The Lies You Wrote by Brianna Labuskes
Raisa Susanto #1

Riveting read – twists and turns aplenty – first time I’ve read this author but won’t be the last!

What I liked:
* Raisa Susanto: FBI Forensic Linquist, orphaned young in life, foster system graduate, brilliant, sees patterns in words, resilient, survivor, intriguing, would like to learn more about her
* Callum Kilkenny: FBI Forensic Psychologist, widow, wife killed by serial killer, brilliant, profiler, guarded, loner, not easy to read, intriguing, would like to learn more about him
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* The tie-in of two murders a quarter decade apart and what they have in common
* The police procedural aspect of the story with the slow unveiling of one puzzle piece at a time
* The growing relationship between Raisa and Callum
* The twists, turns, and unexpected surprises
* Wondering how much nature vs nurture played a part in three of the characters lives
* The finale and wondering what will come next
* All of it really except…

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant to dislike
* Thinking about how many people let too many things slide and the impact it had on more than one in the story
* Thinking about the heavy psychological load more than one in this book was carrying

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series? Definitely!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Forensic linguist Raisa Sustano is brought onto a copy-cat killer case that has connections to a murder-suicide from 25 years ago. Alex Parker killed his parents and then himself in a small town that left three sisters traumatized. Now around the anniversary of those murders, a killer recreates the murder scene. Raisa is partnered with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny to analyze online conspiracy message boards that state Alex is innocent. The message boards are monitored by a civilian, Delaney Moore, who is also brought onto the case. Raisa is suspicious of Delaney from the beginning, but she can’t place why. As Raisa digs deeper into the murders, she learns things that will change her life forever.

It often takes me a bit to get into psychological thrillers because of the slow build writing style, but I was hooked from the beginning. I loved the different approach by making the protagonist a forensic linguist instead of a forensic psychologist. I appreciated that the author spent time explaining elements of linguistics so the reader could understand patterns Raisa was looking for and how they played a role in the case. This was truly suspenseful, and I never saw any of the twists coming. Even when you think you’ve finally got it figured out, the threads keep unraveling. I couldn’t get enough of this book. Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Brianna Labuskes for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I thought it was a very unique premise about an FBI linguistic expert. Raisa is a leader in this specialty field and is brought in on a copycat killing. There’s many other interesting players in the story, including two young women who are extremely smart…amongst other things! Very entertaining from start to finish.

Raisa Susanto is an FBI Foreign Linguist, called in to help solve a murder linked to a previous murder 25 years ago. This novel has so many twist and turns, I ended up confused and although I continued to the end, it was not one of my favourites.

I have enjoyed a few of Brianna Labuskes’ books prior to reading The Lies You Wrote. Her writing is intelligent and I enjoyed the main character, Raisa. What I enjoyed about her was that I wouldn’t like her as a person in the real world. I think the intention is for the reader to be conflicted about her. I don’t always care for that sort of effort when it is obvious, but the author did a fabulous job of fleshing Raisa out as a main character. The story and the writing was fantastic and really kept me engaged in the book when there were times the graphic sexual details and social media dialogues made me want to give up on it. The multiple POV’s is always a winning writing tool in my opinion. I liked that it was utilized here. Brianna Labuskes is a fantastic writer and this one should please readers of her previous books.

This was a wild ride and I was totally here for it! I didn't see that last twist coming at the end. And I want to see how the fledgling friendship between Raisa & Callum develops. I now have ANOTHER series to add to my never-ending list that I want to read! This was my first book by Brianna Labuskes but it will not be my last, I am adding all of her books to my TBR!

#TheLiesYouWrote
#NetGalley

Wow! I have never read this author and I will go back and read all her books! A youg man is accused of murdering his parents..but did he? The twists and turns in this novel kept me on my toes. The characters were well developed, the plot was superb, and I was blown away by the ending. Not what I thought it would be! Defintely a 5 star read!

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the ARC. I loved Brianna Labuskes' Dr. Gretchen White series and her recent historical lit/romance, so I was super excited for this one. Unfortunately this fell a bit flat for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for access to this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

Do I really need to add another series to my TBR obsession? Of course, I do! I couldn't stay away from a new character like Raisa Susanto. Among the mysteries and thrillers I have read over the years, I have never met an FBI forensics linguist. It's only fitting that I add Raisa to my list of crime solving female protagonists chasing down serial killers and battling the demons of their past.

And Raisa Susanto? She has lots of skeletons in her closet. It's only that she hasn't met them all yet.

Initially it took a few chapters before I was hooked, but when Raisa and her partner Kilkenny investigate a series of murders returning them to the scene of horrific murders from years before, I felt myself becoming increasingly riveted to the page. Those last set of chapters when the plot comes together, oh my goodness!

I wasn't even finished book 1 and I requested book 2 The Truth You Told from NetGalley. Suffice it to say, I need to see what happens to this FBI duo next.




Publication Date 01/01/24
Goodreads Review 28/01/24


TheLiesYouWrote #NetGalley

Initially, I was intrigued by the premise of the detective story, wherein an FBI specialist with a linguistic expertise sets out to solve a series of serial murders mimicking an infamous crime from 25 years ago. However, my enthusiasm waned as the author attempted to incorporate numerous other elements, such as the psychological vulnerabilities of the expert, additional characters grappling with significant problems, and an excess of technical jargon, resulting in a narrative that felt weighed down most of the time. While the ending managed to salvage some enjoyment, I feel more inclined to applaud myself for persevering until the conclusion rather than award the author for crafting this tale. (less)

The suspense! I accidentally read the second book first (having never read this author before, I didn't know it was a series), however I was still able to be pulled into this story. And what a story it was! Introduced to a FBI case that happened 25 years prior because of a supposed copy cat killer, you follow the lives of those directly involved... without realizing they are directly involved until the exact moment the author wants you to. Read it and find yourself wanting more until you've finished it!

Obsessed from start to finish. Kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the page. I was fully immersed with the story.

Thank you Netgalley. This was an excellent read! The story kept me guessing until the end and had many twists and turns that shocked me. The author did a wonderful job portraying the main character. Looking forward to more from this author

This is my 2nd book by Brianna Labuskes and I will say she has solidified herself in my auto-buy category. The amount of research Brianna must have done to be able to write this book shows in her work. I feel as if I too am a FBI forensic linguist LOL! I don't want to say too much because I don't want to spoil anything, but I will say this book had a ton of twists and turns that I did not expect.
The ending of this book went to a snowball effect. Once the surprises started, they didn't stop and a couple of times I caught myself with an open mouth.

Please read this book and honestly anything by Brianna L! You will not regret it in the least! Thank you NetGalley for my ARC and thank you Brianna for another wonderful piece of work. I rated this a 3.5.

Absorbing and suspenseful crime thriller.

This is the first in a new series featuring FBI Linguist Raisa Susanto and it grabbed me from the beginning. She and her partner, forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, are investigating what looks like a copy cat crime from a situation 25 years ago when a son murdered his parents and then committed suicide. In this present day case, a couple who was friends with the previously murdered are killed in a similar fashion. Since the perpetrator of the former is dead and posthumously convicted of the crime, who is carrying the torch now and why. Could the FBI have made a mistake thinking that Alex Parker killed his parents?

Raisa examines the language and idiolect of all involved in both cases to try and determine if previous confessions and current messages can help her and Callum find the truth. Meanwhile, the killings don’t stop. Who is next on the murderer’s list?

I confess that I had no real understanding of the term, idiolect, and the role of a linguist in crime investigation. It was very interesting to hear how Raisa worked and identified the tells that clearly indicated the author of the writing samples. The plot was also quite interesting with some really great twists along the way — some predictable and others not so much. I enjoyed being surprised and shocked. I really like the way this author writes and her use of language to express a thing or a thought. There are quite a few memorable lines and quotes along the way.

I liked this so much that I immediately found the second in the series and have already started reading it. Highly recommend.

Teamed up with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, Raisa Susanto, an FBI forensic linguist, delves into the investigation of a double murder in a small Washington town. The case bears an uncanny resemblance to a crime committed decades ago. As the connections between past and present crimes become entwined, the communications from the living and the confessions of the deceased take on a new meaning for Raisa.
This is a suspenseful read that lingers in the mind well after the final page.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and author Brianna Labuskes for the opportunity to review the advance copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book is great for fans of shows such as Criminal Minds and Law & Order! I really enjoyed this book. I feel that Detective Susanto and Kilkenny have a great dynamic and the mystery/thriller kept me on the edge of my seat. There were plenty of twists that I wasn't expecting and I could not guess how this would all end. One point of critique for this book is the somewhat element of romance/friendship dynamic between the two main characters. Because this is the first book in this series, I would want to see more of them simply working together and than see more of a slow build. I felt that we got a lot of hints that one of the main characters maybe wants a romance, but it seems kind of out of place since this is our first time interacting with these characters. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book and I look forward to reading the next book in this series!

This is an older ARC (publication date was 1/1/2024) that I am just getting around to. I recently received the ARC of book #2 (publication date July 2024), so I decided to bump it up on my TBR. Thank you to the publishers Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!!

I've read and enjoyed a book by the author before, so I knew this story would be enjoyable. Brianna Labuskes did not let me down!

This book centers around the eerie double murder of a married couple. FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto is called to investigate this case, which mirrors a decades-old crime from twenty-five years ago. Raisa works closely with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny and uses her linguistic skills to read between the lines. As the old and new crimes converge, readers will discover that something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play.

This story is well-layered, with over a handful of beautifully crafted twists. The dual POV was perfectly executed, and I loved the sprinkle of diary entries/transcripts between chapters. Each piece added another layer to the story and more depth to the characters. I was quickly drawn to the plot and engaged from start to finish. Some may find bits of this story predictable, and I will admit, some of it I had thought I figured out, but the author manages to one-up each twist. I am confident that there will be some layer of surprise while reading this gripping psychological thriller.


This book is clever and witty, with punch after punch. I rate this book somewhere between 3-4 stars. I enjoyed it, but there were some cons. The execution was excellent, but some fill-in backstory and repetition could have been easily eliminated. Cutting back on the redundancy would have improved the flow.

Overall, I recommend this series and look forward to seeing where book #2 takes us. If you enjoy crime fiction, thrillers, and suspense, add this series to your TBR.

Definitely did not see that twist at the end coming…..wow! It took me a bit to get into this book as it was sort of confusing there for a bit but eventually everything started to make sense. Definitely recommend this for anyone who loves a great twist!

Raisa Susanto, a forensic linguist working for the FBI, is paired with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny to investigate the double murder of a married couple in a small Washington town, a murder which mirrors a decades-old crime. As old and new crimes converge, messages from the living and the confessions of the dead take on new meaning for Raisa.

This is the first book in a new series written by Brianna Labuskes and I really enjoyed it. I've read 2 of the 3 books in her Gretchen White series and I like Raisa as a protagonist much more than Gretchen. Raisa's career as a linguist is something out of the ordinary and an interesting field. I suspect the author did a lot of research and I applaud her perseverence. The characters in this story are well developed and the story itself is intriguing. Quite possibly there are too many characters because I had to backtrack a couple of times to remind myself who somebody was. The book contains snippets from a podcast and bits of interviews and articles from 25 years ago. I know podcasts feature in a lot of books these days but in this case it's not the main focus of the story. The ending was really well-done and quite a shock to me.

I came very close to giving this book 5 stars but there were a couple of things that annoyed me, one being the number of times Kilkenny's mouth "twitched" in an almost smile and the other relating to the sheriff - Samantha Mason ... where did she go? She just disappeared never to be seen again! 4.5 Stars, rounded down.

I'm looking forward to reading future books in this series. In fact the second book is currently Read Now on Netgalley!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication: January 1, 2024