It’s Difficult Helping A Sociopath!

The novel opens 1993 as an eight-year-old Gretchen is holding a bloody knife over Rowan, her aunt. She has multiple stab wounds in her stomach and chest. Within moments, she is dead. Gretchen starts to hear yelling, “What have you done?” The timeline fast forwards to current time. Gretchen is a consultant for the Boston Police Department, even though many on the force believe that she has gotten away with murder including the Rowan murder investigating officer, Shaughnessy, who still is on the force. Marconi, another detective, is convinced that Gretchen is innocent. She wants Gretchen and her to reinvestigate Gretchen’s aunt’s murder to prove that Gretchen is innocent. She reluctantly agrees. The novel proceeds from here.

The main storyline consists of three threads. First is the Gretchen and Boston Detective Lauren Marconi off-the-books reinvestigation of Rowan’s murder to determine definitely whether Gretchen was the killer. The second thread starts about 10 years before the Rowan’s murder when rookie Officer Shaughnessy finds Rowan on a remote road with cuts on her arms. The third thread involves a young woman who is looking into the disappearance ten years earlier that is unsolved and cold. The disappearance was in 1992. This novel is more mental than action in that it is a reinvestigation of events that occurred more than twenty years earlier, placing these events together, and reaching a conclusion as to what really happened. These threads consist of many twists and turns based on characters telling the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth. This results in one literary tsunami and several literary grenades that changed my basic understanding of what happened. My interest was captured and held to the end of the novel. This is my major criteria for a high-star rating.

As for the B-storyline, basically, most of what is happening in the main storyline threads is background of the events that shaped Gretchen’s life. They are a major contributor to nature of Gretchen’s character. She admits early in the novel that she is a sociopath. This is confirmed in how she treats people and, especially, Lauren who appears to be the only person who is sympathetic to Gretchen. I, as the reader, was not sympathetic with her character. This, I believe, was the intention of the author so this was not a problem for me. Seeing the world through a sociopath’s point of view was interesting and added to my reading enjoyment. As the novel was ending, I noticed that there was a noticeable C-storyline in that Gretchen’s character had started to shift from her hardcore sociopath nature.

As for aspects of novels that some readers object, there are not any intimate scenes. Language is more rude than vulgar with a few impious instances, but their use did not come anywhere near raising concerns for me. For most of the novel, any violence is described with the resulting injuries, but when Rowan’s murder finally is described, the description is much more edgy as it is described as it happens, and Gretchen’s involvement is revealed. Lastly, for what readers should know is that this is the second novel of the series. I have not read the first novel, but there were several references to an individual in that novel. I felt that there was more meaning in there that I was missing for not having read the first novel.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. The complexity of the main storyline kept my interest all the way to the end. I wanted to know if Gretchen was a murderer. On the downside, the complexity of the start slowed down my reading of the novel until the connections between all the threads were revealed. Also, I was ambivalent with the very end. I see how it is consistent with the character, but I do not think that it would have happened in reality. Precautions would have been taken to prevent it happening. These issues only resulted in a thin layer of patina on my enjoyment, and I still recommend reading it. I have purchased the first novel in the series and will be reading it. I rate the author is a Will-Read and am looking to reading future novels by this author. I rate this novel with 5 stars (actually 4½).

I received a free e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Thomas and Mercer. My review is based only by my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Thomas and Mercer for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

OMG the twists and turns! I could not put it down! this was an incredible read and I will be looking for her other books! Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advance reader copy!

Pretty dizzy over here, comparable to getting off the scream machine at Great Adventure.

This is a wild wild ride of a book. Fasten your seatbelt because it goes so quick if you don't pay attention, you may miss something! I was completely mesmerized with this book . Brianna Labuskes, you have made a fan out of me!

The main character is a sociopath, now, that is my kind of book. I could not get enough!! I devoured each page with addiction. I just could not get to the next chapter fast enough. I was completely consumed and hung on every word.

If you are looking for a book that is fast pace and will keep you engaged from start to finish, this is a book for you!

This was a very interesting book, a second in the series but can be read alone. There is the mystery of what really happened the night her aunt was killed as well as who killed a young woman. Lots of interesting psychological and ethical questions are explored . The ending could have been tightened up a little bit and would have been more effective. But overall very good 4.5

In this second outing in the Dr. Gretchen White series of mysteries by Brianna Labuskes, we finally get all our questions answered! Is Gretchen (a sociopath psychologist/criminologist who aids the Boston police on murder cases) really the cold blooded killer that people have painted her to be since she was discovered, aged 8, standing over her aunt's body, murder weapon in hand? Who is telling the truth about the past? Who is lying? Who was even there that night? Gretchen has lived a life in the glare of society's spotlights, paying ever for a crime she was never convicted of, only accused. Family money was her salvation. Or was it? She's lived a life trying to be above the reproach of the one cop who has stalked her throughout the years, just waiting for her to make one mistake, to slip just once more. Now a newer person in her life, one whom she may be able to actually call a friend, pushes her to delve into the truth of that night so many years ago. Was the 8 year old Gretchen innocent? Or guilty?
There are so many questions raised by Gretchen's past, which was slightly explored in the first book more as a driving force behind the investigation there into another child accused of murder. Here is where Labuskes gives us all the answers. And more! The twists and turns keep coming, and don't stop until the pages. Justice is finally found, of a sort. I love the author's portrayal of Gretchen. She isn't just some paper doll 'sociopath', utterly lacking in feeling. She's multifaceted, complex, and, in her way, likeable. You can't help but cheer her onwards and hope to find her 'innocent' in this series. This book is no exception to the characterization that pulled me into the story in the first book. Gretchen is not the only character who is well drawn. This kind of writing is what I most enjoy in a mystery -- characters who show their facets and hint at other, more hidden ones. People who have many motivations. People who are not clear cut good or 'evil'. The mystery here is also shrouded in the distortions of lies, perceptions, and the past, coming ever clearer, but still leaving you racing through it to find the next surprising twist in the tale. I've read other books by Brianna Labuskes before this series, but although I liked them, none stuck with me like this character and series has done. I can only hope that she decides to come back to it and continue with the series for at least a few more outings (this is listed as the second of two books).
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves mysteries, thrillers, psychological/serial killer type mysteries, police procedurals, or just a darned good twisty tale. I want to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer publishers for the DRC of What Can't Be Seen, in exchange for my honest review.

My fave Sociopath ever!!! I was more than excited to re-enter the world of Dr. Gretchen White, but was unprepared for way the Author grabbed me by the throat from Page 1,never letting go until the end.
Gretchen White is a Psychologist/Criminologist who does a lot of consulting for Boston PD. She specializes in Violent Crimes. BUT, Gretchen is ALSO an admitted "non-violent" Sociopath(the "non-violent" part being voluntary as she likes to remind people once in a while). She was also the prime suspect in her Aunt's Murder when she was just 8yrs old. Though the charges couldn't be proven, Boston Detective Patrick Shaughnessy, who worked that investigation, STILL believes Gretchen has gotten away with murder. He is always watching, always waiting, for Gretchen to slip up.
A new case arises which carries echoes of the past for Gretchen. Detective Lauren Marconi, whom has not worked with Gretchen before, decides that together, the two of them will prove Gretchen's innocence once and for all. But will this backfire? Instead of clearing Gretchen's name, will they prove every suspicion of Det. Shaugnessy's correct? This book starts out at breakneck speed and never hits the breaks. I tore through the first 60% in one sitting and was so wrapped up in the suspense and wonderfully constructed story, that I didn't even realize how late it was getting. I very much enjoyed the first Gretchen White book, 'A Familiar Sight' and I would recommend reading that first to get the most enjoyment possible from this book, but I also believe that readers who haven't seen the first in the series will still love this twisty rollercoaster ride!
Every time I developed a theory regarding the plot, the Author proved me wrong every time (that doesn't happen often). I must say, Ms. Labuskes' writing improves with each novel she writes... but this surpassed all of my expectations. She has created a character I absolutely love and I really hope we see more of Gretchen White in the future! Many thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for providing an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
#whatcantbeseen #Netgalley


Many thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review

I hope there will be more books in this series first of all. It was without a doubt the best book I’ve read in a long time. It ties up any unanswered questions from the first book and answers some questions you didn’t have. It was hard to figure out and I love that!! Excellent book!!

What Can't Be Seen by B. Labuskes, published by Thomas & Mercer, is the second stand-alone in the Dr. Gretchen White Series. For best reading experience I recommend to read the ooks in order.
Gretchen is a consultant for the Boston Police Departement and she's partnered with Lauren Marconi. And their latest case concerns Gretchen herself.
THis full-length, thriller is one of the finest reads this year so far.
I fellin insta-love with Gretchen and her issues.
This is a a twisty, brillaint read. The storyline jumps between past and present, and normally I'm not of fan of these, but here it's very fitting. So no skipping here. The story spans decades, is vault-ish, complex. 5 Stars.

First Impressions
So this one was even as good or maybe better than the first one, I was like puzzling everything together with Gretchen and Marconi, I had my theories and it felt so good when I was right.

It begins very fast paced in a way for me, since you go tangle yourself in the investigation very early on the book and the tone was so good.

Characters
The development and the intrigue between them just grow better and better every time I read totally awesome really, I was having some troubles with the past ones but when you understand why they are there it’s so cool and ask yourself how did you miss that link before.

Fina thoughts
By the end I was totally obsessed and wanting to get to the end of the mystery and in a way not wanting for it finish really since it was so good.

I ask myself if this it’s the last we see about Gretchen White?

From the very start, I loved everything about this book!

Author Brianna Labuskes, took off at a sprints pace once again by emerging the reader into the world of Dr. Gretchen White. “What Can’t Be Seen” is another intriguing mystery/thriller with altering timelines and perspectives. As soon as I figured out who did what, when, and why, varying twists left my theories in the dust.

Highly recommend!

A sincere thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me a copy of “What Can’t Be Seen” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read this story and leave my review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of What Can’t Be Seen, the second book in the Gretchen White series. The three timelines got confusing, so I kind of lost the thread of the story, so the ending felt unsatisfying. I really liked learning more about Gretchen and her childhood, but the other characters were not very engaging which made the story feel long. I’m still looking forward to the next book in the series to see how Gretchen deals with what she found out in this book. If you don’t mind keeping three timelines straight and don’t need to be engaged with the other characters, you would probably like this installment in the Gretchen White saga!

This book was on fire! Loved it and can’t wait to read more by this author! I have read books before by her and am never disappointed!

What Can't Be Seen if the perfect follow-up to A Familiar Sight as it focused on all the questions I had from the first book. While some of it didn't come off as completely believable I did enjoy the book and look forward to more from this author!

'What Can't be Seen', book two in the Dr. Gretchen White series by bestselling author, Brianna Labuskes, is a unique take on a psychological thriller that takes you directly into the mind of a sociopath. In this, the second of the series, attention turns to Dr. Gretchen White's own past, as she seeks to discover the truth about the murder of her aunt decades ago. Found standing over her aunt Rowan's body when she was eight, Gretchen has lived her life thinking that she was born to kill. This book takes readers in a journey of discovery as Gretchen unravels her past, digging up dirt on those she thought she knew, all the while moving closer to the truth.

I loved the switching of narration between the past and present, while also getting a glimpse into the mind of various characters, which together produced an unreliable narration that made you question EVERYTHING! This book kept me on edge right from the start and was impossible to put down. The characters were cunning, extremely flawed, and at times plain evil - all adding up to a brilliantly unnerving narrative and an extraordinarily fun read!

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for this ARC via NetGalley.

Everybody thinks Gretchenkilled her aunt when she was eight, she was found covered in blood over her aunt's body. But she is not so sure this is what happened and now, when she is a psychologist and criminologist she is trying to find out the truth.
Nice thriller, thanks to Netgalley for this book.

The second in the series featuring Dr Gretchen White by Brianna Labuskes. Gretchen is a psychologist and criminologist who also consults for the Boston Police Department. She is also a self confessed sociopath, who at the age of eight was suspected of murder when her aunt was brutally killed. Detective Lauren Marconi has worked on cases with Gretchen and doesn’t believe that she was to blame. Lauren is determined to prove that she didn’t commit the crime and persuades Gretchen to help her to solve the 30 year old case. They need to untangle the web of lies and deceit to discover that actually happened that night and reveal the shocking truth. A brilliantly constructed storyline that will have you hooked until the very end. Great characters especially Gretchen can’t wait for the next instalment!

A Search For Truths…
Powerfully written suspense with an intriguing and compelling narrative, a superbly drawn cast and a well paced, immersive storyline. Will the truth of Dr Gretchen White eventually be confirmed? The admitted sociopath isn’t so sure. The background story is a fascinating one, well told, but what is the truth and how will it affect the future? Old secrets and lies will surely come to light in the process and, after all, there may be those who wish to prevent that from happening. This is the second in the series and, whilst works well as a standalone, there is much to be gained from reading from the first.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in return for an honest review.

What Can't Be Seen by Brianna Labuskes is a different take on a psychological thriller. It gives great insight into how a sociopath's mind works and how they view and deal with emotions.

Sociopath Gretchen White is a police consultant, however she has a dark past. She killed her aunt when she was only 9 years old. Or did she?? Her police partner convinces her to look into her case and find out what really happened.

I really enjoyed this book, especially with the view from Gretchen being so different to the norm. This kept me hooked until the end!

An absolute must read for 2022. Book one was amazing and this one surpassed it! Some of the most complex and unique characters I've read in a long time. This one focuses on Gretchen's past. And it is one shocking reveal after another. I figured out a couple things early but it didn't take away from the suspense. And there were plenty of shocks to leave my jaw dropped. I was gripped from page one until the very last.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication.

Full disclaimer: I flip flopped between a 4.5 rounded up and down... but decided to round down. Don't egg me! Also, I did not read the first book in this series, but there was enough context that I didn't feel I was missing anything,

THE PLOT

Dr. Gretchen White is back with a new case... Her own. Nearly 30 years later, Gretchen and Detective Lauren Macroni try to get to the bottom of that fateful night when 8-year-old Gretchen was found clutching a knife over her aunt's dead body. Is Gretchen truly a sociopath that got away with murder, or is the truth something much darker?

MY OPINNI

Props Brianna Labuskes for executing this THICC ass plot. The pacing was incredible. There were so many bombshells evenly dispersed throughout the book that kept me engaged. Usually thrillers leave those "oh shit????!!!!!!" moments until the 80% mark... but Labuskes was dropping bombs before the first half, so buckle in! Just when you think this plot can't get thiccer, it does. 5 stars for the plot.

The writing quality is good. I would read another Labuskes novel without a doubt. She does a fantastic job writing distinct character POVs. You got a great feel for the different personalities at play, without Labuskes blatantly saying "she's sad" "he's moody". I especially LOVED how she wrote young Gretchen. She was mad creepy. I liked the dynamic between Gretchen and her babysitter. Battle of the wits. I was also impressed with her ability to keep the reader guessing and weave together multiple POVs.

Okay... now why 4 stars?

1) I don't have much knowledge about sociopaths, so I can't comment on the accuracy of Gretchen's portrayal, but some of it felt OD. Particularly the scenes where Gretchen is violent with Macroni (omg I kept reading her name as Macaroni... LOL). Also, sometimes Gretchen's "cool girl" attitude gave me second-hand embarrassment. This woman was nearly 40, and by all descriptions, an accomplished psychologist and criminologist, but sometimes she acted like a moody teenager who didn't get her way. Maybe this is a quality of sociopaths, but idk... It just didn't sit right with me.

2) The ending was doing THEE most. As I said, the plot was THICC. But the ending was like an overstuffed sausage bussin out its casing. There was too much going on. Too many last-minute reveals and twists. Too many odd coincidences that occurred to make things go the way of the villain(s). Also, a major murder in the story wasn't really explained. The reasoning/motive was like ????? compared to all the Fyre Festival level bat shit crazy stuff that was occurring. The last major scene reminded me of that episode of The Office where Mike, Dwight, and Andy are standing in a triangle pointing fake guns at each other... LOL. ANYWAYS. Because the ending was just TOO hectic for my tastes and lacked logic, it squarely knocked the rating down to a 4.

3) The author used "x lifted/shrugged one shoulder" TOO many times. So many times it was noticeable. Not a big deal to normal people, but it grated me. Can't a sista throw in a two-shoulder shrug sometimes or choose another movement... maybe a tilt of the head... a quizzical look... SOMETHING!!

Whew. Another long review. For anyone who has made it this far, thank you.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: Plot was fire flame. Great pacing. Good writing.
Cons: Ending was doing the most. Sometimes Gretchen's behaviour was annoying and seemed over-the-top.