To All Those I've Killed Before

by J.L. Hyde

If you got away with murder, would you spend your final moments confessing your sins or let the truth die with you?

At just forty-one years old, Rachel Marless is given months to live. After accepting the devastating news, she makes a decision: She will spend her final days imparting wisdom, advice, and confessing a long list of misdeeds to her only niece, Linnea.
Linnea is a freshman in college and can’t believe she’s losing her favorite aunt before they’ve had time to travel the world together. From the moment she receives the news of her aunt’s diagnosis, Linnea vows to spend each Tuesday afternoon with Rachel. Every week, she listens to her aunt’s stories and learns devastating secrets about the woman she thought she knew better than anyone.
Aunt Rachel has done awful, unspeakable things in her life, but nothing will be as bad as her final confession.

Can Linnea handle the truth, and will Rachel live long enough to tell it all?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery Thriller, Mystery, Book Club, Fiction, Psychological Thriller, Audiobook

220 pages, Paperback

Published August 10, 2025

About the author

Hi Everyone!

Thank you for stopping by to rate my books or see my reviews. I don't spend much time on Goodreads, as it's not great for the mental health of an author to obsess over their own reviews.

I simply rate books as I finish reading them, and if you'd like a full review, check out my Instagram - @bookandbeerreview - where I keep it light, funny, and never disrespect fellow authors!

Happy reading!

Reviews

[Bailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a short book, this was a surprisingly deep story about grief, womanhood, and love. I really enjoyed it!

[J.L. Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm about to release my TENTH novel! Time flies when you're writing about murder.

This is by far my most personal book yet and the only one of my novels to have a trigger warning. It was a rollercoaster of emotions to write and I sure hope you all love it.

It should be available on all platforms by August 10th!

[Kait Lawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY. SMOKES! This is 196 pages of goodness! JL Hyde has done it again (no surprise there)

The premise of this book is such a blast! A 40 year old woman named Rachel has unfortunately just received a lethal diagnosis. To clear her conscious before death, she decides to share all the secrets of her life to her niece who is like a daughter to her.

because of the story telling premise - you are quite literally on the edge of your seat to her Rachel share with her niece Linnea - every nitty gritty detail.

It has kind of a female vigilante feeling to it. It’s not as unhinged (or gruesome) as the mind F*** series - but if you loved that series you will love this book even more.

I found myself absolutely enraptured in finding out what happened, to the point where I was reading while I made my self scrambled eggs 😂😂😂 TRULY unputtdownable.

It’s a master piece with twists ALLL the way up until the last page.

Jamie has written another smash!!! This is not only one of the best books of the year - this will go down as one of my favorite thrillers of all time.

[alli☀️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 ★
Rachel is dying, so with her time left, she decides to tell her niece, Linnea, about her dark past and the murders she committed.

I expected much more—more death and murders. There was too much about other relationships with the family and not enough about Rachel’s past. Also, I didn't like the plot twist at the very end.

[kayliesbookcorner · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — Fast-paced, twisty, and totally addicting!

JL Hyde does it again!!!! 👏🏼 Her newest book completely hooked me from page one. This is one of those rare books where the storytelling format is the hook — every chapter felt like sitting in on a confession you weren’t supposed to hear, and I loved every second of it.

This book was super fast-paced (I flew thru it as I do all JL Hyde books) and the twists kept coming all the way to the end. I also loved how layered it was — part emotional family story, part dark and twisty thriller. The final reveal actually made me gasp 🤯

Highly recommend if you love character-driven thrillers, morally gray women, and stories that make you question everything right up to the last page!

[Ovokeroye🤍📖🎀 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I’m not sure how to really feel about this book.

The idea was interesting and storyline kept my attention, however, I felt like it was a little manipulative of Rachel to confess her murders to her 18 year old niece. She even justified it by saying her niece was tough and could handle it, however, I just don’t think it was appropriate. Especially because even if her niece felt uncomfortable by the situation, she wasn’t going to voice that to her dying aunt.

Also the ending was confusing to me. Why would she lie to her niece and say that all the men she spoke about represented her father when they actually did exist and she actually did kill them? That made absolutely no sense to me.

I also found it convenient that every man Rachel killed happened to be a horrible, evil person who deserved to die. Seemed like a lazy way to justify her cruel actions.

I’ll leave this rating at 2.5 stars for now.

[Michelle (Murder Books and Wine) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first J.L. Hyde book. I was drawn to pick this book up not only for the catchy title and lovely cover (I mean, yes please!) but because I follow her on social media and discovered she is a fellow Michigander like me. 💕 I am so happy to support not only a wonderful human and an indie author, but someone from my home state.

Now about the book. I would not categorize this book as a thriller. To me, it was more of domestic suspense and mystery.

Rachel, who is single at 42 years old, discovers she is dying of cancer and is determined to tell her favorite niece Linnea, an 18 year old college student, her deepest, darkest secrets before she dies. They begin meeting every Tuesday at Linnea’s home where her mom Kim and Rachel’s only sibling, is taking care of her. The visits were more like confessionals. And boy oh boy has Rachel done some things! And the twist at the end, well, I should have seen that coming but I did not!

This is a great, short read at under 300 pages. It kept my interest and kept me turning pages because Rachel’s story telling was so intriguing and I really enjoyed her snarky humor.

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up!

I am looking forward to reading more from this author.

[Caleb N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Remember that book Tuesdays With Morrie? Well, take that narrative structure, add a killer and some truly lovable characters, and you have To All Those I've Killed Before.

Listen, I read a lot of books, and when I say this one is as fresh as they come, believe me, I'm not lying. I did NOT see the ending coming, and it had me in chills.

This is the second book by JL Hyde that I've read and loved, and I can't wait to read more. The woman can write!

Grab this one and settle in. You can thank me later!

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

As someone who has been getting really into thrillers and suspense lately, I was hoping for a bit more intensity and a few extra twists. The storyline itself was solid and the concept had a lot of potential, and I was never really bored. But the ending fell a little flat for me, I was expecting something more dramatic, and it just didn’t quite deliver. Overall, it was a good read, just not as gripping as I hoped it would be.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short read that had me completely engrossed in the story. Had some twists and an ending that was satisfying.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

i love womanhood
*look what you made me do by taylor swift starts playing*

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nope. The idea was interesting, but the execution was not there.

[Amy Schoenbachler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book! I thought it was more of a serial killer confession from a man’s perspective, boy was I wrong, this book had me the whole time and finished it in 4 days of reading. 10/10 recommend

[Brianna Shrout · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to say I did enjoy this book! The writing style took a bit to get used to and the constant flipping of POVs in third person was a bit frustrating. And I still have questions on if everything actually happened the way Rachel told it or not. But I would definitely read another one by this author.

[Halie Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun, quick read !

This was my first book from this author and I definitely want to read more. Hyde was able to keep my turning pages from beginning to end, and created a riveting story with fun twists along the way ! Some aspects of the twist were guessable but I didn’t uncover the entire truth until the end.

Definitely recommend to any thriller lover.

[Katy Fann · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ What a ride! I always enjoy JL Hyde’s writing, and I loved the little nod to Summer of 99!

[Ashley Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a quick, gripping read and I was hooked from the start. I can’t say much without giving everything away, but wow this story packs a serious punch.

An aunt who is sick begins confessing her deepest, darkest secrets, and the way everything slowly unravels is both chilling and emotional. The tension builds fast, and just when you think you have a handle on things, the truth comes out and holy hell… I did not see that coming.

If you love short, intense stories with twists that hit hard, this one is absolutely worth your time. Highly recommend

[Kim Seay · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! What a page turner! This mystery suspense book checked all the boxes for me! Great character development, suspenseful, kept me guessing and that ending… 🙌🏻 This is my second book by this author and it won’t be my last! I literally enjoyed every page in this book and highly recommend if you enjoy mystery suspense!

[Matthew Hale · Rating 1 out of 5]

read for a book club. it wasn't a very big mystery. it also wasn't a comedy, romance, or thrill. not being entertained, I kept asking myself what is the point of this book? and I found it to be a social commentary that said men that are capable of harm are better off dead. and I didn't appreciate that. anyway, I didn't enjoy it.

[Brooklynn Titus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this was the absolute best way to spend a Saturday. So quick and easy to read in a day. I was HOOKED right from the start. So good!!

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm, this was clever but very boring and predictable.

[Traci Co · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first book by this author and I loved it! I don’t think I’d consider this a thriller, though. I wasn’t on edge so much as being on a journey with this family, especially the niece and aunt. The characters were snarky and witty through most of the story. There were dark moments, indeed, but with the premise of the book being what it was, that wasn’t surprising.

I think the relationships of the key characters and the surprise twisty bits make this a great read. It’s smooth, well-paced, and entertaining.

I’m going to be digging through Hyde’s other books to see what else I might enjoy!

[Maecee DeSantie · Rating 1 out of 5]

My second DNF ever. 🥴

Surely there are two different versions of this book— the 5 star version that most people seem to have and the 1.5 star version that I most definitely got stuck with.

I wanted to like this one so badly! I had such high hopes and was excited to learn all about Aunt Rachel’s crazy stories and mysterious secrets! Unfortunately, I had to force myself to read this book. It took me 10 days to drag myself to page 106 (55%) when I finally decided, “If it isn’t good by now, it’s probably not worth it.” and made the decision to DNF.

Without giving anything away, —boring. So incredibly slow, very minimal excitement, and mostly in third person (which I personally can’t stand, but I guess that’s just me being picky). When a book promises to tell me about “all those (they’ve) killed before”, I do have an expectation of *something* interesting enough to make me want to turn the page. This just isn’t the one.

To those of you rating this 5 stars, leaving reviews about how “groundbreaking” it is, and tricking the rest of us into buying this book: Is it the first mystery/thriller you’ve ever read? Did someone pay you to say that? Do you hate to be entertained? I have so many questions. I do not see how anyone who is at all familiar with any other mystery would find this book the least bit thrilling.

Save your money. Save your time.

P.S. I looked up the ending and the “twist” after I made a solid decision to DNF and I’m glad I didn’t waste any more of my time. If I had forced myself to read the entire book and only got *that* out of it in the end, I would’ve been furious. 😅

[Holly (hollylovesbooks1519) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy cow, this book was so freaking good! There was so much in this 194-page novel, and I never wanted it to end. The plot twist I did not see coming at all; I was floored! You want to read this one!

Forty-one-year-old Rachel is given months to live. Every Tuesday her niece Linnea comes to visit, and Rachel starts confessing to her about her past. It completely shocks Linnea, just as it does to us readers.

[Allie DeRosia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know if I have ever devoured a book like this one. Character rich, relationship that felt tangible. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. JL Hyde does it again and does it better than ever.

[Kelley Counce · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit different than your normal thriller. This book has a Tuesday’s with Morrie vibe with a morally complex spin. I enjoyed the relationship between Rachel and Linnea. Quick read that has a lot packed in it.

[Chelsey Ulrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY GOSH. READ THIS BOOK! This one can easily be read in one sitting. Super short chapters and under 200 pages. I couldn't put it down.
Imagine you're a young college student and you find out your favorite aunt only has a few months to live. And she wants to spend every Tuesday afternoon with you telling you her secrets - the good, bad and ugly. This shocks you because you really looked up to your aunt. But NOTHING prepares you for her last confession..

[Linda Karbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, quippy, gut-wrenching, and addictive.
A super fast, can’t put it down read told through short chapters filled with big storytelling.

[Jenny DeRobertis · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING! I finished this book in under 24 hours because I literally could not put it down! 190 pages… Read it!

[Kyle Macdougall · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!
Thoughts: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8UfB6gK/