I love to talk about the soundtracks for my books. It’s a huge part of my writing process. Whether it’s a song I seek out that’s thematically related or something that comes on the radio during a drive, I’ve built entire books off the backs of songs. Every title has a theme song, something that ties to the story. I like to construct the soundtracks in a way that tells the story, too.
My playlist for YOU KNOW WHY is no different, though some of the songs may be more recognizable than others.
Its backbone is a song I heard at the dentist, under the influence of nitrous oxide, that absolutely made the lights come on for me about a character’s motivations—Then He Kissed Me, by the Crystals. It was a lightning bolt realization, and it changed the entire tenor of the book for me.
There is also another oldie but goodie that is vital to the story, and that’s from the Charlie Brown Christmas album, Christmas Time is Here, from the Vince Guaraldi Trio. It plays on a loop in the opening scene of a murder, a poignant juxtaposition of holiday joy against the backdrop of death.
Another vital thematic song for this book is Silver Spring by Fleetwood Mac. I was a Fleetwood Mac fan back in their heyday, so I love seeing their renaissance. We were watching the third season of the TV show White Lotus while I was writing this book, and there was a huge social media kerfuffle that the song was at the heart of. I started playing it on repeat and realized hearing Stevie Nicks cast her spell on Lyndsey Graham was exactly what I wanted to see happen in my story, too.
I’m obviously very influenced by modern media, and another show’s anthem made it onto my list—Starburster, by Fontaines D.C. It was the theme song to two different shows I was watching while writing the book, and I read an interview with the band about how it came into being. The lead singer had a panic attack at Victoria Station in London, and the song was his creative explanation of what that felt like. The huge gasp for air that permeates the lyrics makes it a thematic show-stopper for me. I want you, the reader, to be breathless when you get to the end of this story. I think this depicts that sensation perfectly.
There are a number of other songs on this soundtrack, all of which play a part in telling the story and inspiring me along the way. Let me know if you like any of them, too!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4FbWqfdZ8UsXzp3U9ttfdT?si=IUsrAeLnRkCOh81bHv0_8g
YOU KNOW WHY by J.T. Ellison
From New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison comes a suspenseful domestic thriller about identity, revenge, and the dangerous secrets kept hidden from the ones we love most.
It’s the holidays, and photographer Brooklyn Locke is bound for Italy with her husband, Trey, and their two children. But when Trey vanishes from the airport, missing their connecting flight, their impromptu vacation—and life as she knows it—begins to unravel.
Desperate to find her husband, Brooklyn accepts help from a stranger on the same flight, Eden Barrow. But Eden soon makes a shocking claim. She is the sister of Trey’s first wife, and ten years ago he was the main suspect in her murder.
Struggling to comprehend these accusations, fate delivers one more blow: a violent accident that leaves Brooklyn fighting for her life. With nowhere else to turn, Brooklyn leans on Eden for support. But each kindness feels too rehearsed, feeding her doubts about Eden’s motives and Trey’s true past.
Brooklyn has her own dark history she’d rather forget and confronts an unsettling possibility. Her life is not what it seems, and the truth is a trap—laid by someone waiting for the perfect time to strike.
Thriller Domestic [ Thomas & Mercer, On Sale: August 25, 2026, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781662535925 / ]
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About J.T. Ellison
J.T. Ellison is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of psychological suspense, including the Lt. Taylor Jackson series, the Dr. Samantha Owens series, and numerous acclaimed standalones. She is the Emmy Award–winning cohost of A Word on Words, the literary television series on PBS. Over a twenty-year career, her work has earned widespread critical recognition, with titles optioned for television and published in thirty countries, and millions of copies in print worldwide. A dedicated voice in the writing community, she also publishes The Creative Edge, a newsletter and blog for writers navigating the craft and business of fiction. She lives with her husband and twin kittens—one of whom is a ghost—in Nashville, Tennessee.
You can subscribe to her monthly newsletter on her website.
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