Slow build with lots of foreshadowing. You know there is something Alex is hiding from but it is not revealed until the very end. How do the letters and Alex's mystery all tie in together? Why does she care so much about Francis? The last 20% is where all the action happens and then it moves quickly and reveals it all!

I absolutely LOVED the premise of this book. The cover and title drew me in immediately before I even read the synopsis but unfortunately it was a miss for me.
I truly love a slow burn but this was just boring to me. When we finally got to the twists, they were so far fetched and ridiculous - I couldn’t help but be disappointed.

I had high expectations for this book given the premise, but the execution fell flat for me. A murdered advice columnist and a replacement plucked from obscurity who senses all is not what it seems felt promising and I did keep turning the pages to find out what happened next. That said, the characters felt a little flat, the twist at the end felt silly and somewhat implausible. Entertaining enough but not a must read.

Alex Marks has just taken over the job of advice columnist after Francis Keen, the famous advice columnist of Dear Constance, is murdered. Francis's advice helped Alex through her darkest times and she is honored to take the role.

Francis's murderer was never apprehended so out of loyalty and curiosity, Alex starts her own investigation. Unfortunately for Alex, there may be consequences for her curiosity.

I was so excited to read this book from the author of The Golden Spoon and this cozy mystery did not disappoint. While there were some aspects of the book that were not surprising, others were pleasant twists.

The novel centers on a woman named Alex who, after moving to a big city, is offered the chance to take over the advice column at a major newspaper following the mysterious death of the previous columnist. Her curiosity is piqued when she stumbles upon a cryptic note, leading her to delve into the circumstances of her predecessor’s demise.

The story thoughtfully addresses significant issues, and I appreciated the depth with which the author explored these themes. Alex, as the main character, is wonderfully crafted—imbued with both an intriguing air of mystery and a relatable humaneness. This book beautifully weaves together elements of strength, community, and instinct, making it a compelling read that resonates on multiple levels.

Alex’s favorite advice columnist dies. She decides to apply for the position and gets the job. Her first column is a massive hit! And then she discovers that perhaps her predecessor was murdered and sets out to discover who did it. Meanwhile, her job is going well and her assistant is a lifesaver. Together they find the letters to which Alex responds in the paper. Along the way, Alex begins to get threatening letters - and the writer knows too much about her personal life. An enjoyable read - thanks to NetGalley!

This was much darker than I expected and the execution of the story was very layered. I was interested the whole time and found the characters to be fully developed.

I enjoyed this book. I knew nothing going into this but it was a great read. Solid thriller/ suspense

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one 40% in. I tried to read it on my kindle and couldn’t get into it so I waited till the audiobook came out and I still couldn’t get into it. Not much is happening and nothing was grabbing my attention to keep me reading.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for an arc copy in exchange for my honest review.

A cryptic mystery that was a bit of a slow build for me but I could really see the payoff! This was my second Jessa Maxwell novel and she really does not disappoint. The first pages were just so gripping in this one. I do wish the momentum of those first couple of pages stayed up, but overall a great read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books Publicity Department for the advanced reading copy of this book. This book had a bit of a slow start for me, but by the end, I absolutely loved it! It's a classic whodunit mystery with some surprising twists that kept me hooked, especially in the second half. The characters were fantastic and really added to the experience, which is always a bonus. Overall, a compelling and enjoyable read!

I Need You To Read This by Jessa Maxwell is a mystery set in NYC in the field of journalism. Alex has been stuck in a rut but her life takes a turn for the better when she begins a new job as an advice columnist. She's replacing a woman who was found dead at her summer cottage under possibly mysterious circumstances. Through plenty of twists and turns Alex soon gets caught up in a world she hadn't planned on visiting. Read and enjoy!

This took me a little while to get into but ohhhh man when it picked up, it picked UP.

An absolute page turner that you will no doubt finish in one sitting. I LOVED the dynamic between Alex and her diner-detective-gang friends, Janice and Raymond.

While I feel like the intro lagged a tiny bit for me, the pacing was overall fantastic and the last 100 pages had my pulse racing when Alex’s mysterious past and present come to a head. And that final twist? My jaw was on the floor.

Definitely make this your next fall mystery read!

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC for
Atria via NetGalley. Really unique premise for a thriller in a wonderful setting. I liked the interspersed letters that were included. I was hoping the twist would be a bit “twistier,” but it was still an enjoyable resolution. I enjoyed the themes of found family, standing up for yourself, and how “therapy speak” can be used against victims. I really enjoyed Jessa’s style, I’ll have to look up her other book!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jessa Maxwell for allowing me to review this twisty suspenseful mystery. This is the second book I have read by this author and I have loved both so much. I just love the pacing and writing style. This book keeps you guessing and I didn’t expect any of it! I also love the storyline. It’s a very unique idea. I always enjoy books about writing and this one was a great one. I can’t wait to read more from this author. I think this book and her last one would both make excellent movies or tv series. Thank you again for allowing me to review this twisty mystery.

Francis Keen, the writer known as the beloved *Dear Constance*, has just been tragically murdered. The newspaper quickly tries to fill the position, and in an attempt to see the criteria being used to fill this unfillable role, a drunk Alex Marks applies for the job. Alex goes from a nobody to the most important somebody, and her past finally finds her. As she navigates her unexpected new career, Alex finds herself entangled in a web of mystery surrounding Francis's death, all while receiving ominous letters that threaten her own life. Does this have anything to do with Francis, or is someone out to get Alex for a different reason?

Author Jessa Maxwell has this story paced perfectly! Suspense builds throughout the whole novel and the ending wraps the story up with a tidy little bow.

For those who enjoy a blend of mystery and character-driven storytelling, this novel is a must read. Thank you Atria Books for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This cover was more enjoyable than the book itself. I feel like the blurb for this is a smidge misleading. The plot goes off in left field at about 80% percent. Prior to this, it was very repetitive. I enjoyed the author's previous book more. I would still give future books a chance.

The advice columnist for the Herald Newspaper recently died and they are looking to replace her. On a whim our main character Alex decided to fill out the application form. When Alex starts at the newspaper she starts to find, read, and learn weird things and comes across information she probably should not know. Alex starts to dig deeper into what happened to the previous advice columnist and it may not be the best idea to do so.

This book kept me guessing. It had twists and turns all over the place. I enjoyed the pacing and Jessa did an amazing job revealing the mysteries throughout the book!

Thank you Jessa Maxwell, Atria Books, and NetGalley for and eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was disappointed I didn’t like this book. It was a slow start, like it didn’t get good until 60% of the way slow. I almost dnf this book because I really was like what is the point of this book until 60%. There’s like 3 different plot lines going on and they sort of end of mixing together but in a really sloppy way. The end also leaves you with some loose ends. The concept is interesting but not really page turning and there were so many other story lines going on that it just didn’t blend well.

I enjoyed the short chapters.

Alex has escaped something in her past, we just don’t know what. As a writer, she has a pretty mundane job until on a whim she applies for a job as an advice columnist for the Herald. The previous columnist, Frances Keen, was someone Alex revered, but when she was found murdered, the column lay dormant. That is until a new columnist is hired. When Alex gets the job, she has to step out of her shell and come out of hiding. Feeling completely out of her league, when especially when she starts to receive threatening letters, she decides to dig in instead of running. She’s determined to find out what really happened to Frances before it’s too late for her. This was a slower paced read, with some darker aspects, but with a cast of eccentric characters, it was a fun one. Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.