Anna So Knows 'Ya

by Todd Brown, Jonathan D Robbins (Editor)

A note about Anna: The novel’s form is intentional based on months and months of research and interviews. The form imitates the psychological experience, and some readers may find the experience too claustrophobic or too uncomfortable.

In a city rattled with violence, John Simons is a crime reporter with a career built on facts. He knows how to separate rumor from evidence, truth from noise.

But when the noise acknowledges him, the truth grows teeth.

A man in a dark hat emerges from the edges of John’s life. A tapping sound on his bedroom wall becomes a message meant only for him. The subtle habits of his boss, Anna So, take on terrible new meanings. And as bodies continue to surface across the East Side, John begins to fear he isn’t just chasing the story anymore.

He’s slipping inside it.

Driven to obsession, John follows connections no one else can see, descending deeper into a reality that grows more intimate and menacing with every step. The closer he gets to the truth, the less he can trust his own mind–or the people trying to pull him back.

Anna So Knows ’Ya is a haunting psychological thriller about grief, paranoia, and the terror of realizing reality no longer knows you.

Genres: Horror

184 pages, Paperback

Expected publication October 13, 2026

About the author

Award winning author of When Shadows Burn
Eric Hoffer Honorable Mention Best Commercial Fiction of 2026
Next Generation Indie Book Awards Finalist
Eric Hoffer Grand Prize Shortlist/First Horizons Finalist
Infinite Generations Social Justice Award Winner
Atlas of Stories Award Winner
American Book Fest Finalist

Reviews

[Magen • Bone Chilling Books]

Huge thanks to the author for sending me an early copy of this book.

I read this book a few months ago, and never reviewed it because it wasn’t on Goodreads yet. I flew through it in a day. It’s a book that covers heavy topics, and Todd did an excellent job writing about those sensitive topics.

I kept going back and forth with “wait, is this really happening” to “I think my mind is playing tricks on me” quite similarly to how the MMC was feeling.

I had to read the ending a few times to really believe what I read. It left my jaw on the floor, that’s for sure.

I’m really looking forward to reading more of Todd’s books. He definitely knows how to mess with your mind while at the same time bringing to light heavy topics many people don’t know or don’t understand, or quite the opposite - they do know and struggle so much with it.

Heavy trigger warnings, so make sure you review them before reading.

[Christina Sharp]

“Emily Dickinson said hope is the thing with feathers. Well, paranoia is the thing with fangs, and it wasn’t just a thought. It was a physical sensation, like the air thickening, the room shrinking, the corners of the ceiling leaning in.”

Anna so knows ‘ya by Todd Brown was a mesmerizing, twisty, haunting, stress inducing ride that definitely made me question everything!

While I was reading this book, I kept thinking I was missing something and that things weren’t adding up but they were at the same time. I was feeling everything John, the main character, was feeling. I sensed his stress, his frustration, his need for all the dots to connect and for everything to make sense. This was my first book written by Todd Brown and I don’t want it to be my last! The writing was Amazing! The description, the emotions, the confusion! Also, very very important…read the authors note and the Afterword! Trust me there are things in those that you don’t want to miss!

Thank you Todd Brown for my ARC of Anna So Knows ‘Ya! This is another book that will stick with me for a very long time! Everyone, do yourself a favor and preorder this book! Publication day is set for October 13th this year!

#arcreader #earlyreview #paranoia #suspense #haunting

[February]

Cliché sentiment in the world of reviews but this truly is an absolute must read for all adults. Excellent story telling here as well as some of the best pacing I’ve read in years

[Lish (BookSirens reviewer)]

To get the necessities out of the way, an advanced reader's copy of this book was sent directly to me by the author. I am writing this review openly, honestly, and wholly of my own desire.
Moving on. . .

***I implore you to read all content warnings prior to reading Anna So Knows 'Ya. It is not for the faint of heart and while it can be consumed somewhat casually and quickly, the topics within are not casual or lighthearted. All content within should be consumed mindfully and with care.****

"People keep using words that make the ending sound inevitable. It wasn't inevitable. It was recognizable and that's worse."

After reading When Shadows Burn and the emotional rollercoaster that it was, I really thought I had Todd figured out. A stupid, stupid thought - but I had it. Boy oh boy was I WRONG! I am thankful that I learned my lesson from last time so I didn't consume this story while in a vehicle and instead did it in the presumed safety of my own home, where this time the creatures hearing me holler "what the f*ck? What the F*CK, TODD?" were my own and not strangers at a gas station well after midnight.
Right from the jump, we are dropped straight into this plotline and spend page after page picking up the pieces. Smirk by smirk. Click by click. Tap by tap. Hat by hat. Burrito by burrito. Step by step.

If you don't get the point yet, let me summarize by saying that Todd's books "look innocent in the way that a bear looks innocent before it bites you."

I spent the majority of this book going back to re-read certain portions and flipping between chapters for the sake of my own continuity. I have a page full of notes and quotes where I made my own sort of red-stringed corkboard of evidence to try and make sense of where I was. In any other scenario, I do believe that this may have made me go a bit postal but being familiar with Todd's prior work, I knew there was undoubtedly meaning and intention behind every little choice he made in the writing. This was the one thing I was correct about above all else. A little over halfway through, I really thought I had nailed it. I realize now that he **wanted** me to think that. I spent so much time pouring over these pages to make sure I got it just right that time went all funhouse on me in its own way, to the point that I genuinely wondered if I had been sucked into an actual stream of consciousness from John's head in a next-level form of first-person POV.

"What haunts me is not that he failed to ask. It's that he did ask over and over, in forms that people are trained not to count."

Yet again, Brown has excelled in making the type of horror that scares the absolute sh*t out of me every time I encounter it. . . Human. In his own words, "which somehow made it worse because human is just a skin costume for monsters." This book challenged me in ways that I truly did try to prepare for, but I simply just wasn't able to. The end wound up not just being a snap into John's reality, but also our own. To say I was jarred was. . . an understatement.

Facts over vibes check:
Fact: This hurt me all over again
Fact: I am going to continue reading Todd's work with the same amount of vigor despite knowing it will continue to hurt me
Fact: I do not yet TRULY know why I continue to do this to myself. But I do feel, in a way, like consuming this work has made me a better person to some degree. I'm not really sure how to explain this and not sound like a madwoman to those who aren't familiar with this story yet, so I encourage you to read both works, in their entirety. Every word matters, all the way to the very last page. If you don't leave these stories feeling some type of way, that's okay. We are only able to meet ourselves as far as our brains will let us, sometimes. . . even if we can't appreciate that fact yet. Or ever.

If I keep going, I fear I may accidentally include spoilers here and then I will have to cover this review on behalf of the other poor souls who know not what await them and may stand to read this review before reading the book.
Once y'all finish it, feel free to just knock if you need anything. Anything at all. Or even before you finish. Just please, please. . . don't wait to come back until it's worse.

[Thrillerswineandchill]

😵‍💫T W I S T E D T U E S D A Y review 😵‍💫 featuring “Anna So Knows ‘Ya” by Todd Brown!

John Simons is a crime reporter for a news publication called The Post. Lately there has been a string of murders happening in his city and he is determined to find a connection between them.

Trying to stay focused on his investigation, John begins to see an unknown man lurking around everywhere and wonders if he has a stalker. Between obsessing over the case and trying to catch his watcher, John struggles to keep a grip on his mental state and the blurred lines of reality and knowing the truth.

💭 What did I just read? This book completely had me in a chokehold while I desperately tried to connect the dots and string all of the evidence together! This is the kind of book that totally messes with you and is full of mind games that are dark, twisty and provokes some major paranoia. As we inch closer towards October and prime spooky season, this is a great psychological horror book to add to your TBRs! Just make sure to check for trigger warnings before reading!

Thank you kindly @toddbrownwrites @robbinspublishing @bonechillingbooks for my complimentary review copy in exchange for my honest review. This book releases on October 13, 2026!

P.S. You can pre-order a copy now at:
http://toddbrownwrites.net/

[Mark Dare]

I received a complimentary advanced review copy of this book.

-------

Well, that was quite the ride! Unlike anything I've ever read before, and I mean ever! I really can't explain without spoiling so let me just say that, this engendered the most visceral of responses in me by the end! I was unsure where it was going and mostly confused....and that was all as designed by the author in replicating the inner turmoils of the main male character.

My best attempt at a meaningful review is that it was so cleverly written that you felt inside the head of the character, not reading a book about him. It defies genre really, but is something everybody should read.

If you'd like to pre order this extraordinary book, release date Oct 13, go to

toddbrownwrites.net

[Keith Bell]

Please note, I am a public librarian that was given an advanced reader copy of this book by the author, with whom my library is collaborating with for an author talk. This review is completely unbiased, spoiler free, and my honest opinion of the book. For ethical standards, the relationship is noted.

4/5 Stars

“Anna So Knows ‘Ya” (henceforth referred to in this review as “Anna”) is the second book from author Todd Brown, following an acclaimed debut in “When Shadows Burn”. I have not yet read that book, and “Anna” is one of my first forays back into the horror genre in years. Boy was it an exciting one.

“Anna” is really a perfect slump buster, and, for me, a great way to break back into a genre I used to read frequently. It’s short and sweet, less than 200 pages, and packs a punch. The story is straightforward enough- we follow John Simons, through whom most of the story is told through first person, aside from intermissions of news formatted articles. John is a reporter for a news publication, The Post, in an undisclosed city, perhaps a New York type of environment. The city, or at least the East Side where John dwells and works, has been racked by a series of murders, of which John has been reporting on and slowly becomes obsessive over the possible thread tying these murders together. He is supervised by his editor, Anna So, the namesake of the book title, with whom he has a complicated relationship, and kept sane by his close friend, Lauren Gonzalez.

In the midst of investigating these murders, and dealing with recurring demons from his past, John is also being stalked by a nameless, seemingly faceless figure in a wide brimmed hat and coat. I’ll say nothing else about the plot, but know it is a subversive rabbit hole you may not expect from what I have described above.

This is not what I would label as a traditional horror novel, and based on the summary of Brown’s first book, it’s a very different type of horror than that which is explored in “When Shadows Burn”. “Anna” plays on the mind, trading blood and guts for psychological terror and a plot that continues to twist to multiple startling reveals, with some fun set piece moments along the way. This isn’t to say it’s not scary- it will absolutely elevate your blood pressure and quicken your pulse- but it’s a more surreal, uncomfortable fear that nestles into your brain and nags at you incessantly, rather than jump scares or the like.

The writing is easily the highlight of the book, with Brown’s visceral descriptions and clever POV building a suffocating and noir-tinged city environment. You can feel John’s desperation, and the concern of those around him, in every nook and cranny of this city, and in every burrito he nukes and chocolate milk he knocks back. This story is constantly toying with your perception and expectations, forcing you to recount what the hell just happened, and making a very clear point you don’t realize until the twist has happened, which makes the deceptive buildup all the more impressive.

Being through the POV of John in the first person, rather than a third person recounting of events, is probably the most important device of the story in my opinion, and it really allows the strangeness of what’s happening to unfold with the reader and with John, rather than us feel like we’re being explained what’s happening detached from the dread and fear of the person it’s happening to, which is John and by extension the reader.

Rest assured, there are multiple no way moments in this story, so mentioning twists is no spoiler. One moment in particular that plays with time had my jaw on the floor, and it’s really after this moment in the story where the surrealism and claustrophobia start to set in, and the plot takes on a wholly unique life of its own. I think there is a variation of this story where the plot and ending feel like a cheap thrill, but Brown takes what seems to be a simple premise, throws it in a bottle of Diet Coke, and shakes it up with two tubes of Mentos.

One of the major pros of this plot is the speed at which the narrative moves along, and the way in which exposition and backstory is dropped on the reader via the natural flow of the narrative and character interactions, rather than dedicated explanations. Brown does not hold your hand, nor does he give readers the full context and lives of our characters. We are dropped right into a living and breathing world, at a very particular point in these characters' lives.

We learn a little about John’s past through conversations with Lauren, comments by Anna, and some internal observational dialogue, but that’s all you’re given. Some readers may view this as a con- the characters we are given are the characters we get, there is not much in the way of drastic character development or fleshed out backstories throughout the duration of the novel, but, “Anna” is not a character piece, it is surreal and disorienting examination of a haunted man at his lowest.

Given that I don’t currently have a benchmark for a 5 star horror novel, beyond the Fear Street novel I read when I was 10, I’m giving Anna a 4 out of 5 stars.

It’s tough to be critical of my major con- which is that I just wanted more of these characters, more of this world- when it is also a pro from a readability standpoint and what makes the story refreshing from longer horror novels. Despite its brevity, “Anna” leaves plenty for you to think about and chew on, and its ending, while not mundane, is more sobering than you will expect from the tension that builds throughout. That’s a good thing; it leaves a huge pit in your stomach, excites you to reread the story with new knowledge, and doesn’t rely on a by-the-books payoff to satiate readers. It’s a mature, challenging story with plenty of ice in your veins moments to keep horror readers satisfied, while also being something more than just scary slop.

[Carter]

This is an unbiased review as I received this book and went into it 100% blind. I enjoyed Brown's previous book, When Shadows Burn and expected a bit of the same with Anna. I was way off in a good way. This one has only a few characters, a totally different setting, and it is half the length of his debut but still had the same atmospheric feel putting me in the middle of the story.

I won't get into spoilers (duh!), but this one is a very quick read and has a strong message that makes me think about my views of the subject. It's a book that should generate some really interesting discussions and is totally a book club book (in my opinion).

I know that this is only Brown's second book, but I need to say that I hope he keeps writing and more people read his stuff. It's that good and I don't know how many people know about him.

[Courtney Morris]

Todd Brown delivers again! Anna So Knows 'Ya is a rollercoaster ride of a narrative - this book had me rooting for every character at some point, and then against every one of them at another. Not quite sure where we were ever going, his writing kept me hooked and wanting to go along on this ride. I devoured it in one sitting! While upfront about the sensitive topics enclosed within, Todd is able to shed light on real and true struggles of everyday people, and how often society (and all of us within) can make assumptions about our fellow humans - and the possible tragedy if we continue to let that happen. And reading the epilogue made me want to read the entire book again. Thanks to Todd for this one - and I love the cover art!

[Tal Anderson]

Anna So Knows You was a rollercoaster of thrills that kept me on the edge of my seat. The plot twists in real time along with the main character’s sanity and the reader is left stunned at the end of the ride. Todd Brown’s sophomore novel doesn’t disappoint, and is an entertaining and intriguing read. Thank you for the advanced copy. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

[Erin]

From the first few pages of this book I was totally hooked and couldn’t put it down. Todd has an excellent way of writing about mental illness that doesn’t feel like it’s come straight from a textbook. The twist at the end got me and I highly recommend reading this book to understand the main characters mental plight. Thanks for the advance copy Todd.

[David]

I don't know if any one knows (I hope I don't get in trouble), but this author randomly selects people that rate his first book, reaches out and gets your info (if you're cool with it). He'll send you his new work in advance. So that's cool. Anna So Knows 'Ya is a super fast wild ride. Total rollercoaster and damn it's good.

[Saraphina]

Thank you to the author for this ARC. I loved Todd Brown's last book (When Shadows Burn). This one is soooooo different. Shorter, faster, a much smaller number of characters. I think this one is even better than his debut. For those interested this is one of the biggest mind f*cks I've ever read.

[Winnie]

This one was a 4.5 or 4.75 I think. I wanted it to be longer so i guess that's a good thing but that's why it's not a 5. I don't want to spoil anything but holy sh*t the high speed rollercoaster off the tracks vibe.

[Keene]

I didn't know what was up and what was down but loved every minute of it. Horrifying in such a unique way.