In suburban East Bethesda, Maryland, neighbors Aimee Stern, Gwen Khoury, and Lisa Greco-King are all friends. Lisa highly values her relationship with Aimee and has become increasingly envious since Gwen and her family moved in. Following one of their weekly family get-togethers, where there was tension among the friends, Gwen's husband Anton, who is an author, was discovered dead in an alley near a local bar. After the police determined it was a homicide, they found out that Aimee's husband Scott was one of the last people to see Anton alive. Aimee can't help recalling Anton whispering to her at the barbeque, "You deserve to know." Through flashbacks and present-day developments, the truth behind the lives of these families shockingly unfolds.

Author Aggie Blum Thompson's latest domestic thriller, You Deserve to Know, implodes a seemingly tranquil cul-de-sac filled with quite a dysfunctional group. It's a clever plot filled with twists and surprises that keep coming. What a ride!

4.25 stars.

3 stars for "You Deserve to Know". I found this title to be much less of a thriller & more of a Domestic Suspense" genre. There's a lot of suburban, upper middle class people acting badly & I did not really care for any of the 3 women or their spouses. There were, however, some tense moments and I did want to know "whodunit", so I did keep reading for that. Overall, just kinda "meh" for me. My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the advance digital readers copy, I appreciate it.

You guys, I have a confession. And it’s that I’m a SUCKER for a multiple perspective domestic thriller centring on an eel that group of friends in the suburbs. It’s like I watched Big Little Lies, made it my entire personality, and have been on the hunt for books in that same vein ever since. Friends…this book is it.

This is an absolutely gripping thriller set in a glossy suburban environment. We meet three couples right at the beginning of the book: Gwen & Anton, Lisa & Marcus, and Aimee & Scott. Lisa and Aimee have been friends for a while, while Gwen is a newer addition to the group. The couples all vacation together, have backyard BBQs together, and the kids are all friends.

One night, something does horribly wrong for one of these characters and then life is not the same for any of the others, as we encounter twist after twist.

I won’t say anything more, except to tell you to read this book! I enthusiastically recommend this book and will be keeping an eye out for new releases from this author!

Ridiculously fun from start to finish.

I have a love/hate relationship with domestic thrillers. You Deserve to Know falls into the former category. With a vibrant set of characters and a plot that goes absolutely bonkers, this book had me shouting out loud so many times!

Within a friend group of three couples, neighbors in a picturesque cul-del-sac, we learn very quickly that each of them has complexities going on within and separate from the rest of the group. With disappearances, death, and endless secrets, we follow this propulsion of shock after shock as we peek behind the curtain. These characters are wild!

I really enjoyed the dynamic between characters. Seeing how each interacts so differently with one another; seeing how the events within the pages snowball into the funnest insanity… this was a GREAT time!

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This really had me intrigued until maybe the last quarter of the book. It bums me out when good mysteries end up going in a direction that loses my interest! 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

3.75 stars. This is a fast-paced domestic thriller involving three very dysfunctional couples that live in the same neighborhood. It had some good twists and turns and made for a good, fast read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Aggie Blum Thompson knows a thing or two about secrets. Before she started writing thrillers, she spent years digging up dirt as a crime reporter for The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. Now she's turned that investigative instinct loose on Georgetown's glossy social scene in You Deserve to Know.

The story follows Gwen, a PR executive with a picture-perfect life - or so it seems. She's got a successful husband, twin boys, and a knack for throwing parties that make other moms jealous. But beneath the designer clothes and holiday decorations, something's not quite right in her privileged circle of mom friends.

Thompson writes like the reporter she used to be - sharp, precise, and with an eye for the details that matter. She brings Georgetown to life, from its cobblestone streets to its whispered gossip, making the setting feel like another character in the story. Each revelation hits like a fresh headline, keeping you turning pages well past bedtime.

What makes this book stick with you isn't just the twists (though they're good). It's how Thompson peels back the layers of her characters until you see the mess underneath their makeup. These aren't just cardboard cut-out rich people behaving badly - they're complex, flawed, and frustratingly real.

Sure, you've seen the setup before: wealthy suburb, perfect families, dark secrets. But Thompson brings something fresh to the table. She writes about privilege the way a war correspondent might write about conflict - with an outsider's clarity and an insider's understanding. The result is a thriller that's as smart as it is entertaining, proving why Thompson has earned her nickname as "the master of the suburban scandal."

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the advanced reader copy.

4.5 stars

You Deserve to Know eases you into the world of upper middle class DC families, making it seem like the book will be a domestic slice of life tale. But when the husband of one of the families is found dead in an alley things take a turn. And then keep turning. While some of the reveals were more easily seen than others, I enjoyed the ride. The ending felt a bit forced, hence the loss of half a star, but this is a great book for readers of domestic thrillers.

You Deserve to Know is out March 11, 2025

- took some time to get used to the characters and who was married to who
- at first, it was a slow burn, but about 30% of the way through the book really picked up
- enjoyed the characters and how they did seem distinct from each other (working moms, husbands who were supportive or spent all day at work)
- some frustration builds throughout because you want to know what's going to happen to each character and how they are involved in what's going on in the neighbourhood
- enjoyed the ending and how it was tied together

would recommend for your next read!

thank you!

Whoa! Talk about dysfunctional neighborhoods!
Three inseparable families. The parents all insisting they’re the best of friends. But pull back the curtain to expose major rips in that fabric of friendship. And it’s about to tear them completely apart!

"You deserve to know"…A hushed whisper from the husband of one couple to the wife of another. That’s all it takes and boom…let the murder and mayhem begin!

Oh my! Just when you think this is as far as these couple’s will go…Brace yourself. Things are about to let loose. Right up to the very end!

If neighborhood drama is your jam then don’t miss this latest!

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group

This book was such a wild, entertaining ride! I’ll admit, it took me a little while to keep the characters and couples straight—the names felt a bit generic, and I kept mixing people up at first—but once I settled in, I couldn’t stop reading. The story centers on three close friends in a quiet, suburban neighborhood whose lives are thrown into chaos after one of their husbands is found murdered. As secrets unravel and new layers of truth come to light, the perfect image of their friendship and community begins to crack in fascinating, twisty ways.


One of my favorite things about this story was how the author layered in new information. Just when you thought you had a scene figured out, a fresh perspective or added detail would completely flip it around. It kept things exciting and unpredictable all the way through. Sure, some of the plot points were a bit far-fetched, but honestly? That didn’t bother me much. I was here for the drama, the twists, and the sheer fun of it all, and this book absolutely delivered on those fronts.


I especially loved that while I knew a big twist was coming, I didn’t completely guess how it would play out. That final reveal caught me off guard in the best way. I do wish a few of the characters had felt more fleshed out, but even with that, the story still worked because of how gripping and twisty it was. If you’re looking for a thriller that’s full of secrets, surprises, and that "just one more chapter" feeling, this one is a fantastic pick.

This was a great neighborhood thriller. Everyone is suspect, and nothing is as it seems. The twists were unexpected and I felt like I was part of that dysfunctional group. I loved the ending; that earned the book its fifth star. Definitely plan to read more by this author! Thank you to NetGalley and Forge Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I’ve ever read by this author and it wont be the last!!

You Deserve to Know follows three neighbors & friends….Aimee, Lisa, and Gwen as they navigate their friendships through the suspected murder of Gwen’s husband while Aimee’s own husband is clearly hiding something from her. Every Friday night they all gather on one of their homes for dinner. The three couples get to relax with a few drinks while their kids play together. While leaving one Friday night after dinner, Gwen’s husband Anton whispers in Aimee’s ear “you deserve to know.” Everything changes the next day when the police show up at Gwen’s house to tell her that Anton had been found dead in the alley behind their local hangout. What was once a close friendship between the three women spirals into a toxic web of lies, disloyalty, jealousy, and infidelity. Trust me you don’t want to miss this one! I loved getting to know the characters , it was full of twists and turns. . and the ending blew me away!


Many thanks to NetGalley and Tor Publishing Group for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a blast! I love suburbs behaving badly books and this definitely fit the bill. Definitely recommend.

I've read quite a few domestic thriller books that focus on one neighborhood, and You Deserve to Know by Aggie Blum Thompson is near the top. This tightly knit thriller circles around and around, to where the reader doesn't know who is the true narrator, who is the real 'bad guy', and who...are these people?

Aimee, Gwen and Lisa all live within throwing distance of each other. Lisa and Aimee were super close, in fact, along with their husbands, they had a nickname "SLAM". Then Gwen and her family moved in. Aimee and Gwen instantly clicked and Lisa stewed in anger in secret. She wanted Aimee all to herself. Aimee was her 'Favorite Person' after all.

One night, at another BBQ with all three families, Gwen's husband Anton corners Aimee and tells her "you deserve to know"... What that is....is a great mystery, as the next morning, Anton is found dead outside of their local bar.
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The story expands, between the now and the recent past. We see the secrets each family has, the problems with their children and larger family circles, and how each woman can hide their true feelings. This is a real "nobody's perfect" sort of mystery....and then it ends with a HUGE twist, and that took it over the top for me.

I hope this turns into a huge hit, then into a TV show....because OH MY GOD.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Talk about a twisted book However, I am not complaining at all! This was a fast, fun, single sitting read that I could not get enough of. This was one heck of a read with so many unexpected twists and turns. I was on the edge of my seat with this book and I’m still thinking of the ending, which I didn’t see coming at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The plot was very well developed and so were the characters..

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

I really enjoyed this thriller. It had a lot of twists and the one at the end was crazy!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

What a messy cul de sac the couples ended up living on! What starts with one husband being murdered turns into a complete meltdown of relationships and friendships. There were some fun and unexpected twists thrown in throughout the book, and make sure you stick around for the doozy of an epilogue!

This is a familiar trope to me and one I adore! I enjoyed You Deserve to Know so much. It was mysterious and chilling at times. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Aggie Blum Thompson brings the suspense - I turned the pages as quick as I could to get to the bottom of this murder mystery!

Gwen, Aimee, and Lisa and their respective husbands spend most weekends together. They all have small children and live in a cul de sac. But when Gwen's husband is murdered no one know what to think. Everyone has a secret that they are willing to do anything to keep.

Blum Thompson is at her best and fleshes out the characters and the tensions between family members.
I dare you to try and NOT finish this engrossing domestic thriller in one sitting.

#youshouldknow. #tor #AggieBlumThompson