As previously reported, Jeanne Tripplehorn has signed on as a Criminal Minds series regular.

Now, thanks to TV Guide, we have more intel on just what character the veteran actress will portray...

Tripplehorn will take on the role of a FBI linguistics expert named Alex Blake. Look for her to possess some history with Reid.

"People like Reid learned from [her]. She is also a professor at Georgetown and Reid has guest-lectured at her forensic linguistics class before," executive producer Erica Messer tells the magazine, adding of her personal life: "She is in a relationship. When you get your heroes involved romantically, it just changes the show so much. I feel pretty strongly about that as a rule."

Criminal Minds returns for Season 8 in September.

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.