What a great story! I was immediately hooked and it kept me engaged and turning those pages!
While to me (an avid thriller reader) this one wasn’t super thrilling or scary (totally fine!) I would probably categorize it as a cozy mystery. I figured some of it out, some of it I didn’t, but again I read a LOT of thrillers. I ate the story completely up, loved her writing style, and want to check out her debut novel now!

Alex takes on a new job as the Dear Constance writer in a big time newspaper after the former writer was brutally murdered. As she takes on the job, she meets lots of new people and decides to try and solve the murder of the writer she formerly looked up to so much.

Definitely give this one a read!

Thanks to Atria Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

After loving the Golden Spoon I was super excited to get an ARC of I Need You to Read This!

Jessa Maxwell does a fantastic job of building a creepy atmosphere and tension throughout the novel!

After Alex lands a job writing for her favorite advice column after the previous writer, Francis, was murdered but as is not as it seems. Alex seems to be finding bits of Francis everywhere and she slowly starts to wonder if the murder wasn't just a random act of violence and was more to do with the column. Soon, Alex can't trust anyone in her circle and everyone is a suspect.

I really enjoyed this book but it was not my typical type of thriller, it was a bit slower paced but the chapters were short and engaging and the characters were all well rounded and enjoyable.

Unfortunately, I was only able to get about 50% through this book. The premise sounded exciting and interesting, and while reading, it was interesting but slower than I could handle. I got to 50% and realized I truly did not like any of the characters and that there had been such minimal action that I just was not pulled in. I will not be posting this review publicly as I feel this has great potential to be enjoyed by other people! It just wasn’t for me.

⭐️: 3/5

Years after escaping her small town and moving to New York City for a fresh start, Alex Marks applies to replace the recently murdered advice columnist, Dear Constance, on a whim, and manages to get the job against all odds. Soon, she begins receiving threatening, mysterious letters alluding to the secrets of her past, and finds herself drawn into the mystery of her predecessor’s murder, while trying to avoid becoming the next victim.

I had high hopes for this book, since it had an interesting premise for a thriller/mystery book, and I’ve heard goo things about the author’s previous book. However, the execution really kind of let me down. I am admittedly a thriller snob, and since thrillers are my genre of choice usually, there are a lot of things that over the years have become pet peeves to me. Some that were present in this book include the use of dialogue as plot progression, since it tends to make the dialogue feel distractingly unrealistic, and main characters that just care too much, since it feeds into the final girl trope in a kind of sexist way, in my opinion. Alex as a character started out interesting, but her imposter syndrome was harped on excessively and she ended up just making nonsensical decisions and taking nonsensical actions. This also could have used more editing, since there were some places where the sequence of events didn’t quite make sense, or felt out of order (i.e. a fact was mentioned previously, then it “comes out” again as new information). The ending was a bit of a mess, and wasn’t well done or remotely believable at all. I know the suspension of reality is necessary for some thrillers, but this was just…too much. I’d say that this one was pretty entertaining from a pure plot perspective, but really needed a lot more work to become great.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this free eARC in exchange for my honest review!!

Francis Keen works at a newspaper, writing the advice article. One day, while at her vacation home, she is murdered, and her murderer is never caught. A year later, Alex Marks applies for the open position for writing the advice collumn after it is advertised. Alex was a fan of Francis and her work, and has big shoes to fill once she gets the job. However, things are not always what they seem and Alex begins to receive letters referencing a past that she has tried to get away from and forget. Alex's boss, Howard also begins to act weird, and not at all like the man that he was when she first met him. Lucy, Francis' old assistant also sheds some light on some things that have happened prior to Alex getting hired. Alex becomes involved in attempting to find out what happened to Francis, while hoping that solving it would keep something bad from happening to her.

Overall, this was a good book with enough backstory to get the character emotionally invested in what happened to Francis and to get the adrenaline flowing. However, after that, it was a bit slow going, introducing Alex and the side characters. There was also a little romance thrown into the story to add some suspicion which I think was a nice touch. When we got to the ending, when everything started falling into place, the pace was definitely faster, and the story was more intriguing.

In the end, I was able to guess the main plot twist, except for one part, but the delivery was well executed so I didn't mind.

Thank you to Jessa Maxwell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

This was a very interesting book with an intriguing premise.

Alex replaces her idol, Francis, as the writer behind a very popular advice column. Having big shoes to fill, Alex feels like she’s being scrutinized from every direction. Can she write as well as Francis? Is she even good with advice? And oh yeah, who killed Francis?

Alex is instantly drawn to solving the mystery of who killed her idol, immediately being threatened and intimidated.

Did I mention that she’s running from something in her past, too?

Alex is taking every precaution to stay safe but the past always has a way of catching up with you. You’ll never see the biggest twist coming - I know I sure didn’t!

If you enjoy slow burning, twisty, dramatic thrillers then this is the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me read an advance copy of this book.

Fun premise that read like a cozy mystery. I actually solved the mystery within the first 25%, but still very much enjoyed my time due to the characters, setting and side plots. I was very engaged in the details of Alex's day to day. Loved watching her start her new job, overcome her past, and meet new friends. I really wanted the best for her. I also loved the creepy atmosphere of her working late at night in an old downtown office building.

I Need You to Read This is a slow burn psychological thriller. FMC Alex has finally landed her dream job as an advice columnist - only because the previous one was murdered. When threatening letters start coming in, Alex needs to figure out if the threats are coming from her past, the person responsible for killing Francis, or a complete stranger - all before it’s too late!

This is my first book from Jess Maxwell. The writing was unique, but also a bit hard to follow. It didn’t quite sit right with me. The book alternates between the Dear Constance letters, Alex’s past, and the mysterious death of Francis.

One element of the book that I found especially captivating was its exploration of toxic relationships and anxiety. The enigmatic nature of Alex's past and her choice to begin again added an extra dimension to the narrative. The gradual unfolding of these revelations only heightened my enjoyment of the story.

As I’ve stated in previous reviews, I really enjoy when an author puts a spotlight on neurodivergent characters and the topic of mental health. Because of this, it definitely affects my scoring. While it wasn’t the right book for me, I definitely think there’s an audience that will love this book! (Please note the TW if you have sensitivities)

I Need You to Read This if you like:
📚 Slow burn
📕 Fast chapters/quick read
📚 Neurodivergent characters
📕 Mental health rep
📚 Gradual revelations

Trigger warnings: domestic violence, suicide, murder, and rape

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley & Atria Books for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I’ve never read Jessa Maxwell before but I’m always looking for new thriller authors and novels that are fast paced, keeping me on the edge of my seat. I don’t know if I read too many of them or I watch too many procedurals (both, I’m sure) but this book didn’t surprise me in the way I was hoping. I easily guessed most of the twists and was hoping for a little more from the MC. Alex was fine, but she often missed obvious clues and made decisions that will have you yelling at her to stop. She felt a bit like a supporting character instead of a leading lady. But it’s a quick read and I’m always here for books set in NY.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is like an onion, the more you peel away the more you NEED to get to its core. The plot devise of a newspaper advice columnist made this feel like an older book— but in the best way! There are alternating chapters that contain letters that revel the subplot. I liked this set up and I also enjoyed the red herrings thrown at the reader! Very well written and extremely entertaining.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the advanced reader copy.

The premise of this book--a young woman takes over writing a newspaper advice column when the previous columnist is murdered--felt fresh and I enjoyed getting to see some of the ins and outs of a newsroom. But the twist at the end felt entirely far-fetched and came out of nowhere (there weren't any real clues that could lead a reader to see, after the fact, that this would be a reasonable surprise) and it ruined the book for me.

4.5⭐️
when the beloved advice columnist is suddenly killed, alex has the opportunity for her dream job at the herald. she lands the job as the new advice columnist and when weird things start happening around the office questions start to arise- what really happened to francis? as alex starts digging she starts receiving threatening letters... what is she running from?? I thoroughly enjoyed this book and page after page it kept me guessing.

thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this ARC!

Thank you for the EArc. I really didn’t care for this one. The writing style bothered me and ai didn’t care for the story. This was a miss for me.

Two stories that intertwined into one as the pages go on. I enjoyed Alex’s story. I liked how her character transformed throughout. This was a fast paced quick read. I enjoyed it

Alex Marks escaped to New York City for a fresh start. Her self-isolating world is upended when her writer hero, Francis Keen, is brutally murdered. Francis was the woman behind the famous advice column "Dear Constance," and her words helped Alex through some of the darkest times of her life. When Alex sees an advertisement searching for her replacement, she impulsively applies, never expecting to get the job.
This intriguing premise sets the stage for a gripping thriller that blends personal growth with a suspenseful murder mystery. Alex's unexpected new role as the advice columnist for "Dear Constance" is a forced transformation and the catalyst to search for the truth behind Francis's death. She begins to receive strange, potentially threatening letters at the office, turning everyone around her into a threat, including her boss, editor-in-chief Howard Dimitri, who works late and drinks too much. The narrative effectively keeps readers on edge, wondering who can be trusted and what secrets are being kept. The plot thickens as Alex digs deeper into the mystery and must also face her hidden past. The novel offers a blend of mystery, suspense, and personal growth. The murder is somewhat predictable, but the book does shed light on the abuse of power and how abuse in the workplace is challenging to report.

I received an ARC ebook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books.

3.5 stars - I Need You to Read This is the 2nd thriller by Jessa Maxwell. It tells the story of Alex Marks, a woman with many secrets who gets a job as a newspaper advice columnist after the former columnist is murdered. The tale flows well (but slowly) and is told in short chapters set in the present that are interspersed with letters from the past. I liked all of the characters too, which is unusual for me when reading thrillers. There is usually at least one deplorable character or two that I can’t stand. The only characters I disliked in this book I disliked for a reason. Because of that, it made it fairly easy to figure out who the killer was. I also didn’t really get the whole backstory with Raymond. It felt thrown in and weird and not really connected to the main action. I recommend this book if you enjoy thrillers, characters with secrets, and found family. It maybe doesn’t need to move all the way to the top of the TBR pile though. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review.

I was able to guess the twists and ending to this book very easily. I enjoyed the writing style but overall was left disappointed.

I really, really wanted to like this book. It's exceptionally slow. Think of the slowest book you've read and it's slower than that. Nothing happens in the book, literally nothing, until you're 82% in. It also felt like multiple stories were being told. We have someone telling their story through Dear Constance letters at the end of almost every chapter. We are trying to figure out who killed Francis. We have Alex's mysterious history. We have Alex's diner friends and their random history. We have Alex's coworker and her story. Oh and, everything is painfully predictable.

I would consider this a slow, burn mystery and definitely not a thriller/suspense.

Trigger warning: domestic violence, domestic abuse

Many thanks to Jessa Maxwell, NetGalley, and Atria Books for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Expected publication date August 13, 2024.

I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell

Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5
Spook Level: 🫣 🫣 🫣 / 5

Summary: Francis is an advice columnist. She's also DEAD. When Alex finds out, she is sad to hear, but finds interest in applying for the replacement role to fill the Dear Constance role that The Herald posted. She applies with a wine glass in her hand, not truly thinking of what will happen if she gets the job when surprisingly she does get it. But she soon begins to find out that Francis' killer may just be after her too. When she meets a handsome stranger on a trip to the coffee shop in front of The Herald, she is almost immediately suspicious. Will she find Francis’ killer or will the killer find her?

What I Loved: This story was a very well-planned thriller because what started to come in about 50% of the book began to feel like a full circle of small details minimally scattered at the beginning of the book. I did love the spirit of the main character, not only going into a job she truly did not think she would get and wanting to prove the innocence of someone else being blamed for the murder. It seemed like Alex was going through a lot on her own, many things she did not share with her 2 friends in this book. Alex seemed like she was in for more than what she bargained for at different moments of the book and it made me feel overwhelmed myself. Here is an important lesson I learned through this book: It doesn't matter if someone is giving you all the best advice in the world, you should ask about them and if they are going through anything difficult.

Other Notes: I wished there was more of a backstory on who Tom was, I suspected he was a police officer or something of that nature because of his "Peeping Tom" moments and now I am getting why he was named Tom in the first place. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I was surely surprised that our MC did not pull through with Tom immediately as I think it truly would have kept her out of trouble, but then the story would have gone in another direction. I will be honest with you, I truly skipped over one page because it was graphic and made me squirm a bit because I just couldn't stomach it.

Warning: This book does include themes of domestic abuse, suicide, murder, conspiracy, and rape mentioned on and off page. If any of the above triggers you, please do not read this book as there are graphic parts that depict some of the above and or off-page mentions.

Special thanks to the Publisher and the Author for providing a complimentary digital Electronic Advanced Reader Copy (E-ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest, and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

An advice columnist is murdered and an ardent fan is picked as her replacement. Seems like a dream come true for copy writer Alex until it isn’t. Threatening letters and a strong drive to find out who killed her predecessor, puts Alex in a killer’s sight. An excellent thriller with just enough mystery to want to keep reading long past the time I should have put the book down.Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for an early copy. This review is my honest opinion.