this book started on a downtick for me. the writing is loose, there are fundamental grammar mistakes (I vs me), but in Owen’s’ defense I read an uncorrected ARC.

the story is entertaining & a very quick read. would recommend to fans of the genre!!

I really enjoyed this and I had trouble figuring out what was going on. It’s an easy read and the writing flows well. I enjoyed the main character and her growth throughout the novel a lot. I think that this is a great debut and I thought the Spotify tracks was an interesting thing to use in the plot. I definitely recommend adding this one to your list!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This will be out in February of 2025!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I can't remember the last time I was so frustrated by a character that I wanted to reach into the book and shake them. That's what Marissa made me feel. I couldn't get over how unbelievably clueless she was about everything in her life. She doesn't know what her father's company does. Her husband works for her father, but she has no idea what his job entails. She has no idea about the finances within her own marriage. She doesn't know anything about her husband before they met. She's a complete doormat for her parents and brother to walk all over her. I thought the premise was good but the Spotify playlists quickly became redundant and took me right out of the story. I didn't care about a single character and found myself skimming way too much early on. DNF at 25%.

Elle Owens delivers an incredible domestic suspense with Tell Me You Trust Me, a gripping novel packed with tension, twists, and an undercurrent of creeping dread. From the very first chapter, the story takes off at full speed and doesn’t let up, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The use of song lyrics and playlists as clues adds a unique and creative layer to the mystery. Combined with chilling discoveries like hidden cameras in the protagonist’s home and the gnawing uncertainty of whom to trust—even among family—it creates a deeply unsettling atmosphere.

Owens masterfully balances fast pacing with a sense of foreboding, and there isn’t a single dull moment in this book. With its eerie vibes and unpredictable twists, it’s impossible to put down. Tell Me You Trust Me releases on February 11, 2025—make sure it’s on your radar for an unforgettable reading experience!

I would like to thank the author for allowing me to read & review via ARC. I enjoyed reading this and it kept me interested and anxious to see what happens next. I liked the writer's style & would love to read more by them.

When her husband goes missing, Marissa Creighton fears the worst. Tell me you trust me was the last thing Ethan said to her, and she’d shrugged it off. Now she can’t get those words out of her head.

Marissa’s family has always been her rock. But when they come to help her with two-year-old Logan, their overprotectiveness borders on oppression—occupational hazard of the family’s surveillance business, or is it? Seeking comfort in the playlist she and Ethan share, Marissa is shocked to find a new song “Trust Me.” She’s certain it’s a message.

Using song titles as code, she and Ethan start communicating back and forth. But she still doesn’t understand why he left. While his messages point to incriminating documents, her family uncovers evidence of an affair. But their discoveries come with their own baggage, including personal threats, secret bank accounts, and dusty surveillance devices. All the while Marissa wonders whether she’ll ever learn the truth—or see her husband again.

Loved it. WIll recommend to others.

Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the copy of Tell Me You Trust Me by Elle Owens. What an amazing thriller debut! I loved how song titles were incorporated into the narrative and music lovers will also love how cleverly it was done. Maybe it’s realistic that Marissa is so removed from her family finances and business because of how she was raised, but it felt strange. As the book went on, it got too complex and my interest started to falter, but the writing style kept me reading. Marissa finds out who the villains are right away, so we don’t need much more proof, and some of what occurred felt like overkill. I really enjoyed reading this book though and I look forward to Owens’ next book. 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

A missing husband trope is my favorite so this was an automatic must read for me! When a woman’s husband goes missing after saying “tell me you trust me”, usually something suspect is going on.

This was a very fast-paced, well written, and twisty! Perfect for thriller lovers!

A wonderful twist and turny thriller that keeps on the edge of your seat! This was a fast paced, mind bending thriller with great plot twists that were hard to predict. I do wish the characters were developed a little more throughout the story and some dialogue was wrapped better at the end, but this was a wonderful debut for any fans of mystery/thrillers.

This book has a lot of potential! I have not read a book quite like this; it gave me a similar feel to Succession with more of a thriller edge. While I really enjoyed the read, there were some parts of the storyline, particularly towards the end, that I feel could have been fleshed out a bit more. There also were several times throughout the book where a sentence would repeat, or would lack proper grammar to where it became somewhat confusing. With some minor edits, this could easily be a 3.5-4 star book, but for me at this point, I have to give it a 3.

I have always loved books about missing spouses, and this one was no exception. I was engaged within the first few pages, and the story was not only intense but so emotional that I could feel it pouring through the pages. The music incorporated throughout, and the meaning behind each song was genius. What I loved most was that the wife was smart and cunning and didn't fold no matter what was thrown her way. This story was well crafted and delivered with an intricate hand, and it definitely left its mark. Four solid stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas and Mercer for this ARC.

Instantly this book pulls you in. I loved the suspense and intensity we got right off the bat. It held my attention and made me want more. I loved Marissa and loved how much she grew throughout the book!

There was a lot going on, and sometimes was hard to keep track of.

I will say, thriller isn’t typically my go to read, so it was a little out of my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed it!

A great twisty psychological thriller. I loved the concept of a playlist being used to communicate and the twists and turns were like nothing that I have ever read before. I really enjoyed it. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thanks to Thomas and Mercer for this ARC copy.

Tell me you trust me really hooked me from the beginning, I was so invested. Every time a chapter would end I'd have to keep reading to see what happened next even when it meant only getting 3 hours of sleep!

This was such a great debut thriller ! It kept me interested the whole way through and there were lots of twists and turns to keep you guessing. I really enjoyed the musical references used as clues, that was definitely a unique concept. I look forward to hopefully reading another thriller from this author in the future. Give this one a read !

Thank you Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the digital arc in exchange for my honest review.

"Tell Me You Trust Me" is a thriller involving a wife who is investigating the sudden disappearance of her husband. She's left to decipher clues left behind using songs as an interesting way to communicate. This book isn't one you'll want to put down.

fast paced, quick read!!!! really well done! i'd love to read more work from Elle Owens after reading this excellent piece of work.

Tell Me You Trust Me is a thriller with a lot of promise but a bit of a bumpy start. The book jumps straight into the plot before we get much time with the characters, which made it hard to feel connected or invested right away. It felt like the author had a killer premise (and honestly, I was hooked by the idea of communicating through song titles), but the character development didn’t quite hit the mark. For the first half, I found myself reading more out of curiosity about where the story would go rather than being drawn in by the characters.


But once I hit the halfway point? Things really picked up. The twists started rolling, and it became an adrenaline-fueled ride that I couldn’t put down. Even though the characters felt a little too black-and-white and some of the plot details seemed a bit hand-wavy or left with minor holes, it still worked well enough to keep me fully engaged until the end.


If you’re into thrillers with unique hooks and can be patient through the setup, you’ll probably enjoy this one. It’s not perfect, but it’s a wild ride that’s worth the trip.

3.5 rounded up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of Tell Me You Trust Me.

I have mixed feelings about this one! I loved how we jumped right in to the action from the first page as well as the idea of following clues that only your spouse could leave for you. The further the story progressed, though, the less interesting and more far-fetched it became. The ending wasn't really shocking or surprising so I'm not sure why this is listed as a thriller. Overall, a quick read but definitely fits more in the standard mystery category.

3 stars

This book was immediately captivating! This was my first crime fiction read and I will be recommending it over and over again.

Some books have a slow burn, but this book didn’t make you wade through the mud just to continue reading and HOPING it became interesting. The author did an AMAZING job at keeping you interested from the first page without delay. While the plot wasn’t necessarily original, how the author went about turning over each piece of information was intriguing and new.