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Brianna Labuskes
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The Lies You Wrote (Raisa Susanto Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Brianna Labuskes (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 10,352 ratings
Editors' pick Best Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
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For a brilliant forensic linguist, crimes of the past hold clues to new series of murders in a twisting novel of suspense by the Wall Street Journal bestselling author of A Familiar Sight.

The double murder of a married couple in a small Washington town draws FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto into an investigation that mirrors a decades-old crime. Twenty-five years ago—to the day—Alex Parker murdered his parents, then took his own life, leaving behind a note admitting everything.

Raisa, paired with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny, uses her skills to read between the lines. Especially now that paranoid postings on a conspiracy thread suggest that Alex was a victim himself—theories that have piqued the interest of a perceptive content moderator and a true-crime podcaster eager for a big break.

As old and new crimes converge, messages from the living and the confessions of the dead take on new meaning for Raisa. Something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play, and plundering the darkest corners of a killer’s mind leaves her vulnerable to a deadly twist even she never saw coming.

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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Raisa Susanto
  2. Print length
    350 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  5. Publisher
    Thomas & Mercer
  6. Publication date
    January 1, 2024
  7. File size
    8298 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  11. See all details
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  3. Raisa Susanto    2 book series
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  1. “The best way to get anyone to change their mind is not to lecture them from a place of superiority, but to become a part of their in-group and then alter their opinions from the inside.”
    Highlighted by 334 Kindle readers
  2. There are two wolves inside you, always battling. One is full of goodness and light, he lives in harmony with the world around him. The other one is evil, consumed with hatred and vengeance. When asked which one will win, the answer is simple. It will be the one that you feed.
    Highlighted by 331 Kindle readers
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From the Publisher

BOOKLIST Review

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Labuskes' series starter lays solid groundwork for future episodes featuring agents Susanto and Kilkenny, both complex characters with intriguing backstories, motivations, and personal blind spots. Hand to fans of Iris Johansen's forensic sculptor Eve Duncan and other detectives who take an unconventional approach to solving crime.” —Booklist

“Women pathologists (Patricia Cornwell) and forensic anthropologists (Elly Griffiths) have starred in recent mysteries that appeared on best-of-the-year lists. Through her terrific new heroine, Labuskes has the fire and smarts to join them on the award dais.” —Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Brianna Labuskes

What Can’t Be Seen

“The book’s well-constructed plot matches its three-dimensional characters. Psychological-thriller fans will be eager for more.” —Publishers Weekly

A Familiar Sight

“A horrific brew for readers willing to immerse themselves in it.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A strong plot and unforgettable characters make this a winner. Labuskes is on a roll.” —Publishers Weekly

“A Familiar Sight has everything I crave in a thriller: a shocking, addictive female lead; unexpected twists that snapped off the page; and an ending that made me gasp out loud. I never saw it coming, but it was perfectly in sync with the razor-sharp balance between creepy and compelling that Labuskes carries throughout the novel. This is a one-sitting read.” —Jess Lourey, Amazon Charts bestselling author

Her Final Words

“Labuskes skillfully ratchets up the suspense. Readers will eagerly await her next.” —Publishers Weekly

“Labuskes offers an intense mystery with an excellent character in Lucy, who methodically uncovers layers of deceit while trusting no one.” —Library Journal

Girls of Glass

“Excellent…Readers who enjoy having their expectations upset will be richly rewarded.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

It Ends with Her

“Once in a while a character comes along who gets under your skin and refuses to let go. This is the case with Brianna Labuskes’s Clarke Sinclair—a cantankerous, rebellious, and somehow endearingly likable FBI agent with a troubled past. I was immediately pulled into Clarke’s broken, shadow-filled world and her quest for justice and redemption. A stunning thriller, It Ends with Her is not to be missed.” —Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling author

“It Ends with Her is a gritty, riveting roller-coaster ride of a book. Brianna Labuskes has created a layered, gripping story around a cast of characters that readers will cheer for. Her crisp prose and quick plot kept me reading with my heart in my throat. Highly recommended for fans of smart thrillers with captivating heroines.” —Nicole Baart, author of Little Broken Things

“An engrossing psychological thriller filled with twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down! The characters were filled with emotional depth. An impressive debut!” —Elizabeth Blackwell, author of In the Shadow of Lakecrest

From the Publisher

Brianna Labuskes novels always deliver a unique take on crime solving, and with the first in her new series starring Raisa Susanto, Labuskes does just that. A forensic linguist, Raisa analyzes language and texts to solve crimes. I’ve always been fascinated by the role of forensic linguists, and Raisa is how I imagine the best crime fighters with a special set of skills would be: determined and diligent. Raisa is an expert at what she does—and now the FBI needs her help.

A double murder in Washington State is posed exactly the same way as a twenty-five-year-old murder scene. Decades ago, teenager Alex Parker killed his parents and died by suicide, leaving behind a confession letter and three sisters who he let live. With a copycat killer on their hands, Raisa and FBI psychologist Callum Kilkenny pair up to dissect messages the killer posted on a conspiracy theorists’ thread, indicating that Alex may have been framed. As she dives into the history of the crime, the Parker family, and the small-town community, Raisa realizes there is far more to learn in the words no one is saying.

The Lies You Wrote enthralled me. I flew through the pages trying to decipher the killer along with Raisa. I can’t wait to read more in this series.

—Megha Parekh, Editor

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BSY1V5KL
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas & Mercer (January 1, 2024)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2024
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 8298 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 350 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 10,352 ratings

About the author

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Brianna Labuskes

Brianna Labuskes

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Brianna Labuskes is the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post and Amazon Charts best-selling author of psychological thrillers and historical fiction. Her books have been translated into several languages worldwide. She grew up in Pennsylvania, lived in Washington D.C. for many years and now calls Asheville, N.C. home. She enjoys traveling, hiking and spending time with her pup. For more: visit her at briannalabuskes.com.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
10,352 global ratings
Twisty
4 Stars
Twisty
The Lies You Wrote is hopefully the first book in a new series. Raisa is a forensic linguist, and Kilkenny a forensic psychologist both working for the FBI.A couple is brutally murdered in Everly, a town, known for a gruesome murder/suicide that happened 25 years ago.Alex Parker killed his parents, Timothy and Becks, then committed suicide. There has never been any doubt that he committed these heinous crimes by law-enforcement. But, there are numerous lay people who believe he is innocent.Jenna Shaw is a podcaster, who is happy to fan those flames, if it brings her viewers. What Raisa and Kilkenny see though, is a copycat killer. But why? If Alex was guilty, what’s secrets lurk underneath this old solved case? What does this copycat killer know and what is their end game?I really enjoyed getting to know Raisa. Did I figure out who the killer was? Yes I did but not until very close to the author reveal. There was one twist that I didn’t see coming that totally surprised me. I didn’t feel like I had a true understanding regarding Kilkenny, but if there is another book, I believe we will learn more about him.I love loved the authors books featuring Dr. Gretchen White. Call me intrigued with these new characters. I learned so much about what a linguist does! Fascinating. This doesn’t publish until the end of the year, but I’m already looking forward to the next book.I received a DRC from Thomas and Mercer through NetGalley.
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Top reviews from the United States

DGBike
5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book!!
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2024
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It is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Grateful to Kindle for pushing me to start a new series. I will read other books by Ms Labuskes now.

Raisa an FBI linguist is called to a small town in Washington for what looks like a copycat murder of a husband and wife. These victims were a part of the original murders that occurred 25 years ago in this town. Lots of twists, gasp out loud twists….

Love the trip into forensic linguistics, very interesting and made for a different heroine. Looking forward to many more Raisa Susanto books!!!
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Tiffany - My Kind of Homestead
4.0 out of 5 stars Gripping psychological thriller
Reviewed in the United States on January 15, 2024
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This is an older ARC (publication date was 1/1/2024) that I am just getting around to. I recently received the ARC of book #2 (publication date July 2024), so I decided to bump it up on my TBR. Thank you to the publishers Thomas & Mercer for this ARC!!

I've read and enjoyed a book by the author before, so I knew this story would be enjoyable. Brianna Labuskes did not let me down!

This book centers around the eerie double murder of a married couple. FBI forensic linguist Raisa Susanto is called to investigate this case, which mirrors a decades-old crime from twenty-five years ago. Raisa works closely with forensic psychologist Callum Kilkenny and uses her linguistic skills to read between the lines. As the old and new crimes converge, readers will discover that something more sinister than a copycat crime is at play.

This story is well-layered, with over a handful of beautifully crafted twists. The dual POV was perfectly executed, and I loved the sprinkle of diary entries/transcripts between chapters. Each piece added another layer to the story and more depth to the characters. I was quickly drawn to the plot and engaged from start to finish. Some may find bits of this story predictable, and I will admit, some of it I had thought I figured out, but the author manages to one-up each twist. I am confident that there will be some layer of surprise while reading this gripping psychological thriller.

This book is clever and witty, with punch after punch. I rate this book somewhere between 3-4 stars. I enjoyed it, but there were some cons. The execution was excellent, but some fill-in backstory and repetition could have been easily eliminated. Cutting back on the redundancy would have improved the flow.

Overall, I recommend this series and look forward to seeing where book #2 takes us. If you enjoy crime fiction, thrillers, and suspense, add this series to your TBR.
4 people found this helpful
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Bethany T.
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent thriller
Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2023
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This book is well written, and I truly enjoyed it much more than I thought I would! There are a lot of strong female characters in traditionally male roles (law enforcement, and mathematics specifically). There's also a lot of good info about linguistics thrown in there, info that seems solid and accurate, especially with the author listing some sources at the end which could be resources if a reader wants to learn more about this field. Some other reviews have noted about the "quick brown fox" pan gram in the first chapter. I personally learned that one prior to computers becoming popular because my father would make me type that out on a typewriter followed by the word "testing" and then the numbers and some punctuation marks. My understanding was that they used that phrase along with numbers and other keys to test/inspect typewriters in the military back in his day. So, I do agree with other reviewers, that this phrase existed long before computers...but also note that the author/character claims the phrase was "popularized" (not invented) at that time.

Again, I think this is a really well crafted story, and while a lot of it does rely on modern technology, such as mentions of hacking, social media, pod casts etc, there's really something very retro about other aspects of the story. Just something about the book and it's setting reminds me of books from the eighties. Maybe that's just me.

In my opinion, this is a superb read...until it isn't. It was great up until about 85% in. Then credulity became a bit strained, and I don't want to spoil anything about the plot, will just say that a lot of characters ended up being relatives, and that all felt a bit unrealistic to me, and almost took me out of the story, but the author did do a great job of making this all believable by the ending, and in tying together all kinds of seemingly unrelated events that had been mentioned along the way.

I'm also sure, for what it's worth, that someone who actually works in Law enforcement or in the field of forensic linguistics would have a vastly different opinion of this book. I'm sure they could rip it right apart as being procedurally inaccurate, but for me as a lay person who didn't have high expectations and just read it for entertainment, I did actually enjoy it very much and would recommend it!
33 people found this helpful
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JAN
3.0 out of 5 stars Not the worst & not the best
Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2024
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I found some errors in the text itself which should have been caught with good editing. At the end it was tricky keeping track of the names. Not a bad story and a twist I didn’t see coming.
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Andrea F. Ozment
4.0 out of 5 stars Very twisty
Reviewed in the United States on March 20, 2024
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This novel introduced me to the field of linguistic forensics, in which speech patterns, especially those in written speech, are used to identify people. The hero of this story is Raisa, an FBI linguistics analyst, who goes to a small town to help in the investigation of a double murder that replicates a notorious murder-suicide case that took place in that same town 25 years earlier. The characters in this book are compelling, the plot is interesting, and the entire book is a stunner. I’ll look for more by the author.
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Denise
5.0 out of 5 stars wow!
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
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Kindle challenge was start a series, so I scrolled and picked this one. I’m not a fan of series nor am I a fan of cop dramas. With that being said, from beginning to end this book was amazing! It sucked me right in, it was fast paced, thrilling and everything I enjoy reading! Although some of my predictions were spot on, I definitely did not see it ending the way it did! Off to book 2!
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dabudo
5.0 out of 5 stars Never what you expect
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2024
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At first, I thought this would be another story where the female protagonist doesn't get the respect of her male peers because she's a woman and so she has to - well, you know how those stories go. This isn't that story at all.
This is a clever, exciting, twisty, hard to put down mystery. It's not going to be what you expect. I don't want to give away anything that might ruin the fun, so I'll just say I thoroughly enjoyed it and hope there will be a Book 2.
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Top reviews from other countries

Elske de Visch Eybergen
5.0 out of 5 stars A fun ride!
Reviewed in Canada on January 13, 2024
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Brianna Labuskes, the author hopes this novel is a fun ride!

As someone with a social work background, with the story line, I worried about the Parker sisters, but they were soon forgotten, with the various players and their input into the story. Adding to the layers of past and current wondering by the characters, I knew we had to come to the conclusion. Yep, it was a good one!
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Amber D
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 17, 2024
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I won’t spoil this for anyone else but I will say that this is a very well written book; very informative about linguistics and very credible. I didn’t have any of those moments that spoil a book (I.e when you just can’t believe the plot.) The outplaying of the story is very clever, the characters are likeable (and/or believable) and the technical aspects are very well explained. I will read this author again
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Bartlett
5.0 out of 5 stars GRABS YOUR ATTENTION SO QUICKLY
Reviewed in Australia on February 18, 2024
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Oh Brianna! You entertain me so well. A totally different type of crime thriller. A fresh way of looking at things and this kept me turning the pages long after I should have turned the light off. I enjoyed reading this book so much! I have already pre-ordered the next in this new series!
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Arllau
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Start to a Series.
Reviewed in Canada on February 5, 2024
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This is an interesting start to a new series. It was an enjoyable FBI procedural introducing forensic linguist Raisa Susanto. It is a bit dry and slow with a little to much ''mansplaining''. A definite 3.5 star read.
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S. Lamb
4.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 12, 2024
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Enjoyed this, lots of twists.
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