The Lies You Wrote is the first in a new crime procedural book series that has a similar feel as Kathy Reichs’ Temperance Brennan series, save the tone is more serious in nature and the female protagonist here is a FBI agent herself, who specializes in the field of forensic linguistics.

The last sentence there is what drew me to this title: A female FBI agent who specializes in forensic linguistics. That’s all I needed to know to request this title. I’m sorry to say that’s just about all I liked about this book. Any time The Lies You Wrote focused on forensic linguistics I was hooked right in and riveted to the page; but, whenever the book strayed away from Agent Raisa Susanto and her fervent passion and expertise, I either found the story lackluster or I was busy wondering why no one had cottoned onto the whodunit of it all like I had some time back.

Honestly, there were parts of this book that really stretched my ability to suspend disbelief. Near the end I started scoffing, but I was willing to see it through.

The book is a little too long and a little too arrogant in its cleverness, but it’s not entirely bad. The forensic linguistics parts are interesting, informative, and fun as all get out for a linguistics nerd like me. I’m hoping that in subsequent installments in the series the substance of the characters improves.

I was provided a copy of this title by NetGalley and the author. All thoughts, opinions, views, and ideas expressed herein are mine and mine alone. This review was written without compensation. Thank you.

File Under: Book Series/Crime Fiction/Serial Killer/Suspense Mystery/Suspense Thriller

This was my first Brianna Labuskes book and I really liked it. I didn’t see any of the big twists and turns coming, so lots of fun! When a married couple is murdered in the same small town in Washington where a murder/suicide occurred 25 years ago, FBI agent and forensic linguist Raisa Sasunto is brought into the investigation. Analyzing the suicide note and other writings of the murderer from 25 years ago could help solve this new case. Alex Parker murdered his parents and then killed himself, confessing to the crime in a note left behind. Raisa and forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny become aware of a true crime podcaster and an internet content moderator casting doubt on Alex’s guilt and claiming that he was also a victim. Raisa and Callum need to figure out if the new crime is a copycat killer or something even worse. Brianna Labuskes takes us on a wild ride as deep, dark secrets are revealed. I look forward to reading more of her books. Thanks to #netgalley #thomas&mercer and #briannalabuskes for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Raisa Susanto has a very interesting professions, that of a forensic linguist for the FBI of which there are very few. Raisa is called in, along with FBI forensic psychologist, Callum Kilkenny, to investigate what appears to be a copycat murder-suicide in the same small time as one that occurred 25 years before. There is a lot going on here and there are different storylines occurring at the same time, all of which keeps the reader guessing. The author throws in many twists, turns and red herrings along the way which keeps you guessing right up to the end.

I am looking forward to the next installment for Raisa Susanto and highly recommend this author's Dr. Gretchen White series. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

Ms. Lasbuskes gives us a very intriguing read to kick off her new series featuring Raisa Susanto, an FBI forensic linguist. Raisa is paired with Callum Kilkenny, an FBI forensic psychologist/profiler, to solve a series of new murders that appear to be connected to a murder/suicide that occurred 25 years ago. The murderer is giving little time between victims for Susanto and Kilkenny to find the ties between the past and present killings. How many will die before they can identify and stop the killer?

There are a lot of things to like about this book. As always, Labuskes gives us complex and human characters, a plot line that keeps you guessing, and plenty of red herrings, twists and turns to keep you off balance. The pairing of Susanto and Kilkenny is a good one - I like that both of them have been through career storms in the past. I find the career choice of the Raisa interesting and think that it will lead to lots of fascinating storylines.

Admittedly, you must be willing to walk across the belief suspension bridge to fully appreciate this thriller, but it's such a small price to pay for the rest of it. I would've given this novel 5 stars but felt that there a bit too many characters to keep track of between the two timelines, cases, and multiple perspectives.

This author was added to my must-read list after I read her first book and I'm really excited to watch this new series develop!

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer for allowing me to read a DRC via NetGalley. Publication is 1/1/24. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and are freely given.

The first in a new series about forensic linguist Raisa. She is called to investigate when a murder happens that is similar to a murder-suicide from 25 years before. Based on linguistics, everyone assumes that the son was guilty. However, as more people wind up dead, Raisa thinks that the current culprit might be more tied to the past than she realized.

I thought this was a good debut for the series! It had good pacing, good characters, and some good twists at the end. We got a little backstory on Raisa and I think we will see some more character development as we get more books. I do think having the culprit be responsible for so many things seems a bit out there, but it didn’t detract too much from my enjoyment of this book!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Raisa Susanto is FBI forensic linguist. Together with forensic psychologis Callum Kilkenny she investigates a series of murders related to a case that was closed 25 years ago. Delaney Moore, a content moderator at Flik, is the first to see the connection between cases. Raisa and Callum are part of a bigger task force, but they get to investigate quite independently. Their main focus is in the old murders. The story is told alternating between Raisa and Delaney, who is also part of the task force even though she's a civilian. In between chapters there are old diary entries, news articles and documents from 1998.
It was so interesting to get a glimpse of the world of linguistics, and see how written and spoken word can contain patterns that can be studied to identify people who use them. Unabomber and his Manifesto was mentioned often.
This was a story full of twists and action. Abundant cast of characters was sometimes confusing, but in the end I was familiar with them all. The ending was one big twist-fest. I had so much fun reading this. This is first book in a series. I am intrigued in finding out what Raisa and Callum will do next.

I love procedural books, shows, etc. and I found this one good and interesting. I loved the perspective of the linguist. I also loved being surprised and this book didn't disappoint. I would recommend this books to people who love thrillers and love to think and try to figure it all out.
Thank you for the opportunity to read this book.

I liked this beginning to a new series featuring a linguist FBI agent. I know one has to accept the unlikely nature of a linguist actually doing field work but I enjoyed that possibility. I had no idea so much could be discovered from word order, sentence structure, etc. The main characters are rather quirky and we get hint after hint of life changing events in their past.

Besides being a good FBI murder mystery, the plot also questions whether an FBI profile agent could be completely fooled. There are a couple of great twists near the end that provide the answer.

This is the first novel I have read by this author. I like the plot development, character construction, and the amount of action balanced by the personal life of the agents. I will certainly be looking for the sequel.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

Over 25 years ago Alex left a letter admitting that he killed his parents and then himself . For years the Washington town has thought Alex committed this horrible crime but suddenly another two murders occur. And they mimic the murder Alex supposedly committed. But obviously Alex couldnt have done these crimes. And even more suspicious is a forum where there are people claiming Alex is innocent. Raisa, FBI linguist, gets paired with a FBI forensic psychologist to investigate these new crimes. As the investigation gets deeper secrets are revealed and danger increases!

I loved this book more than I can even say. It was incredible and one I literally could not and would not put down! There were many twist and turns and shocks that came with this book. I had multiple moments of jaw dropping shock which is what I love about psychological thrillers. You never knew what was going to happen on the next page and kept you guessing the entire time! I would recommend this book over and over and over again!

Most thrillers feature plot twists and unexpected details coming up as the story goes on, whearas every book Brianna Labuskes writes can be described as a display of fireworks and firecrackers being set off one after the other and not necessarily with the biggest ones coming at the very end, that's why it's impossible not be drawn in. The Lies You Told is no exception and Brianna did a great job in representing an often undervalued profession, that of the linguist, and highlighting how language can make a difference, sometimes in life or death situations. I can't wait for the other book(s?) in the series to be published!!

An interesting debut novel in what seems to be a series. There were some slow parts, but the big reveal wasn't exactly what I anticipated which is always fun. I enjoyed the main character and will definitely check out the next installment.

Holy cow! I knew going in that The Lies You Wrote was going to be amazing thanks to the fact that it was written by Brianna Labuskes. A long-standing favorite author of mine, she’s never—not once—let me down. This time around, the gripping case, dynamite characters, and jaw-dropping twists reconfirmed her masterful skill. And trust me when I say, but I’m already eagerly anticipating book number two in this wholly original series.

Centering around an eerie murder-suicide that has suddenly been reawakened, this plot was a brilliant slam dunk. Thoughtfully well-layered and with more *chef’s kiss* twists than I ever thought possible, the dual POVs were peppered with transcripts, diary entries, and various other formats that were simply sublime. A clever combo of crime fiction and suspense, it led me away from every guess that I had more than once, only to deliver one of the more shocking reveals that I’ve read. Bravo, Ms. Labuskes, on outdoing even yourself.

Based around the brilliant character of Raisa Susanto and her career as a forensic linguist, the book took me happily back to my college anthropology days and my much-loved classes on linguistics. The twist that it added to the storyline was truly fascinating. But then, the novel approach to a police procedural is nothing new for Labuskes. After all, she took Dr. Gretchen White and her sociopathic behavior and used them to her own advantage. In the same way, it was Raisa’s persona that drew me in deep. True-to-life and ringing with personality, she was just what this story needed.

She wasn’t, however, the only one. On top of the leading lady herself, this one was chock full of genuine individuals who resonated with authentic motivations and behaviors. Were they all likeable? Not exactly—but only in the best possible way. Add to that the multitudes of secrets and underhanded schemes, and it was nigh on close to perfection.

The only teeny, tiny flaw that I could even find was the slow burn start to the book. Largely feeling every bit of its police procedural element, the many hidden pieces led to my undeniable confusion initially. Don’t get me wrong, once it all fell into place, the revelations were quite literally gasp-inducing, but at first it took some definite patience.

All said and done, however, this book was just yet another example of why Labuskes has had a prominent place on my auto-buy author list. Take it from me, this is not one to be missed. Especially if you love a good crime fiction novel rife with plenty of thrills and chills. So if you’re looking for your next read, definitely give this one a look. Your brain will most definitely thank you. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by Brianna Labuskes - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Raisa Susanto, an FBI forensic linguist, is in Everly, Washington, partnered with psychologist Callum Kilkenny, to investigate whether a double murder is related to a decades-old crime. Twenty-five years ago to the day, Alex Parker murdered his parents, then killed himself, leaving behind a confession note. Also in town is a podcaster and a website moderator who are searching through all the conspiracy threads.

Okay - I'm already so anxious for the next book in this series. I was fascinated by the forensic linguistics, searching for clues in the way people talk and write. It was a strong police procedural as well, and I never saw some of those twists coming. I'm a big fan of this author and highly recommend this book!

Thank you to the publisher and author for this e-ARC. I really.enjoyed this mystery/thriller. 5 stars

A Crime Thriller From A New Perspective For Me

The novel opens with Raisa Susanto, one of the few forensic linguists in the FBI, performing a parlor trick on a team of FBI agents. She is lent out and works with different teams on each case. To gain the confidence of the current team, she asks someone to write something, and she determines who wrote it. An FBI forensic psychologist, Callum Kilkenny, is also there. He works the same way Susanto does, assigned wherever needed. He shows her a video taken by a killer and posted to social media. The murder appears to be a copycat of a murder-suicide 20 years earlier. She is familiar with the case, as she uses the son’s suicide note and previously written essay to demonstrate that the son killed his parents. Susanto’s and Kilkenny’s goal in the current investigation is to study the old murder-suicide to gain insight that can be used in the present investigation. From this start, an intriguing story unfolds.

The main storyline consists of four threads. The first is the investigation that SAs Susanto and Kilkenny are conducting. The second is narrated by Delaney Moore, a content moderator at Flik, who pulled the killer’s video from that app. She has a history of discovering such predators and passing them on to the FBI. The third thread isn’t a traditional thread, mainly because it is just excerpted from Jessica Shaw’s podcasts on the murder 20 years ago. These excerpts appear in the first two threads and are woven into this second thread as postings on chat groups. The fourth thread is some of those excerpts that the current killer authored. The one thread that is missing is the regular FBI investigation. The only interaction between the two occurs at the morning meetings when Susanto and Kilkenny present their progress. Since this is the first novel in the series, much background needs to be provided to define adequately the characters in the novel. Add to this that since forensic linguistics is not familiar to most readers, enough situations need to be presented for the readers to understand. The result is that the novel's first part is a little slow. My attention was not captured until about halfway through, when the main storyline took off, and I could understand the facts being uncovered. Also, at this point, information was discovered that I call literary grenades because my understanding was blown apart, and a new understanding of the facts became clear. Several of these literary grenades occur in quick succession. The second factor that helped capture my attention was the high degree of suspense when more persons associated with the original murder were killed. From this point, it was difficult for me to stop reading.

As I mentioned above, the first part of this novel contains extensive background information on Susanto to make her a credible character. The background on Kilkenny is not as much, though. Moore's extensive background shows how she gained expertise in spotting predators and her role as a confidential informer for the FBI that was needed to make her a creditable character. There is even a clear C-storyline in this novel. At the start, the relationship between Susanto and Kilkenny is professional, but they are not that sure or trusting of each other. Throughout the novel, it changes but not smoothly. All these aspects enhanced my reading enjoyment. But, like the main storyline, I did not appreciate it until the novel's latter half.

The aspects of a novel that can cause some readers to stop reading are present in this novel. Four instances occurred in the novel. Three were just statements that it happened. The other was a victim’s utterance after an assault. Vulgar, rude, and impious language was minimal. Violence is described in the less tense after the fact until the end, when it is described in an edgy manner as it occurs. None of these aspects should deter most readers.

While I persevered through the slow start, it may be too much of a test for some readers. My recommendation is to persist. The aspect of this novel that I enjoyed the most was the ending. I received more answers than I had questions at the end. This is the first novel in a new series, so there is no first novel on which this novel depended. This is the fourth novel by this author that I have read. I have enjoyed reading them so much that I purchased four others. She is one of my Must-Read authors. If you want to read a novel in which forensic linguists play a significant part, I strongly recommend this novel. I rate this novel with four stars.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

Forensic linguistics brings a different element to a fairly standard plot involving a murder, a copycat murder, multiple time lines, and several POVs. Raisa is an intriguing character and I would have liked to see her work with forensic linguistics given more page time. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A quick read.

A fast-paced thriller that is a promising start to a new series featuring FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto. A married couple has been murdered in Washington state, mirroring a murder-suicide in the same town twenty-five years earlier. Raisa is called in to investigate and partners up with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny to unravel the connections between the old and new crimes. Although I guessed what is probably the "biggest" twist of the story fairly early on, that didn't inhibit my enjoyment of the plot as various connections and secrets came to light. I'm looking forward to seeing where Labuskes takes this character next. Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital review copy.

Amazing thrill ride! Raisa and Kilkenny are FBI agents working a copy cat killer case on the 25th anniversary of the original. She is a forensic linguist, very interesting job about puzzling how we write and speak. Using the clues from letters, diaries, essays and texting Raisa is able to put a case together. This case has many twists and turns, lots of secrets and plenty of characters to guess at the killer. I never knew where this was going until it hit me, then the dam broke open. The author’s mind works wonders and kept me reading page after page. I will always read her books, every one has been a unique adventure. I received an early copy this time and am pleased to leave my voluntary review.

Romance is just not my thing. I zone out and it detracts from the story I want to read. When it’s stuck in an otherwise intriguing plot, it’s just irritating.

Police and law enforcement procedurals can be hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit. It strayed from the typical procedural in the best way. Rather than focusing on a detective, it focused on FBI linguist Raisa Sutano.

Raisa is called in to assist on an investigation into what appears to be a copycat of a crime that took place 25 years to the day earlier. A high school student took the lives of his parents and then his own life, leaving behind a note confessing to the crime. The note was linguistically compared to a disturbing school assignment and was shown to be written by the same person. So why, 25 years later, did someone duplicate the crime against the parents and why are so many people convinced the police got it wrong the first time?

This was so full of amazing twists and I did not see the ending coming. It has been a long time since I read something that along the lines of a procedural, but without being tedious as procedurals tend to be. This was absolutely wonderful and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series.