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You Know Why
From New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison comes a suspenseful domestic thriller about identity, revenge, and the dangerous secrets kept hidden from the ones we love most.
It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.
Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.
Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
428 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 25, 2026
About the author
J.T. Ellison
85 books7,349 followersJ.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 30 novels, and the EMMY® award winning co-host of the literary TV show A WORD ON WORDS. She also writes fantasy under the pen name Joss Walker.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
With millions of books in print, her work has won critical acclaim and prestigious awards They have also been optioned for television, and published in 28 countries.
J.T. lives in Nashville with her husband and twin kittens, one of whom is a ghost, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
OH. MY. GOD! BANGER ALERT! BANGER ALERT! A sublime action-packed thrill ride of perfectly executed twists and jaw-dropping turns, You Know Why was Ellison turning her insanely talented brain up to a mind-blowing eleven with the flick of her pen. You see, she somehow managed to master every single aspect of the thriller genre. From the smooth transitions of the untrustworthy narrators to the whiplash-inducing cat-and-mouse games, it was the epitome of a flawlessly laid trap of relentless, sprint-like pacing and twisty, onion-like plotting. Put together with a scheme that shocked me to my core, and this book was perfect for fans of Harlan Coben while also being mildly reminiscent of The Firm. Don’t get me wrong, even Grisham would’ve been blown away by this multilayered storyline, complete with complex characters, cinematic vibes, and nonstop “WTF?!” revelations that shifting the plot—and my many theories—again and again.
So what else did I love about this taut, one-sitting read? Well, not only were the narrators both deliciously unreliable and morally gray, but the short, cliffhanger chapters made this book into an impossible-to-put-down novel thanks to the increasingly high stakes. Yup. In spite of the fact that this book was almost 500 pages long, I finished it in one single session of desperate, starry-eyed reading. Interweaving high-tension thrills with the intimate feeling of expertly played domestic suspense, I didn’t know who to trust as various identifies were questioned, loyalties shifted, and a dark web of deception was revealed. Nothing, however, could’ve prepared me for that one-two punch of a climax and conclusion. So if you’re a fan of action-movie-like vibes amid layers of long-buried secrets and half-truths, give this one a go. It had everything I love in a binge-worthy read—plus that extra special something that Ellison always delivers. Rating of 5+++ stars.
Read if you’re a fan of:
- An adrenaline-fueled climax
- Unreliable narrators
- Satisfying conclusions
- Complex plots
- Well-written multiple POVs
- Über-high stakes
- Games of cat-and-mouse
- A cinematic feel
- Cliffhanger chapters
- Family drama
- Morally gray characters
- Hidden identities
- Long-buried secrets
- Shifting loyalties
- Action-movie-like vibes
EDITED SYNOPSIS:
Please oh please go into this one at least mostly blind. All you need to know is in the edited synopsis that I’ve included below...
It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation―and life as she knows it―begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Suddenly, Brooklyn is faced with the unimaginable. Did her husband really kill his first wife? Is he running away for a second time? And will she ever see him again? She knows all too well that life isn’t always what it seems. After all, Brooklyn has a dark history of her own that she’d rather forget. Suddenly, she must confront an unsettling possibility that the truth is a trap―laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Thank you J.T. Ellison, Thomas & Mercer, and Over the River PR for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 25, 2026
Content warning: murder, pedestrian-versus-car accident, drug use, blackmail, gun and knife violence, stalking, medical content, financial crimes, attempted suicide, violence, kidnapping, gaslighting, emotional and physical abuse, toxic friendship, mental illness, mention of: drug abuse, drug overdose, drug trafficking
So what else did I love about this taut, one-sitting read? Well, not only were the narrators both deliciously unreliable and morally gray, but the short, cliffhanger chapters made this book into an impossible-to-put-down novel thanks to the increasingly high stakes. Yup. In spite of the fact that this book was almost 500 pages long, I finished it in one single session of desperate, starry-eyed reading. Interweaving high-tension thrills with the intimate feeling of expertly played domestic suspense, I didn’t know who to trust as various identifies were questioned, loyalties shifted, and a dark web of deception was revealed. Nothing, however, could’ve prepared me for that one-two punch of a climax and conclusion. So if you’re a fan of action-movie-like vibes amid layers of long-buried secrets and half-truths, give this one a go. It had everything I love in a binge-worthy read—plus that extra special something that Ellison always delivers. Rating of 5+++ stars.
Read if you’re a fan of:
- An adrenaline-fueled climax
- Unreliable narrators
- Satisfying conclusions
- Complex plots
- Well-written multiple POVs
- Über-high stakes
- Games of cat-and-mouse
- A cinematic feel
- Cliffhanger chapters
- Family drama
- Morally gray characters
- Hidden identities
- Long-buried secrets
- Shifting loyalties
- Action-movie-like vibes
EDITED SYNOPSIS:
Please oh please go into this one at least mostly blind. All you need to know is in the edited synopsis that I’ve included below...
It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation―and life as she knows it―begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Suddenly, Brooklyn is faced with the unimaginable. Did her husband really kill his first wife? Is he running away for a second time? And will she ever see him again? She knows all too well that life isn’t always what it seems. After all, Brooklyn has a dark history of her own that she’d rather forget. Suddenly, she must confront an unsettling possibility that the truth is a trap―laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Thank you J.T. Ellison, Thomas & Mercer, and Over the River PR for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 25, 2026
Content warning: murder, pedestrian-versus-car accident, drug use, blackmail, gun and knife violence, stalking, medical content, financial crimes, attempted suicide, violence, kidnapping, gaslighting, emotional and physical abuse, toxic friendship, mental illness, mention of: drug abuse, drug overdose, drug trafficking
September 28, 2026
Engaging plot, real characters and good writing. Loved it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
You Know Why by J T Ellison
Contemporary mystery suspense.
Trey Locke surprises his wife Brooklyn, telling her they are going to Italy for a few weeks vacation. Tomorrow. She packs up the kids and gets the house prepped and a dog sitter lined up. They get to the airport but their flight has been changed. They have to fly through Atlanta, but at least they have been upgraded and will arrive earlier than their original flight. Trey is upset and doesn’t want to go through Atlanta but they get on their flight out of Nashville anyway. Once in Atlanta though, Trey disappears. Security shows video to Brooklyn that he walks out of the airport on his own. She finds her credit cards cancelled and all the money in their bank accounts cleared out.
Brooklyn accepts help from an airline employee. The one who had called him Andrew. She knew him from his original hometown. Not where Brooklyn thought.
Where is he? Why did he leave his family?
🎧 I was lucky enough to alternate between the ebook and audiobook. The narration is FULL CAST which is a favorite. You know who the chapter POV is just by the voice although chapters are conveniently labeled as well. These narrators are well known and experienced actors with vast back catalogues. The performances are spot on and give the listener the personality of the characters in 3D. Tension and worry among so many other emotions are clear and understood. Absolutely fantastic work by Brittany Presley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld and Hillary Huber. Make a note and follow these actors if you don’t already. They’ve done some impressive audiobooks.
A compelling mystery that flows quickly between several characters and actually reveals much of the plot as it progresses. We know by halfway who did it. Maybe. And then a little more detail gets added to the puzzle and a few more twists to keep you reading to the end.
Compulsive reading to the end. Loved the continual twists.
I received this from NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
Contemporary mystery suspense.
Trey Locke surprises his wife Brooklyn, telling her they are going to Italy for a few weeks vacation. Tomorrow. She packs up the kids and gets the house prepped and a dog sitter lined up. They get to the airport but their flight has been changed. They have to fly through Atlanta, but at least they have been upgraded and will arrive earlier than their original flight. Trey is upset and doesn’t want to go through Atlanta but they get on their flight out of Nashville anyway. Once in Atlanta though, Trey disappears. Security shows video to Brooklyn that he walks out of the airport on his own. She finds her credit cards cancelled and all the money in their bank accounts cleared out.
Brooklyn accepts help from an airline employee. The one who had called him Andrew. She knew him from his original hometown. Not where Brooklyn thought.
Where is he? Why did he leave his family?
🎧 I was lucky enough to alternate between the ebook and audiobook. The narration is FULL CAST which is a favorite. You know who the chapter POV is just by the voice although chapters are conveniently labeled as well. These narrators are well known and experienced actors with vast back catalogues. The performances are spot on and give the listener the personality of the characters in 3D. Tension and worry among so many other emotions are clear and understood. Absolutely fantastic work by Brittany Presley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld and Hillary Huber. Make a note and follow these actors if you don’t already. They’ve done some impressive audiobooks.
A compelling mystery that flows quickly between several characters and actually reveals much of the plot as it progresses. We know by halfway who did it. Maybe. And then a little more detail gets added to the puzzle and a few more twists to keep you reading to the end.
Compulsive reading to the end. Loved the continual twists.
I received this from NetGalley and Brilliance Audio.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🎧 Pub Week Review & Tour 🎧
Hawt diggity, this audiobook was a 5 ⭐️ performance! This had an all-star cast including @macleodandrewsactor who was also in The Calamities. He’s amazing! I finished this in two days and the suspense had me hooked!!
A husband has surprised his family with a trip to Italy. While about to board their plane, he walks out and vanishes. Where did he go and why? Why would he abandon them?
Nothing is as it seems to the wife and soon, she learns she doesn’t even know who he is.
I loved it and I will forever be a JT fan for life! I highly recommend the audiobook or any format really.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to OTRPR, Amazon and Brilliance Publishing for the gifted copies.
Hawt diggity, this audiobook was a 5 ⭐️ performance! This had an all-star cast including @macleodandrewsactor who was also in The Calamities. He’s amazing! I finished this in two days and the suspense had me hooked!!
A husband has surprised his family with a trip to Italy. While about to board their plane, he walks out and vanishes. Where did he go and why? Why would he abandon them?
Nothing is as it seems to the wife and soon, she learns she doesn’t even know who he is.
I loved it and I will forever be a JT fan for life! I highly recommend the audiobook or any format really.
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to OTRPR, Amazon and Brilliance Publishing for the gifted copies.
August 30, 2026
Brooklyn and Trey have been married for years, raising their two children and living what appears to be a fairly ordinary suburban life. They’re about to head off on a family holiday to Italy when Trey suddenly disappears from the airport, leaving Brooklyn with their kids, a lot of questions, and the growing suspicion that she may not know her husband nearly as well as she thought.
This one had me hooked pretty quickly, with a setup that gets straight to the point before sending you down a rabbit hole of lies, secrets and suspicious behaviour. Pretty much everyone except the kids seemed to reek of suspicion, and whenever I thought I might be onto something, there was always that niggling doubt that I was wrong, or at least missing a pretty big piece of the picture.
For me, this was such a fun take on the whole Who did I marry? and How well do you really know the people closest to you? kind of thriller. There are plenty of moving pieces at play, and I had a great time trying to figure out where everyone fit and what the hell was actually going on. Even the chapter titles added to the suspense, sometimes dropping subtle hints about what might be coming and making me all the more curious to find out.
With so much going on, I'll admit some of the subplots became a little overwhelming at times, particularly once the story started branching off in different directions. Surprisingly though, it all came together really well for me. I loved seeing just how carefully everything had been engineered, especially those Ohhh, so THAT'S why... moments when something I'd questioned earlier finally had an explanation.
There really is a little bit of everything thrown into the mix here, from messed-up sibling dynamics and marriage secrets to complicated pasts, unhinged characters and a much bigger crime angle. It crosses into domestic, psychological and crime thriller territory at different points, and somehow I was along for all of it.
By the time I reached the final stretch, I thought I knew where things were heading, but apparently not. Some reveals caught me more off guard than others, and there were still a few surprises waiting in those final pages. It was a wild way to wrap things up, but one that left me very satisfied.
4.5⭐
Someone needs to pick this up and turn it into a movie.
This one had me hooked pretty quickly, with a setup that gets straight to the point before sending you down a rabbit hole of lies, secrets and suspicious behaviour. Pretty much everyone except the kids seemed to reek of suspicion, and whenever I thought I might be onto something, there was always that niggling doubt that I was wrong, or at least missing a pretty big piece of the picture.
For me, this was such a fun take on the whole Who did I marry? and How well do you really know the people closest to you? kind of thriller. There are plenty of moving pieces at play, and I had a great time trying to figure out where everyone fit and what the hell was actually going on. Even the chapter titles added to the suspense, sometimes dropping subtle hints about what might be coming and making me all the more curious to find out.
With so much going on, I'll admit some of the subplots became a little overwhelming at times, particularly once the story started branching off in different directions. Surprisingly though, it all came together really well for me. I loved seeing just how carefully everything had been engineered, especially those Ohhh, so THAT'S why... moments when something I'd questioned earlier finally had an explanation.
There really is a little bit of everything thrown into the mix here, from messed-up sibling dynamics and marriage secrets to complicated pasts, unhinged characters and a much bigger crime angle. It crosses into domestic, psychological and crime thriller territory at different points, and somehow I was along for all of it.
By the time I reached the final stretch, I thought I knew where things were heading, but apparently not. Some reveals caught me more off guard than others, and there were still a few surprises waiting in those final pages. It was a wild way to wrap things up, but one that left me very satisfied.
4.5⭐
Someone needs to pick this up and turn it into a movie.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
What a blast! Pulls you in from the beginning. Readers can see the husband is lying. His wife is smart but she doesn't have a real reason to distrust him. So when he surprises her with a trip to Italy, despite hating flying and refusing to do it for 10 years, something should ring alarm bells. Especially his behavior at the airport. But things get in the way and they are split up temporarily. When the drama unfolds, he's missing, she's stuck spending time with his ex-girlfriend or the sister of his ex-girlfriend (intentionally unclear). I invested in this story immediately. Needed to know what he had done in his past. But then you realize she has some secrets too. How can a married couple keep so much hidden? Are those relationships where you have separate lives on top of your combined life potential pitfalls to hide secrets or required moments to stay happily married forever? Love the balance between drama and reality, and there are so many moments where you will scream at the characters, "Stop being stupid!" and "Can you just do what's best for you, not someone else right now?" But it's good storytelling like this that keeps you committed, and in the end, the drama is WAY TOO OVER THE TOP but deliciously fantastic.
September 6, 2026
Outstanding!! What a roller coaster 🎢 ride that was! I could not put this one down. The storytelling was top shelf and the twists were eye rolling insane. I’m still shaking my head. From the very beginning it pulls you in and you better pay attention if you want to keep up. This one is deep in layers and it goes pretty far left field. The funny part is, you see it coming then nothing turns out like how you think it would.
Looking for a fresh thrill ride and getting your moneys worth? Then stop right here! You will find yourself on a heated thriller you will find so hard to put down until the very end and for that I say…..thank you very much!!
Looking for a fresh thrill ride and getting your moneys worth? Then stop right here! You will find yourself on a heated thriller you will find so hard to put down until the very end and for that I say…..thank you very much!!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When your familiar universe drop kicks you into a bottomless Black Hole.
Endless slippery slopes and the void of expansive wastelands describe You Know Why to the max. J.T. Ellison was destined to write one freaky novel in which those who inhabit these pages cannot sufficiently get a grip on life. You'll know exactly what I mean when you crack this one open.
Brooklyn Locke was a free agent most of her adult life. She was an ace photographer traveling the world snapping pics of high-end food delicacies created by renowned chefs. Every food network knew her name. But then, she met Trey in Mexico and fell into the boundaries of marriage and family. It seemed to suit her.
Trey arrives home one night and lays out a family vacation that is beyond words. He'll be attending a convention in Milan and wants Brooklyn and their two children to travel with him. The surprise gets even bigger. Their flight leaves in the morning. No notice. No extra preparation. Nothing but a smack of tension and stress. But the traveler inside Brooklyn makes it happen on short notice.
At the airport, they've been bumped from their regular flight to London and then Milan. They're now booked for a flight that takes them to Atlanta and then Milan. They board. A woman by the name of Eden Borrow recognizes Trey and says that they went to high school together. Trey denies this. Shortly after, Trey is especially nervous and snappy. He tells Brooklyn that he forgot something and gets off the plane. Brooklyn and the kids wait. No Trey. Brooklyn fights the attendants and gets off the plane to look for Trey.
Not so fast Brooklyn. Security wants to question you about the hoopla you just caused. That's when they show her the video of Trey leaving the airport and getting inside a black SUV. We readers lean into Brooklyn and we're full of questions, too. And this is just the beginning, folks, of a wild ride beyond words.
You Know Why is like being pushed off a cliff into oblivion. No one in this novel is sure-footed including us readers. What exactly is going on with Trey? Why would he leave his family high and dry at the airport? And that's not the only thing that Trey has done to his loving family. Watch this one unfold like dying petals off the rose. Nothing is as it seems. Around every corner is a bigger shock than the one before. Ellison sees to that. She's in full charge of the tremors in this one. Tremors that just keep coming. Exactly how we like 'em.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented J.T. Ellison for the opportunity.
Endless slippery slopes and the void of expansive wastelands describe You Know Why to the max. J.T. Ellison was destined to write one freaky novel in which those who inhabit these pages cannot sufficiently get a grip on life. You'll know exactly what I mean when you crack this one open.
Brooklyn Locke was a free agent most of her adult life. She was an ace photographer traveling the world snapping pics of high-end food delicacies created by renowned chefs. Every food network knew her name. But then, she met Trey in Mexico and fell into the boundaries of marriage and family. It seemed to suit her.
Trey arrives home one night and lays out a family vacation that is beyond words. He'll be attending a convention in Milan and wants Brooklyn and their two children to travel with him. The surprise gets even bigger. Their flight leaves in the morning. No notice. No extra preparation. Nothing but a smack of tension and stress. But the traveler inside Brooklyn makes it happen on short notice.
At the airport, they've been bumped from their regular flight to London and then Milan. They're now booked for a flight that takes them to Atlanta and then Milan. They board. A woman by the name of Eden Borrow recognizes Trey and says that they went to high school together. Trey denies this. Shortly after, Trey is especially nervous and snappy. He tells Brooklyn that he forgot something and gets off the plane. Brooklyn and the kids wait. No Trey. Brooklyn fights the attendants and gets off the plane to look for Trey.
Not so fast Brooklyn. Security wants to question you about the hoopla you just caused. That's when they show her the video of Trey leaving the airport and getting inside a black SUV. We readers lean into Brooklyn and we're full of questions, too. And this is just the beginning, folks, of a wild ride beyond words.
You Know Why is like being pushed off a cliff into oblivion. No one in this novel is sure-footed including us readers. What exactly is going on with Trey? Why would he leave his family high and dry at the airport? And that's not the only thing that Trey has done to his loving family. Watch this one unfold like dying petals off the rose. Nothing is as it seems. Around every corner is a bigger shock than the one before. Ellison sees to that. She's in full charge of the tremors in this one. Tremors that just keep coming. Exactly how we like 'em.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to the talented J.T. Ellison for the opportunity.
September 1, 2026
4 Stars
In the past Chloe was murdered by her new husband.
At least that's what her sister Eden is sure of.
Cut to Trey and Brooklyn years later raising their two children.
Trey suddenly decides they all need a vacation in Italy.
When their flight is diverted to leave out of Atlanta instead of Nashville Trey tells his wife to go without him and leaves the airport.
Brooklyn decides not to get on the flight without her husband.
Suddenly she is approached by a woman who offers to help her and her children.
Lots of betrayal and mistaken identity.
A very fast paced and well written thriller.
In the past Chloe was murdered by her new husband.
At least that's what her sister Eden is sure of.
Cut to Trey and Brooklyn years later raising their two children.
Trey suddenly decides they all need a vacation in Italy.
When their flight is diverted to leave out of Atlanta instead of Nashville Trey tells his wife to go without him and leaves the airport.
Brooklyn decides not to get on the flight without her husband.
Suddenly she is approached by a woman who offers to help her and her children.
Lots of betrayal and mistaken identity.
A very fast paced and well written thriller.
August 4, 2026
Yes JT, this was amazing!
I have been reading JT Ellison books for a very long time now and I am always excited when a new one comes out. You Know Why just blew me away! it is such a clever idea that branches out in so many directions. It is impossible to predict what was going to happen next, each revelation bringing with it more questions than answers. I just couldn’t get enough of it and binged it over 2 days.
Imagine this… you are heading off on a last minute holiday to Italy with your husband and 2 children when your husband suddenly disappears. This is what happens to Brooklyn Locke, when her husband Trey doesn’t board the plane. She cannot believe that he would do this to them and is convinced that something terrible has happened to him, until a stranger tells her some wild stories about his past. And then everything changes.
The suspense was killing me! What in earth was happening? What should have been a fun holiday has turned into a nightmare, and the shocks just keep coming. I love a story that keeps you guessing and has you questioning everything and everyone. The web of lies and secrets just kept growing and growing. It was clear that anyone connected to Trey was in danger and you just didn’t know who could be trusted.
This would make a brilliant Netflix series, so full of drama! I listened to the audiobook for this and it has a dream cast of narrators including the fabulous Brittany Pressley, Hillary Huber and Saskia Maarleveld. Anytime I see that these ladies are narrating I jump at the chance to listen. It was a great full cast production with each and every narrator doing an excellent job of keeping all the characters separated for the listener and bring this amazing story to life.
Thank you so much to Thomas and Mercer for the early copy of this book to read and Brilliance Publishing and JT herself for the audio book . Publishes on August 25th.
I have been reading JT Ellison books for a very long time now and I am always excited when a new one comes out. You Know Why just blew me away! it is such a clever idea that branches out in so many directions. It is impossible to predict what was going to happen next, each revelation bringing with it more questions than answers. I just couldn’t get enough of it and binged it over 2 days.
Imagine this… you are heading off on a last minute holiday to Italy with your husband and 2 children when your husband suddenly disappears. This is what happens to Brooklyn Locke, when her husband Trey doesn’t board the plane. She cannot believe that he would do this to them and is convinced that something terrible has happened to him, until a stranger tells her some wild stories about his past. And then everything changes.
The suspense was killing me! What in earth was happening? What should have been a fun holiday has turned into a nightmare, and the shocks just keep coming. I love a story that keeps you guessing and has you questioning everything and everyone. The web of lies and secrets just kept growing and growing. It was clear that anyone connected to Trey was in danger and you just didn’t know who could be trusted.
This would make a brilliant Netflix series, so full of drama! I listened to the audiobook for this and it has a dream cast of narrators including the fabulous Brittany Pressley, Hillary Huber and Saskia Maarleveld. Anytime I see that these ladies are narrating I jump at the chance to listen. It was a great full cast production with each and every narrator doing an excellent job of keeping all the characters separated for the listener and bring this amazing story to life.
Thank you so much to Thomas and Mercer for the early copy of this book to read and Brilliance Publishing and JT herself for the audio book . Publishes on August 25th.
August 28, 2026
the setup…
Brooklyn Locke writes articles for a food magazine and is married to Trey, an investment manger. They live outside of Nashville with their two children, 9-year old son “Four” and 7-year old daughter Neve. It’s two weeks before Christmas and Trey suddenly decides they’re going to Italy the next day for business and a family vacation. Brooklyn pulls it off and gets them all to the airport on time but find they’ve been bumped, diverted to Atlanta but upgraded to first class on the connecting flight. Trey is upset with the changes, has them board while he goes to the restroom…but fails to return before takeoff. Brooklyn manages to deplane but Trey has vanished. A woman who was on the same flight, Eden Barrow, offers help to the stranded family. It’s the same woman who thought she knew Trey earlier and…turns out her sister Chloe was married to him ten years ago and he was the suspect in her murder. Where is Trey and who exactly is he?
the heart of the story…
I smelled a rat as soon as Trey made a fuss about the diversion to Atlanta and when he denied knowing Eden. Brooklyn is smart and it becomes clear early on that nothing and no one was as they first seemed. I wasn’t trusting anyone as a labyrinth of secrets, lies and subterfuge unfolded.
the narration…
Talk about an all star cast and performance! Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld & Hillary Huber are all favorites and made this the best listening experience.
the bottom line…
This was a great mind bender with so many layers of mystique and complexity. I was confounded through the end with a host of twisty turns. The ending blew me away even thought my instincts were dead on about a few of them. If you like edge of your seat mystery and suspense, this is that book and do yourself a favor and listen to the wonderful cast tell the story. 4.5 stars
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Brooklyn Locke writes articles for a food magazine and is married to Trey, an investment manger. They live outside of Nashville with their two children, 9-year old son “Four” and 7-year old daughter Neve. It’s two weeks before Christmas and Trey suddenly decides they’re going to Italy the next day for business and a family vacation. Brooklyn pulls it off and gets them all to the airport on time but find they’ve been bumped, diverted to Atlanta but upgraded to first class on the connecting flight. Trey is upset with the changes, has them board while he goes to the restroom…but fails to return before takeoff. Brooklyn manages to deplane but Trey has vanished. A woman who was on the same flight, Eden Barrow, offers help to the stranded family. It’s the same woman who thought she knew Trey earlier and…turns out her sister Chloe was married to him ten years ago and he was the suspect in her murder. Where is Trey and who exactly is he?
the heart of the story…
I smelled a rat as soon as Trey made a fuss about the diversion to Atlanta and when he denied knowing Eden. Brooklyn is smart and it becomes clear early on that nothing and no one was as they first seemed. I wasn’t trusting anyone as a labyrinth of secrets, lies and subterfuge unfolded.
the narration…
Talk about an all star cast and performance! Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld & Hillary Huber are all favorites and made this the best listening experience.
the bottom line…
This was a great mind bender with so many layers of mystique and complexity. I was confounded through the end with a host of twisty turns. The ending blew me away even thought my instincts were dead on about a few of them. If you like edge of your seat mystery and suspense, this is that book and do yourself a favor and listen to the wonderful cast tell the story. 4.5 stars
(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
September 10, 2026
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Incredible thriller!
I was hooked from the first page.
I love J.T. Ellison’s writing style.
She is an automatic read for me.
I highly recommend You Know Why!!
Incredible thriller!
I was hooked from the first page.
I love J.T. Ellison’s writing style.
She is an automatic read for me.
I highly recommend You Know Why!!
August 26, 2026
Readers will find themselves utterly addicted to this domestic suspense on steroids! Brooklyn, her husband Trey, and their two small children are about to board a plane when Trey suddenly disappears. Then, a woman who was supposed to be on the same flight claims Trey is someone else—and he killed her sister years ago. Where did Trey vanish to, and was it because of this woman?
Sure, some story aspects may be predictable if you're paying attention, but others are completely unexpected with shocking, over-the-top moments—which I live for. I even audibly gasped. There are multiple uniquely distinct players involved, so it's easy to discern whose perspective it is at any given point—especially with the all-star cast of the audiobook!
Let's get real for a minute: with performances by Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld, and Hillary Huber, if you're an audiobook fan and don't listen to this, what are you even doing with your life?! I can't begin to go into detail about why each of these phenomenal voice actors shines because I'd need an entire page for each of them. Just do yourself a favor and get the audiobook!
Several storylines converge in a gratifying conclusion, with a specific scene that, while not surprising (to this reader), was still chilling! If you're a fan of intrigue, drama, psychological thrillers, police procedurals, hidden secrets, unhinged characters (oooh yes, we have a "cuckoo for cocoa puffs" one), and twisty layers—you need to add YOU KNOW WHY to your TBR immediately. J.T. Ellison takes us down a dark and twisted road, both past and present, and holds us hostage with elements that entwine together in spectacular fashion. Don't miss it!
____
Thank you to J.T. Ellison, Amazon Publishing and Over The River PR for my free copies. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
Sure, some story aspects may be predictable if you're paying attention, but others are completely unexpected with shocking, over-the-top moments—which I live for. I even audibly gasped. There are multiple uniquely distinct players involved, so it's easy to discern whose perspective it is at any given point—especially with the all-star cast of the audiobook!
Let's get real for a minute: with performances by Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld, and Hillary Huber, if you're an audiobook fan and don't listen to this, what are you even doing with your life?! I can't begin to go into detail about why each of these phenomenal voice actors shines because I'd need an entire page for each of them. Just do yourself a favor and get the audiobook!
Several storylines converge in a gratifying conclusion, with a specific scene that, while not surprising (to this reader), was still chilling! If you're a fan of intrigue, drama, psychological thrillers, police procedurals, hidden secrets, unhinged characters (oooh yes, we have a "cuckoo for cocoa puffs" one), and twisty layers—you need to add YOU KNOW WHY to your TBR immediately. J.T. Ellison takes us down a dark and twisted road, both past and present, and holds us hostage with elements that entwine together in spectacular fashion. Don't miss it!
____
Thank you to J.T. Ellison, Amazon Publishing and Over The River PR for my free copies. All opinions are my own and given voluntarily.
September 15, 2026
How great is this cover??? 😍 I absolutely love @thrillerchick books! Thank you @otrpr @amazonpublishing for the gorgeous gifted copy!! Thank you @brilliancepublishing for the phenomenal gifted audiobook 🎧 🎧SO I am pretty much obsessed with @thrillerchick books. She is one of the authors I blame for my love of thrillers. Lie to Me in 2017!! 😍 She’s been a MUST read ever since!! Anyways… listen to this…
It’s the holidays and your hubby Trey surprises you with a trip to Italy!! 🇮🇹 Aww Trey 🥰 So sweet.. right?! That is until you bump into a woman at the airport that knows your husband… or she thinks she does… but she’s not calling him Trey. 😬🤔🤔 Things that make you go hmmm right?!
Trey goes to the restroom.. 🚻.. and never comes back. WHAT?! 😳 Guys… this kicked off an adrenaline packed thriller from the very start. Throw in a murky past… a detective…and of course… murder. This made for a read that I could NOT put down!!
This is definitely one of my top books by this author.. but I tell you.. I do really love them all. I went back and forth between the audiobook and the physical book and blew through it in less than a day. The audiobook was fantastic! Thanks to @brilliancepublishing for that!! 👏👏
Twisty, fast and oh so clever!
It’s the holidays and your hubby Trey surprises you with a trip to Italy!! 🇮🇹 Aww Trey 🥰 So sweet.. right?! That is until you bump into a woman at the airport that knows your husband… or she thinks she does… but she’s not calling him Trey. 😬🤔🤔 Things that make you go hmmm right?!
Trey goes to the restroom.. 🚻.. and never comes back. WHAT?! 😳 Guys… this kicked off an adrenaline packed thriller from the very start. Throw in a murky past… a detective…and of course… murder. This made for a read that I could NOT put down!!
This is definitely one of my top books by this author.. but I tell you.. I do really love them all. I went back and forth between the audiobook and the physical book and blew through it in less than a day. The audiobook was fantastic! Thanks to @brilliancepublishing for that!! 👏👏
Twisty, fast and oh so clever!
September 10, 2026
➡️ WHY, WHY, WHY?
➡️ Why didn't I enjoy this "WHY?" book?
The "What happened to the husband who vanished into thin air at the airport?" premise was compelling. Until it wasn't.
➡️ Midway, the plot took a steep nosedive into the far-fetched.
Endless repetition, unnecessary backstories, and tedious tangents dragged the narrative down and completely derailed the pacing.
➡️ I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by Brittany Pressley, Samara Naeymi, MacLeod Andrews, Saskia Maarleveld, and Hillary Huber.
The brilliant full-cast narration helped me reach the finish line.
➡️ Author J.T. Ellison goes hot/cold with me.
BRRR! This was not one of her better books.
August 31, 2026
Photographer Brooklyn Locke is heading to Italy with her husband Trey and their two children for the holidays when everything goes sideways at the airport. Trey suddenly disappears, missing their connecting flight, leaving Brooklyn scrambling for answers. Then she meets Eden Barrow, a stranger on the same flight who claims to know exactly why Trey vanished. Eden reveals that she is the sister of Trey's first wife, who was murdered ten years ago, with Trey once considered the prime suspect. As Brooklyn tries to figure out whether Eden is helping her or manipulating her, another devastating event leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With Trey missing and Eden suddenly one of the few people she can rely on, Brooklyn begins questioning everything.
J.T Ellison really said, "let me ruin your ability to trust anyone for the next 500 or so pages!" and honestly?? Mission accomplished! You Know Why was a fast paced banger of a thriller! The kind where you start with a theory, become increasingly confident in your theory, and then get completely blindsided with the next twist. The pacing was A++! Short chapters, shifting perspectives, unreliable narrators, morally gray characters and enough deception to keep me suspicious of everyone! And somehow being a chonker of a book, I flew through this in just a couple of sittings! The deeper I got the more tangled everything became. And then that ending?! Not what I was expecting! If you're in the mood for a bingeable cinematic thriller packed with high stakes, secrets and "wait what?" moments, add this one to your TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, J.T Ellison, and Thomas and Mercer for this eARC and thank you Over the River PR for inviting me on this book tour!
J.T Ellison really said, "let me ruin your ability to trust anyone for the next 500 or so pages!" and honestly?? Mission accomplished! You Know Why was a fast paced banger of a thriller! The kind where you start with a theory, become increasingly confident in your theory, and then get completely blindsided with the next twist. The pacing was A++! Short chapters, shifting perspectives, unreliable narrators, morally gray characters and enough deception to keep me suspicious of everyone! And somehow being a chonker of a book, I flew through this in just a couple of sittings! The deeper I got the more tangled everything became. And then that ending?! Not what I was expecting! If you're in the mood for a bingeable cinematic thriller packed with high stakes, secrets and "wait what?" moments, add this one to your TBR!
Thank you to NetGalley, J.T Ellison, and Thomas and Mercer for this eARC and thank you Over the River PR for inviting me on this book tour!
August 17, 2026
I had such mixed feelings about this one because the first half was far stronger than the second half for me.
The setup immediately pulled me in. Brooklyn is at the airport with her husband and children, ready to leave for a family vacation, when her husband suddenly disappears. Then she discovers that the man she has been married to for years may not be exactly who she thought he was.
That alone was enough to hook me.
From there, the questions kept piling up. Who is Trey really? Why did he leave? What has he been hiding? Who can Brooklyn trust? There are threats, secrets, suspicious people circling the family, and enough strange behavior that I was constantly questioning everyone’s motives.
I especially enjoyed the domestic suspense elements. There is one character in particular who made my warning bells go off almost immediately, and watching that storyline develop was easily my favorite part of the book. It was creepy in a very personal, invasive way, and I wish the book had leaned much harder into that side of the story.
Unfortunately, somewhere around the second half, the plot became way too complicated for me.
More characters, organizations, criminal connections, past events, secret motives and complicated relationships kept getting added. Instead of each reveal making everything click into place, I found myself trying to remember who was connected to whom, what happened when, and how one piece of the past related to another.
There is a point where complicated stops being intriguing and starts becoming work, and unfortunately I crossed that line.
The second half actually has more happening, with plenty of reveals and some genuinely surprising twists. But rather than becoming more invested as everything came together, I found myself caring less because I was spending too much energy trying to keep the increasingly convoluted plot straight.
I also had an issue with the way some information was withheld earlier in the story. I can’t explain that without wandering directly into spoiler territory, but one later revelation made me look back at a character’s earlier behavior and question whether it completely made sense.
I really think there was a fantastic thriller buried inside this book. If the more elaborate conspiracy elements had been greatly reduced and the story had stayed focused on the disappearance, family secrets, psychological manipulation and domestic suspense, this could have been so much more effective for me.
The biggest indicator of how I ultimately felt came when I finished. My overwhelming emotion wasn’t shock or excitement.
It was relief that I was done.
The first half had me theorizing and genuinely curious. By the end, there were simply too many moving pieces, and the story had lost me somewhere inside its own tangled web.
3 stars. A strong premise with some excellent twists and one particularly compelling storyline, but ultimately far too convoluted for me to stay emotionally invested
The setup immediately pulled me in. Brooklyn is at the airport with her husband and children, ready to leave for a family vacation, when her husband suddenly disappears. Then she discovers that the man she has been married to for years may not be exactly who she thought he was.
That alone was enough to hook me.
From there, the questions kept piling up. Who is Trey really? Why did he leave? What has he been hiding? Who can Brooklyn trust? There are threats, secrets, suspicious people circling the family, and enough strange behavior that I was constantly questioning everyone’s motives.
I especially enjoyed the domestic suspense elements. There is one character in particular who made my warning bells go off almost immediately, and watching that storyline develop was easily my favorite part of the book. It was creepy in a very personal, invasive way, and I wish the book had leaned much harder into that side of the story.
Unfortunately, somewhere around the second half, the plot became way too complicated for me.
More characters, organizations, criminal connections, past events, secret motives and complicated relationships kept getting added. Instead of each reveal making everything click into place, I found myself trying to remember who was connected to whom, what happened when, and how one piece of the past related to another.
There is a point where complicated stops being intriguing and starts becoming work, and unfortunately I crossed that line.
The second half actually has more happening, with plenty of reveals and some genuinely surprising twists. But rather than becoming more invested as everything came together, I found myself caring less because I was spending too much energy trying to keep the increasingly convoluted plot straight.
I also had an issue with the way some information was withheld earlier in the story. I can’t explain that without wandering directly into spoiler territory, but one later revelation made me look back at a character’s earlier behavior and question whether it completely made sense.
I really think there was a fantastic thriller buried inside this book. If the more elaborate conspiracy elements had been greatly reduced and the story had stayed focused on the disappearance, family secrets, psychological manipulation and domestic suspense, this could have been so much more effective for me.
The biggest indicator of how I ultimately felt came when I finished. My overwhelming emotion wasn’t shock or excitement.
It was relief that I was done.
The first half had me theorizing and genuinely curious. By the end, there were simply too many moving pieces, and the story had lost me somewhere inside its own tangled web.
3 stars. A strong premise with some excellent twists and one particularly compelling storyline, but ultimately far too convoluted for me to stay emotionally invested
September 17, 2026
Ohhhhhh boy, talk about a book that gives you whiplash! This was a soap opera in book form and I couldn't read it fast enough! It's like just when you think "Wow, life really couldn't get any worse for this character"...and then it does...times twenty. 🤯🤯
This book was an absolute roller coaster of a ride with A LOT going on and so much stress! We've got cold cases resurfacing, identity deception, unreliable narrators, espionage, gaslighting, unexpected plots, revenge, and so much murder!! Also just when you think you feel bad for a character, you find out they were involved in a completely different way and aren't so innocent themselves!
This was my first book written by this author and I love how the book was organized with different sections and titled chapters. It made for a really fun read. But you definitely have to pay close attention as well for all the twists and turns and complex details. I felt some of the subplots were overwhelming and there was so so much to keep track of, but the character development was absolutely top tier.
This thriller almost lost me late in the second half, but I really do think it was all tied together nicely by the end. This book also ended with one of my favorite tropes: twists and surprises until the very. last. page.!!
Overall moral of this story: The government is constantly doing secret shady shit. And always follow the drugs.
This book was an absolute roller coaster of a ride with A LOT going on and so much stress! We've got cold cases resurfacing, identity deception, unreliable narrators, espionage, gaslighting, unexpected plots, revenge, and so much murder!! Also just when you think you feel bad for a character, you find out they were involved in a completely different way and aren't so innocent themselves!
This was my first book written by this author and I love how the book was organized with different sections and titled chapters. It made for a really fun read. But you definitely have to pay close attention as well for all the twists and turns and complex details. I felt some of the subplots were overwhelming and there was so so much to keep track of, but the character development was absolutely top tier.
This thriller almost lost me late in the second half, but I really do think it was all tied together nicely by the end. This book also ended with one of my favorite tropes: twists and surprises until the very. last. page.!!
Overall moral of this story: The government is constantly doing secret shady shit. And always follow the drugs.
October 14, 2026
When I first started getting into cooking in middle school, I made a big batch of soup for my family. I noticed no one was really eating it and asked my dad if he liked the taste. He replied, "Sweetie, this would have been better ten seasonings ago."
And that pretty much sums up this book: it would have better with fewer layers, reveals, and twists.
There was just so much, TOO much, here: murder, attempted murder, boyfriends coming back from the dead, deranged sisters, poison, secret operatives, drug smuggling, cryptocurrency schemes, fraud, guns, a bizarre romance between a cop and an FBI agent ... all of it teetering like a house on the edge of a cliff.
I wish Ellison had been able to rein it in because I enjoyed the story until about 70%. It was well-paced and absorbing. I had no idea what was going on but was eager to find out. Unfortunately, the plot turned into a convoluted, messy, overwrought soap opera on steroids.
And that pretty much sums up this book: it would have better with fewer layers, reveals, and twists.
There was just so much, TOO much, here: murder, attempted murder, boyfriends coming back from the dead, deranged sisters, poison, secret operatives, drug smuggling, cryptocurrency schemes, fraud, guns, a bizarre romance between a cop and an FBI agent ... all of it teetering like a house on the edge of a cliff.
I wish Ellison had been able to rein it in because I enjoyed the story until about 70%. It was well-paced and absorbing. I had no idea what was going on but was eager to find out. Unfortunately, the plot turned into a convoluted, messy, overwrought soap opera on steroids.
September 11, 2026
Hmm. I thought this was good and I WANTED to keep reading to see what happens. However, there was SO much going on that I’m not sure I was able to grasp the magnitude of twists. There was a TON of secrets, lots of reveals, and so many tangled connections between the characters that I was a bit overwhelmed by it all. I actually struggled to keep track of everyone’s motives and who knew what. Regardless, I think this story is clever and it kept me entertained while I was reading! So it gets a solid 3 star rating from me.
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐
𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐
May 7, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Brooklyn, a retired traveler turned photographer and mother, whose husband Trey surprises the family with a last-minute trip to Italy. However, things quickly take a strange turn when Trey is recognized by a random woman while getting off their first flight. Shaken by the encounter, he excuses himself to the restroom and then disappears completely. Suddenly, Brooklyn is left stranded in the Atlanta airport with her two children, trying to figure out why her husband vanished without a trace. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Brooklyn, Trey, Eden, and Detective Lee, which added depth and kept the mystery moving.
This book is packed with action right from the start and rarely slows down. The pacing kept me engaged, and there was always something happening to keep the suspense building. While some plot developments became a bit far-fetched for my personal taste as the story progressed, I still felt that everything came together nicely in the end. Overall, this was a solid thriller with plenty of twists, fast pacing, and an intriguing mystery at its core.
Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This story follows Brooklyn, a retired traveler turned photographer and mother, whose husband Trey surprises the family with a last-minute trip to Italy. However, things quickly take a strange turn when Trey is recognized by a random woman while getting off their first flight. Shaken by the encounter, he excuses himself to the restroom and then disappears completely. Suddenly, Brooklyn is left stranded in the Atlanta airport with her two children, trying to figure out why her husband vanished without a trace. The story is told through multiple perspectives, including Brooklyn, Trey, Eden, and Detective Lee, which added depth and kept the mystery moving.
This book is packed with action right from the start and rarely slows down. The pacing kept me engaged, and there was always something happening to keep the suspense building. While some plot developments became a bit far-fetched for my personal taste as the story progressed, I still felt that everything came together nicely in the end. Overall, this was a solid thriller with plenty of twists, fast pacing, and an intriguing mystery at its core.
September 24, 2026
I have read and loved almost all of this author's novels and You Know Why is one of her best!
A page-turning suspenseful read that keeps you wanting more.
Do we really know those we love?
Told from multiple perspectives this masterfully crafted thriller is about lies, revenge and secrets that can destroy a family.
Impossible to put down!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
A page-turning suspenseful read that keeps you wanting more.
Do we really know those we love?
Told from multiple perspectives this masterfully crafted thriller is about lies, revenge and secrets that can destroy a family.
Impossible to put down!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
Read
April 12, 2026NetGalley Review
4/5 ⭐️
Picture this, it’s the holiday season and your husband comes home one day to tell you that he has to be at a conference in Italy in 24 hours and the whole family is coming with. Fast forward it’s the day of and what’s a travel day without a few bumps in the road. Trey our MMC is really uptight which Brooklyn FMC doesn’t find weird at first because he doesn’t enjoy flying so his grumpiness is to be expected. That is until things take a turn. On their first flight a woman recognizes Trey but calls him Andrew and says that they went to high school together. Trey pretends he doesn’t know this woman but starts acting very weird after this encounter. Fast forward it’s time to board their connecting flight and Trey is nowhere to be found. Brooklyn is worried some thing has happened to him, that is until she sees video footage of Trey getting into a rideshare leaving her and the kids behind.
Within the first 5-6 chapters my jaw was on the FLOOR! So much happens which is my kind of book, something that grabs my attention right away and is fast paced.
I loved the multiple POVs and constantly guessing what was going to happen! Defintiely kept me on my toes with each page.
4/5 ⭐️
Picture this, it’s the holiday season and your husband comes home one day to tell you that he has to be at a conference in Italy in 24 hours and the whole family is coming with. Fast forward it’s the day of and what’s a travel day without a few bumps in the road. Trey our MMC is really uptight which Brooklyn FMC doesn’t find weird at first because he doesn’t enjoy flying so his grumpiness is to be expected. That is until things take a turn. On their first flight a woman recognizes Trey but calls him Andrew and says that they went to high school together. Trey pretends he doesn’t know this woman but starts acting very weird after this encounter. Fast forward it’s time to board their connecting flight and Trey is nowhere to be found. Brooklyn is worried some thing has happened to him, that is until she sees video footage of Trey getting into a rideshare leaving her and the kids behind.
Within the first 5-6 chapters my jaw was on the FLOOR! So much happens which is my kind of book, something that grabs my attention right away and is fast paced.
I loved the multiple POVs and constantly guessing what was going to happen! Defintiely kept me on my toes with each page.
May 24, 2026
I’m a fan of Ellison, but this one was just too fantastical for me. Too many weird connections and the story kept going different places, which I guess kept it surprising, but also just felt scattered. The fact both spouses had previous marriages the other didn’t know about and they end up connected somehow? Just a bit too convenient for me.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 26, 2026
It’s Crime Fiction, a psychological thriller that will keep you turning the pages. It’s Pub Day for J.T. Ellison’s “You Know Why”.
The story follows Brooklyn Locke whose life is turned upside down when her husband, Trey, vanishes at the airport. They had just arrived on their way on a surprise vacation to Italy, when he sees her, Eden, from his past, a past Brooklyn didn’t know about. He excuses himself to the restroom and as Brooklyn and the kids board the plane, he leaves the airport throwing his phone in the trash!
Brooklyn demands to get off the plane and is then approached by Eden who then befriends her offering to help with the kids. Eden knows Trey’s past and the fact that his first wife was murdered.
I loved Brooklyn, she was a fierce protagonist. Despite all she encountered I still questioned her motives. Brooklyn was being told Trey killed his first wife and he was wanted by the FBI. Their investigation turns up the pressure as she fights to clear her husband and his allegations. It was frantic, disturbing and definitely a “just one more chapter “ book.
Despite what the kids had to endure I appreciated the family dynamic. It was a web of tangled lies, paranoia and secrets.
I appreciated the intense storyline and happy to see SAC John Baldwin making an appearance!
If you enjoy Crime Fiction with Psychological Twists, this is IT!
It’s a pulse pounding novel with intertwined family dynamics with twists keeping you deep in thought.
Thanks @JT Ellison @thrillerchick @otrpr @amazonpublishing for the physical copy, all opinions are my own.
#JTEllison #thomasandmercer #books #crimefiction #books2026
The story follows Brooklyn Locke whose life is turned upside down when her husband, Trey, vanishes at the airport. They had just arrived on their way on a surprise vacation to Italy, when he sees her, Eden, from his past, a past Brooklyn didn’t know about. He excuses himself to the restroom and as Brooklyn and the kids board the plane, he leaves the airport throwing his phone in the trash!
Brooklyn demands to get off the plane and is then approached by Eden who then befriends her offering to help with the kids. Eden knows Trey’s past and the fact that his first wife was murdered.
I loved Brooklyn, she was a fierce protagonist. Despite all she encountered I still questioned her motives. Brooklyn was being told Trey killed his first wife and he was wanted by the FBI. Their investigation turns up the pressure as she fights to clear her husband and his allegations. It was frantic, disturbing and definitely a “just one more chapter “ book.
Despite what the kids had to endure I appreciated the family dynamic. It was a web of tangled lies, paranoia and secrets.
I appreciated the intense storyline and happy to see SAC John Baldwin making an appearance!
If you enjoy Crime Fiction with Psychological Twists, this is IT!
It’s a pulse pounding novel with intertwined family dynamics with twists keeping you deep in thought.
Thanks @JT Ellison @thrillerchick @otrpr @amazonpublishing for the physical copy, all opinions are my own.
#JTEllison #thomasandmercer #books #crimefiction #books2026
September 24, 2026
Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer and Amazon Publishing for my gifted arc and OTR PR for including me on this amazing book tour for You Know Why by JT Ellison. All opinions are my own.
What an action packed thriller! I was at the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I had many theories and ideas where the story was going but I was thrown for a loop a few times along the way! This was wildly entertaining and one of my favorites from this author! I could totally see this being a mini series or movie.
Revenge. Murder. Hidden identities. Corruption. Those are just a few words to describe You Know Why. I really loved how the final page in the book truly made the title of the book a full circle moment.
A photographers vacation turns into her biggest nightmare when her husband suddenly vanishes from the airport and a stranger shares with her that her husband was a murder suspect in his first wife’s murder.
Twisty!! Everyone has secrets and no one should be trusted.
What an action packed thriller! I was at the edge of my seat from beginning to end. I had many theories and ideas where the story was going but I was thrown for a loop a few times along the way! This was wildly entertaining and one of my favorites from this author! I could totally see this being a mini series or movie.
Revenge. Murder. Hidden identities. Corruption. Those are just a few words to describe You Know Why. I really loved how the final page in the book truly made the title of the book a full circle moment.
A photographers vacation turns into her biggest nightmare when her husband suddenly vanishes from the airport and a stranger shares with her that her husband was a murder suspect in his first wife’s murder.
Twisty!! Everyone has secrets and no one should be trusted.
October 6, 2026
I'm a big fan of J.T. Ellison and love her writing style. You Know Why is a compelling blend of domestic suspense and action thriller. With suspicious characters and unreliable narrators, I wasn't sure who could be trusted and my loyalties kept shifting. The short chapters and alternating viewpoints kept the story moving along quickly. An addictive read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
September 1, 2026
Another winner by J T Ellison! This is my second book by this author and I loved it even more than the first book of hers I read. I’m officially a huge fan now! Give me all the J T books!!
In You Know Why a very happy family heads to Italy for an impromptu vacation. During an unexpected layover in Atlanta (flights were switched by the airlines last minute), husband Trey vanishes, leaving wife Brooklyn and 2 kids stranded. Enter a very helpful woman who ingratiates herself into the family but then claiming she was Trey’s sister-in-law in his past. Brooklyn had no idea he was ever married before.
And oh my word… this story delivers blow after blow to Brooklyn, as there’s major twist after twist after twist. I could barely put this one down.
I loved every minute of this book and really didn’t want it to end. I’m on my way to look up J T’s backlist. Two out of two winners…?! Yes, I absolutely need more!!
*Many thanks to OTRPR and Thomas & Mercer / Amazon Publishing for this beautiful gifted copy!*
In You Know Why a very happy family heads to Italy for an impromptu vacation. During an unexpected layover in Atlanta (flights were switched by the airlines last minute), husband Trey vanishes, leaving wife Brooklyn and 2 kids stranded. Enter a very helpful woman who ingratiates herself into the family but then claiming she was Trey’s sister-in-law in his past. Brooklyn had no idea he was ever married before.
And oh my word… this story delivers blow after blow to Brooklyn, as there’s major twist after twist after twist. I could barely put this one down.
I loved every minute of this book and really didn’t want it to end. I’m on my way to look up J T’s backlist. Two out of two winners…?! Yes, I absolutely need more!!
*Many thanks to OTRPR and Thomas & Mercer / Amazon Publishing for this beautiful gifted copy!*
October 10, 2026
Thanks to Goodreads giveaways, JT Ellison, & Thomas Mercer publishing for this free book.
A drawn out mystery involving couple Brook & Trey. His mysterious disappearance from the airport and the stranger Brooke meets on the plane kicks off a twisty tale of murder, betrayal, greed, twins, drugs, and what really happened in everyone's past. I thought I knew some of the plot but it went into a few different directions and then kind of lagged in the middle. Still a good story albeit a few too many characters. My favorite was the appearance of Agent Baldwin!!
A drawn out mystery involving couple Brook & Trey. His mysterious disappearance from the airport and the stranger Brooke meets on the plane kicks off a twisty tale of murder, betrayal, greed, twins, drugs, and what really happened in everyone's past. I thought I knew some of the plot but it went into a few different directions and then kind of lagged in the middle. Still a good story albeit a few too many characters. My favorite was the appearance of Agent Baldwin!!
October 3, 2026
2.5
The majority of the plot was not for me. There was a tiny bit of psychological thriller element that I liked.
I guessed who the murderer was before everything happened and I was right.
The book was just too long, unnecessarily long.
Like wtf
A simple plot and this much redundant information?
I kinda guessed most of it, I only couldn't guess the reason behind everything.
Ugh why did my gut lie to me? I thought this book would be great for me.
The majority of the plot was not for me. There was a tiny bit of psychological thriller element that I liked.
I guessed who the murderer was before everything happened and I was right.
The book was just too long, unnecessarily long.
Like wtf
A simple plot and this much redundant information?
I kinda guessed most of it, I only couldn't guess the reason behind everything.
Ugh why did my gut lie to me? I thought this book would be great for me.
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