The comfort this book brought me is unmatched. This is a quick read with a great story. Really there are so many intertwined stories and mysteries that will be solved by the end. One question I couldn't answer until the last few pages was, who was Howard speaking to in the stairwell about the knife? I came to the conclusion that it must have been his private detective.
Some parts of this book didn't make sense when the first happened, like Lucy and Howard's relationship. The questions and things I had chopped up to be poor writing turned into a more complicated and advanced literature.

You will enjoy this mystery, and I look forward to reading more from this author.

TW/CW: Language, drinking, alcoholism, assault, anxiety, cheating, domestic abuse, violence

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:
Alex Marks’s move to New York City is supposed to be a fresh start. She plans to lay low with her mundane copywriting job but the news of the murder of her childhood hero, Francis Keen, throws her for a loop. Beloved staff writer and the woman behind the famous advice column, Dear Constance , Keen’s death is a shock to her countless fans and readers.

When Alex sees an advertisement searching for her replacement, she impulsively applies, never expecting to actually get the job. But almost immediately, she begins to receive strange letters at the office and soon, Alex wonders why the murderer has never been found. Worse, she can’t help but question if her new boss and editor-in-chief, Howard Dimitri, was involved with Keen’s death.
Release Date: August 13th, 2024
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 304
Rating:

What I Liked:
1. Writing was descent
2. Quick chapters

What I Didn't Like:
1. Many plot conflicting things happening
2. Nothing happens
3. Boring
4. That ending
5. I hate Alex

Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}

I wish that the author would have told us how she met Raymond and how she became friends with him. It's so vague and this person's just there.

"On today’s docket : Colesna , a stomach pill to offset the damage from one of the company’s other medications. From there the day yawns and then contracts. An afternoon snack, rarely a full dinner. Some popcorn from a bag, kettle corn if the corner deli has it. Maybe a few cookies or a bowl of noodles. Always a glass of wine, maybe two, usually three."
Why can't books ever let women eat? Have you noticed this lately? Every book has women eating the bare amount of food. But notice men in the books always are gorging on a ton of food. Raymond at the diner is gorging on tons of coffee and eight slices of toast smothered in butter but all that she gets is a bagel with cream cheese and jam and then she ends the day with a bag of kettle corn. What is this obsession with making women eat so little in books?

And of course of course she drinks glass after glass of wine for dinner because we can't have a sane woman who isn't an alcoholic and doesn't eat.

They went through 500 emails that fast in a few days?? Isn't that abnormally fast? She managed to answer the sample questions so perfectly while drunk too.

"We are prepared to offer you the job on a probationary basis.”
The offer that she ends up getting though makes it sound like it's a permanent position it even gives her like insurance and how much she'll make for the year so I'm confused how this is probationary if it's not even included in the offer.

I guess the Hareld newspaper does not do background checks because she goes to an interview on Thursday and is already starting work on Monday. I mean I've had jobs I've done less and still had to complete a background check, but okay in this world they just hire anyone and don't care about their history. Not only that but she didn't even really give her work any kind of notice.

I am really confused on her relationship with Janice and Raymond. She sees them almost every morning and tells them about her life for the last - I guess seven years, but they're not in her phone and she wouldn't call them to tell them about the job first thing.

There's a knock on Alex's office door and we already knew it was going to be a woman and we already know that they're going to start hanging out going to lunch. Just this is my prediction.

I bet Frances was blackmailing people from all the letters she got and emails.

Another mention that Alex is living on coffee muffins and bagels. Of course we can't go a few pages without being reminded how little Alex is eating.

How has Alex turned this cushy job into this complex job where she can't even eat or sleep all week. She literally has to pick one email or letter a week and then reply back to it with some stupid irrelevant piece of advice. It's not that complicated. She answered three sample ones in no time and very randomly all well drunk. Suddenly now she can't even function.

Alex goes on a date with Tom for dinner I guess they order pasta but it bothers me that we skipped over that she even ate any of it because it's not even mentioned she even took a bite. We get a part where Tom takes two bites but Alex is never mentioned even eating the salad nor the pasta. I just I can't tell if the author is saying that Alex has an ed or we just skip over women eating in books totally. Yes yes I know that I've mentioned this a hundred times probably three or four different times in my review but I swear to God this is my pet peeve a thrillers. They do the thing where they starve women.

130 pages into the book and nothing has even happened. Is there anything thrilling going to happen???

How have we jump from Howard having an affair with a woman in his office that suddenly Francis caught them having sex and that's why she was murdered? I tell you thrillers are the most jump the shark story lines ever. Like why would you put those two things together? Why is she so obsessed with her boss? Why doesn't she just go to work and do the job? I am finding Alex a ridiculous character. She is building a mountain out of a molehill. There is nothing here but she is just inventing this crazy story. She's been there for a week!!!

What year is this book taking place in? It must be like 1998. I think that was the last time newspaper articles for advice were relevant. But we have these people running around at the newspaper acting like Alex's column advice was amazing so life-changing it's been posted everywhere on social media. I just again what year is this? I don't understand why she has to be in the office 5 days a week to write this article. Why would she need to be there in person when they could just send her all the stuff to work from home or she would just go into the office once a week. I am confused how this is $120,000 job.

I think Lucy was sexually assaulted but it's hard to tell if he hit on her and nothing happened past that or that he forced himself on her.

Would love if Alex quit calling Lucy "young". Over and over.

Lost girl = Alex.

How ridiculous that the piano player would remember Howard as a famous newspaper person and can even remember the person he was with what she was wearing and what she looked like.

Lost girl says that she has money but all that's stopping her from leaving her man is a ride to the airport... What? That's it??

It's so weird fight with Tom and Alex is so over the top and insane to me. He's like not shaving because he's so upset and she's like bitterly angry at him, but let's remember these two have only went on a date twice. Two dates and they are going through this.

Oh no Lost Girl is Alex who could have seen that. She's randomly getting this letter that she wrote but did not send now in her mail at the office. Perhaps it's the man she left behind who is the one doing all this

I'm trying to understand why Alex feels this obsessive need to solve the death of Francis. It doesn't make any sense. She literally learns that someone knows who she is and has her letter from her old life but she overhears Howard talking about the murder weapon at the beach house, so this is the biggest thing she has to go do now is find the murder weapon because she wants to prove it was him. Why is she causing so much more drama in her life?

How does Alex know where Francis is beach house is? Does she just remember it from memory from the newspaper?

We learned that Francis actually did right back to Alex and all she did was tell her everything Alex already wanted to do, which was leave so I suppose this is why Alex feels this sense of responsibility to solve what happened to Francis, but it's been 8 months and she hasn't done anything suddenly now she feels this overwhelming since of responsibility.

Jonathan even tells Alex that there is no person named Lucy that was an assistant of Francis but all the lights are off in the house and does Alex leave the house when she has an opportunity hearing this news, no she goes to ask Lucy if this information is true. Why would Jonathan lie to her? Why does she feel the need to go and do stupid things? I want to hit Alex so bad.

How did Alex never once mention to Johnathan or anyone else abiut Lucy???

Oh my God so Lucy is the brother of Alex's ex-boyfriend. She's seeking revenge for her older brother. Did I step into a soap opera? How stupid. Talk about setting us up for an ending we would have never guessed. How did we even know that Brian had a younger sister? I don't even remember this. And that she would be this obsessed to help her brother find this woman that he was dating.

This book exhausted me. Why would Lucy pick this time upon any other time to want to have Brian show up and approach Alex if she thinks that Howard is on his way to the house? It doesn't make any sense.

Janice shows up to francis's house because she called the office randomly to ask about where Alex is and he who has never met Janice before gives her the address rather than calling the police. What are we even doing in this book? Why would Janice show up? It doesn't make any sense. Is this normal behavior that if someone doesn't answer their cell phone then clearly call their office. Why would she need to get a hold of Alex this badly that she would then need to call her work to try and figure out where she was to then be directed that she went to a beach house. Oh and then Raymond shows up with a gun too.

Look I'll tell you who killed Francis. It was Regina. Regina killed Francis because she found out about the affair with her husband and her she wanted to get her husband out of the way so she put the knife in her husband's drawer that day when she was in the office. She wanted to get her husband out of the office because remember she said she wanted that job so my guess is that she framed her husband for the murder of his mistress so that she could get the job.

I can't the whole time Lucy has been obsessed with her brother so much so that she kidnapped a person so that he could talk to her and was even willing to have her murdered, but what really changes her mind is that she finds out that her brother lied about the suicidal attempt from Alex and that really her brother was trying to kill alex. But wasn't he going to kill Alex now anyways and Lucy was okay with it? She then shoots her own brother.

Oh then Regina admits for some weird reason to Alex that she did Kill Francis and buried the knife in the garden. So Jonathan manages to approach the hospital room right at that time and says he heard it too. Well that's great grand and wonderful but good luck proving it because of her fingerprints aren't on it what is that going to do. Is the thing we like to call in the law world called hearsay which means that just cuz she's somebody else heard it doesn't mean that you can take somebody to court over it.

Oh my God Regina really does go to prison in this book all because Jonathan overheard her saying that. Get out of town seriously. I just can't even believe this so the father just kept on Jonathan and Alex despite them being the one that had his daughter sent to prison. Am I reading this right?

Is it ever explained how Regina caught on that they were having an affair? Cuz I don't remember reading how she knew.

Also why is Regina keep talking about how Alex helped put Howard in prison when she didn't even do anything??

Final Thoughts:
Normally I would have some great thoughts about some stuff that happened in this book but I'm going to be honest with you this is the worst book I think I've ever read. There are so many plot holes and conflicting things that happen in it that make no sense. This is the most ridiculous book I've ever read in my life.

Thank you NetGalley!
I really did not like this book. The Golden Spoon was such a fun thriller but this one fell so flat for me. This book started so slow and boring. I didn’t love the main character Alex either. I did not care about anything that happened whatsoever. I’m disappointed I didn’t enjoy this book.

The story begins slowly with Alex Marks relocating to New York City for a fresh start, only to land a mundane copywriting job. On a whim, she applies to take over the “Dear Constance” advice column from her idol, Francis Keen. However, 30% into the book, the plot hasn’t progressed much. The column snippets are frequent, and the identity of “Lost Girl” is apparent from the second letter.

The narrative then shifts to an investigation into the murder of Francis Keen, the original “Dear Constance.” Alex embarks on a new meet-cute relationship, and the past of her friend from the diner is revealed, leading to a convoluted exploration of Alex’s troubled history. The plot feels scattered and unfocused.

Despite being marketed as a captivating mystery with elements of suspense and thriller, I found these aspects lacking. There is a twist at the end, but it wasn’t compelling enough to justify reading the entire book. The sudden revelation of a character’s identity felt obvious and out of place.

I was lukewarm about Jessa Maxwell’s first book, The Golden Spoon, and this latest work has confirmed that her writing style doesn’t resonate with me.

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