This was just a unique read for a thriller!

The characters were a lot of fun to follow along with. Cut differently, this could have been a fun rom-com read. A reclusive character falls into her dream job as an advise writer. She slowly comes out of her shell with the help of her found family at her neighborhood diner, a cute man she meets at a local coffee shop, and her new coworkers.

But clearly, it's not a rom-com. Alex is reclusive because she's trying to leave her dangerous past life behind. The public announcement of her new job may bring back these demons from her past. She only landed this job because the previous columnist died under mysterious circumstances, and her new boss may be dangerous. While trying to piece together what happened, Alex finds herself in dire straits.

This was a quick read for me- I finished it in one sitting! There was no jaw-dropping twist (at least from my perspective), but it kept me on the edge of my seat.

I rate this at 3.5 stars
Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC version of the ebook.
The story was pretty solid. FMC, Alex, is starting over while trying to recover from a dark past. She lands a dream job that was only available because of a death that occurred. Alex doesn’t seem to accept the fact that the killer may still be out there and now she is worried that her past is also catching up with her.

I liked the small character development and as I read, I can almost see them in my mind. A waitress at a small diner, an old retired detective and moody, yet sharp receptionists were my favorite in the story.
I would consider this book to be more of a mystery than a thriller. The story seemed to drag in the beginning and I got a little bored. It took me longer than normal to finish this book, but as soon as there was action in the story, I couldn’t put it down.

Jessa Maxwell puts together a nicely crafted mystery again! I loved her previous novel and I Need You to Read This was just as good! I kept picturing Meryl Streep as Francis. I especially liked the switching timeline with the Dear Francis letters. At times it was a bit drawn out and I would have liked a bit more suspense. It wrapped up very nicely but I was left wondering with some questions about Tom. The ending was so good and I loved Alex's friends in Raymond and Janice and how they supported her throughout the whole book.

Recommended for: readers who love thriller and suspense and/or books written in letter format

Summary: Alex Marks gets the job of advice columnist, formerly held by Francis Keen. Alex has always followed the column and is devastated when the columnist is murdered. She applied for the job as a joke and was elated when she was asked to take over the iconic column. Once she starts the job, she feels the need to investigate the murder which ends up revealing secrets from Alex’s former life.

Review: I always love books written, even partially, in email/letter format. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I started the book to see that it includes letters written to and from advice seekers. The suspense in this book is very good and keeps you on your toes. It does seem to drag on in the beginning but once secrets start to be revealed it’ll suck you in! Especially after the major twist two thirds of the way through. One downside is that the transitions between past and present aren’t clear and, I believe, make the flow of the book clunky.

**Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC of this title!**

This book had a great premise and I really looked forward to jumping into what sounded like a thrilling mystery. A murdered columnist being replaced and then having her replacement receive threatening letters? This sounded right up my alley, but was unfortunately held back by boring characters and lackluster writing. Alex was blander than water and I truly didn't care what happened to her - or how the threats against her escalated.

The writing was also not for me, and the dialogue gave me such bad second-hand embarrassment that I didn't want to keep reading. I'm not trying to rip this book apart as I'm sure it will find its audience out in the world. This one just didn't deliver what was promised and I don't think I will try this author again for awhile.

Like the authors other book, this one is also fantastic. It’s well written and easy to read. Definitely a slow burn, but that just keeps you coming back for more. Most of the characters are likable, which I appreciate. There are lots of twists and turns you never see coming. I look forward to reading Jessa Maxwell’s next book.

𝚁𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 4.5⭐️
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: mystery/thriller📚

𝙼𝚢 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
An intriguing and quick read

𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎:
Atmospheric and creepy
Darker themes
Amateur detectives
Captivating chatavters
Engaging reads
Popcorn thrillers
Romantic side story

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚍:
Short chapters
Mental health rep
Dear Constance letters

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗’𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛:
Was slow at times
Over the top moments

I enjoyed everything about this! The short chapters kept me on the edge of my seat and I never wanted to put it down. The advice columnist premise was so interesting and I loved the all the character’s unique personalities. I really felt like I was trying to solve the mystery along with the narrator and even though I pieced together some of it before her, I was throughly entertained.

“A book about the need we all have to find belonging and people who can truly see us.”

The beginning letter to Constance pulls the reader in without even trying. It is effortless. Then, the prologue follows, grappling the reader with the death of advice columnist Francis Keen. I did not know what to expect from this book but was eager to find out.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the advanced reading copy. Please note that my thoughts are my own.

The reader gets glimpses of a letter written to Dear Constance about a woman who is alone and trying to find purpose until she meets a man, and her whole life changes instantly. With this life change, she finds hope and belonging like she has never experienced until things turn for the worst. The story is interwoven between the letters to Dear Constance and Alex's present-day life and happenings.

Alex is running from something. We don’t know what it is, but we know she is terrified and has altered her whole life around it. We know Francis Keen was her idol, so when Alex hears of her death, and the Dear Constance writing column job is open, Alex does the unthinkable and applies. She gets the job and is thrown into investigating the murder of Francis Keen but also the burdens and stress of the job. She starts getting threatening letters and uncovers clues that lead to the killer. All is revealed but the plot twist is surprising to all.

I read this book in a day, and when this happens, that book is easy to follow, and I can digest and follow the story quickly. I enjoyed the story. The book provided many hidden messages which could be easily applied to everyday life. If you are looking for something thrilling and suspenseful with a life lesson engrained in the story, this book is for you.

Alex moves to NYC for a fresh start. She has a favorite advice columnist who ends up murdered. She decides to apply to take over the position, I mean, she gives great advice! Shockingly to Alex, she gets the job! She begins receiving strange letters at work, and wonders why the murderer was never found. Then, she begins to question her boss and the people she works for….too many things are adding up and begin to scare Alex!

This was ok, there were a couple good twists. Mediocre. It was predictable, the characters weren’t memorable.

I found this book to be an engaging read, and I was pleasantly surprised by its captivating nature. The narrative centers on a writer who takes on the role of an advice columnist for a newspaper in New York City. As the protagonist, Alex, embarks on her new position, she becomes increasingly anxious about her safety, especially since the former advice columnist was recently murdered. Her concerns may not be unfounded. With a mix of advice column excerpts, amateur sleuthing, and office intrigue, this book offers an enjoyable experience that is hard to put down.

I appreciate NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the eARC.

I Need You to Read This seemed so very promising but just happened to fall flat for me. I was hoping to read more a thriller but this was more like a cozy murder mystery read but still somehow different from her first book ??

I don't think it was a bad story by any means, but I wasn't blown out of the park either. I think you should either go into this one blind or just expect it not to be thriller-like. The build-up was well done but no big, crazy twists imo.

I'm glad I read it, it just wasn't my favorite but that doesn't mean you won't love it :)

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for my copy in exchange for an honest review :)

Alex, on a whim, applies to be the replacement for an advice columnist who was brutally murdered just months before. As she’s learning how to fill such big shoes, she also tries to uncover who murdered Francis.

This felt like different stories mixed together - like the author was trying to do too much and it just didn’t grip me like I thought it would. I liked secondary characters, but just never really cared about Alex.

I felt the pacing of this book to be slightly off. The main character had depth but I didn’t jive with the others. The writing style worked well for the genre—keeping the language from veering into past tense kept the momentum going and added a layer of anticipation.

Published Date: August 13, 2024. Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and author Jessa Maxwell for an ARC for my honest review.

This story is about Alex, who preceeds the unalive newspaper columnist. She feels drawn to the woman she replaced and wants to find out what happened to her. As Alex pokes around she receives some threats. Is someone trying to keep the past hidden or is it Alex's past that is haunting her?

This story reminded me of: She's Not Sorry by Mary Kubica in some aspects.

Triggers: cheating/infidelity, murder, assult, threats, domestic violence. PTSD,

When Alex’s favorite advice columnist is murdered, Alex drunkenly applies and gets the job. But on top of having to write her column, Alex is scared that the murderer is still out there. So she and her friends from her local diner start their own investigation, possibly placing them in the crosshairs of the killer.

This really felt like a cozy mystery with a thriller pasted on. I liked the adorable elements but the thriller aspect was so obvious and unnecessary

Told from the perspective of two people, the story revolves around the renowned advice column “Dear Constance.”

When the “Dear Constance” writer Francis is murdered, the New York based newspaper seeks a new writer for the column. Having followed the column her whole life, Alex, applies for the job and is shocked when she’s hired on. Feeling rather lost after being thrust into a large corner office with a salary double her previous one, Alex is thankful when Lucy, Francis’s former assistant, steps in to help wade through all of the letters.

Lost Girl is a faithful writer to the “Dear Constance” column, asking for her help and advice in leaving a toxic relationship. But letter after letter goes unanswered as Lost Girl plunges further and further into a warped relationship. When her letter finally makes its way into the paper, Lost Girl takes the advice to disastrous results.

Alex doesn’t trust easily and is constantly looking over her back. When threatening letters start arriving, she’s sure someone is out to get her. And someone is. Alex finds herself in a web of lies and betrayal.

Jessa Maxwell became a “must read” author for me after reading The Golden Spoon. This new novel confirms her place in that list. This is fast paced and I enjoyed the two perspectives. You can’t help but cheer Alex on and hope her future is bright after leaving her dark past behind her. I definitely recommend this for fans of thrillers!

I need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell is a really excellent mystery.
I loved this story so much. The mystery was so well done and perfectly paced.

I followed the clues and was so surprised at the ending.

Well-crafted characters and an excellent mystery I really enjoyed.

This was a very quick read. I read it over a weekend because I didn't want to put it down. The main character was a little annoying at times, but I think she had to be for the storyline to work. I loved the Golden Spoon, so I had high hopes for this one. It didn't quite live up to my expectations, but overall it was a solid thriller to begin the fall season.

I have mixed feelings about this one; it wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t what I expected in a thriller. I found that it didn’t really pick up until the final third when everything happened at once.

The storyline itself was interesting and I liked how Maxwell intertwined Alex’s past life with her current life. The ‘Dear Constance’ letters were a nice touch but also a bit depressing when you learn that Alex is being abused.

I admittedly predicted that Lucy was not who she said she was, that she was a bit cuckoo because so much about how she just appeared didn’t sit right with me. For the most part, a lot of the characters were lacklustre and didn’t add to the story at all.

I Need You To Read This certainly had premise; I also feel like there was so much more where Maxwell could have taken the plot. I wanted to see more of Alex’s work as the Dear Constance columnist and less of the callbacks of her being abused. Nonetheless, it was not a horrible read but not one of the best thrillers I’ve read either.

Thank you to the author, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!