2.5 stars

I had a really hard time with this story. It was really difficult for me to get into. The prologue was interesting, but after that it all went a little flat for me. It felt all little surface level for me. I didn't like any of the characters and didn't feel much of anything at all. The writing was very blah and mechanical. There were too many point of views to keep track of and no real character development.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The meat of most murder mysteries is how a cast of suspects all lie. It can be small omissions or larger fictions and, either related to the case, or completely unconnected, and it’s the detective’s job to figure it out. This book is very hard to figure out because it involves a whole team of professional liars. A group of Psychology students that have studied and perfected the art of deception is involved in a murder. The detective in charge is new to the area and moved here to get away from violent crime, so she’s in above her head. Her ally is an older campus cop near retirement, so she has to face these liars to figure out who murdered one of the team. The strength of this book relies on its characters, two of them are unlikable but, once you learn their background, it’s understandable that they behave the way they do. The rest, I was rooting for them all so I didn’t want one of them (or possibly more) to be guilty. The plot is well crafted and easy to follow, and told focusing on each of the characters and what they see. The baddie may have been a little obvious, but it was still fun to figure out why and how the deed was done. The final part is very suspenseful. Enjoyable.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Sourcebooks Landmark!

The story itself was good, I thought it had just the right amount of red herrings and twists. My theory on who the murderer was kept changing, but not to the point where it got annoying.

BUT the characters all kind of felt a bit bleh and flat, making it hard to like or connect with them. Any of them could have been slaughtered and I wouldn't have cared. If at least a couple of them had felt more well developed, I think it would have bumped things up from me just liking this book, to really liking this book.

Jacobs offers a dark and twisted closed room mystery in which five PhD candidates in Psychology work on a project about dishonesty and deception for their professor.

During an evening when each of them had been in their Psych department offices working on the project, one of them is savagely murdered. When the students learn of the murder the next day, they are both shocked at the murder and stunned to realize that not only are they suspects, but in all likelihood, the killer is one of them.

As Detective Alana Larson and campus policeman Pat King investigate the murder, backgrounds and relationships come to light. They learn that not only are the PhD. candidates studying deception, they are each highly skilled at it.

With campus abandoned for spring break and an imminent severe snowstorm bearing down on the area, a second murder ups the ante for everyone. Can the murderer be found and stopped before another person dies and before the storm hits?

This is a clever and entertaining read. The story is told from ten or eleven POVs (I lost count!), which I thought would be problematic, but which worked surprisingly well. The story is well paced with surprises that ratchet up the suspense for the reader.

I rate this a 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars. My thanks to Sourcebooks Landmark for permitting me to read a DRC via NetGalley. All opinions stated in this review are my own and are freely given. This paperback edition is scheduled to be released 9/12/23.

Not quite 4⭐️ but a high 3⭐️

In North Carolina, a snow storm is about to hit and a killer is on the loose.

Professor Joe Lyons and his five graduate students are studying the science behind the acts of lying. Coincidentally with this knowledge it makes the students able to hide their secrets that much easier.

When a test goes awry, and someone is dead, will they be able to catch the killer before the uncontrollable storm reaches campus?


I’m going to be honest, seeing that this book had only 11 chapters deterred me. But once I got into it, it was told in multiple POVs which really were a page or two if that. So that was reassuring.

I do wish there was a little more of the story about the program, I was intrigued at that part.

I found some parts with the local detective a little far fetched.

I did guess correctly who the killer was, however it was still a good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for a DRC. This is How We End Things is available September 12.

eception and lying. That’s what five psychology graduate students and their charismatic professor at () university are well versed in. As a part of their experiment, they deceive others to measure their stress responses. However, when one the five is found dead in the professor’s office, the remaining students are tested themselves when they all become suspects. But how do they prove their innocence while trying to hid their own lies and long buried secrets?

Okay y’all. I LOVED this book. I couldn’t put it down! I pride myself on being able to figure out who the killer is early on in most thrillers, but I honestly did not see this one coming. RJ Jacobs did a wonderful job fleshing out the characters and creating an enticing story. These characters were likeably unlikable and you found yourself suspicious of every one of them. If you love dark academia and thrillers and a ticking clock, this book is for you!

***| received this ARC from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review***

This is a captivating psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of the human mind. Jacobs excels at creating a tense and eerie atmosphere that lingers throughout the book. I loved the university setting placed amongst a snowy backdrop. There is just something about dark academia that is so satisfying to read. This book alternates between many POV (nine that I counted) which sounds like it would be an extremely chaotic way to present a book but, here, it worked very well. The pacing of the novel is well done, with tension building steadily as the story progresses.
What I didn’t particular care for was the study itself that the book revolved around. The details of it seemed a bit confusing or like there wasn’t enough of a background for it. In fact, I didn’t even find it necessary to the execution of the plot and I found myself skimming a lot of the sections where it was brought up.

The alternating narrators helped move the plot forward while keeping the story "fresh". The synopsis was intriguing, but it fell a little short for me; it was slow moving, with secrets that look a long time to be made known. There wasn't enough that had been uncovered that I was able to guess who the killer could have been. As easy and enjoyable as this story was, I wanted more; a faster plot and more back and forth on who the killer could be. This is my second R.J. Jacobs book and both were "good" but not something I'd recommend pushing to the top of your TBR.
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Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Shepherd, North Carolina. A group of psychology Ph.D. students are running an experiment about deception that their supervisor hopes will push the boundaries of the practice. All is going well until strange things start happening and one of the students turns up dead.

The police rush to identify the culprit while racing against time and nature, as another person gets murdered and a snowstorm hits the campus. When these students have been trained how to lie, how do they know who is telling the truth? What secrets are they all hiding?

This is How We End Things kept me on the edge of my seat. A great thriller set at a university, and the vibes were immaculate. The book is told from different POVs, and you slowly learn about everyone's background and how they all fit together. Put it on your TBR for fall if you're a fan of the genre.

As someone who works in a social sciences department at an R1, the only thing I was skeptical about was that Joe had time to be chair of the department when running such a time-consuming study.

Reviews to come on @pittelsbookclub on TikTok and IG.

3.5 stars
I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to read this novel as an ARC from NetGalley. This Is How We End Things by R. J. Jacobs is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. Jacobs weaves a complex web of suspense, mystery, and intrigue, drawing readers into a world of uncertainty and doubt. The intricate plot twists and turns, leaving readers questioning the motives and actions of the characters. I wouldn’t say it is a must read, but it is an entertaining read that will keep you reading to find out who did it. I actually would like to see another novel with Britt and Chris as the main characters. The relationship between those two was interesting to me, and I liked how they didn’t care who liked them. I also want Larsen to be in that next novel too.

Did Not Finish (DNF) at 14%... this writing style wasn't made for me.. found it jumpy and couldn't get into it

If you like dark-academia and psychological thrillers, you need to read this book!

It's a slow burn whodunit, but when we finally start to realize who the killer is and start to put the pieces together as to the why, it becomes a heart-pounding, suspenseful, unputdownable thriller.

I'm not going to give a lot of synopsis because this is one of those books that you want to go into without knowing much about it. It centers around a group of grad students running some ethically grey experiments on deception. When one of the grad students is found murdered, everyone is under suspicion.

The discussions on the hypothesis of the experiment and preliminary findings are an interesting insight into deception, and definitely set the book up well to leave the reader always questioning.

I had a hard time at the start of the book because I couldn't figure out how the opening related. I became a bit fixated on it because it's not immediately clear. But, eventually, I just let that go and trusted it would be revealed in time and just became immersed in the story.

I absolutely love thrillers, but I have been a bit disappointed in some of the thrillers I've been reading lately. They have been predictable, full of absolutely horrible characters, or have some kind of unrealistic plot line.

This is How we End Things was a very refreshing read. It had all the great elements of a really good thriller, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is How We End Things
by R.J. Jacobs
Pub Date: 12 Sep 2023

"This is How We End Things" is an exciting read about a couple of murders. One is a graduate student in a college science department and the other is the teacher of the department murdered in his home.

The entire book was about trying to figure out which of the 6 graduate students did these murders and why.

The book kept my interest during the entire read from the beginning until the final chapter. I highly recommend it.

Thank you #NetGalley and #Sourcebooks for providing me with a copy of this E-ARC.

The comps really let this book down. I was pulled in by the comparison to If We Were Villains and the premise, but that is so wildly inaccurate, I can't believe it's used as promo. The writing is bland. The characters are bland. It feels like an amateur, unedited book. I only made it 50% in I must admit, before giving up when I had no desire to pick it up again for weeks afterwards.

Academia thrillers always appeal to me. Maybe I should have become a professor of English Lit or History.... but that's all beside the point.

This Is How We End Things by RJ Jacobs is about a group of graduate students in the psychology dept. of a prestigious college. They've been running experiments and one goes off the rails. The police are called and the student is removed from campus. Later than night, all of the students are all in their offices, but by morning, one of them is dead.

There's nothing ground-breaking about the plot. All the characters are unreliable narrators and it's just a race against time to find out the truth of who and why people are getting murdered.

The writing is exciting enough to keep the pages turning and it does the job is a good academic thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Set in the chilling backdrop of a winter storm in Forest, North Carolina, the story takes us on a journey through lies, secrets, and murder. The story revolves around five graduate students who find themselves immersed in the study of deception under the enigmatic Professor Joe Lyons. This book is a skillful blend of psychological suspense and character-driven storytelling. It weaves a web of intrigue ensuring that each twist and turn leaves the reader guessing. The characters are well-developed, with their secrets and motivations adding depth to the overall plot. Although the pacing may dip slightly in some parts, the overall momentum of the story remains strong. The mystery surrounding it is satisfying, with unexpected revelations that left me questioning the nature of truth and deception. Once again, R.J Jacobs crafted a gripping tale with its well-drawn characters, chilling atmosphere, and intricate plot, I am giving this book a solid 4⭐ rating.

I read and enjoyed both And Then You Were Gone and Always the First to Die by this author but This Is How We End Things was a bit of a disappointment. I love a good academia story, especially if it's a dark thriller and I super enjoyed reading about a snowstorm during this hot Toronto August. Jacobs sure can set up a scene and his descriptions put me right in the action.

The downfall of this one was the characters, I didn't really like any of them in this book except the kid, Iris. They weren't authentic to me and every single one of them had secrets and when they are revealed I had a hard time believing there would be so many people in the program like this and that would get away with it. There was very little character development and the dialogue felt forced and/or fake and their thought processes were confusing at times. I often asked myself "Why would they do that!?" I also did not like or believe the two romantic angles with Scarlett.

The premise of this one was intriguing but the execution fell flat. I had figured this whodunnit out before the forty percent mark. Sometimes that's okay because the reader enjoys the journey to see if they are right, that wasn't the case here. Did I love this book? The short answer is no. Would I read this author again? Absolutely, he creates scenes well and has an easy-reading writing style.

PUBLICATION DAY: September 12, 2023

A group of graduate students are leading a research experiment into the topic of deception. They are all honoured to work under the infamous Joe Lyons, a pioneer in the field. Elizabeth, Scarlett, Robert, Britt, Chris and Veronica - they all bring unique and complementary skills to the table - all is going well until an affair is discovered. And when one of them ends up dead, everyone's a suspect. But with a group skilled at deception, finding the killer will not be easy…especially as they may be about to strike again.

PROS and CONS:
A great set up here, with deception at the forefront and a diverse group of suspects to consider. Larson, the detective, was a smart character, following leads and taking the reader along for the ride. I liked how it was divided into perspectives from the various characters (all with something to hide), as each had something unique to offer to the investigation. Very good!

READ IT?
If you’re looking for…a murder mystery set in the field of psychology - then this one’s for you!

4 Stars

🤥 To LIE and to be LIED to 🤥 … studying the psychology of LYING turns into MURDER in RJ Jacob’s “This Is How We End Things”!

A group of graduate students with different backgrounds are working together on an experiment that tests the science behind the act of lying. During one of their tests, the subject reacts violently and the experiment gets put on hold. Shortly after the outburst, one of the graduate students winds up brutally murdered on campus and everyone on the team becomes a SUSPECT. All of them were in the building during the hours that the murder must have occurred!

This group studying lying hold onto their own secrets and are experts on the subject of deceiving others. HOW will the police be able to decipher WHO is telling the truth and WHO is a liar???

“Deceiving is a skill like any other. Anyone who’s good at lying has read the room, picked up feedback, and incorporated it j to their story. If they lie and don’t get caught, they just practiced for another repetition, leaned another nuance about what works for them”

Thank you kindly to @rjjacobs75 @bookmarked @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book releases on September 12, 2023! This DARK ACADEMIA thriller is suspenseful, thought provoking and atmospheric like no other! Perfect for back 2 school!!

A psychological experiment that goes wrong…or does it? I was completely enthralled with the twists and turns this book took. It kept my interest and kept me guessing as everyone seemed to have something to hide.