Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme)'s Reviews > Tell Me Who You Are

Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.

Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients’ deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat―yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.

Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.

What in all that is holy did I just read? From the characters who I loved to hate to the twisty, twisty plot, Tell Me Who You Are screwed with my head in the best possible way. Pulling me in with a slow burn start, the dark humor and thoroughly unlikeable characters kept my eyes pinned to the pages. But it was Dr. Caroline who was the true star. With a compelling yet thoroughly twisted character arc and a mysterious past, she was an utter home run.

The storyline itself came a close second to the characters, however. Told via multiple POVs, the shrewd plotting lined up the puzzle pieces just so with false leads and plenty of second guessing. I can’t tell you how many times I suspected each in the three narrators as the plot progressed. But it was the arrival of the perfectly devised climax that had my jaw on the floor. A scene easily straight out of the best thriller film, I think I forgot to breathe until the final brilliant reveal.

I do have to say, however, that to enjoy this one, you must suspend all disbelief. Filled with unhinged behaviors, less than nice individuals, and unrivaled suspense, even the excessive facts and details in the first few chapters didn’t bother me in the least. Besides, this was probably one of the most original premises that I’ve read in a while. So despite plenty of drama mixed in with this psychological thriller, it still managed to deliver plenty of chills.

All said and done, from the cliffhanger chapters to well—written unreliable narrators, there was very little not to love in this novel. After all, not only was there a killer plot, but there were some intense observations concerning identity, mental heath, and the weight of the past. Even better, though, was that—thanks to dual timelines—this plot doubled down on the whos, the whats, and the whys. Not once could I see behind the deftly woven curtain, which made my enjoyment skyrocket for sure. Thank you, Ms. Luna, for one heck of a ride. Rating of 4.5 stars.

Thank you to Louisa Luna and MCD x Farrar, Straus and Giroux for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

PUB DATE: June 4, 2024

Trigger warning: forced captivity, alcoholism, mention of: abduction, murder-suicide