A ok read that I had a hard time finishing.
Usually I enjoy reading books written by Susan Isaacs but this one just did not pull me in.
I encourage you to read it and see what you think.

Susan Isaacs is a well known author, and her books never disappoint. This was a good mystery, though some might find the lead somewhat unbelievable as ex FBI, I think it just added to her believably because sometimes once you become a mom, we do get "mom brain" lol,
I do think that publishers really need to separate Mystery and Thriller, but this is definately not a thriller, so it might cause a much lower rating than this book deserves.

This was a truly underwhelming story. I didn't connect with the characters at all and found it, genuinely boring. This cosy style mystery is just not for me. I also hated the main character and found myself rooting against her for the majority of the book.

DNF at 20%. I really liked the premise. A former FBI agent who is now living a suburban mom life starts to wonder if something is going on with a man in her freelance group. Is something actually happening or is she just bored and seeing clues when there isn’t anything to see?

I loved the premise but unfortunately the execution isn’t working for me. It’s been repetitive - instead of seeing action, it’s a lot of seeing Corie tell different people over and over the same few things about why she has suspicions. I’ve also heard the story multiple times of how she met her husband.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

I wasn't able to finish this book, my main issue was the pacing. Perhaps this one would have worked better for me in another format like audio.

This thriller/mystery centers on a former FBI agent who has given up that life to become a stay at home wife and mother to a new husband and step daughter. Investigating, however, is in her blood and she becomes intrigued by a member of her lunch group that she knows is up to no good.

The plot is believable and entertaining with quite a bit of suspense. Great for readers who like something a little different from the traditional police procedural.

I could not finish this one. I started it twice but still couldn't finish it.

I didn't enjoy any of the characters and honestly I don't really care to know what Pete's secret is.

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

It took over 75% of the book to set the scene... and finally something happened then. Way too long of a set up. A bored suburban wife that was a retired FBI agent turned literary agent who suspects a local man of possible criminal activity. Most of the book is spent on her talking about it or being bored with suburban life. The book did get a little exciting when it was close to end, but unfortunately by then I had lost interest. Would recommend those that like a slow burn mystery and don't mind a lot of time being spent on the set up. Thank you NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

A gentle, lighthearted mystery that’s inoffensive but unmemorable. This wasn’t for me - I was hoping for something a little more gripping, a little twistier, and with more complex characters. But it wasn’t a bad use of a few hours!

I'll just start by saying I don't think this book was made for someone like me. I love thrillers, but I'm not a cozy mystery fan. I guess I didn't realize that's what type of book this was when I requested it. The premise seemed entertaining enough - a retired counter-terrorism agent solving a mystery close to her home. I just didn't really connect with any of the characters. I found myself bored for most of the book. I guessed the ending. It was just very lackluster for me.

I do think someone who loves cozy mysteries would love this book, but I just didn't.

Corie Geller has left her career as on FBI agent to be a wife and mother. At her weekly luncheons with friends she notices strange behavior from one of her acquaintances. Her instincts are telling her something isn’t right. This is written more in the style of a cozy mystery, which is fine but it dragged in spots. Thank you to netgalley for a copy.

This was a light page-turner mystery, but it fell flat as its characters. The concept is intriguing: a retired FBI agent investigates a member of her luncheon group who seems too bland to be true. Unfortunately this book ended up being pretty bland too, and I felt like the investigation was a bit simplistic. Her confrontation with the culprit at the climax was possibly the best part of the book, but it felt disjointed from the rest because it was such a change of pace and style. A decent airport book.

I was given an ARC to give my hones opinion of Takes One to Know One by Susan Isaacs. I am usually a big fan of hers but this particular book for me missed the mark. I really wanted to like this book. and was excited to read it because she does not come out with books very often.

I was just never able to get to the point where I liked very many if any of the characters., Susan's characters are usually very funny and enjoyable but I just could not relate this time.

Back in the day, Susan Isaacs was an auto-buy author for me. But that was literally decades ago. When I happened to read an excerpt of her 2019 book, It Takes One to Know One, I thought it was time to give her writing another try. And this was an enjoyable, if not completely gripping, read. Or actually, a listen, since I found the audiobook on Scribd.

Corie Geller is a suburban housewife with a checkered past. Not that kind of checkered—she’s a former FBI agent. And some days she regrets trading in her badge for a generally quiet life on Long Island. Her husband Josh is a Federal judge, who delights in intellectual dinner discussions. Their daughter is a tween with requisite attitude. And Corie’s work life is pretty staid overall.

As a freelancer for both publishers and the FBI, Corie works at home. She also belongs to a group of fellow entrepreneurs that meets for lunch every Wednesday. Networking becomes a game of intrigue when Corie starts to question the all-too-familiar behavior of one of her fellow entrepreneurs, Pete Delaney.

My conclusions
Birds of a feather … are more suspicious of each other. And Corie is certainly an inquisitive soul. She starts to dig into Pete’s background and just won’t let go. I can appreciate this aspect of her personality! Plus, if she behaved any other way, Isaacs wouldn’t have a story to tell.

I would have been happier with a little less marital angst. The cognitive dissonance of presenting Corie as a whip-smart former agent while she also anguishes about her move to marriage and suburbia rankled for me. While, some conflicting feelings are probably logical, I think Corie’s mental review of the situation captured too many pages.

Isaac’s writing is crisp and well-honed. She knows when to dive into a descriptive passage, and when action-packed plot progression is the best choice. Now I recall why I liked her all those years ago.
If you’re looking for an escapist mystery that’s not gruesome but not a cozy, this is a solid pick.

Acknowledgements
Many thanks to NetGalley, Grove Atlantic / Atlantic Monthly Press, and the author for an advanced reader’s copy of the book, in exchange for this honest review.

Corie Geller used to be an FBI agent, but traded in her badge for the domestic life. Married with a fourteen year old stepdaughter, Corie spends her time reading Arabic fiction and meeting with a group of friends on Wednesday. Sensing that something is just not right about one of her neighbors, Corie takes matters in her own hands and starts an investigation.

Takes One to Know One shows how ingrained the principles of law enforcement can bury themselves into a person's psyche. I just wish that the story itself, as well as the characterization, was more interesting. It is formulaic, transparent, and boring at times, which prompted me to skim pages in the middle section of the book. The predictable ending, coupled with an overly dramatic caricature of a bored wife and mother, gives me reason to not recommend Takes One to Know One to other readers.

Atlantic Monthly Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Takes One to Know One. I chose to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The premise about Corie being a former FBI agent with suspicions about a neighbor was way more interesting than the actual story. It lagged a bit and the heroine jumped to conclusion after conclusion wildly and haphazardly.

I really wanted to like this book, because I've liked so many of Susan Isaacs' books in the past. I finished it but thought it was just OK. It was pretty funny, but the label name dropping annoyed me after a while and I couldn't relate to the characters.

Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Takes One to Know One! Corie Geller has traded a life in the FBI for one a little more mundane....but, she's still keeping in touch with the Bureau. This comes in handy when she suspects a member of her freelancers group is up to something. The story that follows is full of suspense and left me wanting another Corie Geller adventure. I hope that one is in the works!

Thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I always enjoy Susan Issacs books.Smart funny with very clever story lines.Mysteries that keep you guessing with really well written characters,#netgalley#groveatlantic