Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Truth You Told by Brianna Labuskes. This psychological thriller is a tense tale filled with twists and secrets. Labuskes does a great job building suspense, going between past and present as the story unfolds. The protagonist’s journey is compelling, with layers of trauma and deception that kept me engaged. However, some plot twists were predictable, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth from certain characters.

A serial killer on death row challenges a forensic linguist to solve his final puzzle in a novel of breathtaking mind games by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Lies You Wrote.

Forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny lost his wife, Shay, to the very serial killer he’d hunted for five years. When Nathaniel Conrad—known as the Alphabet Man, for his love of tattooing codes onto his victims’ bodies—was condemned to death row, Callum thought the game of cat and mouse was over. But just before execution, Nathaniel drops a he’s not the one who murdered Shay.

After analyzing the killer’s taunting, coded letters to authorities—one for each victim—FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto believes him. The discrepancies bear it out. So was it a copycat? A partner in crime? Or something more sinister? If Nathaniel knows the answer, Raisa fears he’ll be taking that closely guarded secret to his grave.

As Raisa and Callum are pulled into an investigation to solve Shay’s murder, it reopens old traumas that cut deeper than they could imagine. Before someone else dies, Raisa must decipher the unbelievable truth in an ever-twisting case built on a foundation of lies.

Enjoyed it. Cannot wait to read more from the author

I was so excited for this one, I read book 1 and LOVED it. This one however seems to hone in on the Alphabet killer. That wasn't quite up my alley. I was hoping g this would be a more interesting book 2.

🖋️🔍 Book Review: The Truth You Told by Brianna Labuskes 🔍🖋️

Wow. Just… wow. If you’re craving a thriller that gets into your head and doesn’t let go, The Truth You Told is the perfect pick! Brianna Labuskes takes us deep into the world of forensic psychology, codes, and mind games with a story so twisted I’m still reeling.

Callum Kilkenny is a man haunted. The death of his wife, Shay, at the hands of the “Alphabet Man” left scars he thought would fade once the killer was on death row. But Nathaniel Conrad, the sadistic serial killer himself, has one last move: he swears he didn’t kill Shay. Enter forensic linguist Raisa Susanto, who detects clues in the killer’s letters that suggest a whole new terrifying layer to the case. Together, Raisa and Callum must reopen the past, one disturbing clue at a time, uncovering a dark truth that cuts deep.

This one’s a ride! The psychological tension, the coded letters, and the relentless pursuit of answers kept me glued to the pages. Labuskes crafts a chilling atmosphere, especially with the Alphabet Man’s cryptic mind games—every twist makes you question what’s true and who’s hiding what.

If you’re into thrillers with high-stakes puzzles and a side of raw emotional intensity, don’t miss this one. But a warning: you’ll want to keep the lights on. 😳✨

💭 Question for You: What’s the best thriller you’ve read that left you looking over your shoulder? 👀📖

I didn’t read the first book but loved this one. A great thriller with an enticing storyline. I enjoyed the dual timelines, I always find those really interesting in a.book. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a thriller

The Truth You Told by Brianna Labuskes is a compelling psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of family, trust, and the consequences of deception. The narrative follows a mother who is forced to confront her past when dark secrets begin to unravel, leading to a gripping exploration of guilt and betrayal. Labuskes crafts a tense atmosphere, skillfully building suspense as the story unfolds. The characters are well-drawn, making their struggles and motivations relatable and engaging. With unexpected twists and a satisfying conclusion, this novel keeps readers on their toes until the very last page. Overall, it's a captivating read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers.

Perfect thriller read, I am glad that I was able to read this during spooky season! I look forward to reading more from this author

Thank you so much to the publisher and netgalley for the arc of this one in exchange for an honest review!

This book follows an FBI agent who studies lingustics. This case is about a serial killer called the Alphabet Man.

I was not a huge fan of this one unfortunately. I just had a hard time connecting with the characters and the pacing was slow for me. I hope others love this one but it wasn't for me.

The premise of this book was so intriguing to me, I went back and read book one in the series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first book in the series. Raisa is an FBI linguist, and her job is very important to helping the FBI solve cases. In this installment, we have a serial killer who is in jail who presents a challenge to Raisa as she works to solve his final puzzle.

The author did a great job at creating characters that were well developed and complex. Their actions helped add to the suspense that was building nonstop throughout this book. The plot was not only well thought out, but masterfully woven together to create a captivating read. I could not put this one down!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Truth You Told by Brianna Labuskes. This psychological thriller is a tense, gripping tale filled with twists and dark secrets. Labuskes does a great job building suspense, weaving between past and present to unravel the story. The protagonist’s journey is compelling, with layers of trauma and deception that kept me engaged. However, some plot twists were predictable, and I found myself wanting a bit more depth from certain characters. The pacing was well-executed, maintaining the tension throughout. Overall, The Truth You Told is an intriguing and suspenseful read, ideal for fans of psychological mysteries looking for a dark, twisty ride.

I’ve been a fan of this author for a while, and man does she write some incredible characters! I loved Dr. Gretchen White, but Raisa Susanto is equally intriguing. I think part of the reason is because she went completely out of the box by not choosing the stereotypical FBI/detective character. Don’t get me wrong, those types of characters are my bread and butter. But a forensic linguist is such a unique direction to drive in. And I think the only reason I knew who the bad guy was is because she wrote that character similar to how I wrote the bad guy in my current project. Otherwise it probably would have taken me much longer to figure out because there were so many possibilities! The story is intense, the pacing is quick, and there is so much potential for the next book! I can’t wait to read it!

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

Loved this book! I kept going back and forth on who I thought the killer was, in the end I was surprised. Can't wait for the 3rd book to come out.

The Truth You Told is a twist-filled thriller that hooked me from start to finish. Not exactly "action-packed," but I couldn’t put it down! Forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, grieving his wife Shay's murder, gets pulled back into the case when death row serial killer Nathaniel Conrad claims innocence. Forensic linguist Raisa Susanto dives into his letters, uncovering new clues that lead to shocking twists. I really enjoyed the alternating timelines as the clues and story unfolds. Fans of suspenseful mysteries will love it!

Forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny lost his wife, Shay, to the serial killer he’d hunted for five years. Nathaniel Conrad, known as the Alphabet Man for his love of tattooing codes onto his victims’ bodies, was condemned to death row, but just before execution he swears that he’s not the one who murdered Shay. Forensic linguist Raisa Susanto believes him and teams up with Callum to investigate Shay's murder.

This is the second book in this series featuring Raisa Susanto but I really think it could be read as a standalone. The first book gives an in-depth look at Raisa's family background and some of the characters and storyline overlap into this book. I'm fascinated by her career although I got a little lost when the book got into ciphers, codes, etc. My brain doesn't work that way. This story is told in the present by Raisa and in the past by Shay, interspersed with excerpts from various books, websites and tv documentaries. I really liked the book but found I really had to concentrate while I was reading it. A momentary lapse in concentration and I had to go back and read a few pages. Quite a twisty puzzle and so many likely candidates to be the guilty party. Not action-packed but a great read. I'll be watching for Book 3.

As I was reading the blurb about the author at the end I noticed it says she currently makes her home in Asheville, NC. Considering the recent catastrophic damage caused in that area by Hurricane Helene, I hope she and her family are ok.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for providing access to this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Publication Date: September 10, 2024

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Amazon Publishing for gifting me a digital ARC of the new book by a favorite, Brianna Labuskes. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 5 stars!

Forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny lost his wife, Shay, to the serial killer he had been hunting for five years. Nathaniel Conrad - known as the Alphabet Man for tattooing codes onto his victims - is now on death row. But he's now saying he didn't kill Shay. FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto thinks he's telling the truth, because there are inconsistencies in his coded letters to authorities. But time is running out for the two to figure it out, since Conrad is days away from execution.

I love this series! It's such a smart police procedural, with forensic linguistic info that is fascinating. You can definitely read this as a stand alone, but starting with the first, The Lies You Wrote, will give you Raisa's back story. This book gives more insight to both Callum's and Raisa's pasts, giving these characters even more depth. This is a tense, gripping, thriller that had me guessing until the final reveal and I just loved the ride! Becoming one of my favorites series and I can't wait for more!

The premise of this book was so intriguing to me, I went back and read book one in the series. This book can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first book in the series. Raisa is an FBI linguist, and her job is very important to helping the FBI solve cases. In this installment, we have a serial killer who is in jail who presents a challenge to Raisa as she works to solve his final puzzle.

The author did a great job at creating characters that were well developed and complex. Their actions helped add to the suspense that was building nonstop throughout this book. The plot was not only well thought out, but masterfully woven together to create a captivating read. I could not put this one down!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an absolute thrill to read! I did feel a little FOMO when reading about Raisa's trysts from the first book. I didn't realize this was book #2 when I started reading this, but wow, I definitely would be going back to read the first one. This was so much fun to read, and I enjoyed the whole linguistics/puzzle aspect of the story. There wasn't much, I was hoping more on that part, but this was still great to get into.

The plot was a little typical, which I didn't mind, because truly, almost every single possible trope had been written. I was all in; the more I got into it, the more addicting it became. The dual timeline and slow burn were done well. I typically don't like slow burns, but this one kept me engaged and wanting to go back to read. Even though it was a race against time, this wasn't fast paced and action packed, but rather that slow build while getting all the glory of the great story. I didn't care, however, for the development of Alphabet Man as I didn't get the full scope of his character to truly capture how evil he could be. Perhaps I was reaching out for more, but it worked okay here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I hadn’t read the first book before reading this one but I was able to follow along fine. I have always love Labuskes’ books and this one did not disappoint. The only downfall was that there were a lot of characters to keep up with. It made it a bit difficult to keep up but overall the storyline was great. It was a great twisty and suspenseful story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book put me in the mind of NCIS or Criminal Minds. Great story doc the plot was great.i did not read the first book. So I missed out on a few things but it did not hinder the story line.

Thank you for this opportunity. Because I didn't read the first book of this series, I was in the dark regarding the relationships between Raisa and her sisters. However, this did not hinder following the plot or characters. I just think it would have contributed to the tension among them. There are multiple characters whose motives are suspicious and possibly criminal. These complex characters had me eager for the resolution.