my kindle) like my life depended on it. Just when I thought I had the plot pinned down, Vi Keeland hit me with another twist I didn’t see coming. Unpredictable doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Perfect mix of small town secrets and big time betrayals. The intertwining of relationships and how they play out will have you going back and re-reading, questioning what’s real and what’s not.

I’m not easily rattled by a story, but this one left me with my jaw on the floor and my heart in pieces. I’ll be thinking about this one for a LONG time. Trust me—once you start, you won’t be able to stop. And when you finish? Yeah, good luck emotionally recovering from that ending.

I really enjoyed this book from the very first chapter, the pacing was on point, and there was never a dull moment. The story gripped me early on, especially with the way Elizabeth’s present-day life as a college professor was intertwined with the chilling chapters of The Reckoning, a mysterious manuscript submitted by one of her students. I loved how the past was slowly revealed through this manuscript. It added a creepy, layered atmosphere that kept me guessing.

Elizabeth was a complicated protagonist. I wasn’t sure how I felt about her at first, but as her backstory slowly unfolded, I found myself understanding and even sympathizing with her. The same goes for her mother. Their relationship evolved in a way that felt real and touching.

This book definitely leans into darker themes, sexual abuse of a minor, physical abuse, and deep trauma, so trigger warnings are warranted. That said, Vi Keeland handled the heavy content with sensitivity, and it added weight to the story without overshadowing the suspense.

I do wish the ending had been a bit more fleshed out, it wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking and left me with a few lingering questions. Still, the final twist completely caught me off guard, which I loved. Everyone was suspicious, and when I reached the last page, I had that rare, satisfying “Wow!” moment.

Spooky, suspenseful, and emotionally layered, Someone Knows is a great pick for readers who like their mysteries with real stakes and a strong emotional core. I highly recommend giving this one a try and if you’ve never read Vi Keeland before, this is a fantastic place to start.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Wow! I don’t read thrillers like this often, it was amazing!

This book left you guessing the whole time. Who could be sending the letters, why would they be doing this, is Jocelyn ok?

The ending certain leaves you in a cliff hanger with the potential of another book.

Some triggers to be aware of: domestic violence, teacher and student sexual abuse, alcoholism.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

Someone Knows is an engrossing and suspenseful thriller that gripped me from the very first page. The story follows English professor Elizabeth, whose buried past resurfaces, forcing her to return to her hometown and confront long-forgotten secrets.

As the plot unfolds, a whirlwind of twists and unexpected turns kept me fully absorbed. The narrative was both addictive and thrilling, pulling me into a psychological maze that didn't let up.

Dark, provocative, and unsettling, this novel kept me guessing until the final pages—with a jaw-dropping ending that delivers quite a sting. If you love psychological thrillers that mess with your mind and tug at your emotions, I recommend Someone Knows.

Vi Keeland is a relatively new author to me. The first book I read of hers was Jilted which was a contemporary romance. I loved Jilted, so I was excited to receive an ARC of Someone Knows. Someone Knows is her debut thriller.

What I really enjoyed about Someone Knows was the way the story was written. The past is told through a novel written by one of Elizabeth’s students. Elizabeth is an English professor. I thought the structure was a clever and engaging way to reveal pieces of the story.

Publication Date- June 27, 2025
#SomeoneKnows #NetGalley

The characters were very unlikeable and emotionally immature. I struggled to connect with the main character; therefore, not being able to connect with the story in general. I didn't understand the point of the plot.

Vi Keeland is officially an autobuy author for me. How she can seamlessly dominate both romance and thrillers is beyond me. 😵‍💫 This one had my head spinning—I didn’t trust anyone. At times it was maddening trying to figure out who was behind it all, but that tension kept me glued to the page. The twists were smart, and the ending was so satisfying.
If you're looking for a thriller that keeps you guessing and delivers a jaw-dropping payoff—add this one to your list ASAP.
🔪 Secrets.
📚 Scandals.
💀 A past that won’t stay buried.

The synopsis of this story grabbed my attention, I enjoyed that this book was short. It made for an easy and quick read, but I did find that it took awhile for things to really progress and for any big twists to really come through. Some of the twists were intriguing but I felt like I knew what was coming and I was just wanting to see how things would go along. This is a great introduction to mystery thriller books, but not for someone who has read many books like this.

3.5/5 stars.

This is my first time reading Vi Keeland and it won't be the last because I really enjoy her writing style. I heard this is her first time writing thriller. As someone who enjoys thriller books as well as romantic ones, I must say that VI Keeland did a great job. You want to know more and more in each chapter. Inmersing you in the story. The storyline was interesting. The characters were well-done. And the ENDING. I didn't expect that. I wish there is another book 👀.

I must say the reason why I have 3.5 stars is because there were scenes I got bored and It made me to slow down my reading.

Thank you Vi Keeland and the publisher, Atria Books, for letting me read this ARC via NetGalley.

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Vibes: 📧😰🧎🏻‍♀️🔪💔📚
Rating: 4.0⭐
Tropes: morally gray narrator / dual pov / romantic undertones 🌶️ / small town gossip / lots of twists

Vi Keeland is becoming an auto-read author for me. All the titles I've read have been amazing. This was no different -- it surprised me in a good way. It's dark and twisted, which is different than all her romance books, but it still has some open door spicy scenes. The writing was sharp and there was a hell of a lot of tension which has me wondering why I waited so long to read this. The description (a student’s story exposing a secret that the main character buried 20 years ago) hooked me for sure.

Elizabeth is complicated -- she makes lots of questionable choices and isn't my favorite main character, but that made her feel more real. I enjoyed how the story handled guilt, trauma, and memory, and how the mystery unfolded slowly through Elizabeth's POV and her student's writing.

The romance subplot added some good tension but didn't overpower the thriller side, which I appreciated. Overall, it’s moody, messy, and kept me guessing. Not perfect, but definitely worth reading if you like psychological suspense with some emotional depth.

Imagine being a college professor assigning a writing task to your class, only to have a student write about something you know firsthand. This book grabbed me from the very beginning and didn’t let go. It’s intense, wild, and incredibly bingeable. I loved how the author kept me intrigued with small breadcrumbs of information throughout. I’ve only read romance by this author before, but she clearly excels beyond that genre. I’ll definitely be recommending this book to my friends.

Do you know that feeling when a book totally takes you by surprise? You walk around after in a daze just thinking about the final two twists that blew your mind. Well, that is me right now. I am walking around saying ohhhhh that was good! My family thinks I have finally lost it. No, I have not Vi Keeland has done it again. A twisty, gut wrenching read, that had me flying through the pages. Needing to know what is going on and the reason why.

Elizabeth escaped her small hometown in Louisiana as soon as she graduated. She could not stand to be there any longer. Elizabeth is now a professor and has grown in leaps and bounds from that small town girl. Until she receives the first chapter of a book from one of her students. This is her friend's life that she is reading about. Details no one knows about. Things that never should have seen the day of light. Elizabeth's high school English teacher took advantage of her friend Jocelyn. Jocelyn believed everything he said and did everything he asked. One night Jocelyn's entire world came crashing down. Just Jocelyn, Elizabeth, and their friend Ivy knows what happened that night. Elizabeth needs to find them to see if they are writing the chapters. She jumps on a plane and comes face to face with her mother. Who is dying of cancer. Her hometown is greeting her with more than she ever expected.

The characters are shocking and surprising. The story dark and twisted. It is one of the oldest games in the book. Older male teacher preying on innocent students. Getting their needs met while destroying their life to come. This is one that you need to add to your tbr. Thank you to Vi Keeland and Atria for my gifted copy.

For a first time to mystery/thriller book, Vi killed it. This story made my insides turn. It kept me guessing the whole time. Made you want to root for the bad guys and scream at the same time. It was intriguing and even as you read the last word, you sit there wondering whose side you’re on. Great job and a definite tester read in my book.

Someone Knows by Vi Keeland is a twisty thriller in the vein of Freida McFadden. I was intrigued when I read the synopsis and knew that I'd enjoy this one and I wasn't disappointed. If you like stories within stories, unreliable narrators, secrets, and stress (lol) you'll enjoy figuring out if Someone Knows.

Synopsis (from goodreads): 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: I thought this one was pretty good! I'm an avid suspense/thriller reader and, while Keeland is more known for her romance (which I haven't read), this was an easy read that kept my interest throughout. Elizabeth was really interesting and her reasoning for doing the things she did was understandable. I was able to figure out the plot twist pretty early, but it didn't deter from my enjoyment of the story. I think things were wrapped up a little too neatly in the epilogue, but it was still a satisfying story. I'm not sure that I'd read a romance by Keeland (a little too spicy for my taste), I will probably pick up another suspense should she choose to write another.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.