ABOUT THE BOOK:
We said to keep it a secret, that no one needed to know.
Astrid is newly sober and trying to turn her life around. Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and darkness of her previous life, she is focusing on her recovery. She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged. If she fills her days, maybe she can outrun the ghosts that haunt her. Maybe she can start anew.
But someone is tormenting me now. Someone knows where I am and what I've done.
Someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected. Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . .
The question is: Who did you tell? LISTEN TO AN EXCERPT:
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MY REVIEW:
Who Did You Tell? by Lesley KaraMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Who Did you Tell? By Lesley Kara is a 2020 Ballantine publication.
Realistic, tense, disturbing!
Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, living with her mother, and struggling mightily to hold on to her new sobriety. She also has a heavy, dark secret hanging over her head, complicating her ability to face her demons head on.
As her memories resurface, Astrid’s past relationship with a guy named Simon begins to take shape- a relationship centered around the pain of addiction, but also one with intense emotions attached.
It is obvious that Astrid is tormented by her past, perhaps with good reason, but apparently someone out there is determined to remind her of her misdeeds, keeping her on a perpetual tightrope as she desperately tries to move on with her life-
I nearly read this book in one sitting- not because it is fast-paced, because it’s not- but because of how deeply I was drawn into Astrid’s struggles. The heavy atmosphere and the constant feeling of foreboding kept me glued to the pages.
This is a mesmerizing and intense story, checking all the correct, traditional psychological thriller boxes. However, it was Astrid's vivid characterization, and her will to stay sober, her vulnerability, uncertainty and fear, and the possibility that she could be in danger, that gave the book an extra padding of depth - more than one normally encounters in this genre.
The drama is very engrossing, drawing the reader deeper into Astrid’s troubled world. The suspense slowly, methodically builds, to a point where it almost becomes unbearable.
I still see a multitude of newly released psychological thrillers out there, but I think the fever has finally broken and there is a slow return to normalcy, which means higher quality stories in this category. However, I still started this book with only average expectations. (Keep in mind, though, that I have not read this author's debut novel- although I plan to remedy that ASAP)
However, this book exceeded my expectations, and is decidedly above average for this category. The novel is very well executed, moody, taut, and suspenseful, but has an added layer of emotional drama that compels the reader to invest, not only in the plot, but in the characters, as well.
Overall, this book is an impressive thriller, and I think Lesley Kara may be an author I’ll want to keep my eye on!
GRAB YOUR COPY HERE:
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Did-You-Tell-Novel-ebook/dp/B07Y7J4P8F/
https://www.amazon.com/Who-Did-You-Tell-Novel/dp/B08776CSKD/
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-did-you-tell-lesley-kara/1130783965
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Lesley Kara is the author of the Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller, THE RUMOUR, published in December 2018. Her second novel, WHO DID YOU TELL, is out now.
