We stand on the mountains of our words. Those words weave intricate patterns into just who we are and how we think. Choose well.

Raisa Susanto enters into a whole new world in current ground-breaking investigations within the FBI. She's a forensic linguist in a field that depends on intricate scrutiny and analysis of writing and speech patterns. Susanto is called in to sift through written messaging, documents, and notes left behind by suspects. There's even more intensity now compounded by "internet speak" and the broken rules of language. Crackin' the code can actually make or break a case.

Raisa will be paired with Agent Callum Kilkenny, a renowned forensic psychologist. They will be traveling from Seattle to the small town of Everly, Washington. A dual murder was committed there over twenty-five years ago involving two well known professors. Their son, Alex, was linked as the murderer after his body was found next to his suicide note.

But now there's another dual murder. Same town. Seemingly the same circumstances.......husband and wife. Is this a copy cat killer or just a coincidence? Their son, Greg, was out of the country at the time. Who would want this former football coach and his wife dead?

Enter Jenna Shaw and Delaney Moore. Jenna has a popular podcast that is highlighting the twenty-fifth anniversary of the first murder. Jenna is throwing out the theory to her fans that Alex might be innocent. Delaney has worked with the FBI in the past. She's a self-imposed internet moderator who flushes out predators on message boards. Both young women offer to help.

Brianna Labuskes is a favorite author. Her Dr. Gretchen White Series is outstanding. The Lies You Wrote slips into a new field of forensics. Labuskes does it justice here with Raisa's think-out-loud strategy. As readers, we become privy to her thinking, but Labuskes doesn't drop giant breadcrumbs. We weigh it out in our minds as well. This is a clever and creative storyline. Killers be killin' in their own style and mental tracking. Walking around inside their heads is not where you want to set up permanent residence........ because they do walk among us every single day. Whoa!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented Brianna Labuskes for the opportunity.

4 stars for an illuminating book on the subject of forensic linguists. Raisa Susanto is a FBI forensic linguist who is helping to track a possible serial killer. A forensic linguist analyzes patterns used in a person's writing. I was aware before I read this book that patterns of language usage can be used to identify someone who has been anonymous. The example that I believe is most well known is Ted Kaczynski, the infamous Unabomber. He sent a manifesto to the New York Times and the Washington Post with a threat to send a bomb to an unspecified destination "with intent to kill" unless one of the newspapers published this manuscript. The Attorney General and the Director of the FBI recommended publication. After the manifesto was published Ted's brother David recognized the prose style and contacted the FBI to tell them that he suspected his brother wrote the manifesto.
Raisa and Callum Kilkenny are part of the FBI team in Everly, Washington trying to determine if two murders in the town are related to two murders that took place in the same town 25 years ago.
They do solve the case, but there is a surprise ending. I recommend this book to mystery/police procedural fans.
#TheLiesYouWrote #NetGalley
Thanks to Thomas & Mercer for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

Loved the unique character of Raisa and the linguistic side. As a character, Raisa had a lot of depth that allows the reader to connect to her. I enjoyed the case and the many twists and turns. It got a bit too convoluted at the end for me but overall, a fun twisty read! 3.5⭐️

If you love Criminal Minds, the Kay Scarpetta series, and/or Mind Hunter; you will LOVE The Lies You Wrote. The suspense kept me on the edge of my seat & up all night reading!

It's the first time I've read anything by Brianna and I see that she has many books, finishing this one, I'm more than willing to search and read more of her.
It is a book of a case that occurred where there was a murder/suicide and of an FBI linguist and how a person appears after 25 years copying the murders he did at that time. What we don't know is how the murders of 25 years ago and these are linked. Because the people who are being attacked had something to do with the other case.
We follow Raisa Susanto and Callum Kilkenny (sorry the last name didn't help, I was just thinking of Southpark) but both members of the FBI, with the help of a tech girl who got into the case, and a podcaster who claimed the original killer was innocent. they are unraveling all the current case linked to the previous one. Ending in a final battle where everyone attacks how they can and survives with injuries that will mark the following books.
The book comes out in January 2024 and I hope if you like books with cold cases and twists that you don't see coming but the moment it happens they make a very satisfying click as everything falls into place, this book will be for you.

Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the copy of The Lies You Wrote by Brianna Labuskes. I was hooked from the first page! Labuskes’ writing is so hypnotic it drew me right into the story and kept me interested until the end. The characters, a forensic linguist and a forensic psychologist, team up to solve a double murder. Learning about how forensic linguistics can help identify an author was fascinating and really added to the investigation and story. If you like intelligent characters and smart, well-paced thrillers, don't miss this one. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

I enjoyed this book overall. It started out okay but it got much better at the end. I enjoyed how the ending was so unexpected. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy thrillers with an ending you won't see coming.

I enjoyed this book overall. It started out okay but it got much better at the end. I enjoyed how the ending was so unexpected. I would reccomend this book to those who enjoy thrillers with an ending you won't see coming. Special Thank You to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’m a big fan of this author’s books, they never disappoint! She has a real knack for creating these amazing three dimensional characters that I can’t help but get attached to; characters that have baggage without making them seem stereotypical or overdone. The main character in this one is very different from Dr. Gretchen White, but no less interesting. And speaking of characters, there was one character that I loved, even though he only played a small part in the book. Topher was awesome! I have a perfect visual of him and all of his sassiness! This book has such a great mix of eclectic characters that I was firmly attached to! And the story itself was so fascinating! I have a background in forensics, But I don’t know anything about forensic linguistics. So it was a fun learning experience. I do admit that I had the ending figured out pretty early on, but it was still satisfying watching it play out! I’ll definitely be picking up he next book in the series!

Huge thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I like the forensic linguist angle, I mean up until I read this book, that such a subject and degree exists. This was interesting but not the best of Brianna Labuskes' work. It's a bit too cliche and the writing sometimes made the story hard to follow. I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, though.

This author is a must-read for me and her latest gripping psychological thriller is another winner.
Two bodies, murdered, staged, filmed and submitted to a popular social media site, perhaps by the killer. Delaney is the content moderator who flags the post. (What a cool job- I wanna do that!) The deaths are eerily similar to those of a couple murdered years ago, same small town in Washington. Their son, Alex, was long suspected and even accused of killing his parents. A Podcaster, Jenna, is featuring those murders for her current episodes.
FBI agents Raisa Susanto and Callum Kilkenny are paired up to investigate the case, find and stop the perpetrator. Kilkenny is a forensic psychologist and Raisa is a forensic linguist. The wording of the suicide note from Alex is being re-examined for similarities with the new communications from a suspect. The introduction of a member of the investigative team being a forensic linguist was so interesting and now I watch myself for reusing similar words all the time. A cat and mouse game begins with a killer leaving crumbs for the team of FBI agents assembled. Not everyone is who you think they are and motives will be far more sinister than you expect.
The author hints at deeper secrets for both Kilkenny and Raisa. They both have some painful memories in their pasts and seem to keep secrets. They’re both holding back personal history from each other, making the relationship strictly work related. This leaves room for more to be discovered later in this new series, but the ending doesn’t leave you hanging. While there were a few things I figured out, there were many twists I didn’t anticipate. I certainly look forward to reading more about these characters.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “The Lies You Wrote” Raisa Susanto #1 by Brianna Labuskes, published by Thomas & Mercer. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I loved the ideas behind this book and I thought the main character being a linguist for the FBI was fabulous.

The links between the past and present cases are super interesting and have lots of little twists.

I’d rate this book 3 and a half stars purely because of pace. The story did seem to drag towards the end and become slightly far fetched but overall it was an enjoyable read!

This book was so good. I could not put it down! Just when I thought I had it figured out, nope! Another twist and turn. I would love to read the entire series.

The Lies you Wrote by Brianna Labuskes
Release Date November 28, 2023
Publisher Thomas and Mercer


Characters: 5/5
Plot: 5/5
Pace: 5/5
Suspense: 5/5
Overall Enjoyment: 5/5

First let me start by saying I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, this Labuskes as a writer. She is a brilliant writer and storyteller with the ability to keep her readers entertained and enthralled from the first page of her book until the last. That being said when I saw this book on Netgally, I requested it and prayed that they would grant me access to read it. When I got the email that said I was approved, I was dancing and singing. When I started reading though, I could not stop. I lost track of time and forgot to do just about everything. If my husband had said it was the book or him…….well it would have been a very challenging question for me. Just kidding though……..Here is the premise…

Twenty Five years ago a young man by the name of Alex Parker killed his parents and then took his own life leaving behind only a note. It said he was responsible. Fast forward…. to the date that happens exactly, A couple is found dead in a small town in Washington. FBI Forensic Linguist Raina Susanto and psychologist Callum Kilkennyare working to put the pieces together. There is a website that hosts conspiracy theorists ideas on why things happened and there is now one that says Alex Parker was innocent of everything and that he actually was a victim also. It now has garnered interest in amateur sleuths that may have just the information that is needed to see if the is something more sinister at play. As the investigation continues there seem to be more questions than answers.
Can they discover who is playing the game of cat and mouse before it is too late?

There are plenty of twists and turns that will take you on one hell of a ride. You definitely will not find this book predictable and the suspense is noticeable immediately. This is a little slow burn at first but quickly picks up pace and just grabs you. Just when you think you have it all figured out, you are proved wrong again. The character of Raina is very dauntless, tenacious, resilient and endearing. They are all very well developed, flawed and proper for how they should be.I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and know that you will to so run out and get your copy as soon as it is released. You cannot have mine!

5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgally, Labuskes, and Thomas and Mercer for giving me this e-arc to reqd in exchange for my unbiased and honest review.

Lots to think about and discuss with this one. I think my students will like this not predictable mystery and will learn from reading it, which is my favorite type of book to recommend for them.

This is a very interesting intelligent book, about a forensic linguist working with another FBI agent to solve a current murder case that has ties to a past case, that she studied 25 yrs before. Both agents have trauma and mistakes in their past. I guessed one of the twists but not all of them. 4.5 rounded up

Book review: THE LIES YOU WROTE by Brianna Labuskes, four stars.

Plot summary: Raisa Susanto is a forensic linguist working for the FBI. When she starts investigating a copycat murder that replicates a family homicide from 25 years earlier, she is shocked to find that the murderer seems to be trying to get her attention through their crimes. At the same time, a true crime podcaster is investigating the decades-old family homicide, calling into question who the victims and perpetrator were. Why is Raisa's attention being targeted, and will she and her partner, forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, find the killer before it's too late... for all of them.

Thoughts: This book was great fun! I had not heard of forensic linguistics before but found it really fascinating. Raisa is an interesting protagonist and I found the relationship between her and her partner very engaging. My new favourite trope is true crime podcaster investigates, so I enjoyed that aspect of the story. I didn't pick the final twist, which is always really fun (and not guaranteed, given how many crime novels I read). I recommend this book and will definitely be looking up more books from this author.

Reminds me of: While different in vibes to THE LIES YOU WROTE, both I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU by Rebecca Makkai (five stars) and Girl, 11 by Amy Suiter Clarke are other books that centre around a true-crime podcast and podcaster.

Format: Netgalley ARC, with thanks to the publisher.

Does Everly, Washington have a copycat killer, or did the original perpetrator of the murders that rocked the town twenty-five years ago get away with it?

Either way, FBI linguist Raisa Susanto & her psychologist colleague Callum Kilkenny are on location & poring over everything they can get their hands on to determine who the murderer’s next target will be. They’re joined in town by a content moderator that flagged a gruesome video related to the case, & a true-crime podcaster eager to capitalize on the conspiracy theories floating around the internet.

The unique nature of Raisa’s job makes this story pop, & the inclusion of many written documents (diary entries, anonymous gossip columns, social worker files, etc.) for Raisa to analyze kept me hooked. I’m a huge Brianna Labuskes fan (I’ve read all her thrillers) & I am happy to report that the start of her latest series did not disappoint! I don’t want to give anything away, so suffice it to say that the twists were fantastic & I can’t wait for the follow-up!

Thank you to NetGalley & Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Lies You Wrote by Brianna Labuskes is a suspenseful thriller with a forensic linguist as the main character as well as a forensic psychologist helping her in an investigation that seems to copycat a horrendous crime committed 30 years ago. I really liked this one a lot. The characters were interesting and believable. The book kept up a quick pace throughout the whole book and I really didn't want to put it down. There were a few plot twists near the end that were pretty darn good. I certainly didn't see the end coming! I am looking forward to book two in the future. Highly recommend this one.

I didn't know that I was into forensic linguistics until I read this book! Ha, but seriously, the premise of a forensic linguist in the FBI coming on to a case that includes a decades old murder is pretty fascinating. Raisa and Kilkenny just discussing their fields of study: psychology and linguistics makes for an interesting book.

The twists and turns, though, were a little much. I think the book went on a little too long, and I did not understand why the final reveal was a thing at all. It just took away from the rest of the story... and added a too fantastical element to it.