L. R. Dorn’s sophomore novel With a Kiss We Die is a book made to be listened to, not read. Told in the style of a podcast, this gripping true crime novel quickly pulls readers/listeners in and doesn’t let them go until the very last page. Inspired by the gruesome 1985 murders of Derek and Nancy Haysom purportedly by their own teenage daughter and her boyfriend, With a Kiss We Die tells a similar tale of an affluent family and community rocked by violence.

Ryanna Raines is the host of the hit podcast The Raines Report, but her show is set to soar to new heights when she is offered exclusive access to Jordan De Carlo and Victoria Bernes, two theater majors accused of viciously murdering Jordan’s parents in cold blood through a brutal knife attack. Jordan and Victoria want to tell their side of the story and clear their names before they are arrested and silenced, and they will only speak to Ryanna. So Ryanna finds herself holing up with accused while reporters and police swarm around outdoors. Ryanna doesn’t know what to expect, but soon discovers she is totally unprepared for how this shocking story unfolds.

As a fan of podcasts and this emerging style of storytelling in novels, I was completely captivated by With a Kiss We Die. The full cast audiobook of this novel is produced just like a real podcast - if you did not know any better, you would think that you were actually listening to a podcast - making for some highly enjoyable listening entertainment! The revelations uncovered in this story stunned me as I listened intently, trying to determine what actually happened that night at the De Carlo estate. Will you be able to distinguish the truth from the lies? Pick up the utterly compelling With a Kiss We Die to find out!

Recommended to fans of L. R. Dorn’s debut novel, The Anatomy of Desire, as well as novels by Courtney Summers and Holly Jackson.

WITH A KISS WE DIE is a compulsively bingeable thriller. The writing duo, L.R. Dorn, expertly navigates the murky waters of real-time true crime podcasting. The twists, turns, and reveals are perfectly timed within the narrative.

Here is the thing. I love a mystery set to the format of a podcast. There is something about an investigation being compiled into episodes that add quickness to the pace while still keeping the integrity of the case and allowing the suspense to build. With this season of “The Raines Report,” the reader gets to be a fly on the wall as Ryanna looks into the murder and interviews the two prime suspects. It is so good.

The authors weaved together a story with duplicity, secrets, tension, and a murder mystery fit for the top of any podcast list. WITH A KISS WE DIE is a must-read for all crime fiction lovers.

Finally, finally, a podcast-based suspense/mystery/thriller I could actually engage with and say I enjoyed! This has never happened to me before and I’m seriously pleased.

Every single book I’ve picked up in this genre that involved podcasts before has either been a DNF or has been an absolutely mediocre read. With a Kiss We Die, though, was an intelligent, well-plotted, believable, and engaging read that had the foresight to not follow the more pop-culture true crime podcasts that handle true crime like it’s a joke but skew more towards investigative journalism.

The podcast format used in With a Kiss We Die actually reminded me of my favorite true crime podcast, To Live and Die in L.A., which runs in that same “we’re going to start here, with this rough outline, but after that it’s going to be out of our hands where the case takes us but we’re going to follow this to the end of the road” vein.

Even so, the podcast aspect of this book is the weaker aspect of this book for me. The stronger aspect is the story is Jordan and Victoria, their relationship, and the suspense of whether or not they committed the crime they’re accused of. Slightly less strong but still compelling than watching these two charismatic chameleons is spending time with the determined and persistent podcaster and investigative journalist Ryanna Raines, who is invested in these people, in this case, in her podcast, in the truth, and in justice for the victims.

Is this book full of surprising twists and turns that will make you gasp and gawp? In my opinion, no. I wasn’t surprised at all. Sometimes the twists and turns felt like they were coming straight out of an episode of “Law & Order”. The beauty was in the way they were written and presented in the text.

So, while With a Kiss We Die doesn’t break new ground, it’s still a really enjoyable read.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All opinions, thoughts, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. Thank you.

File Under: Amateur Sleuth/Crime Thriller/Literary Fiction/Murder Thriller/Psychological Thriller/Suspense Mystery

Ryanna is a true crime podcaster with a pretty big follower base. Ryanna does her own investigations on these crimes and shares them with the public. Jordan and Victoria, two college students suspected of killing Jordan's parents (stabbed dozens of times), reach out to her one day basically saying that if she agrees to live with them, they are willing to talk to her and she can investigate the case.

This story gives very much Bonnie and Clyde with some Romeo and Juliet thrown in there. This book was inspired by a real life event that occurred in 1985 Virginia, but this story is different. Jordan and Victoria want the nation to hear their story and their truth, but of course, it's never that simple. Ryanna has a lot of investigating to do in order to get to the bottom of the situation and expose the truth.

As a forensic scientist, I am all about true crime and podcasts. This was a captivating read and I genuinely enjoyed it. My biggest complaint is that it was hard to tell sometimes when Ryanna was saying something to her producer, the podcast, or herself. I wish this part could've been more clear. I had to go back often to make it make sense. Aside from that, a fun, quick read and I enjoyed it!

Thank you so much NetGalley, William Morrow, and the author for this ARC. I will keep an eye out for this author.

Find me on IG: coffeebreakwithrachel

But for its structure, With a Kiss We Die would probably be pretty standard psychological thriller fare. But the style of this book, told in the format of a true crime podcast, elevates it from something expected to something completely riveting and compulsively readable.

Ryanna Raines is an investigative journalist and true crime podcaster who has found some success in her field. But when she is contacted by a young couple accused of brutally slaying the boyfriend's parents, who want her to tell their side of the story, she is thrust into the limelight in a way she wasn't prepared for -- and finds herself embroiled in her most challenging case yet.

In a novel told entirely in transcripts of Ryanna's podcasts episodes, the writing team of L.R. Dorn has written an engrossing, fascinating exploration of society's fixation with true crime, the complex relationship between a journalist and her subjects, and the pitfalls of obsessive love. There's also some really interesting commentary on artistry and the way life can imitate art, and vice versa.

It took me a little while to get into the flow of the narrative (it's sometimes hard to tell when Ryanna is doing a voice-over rather than speaking in real time), but once I did, I was totally hooked. The pace is lightning fast, with well-timed reveals that made it impossible to put the book down. The characters are interesting and well-developed, which is especially impressive considering we only get to know them through their dialogue. I really enjoyed Ryanna as a character, and I would definitely read any future books that feature her (hint hint, L.R. Dorn -- give us a series!).

I thoroughly enjoyed this modern and fresh-feeling take on a high profile murder investigation. Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the complimentary reading opportunity.

I loved the format of the podcast and would love to listen to an audiobook of this. If you enjoy true crime give this book a chance, I am sure you will enjoy. There were some great twists throughout the book. Thank you to William Morrow and Company, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
4 Stars

A young couple are suspected of murdering the man’s parents. They decide to have an investigative journalist podcaster embed with them while they wait to see if they are going to be arrested, believing this will give them the chance to tell their side of the story.

The entire book is told in podcast form, which works so well on the page (I bet this also makes an incredible audiobook). There is so much suspense, and such amazing twists and turns. I love the way Dorn plays with the concept of a narrator and how each narrator chooses to tell their story. I would absolutely recommend this book, and can’t wait to see what Dorn does next.

Like the authors' previous book, With A Kiss We Die is written in podcast format which I enjoyed - but it does mean that it gets a bit repetitive since each chapter is a new episode which starts with a recap. This book hooked me from the beginning and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out if Jordan and Victoria, two college drama students, were responsible for the brutal murders of Jordan's parents. Even though I enjoyed the book, I must say that the ending was a bit lackluster - there weren't any big twists and it left me with some unanswered questions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced readers copy of With a Kiss We Die by L.R. Dorn. While I didn't enjoy reading this, I do think there is significant potential for consuming the audiobook version.

‘With a Kiss We Die’ by L.R. Dorn was uniquely written and highly intriguing. Definitely recommend giving it a try!

#WithaKissWeDie #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-Arc copy of this novel.

“I’m Ryanna Raines, and welcome to The Raines Report”

Ryanna is a true-crime reporter who runs a podcast with her producer, Jess Monay. She runs her own investigations on crimes, and has a relatively successful following. One day, she hears from Jordan De Carlo and Victoria Berne, two college students suspected of killing Jordan’s parents. They are in Mexico, but they are willing to come back to California and face possible charges if Ryanna would live with them and investigate their case.

Jordan’s parents were stabbed dozens of times in a grisly attack, and these two young lovers - #RomeoandJuliet meets #BonnieandClyde - want to tell the world their story. The story they tell is actually inspired by a similar real crime that happened in Virginia in 1985. These two met in college, became the passionate hippie lovers that they are, and are pursuing acting careers. The police think that the pair killed his parents because they disapproved of the relationship, but Jordan and Victoria have different stories to tell. Ryanna has a lot of digging to do to get to the truth of the matter.

This is written in the way a podcast, or play, would be written. I didn’t mind that, except for when Ryanna had first-person narrative thoughts. Sometimes it was hard to tell when she was saying something to the podcast, to her producer, or to herself, but other than that, I liked the style. The story itself wasn’t all that compelling, but adding in the podcast made it a bit more fresh. 3.5 stars, rounded up!

(Thank you to William Morrow and Company, L.R. Dorn, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review. This book is slated to be released on July 11, 2023.)

This was just ok for me. I liked the format of the podcast and the interviews but the story just drew on and on. The book isn’t even that long but it felt like forever to finally get to something interesting.

With a Kiss We Die follows Ryanna Raines who is the host of a very popular true-crime podcast. She gets a call from two college students who were charged with murdering their parents. They need  Ryanna's help to prove that they are innocent. Ryanna is determined to solve the case and get justice. 

I thought this book was just okay. This gave me A Good Girls Guide to Murder vibes. This book was very similar only with much more mature content. This book is also written like a podcast. I think this would be a great one to listen to on audio. I did want to keep reading to see what would happen. It is still a very solid thriller. But I have just read better. I would suggest this though. 

Thank you so much Netgalley, L.R. Dorn, and Willian Morrow for the ARC of this book.

4.5 overall!

This book instantly had me hooked; from the concept to the writing style to the whole story. Being written entirely in a true crime podcast format, I found it so unique and flew through it. From the start you think you already know what the outcome is going to be but boy do you go on a wild ride to find out. I love how it goes in depth with true crime podcasting and getting both sides of a story. I can definitely see the similarities to real life cases and what this honestly would probably look like if it played out in the real world. Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves true crime podcasts and thrillers that keep you turning the page.

Never heard of this author and thought it sounded intriguing. Well written, enjoyed the characters and plot. Would definitely recommend. Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

As a fan of true crime podcasts, I was intrigued by the premise of this book. In the story, Ryanna Raines, the host of the popular podcast The Raines Report, is contacted by a young man who wants her to tell his story. The caller is Jordan De Carlo, whose parents have recently been found murdered inside their multi-million dollar home. Jordan is being looked at as a suspect by the police, along with his girlfriend Victoria Berne. Jordan insists they are innocent. He invites Ryanna to come and stay with the couple and become acquainted with them, as well as recording the new season of her podcast about the couple and the murders in real-time. Jordan is convinced that once Ryanna (and her listeners) get to know him better, they will see that there is no way he could be a murderer. After discussing the idea with her producer, Ryanna agrees and flies across the country to meet the couple as they return from an extended "vacation" in Mexico. Ryanna begins to record and send out her podcasts almost immediately, so that interest around the case begins to grow dramatically. News crews and police cars are camped outside the house where Jordan and Victoria are staying, and where Ryanna visits daily to record new material for the podcast. The young couple are currently college students who are both studying theatre. It turns out that Jordan's wealthy parents disapproved both of his career choice and of Victoria, who they felt was not good enough for their son. Was this resentment against his parents enough to drive Jordan to murder? Or is he innocent as he claims?

The story was very compelling. I was interested to follow the twists and turns of the events and to see if Jordan was the guilty party, or if there was more to his parents' murders than apparent at first glance. The story did have an extremely annoying feature . . . each new chapter was a new episode of the podcast, so it had to begin with a recap of who the host was, what the podcast was about, what had happened so far, etc. I can understand the book was supposed to be a transcription of a spoken podcast, but all that recapping became tiresome in a book. I also felt that the ending was a bit flat, after so much suspense was built up. Still, it was fun trying to guess where this was all going!

This Terrifying Tuesday, goes out to the book that literally “haunted” me the past couple of days..

I have been telling all of you how I wanted to break into different genre’s and Horror has been one that I have thoroughly enjoyed .

The Anatomy of Desire, was one of my favorite books of last year ever so when I read the synopsis for With A Kiss We Die, I knew I was in for a treat .

Wow ! Wow ! Wow!

This book exceeds all expectations . Not only is it an intense psychological thriller but it had me hiding under my bed and looking over my shoulder quite a few times.

This book has all the key elements to not only become a fan favorite but also I could definitely picture it as a Netflix series/movie .

This showstopper releases on July 11, 2023! You don’t want to forget about this one! I strongly suggest you pre-order a copy now !

Teaser :

I’m Ryanna Raines. And welcome to “The Raines Report.”

Ryanna Raines is the host of a popular true-crime podcast. Her specialty is investigative journalism, her style is truth-seeking moxie, and with millions of listeners along for the ride, her star is rising. But when an intriguing message is left on her tip-line, the reporter is pulled into the most challenging case of her career.

The mangled bodies of a husband and wife have been discovered in their multi-million-dollar estate in Southern California. The prime suspects are their twenty-two-year-old son and his girlfriend, two college theater students who are now facing arrest and indictment. In a surprising move, they only want to speak with Ryanna, offering exclusive interviews in exchange for her help getting their side of the story told.

Instead of a badge or a weapon, Ryanna carries her voice recorder onto the battlefield of the high-profile murder investigation. Through a series of interviews, Ryanna examines her subjects from multiple angles and diverse points of view, breaking past the walls of “he said, she said” to pierce at a dark and horrible truth.

Written in the style of a true-crime podcast, With a Kiss We Die is a heart-racing mystery and thought-provoking tale about love and secrets that unfolds episode by episode as it hurtles towards an explosive conclusion. L. R. Dorn has crafted a suspenseful examination of our cultural obsession with true crime, the complicated moral obligations between journalists and their subjects, and the often-deadly line between performance and deceit.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.