I absolutely loved the first book in this series and this book was no different! Enthralling, chilling, and giving the "look over your shoulder" vibes. I could not put it down! I love the author's writing style. The character development is nothing short of genius. I'm hopeful for more of this series!

A Great Follow-On Novel

Raisa Susanto, an FBI forensic linguist, is out running when she senses she is being followed. She does not have her usual armament, so she goes into a coffee shop. Soon, her follower enters. She exits to find a spot to surprise her follower. Raisa grabs her. After rejecting her first story, the woman identifies herself as Kate Tashibi. Raisa has ignored her previous attempts to contact her. Kate tells Raisa that she is a documentarian. Her current project is on the Alphabet Man serial killer. Raisa wants nothing to do with any documentary on him and tells her so. At home, she receives a text from Callum Kilkenny, an FBI forensic psychologist she met on her last case, and they are now friends. Callum’s wife, Shay, was the Alphabet Man’s 23rd victim. From this start, the story of her murder unfolds.

There are two main storyline threads. The first, set in the present, portrays the investigation into who murdered Shay Kilkenny. Raisa and Callum narrate this thread. This thread starts days before his scheduled execution. The Alphabet Man claims that he did not kill Shay. The second is told in a series of flashbacks, starting four years before Shay’s abduction, which ended in her death. The storyline jumps back and forth. In the flashbacks, the reader learns about Shay and her family and how she became Callum’s wife. There are many surprises and hidden secrets in this thread that kept piquing my interest and kept me reading. There was what I call a literary grenade near the end that provided an interesting twist. I could not put this novel down.

There are several B-storyline threads. The relationship between Callum and Raisa has become personal but not romantic. Their interaction reveals much of their characters’ natures. I enjoyed their natural friendship. Another thread is in flashbacks. The relationship between Shay and Callum reveals much new information that has defined his character in the present. Both threads enhanced my reading enjoyment.

This novel is not strong in the aspects, which may cause some readers to stop reading. There is a non-descriptive intimate scene plus some before and after scenes. There is a noticeable level of vulgar and rude language. Given the nature of the character and current events, this language’s use was what I would expect. There are not any active violent scenes. This is the second novel in this series. All the references appeared to be backfilled well when they occurred, so it should not be an issue to read this novel first. Having read the first novel myself, I believe that you will find this novel to be more enjoyable to read.

I had no issues with the storyline or the novel's structure or flow. On the plus side, this was a great follow-up novel. I enjoyed the dynamics between Raisa and Callum in the first novel, and they continue in this novel. I enjoyed the ending. It was very fitting for me. I have read six previous novels by this author. She has earned my Must-Read category of authors. I am looking forward to reading her next novel. I recommend reading this novel as I thoroughly enjoyed it and rate it with five stars.
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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. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

There was a lot going on and it was just a bit too much for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Brianna Labuskes and Thomas & Mercer for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Gave 2.5 stars but rounded up to 3.

The Truth You Told is the second book to feature FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto and forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny. Nathaniel Conrad, known as the Alphabet Man serial killer, is going to be executed. He tells Callum that he did not kill Callum's wife, Shay, five years ago. Callum had thought all of this was behind him.

Raisa goes over the letters Nathaniel sent after each of his killings, she comes to the conclusion that he is telling the truth. The question now is who killed Shay, was it a copycat?

The story follows in two timeliness, the ongoing investigation, and what really happened in the past, We get to know Shay and see who she was interacting with. There are a number of characters and it sometimes got a bit confusing. The plot as a whole is engaging and if you have not read the first book you will not have a problem reading this. The author wraps up the mystery of whodunit with a few plot twists to keep us guessing.

I would read another book with these characters, but I would like to see more of the forensic linguist aspect in the storyline. Overall, this is an engaging mystery/suspense book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Thomas & Mercer, for an ARC. The review is my own.

The Truth You Told is a rollercoaster of emotions, fact finding, truth and lies that tangle the lives of FBI Agent Kilkenny and linguist expert Raisa Susanto. The more they dig they find there was another killer working together with the Alphabet Man - Nathaniel Conrad. Why was Shay killed? Has Kilkenny exposed his wife to the killer because of his work? What about her family, what is their responsibility in her demise? A fast-paced, thrilling and engaging story that will keep the readers at the edge of their seats. Highly recommended!
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you Netgalley & Thomas&Mercer Publishing for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

In "The Truth You Told", we've got a real head-scratcher. The Alphabet Man, a serial killer who's been terrorizing the country, is about to be executed. But then he drops a bombshell: he didn't actually kill the FBI agent's wife, Shay. And weirdly, the evidence backs him up! So who did kill her? I was on the edge of my seat trying to figure it out.

The story jumps back and forth between present day and the past, and I loved learning more about Shay and her family. It was like putting together a puzzle, and I was completely invested.

The forensic linguist angle was also super cool. I'd never read a book from that perspective before, and it was amazing how much you can learn from just words on a page. Raisa, the linguist, is like a superhero, using her skills to uncover secrets and catch bad guys.

Anyway, I'm hooked on this series now and can't wait for more. If you like dark, suspenseful stories with a dash of linguistic intrigue, give it a try! 👍🏽

This was an interesting cat and mouse more psychological than thriller read. There was a lot going on with even more build up that ended up falling flat for me.

This was a breath of fresh air after the last couple of books that I have read. The characters are vibrant. The story is easy to follow and is embedded with amazing twists and turns. Truly a pleasure to read from start to finish. I loved all the different layers and stories intertwining. Readers are going to be swept away by this book. If you are looking for an amazing mystery dealing with serial killings this book is right up your alley.
Thank you so much to Thomas and Mercer for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

The Truth You Told is a nail-biting, dark, and consuming story of an FBI agent hunting down a serial killer.

When Callum Kilkenny discovers the person he thought killed his wife didn't really do it, it shakes the very foundation he stands on and has him desperate to track down who really did it. This is book two in the series, and just as fast-paced and gritty as the first one was. We also get the view point of Raisa Susanto, a forensic linguist, who brings a new take and an interesting viewpoint to the book.

Told in past and present, this book will hook you from the beginning and not let go until the very end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc!

4.5⭐️

Huge thank you to NetGalley as well as Thomas & Mercer publishing for allowing me to be an ARC reader on this book! All opinions are my own.

I cannot get enough of Raisa and her stories! I am having such a great time reading her books and dissecting the mysteries that come with them. When reading these two books I was so captivated by the story, I was determined to finish the solve the mystery.

This book is a bit faster paced than the last book because the mystery needs to be solved in a much quicker time period. I actually enjoyed the faster paced of this book and enjoyed how you could really feel the tension and pressure that came with figuring things out and connecting the pieces of evidence together as they arose. I was really impressed by the overall mystery and arc of the story. I really did not see the final reveal coming and I just loved seeing it all come together. It truly was a bit lightbulb moment!

I would definitely recommend checking out these books if you are a mystery fan. I would recommend checking out “The Lies You Wrote” before reading this book when it releases on September 10th! There are things in “The Truth You Told” that will spoil the first book if you read it first! With that you’ll have a better understanding of where the characters are coming from and their backgrounds as they navigate this new case.

The second (and hopefully not the last) lovely chapter in the agent Raisa Susanto series features a complex plot with many new and old characters, besides the protagonists, and some nice plot twists that are difficult to guess because with almost every character you find yourself wondering if they might not be what they look like. I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 just because the plot felt a bit convoluted to me. Still I totally recommend it and the author!!

This book was pretty entertaining and took me quite by surprise. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to have read this advanced reader copy. I am interested to see the more that is to come from this author.

Trying to solve the whodunit is pointless when the twists and mental games are too advanced for my brain. Reading this book is a challenge in many ways and I absolutely loved the ride. Raisa is eventually going to piece everything together but she must rely on a few unlikely people. She’s highly intelligent with a brain that won’t stop. Her partner is too attached to this specific case but that might work to their benefit. A serial killer is about to be executed when information comes about that he might not have killed all the people they thought. It’s a game of cat and mouse with a few other players gumming up the game. Thrilling, suspenseful, smart and witty. It’s the second Raisa book, not required to read the first but this one might entice you. I was lucky to receive an advanced copy and have given my review voluntarily.

A crime mystery tale, The Truth You Told (2024) by Brianna Labuskes is the second of the Raisa Susanto book series. FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto is partnered with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny to investigate cold cases. When a documentrary maker reveals that the serial killer known as The Alphabet Man may not be responsible for Kilkenny’s wife’s murder, they are tasked to revisit the case. Narrated by two characters in different timelines - Shay from the past (2009) and Raisha present (2015) - chapters are interspersed with extracts from letters, police reports and newspapers. As Raisha and Callum dig deeper, they begin to suspect their may be another killer and they get caught up in a dangerous cat and mouse game. An enjoyable serial killer tale that is personal and tests their skill and nous, in a four stars read rating. With thanks to Thomas and Mercer and the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement.

Great book! It's very easy to lose yourself trying to discover if the Alphabet Man killed Shay or if someone else did it. You really need to focus to keep up with how the story unfolds.

Disclosure: this is the second book in a series. Make sure to read "The Lies you wrote" first as a lot of how the first mystery is solved is disclosed in this one as well.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Brianna Labuskes, and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC.

The Alphabet Man is a serial killer who enjoys tattooing secret codes on the bodies of his victims. Ew, right? The good news is that this sicko has been locked up for about a decade. So that's good...until it's revealed that there is more to the mystery of the Alphabet Man than was initially believed and things take an even darker turn.

Raisa, an FBI forensic linguist and total female badass, takes on the case to delve deeper into the clues surrounding the psychopath. This leads to an investigation of another murder and makes for a engaging read from start to finish.

I was unaware that this is book 2 in a series, and was happy that it worked well as a stand alone. There were times when the past storyline was mentioned, but the author does a great job of clueing the reader in on the pertinent info. I definitely want to go back and read book 1 now and am looking forward to the release of book 3! I'm hooked.

If you're a fan of well written FBI thrillers that aren't too gruesome and deal with forensics and criminal profiling of serial killers, then buckle up and grab this.

This is for fans of the serial killer genre. FBI forensic linguist Raisa adds a new angle and she's an interesting character. I missed the first book so this was a standalone for me and it wasn't a problem - Labuskes gives enough back story to make it work. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Kilkenny, an FBI analyst and Raisa, a forensic linguist are on a case involving a serial killer who is already in jail, waiting for his execution. Kilkenny's wife, Shay, had been dragged into the crosshairs of the killer, and the story is written from her point of view and that of Raisa's in two different timelines. I found that this worked very well, as it added an element of suspense and intrigue as we get to know all the individuals that Shay interacted with. And having not read the first installment, it also gave me a bit of backstory.

The author manages to give a new twisty spin on the old serial killer genre, but that comes with a price. The story is very engaging at first, but halfway it spirals into a convoluted web of personal relations and assumptions and guesses that are just too far fetched to be believable. At the end, everything is nicely explained and (too) wrapped up, but it just left me indifferent, as it just didn't add up. Also, for a book that is about a linguist, I expected a higher quality of writing.

All in all, it is an engaging and easy read even without having read the first book, and I really enjoyed the family dynamics of Shay. But as that part is wrapped up I don't think I would read the next installment as I didn't care very much about the Raisa and Kilkenny storyline.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

My Rating: 4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rounded down from 4.5 - I liked this one HEAPS more than book 1!!!

A serial killer on death row challenges Raisa (a forensic linguist) to solve his final puzzle before DDay!!

Well, am I ever glad I went and requested this one off NetGalley. I love this author and even though I wasn’t a huge fan of the first book in this series I couldn’t abandon it. I am so glad I didn’t.

Unlike the first book I started to like Raisa, she was loyal and she wasn’t trying too hard this time. She was just being herself and I liked that more. I also got a feel for Callum and he was much better this time around as well. The book was no where near as boring or repetitive and I actually finished this one in 24hours because I just had to know what was going on.

We had multi-POV and multi-timeline so I am a happy camper… I really liked that we got to go back and see the POV from Shay (who i loved!!! And am sad shes dead - not a spoiler). Shay was the kind of character you go into it rooting for all the way… and of course she got the raw end of the deal and ended up dead (we knew this in book 1) but we found out what happened to her and we got to get in her head a bit. I also loved her dysfunctional family and I loved the way the author wrote about the non perfect family and non perfect life. That was excellent and I appreciated it.

The mystery was pretty good in this and it kept me guessing… the reveal was a little bit WTF but thats ok this is meant to be unrealistic but I liked how it all wrapped up. I am hoping there will be another one now that the Alphabet Man arc is finished. I would actually love another book featuring Max she was a badass and I loved her.

All the things I didn’t like in the first one appear to be fixed or non existent in this one and that was a real winner. I don’t know if the author was just having an off book or she actually took feedback (not from me of course 🤣) on board but whatever it was I think this one is actually pretty close to 5 stars.

Overall, I think this will be a hit and if you haven’t read this author before you should definitely give her a try. I do really love her Gretchen White series but from book 2 in this series I can see this being one of my faves as well. Reading book one will give you a good basis and maybe I was just being picky but truly if you want to you can read this as a standalone as there is enough recap to get the gist. Personally book1 made so little impact I had forgotten the whole story and I loved this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer and Brianna Labuskes for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!!

A very good follow-up to "The Lies You Wrote" that manages to stay twisty and fascinating through another personal case - this one affecting Raisa's colleague from the first book, Callum, and the previous death of his wife by a serial killer. As with all thrillers, it's best to go in blind, but do read the first book before you pick this one up. I only had a few quibbles that knocked off a star for me, mostly about some logistical elements and some things that didn't quite hold up under scrutiny with one of the villains of the novel. I flew through this, though, and I'm eagerly awaiting book 3! Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a digital review copy.