I NEED YOU TO READ THIS by Jessa Maxwell

4 stars

From the author of The Golden Spoon comes a new twisty mystery centered on a murdered advice columnist for the New York Herald. Alex Marks, a longtime fan of the Dear Constance advice column, is shocked to hear that its longtime author, Francis Keen, has been found dead in her lake house and that Alex based on sample columns has been surprisingly tapped to take her place.

As Alex starts her job with trepidation about doing right by Francis Keen’s advice column, more ominous things are afoot at the newspaper. She wonders if her new boss, the paper’s editor-in-chief, could be implicated. Tension mounts and Alex turns to her two morning breakfast diner friends, a smart waitress and an ex-cop who have taken young Alex under their wing, as she fears she may next in line as a victim for Francis’ killer. As Alex goes out on a dangerous search for clues to solve the murder mystery, hidden secrets from her own past rise up to illuminate another key source of anxiety for her.

As an aside, I loved the endless reader letters asking for help which Alex sifts through as she ponders which to highlight for her column- all the endless permutations of human angst in search of compassion and guidance.

A fast, taut read.

Thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced reader’s copy.

Stacy DeBroff

Stacy DeBroff, founder and CEO of Mom Central.com and social and digital consultancy, Influence Central, is a social media strategist, attorney, and best-selling parenting author. A sought-after expert for national media, she trend-spots regularly with national brands and speaks frequently to national and international audiences on a wide range of subjects, including influencer marketing, social media, entrepreneurship, and consumer trends. A passionate cook, gardener, reader, and tennis player, she adores this new chapter of post-college-age parenting.