Overall, I Need You to Read This is a quick but "meh" read. It should be categorized as a cozy mystery, not a thriller. It's not the best, but definitely not the worst either.

I Need You to Read This has three plot lines:
The unsolved murder of beloved advice columnist Frances
Alex (Frances's replacement) is in constant fear of being found by someone from her past.
Rumors are swirling about Howard, Frances's former boss & Alex's current boss, and his questionable behavior.

The story dances around the three mysteries, but everything is shrouded in secret, so nothing is revealed to the reader until the book is almost over. The book is relatively short (less than 300 pages), but truthfully, it could have been cut down another 30%. There were extraneous storylines that served no purpose to the plot's core. Character development was lackluster, presumably to maintain the mystique of a "big reveal." However, this strategy left me disconnected from the characters and less invested in the overall outcome of the book.

The writing style and book format are engaging, keeping the pages turning despite minimal action or suspense. I read it in a day. So, while this is certainly not my favorite book of the year, it might be a good choice for readers seeking a distraction while traveling or struggling to get out of a reading slump.

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

While I wanted to love this book, I just had a harder time getting into the story. The premise was a great one. A talented advice columnist is killed and her replacement soon starts to feel caught up In the mystery. I also enjoyed the addition of letters you could read from someone seeking advice and trying to figure out if it was an additional character. The twist at the end was a little to unrealistic for me.

I really liked this book as I had no idea what the twist would be, and when a book can keep me hooked and wanting to keep reading, it’s always a win for me. I did at times have a suspicion, but it wasn’t exactly what I thought and therefore I was pleasantly surprised. I also found myself wanting to pick it up and see what was going to happen next so this was a definite win for me..

The character development was quite lacking and the plot is somewhat forgettable, but I appreciated the idea of the protagonist reinventing herself, finding friends, and moving away from her previous toxic relationship. Definitely suspend your disbelief with this one, and expect a quick wrap-up!

In I Need You To Read This, Maxwell takes readers on a thriller of a journey. After finding a new life in New York City, Alex Marks submits an application to be the new Constance of the Dear Constance advice column. Alex was an avid reader of Frances Keen, the original Constance, who was brutally murdered at her seaside house. Expecting to continue living her somewhat dull copywriter life, she receives the opportunity of a lifetime when she's given the columnist position. All is not what it seems at the newspaper office, and Alex begins receiving threatening letters, and she's not sure who she can trust. Maxwell weaves together Alex's story with Dear Constance letters, and readers will not be disappointed with picking this book up. I'm grateful to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

An imaginative thriller with a unique hook: A Dear Abby (here it's Constance) columnist is found dead and Alex, the plucky main character, is her replacement. Quickly, she realizes her new job is not all that seems. Alex and her Scooby gang, made up of patrons from her local diner, are unusual and likeable characters. Plot twists galore in this one, and you'll stay up all night to finish it.

Good read. The end really threw me for a loop add everything was happening all at once. That is the reason for the 3 star rating.

Thank you NetGalley, Atria, and Jessa Maxwell for this e-ARC. I am not considered a thriller/mystery reader but this book hooked me from the beginning. I requested this book because I want to get into thrillers and I loved the cover so much that I was like "why not" so when I got accepted I read it instantly and couldn't put it down. I really liked all the characters and all the twists and turns were SO GOOD. I'm definitely going to go read her other book The Golden Spoon. This book will be available August 13th 2024!

I was hooked from the beginning! I Need You To Read This is such a great mystery with lots of twists and turns, and keeps you guessing until the very end. I just couldn’t get myself to put it down!

Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

This is Jessa Maxwell's second novel and takes readers to the heyday of newspapers and advice columnists. Alex Marks moved to Manhattan seven years earlier, looking for a refuge. After advice columnist Francis Keen, who writes the Dear Constance column for The New York Herald, is murdered, Alex is bereft. She followed the column religiously, and believed in Francis’ empathetic advice. Alex agrees to be the new advice columnist. Maxwell incorporates letters to Dear Constance, and the advice columnists answers in this thriller. It was a satisfying ending, and I liked Maxwell’s characters.

Thank you Netgalley for this eARC!

I found the storyline of this book to be intriguing and I really enjoyed the book at first. Unfortunately, it started to slow down and drag on in the middle. The twists were also too predictable despite the unique premise. I feel like the idea had potential, but the execution was lacking and the storyline ended up being like other average thrillers.

I had very high expectations for this book after The Golden Spoon was a five star read for me. While I did like this book, it didn’t quite live up to the hopes I had for it. That may just be a consequence of following up such a strong book. This one felt a little flat, and I don’t feel like I had a very strong sense of Alex’s character for the majority of the book. I did like the short chapters, which kept me turning the pages. I appreciate the dialogue about the men who perpetrate domestic abuse and society’s tendency to believe them. I also liked the letters throughout the book. Overall, this was an okay read, but it feels like it’s lacking a bit of character development. Thank you for the chance to read and review!

I like a quick read and the author kept me interested throughout, even if I was not 100% satisfied with the plot line. There are epistolary elements (letters written to Dear Constance and her replies) which were well-drafted, and that deftly provided Alex’s background history. There were some disturbing, but realistic, descriptions of domestic violence and abuse, a meet-cute romance, mystery and bungling investigations by the diner trio and some gore galore. There is also a suspenseful climax toward the end of the novel where secrets about most of the characters come to light. I didn’t guess the identity of the murderer, and I was happy to see a violent bully gets his just desserts. All of the above are what I enjoyed.

I was less enamored with the MC, who was more than a bit dim-witted most of the time, jumping to misleading conclusions and following through on them. This made the plot go in obvious directions. I did enjoy the twist in the end and discovering whodunnit.

I will definitely read more by this author, though, I would prefer that the plot show greater finesse in the dénouement. I was delighted by her first novel.

I flew through this book! It had likeable characters and several mysterious angles to keep me reading. I love a story that includes an intriguing plot with the warmth of the human element. Another solid read after The Golden Spoon. I'm hoping for more to come from this author. If you enjoy mysteries, NYC, or the newspaper world, pick this one up!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Maxwell did a good job in creating a well-written suspense mystery. The small number of characters keeps readers guessing, while also allowing for a more closed-room type feel to the murder mystery aspect. Alex is a relatable character, and as readers learn more about her, they discover just how strong she can be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

"I Need You to Read This" is the latest thriller/mystery from Jessa Maxwell. This book and the author's pervious, "The Golden Spoon," are the type of thriller I prefer" no jump scares, but a spooky vibe and a crime that needs to be solved by the protagonist. This story follows Alex as she begins a new job as an advice columnist at a newspaper whose previous long-time columnist was murdered in an unsolved crime. It's clear from the beginning that Alex has a troubled past; I liked the way that her secrets were revealed to the reader, although I guessed the situation pretty early on. The side characters added depth to the plot and kept you guessing about their motives. I was confused a few times by the pacing and timing of events within the story, but it didn't really matter in the end. This book reads super quickly and has short chapters, which are must-haves for a thriller. An overall quick, intriguing read! 3.5/5

This was not for me. Had me interested up to about the 40% mark but then it just kept getting cheesier. It read like a cheesy hallmark movie but make it mystery g
). I rolled
my eyes one to many times
The storytelling style in this book felt more like the characters were telling me what was happening, rather than the plot unfolding naturally. The characters excessive chattiness felt like a tool to advance the plot, rather than a genuine aspect of their personalities. It made the story feel a bit forced and lacking in tension or surprise.
If you like cozy mysteries or popcorn thrillers this might be up your alley. But ME, I need some grit in my books.

Thank you netgalley and to the publisher for this arc . I gave it a 3.7 I think it was perfect to start the summer off with I enjoyed the authors writing very much it kept me interested enough to where I kept wanting to pick the book up to read even when I didn’t have time I was trying to find time for it . I enjoyed almost all the characters except for Brian but who would enjoy him ? I would definitely read another book from her.

Pros:
Quick read!
I really liked the advice column aspect of this book as well. Full of action/thrill from the beginning, with mostly likeable characters and such a fun group of diner friends. Also please with the ending with the new guy!

Cons:
Predictable, but still so good!

A/B+// 4.5 stars

When Alex’s favorite columnist dies she applies to take in the column. After she gets the job we follow her journey of trying to find out what happened to Francis and how she handles the column.