I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.
You Can Tell Me by Melinda Leigh Series: Olivia Cruz #1
Published by Montlake on May 12, 2026
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On the three-year anniversary of true crime writer Olivia Cruz’s horrific kidnapping, she’s scheduled to walk her podcaster friend Zoe March through the crime scene, but Zoe fails to show. Olivia knows Zoe would never stand her up—not today.
Zoe’s husband, who claims she never came home the night before, has reported her missing. But marital conflicts make the police suspect she has left him. Olivia thinks otherwise. The police aren’t looking for Zoe, so Olivia begins her own investigation. Retracing her friend’s last steps, she finds Zoe’s phone and a text with one chilling word: Run.
It soon becomes apparent that Zoe has been keeping secrets, and with her true crime podcast, there’s no telling what she has unearthed. To find her, Olivia must dig into her friend’s past. Did Zoe vanish to escape a killer, and is Olivia walking into a deadly trap?
Attention grabbing from start to finish! Melinda Leigh is kicking off her new Olivia Cruz series with a bang and several familiar faces. The plot is thick with tension and excitement revs up from the very start. Just when we think we might have something figured out, there’s another twist in the story and excitement builds again. I loved every minute!
Oliva is a character who has suffered severe trauma herself, but doesn’t hesitate to jump in and help an old friend when she disappears and things look fishy. I really enjoyed her relationship with Lincoln and getting to see her niece become active in helping her figure out the secrets of the case. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series!
