The Truth is a riveting, edge-of-your-seat thriller that hooks you from the very first page. Jeffry W. Johnston, an Edgar-nominated author, delivers a tense and thought-provoking story that explores the murky space between justice, guilt, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the people we love.

The premise is chilling: Chris wakes up tied to a chair in a dark basement, and he knows exactly why he’s there. A week ago, a teenager broke into his house, and Chris made a split-second decision to defend his family—a decision that ended in a young boy’s death. Now, that boy’s brother, Derek, wants answers. He wants the truth. And he’s willing to go to terrifying lengths to get it.

What unfolds is a fast-paced psychological showdown full of secrets, half-truths, and morally grey areas. Despite the heavy themes—kidnapping and off-the-page references to sexual violence—the narrative is handled with sensitivity and focus. It doesn’t feel gratuitous or overwhelming, just intensely real.

Johnston packs a lot into this short novel: mystery, tension, character development, and a chilling atmosphere. And yet, it never feels rushed or overstuffed. The story is tightly written, and each revelation lands with impact.

While the plot may be somewhat predictable, it doesn’t detract from the suspense. I found myself flying through the pages, needing to know how it would all unfold. The characters—especially Chris and Derek—are compelling, layered, and believable, which adds emotional weight to the high-stakes situation.

The Truth is a sharp, emotionally charged thriller that lingers long after the final page. If you enjoy quick reads that still manage to punch hard, this one’s worth picking up.

Very impressed with this book! Keep me intrigued and on the edge trying to figure it all out! A hard one to put down!

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a simply written and easy to read YA mystery about a teenager who is held hostage to tell the truth about what happened on the day that a kid broke into his house. A fast read, this one includes topics such as sibling rivalry, dating, gun use, and coming of age. It felt a bit dated to me like it was written in the 50's or 60's but the cell phone use made that untrue. It's a PG type story and would be perfect for a YA who would like a thriller mystery story to read.

This still sounds good to me. Im pretty sure I have also bought this book recently because it sounded interesting. Will review when I get to it.

Full review to be posted soonish.

I would like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The book did not really work for me. I DNF'ed it. I wasn’t able to connect with any of the many characters in the book and I found myself putting down the book a lot because it was never really catching my attention.

I recently bought a new kindle after my old one broke. For some reason I was unable to download this title from the cloud onto my kindle, therefore I will be unable to review this title. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused

Still deciding between 2.5 or 3 star. Super fast read, but some of it just didn't work for me as far as the narrative goes. I feel the ending was pretty predictable but also made me like it a little more because it was kind of eerie like.

No longer interested in reading this. Clearing out old galleys.

This book was super creepy and errie. I also really enjoyed the overall plot.

A tense, fast paced thriller. I read it in one go and was hooked the whole time! I loved the pacing and although I had guessed the twist I still thought it was remarkably well written. Chris' relationship with his brother and his dad was believable and heartbreaking. I think more could have been seen of Derek's backstory but given the reveal about the abuse he suffered I think it was a sympathetic and not glamorised portrayal of a broken teenager.

A short but thrilling read which kept me on the edge of my seat and eager to read on. It was interesting with a great plot and characterisation. I loved the layout and how little by little we learn more pieces that Chris is trying to keep hidden in order to protect his little brother. I also really enjoyed the ending and while at first I thought it was quite sudden, it was effective and prevented the story from dragging on when it didn't actually need to.

Chris wakes up tied to a chair in a dark basement. His captor, wielding a pair of garden shears wants only one thing - the truth.

Chris will have to tell about how and why he shot the intruder in his home, the young troubled runaway brother of the person holdling him hostage. As he looks back at the traumatic events, he must fight to keep his most important secret to himself, no matter what it will cost him.

SO GOOD!