A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller.
#1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen’s shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother’s house of horrors.
After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have … mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.
For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother’s dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.
Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor’s story of absolute evil—and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today—loving, loved, and moving on.
more
I had never heard this story of Michelle “Shelly” Knotek who seemed to love to torture people including her children Nikki, Sam and Tori as well as two other victims who were boarders. This was a very sad and often difficult to read story and it makes you wonder how evil and wicked a person can be especially someone who is called “mother.” This was a very well researched and well written book by Author Gregg Olsen who has been a favorite author of mine for years. I highly recommend this book to all true crime fans.
Awful! I usually love his books.
Everyone raves about how great this book is. Honestly it’s a complete let down. Don’t let the blurb fool you it’s not that interesting. Their is parts that are interesting but nothing that kept me awake
This book is hard to rate because it’s almost unbelievable. I can’t fathom that this is a true story. I listened to the audio version and had to break it up. I couldn’t believe it when I looked down and there was still 8 hours to listen to after all the stuff that had already happened.
I can’t say I “enjoyed” this book due to nature of this true story. And it isn’t for everyone. It does expose one to the cruelty, evilness and bizarre lives some children endure behind closed doors. And that is not for everyone. BUT … the writing itself was great. Intense, gripping, fully flowing story like tale of a living nightmare. Made “Mommy Dearest” look like child’s play. Hard to believe there are people like those in this book. Sadly, though, I suspect there are more of them than we know … which is so very heartbreaking.
A superbly written, horrible and tragic story.
This book is the most shocking true crime novel I have ever read. It’s along the same line as “A Child Called It”. Except in that book, there was a singular victim. In this book, there are eight.
The multi-voiced narrative is from the surviving victims, friends and relatives, as well as law enforcement and psychologists. The author combined this well researched information, family history and interviews into a chronological unfolding of horrifying and sickening events.
My mind is reeling at how these heinous crimes against humanity could go undetected for so long, and so recently. And also at how a dubious plea deal kept the story out of the media, and facilitated Michelle Knotek’s upcoming release from prison.
Disturbing, poignant and heartbreaking, you will not forget the strength of these sisters and their survival instinct.
I’ve read many books by Gregg Olsen and have enjoyed them from 4-5* caliber. However, this book ” If You Tell” I rated only 3 1/2* because of the tragic truth of pure evil in our world. He told the story excellently, but I struggled with the content throughout the book. When we are in a situation, the ‘best thing to do’ doesn’t always come to mind and/or we feel it’s not going to make things better, just worst. This is what I saw in the three sisters in this story. To know this is a true story breaks my heart. It was like seeing a bad car accident and not being able to look away….so I continued to read and was continually sickened by these people who called themselves parents and good people. I won’t give away the outcome, but if you’re ‘faint of heart’ I would not recommend this book. Hug your kids and love them for the gifts they are.