I Need You to Read This by Jessa Maxwell

Alex Marks is a solitary, lonely young woman in New York City, grateful for a remote copywriting job, although it barely pays the rent, and her daily breakfast at the Bluebird Diner, where she has two friends, sarcastic waitress, Janice, and retired policeman, Raymond. Although it happened months ago, she is still devastated by the unsolved murder of Francis Keen, who wrote the popular Dear Constance advice column for the New York Herald.

Alex always read the column religiously, gaining confidence from Francis’s mixture of perception and bracing common sense (my question at this point was less focused on who killed her but why didn’t Keen spell Frances with an e?), and now “her Sundays feel empty without Francis’s column to read. It feels like she’s lost a wise older relative.” Then Raymond hands her a newspaper with the opportunity of a lifetime:

Ever wanted to be an advice columnist? The Herald will attempt to replace its longtine columnist Francis Keen, who was tragically lost just last year. To apply for the position, go to Theherald/careers .net and fill in the online application form. May the person with the best advice win.

Alex cannot resist: she responds to the sample letters and submits the application, but is astonished and terrified when she gets called for an interview with Howard Demetri, the editor in chief of the newspaper. Getting hired to replace her idol terrifies her but Alex’s nerves continue even after she is hired. Her office in an isolated part of the Herald building, Howard is too busy to mentor her, his assistant is hostile, and her own assistant brings so many letters for Alex to read she is completely overwhelmed and can’t even draft her first column. Worst of all, she starts getting anonymous threatening letters – does someone know Alex’s secret or could the threats have something to do with Francis’s mysterious death? Alex enlists Janice and Raymond to help investigate:

“You are not safe until we know who is writing these,” Raymond says emphatically. “You have to be vigilant up there. Pay attention to everyone around you. Nobody is innocent until we catch this guy. You hear me?”

“Yes, Raymond.” Alex rolls her eyes and stands to leave, regretting sharing this new information with them. How can she be vigilant in an office building? The idea is absurd. How can she protect herself from a piece of paper?

Several of my favorite books involve amateur advice columnists: Dear Lovey Hart I Am Desperate, its sequel, We Interrupt This Semester for an Important Bulletin, and Dear Mrs. Bird, so I would have been interested in this book even if my name weren’t being used. But what makes this book intriguing is the combination of Alex’s fear of her coworkers at the Herald, her inability to trust the seemingly nice guy who works across the street, and the secrets of her own past. Alex’s deep admiration of Francis compels her to investigate the mystery surrounding the murder, although there’s also some self-interest involved, as she is also being threatened. Then she receives the most terrifying letter of all, from the person she has been hiding from for years. There are plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader entertained.

This is my 30th book for Carol’s Cloak and Dagger Challenge.

Title: I Need You to Read This
Author: Jessa Maxwell
Publication: Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, hardcover, 2024
Genre: Suspense
Source: Library