Check trigger warnings before starting!

If you, like me, are reading for a fun time and ~enjoying the vibes~ this book is for you! We’ve got an unreliable narrator, a big secret, lots of red herrings, and I thought the first major reveal was SO GOOD. The ending had two key moments - one with her mom (loved) and one with another character (meh) - I do wish we had gotten more resolution from that meh moment with the other character. Single afternoon read!

What a twisty, but even more so, twisted ride this was!
If you decide to check this one out, buckle up your seatbelt, because you’re gonna need it.

3.5 stars and still as I sit here to write my review, I’m on the fence about whether I should round up or down. I’ll do my best to share the good, the bad and the ugly without spoilers.

This book pulled me in right away and kept me intrigued the whole time. About halfway through, there is a fantastic twist that for me, could’ve/would’ve made this a 5 star read, but I feel like it deserved more exploration than it got. It almost felt like it was forgotten as we continued to search for answers in this mystery.

Vi Keeland is a romance book author and since that’s not my thing, her venture into the mystery/thriller genre was my first time reading something by her. She did manage to make this suspenseful and twisty, but the romance/sex scenes still found their way in, and those paired with my inability to connect with our MC’s choices and actions, is what made this more twisted than twisty for me. But don’t worry, there are still enough twists in this to qualify it as a bonafide mystery/thriller. Unfortunately, the twists in the second half of the book felt a bit rushed to me and the ending left me sort of hanging. I had the answers, but I wanted more reasoning/explanation, I guess.

Overall, this was a good, quick read and because of that, I’m going to round up to 4 stars.

With thanks to Atria Books and Vi Keeland on NetGalley for the opportunity to preview this book before the publication date for review.

Well, as a longtime fan of Vi Keeland’s romances (both her standalones and collaborations with Penelope Ward) and her recent thriller Unraveling, I was eager to dive into this one—so much so that I requested it without even reading the blurb.

The story follows Elizabeth, a mid-forties English professor who has spent years keeping men at arm’s length, focusing on her career, and distancing herself from the traumatic events of her youth in Louisiana. But when a student submits a story containing eerily specific details about a murder she committed two decades ago to protect her best friend Jocelyn from their abusive English teacher, Mr. Sawyer, Elizabeth realizes her past is catching up with her. Forced to return to her hometown, she must confront the ghosts of her past: Jocelyn, who has been missing for years; Ivy, her former best friend turned suburban mother; and her own alcoholic mother, whose neglect shaped her childhood.

Complicating matters further is Noah—a charismatic man ten years her junior who immediately draws her in. The problem? He’s the son of the very man she killed all those years ago. As Elizabeth scrambles to uncover who is taunting her with novel chapters based on her darkest secret, she also struggles to resist her dangerous attraction to Noah, knowing it could lead her down a path she may not survive.

This psychological thriller is fast-paced and addictive, though not without its flaws. Some twists are predictable, including the identity of the person tormenting Elizabeth, and the romance—particularly her involvement with Noah—teeters between steamy and unsettling. The book leans more toward romantic suspense than a pure mystery thriller, with multiple male characters vying for Elizabeth’s attention, and even dips into erotic thriller territory with its darker themes. That said, the final twist, while not quite on par with a jaw-dropping Freida McFadden-style ending, was still satisfying and cleverly executed.

Despite its predictability, Unraveling delivers an engaging, binge-worthy read filled with intrigue, suspense, and morally complex characters. It’s the kind of book you devour in one sitting, and for that alone, I’m rounding up my 3.5 stars to a solid 4. A perfect choice for fans of fast-paced, compulsive thrillers with a touch of romance!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books/Emily Bestler Books for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Someone Knows by Vi Keeland is a fast-paced, captivating thriller that immediately grabs your attention. The story centers around a professor who’s hiding a decades-old secret, only to discover that someone knows about it and is taunting her with their knowledge while keeping their identity a mystery. From the start, the narrative pulls you in, and Keeland’s writing style is fluid and engaging.

The subject matter is dark and intense, and it’s crucial to check the trigger warnings before diving in, as some of the content may be triggering to certain readers.

As for the mystery element, I did find myself predicting a lot of the plot twists very early on, but Keeland does a good job of throwing in some red herrings. That said, the red herrings were ultimately a bit underdeveloped and left some unanswered questions hanging. It felt like they were just thrown into the story as a distraction (as is the definition of a red herring!) But still, it felt like there wasn’t much substance behind them instead of using them as integral plot points.

I think that the ending was the real make or break for me. And unfortunately, without giving anything away, I’ll say that it felt unnecessarily cruel and left a bad taste in my mouth. I expected a more satisfying resolution, and instead, the conclusion felt unnecessary and unsatisfying, which detracted from my overall enjoyment of the book.

In the end, Someone Knows is undeniably compulsively readable and kept me hooked throughout, but it almost feels like we only got the bare bones of the story. Despite its flaws, it’s still an enjoyable read for thriller fans, though not without its issues.

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review

I will say, the first twist did surprise me. It would’ve been better a bit earlier as the book dragged for me until then. I almost wish we found out she was writing the chapters herself to really push the multiple personality story. The ending was a little unsatisfactory, but overall this was solid.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

May 20th…a date that will never be forgotten. English Professor Elizabeth Davis has a secret from her past that she wants to stay there however, after reading a new student’s submission she realizes someone might just know what happened all those years ago. It’s to similar to be a coincidence…right? I won’t say anymore as you need to read this yourself and find out. This thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat! Mystery and suspense take center stage in this cleverly crafted thriller that keeps you guessing until the very end. Mic Drop! What a brilliantly crafted story and a top read of 2025!! Just pure perfection. Please check any TW as this does delve into a very difficult topic. Told in first person and Elizabeth’s POV.

Started off promising, but the more I read, the more frustrating it became. The mc was insufferable, the writing didn’t work for me, and the mystery aspect was kinda predictable. Skimmed most of it just to get through. Not for me.