In this story we have FBI agent Ryan who is trying to start a new life in Maine after a horrible personal situation who changed Ryan and left him no longer able to feel life. So he took this job in Maine where no one else wants to go and that’s for good reason its surrounding an Indian Reservation which has it’s own laws and governing. So when a body suddenly floats up and Ryan is given the call he is not only trying to figure out who did it but also trying not to upset the natives.

I liked the narrator in this a lot I feel he had the perfect voice for this character and did a great job. For me I just wanted a bit more from the story and I felt the very end of it was very much out of no where.

This book was different. I thought the plot was really great but the characters were really dull. I was interested to know what was going on but I didn't care about any of the characters and I was a little bored in places. It felt like it was trying a bit hard to be profound but had the characters been a little more rounded, it would have been an excellent mystery.

real shame. Missed the mark for me.

3 stars

This book was a hard listen and couldn’t finish. Just feel like it kept giving useless information. And never really got to the point.

I couldn't wait to start this mystery novel which takes place on the coast of Maine. Having just spent a week traveling the coast, I think Thomas Ricks captured the small town coastal feel, rich with imagery and descriptive detail I felt transported back to Maine . I enjoyed the nuggets of historical facts sprinkled throughout the story. While the book has been labeled mystery...it is also about healing from trauma, and other themes I won't share so as not to add spoilers. The mystery develops slowly and in a good way. Often times I forgot their was a murder to solve and that there would be a motive for that murder. Ricks does very well in bringing it all together in the end, though for reasons that left me feeling downhearted for the victims. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and look forward to future fictional novels from Thomas Ricks. Great book title! The narration was heartfelt and enjoyable. #EveryoneKnowsButYou #NetGalley

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced audio edition of Everyone Knows But You by Thomas E. RIcks.

First off, unfortunately, I was not a fan of the narrator. He did capture the necessary emotion of the story, especially when introducing us to the tragedy of the main character. I found myself going back and forth from reading, to listening, just to be able to accurately understand the story.

There was plenty to enjoy about this book. I liked the tiny, mysterious town. I enjoyed the main characters, even the seedy ones who engaged in overlooked criminal behavior. It was a decent mystery. The ending was fairly abrupt, but I get the sense that this will be a continuing series. Nothing about this story blew my mind, but I did enjoy it.

"Everyone Knows But You: A Tale of Murder on the Maine Coast" by Thomas E. Ricks is a murder mystery/ crime novel. It's set in Ilaho, Maine on Liberty Island, modern day.

Ryan Tapia is an FBI agent recovering from personal tragedy and sent to Bangor, Maine. There has been a murder of a lobsterman, and Ryan is sent to solve it.

Liberty Island has a tight-knit community and a different culture than Ryan has ever experienced.

Characters - 4/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 4/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Narration - 4/5 by Graham Rowat
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 30/8 = 3 6/8 rounded up to 4 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Tantor Audio, and Thomas E. Ricks for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is an edgy book, with dark corners and interesting characters from start to finish. We have a dead body, and a new-to-town FBI agent investigating, and no one wants him to solve the mystery and make any arrests. They're all hiding secrets and withholding information, and Ryan can't figure out if it's the fact that he's an outsider or a bigger conspiracy. The local drug dealer cracked me up, how irreverent and open he was, and I loved the tribal connections where he had to tippy-toe so as not to cause bigger problems. This was a very nuanced book about a dead man everyone hated and no one misses, and an investigator who chose to be banished to this remote location, which adds to the distrust the townsfolk feel toward him, making his frustration palpable.

Everyone Knows But You by Thomas E. Ricks was well-written but a bit difficult to get through. Even though the audiobook is only 6 hours long, it felt like a much longer book. I thought the story was interesting and I enjoyed the ending, it was just a bit slow. It's very atmospheric. I feel like if you like slower police procedurals with good backstories, then you'll like it.

I listened to an advanced readers copy audiobook thanks to the publisher and Netfalley of pulitzer prize winning author Thomas Rick's first novel, Everyone Knows But You: A Tale of Murder on the Maine Coast. The novel is the story of FBI agent Ryan Tapia who was re-assigned from San Diego to Maine, after his family was killed in a car accident. The story involves the murder of a lobster man on a small island in Northeast Maine, next to an Indian reservation. Because the crime took place on tribal land, it became a federal crime. The novel is in part the story of the FBI agent's efforts to break through the closed nature of the communities to solve the crime, and it is just as much the story of Ryan's efforts to make sense of his life. The title of the book is quite telling, but I'll leave that to you the reader to sort it out. The novel is short, and the audiobook is a mere 6 hours, but the story is compelling, and Ryan's road to redemption is equally interesting as the murder itself.

This book was just fine for me. I loved the setting as I’m from New England and could clearly picture everything, but ultimately, I feel like nothing much happened in this book. I felt it was more literary than crime/mystery.

Mostly, the book was slow paced. I felt like the murder was glossed over and there were a lot of languid descriptions of other things. Then suddenly, the murder is solved and the murderer gives a full confession. Then in the epilogue a relationship starts? The last 10% of the book felt rushed, especially when compared to the vast majority of the book.

Unfortunately, I didn’t love any of the characters, and didn’t feel connected to any of them. While Agent Tapia’s personal history is heartbreaking, I couldn’t really connect to him.

I’m going to be honest and say I didn’t love the narrator. At times I felt like I was spacing out while listening (both from the plot and the way it was read) and other times I felt he was too “peppy” for the content he was reading.

I will say: the victim deserved to be murdered. And I did love that it was a case of the good guy getting the bad guy. To note: the reason is a huge potential trigger, so please check the book’s trigger warning(s).

Thank you Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Quick cozy like murder mystery. Gives the vibes of a whodunnit you’d watch on PBS.

The novel is spent mostly describing the lay of the land, its history, its people and back stories. Some of it unnecessary, but other details play a role for what’s to come.

The narrator was good, but a bit happy go lucky and felt out of place given the subject.

Release date is June 25, 2024.

If you're a fan of mystery novels with a touch of the macabre and a strong sense of place, "Everyone Knows But You" is a good listen. The narrator of this audiobook immerses you in the rugged coast of Maine, where the body of a fisherman is discovered washed up on federal land.

Our protagonist, Detective Ryan Tapia, is newly relocated to this small, tight-knit community. Tapia's arrival in Maine isn't just a career move; it's a fresh start after leaving his life and the accident that changed it behind. The narration captures Tapia's blend of determination and vulnerability perfectly, drawing listeners into his internal and external struggles.

The plot thickens as Detective Tapia discovers that the fisherman's boat has mysteriously ended up on a nearby Indian Reserve. This twist not only adds layers to the investigation but also introduces a rich cultural backdrop. The interactions with the reserve's residents are portrayed with respect and depth.

As Detective Tapia delves deeper into the case, he uncovers secrets that the town would rather keep buried. The suspense builds steadily, with enough red herrings and twists to keep even seasoned mystery fans guessing. Tapia's journey is as much about solving the crime as it is about understanding the community he's become a part of and, ultimately, himself.

"Everyone Knows But You" is a good listen, combining a gripping mystery with rich character development and an interesting location. Whether you're a fan of detective stories or just looking for an audiobook to get lost in, this one could be for you.

Many thanks to NetGally for this ALC 🎧. All opinions are my own.

Everyone Knows But You (audio)
2⭐️

Setting driven in a small fishing community in Maine. Even though the plot revolves around a murder, I wouldn’t consider this a thriller. More general fiction/mystery.

FBI agent Ryan Tapia has been assigned to a murder case after a man is found washed ashore. This was the first time I’ve literally not cared how/why/who killed the victim. The victim was unliked by all and besides MC’s professional responsibility, literally no one else in the book was interested/fazed by the crime.

I liked that the chapters had titles. It’s not something I see often, but I enjoy the little glimpse into the chapter right at the beginning.

I struggled with the lack of emotion and pace of the book as a whole. It felt monotone-the actual writing, not the narrator voice, if that makes sense.
MC had zero relationships and connections (until a rushed ending, seemingly out of nowhere). I would understand if it was a character choice, but it was just how the whole book was written. More factual than deep.

Some parts felt like slow motion, taking in every minute detail, and other parts (the reveal at the end and introduction of a relationship in the epilogue) felt like they were in fast forward speed. Just quickly laying out major information to check it off a list and moving on. The “FBI Agent” title meant absolutely nothing to everyone. Ex: casually telling an agent about all the hard drugs you sell…Characters easily admitted to crimes. Again, all the characters were one-dimensional and all followed the same patterns.

Specific to the audiobook: the character voices were not differentiated from each other, or the regular narration. Sometimes I didn’t know if someone was talking or simply just being described.

Thank you NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this audio ARC.

Pub Date Jun 25 2024

This book spent too much time on character background and seemed unfocused. There wan’t much information about the crime that happened. I finished it, but didn’t enjoy it. Thanks NetGalley for letting me listen to it, even though I didn’t enjoy it.

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas Ricks and Tanor audio for the audio arc of Everyone Knows But You.
Narrated by Graham Rowat

Everyone knows but you is a slow burning thriller set in Maine.. Ryan Tapia starts a new life in Maine after life changing events. A dead body of a fisherman turns up, no one seems bothered and the residents are wondering why Ryan has been posted out to such a remote place.

This is a beautifully written crime thriller through the eyes of someone coping with grief and his new way of life. The plot has some good twists and the plot line is slow burn mainly building the new world Ryan has been thrown into while nicely weaved into a mystery. You get a sense of the pain and heartache he's endured but he's still astute and likeable. Looking forward to seeing more of Detective Tapia.

Narrated by Graham Rowat, who is a delight to listen to. His voice really suits this narrative

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

An FBI agent relegated to a remote part of Maine needs to solve a murder as an outsider. Unlike some reviewers I enjoyed learning more about this outlying island region of a place I've never been. Learning some facts about the area and its people was an interesting background. But the case was so secondary...and perhaps that was somewhat purposeful. I just felt it was wrapped up succinctly before I barely had a chance to begin to unravel the particulars.
The narrator has a nice enough voice, but definitely one affect which wasn't necessarily fitting with this type of story, in my opinion.
If Ricks continues with Ryan Tapia, FBI agent, in future books, however, I'd be interested to see if there is more character development.
Thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for this ARC.

This debut crime mystery set in Maine sounded interesting and like something that would make a great listen while camping or laying on the beach but I didn't love the narrator and had a really difficult time getting into the story. It turned out to be a DNF for me around 20% unfortunately. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

Audiobook Review: Everyone Knows But You by Thomas E. Ricks, Narrated by Graham Rowat

A short, audio mystery that, unfortunately, didn't quite hit the mark for me. While the production quality was excellent, I found the narration peculiar; Rowat's consistently cheerful tone felt out of place given the mystery genre, diminishing the tension and intrigue that one typically expects from such a story.

The narrative itself often deviated into lengthy descriptions of people, places, and fishing techniques. While some listeners might appreciate this detailed world-building, I felt it detracted from the central mystery. The pacing suffered as a result, with the mystery seemingly reaching an abrupt resolution around the 90% mark, making it feel rushed and somewhat anti-climactic.

Overall, the story came across to be filled with more focus on the setting than on the plot's progression. This might work better for listeners looking for a light, undemanding mystery where they can enjoy the atmosphere without needing to engage deeply with the plot.

Perhaps this audiobook is the first in a series and might improve in subsequent installments. For now, though, it seems best suited to those who prefer a short, straightforward mystery without too many thrills. Special thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, the author, and the narrator for providing the audiobook.

Rating: 3.5/5

Seeing that a book is set in Maine will always stir my curiosity. I always want to see if a book is able to capture the vibe of my state. I never thought I'd encounter the situation where a strong sense of place would be the problem for a book. There are things that this book does very well. I just don't believe any of them service the narrative in the way the author intended.

Let me start with the positive. It is clear that Rick has a passion and love for the area. He delves deeply into the industry details, local and indigenous history, as well as geography. There are many great details about the ecology and even things like yes, basketball is that big of a thing here. I had also never considered the local view of ranking people to a caste system, but that's not far off. I will forgive the creative liberties when it comes to liberal drug and alcohol use as I can't claim that people in rural areas aren't a little lax about certain types of things, but I'd rather say not to the extent implied by a character or two. It was a pleasant surprise. It tries very hard to flush out the environment so that this isn't just a 'small town rejecting foreigners' story line.

The details in which he poured so much care into kept leading me to believe he would have written a very successful historical fiction if he so desired. It also makes this a great book for anyone you know who loves, has an interest, or is bound to visit Maine.

Unfortunately, there is so much energy put into showing people about the state that it feels like the actual mystery and character development are only secondary to this passion. There are also small details that may be obvious tip offs to a resident but be lost on someone not familiar for the history.
That, or it's just an oversight. (Please see end of review if interested in a slight divergence concerning two elements that are rather state-resident specific 'wait...hold on' notes)

To be frank, while there is great attention of detail in the area, and it is a serviceable local crime story, it lacks the finesse and charisma of those with a strong background in the genre. It spends so much time paying homage to the state that it fails to put the same energy into building the layers of the crime and backstory. They felt more thrown in there. I kept getting the impression that this was more a story about someone finding solace and trying to heal, to get to know the area, than someone caught up in a murder case. There were so many informational detours and sections that even if they weren't felt like abrupt POV changes that it was hard to keep focused on the crux of the matter. By the time the reveals started to fall into place it was more an 'oh. okay, I guess' reaction rather than an 'Oooh how did I miss that'.

I wish I could say that was the only weak point. Creative license is important. Sometimes you need a plot device. But as a resident of a town smaller than even the one in this book but with strong ocean and community ties, I can assure you that no one who is one of the 'real' residents is ever goin to open up so much so quickly to an outsider. They might if it meant bringing someone to justice for 'hurting one of their own'. You are not going to have someone who's dealing squeal on their entire operation. This is equally true if you are even mostly clear of personal implication. Any local dealers who ever did tell were as part of a bargaining chip, usually targeting competitors, and they instantly ruin their reputation at home which essentially destroys many of their venues.

the absolute tipping point for me, however, was the epilogue. i am normally cautious of mysteries written by men as more often than not there is a very specific type of use of certain categories of characters that I'm not fond of. I appreciated the author's lead having respect and depicting a strong and hard working woman. The conversation they have about relationship structures was incredibly appreciated. But holy hannah, out of the blue thrown in your face at the last minute...quite frankly if felt rushed and just thrown in to have it be there. Honestly? I found myself a little disappointed by the conclusion and angry at this type of scene just being duct taped on.

I don't want to discourage people from picking this up. Despite all these issues I would still consider another book by this author. If I understand correctly he is highly acclaimed in non-fiction and I can see those footprints here. I think a lot of these flaws come from it being a debut in such a different genre. There is a lot of potential here, and room to grow. This particular story just wasn't very successful for me.

I will give this three stars due to appreciation for trying to bring the vibe of Maine to readers, but for a mystery/crime/thriller reader, I'm sorry to say the experience was lower.

local nitpicks:
I am not a tribal member, but I try to educate myself on indigenous histories. So I do appreciate the care Rick took to provide some history of the area where they were concerned. Unless it is a great gap in my knowledge or I am mishearing the narrator, he even goes so far to build an original tribe as to not inadvertently infringe or project traits upon an existing people. But for all his research there were two things of a superficial nature that were used as plot devices that really through me off. Superficial for most readers, but I can't help but note them in an attempt to clarify this.

There's one section where a representative of the Passamaquoddy people are asking why the FBI are harassing his people. This is a tribe primarily in the east of the state. The lead is working out of Bangor and going between there and the Bar Harbor region and notes that he's taken off from Bass Harbor. This is in Penobscot and Hancock counties in the center of the state. So there is little reason that a representative of a tribe not in the region would be on more alert than one closer by. But the part that anyone from anywhere in part of the state would be thrown off by.

There is no way anyone, particularly someone so concerned with tribal affairs and local lingo and geography, wouldn't know what "Orono" is given that it is a neighbor to one of the most predominant indigenous communities in the state. It is also home to the largest state university (So yes, Go Blackbears ;) )

Many thanks to NetGalley and Tantor Audio for the free e-audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Thomas E. Ricks. I think this one should be read and not listened to. The narrator sounded a bit like an auctioneer reading the book with his rapid fire diction and very little difference between the characters.

After his wife and two children are violently killed in a horrific car crash, Ryan Tapia, an FBI agent, transfers to the other side of the US to starts a new life in Maine. But his first case is the corpse of a fisherman washing up onto an Indian reservation which is federal land. Liberty Island is full of generational families that have lived there since their ancestors received their plots after fighting in the revolutionary war. The island people only trust those that they have known for years and take care of their own. Many of the locals are happy to see this fisherman dead. Everyone on the Island knows who the murder is except for Ryan.

The book gets off to a slow start but quickly builds once the reader gets to know the colorful people that live in this part of Maine. I am not sure if it was the story or the narrator, but it took a bit of time to get into this one and once I did, I wanted to continue it to the end. Its a fairly basic police procedural story but what makes it interesting and entertaining are the unusual people, their sarcasm and wit. They have known each other forever and are all in on the secret and watch and wait for Ryan to figure it out.

Definitely a solid story, and I recommend the book!