“Full of slow-burning intrigue, Strawser’s second novel will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and Jennifer Kitses’ Small Hours.” –Booklist *Book of the Month Club Selection An innocent night of fun takes a shocking turn in Not That I Could Tell, the next page-turner from Jessica Strawser, author of Almost Missed You. When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, … Missed You.
When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to have discovered that their baby monitors reach that far. It’s a rare kid-free night, and they’re giddy with it. They drink too much, and the conversation turns personal.
By Monday morning, one of them is gone.
Everyone knows something about everyone else in the quirky small Ohio town of Yellow Springs, but no one can make sense of the disappearance. Kristin was a sociable twin mom, college administrator, and doctor’s wife who didn’t seem all that bothered by her impending divorce–and the investigation turns up more questions than answers, with her husband, Paul, at the center. For her closest neighbor, Clara, the incident triggers memories she thought she’d put behind her–and when she’s unable to extract herself from the widening circle of scrutiny, her own suspicions quickly grow. But the neighborhood’s newest addition, Izzy, is determined not to jump to any conclusions–especially since she’s dealing with a crisis of her own.
As the police investigation goes from a media circus to a cold case, the neighbors are forced to reexamine what’s going on behind their own closed doors–and to ask how well anyone really knows anyone else.
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What would you do if one of your friends suddenly disappeared? That’s the central question is this book: her husband said she left him. But did she? And what would drive her to do this? A great premise with a page-turning structure.
A mother and her twin toddlers go missing, and the neighbors are left wondering what happened and how well they actually knew her. And what’s up with her soon-to-be ex-husband? As others have said, this felt a lot like a Liane Moriarty book. It’s oh so easy to get lost in – I stayed up way too late last night finishing it! Though it wasn’t particularly plot-driven, I was drawn in by the characters and just wanted to keep hanging out with them and find out what happened.
Wonderful book full of enticing twists and turns that keeps the reader turning the page. Strawser does a phenomenal job of creating a realistic cast of characters that the reader cares about and is invested in. I look forward to reading more of Strawser’s work.
This is a character-driven edge-of-your-seat domestic thriller. Recommend it for a page-turning, yet thoughtful, reading experience!
Another winner from Jessica Strawser who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors!
Kristin and her twins disappear overnight from a safe, middle-class neighborhood. Someone may know what happened to her, but no one is talking. Paul, her OB-GYN husband, is immediately suspected for foul play, but he insists that they were gone when he arrived at the house. Hallie, the precocious teen who wants to write a neighborhood newspaper, may know more than she thinks, but no one will listen to her. Izzy, the radio show producer who lives across the street, is dealing with a broken heart and resentment against her sister, and she doesn’t know what to think. The one whom everyone says knew Kristin best, Clara the next-door neighbor, says she knows nothing and the last time she saw her was at the fire pit the night before. So, what happened to Kristin? There are a lot of twists and turns before the reader finds out, but this book is definitely worth the time to read it! It is thought-provoking with a touch of cynicism that will make you wonder if your priorities are in order.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”
A intriguing, well written mystery. A book that makes you think ‘how well do we know our friends and neighbours.’ Filled with a cast of well developed characters, and a nice build up to the unraveling secret, with a edge of you seat conclusion. A quick, enjoyable, summer read.
What a great book. I highly enjoyed Strawser’s sophomore novel, so much, in fact, that I read it every spare moment I had. If you like Liane Moriarty’s novels, then I can really see you losing yourself in this one as well. I recently watched the TV adaptation of Big Little Lies, and the entire time reading Not That I Could Tell, I kept picturing Reese Witherspoon at the helm of this novel as Clara. I really connected with the characters and firmly believe that Strawser has an uncanny ability to make situations and lives that, though unfamiliar to my own, feel familiar and relatable. It’s a skill that sucks me into a novel and takes me along for all the twists, turns, and page-turning surprises (which this novel most certainly has). I highly recommend!
“The missing, the hidden, the murdered, and the otherwise lost never get to tell their sides of the story. It’s the last and sometimes cruelest injustice.”
How does it happen that a whole family simply disappears from a safe and happy neighborhood?
Kristen’s estranged husband Paul, no longer lives with Kristen and the twins. He cannot imagine where his family is when he goes to visit one day and sees the window broken, and his family gone.
Or…. does he already know what happened to his family?
This is a well written novel that will keep you wondering right up to the last page. The characters are amazing and you can truly feel their frustration and emotions as this mystery continues.
A group of women from the neighborhood get together one Saturday night, taking a much needed break around the fire pit. They drink wine and talk, maybe over-indulging a bit. They all head home, a little fuzzy, but happy to have had the time together. Then, on Monday, one of the women is missing, and so are her children. Did she leave on her own, or did she have help? When her soon-to-be ex moves back into the house, more questions are raised. The more time passes, the women wonder how well they actually knew their neighbor…or each other.
This was an interesting read that kept me turning pages as quickly as I could. Strawser wrote a compelling story with interesting, well-developed characters. I was kept guessing and couldn’t wait to see what happened next. This is one that shouldn’t be missed.
#GoodreadsGiveaway #St.Martin’sPress #NetGalley #NotthatIcouldtell
I listened to this novel while walking and I think I added miles because I had to hear what’s next. Instead of being glued to the page, I was glued to my ear buds. I had no idea how the author was going to end the gripping story and when she did, I wanted to throw my arm in the air and shout “yes!” It was perfect. This is the second book by Jessica Strawser that I’ve “read” and I will definitely read another. Don’t miss it.
This story took a very different direction than I thought it would – kept me on my toes and I couldn’t stop flipping pages! Enjoyed the characters and how it kept me wanting more with every page!
This was an amazing story. I love the details of the story and how I felt like I was there. The author does a marvelous job. I love the characters and the plot. It seemed very realistic to me. I want to read more from this author.
I could not put it down! The characters were so likable and developed through such a web, it was intriguing. The ending was a complete surprise…did not see that coming!
A good tale. A bit of suspense and a little surprise reveal at the ending. The story is of domestic violence resulting in the escape of a neighbor with her twin children, fleeing from a handsome, polished physician husband who would have killed her had she stayed. If the characters were a bit of a caricature, the story was compelling enough to keep me turning pages into the night.
Wonderful character development. It was interesting witnessing the friendships develop among the neighborhood women. The ending was worth the wait when the story seemed to drag a little.
This book was so hard to put down! I felt like I knew what had happened, but I was so wrong.
Not That I Could Tell is a domestic drama that I thoroughly enjoyed, racing through the pages until the end!
Less a psychological thriller than a story of the two main women. It’s more in the realm of Liane Moriarty than anything. Like BLL, I didn’t want the book to end and wanted to know more about what happens to the characters. Recommend for one who like Liane Moriarty, but if you’re expecting a suspenseful psychological thriller, you’ll be disappointed.
I loved Need to Know. I received an ARC from publisher. It isn’t really a thriller, but an on-the- edge-of-your-seat page turner. I believe anyone will enjoy Need to Know by Karen Cleveland.