Ten years ago Tyler Washington was found murdered. He was the "golden boy" of the small town of Twin Falls, so of course they wanted justice for his death. They made a quick arrest, tried and convicted Ethan Hall and the town moved on. Olivia Hall however, just knew her brother was innocent and with the help of Kat and Ray who have a popular crime podcast, she just might have the help she needs to prove her brothers innocence.

The story is told in the "then and now" format along with the podcast. It worked really well for this type of of story, it gave the events that happened all those years ago and what the Hall family went through and how the town handled the murder and trial. The podcast parts, were definitely my favorite, the lies and secrets that this little town held were certainly questionable.

I enjoyed the characters, not all were likable but were realistic feeling. Now, I did have a hunch who really did kill Tyler early on, but it was a still great ride to get to the truth of that fateful night that changed so many peoples lives. From the lies to the cover ups, to even the politics that came into play, this turned out to be a really good murder mystery.

No way!! Did not see that ending coming at all. This book was very suspenseful. I feel like at one point I had almost every character pegged as the killer except the person that actually did it. This book also shows how selfish a mother can be and uncaring about her children. The podcast plot hasn’t been overly done either so I have enjoyed books with that theme. Wonderful book! Highly recommended if you like thrillers.

** spoiler alert ** If one is going to write a "whodunit," it seems to me the final resolution should make sense. Not so, for this author. Why in the world would a twin sister let her brother rot in jail for ten years, knowing that she was the killer? It's not as though she was guilty of murder. Her only crime was hitting her rapist with a rock as he was raping her. I get the fact that victim's mom was a powerful person, who would do anything to save her and her son's reputation, but how difficult would it have been for Olivia to tell the truth at the time? She would have had no motive for the crime and one would think there'd be DNA evidence of the attempted rape. Too much of a stretch for me.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

I’m an avid thriller reader and as someone who has needs to grabbed by a book, this one just didn’t do it for me. From the beginning, I didn’t feel a commitment to the characters nor did I feel that sorry for the victim. In the end, I just didn’t care how this book wrapped up or whether the accused was found innocent or guilty. If you’re someone who needs to be engaged immediately, like I do, this is a tough one to start.

From the moment I picked up The Killer You Know, I couldn’t put it down. I’m not kidding—I read it in one sitting.

I love mysteries and thrillers so I was pretty intrigued by this one. I loved how the author combined the traditional novel style with “transcripts” from the podcast. This book had a great pace to it—it was so exciting and the author did a wonderful job of answering just enough questions so that I felt satisfied, while still raising others, so I still felt intrigued.

I really enjoyed this book and would have given it five stars, but I didn’t love the ending. The twist was great—I won’t go into any spoilers here—but I was left with several questions. Furthermore, while the twist was exciting, it actually made me question a lot of the plot up until that point. Still, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what this author comes up with next.

Wow, wow, WOW. I read The Killer You Know quickly, devouring every single word with enthusiasm that's rarely brought out of me. The podcast idea was wonderfully done, and the last twist made me literally jump up in my seat.

Ten years ago, the remains of Tyler Washington- son of Mayor Maria Washington- was discovered in the woods. The violent murder of Twin River's golden boy shocked the small community and a week after Tyler's death, easy-target Ethan Hall got arrested and eventually convicted of murder.

Olivia Hall, Ethan's twin sister, is haunted by the whole thing. She knows` her brother is innocent, but he's still in jail ten years later, for a crime he didn't commit. A true crime podcast takes his case up, and the three of them- Olivia, Kat, and Ray- are dedicated to making the truth come out.

Written in a "then vs now" way with Olivia's POV jumping from 10 years ago to present day, I found my favourite bits were actually snippets of the podcast. The dialogue was so good and natural-sounding that it felt like reading a transcript of a real-life podcast.

Overall, the story is well-plotted and the pace is perfect. If you like mystery or true crime podcasts, don't skip out on the page-turning thriller The Killer You Know! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

This was a gripping murder mystery with well developed characters and a pacey plot.

Olivia is fighting to prove her brother's innocence from committing murder ten years earlier.
The narrative moves between the past and the present adding more tension and long buried secrets from the past shed light on the present.
Also new to this novel is the use of the podcast element which I wasn't sure about in the beginning, but it actually added more strength to the plot.

Although I figured out the killer early on, I enjoyed the build up and how the pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place. Recommended.

I voluntarily reviewed this book, thanks Netgalley, Killer Reads, and author A.M. Taylor for the "Read Now" option.

I enjoyed this millennial true crime thriller. What I liked: enjoyed the story of a small town, who could quickly turn on a family, and blame and entire family for the death of a star athlete. This story, like real life has a young person murdered who suddenly is remembered as a saint, and while they may not have deserved to die- sometimes the world is a better place without them in it. I find the cultural references fun- all the way from AIM messenger to Podcasts. The story held my interest as I tried to figure out - “Who done it”, but everyone had a reason to kill the jerk.
What I didn't like: The book itself, was overly long and didn't need to subplot of Reid and her drama. Ten years had elapsed since the crime took place, removing all sense of urgency in pace.
Most of the characters in the story are pretty flat. I found Olivia to be a completely unlikable and self absorbed character. She has supposedly grown so much from high-school, but all the way until the last sentence of the story she is all about herself. The only sympathetic character in the story was Ethan, the poor loner who has been in jail for 10 years for a crime he didn't commit. Unfortunately, we don't get to spend much time with him.

This is a well plotted book with a couple of plot twists that were surprising. I loved the true crime podcast element and the main mystery keeps you guessing. I will definitely recommend that others read this book.

Trying to prove innocence after 10 years, the plot seems far fetched but not completely implausible.
I have never read anything with podcast so that was new concept to me.
Writing needs some tightening. The book is 10 chapters too long, could have been shorter, smarter...

The Killer You Know was a really good read by A.M. Taylor. I loved the twists and turns in this mystery. The characters were realistic, and the pacing of the story ramped up the suspense. I read this in one day, didn't want to put it down.
Olivia's twin brother, Ethan, is serving a sentence for a murder she is certain he didn't commit. Olivia has based her whole life on trying to clear her brother's name, going so far as to become a lawyer to help him. It is slow going and when a popular podcast wants to highlight his story she is intrigued. The show makes her nervous as it brings back old memories that maybe best forgotten. But she convinces her brother to move forward.
The podcast is taking off, people are listening, who really murdered Tyler Washington? The small town and its residents are hesitant to talk. Tyler was the current mayor's son. Maybe Tyler wasn't the perfect young man portrayed in court, but did that get him killed?
Don't want to give anything away. No spoilers her. I wasn't sure who was guilting and who was innocent. Maybe the small town can't handle the truth. Who will the truth destroy? Find out in this thriller.

Wow this book had me gripped right from page one to the very end!! I loved Olivia's character and how the book unfolds in the present and building up a picture from the past. Olivia is convinced her brother is innocent of murdering Tyler and with the help of Kat and Ray and their podcast she tries to find the truth! Lots of deceit, twists and turns throughout making you guess right until the last chapter! I was not expecting that ending!!!
Would make a great film

I loved The Killer You Know so much, I immediately bought Taylor’s first book the moment I finished it. Compelling plot, great characters, and OMG that twist at the end! Perfect for true crime podcast junkies, and for anyone else who loves a great mystery.

A gripping, fast paced read. I particularly enjoyed the way the now and then chapters went in different directions time wise, building the tension. I figured out in the first few chapters who the killer was, however, this did not take away from the enjoyment of the read. The characters are complex and well developed. The podcast aspect used in a story was new to me as a reader and I wasn't sure about it at first, but it really added to the suspense. I'm not a fan of the ending point, but I expected it after reading Forget Me Not. This is one fans of thrillers don't want to miss.

Review: The Killer You Know by A.M. Taylor


The Killer You Know centres on Olivia Hall's attempts to exonerate her brother Ethan. He's spent the last ten years in jail for the murder of their classmate Tyler Washington. Tyler was the mayor's son, about to go to college on a sport's scholarship and naturally one of the most popular kids in their school. Olivia's friend Daniel suggests that Olivia have Ethan's story investigated by one of the hottest crime podcasts. If anyone can find out the truth, they can.

The story progresses through two narratives. In the present day we move forward towards the conclusion of the podcast season, while in the past we hurtle backwards from Ethan's trial to the night of the murder. Olivia's experiences are brought to life, especially as the 'past' is in present tense. We're there with her as she watches her brother go to jail for something he didn't do. Her pain feels very real.

As well as the interesting narrative structure, Taylor has created a sense of duality through the three pairs of siblings caught up in the case. There's Ethan and Olivia, Morgan and Tyler and orbiting further away are sisters Reid and Spencer. The contrast between the experiences of siblings is a key theme in the novel. Morgan is pregnant with her first child, Tyler died in the woods as little more than a child. 

Most importantly though, Olivia and Ethan are both likeable protagonists. Olivia's attempts to save her brother are admirable and watching her interact with podcasters Kat and Ray her care for Ethan is evident. Seeing the inner workings of how a true crime podcast might come together was fascinating for me, as someone who has yet to watch podcasts at all. After this novel I might have to give one a go!

The story itself is also very topical, reflecting on issues that are at the forefront of public consciousness in 2019. This did, however, make the ending very predictable from the opening chapters. I would have liked the novel to continue for a few more pages to give a slightly more satisfying conclusion though.

The Killer You Know is not so much a who-dunnit but a refreshing twist on the usual story progression of crime novels. Innocence and guilt aren't the key themes here.

What matters to Olivia and the reader is freeing Ethan and discovering the truth behind that night - what kind of person was Tyler Washington? How about his friends?

I'd recommend this novel to anyone looking for something a little different from your usual crime novel. The Killer You Know's youthful protagonists and podcast creation focus made it a novel I loved.

Coming 12th July from Harper Impulse and Killer Reads!

I was provided with a free e-copy of this novel by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review, thank you to them and the publishers for the opportunity to read this thrilling tale.

This was a good read on the whole. I liked the podcast element. At times of was twisty and the storyline was tense, but other times of felt lacking.

An interesting idea,of which there seems to be a lot of at the moment,investigating past crimes for a show or podcast.
It seemed quite simple the way everything fell into place,key witnesses,the ease of some details being revealed,and the predictability of who did it.
Despite all those negative sounding comments,it was entertaining enough,and one I'd pass on to friends.

I got to chapter 5... This wasn't the "thriller" that I was hoping it was going to be and wasn't what I was looking for in a book. The first chapter started off good, but I was bored with the story after that. Maybe I'll give it another go in the future.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC, which I have enjoyed reading.
This is the second book by AM Taylor that I have read and it was an engrossing and intriguing story. The storyline was about the death of Tyler and who really killed him. Ethan was convicted of his murder but a crime podcast is hoping to find the truth with the assistance of his twin sister Olivia.
The storyline is mesmerising and absolutely fascinating and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
Highly recommended.

Ten years ago, Twin Rivers was rocked by the murder of Tyler Washington, star of the high school basketball team and son of the Mayor. Ethan Hall was found guilty of the murder and brought to justice, but his twin sister Olivia has never believed he was the killer. Now a true crime podcast is exploring whether Ethan was given a fair trial - and raking up the past in the process. If Ethan wasn't guilty of Tyler's murder, who is? And how far will they go to protect the truth?

I really enjoyed the format of this book, with the chapters alternating between "Then" and "Now" - not a new literary device, but I liked the spin the author put on it, where the "Then" chapters were actually written in reverse chronological order, like starting at the centre of a maze in order to find your way out. It was very well written, with realistic characters who managed to be both likeable and flawed. I enjoyed the writing style very much, and I also enjoyed the way the author used the recent popularity of true crime podcasts to elevate the book into something that felt both classic and current.

I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more from the author.

(I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review).