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Tell Me You Trust Me
In a twisty and provocative thriller debut, Elle Owens tells the story of a young mother whose husband vanishes without a trace, and their shared playlist holds the only key to bringing him back.
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.
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.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 11, 2025
933 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 388 reviews
December 24, 2025
Suspense from the first to the last page.
March 9, 2025
Repetitive boring and predictable. Also after all that the fmc takes the lying husband back? Nope not for me
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2025
⭐️ 1 star ⭐️
I don’t hand out 1 stars very often, which just goes to show how much I hated this book. Rant incoming.
Spoilers ahead
The FMC was exactly the kind of heroine that I despise. Whiny, self-centered and, honestly, a bit dumb.
Melissa — sees family plant a listening device, hears them conspiring, sees them follow her everywhere, husband literally says don’t trust anyone, and a shitload of more suspicious activity..
Also Melissa — “OMG, maybe my family has something to do with my husband’s disappearance? Can I not trust them?”
The personality, or lack thereof, of the main character along with the underlying vein of misogyny and the ridiculousness of the plot line just made this read unbearable.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I don’t hand out 1 stars very often, which just goes to show how much I hated this book. Rant incoming.
Spoilers ahead
The FMC was exactly the kind of heroine that I despise. Whiny, self-centered and, honestly, a bit dumb.
Melissa — sees family plant a listening device, hears them conspiring, sees them follow her everywhere, husband literally says don’t trust anyone, and a shitload of more suspicious activity..
Also Melissa — “OMG, maybe my family has something to do with my husband’s disappearance? Can I not trust them?”
The personality, or lack thereof, of the main character along with the underlying vein of misogyny and the ridiculousness of the plot line just made this read unbearable.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.
January 31, 2025
4.5 stars rounding down to 4 stars on Goodreads
Wowza, this is a fantastic thriller debut! It was so unique with the use of Spotify songs to communicate with Marissa’s missing husband and I WAS HOOKED! This psychological thriller was so suspenseful and kept me on my toes. You don’t know what to think or who to believe!
I went between listening to the audiobook and reading my ARC and both were super. The audiobook narrator, Megan Tusing, kept me engaged from start to finish and I highly recommend either option.
You won’t want to miss this twisty thriller!
****Many thanks to Elle Owens and Brilliance Audio for my gifted copies in turn for an honest review.
Wowza, this is a fantastic thriller debut! It was so unique with the use of Spotify songs to communicate with Marissa’s missing husband and I WAS HOOKED! This psychological thriller was so suspenseful and kept me on my toes. You don’t know what to think or who to believe!
I went between listening to the audiobook and reading my ARC and both were super. The audiobook narrator, Megan Tusing, kept me engaged from start to finish and I highly recommend either option.
You won’t want to miss this twisty thriller!
****Many thanks to Elle Owens and Brilliance Audio for my gifted copies in turn for an honest review.
February 19, 2025
This one hits all the wrong notes, an average read at best, and honestly, I was this close to pressing skip. Elle Owens' debut thriller Tell Me You Trust Me tries to strike a chord with its music coded mystery, but for me, it landed more as background noise than a chart-topper.
The premise had promise: a husband vanishes, leaving behind a cryptic message and a shared playlist supposedly key to his whereabouts. Unfortunately, instead of building tension, the narrative felt out of sync. The whole "playlist as a code" gimmick? Major cringe. Each new song title revelation had me rolling my eyes so hard I could practically see my own brain wondering why I hadn’t DNF’d.
The characters didn’t exactly help hit the high notes either. Marissa, the protagonist, spends most of the book floundering between predictable plot twists and family drama that reads like a broken record. Her overbearing surveillance obsessed family could have added depth, but instead, they felt like filler tracks on an album you regret buying.
And the inconsistencies? Let’s just say there were more plot holes than a scratched CD. What could have been a taut, emotionally charged thriller about trust and deception ended up feeling like a disjointed mixtape with no replay value.
If you’re looking for a thriller that truly hits the right beats, you might want to skip this track. For me, Tell Me You Trust Me was a forgettable tune that never made it past the chorus.
The premise had promise: a husband vanishes, leaving behind a cryptic message and a shared playlist supposedly key to his whereabouts. Unfortunately, instead of building tension, the narrative felt out of sync. The whole "playlist as a code" gimmick? Major cringe. Each new song title revelation had me rolling my eyes so hard I could practically see my own brain wondering why I hadn’t DNF’d.
The characters didn’t exactly help hit the high notes either. Marissa, the protagonist, spends most of the book floundering between predictable plot twists and family drama that reads like a broken record. Her overbearing surveillance obsessed family could have added depth, but instead, they felt like filler tracks on an album you regret buying.
And the inconsistencies? Let’s just say there were more plot holes than a scratched CD. What could have been a taut, emotionally charged thriller about trust and deception ended up feeling like a disjointed mixtape with no replay value.
If you’re looking for a thriller that truly hits the right beats, you might want to skip this track. For me, Tell Me You Trust Me was a forgettable tune that never made it past the chorus.
February 15, 2025
Wow, wow wow, what a very interesting concept, this book started with a bang and just took of, it did start to sputter a little at the 75% mark but i would still recommend this!
A woman's husband goes missing with his last words being "Trust me". When her family gets involved in finding him, she begins to see another side of her parents that bares its ugly head. Who to trust becomes the question, as she races to put together a complex web of lies, gaslighting, deceit and finally murder and when it comes to the end, who will she trust? The parents that have raised her or the man she now knows she has no idea who he is in the first place!
solid 4 stars!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. Beyond grateful and humbled
"TELL ME YOU TRUST ME" out Feb 11th 2025
P.S; The song angle in the book was such a genius idea! loved it!!
A woman's husband goes missing with his last words being "Trust me". When her family gets involved in finding him, she begins to see another side of her parents that bares its ugly head. Who to trust becomes the question, as she races to put together a complex web of lies, gaslighting, deceit and finally murder and when it comes to the end, who will she trust? The parents that have raised her or the man she now knows she has no idea who he is in the first place!
solid 4 stars!!!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this ARC. Beyond grateful and humbled
"TELL ME YOU TRUST ME" out Feb 11th 2025
P.S; The song angle in the book was such a genius idea! loved it!!
January 23, 2025
I wish I could give this book 3.5 stars. It was a really good story that kept me on the edge of my seat wondering how things were going to work out. But, there were little things that annoyed me. I did read an ARC so perhaps they were edited out after the version I read? But, too many times the hairs on the back of Marissa's neck stood up or tingled or whatever. And too many times she was so upset she got sick. They felt overused as ways to express what was happening and lost all value. Those issues aside, it was hard to figure out who was telling the truth and who was lying to whom. That is always a good thing! I also really liked how music was interwoven throughout the story. I felt like it was a bit farfetched, but it was still something different. Overall I really enjoyed the story!
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
January 17, 2025
Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the advance reading copy.
This book kept me hooked the entire time even though I was having one of the toughest busiest weeks ever!
The writing is really good and the plot twisty! However, the characters do need a better development and the dialogues need to be little more realistic when it comes to confrontations towards the end of the story.
Otherwise, this is a good fast paced thriller perfect for a chill evening!
This book kept me hooked the entire time even though I was having one of the toughest busiest weeks ever!
The writing is really good and the plot twisty! However, the characters do need a better development and the dialogues need to be little more realistic when it comes to confrontations towards the end of the story.
Otherwise, this is a good fast paced thriller perfect for a chill evening!
June 14, 2025
Tell Me You Trust Me turned out to be better than I expected! Its mystery was intricate and fun! I felt for the character Marissa Creighton. Her trust in others was majorly tested. It was as if she was trapped in a whirlwind of deception from those she loves. This story was suspenseful, and I enjoyed it.
November 4, 2024
Marissa's husband heads out one average morning and makes a point to say, "Tell me you trust me." She agrees before he walks out the door, to what she assumes is him leaving for work. He instead leaves his car and house keys and disappears without a hint as to why. She discovers he changed the password to his computer, doesn't show up to work, or contact anyone. He's simply gone.
She calls in her family for support, and we immediately see her parents overbearing presence as they control every action and movement, talk to her as if she's useless, and constantly ridicule her by coddling her inability to function.
In her grief, she turns to music and realizes her husband added a song to their joint Spotify account called "Trust Me." From there, they use song titles to communicate, and she begins hiding their communication from her parents and questioning if they are who they say they are. She digs through hints and clues as to why her husband has chosen to vanish without an explanation, slowly uncovering a mass of lies, secrets, and sabotage. We're left to see if she can escape their grasp while keeping herself and her child safe.
********
This book was unnecessarily complicated. Every little hint and redirect and clue stemmed from unrealistic expectations of a tired mom of a toddler being able to notice tiny, mundane things and remember inside jokes from over a decade together to solve a mystery he could have told her with a burner phone. He left her to the proverbial wolves, to be manipulated, stalked, threatened, lied to, and gaslit, all so she could finally stand up to her family. The entire book is a miscommunication/lack of communication trope. Endlessly. The breadcrumbing clues were odd and made no logical sense. What if she hadn't figured it out? What if she found things out of order? Was he just going to wait indefinitely? There were way too many clues that she conveniently stumbled across that didn't need to exist that I was baffled that the author chose they route. Also, him laying hints for months, maybe longer, without even trying to slowly show her how her parents really are, and instead destroying her mental health in one week was so unhinged. Not to mention, a lot of those loose ends were never tied up. Where was the extra money going and why? Why did her mom reference her secret pet name when asking to make drinks? Who kept continuously going after Marissa and escalating violence and why? Why was she constantly being stalked? Who broke into her home? Who burned it down? How did Ethan escape? Where did the support group women come in? Why did everyone in the restaurant seem to be watching her? What were they all trying to protect Marissa and her child from? Why didn't anyone actually devolve exactly what it was that the company did? It was eluded to but never outright said, including Ethan saying he wouldn't say the bad things he did. There were so many plot holes that sat vacant and unanswered in favour of trying to build tension, that it got to the point of being convoluted.
I also wouldn't say it had any twists. It was very obvious who was bad, who was reluctantly associated with them, and who was neutral or "good." It was more just a long book of hints and clues that were pointless when he could have just shown her the files he needed and gone from there. I'm unsure why she had to jump through hoops for information he already had in his possession. It was framed that it was "the only way", however, that was a convenient excuse when he had the opportunity to divulge the truth at any point after she started being concerned about her family. Instead, he left her mad, heartbroken, and assuming the worst.
Also communicating through playlists and song titles was exhausting and pointless after the first quarter of the book. It just kept getting more complex with his assistant having lines, the guest network messages, and her sister angrily texting her burner phone that I was left wondering why. No one actually told her anything, yet they all got mad at her for ruining everything and getting in the way when she had no idea what was going on. Again, if his sister could message Marissa with a burner phone, why can't he? That was a huge plot hole that didn't make any sense and continued to be annoying.
From there, the villains felt underdeveloped and wholly outside of realistic people or their actions. It was obvious that they were bad, and she only wanted them to be seen as bad, that there was no real development into them as a whole. They were just controlling, manipulative, and abusive people who started and stayed that way the entire book, and we were supposed to be surprised by the conclusion that they were, in fact, horrible humans? It was just a drawn-out eventuality that they would be exposed as awful, so the pacing of the book began to drag when it was just a wash and repeat of the same absurd and controlling behaviour. The whole duration of the book, the issues are blatantly slammed into you, to the point all of the clues and hints just seem absolutely pointless when you're aware the issues are staring you in the face.
Overall, the book was interesting but had too much thrown into it in an attempt to have tension, when more focus should have gone to character development and closing massive plot holes. I'd read from this author again if she took the time to settle into her stories without leaving open threads throughout.
*******
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing, for the digital ARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
She calls in her family for support, and we immediately see her parents overbearing presence as they control every action and movement, talk to her as if she's useless, and constantly ridicule her by coddling her inability to function.
In her grief, she turns to music and realizes her husband added a song to their joint Spotify account called "Trust Me." From there, they use song titles to communicate, and she begins hiding their communication from her parents and questioning if they are who they say they are. She digs through hints and clues as to why her husband has chosen to vanish without an explanation, slowly uncovering a mass of lies, secrets, and sabotage. We're left to see if she can escape their grasp while keeping herself and her child safe.
********
This book was unnecessarily complicated. Every little hint and redirect and clue stemmed from unrealistic expectations of a tired mom of a toddler being able to notice tiny, mundane things and remember inside jokes from over a decade together to solve a mystery he could have told her with a burner phone. He left her to the proverbial wolves, to be manipulated, stalked, threatened, lied to, and gaslit, all so she could finally stand up to her family. The entire book is a miscommunication/lack of communication trope. Endlessly. The breadcrumbing clues were odd and made no logical sense. What if she hadn't figured it out? What if she found things out of order? Was he just going to wait indefinitely? There were way too many clues that she conveniently stumbled across that didn't need to exist that I was baffled that the author chose they route. Also, him laying hints for months, maybe longer, without even trying to slowly show her how her parents really are, and instead destroying her mental health in one week was so unhinged. Not to mention, a lot of those loose ends were never tied up. Where was the extra money going and why? Why did her mom reference her secret pet name when asking to make drinks? Who kept continuously going after Marissa and escalating violence and why? Why was she constantly being stalked? Who broke into her home? Who burned it down? How did Ethan escape? Where did the support group women come in? Why did everyone in the restaurant seem to be watching her? What were they all trying to protect Marissa and her child from? Why didn't anyone actually devolve exactly what it was that the company did? It was eluded to but never outright said, including Ethan saying he wouldn't say the bad things he did. There were so many plot holes that sat vacant and unanswered in favour of trying to build tension, that it got to the point of being convoluted.
I also wouldn't say it had any twists. It was very obvious who was bad, who was reluctantly associated with them, and who was neutral or "good." It was more just a long book of hints and clues that were pointless when he could have just shown her the files he needed and gone from there. I'm unsure why she had to jump through hoops for information he already had in his possession. It was framed that it was "the only way", however, that was a convenient excuse when he had the opportunity to divulge the truth at any point after she started being concerned about her family. Instead, he left her mad, heartbroken, and assuming the worst.
Also communicating through playlists and song titles was exhausting and pointless after the first quarter of the book. It just kept getting more complex with his assistant having lines, the guest network messages, and her sister angrily texting her burner phone that I was left wondering why. No one actually told her anything, yet they all got mad at her for ruining everything and getting in the way when she had no idea what was going on. Again, if his sister could message Marissa with a burner phone, why can't he? That was a huge plot hole that didn't make any sense and continued to be annoying.
From there, the villains felt underdeveloped and wholly outside of realistic people or their actions. It was obvious that they were bad, and she only wanted them to be seen as bad, that there was no real development into them as a whole. They were just controlling, manipulative, and abusive people who started and stayed that way the entire book, and we were supposed to be surprised by the conclusion that they were, in fact, horrible humans? It was just a drawn-out eventuality that they would be exposed as awful, so the pacing of the book began to drag when it was just a wash and repeat of the same absurd and controlling behaviour. The whole duration of the book, the issues are blatantly slammed into you, to the point all of the clues and hints just seem absolutely pointless when you're aware the issues are staring you in the face.
Overall, the book was interesting but had too much thrown into it in an attempt to have tension, when more focus should have gone to character development and closing massive plot holes. I'd read from this author again if she took the time to settle into her stories without leaving open threads throughout.
*******
Thank you, NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer Publishing, for the digital ARC copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 8, 2025
This was enjoyable, entertaining, and easy to understand! 3.75
February 24, 2025
Domestic thrillers more often than not end up being disappointing for me. However there was something about the synopsis of this particular book that made me want to pick it up and it certainly gets going from the word go. I was so invested in the story from the very beginning and I loved the character arc of Marissa. From being someone who is constantly gaslit by her extremely conservative and sexist parents and not saying anything in her defence to finally standing up for herself and trying to figure out on her own what has happened with her husband, it was a journey worth reading about. I really want to say a lot of things about this book but most of them would be at least mild spoilers. So I am not going to do that but I do have to say that there are elements in this book that were innovative and worked well. I was scared about the ending because it could have gone in 3 directions and I was dreading it going in at least one of them. But the ending that we got was satisfactory and I am kind of ok with that.
There were a few things that weren't explained well and I wish we had answers to those as well. But other than that it was good and I definitely recommend this one if you like domestic thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a review copy.
There were a few things that weren't explained well and I wish we had answers to those as well. But other than that it was good and I definitely recommend this one if you like domestic thrillers.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing a review copy.
July 7, 2025
4/5
Tell me you trust me is a mystery/thriller that catches your attention from the first chapter. In this book, we read Marissa's story who has built the perfect life (or so she thinks) with her husband, Ethan, and their young son, Logan. On this particular day, Ethan said "Tell me you trust me" to Marissa before he left to work without his car; that night, Ethan did not come home.
Throughout the book, we meet Marissa's overprotective family who is constantly underestimating her abilities. As she is going through her computer, she finds that Ethan is sending her secret messages through their shared playlist.
Overall the story was very well written and the twists were unexpected.
Tell me you trust me is a mystery/thriller that catches your attention from the first chapter. In this book, we read Marissa's story who has built the perfect life (or so she thinks) with her husband, Ethan, and their young son, Logan. On this particular day, Ethan said "Tell me you trust me" to Marissa before he left to work without his car; that night, Ethan did not come home.
Throughout the book, we meet Marissa's overprotective family who is constantly underestimating her abilities. As she is going through her computer, she finds that Ethan is sending her secret messages through their shared playlist.
Overall the story was very well written and the twists were unexpected.
January 14, 2025
Marissa’s world is turned upside down after her husband mysteriously disappears, leaving behind cryptic clues for her to follow.
The unique way Marissa and Ethan communicated was such a fun and clever part of the story!
Marissa’s parents were the worst—and it was oddly satisfying to hate on their creepy, condescending ways. Logan was the most well-behaved toddler I’ve ever read about, but honestly, I’m grateful the book wasn’t full of tantrums!
Marissa impressed me with her smarts when solving her husband’s clues and codes, but her blind spot when it came to her parents felt unbelievable at times. Her emotional growth was inspiring, and I loved her super sassy inner thoughts.
The fast pace kept me hooked, even if some moments stretched believability. The drama was thrilling and fun, even when things got overly complicated. While Marissa always managed to stay one step ahead, there were definitely moments where I floundered trying to keep up!
This debut cat-and-mouse thriller is impressive. If you enjoy suspense, emotional growth, and family drama, this book is for you!
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
The unique way Marissa and Ethan communicated was such a fun and clever part of the story!
Marissa’s parents were the worst—and it was oddly satisfying to hate on their creepy, condescending ways. Logan was the most well-behaved toddler I’ve ever read about, but honestly, I’m grateful the book wasn’t full of tantrums!
Marissa impressed me with her smarts when solving her husband’s clues and codes, but her blind spot when it came to her parents felt unbelievable at times. Her emotional growth was inspiring, and I loved her super sassy inner thoughts.
The fast pace kept me hooked, even if some moments stretched believability. The drama was thrilling and fun, even when things got overly complicated. While Marissa always managed to stay one step ahead, there were definitely moments where I floundered trying to keep up!
This debut cat-and-mouse thriller is impressive. If you enjoy suspense, emotional growth, and family drama, this book is for you!
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review
March 25, 2025
If you’re familiar with Frieda McFadden books, this debut novel had a very similar feel to it! It was a fast paced, easy read with a lot of suspense! I’m not always the biggest fan of domestic thrillers, but this one kept me on my toes. You really don't know what to think or who to believe.
I struggled between giving this one 3 or 4 Stars, because I had such mixed feelings while reading it.
I loved how we jumped right into the action from the first page, as well as the unique plot & the use of Spotify songs to communicate with her missing husband. However, it was a bit predictable in places, & at times it seemed unnecessarily complicated. I also felt like the characters needed better development.
That being said, I really did enjoy the book. I found the idea of secretly communicating through song titles in a shared playlist interesting, & I felt like the pace of the book was quick & the plot kept my attention well.
I struggled between giving this one 3 or 4 Stars, because I had such mixed feelings while reading it.
I loved how we jumped right into the action from the first page, as well as the unique plot & the use of Spotify songs to communicate with her missing husband. However, it was a bit predictable in places, & at times it seemed unnecessarily complicated. I also felt like the characters needed better development.
That being said, I really did enjoy the book. I found the idea of secretly communicating through song titles in a shared playlist interesting, & I felt like the pace of the book was quick & the plot kept my attention well.
October 4, 2024
This is unnecessarily complicated.
While I liked the conceit of messaging through song titles at first, it got wearying. Then, the way they communicated got more and more complex and more and more unbelievable.
I did like Marissa. I mean…I didn’t at first. At first she seemed to be a mix of naïve, doormat, and practically wore a kick me sign on her back. But…she gains a spine. I mean, it takes a long, long time. But eventually.
I don’t know that it’s super twisty. The bad people were clearly bad from the beginning. Only our MC couldn’t see it.
The ending was mostly satisfying, though I ended it feeling that Marissa’s short period of time actually having a spine was coming to an end.
Entertaining and an easy read. It just kind of makes your head spin.
• ARC via Publisher
While I liked the conceit of messaging through song titles at first, it got wearying. Then, the way they communicated got more and more complex and more and more unbelievable.
I did like Marissa. I mean…I didn’t at first. At first she seemed to be a mix of naïve, doormat, and practically wore a kick me sign on her back. But…she gains a spine. I mean, it takes a long, long time. But eventually.
I don’t know that it’s super twisty. The bad people were clearly bad from the beginning. Only our MC couldn’t see it.
The ending was mostly satisfying, though I ended it feeling that Marissa’s short period of time actually having a spine was coming to an end.
Entertaining and an easy read. It just kind of makes your head spin.
• ARC via Publisher
September 19, 2024
**I received a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review**
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.
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.
February 28, 2025
I enjoyed this! This is one of the most unique thrillers I've ever read! It is fast paced and very entertaining. The ending was satisfying. This was an entertaining mystery that I would recommend! Special Thank You to Elle Owens,Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2025
Marissa’s mundane morning is going as it usually does, caring for her son and about to see her husband Ethan off to work at her families company, when right before he walks out the door he says to her “I need you to trust me” and leaves and never comes home. Now it’s up to Marissa to follow the clues that have been left for her and hopefully be able to do the right thing.
If the point of this book was to make a meek, self centered, neurotic, and overall just an annoying woman the hero it failed. Marissa is everything I hate about female characters. Especially if they’re supposed to be the heroine because Marissa and heroine are not the same.‼️SPOILERS‼️I’m sorry but are we really supposed to buy that a woman who is the definition of a tradwife (she probably fails at that too) has everyone counting on her to be the one to solely take down all the “bad” in her life and save everyone? The woman who’s husband was extremely intense the last time she saw him when he was pleading for her to trust him and that whole scenario took a backseat as not very significant in the early stages of his disappearance while working with the police? The same woman who was told by her mother to get out if the car, locked her in the bathroom to change her clothes because she looked terrible, and actually felt better all in the middle of life and death events happening around her because she looked more put together? The second guessing, the idiotic self dialog was too much for me and then finding everything was purposefully put on her to solve was just the icing on the cake. I could go on about the idiocracy but I’ll stop here. End of story, characters like Marissa are truly in the top three things that’ll make me hate a book.
If the point of this book was to make a meek, self centered, neurotic, and overall just an annoying woman the hero it failed. Marissa is everything I hate about female characters. Especially if they’re supposed to be the heroine because Marissa and heroine are not the same.‼️SPOILERS‼️I’m sorry but are we really supposed to buy that a woman who is the definition of a tradwife (she probably fails at that too) has everyone counting on her to be the one to solely take down all the “bad” in her life and save everyone? The woman who’s husband was extremely intense the last time she saw him when he was pleading for her to trust him and that whole scenario took a backseat as not very significant in the early stages of his disappearance while working with the police? The same woman who was told by her mother to get out if the car, locked her in the bathroom to change her clothes because she looked terrible, and actually felt better all in the middle of life and death events happening around her because she looked more put together? The second guessing, the idiotic self dialog was too much for me and then finding everything was purposefully put on her to solve was just the icing on the cake. I could go on about the idiocracy but I’ll stop here. End of story, characters like Marissa are truly in the top three things that’ll make me hate a book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2025
Should have been a quick read, but #life. Definitely not a unique plot - husband disappears with secrets - but their way of communicating through song playlists was smart. I didn't really like Marissa and honestly found her sort of dumb at times. The clues didn't really make sense, yet she was able to figure them out? But then wasn't sure if she should trust her family or not when clearly she shouldn't trust her family. And lots of loose ends not tied up. Overall though, it was entertaining enough.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
April 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, Elle Owens and Thomas & Mercer for an ARC of this twisty and unique debut thriller. Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was unique in the sense that there were song titles/music incorporated throughout, which is not like other thrillers. The book was twisty (especially near the end), but I did feel that it dragged out at times. 3.5 star ⭐️ rounded up to 4. I would read more from this author.
July 7, 2025
This had potential to be good but the fmc was sooooooooooo frustratingly stupid like genuinely it would take her days to put things together that were immediately obvious as the reader and that just KEPT HAPPENING
also the twist of the whodunnit situation was also IMMEDIATELY apparent from the beginning of the book like I genuinely called it on page 2 so that was annoying
also the twist of the whodunnit situation was also IMMEDIATELY apparent from the beginning of the book like I genuinely called it on page 2 so that was annoying
January 10, 2025
This was a pretty good thriller debut! It had me hooked from the beginning. It was unique and different than other thrillers I’ve read. It was interesting. Her husband vanishes and they communicate through their shared playlist. Using song titles as codes. There were so many secrets. I didn’t know who to believe or trust. The audiobook was really good! I enjoyed listening to it! I’m excited to see what else this author writes!
October 16, 2025
3.5 ⭐
I found this one interesting. But I definitely knew certain people were suspicious from the start. When everything came to light, I was still shocked at how awful they acted even though I knew they were bad. I kept getting frustrated with the FMC for questioning herself. I was rooting for her, but she seemed to doubt her gut a lot, which I understand why. Her character development was satisfying though. There wasn't really a huge twist, so this was more of a mystery than a thriller/suspense. I would recommend for a quick read.
I found this one interesting. But I definitely knew certain people were suspicious from the start. When everything came to light, I was still shocked at how awful they acted even though I knew they were bad. I kept getting frustrated with the FMC for questioning herself. I was rooting for her, but she seemed to doubt her gut a lot, which I understand why. Her character development was satisfying though. There wasn't really a huge twist, so this was more of a mystery than a thriller/suspense. I would recommend for a quick read.
August 31, 2024
This was my first ever ARC read via NetGalley and it did not disappoint! Tell Me You Trust Me is a story about a wife whose husband disappears after saying “Tell Me You Trust Me.” And then she starts finding clues that the husband left her, to try to piece things together on why he disappeared.
This story started with intrigue, suspense, and intensity right off the bat. From the very first chapter you are sucked in and invested in this story. I think the author did such a great job at pulling us in and not letting go, as we were constantly given clues about where her husband, Ethan could be and we were given new things to discover with Marissa, our main character that made us question everything and long for answers! The whole book kept my attention and I wanted to just know more and keep reading to figure out this mystery. When a book gets me that intrigued, I automatically will give it a high rating! I also really enjoyed Marissa’s growth throughout the story and how she confronted and “overtook” her parents. It was so badass of her after everything they put her through and how they treated her, her whole life. I overall really enjoyed her character and thought she had such great intentions with her son, and handled the situation well and with lots of bravery. I’m pleased with how the ending turned out as well.
The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is that some of the story seemed a little far fetched and there was a lot going on. There seemed to be lots of characters to keep track of, lots of clues to remember, and lots of pieces of the story that were empty, that we were trying to figure out at the same time. Some of the reveals as well were a little bit predictable and I’ve had them figured out pretty early on. I was hoping for a little bit more twists and turns, but regardless of this, it didn’t change my opinion about the book too much, I still think this is a great and well written book! I would definitely read more of Elle Owens’ thriller books and I’m excited to see if she will write more!
This story started with intrigue, suspense, and intensity right off the bat. From the very first chapter you are sucked in and invested in this story. I think the author did such a great job at pulling us in and not letting go, as we were constantly given clues about where her husband, Ethan could be and we were given new things to discover with Marissa, our main character that made us question everything and long for answers! The whole book kept my attention and I wanted to just know more and keep reading to figure out this mystery. When a book gets me that intrigued, I automatically will give it a high rating! I also really enjoyed Marissa’s growth throughout the story and how she confronted and “overtook” her parents. It was so badass of her after everything they put her through and how they treated her, her whole life. I overall really enjoyed her character and thought she had such great intentions with her son, and handled the situation well and with lots of bravery. I’m pleased with how the ending turned out as well.
The only reason this isn’t 5 stars is that some of the story seemed a little far fetched and there was a lot going on. There seemed to be lots of characters to keep track of, lots of clues to remember, and lots of pieces of the story that were empty, that we were trying to figure out at the same time. Some of the reveals as well were a little bit predictable and I’ve had them figured out pretty early on. I was hoping for a little bit more twists and turns, but regardless of this, it didn’t change my opinion about the book too much, I still think this is a great and well written book! I would definitely read more of Elle Owens’ thriller books and I’m excited to see if she will write more!
September 3, 2024
This book kicks off immediately. We start off finding out that Marissa's husband, Ethan, hasn't been home in a few days and yet his keys and wallet are at home. Ethan works with Marissa's dad and brother and yet they have no clue on his whereabouts either. Everyone finds it hard to believe that Ethan would leave Marissa and their 2-year old son Logan, but things are not looking good.
Marissa feels that things seem off and doesn't think that he's left her on his own. She starts digging for clues when she realizes he has been using his Spotify account (which they share). They are quickly able to connect via songs (which I loved) but there are more questions than answers.
I couldn't put this book DOWN! 📚 It’s full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. Thank you, Netgalley and Elle Owens, for the early copy. This book will be released in February 2025, so make sure to add it to your TBR list! 📅
Marissa feels that things seem off and doesn't think that he's left her on his own. She starts digging for clues when she realizes he has been using his Spotify account (which they share). They are quickly able to connect via songs (which I loved) but there are more questions than answers.
I couldn't put this book DOWN! 📚 It’s full of twists and turns that kept me hooked. Thank you, Netgalley and Elle Owens, for the early copy. This book will be released in February 2025, so make sure to add it to your TBR list! 📅
August 20, 2025
fast-paced and interesting enough… didn’t blow my mind or anything but it was pretty good
October 20, 2025
Unfortunately this left a lot to be desired.I just could not get into it and it was way too long. lacking in chracterisation and the plot just seemed over the top. I won't say anything else as I do not want to spoil it for others who may wish to read it but it definitely was not for me.
May 22, 2025
This book had me hooked. I couldn’t figure out what happened. Super bingeable
April 5, 2025
I enjoyed the communication through song titles. Her family made me mad 😡!
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