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 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, Fiction, Book Club, Mystery, Audiobook

210 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 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

[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.

[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!

[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!

[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!

[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.

[Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[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!!

[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!

[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.

[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/

[jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 rounded up

[Sam Aziz · Rating 5 out of 5]

She does it again!!! Man I wish I had an aunt Rachel!!!

[adoseof.adri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this was a MYSTERY, ok! Fast-paced, interesting characters, great twists. First book by this author but definitely not the last.

[Ashlie Hendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A travel day meant I was able to devour this book, so glad I didn’t have to take many breaks because it was excellent!

[Mady S · Rating 4 out of 5]

My go to author when I’m in the mood for a fast paced thriller where I can never ever guess what kind of twists and turns there will be. I finished this within a day and enjoyed every minute of it! 3.5/5, rounded up!

[Lina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm, this was clever but very boring and predictable.

[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.

[Sammie Pechkurow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are we even surprised? JL Hyde always gets allllll the stars from me 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ and dare I say this might be my new favorite? 👀

[Tabathareads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a phenomenal read. This is a new to me author but the cover and synopsis hooked me instantly and I am so glad they did because I absolutely inhaled this book. It is fast paced, emotionally charged, and the writing style was pure perfection. I was completely swept up in Rachel and Linnea’s Tuesdays together, and every revelation landed with so much weight and intensity.

The author blends heartbreak, tension, and character depth in a way that kept me fully invested from start to finish. The ending was incredibly strong and left me completely satisfied. No notes. I will absolutely be reading this author’s backlist.

[Jessica Wilczynski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel is forty years old and she has just found out she has months to live. She moves in with her sister Kim and her husband so they can care for her. Her niece Linnea has taken this news very hard and she wants to spend as much time with her aunt as possible so they decide to make Tuesdays there day. Rachel feels like Linnea as a college freshman is ready to hear her confessions but Linnea knows her aunt and how wonderful she is but these confessions absolutely shock her. She wants to know everything!

I read this book in one day! Once I started reading I could not stop until I found out what happened. The twists and turns were so good! It keeps you guessing until the last page!

[Dani Cushman, First of her name, Mother of Westies · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟 shoot I’d even give it 6 if i could! Another great novel by JL Hyde. This one had a little bit of everything. I laughed, I gasped, I cried. There were some very bizarre parallels with my own life growing up, and even what I was doing at that very moment. Plus a delicious chili recipe at the end. All I can say is that I absolutely LOVE ❤️ this author. I recommend her books to anyone and everyone. Reading her books is like listening to my bestie telling me a story. It just feels that authentic and real. I can’t wait to read the next one.

[Kristin B. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ This is my book clubs January pick, and I blew through it very fast! It’s definitely short, just shy of 200 pages. Rachel is the main character, essentially confessing on her deathbed to her niece about killing all these dudes that did her wrong over time. Rachel is kind of a badass, I have to say.

I always struggle with the short books, I feel like I need a little more. But for the length of the book it did pack a lot in! Def trigger warnings, specifically with abusive relationships so check those out before diving in!

[Landon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest. I was thinking this was meh at first, I guess because I was not intrigued at the beginning. But after the 40% mark, this became really hard to put down. With all the twists and sinister moments, things also became heavy and emotional. And without giving anything away, I hope you love to cook! This was a solid thriller. Very short read with short chapters, you will easily plow through it.

[Melissa Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

JL Hyde has the gift of twists! Her books are quick reads with shocking endings that always leave me somewhere unexpected.
Her character development makes me feel like I’ve grown up in the family and know them all personally.
This book was different than her others, but so good in its own right. Powerful. Challenging. But good.