I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
You Deserve to Know: A Novel by Aggie Blum Thompson Published by Forge Books on MArch 11, 2025
Genres: Fiction / Thrillers / Suspense
Pages: 336
Format: ARC
Source: NetGalley
A brand new suspense novel from "the master of the suburban scandal" (Samantha M. Bailey), Aggie Blum Thompson.
Neighbors Gwen, Aimee, and Lisa share more than playdates and coffee mornings on their tranquil street in East Bethesda. They confide their deepest secrets, navigate the challenges of motherhood together, and provide a support system that seems unbreakable.
But when Gwen’s husband is found murdered after one of their weekly Friday night dinner, the peaceful quiet of their cul-de-sac shatters. The seemingly idyllic world of the three close-knit mom friends becomes a web of deception, betrayal, and revenge.
As the police investigate, the veneer of friendship begins to crack, revealing hidden tensions, clandestine affairs, and long-buried jealousies among the three women. With suspicions mounting and the neighborhood gripped by fear, Gwen, Aimee, and Lisa must confront the chilling truth about their husbands, and the sinister undercurrents in their own friendship.
Review
Aggie Blum Thompson knows a thing or two about secrets. Before she started writing thrillers, she spent years digging up dirt as a crime reporter for The Boston Globe and The Washington Post. Now she’s turned that investigative instinct loose on Georgetown’s glossy social scene in You Deserve to Know.
The story follows Gwen, a PR executive with a picture-perfect life – or so it seems. She’s got a successful husband, twin boys, and a knack for throwing parties that make other moms jealous. But beneath the designer clothes and holiday decorations, something’s not quite right in her privileged circle of mom friends.
Thompson writes like the reporter she used to be – sharp, precise, and with an eye for the details that matter. She brings Georgetown to life, from its cobblestone streets to its whispered gossip, making the setting feel like another character in the story. Each revelation hits like a fresh headline, keeping you turning pages well past bedtime.
What makes this book stick with you isn’t just the twists (though they’re good). It’s how Thompson peels back the layers of her characters until you see the mess underneath their makeup. These aren’t just cardboard cut-out rich people behaving badly – they’re complex, flawed, and frustratingly real.
Sure, you’ve seen the setup before: wealthy suburb, perfect families, dark secrets. But Thompson brings something fresh to the table. She writes about privilege the way a war correspondent might write about conflict – with an outsider’s clarity and an insider’s understanding. The result is a thriller that’s as smart as it is entertaining, proving why Thompson has earned her nickname as “the master of the suburban scandal.”
