Known to the Victim is a chilling account of how dangerous even those we love can be even if we are hyper aware of safety. In the thriller our MC Amy is very aware of violence against women by know abusers. Her mother was murdered by an ex and she has spent her life coping with the loss and educating others to see the signs through a true crime podcast. However, what if someone is so good at hiding their true intentions even a savvy, smart woman who knows the signs can miss them.

I truly could not get enough and I really hope to see this become a series as I absolutely love the characters and how they came together even through their misunderstandings and found the truth. 20 out if 10 if I could give it. Get the book it’s amazing.

I absolutely loved this book! It was wild and a little over the top but it was a fun, easy read that kept me guessing.

Reeling from the brutal murder of her mother, Amy sinks into a deep depression. Her estranged half brother, Oliver, is the one who drags her out of the darkness and gives her life again. Years later, Amy has become a popular podcasting advocate for female victims. Oliver, a wealthy businessman, is her biggest cheerleader and closest family. When Oliver becomes a suspect in the past disappearance of his wife, more questions arise about other women from his past and Amy must decide between sticking by her accused brother or sticking by the victims, women who she’s made a career off of defending and supporting.

This story was an interesting and suspenseful book - the perfect summer read!! Thank you to NetGalley and DoubleDay Canada for the opportunity to read this ARC!

I'll be honest, I'm feeling a little conflicted about this one. I instantly added it to my TBR when the book was announced because of the premise as well as it being a release from one of my all-time favorite authors, so I was excited to read it. And yes, it was an enjoyable experience, I started and finished the book on a train ride, but now that I've had some time to think about it, there are a few things that stop me from giving it a glowing review.

Known to the Victim follows Amy Gibson, a true crime podcaster who focuses on domestic abuse cases, crimes where the perpetrator is "known to the victim". Before she became successful, she struggled after her mother was murdered by an ex-boyfriend until her half-brother, Oliver, helped her put her life back together. Now, Oliver's been accused of exactly the sort of crime Amy covers on her podcast. She's desperate to prove his innocence, but as she starts compiling the evidence things get more complicated…

Let me start with what I loved about this book. First and foremost, some of the twists had me gasping; it was extremely well-done. In general, the mystery dimension was spectacular, it's more the characters and ending that I had issues with. Of the characters, I'm a big Dean Castillo fan, not only because he reminds me of Eric Dalton from the author's Rockton series, but because he adds spice where the other characters lack it. I don't really have strong feelings about any other characters, all I can say is that they served their purposes but I was here more for the plot than for them.

Regarding the ending, I suppose this is partly a criticism of the book's central thesis? The idea that you see what you want to see, even when people aren't who they appear to be. It felt unresolved, and without going into the details let me just say that while I understand why it was left open-ended, to me it was unsatisfactory because the entire book was sort "are they good or bad" and then all we got in terms of resolution was "you decide for yourself" without any super concrete evidence pointing either way. But maybe I'm interpreting it wrong! I also need to add that for an entire character/subplot, we never really got to learn about the motivation behind their actions?

Maybe this review seems overly critical of the book considering my rating, but I did have a good time reading it. I'd recommend you check it out if you're into true crime, ambiguous endings, and mystery, even just to see what you think. It reminds me a little of the entire genre of psychological thrillers, which I've determined definitely aren't for me, but lots of people clearly like them, so if you fit in that camp this might be a good one for you as well. Known to the Victim was certainly a fascinating read; I just can't say for sure that I loved it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

K.L. Armstrong’s latest thriller, Known to the Victim, is a gripping exploration of familial bonds, secrets, and the lengths one will go to protect loved ones. This novel is a masterclass in suspense, weaving a narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

The story centers around Amy Gibson, whose life is shattered when her mother is brutally murdered by her boyfriend. Overwhelmed by grief, Amy withdraws from her life until her estranged half-brother, Oliver, steps in to support her. Fast forward eight years, Amy has rebuilt her life and hosts a popular true crime podcast focusing on crimes against women. Her world is upended once again when Oliver is accused of a heinous crime. Determined to prove his innocence, Amy embarks on a quest that reveals unsettling truths about her family and herself.

Armstrong excels in creating complex, multi-dimensional characters. Amy is a compelling protagonist whose journey from grief to empowerment is both heart-wrenching and inspiring. Her relationship with Oliver is portrayed with nuance, capturing the intricacies of sibling bonds and the shadows of past traumas. Oliver himself is a fascinating character, whose layers are peeled back gradually, keeping readers guessing about his true nature.

The novel delves deep into themes of trust, betrayal, and the often murky waters of familial loyalty. Armstrong’s writing is sharp and evocative, painting vivid scenes that draw readers into Amy’s world. The pacing is impeccable, with each chapter ending on a note that compels you to keep reading. Armstrong’s ability to blend emotional depth with a fast-paced plot is truly commendable.

For those who enjoy audiobooks, Known to the Victim is a treat. The narration brings the characters to life, adding an extra layer of immersion to the already captivating story. The narrator’s performance enhances the tension and emotional weight of the narrative, making it a highly recommended format for this book.

Known to the Victim is a standout thriller that combines a compelling plot with rich character development and thought-provoking themes. K.L. Armstrong has crafted a story that is entertaining and emotionally resonant, making it a must-read for fans of the genre. Whether you’re a long-time fan of Armstrong or new to her work, this novel is sure to leave a lasting impression.

An intense psychological thriller with interesting twists and turns.

One thing that got annoying really fast was the stupid decisions Amy keeps on making, like girl, please, you're supposed to be smart!

Even though I saw everything coming from miles away, I still enjoyed this read.

Okay, suspense fans! You need to read Known to the Victim by K.L. Armstrong.
Amy Gibson's mother was murdered by her boyfriend. It took years and a lot of love from her brother Oliver to get Amy where she is now. She is a speaker and hosts a popular true crime podcast that focuses on crimes against women committed by their partners.

When Oliver is charged with an unthinkable crime, it's Amy's turn to defend him...because there's no way he did what they're saying...right?

This is such an addictive read! Just as you think you're on the path to one answer, the direction changes - and again and again. I loved having no idea as to how things are going to finally finish up.

There are two main characters - Amy and a P.I. named Dean. Both are strong personalities and they slowly earn the respect of the other.

I honestly couldn't book the book down! I needed to know the answer!

I enjoyed this book. There were so many twists and turns that I was left guessing right until the end. The characters were well portrayed and the plot was interesting and engaging.

KL Armstrong also Kelley Armstrong is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me. She is also the kind of author that you will read her books more than once and share them with others. After reading the blurb on this one, I knew I had to read it.


“I’ve got nothing to hide,” Castillo says. “Except two wives, five kids and that man I shot in Reno, just to watch him die" - Seriously.... how can you not love this book.

Twists and turns and maybe a little predictable, but you still want to devour this in one sitting.

Known to the Victim by K.L. Armstrong (pen name of Kelley Armstrong)

“I’ve got nothing to hide,” Castillo says. “Except two wives, five kids and that man I shot in Reno, just to watch him die.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Let’s get into it with what I liked:

1. This was a fast paced thriller that was hard to put down. Even though it is pretty obvious how it was going to end. The ride to get there, and some unique aspects woven in, kept you turning those pages.

2. I loved the accurate portrayal of depression and the discussion around it.

3. The conversation around controlling men, misogynistic ideas about woman not being able to take care of themselves, the double standards put on woman compared to men, as well as how society is set up to protect white individuals, specifically white men, was well done.

4. I really enjoyed the podcast aspect of this one and how that was worked in. Even though I don’t think any lawyer would actually agree to it. But maybe they would, some lawyers are starting to understand the importance of social media in their own cases and controlling that particular narrative. 🤔

Now why only 4 stars?
1. There is a lot of telling and very little showing in the beginning which made it hard to get into the book at first.

2. As mentioned earlier, the ending was very predictable. You knew what was happening from a mile away. But the story was still engaging and enjoyable.

If you are a fan of thrillers in general, you should definitely check this one out! It is a quick read that I think most would enjoy.

Thank you @doubledayca and @penguinrandomca for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This was an unexpected surprise! I knew the blurb interested me and was eager to see where this story would take me. I related to Amy a lot with how she coped with the trauma of losing a parent. I loved the sibling relationship and how her brother stepped in to save her as she spiraled even though they weren’t in close contact. When her brother is accused of the unthinkable, I could feel the tension leaping off the pages. This book raised the question of how well do we ever know our family and how we never want to believe the worst in them. I can’t wait to read more by this author!

The idea for this book was intriguing, the blurb caught my eye. Amy was a complex character who has struggled in life since her mother was killed. Finally, when she thinks her life is on a smooth path, more trouble appears, and not in the form anyone would expect.

The twist return of a character was interesting, and added tension about halfway through the book. Their role in the story added to the drama to the main character’s already chaotic life and kept the reader guessing.

🎙️ M U R D E R M O N D A Y review 🎙️ featuring “Known to the Victim” by KL Armstrong!

BOOK REVIEW: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

Amy Gibson’s mother was murdered by her new boyfriend and Amy’s entire life started to unravel into a downward spiral. Her saving grace was her estranged half brother Oliver who picks her up when she’s at her lowest, gives her a place to live and helps her get back on the right track.

8 years after the murder, Amy has a popular podcast called “Known to the Victim” that focuses on crimes against women that are committed by their partners. When Oliver’s girlfriend winds up in the hospital after being brutally attacked, he becomes the prime suspect. Amy is desperate to prove her brother’s innocence … but as more information surfaces about Oliver, Amy gets nervous that Oliver may not be who she thinks he is 👀! Amy advises women on her podcast on what to look out for .. so how has she missed the signs when it comes to Oliver??

I am such a fan of Kelley Armstrong’s books and this is another riveting page turner! The dark twists, unreliable characters and chilling mystery really added to the podcast theme and had me hooked from the first couple of chapters! I also LOVED the Canadian settings and I am all for supporting a rockstar Canadian author 🇨🇦!!

Thank you kindly to @kelleyarmstrongauthor @doubledayca @penguinrandomca @netgalley for my advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This book just released on June 25, 2024 and is a must read for thriller lovers!

I enjoyed this book. I really liked how there were a lot of twists and turns in the story. I found it interesting, riveting and the characters and story line were engaging.

3½ Stars
Wow! What a wild ride! Nothing is as it seems in this book. The book is very entertaining, especially as an audiobook. I started the book as an ebook but switched to the audiobook partway through. The narrator did a fantastic job. This book is told from the perspective of the main character, who is a podcaster. Listening to the audiobook made it feel more authentic. The only thing that I struggled with and the reason I dropped the rating from 4 stars to 3½ is because the story became so erratic and extreme towards the end that I felt it was unrealistically. I'm not saying the things in the book could never happen, but the likelihood of all of those things happening seems farfetched. I can say entertainment wise it was creative and exciting. Rarely a dull moment. Thank you, netgalley, for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

A slow, meandering start—the kind that makes you wonder if you accidentally picked up a snoozer instead of a thriller. But hold on. Just when you’re about to nod off, BAM! A “wait, what” moment smacks you awake. Suddenly, you’re focused and questioning everything.

The protagonist is Amy Gibson. She’s got brains—PhD-level brains—but common sense? Not her strong suit. You’d think academia, her past life experiences, and podcast would prepare her for life’s curveballs, but nope. She’s like a deer caught in the headlights, stumbling through a maze of secrets and danger.

What some may not know is that K.L. Armstrong is the same Kelley Armstrong behind the Rockton, Haven’s Rock, and Rip Through Time series. Unlike Armstrong’s other female characters, Amy’s no kickass detective or fierce time traveler. Nope. She’s more like a gullible puppy chasing its tail. Unfortunately, the books that lured us to Armstrong’s world? Strong, smart women taking charge is missing from this book.

When readers crack open an Armstrong thriller, we want action from page one. No dilly-dallying. So, let’s keep our heroes on point because life’s too short for foolish protagonists.

“Known to the Victim” is the final K.L. Armstrong standalone thriller. Previous titles are The Life She Had, Wherever She Goes, and Every Step She Takes.

Known To The Victim is an addictive mystery/thriller that will keep you hooked from the very beginning. Armstrong has a way to grip you and keep you invested all along. The pacing was great during the entire book, it was non stop action.

I really enjoyed the narrative and the storyline. I thought it was well done. It was fun with the podcast aspect, I always love that in a book. I do wish Armstrong would have included transcripts of interviews from it though, I think it would've been highly beneficial. This one was definitely filled with twists and turns, but the ending did become predictable. The author pretty much steered us in that direction from the beginning.

This is definitely a fun read and easy read. I do think you have to suspend disbelief in order to truly enjoy this one. It was still a good book that I enjoyed.

✨️Thank you to @netgalley, @penguinrandomhouseca & @kelleyarmstrong for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was so scary and tense. I read this is one sitting to see what was happening. I was sucked in by Amy’s POV being the sole one. I felt like I got to know her and understood her actions and decisions. Armstrong is a master at writing all the creepy stuff.

Amy’s mother is brutally murdered and left for dead. They found a man responsible and he’s been serving his time.

One day Amy’s estranged half brother, Oliver reaches out to her and they reconnect. Fast forward eight years later, Amy has her own podcast that’s called Known To The Victim. Her podcast supports women who are victims of abuse. During one of her live shows, a woman shouts some disturbing stuff accusing her brother of being a murderer. Why? Oliver has had a few women in his life who have died. One a suicide and another a mysterious drowning during a boating accident.

As time goes by, Amy is sure her brother is innocent. She just knows it. Is Oliver really the brother she thought he was?

This book has lots of twists and turns. Yes, some of it is hard to believe so you just have to roll with it. However, if you enjoy a twisty story and can suspend your disbelief, check it out. Out now.
3.5 ⭐️

Known to the Victim is an exciting and unputdownable thriller by K. L. Armstrong (also known as Kelley Armstrong). I haven't been reading her work for all that long, but now I read everything of hers I can get my hands on! When I was reading this book, it was like a movie playing in my mind. She really pulls you into her stories.

Amy Gibson's mother was murdered by a man she had broken up with, and it totally destroyed Amy. She was overwhelmed with grief, and totally withdrew from her friends, college...basically from the world. However, she was saved and brought back to the land of the living by her half-brother Oliver. He gave her a place to live and a family again. Eight years later, she's really moved forward with her life. She is attending college again, but it's her popular true crime podcast that means the most to her. It focuses on crimes against women committed by their partners. Amy now finds purpose and healing through helping other women in ways she couldn't help her mother. When Oliver is accused of a crime that just seems to be totally unlike him, Amy becomes focused on clearing her brother's name and keeping her small family together. However, as time passes and more and more about his past comes out, she begins to realize nothing about Oliver is as it seems.

I knew from reading the synopsis of the book that something would be "off" about Oliver, but I was shocked at what we learned about him and women formerly in his life. There were red herrings about, and it took me a while to really begin to see the real Oscar. The family dynamics between Amy and Oliver were quite interesting, and at first he seemed like the best brother EVER. But we don't always know everything about our own families, do we? I was totally gobsmacked when truths came out. When Amy is taken captive by someone, there are revelations that you won't see coming. The characters in the book were very well written. Amy was wonderful. She lost so much when her mother was murdered, but she ended up turning the tragedy into something with positive aspects. Her podcast was becoming more and more popular, and she had well-attended talks about women hurt by those "known to the victim". Her world started to go awry again when a stranger stood up at one of the meetings at a library and started to go on about Oliver. Amy was tough, though, and she knew she had to find out the truth about her Oscar. There was some great supporting characters, including Dinah, the former law partner of Amy's mother, who was hired to represent Oliver when he was arrested. My favorite supporting character, however, was Dean Castillo, the partner of Amy's investigator. When her investigator was unavailable to help Amy, she hired Castillo. He's abrupt. Stubborn. Argumentative. Sullen. But Amy couldn't have a better person at her side to discover the truth about all that was going on. He told her what she needed to hear, not what she wanted to hear. I just adored the conversations between the two, and things Amy learned about Castillo made him even more appealing. I loved their snappy dialogue. This is truly an exciting mystery and thriller that you shouldn't pass by.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I am not sure how to talk about this book without giving anything away, ugh. I will say that this mystery is written very well and Kelley Armstrong is able to lead you down many paths. Each time I thought I had it figured out, I was proven incorrect.

I love reading Kelley Armstrong's work and I can't wait to read I'll Be Waiting, releasing October 2024.