Five women gathered around the fire-pit, happily sipping their wine while their baby monitors crackled in a circle. By morning there only would be FOUR. 

"Not That I Could Tell" is the sophomore novel by Jessica Strawser, a captivating tale of suburbia, the secrets that are hidden behind neighbors’ closed doors and the question we all ask ourselves – how well do we really know our neighbors?

Clare hosts the party for the women in the neighborhood to christen her new patio. They are simply thrilled to have a night away from the kids, a chance to gossip among themselves and to share secrets with one another that, normally, they would tell no one. However, one of the women – Kristin – has a dark secret that she has shared with no one. They never suspect the things she has kept hidden – no one would believe her if she told them. When the women awaken, Kristin and her children are gone without a trace. Did she leave willingly or did something more sinister happen to her? Suspicion falls on her husband, a doctor, but some – like new neighbor Izzy – want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Is he innocent as Izzy believes or is she walking into danger as the other women fear?

There are those who have compared this book to Sally Hepworth’s, "The Family Next Door;" however, while both books draw on the idea of suburban housewives, Strawser does a better job of keeping her characters believable. These women, all of them, are women that I feel as though I know or have known. Strawser is a Midwestern writer and the story is set in a small town in Ohio, so the characters and the community seem quite familiar to me as a reader from the Midwest. That said, the book does have some flaws, the largest is that it is too long – or rather, it could have done with some editing. There were conversations that these characters had with themselves – in their own heads – that were repetitious. After a while I found myself skipping over some of them because I wanted to scream, “I get it!” This wasn’t enough to detract from my overall satisfaction with the book, but it does keep me from rating the book higher. I had this same issue with Strawser’s first novel, I Almost Missed You, so hopefully by her third book someone will get the message.

For a second book it’s amazing, most fall far short of the first. For a domestic thriller, it is top notch. As a mystery, it is a slow burner, so if you like fast paced thrillers this is not for you. However, I highly recommend it and am very pleased to say that we, in the Midwest, have another good writer to add to our shelves.

The book starts out with Kristin and her two kids disappearing, they are missing and vanish without a trace. There was a neighborhood party the night before they disappeared. They were drinking wine and sharing stories, sitting around a fire with baby monitors turned up. They started getting drunk and don't seem to remember anything of that night. 

As the investigation starts lots of secrets appear and everyone seems like they could be a suspect. The setting is in Yellow Springs, Ohio. The investigation turns up with more questions than answers.

This is a story about neighbors and their relationships. The book reminded me of the old television show of Desperate Housewives but not as humorous. The book deals with friendship, love, family, betrayal and domestic violence. I loved the ending which was unexpected and very sutprprising with some suspense.

I struggled with this book. To me, this wasn't a fast paced thriller. It was a slow burn and didn't seem to have any twists or turns that I actually look for. I think that this would fit the chic lit genre a lot better.
I feel that those that love that genre will love this book. I am not really into that genre. This book has the theme of Desperate Housewives, remember that old television show? It just wasn't as numerous as that show. The story was based on neighbors and their relationships. 

I felt like I did not have a strong connection with the character and for me to love a book, I have to love the characters. These are just my feelings though and I unfortunately have to be honest. 

If you have been interested in this book, I would read all of the four and five star reviews. There are lots of five star reviews. Lots of people loved it. 
I was hooked in the beginning then it seemed to go flat throughout the book until the end which was quite unexpected and surprising. 

I do recommend this book to those that love the chic lit genre. I think you will love it. 

This was a Traveling Sister read and want c n though I struggled with it, I enjoyed reading this with them.

I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Jessica Strawser for the copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

A warm summer evening was the perfect time to host a barbecue, and the neighborhood moms are more than happy to drink the wine that's flowing and prop their baby monitors nearby.  Surely, they deserve a break and nothing ever happens anyway in their quiet suburban community.  Unfortunately, something does happen and one of the moms, Kristen Kirland and her twin sons, are nowhere to be found the next day.

Newcomer to the neighborhood, Izzy, is single and childless, and nursing insecurities and past hurts of her own.  Though she doesn't want to get involved, Kristen's soon-to-be ex, Paul, has moved into his wife's house in her absence and it's right next door.  Does his charm and good looks hide a more sinister motive, or is he as baffled by Kristen's disappearance as the rest of the neighborhood seems to be?

Twisty and engrossing, this is one thriller you don't want to miss!

A twisty, bendy, snaky piece that I found both frightening and enjoyable. 

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This was an extremely enjoyable read. 

I think my favorite part was the way that the characters were written and their dialogue. I think they were super complex but also super relatable. They were all flawed in their own ways. They were all very likable also. I felt like I was reading about regular everyday people. Perhaps people I already know. 

I enjoyed this interaction the most out of the story. It was an interaction between one character and their child. It is super adorable, and extremely well executed. 
 
“Mommy, you count to ten and I’ll go hide behind the curtains in the dining room. Ready, go!”

“Thomas, hide-and-seek only works if you don’t tell me where you’re going to hide. I’ll count and you pick a new place, okay?”

“But the curtains are a great hiding place!”

“But you just told me you’re going to be there. I already know”

“Okay. Close your eyes-no peeking! I will go hide now—and do not look behind the curtains.”

“Ready or not, here I come”

Maniacal giggling came from the dining room….


This isn’t a predictable fast-paced thriller. This book is more like literary or woman fiction. I found the thriller part of the story to be lacking in many areas. This isn't a police procedural or real deceptive type thriller either.

We follow the main character Kristin’s neighbors closely as they deal with the sudden disappearance of a friend and the various scrutiny that comes with the territory when people go missing. 

Don’t get me wrong though, there is a lot of suspense and “who done it” in this book. There were many twists and turns. At points, I was on the edge of my seat. You will be left wondering who did it, and if anyone is truly safe. 

Overall this was a very intense read filled with mystery and suspense. I truly recommend this book as I have rated it four stars. The reason it can’t be five stars is due to the lack of thriller type aspects in this book. Which was what I was looking for. 

Disclaimer: I received this book from St. Martin's Press in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. All thoughts are my own.

This was a really good novel - similar in tone to Big Little Lies.  The characters were well developed and interesting.  There was a good twist at the end that I definitely didn't see coming.

I must admit that 'Not That I Could Tell' gave me little 'Big Little Lies' throwbacks and it had the same kind of set up in regards to - is she missing? is she dead? who is involved? The novel shows that Kristin is missing along with her twin children after a neighbourhood BBQ.  I can't go into much without revealing the whole thing but basically this book was a look into those around you and asks the question, can you ever really know your friends/ neighbours?  Interesting twist. 

Thank you to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Not That I Could Tell is a domestic suspense centering around a mother and her children who disappear and the neighbors and ex-husband who are left behind. This one just never really went anywhere for me. The pace was very slow and not much happened. There was a bit of a surprise at the end that I did enjoy.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of Jessica Strawser's novel, Not That I Could Tell, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- Yellow Springs, an idyllic suburb in Ohio, is rocked to its core when Kristen and her two young twins, go missing. Kristen is in the middle of a divorce and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Paul, is devastated by their disappearance. He had been living in an apartment, but he moves back into the house that he shared with Kristen during the investigation. Not everyone in the neighborhood is convinced that Paul, a respected doctor, is as innocent as he appears. The neighbors try to figure out what has happened to their dear friend. Can the police or Kristen's friends solve the mystery before something else goes wrong?

LIKE- I loved Desperate Housewives and although Not That I Could Tell is quite a bit more serious, it had shades of the show. In particular, it had similarities with the various personalities in the neighborhood and mystery element of the story. Also, how sprinkled throughout the novel are short chapters written by Kristen, which reminded me of Desperate Housewives narrator, Mary Alice.

I liked the mystery elements of the story. Strawser does a great job at building the suspense, especially when she builds to the climatic moment in the story. I was gripped and glued to the page.

I loved the character of Hallie, a neighborhood pre-teen, who takes it upon herself to be a amateur sleuth. I wasn't quite sure how her story arc would play-out and it was a wonderful surprise. She adds a lot of conflict to the story, sending it in a wild direction.

The magic in Not That I Could Tell, is in the friendships between the women. Strawser has vividly imagined her neighborhood and its inhabitants. I appreciate that she included Izzy, a single woman without children. Izzy is in a different place in her life, but she easily finds friendship with her neighbors. Not That I Could Tell celebrates all types of families and relationships.

DISLIKE- The ultimate outcome of the story was predictable. I appreciate that Strawser tackles a difficult and sensitive subject matter with care, but I was hoping for a more unexpected ending. I think with the way that Strawser peppered the narrative with Kristen's chapters, I was hoping for a Gone Girl-esque twist that never arrived.

RECOMMEND- Yes! Not That I Could Tell is a solid page-turn that speaks to an important issue. You'll love the neighborhood and friendships that Strawser has created.

This is a fascinating read . The premise is a young Mother who disappears from a neighborhood. Her husband and the women she knows are all under suspicion.  I enjoyed the author's writing style which was fast paced and kept me guessing throughout the story. There are many supporting characters here which are key to the story and made the story multi layered as the backgrounds and stories of each neighbor come out.  This was a book I was unable to put down. Thank you for the ARC which does not influence my review. 
I look forward to further books by this fine author.

Did not get to review the book, kindle broke, by the time i bought a new one this was archived.. Hoping to rectify this by renting from my library and editing my review at a later date. If this is never updated my library did not have the book, Thank you for approving me and sorry for the inconvenience.
The rating i will be giving this books is their rating from Goodreads since i HAVE to give one to send this.

I really enjoyed this book. It sheds a light on the important issue of domestic violence while sharing a great story about a few lovely women in a neighbourhood. Throughout the book I went from fearing Paul killed Kristen to hoping she made it wherever she was going safely & finally being relieved by the end of the book. Kristen isn’t even really in the book that much but the author helps you like her regardless. Clara and Izzy are both fantastic characters who are immediately likeable. I’m so glad I read this book.

I loved Jessica Strawser's Almost Missed You, so when I heard she had a new book coming out I knew I wanted to read it!  Not That I Could Tell proved enjoyable and stunning in true Jessica fashion.  I highly recommend!

3.5 stars – rounded up!

I really enjoyed Not That I Could Tell.  I usually enjoy a good domestic drama and this one had the perfect mix of women’s fiction, suspense (what happened to Kristin?) and an ending that definitely took me by surprise.  

The story is told in alternating viewpoints between Clara and Izzy, but ultimately this is a story of friendship, family and of course, secrets.  The writing style appealed to me and I liked the different mix of characters.  I also liked how Strawser was able to develop the minor characters so that you really got a sense of who they were without spending too much of the story on them.  It was done really well.  

I would highly recommend this book to fans of Women’s fiction and it would probably be a good pick for a book club.

Six women sit outside drinking, enjoying themselves, and having fun while in some cases children are asleep outside. Come the next day, one of them, Kristin, and her children are missing and the rest of them don't remember many details of the night before. Where has she gone and why did she leave without a word to her friends. Is she and her children alive or have they been killed? It was a good mystery.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book ,I really enjoyed the story , the story really goes to show how far friends will go to protect each other , the story was very well written ; the characters were developed well ; the story kept me interested to see what happens next ; would definitely recommend this book

Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser was both very similar to other books I've read recently, and yet different enough to keep me reading. At first I thought, didn't I just read a book about a group of female neighbors and some sort-of mystery?? And it almost made me put it down, thinking I needed to put more space between the two books so I wasn't spending too much time comparing. But I kept going, and was happily satisfied that they were different enough to keep my mind from jumbling it all together.

Not That I Could Tell is the story of what happens with a circle of friends/neighbors/acquaintances in small town Ohio when their seemingly perfect Doctor's wife next door disappears one day with her two children, after a girls night fire pit. As someone who has partaken in many a girls evening of adult beverages and girl talk, I could totally relate to these women. They were relaxed, finally didn't have the kids with them, perhaps said a few things they shouldn't have...and then woke up to find one of them missing. Kristin was recently separated from her doctor husband, so a few neighbors are immediately suspicious of him...and when he moves back into the house to "wait" and see if his estranged wife returns with the kids, his every move is under surveillance, from both the police and the neighbors. But the newest arrival in town, Izzy, feels that maybe everyone is being a little harsh to poor doctor Paul...and his interest in her is a little more than neighborly. Clara, who was closest to the missing Kristin, has been in a situation like this before...and is immediately suspicious of the husband, and fearful that the troubles of her past may be repeating themselves.

What really DID happen to Kristin? Did she run off with some money, and start a new life? Did her husband kill her? Do you ever really know your neighbors?? Is there such a thing as being TOO cautious?? Should you ever hop on the back of a man you don't know well's motorcycle just because you're having a bad day? And more importantly, how do you get over your sister marrying the man you love?? These are all questions I pondered when reading.

In spite of the similarities it shares with other books I've read recently, I really did enjoy reading this one. I'm a fan of books about girl friends...probably because I'm a fan of MY posse of gal pals, and love hearing about other groups of close women. My head immediately went to thoughts of how I would feel if one of my circle of girls up and disappeared after one of our evenings of drinks and chats...and the worry you would have that you'd missed something important, some clue that life as you'd all known it would change forever the next day.

And as this book neared it's end, I had a minute of thinking...huh, well I guess that wraps it all up in a tidy little bow, maybe...but it's kind-of anticlimactic...I mean I sort-of saw that coming...but is that really it?!? I was feeling unfulfilled and like it petered out, and had mediocre in my mind. And then I flipped to that next chapter and was reading along, a bit zoned out...and then suddenly went....WAIT, what?!? And went back and re-read that bit again. BOOM, instantly bumped up a notch. The kicker at the end made it all worth it, and totally made this book for me. Maybe I shouldn't say that, as now if you read it you'll be looking for it...but I was happily and pleasantly surprised by how this one ended.

So, if you're a fan of contemporary light mysteries/thrillers, this one should definitely make your to-read list. On a side-note, I kept forgetting it was set in Ohio. To me it felt like Washington State outskirts of Seattle, or Austin, or some other typical quirky area setting...and then they would mention some other town in Ohio and I would be stumped for a minute!! Then I'd remember...OH yeah, it's set in Ohio! 😂 I actually really liked that. Also, these aren't a bunch of older girl friends really, most have young kids at home, and one is single. There is also a lesbian couple and a military family...so a lot of diversity, along with a tiny deployment subplot for my mil folks.

Big thanks again to Jessica Strawser, Netgalley and the Ninja Group for sending me Not That I Could Tell!

This is the first book I have read from Jessica Strawser and I really, really liked it! Jessica did a fantastic job of describing the details of this beautiful neighbourhood and the people who live in these different homes. After a drunken ladies night around the campfire, they awake the next morning to one of the women and her children missing. The characters were well developed and each of them had an interesting story.  I enjoyed the interactions of all the neighbours, there were twists and turns and bits and pieces that kept you wondering just what happened to Kristin and the twins. I loved the way the story ended but I wouldn't want to give away any spoilers...you must read it for yourself!

I loved that this book was set in Yellow Springs, OH.  I've been there several times and I could really picture this neighborhood and the park where Izzy went hiking.  The Antioch College and little stores so clear in my mind.  I'm not sure I would have liked this book if it were set somewhere else. I feel like this author was trying to write a story like Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.  It was written just like Big Little Lies only not as well.  From the mystery at the the beginning, to the school getting involved and the police interviews and the women in the neighborhood being best friends, and the tidbits of information at the beginning of each chapter. The more I think about it the more comparisons I can come up with.  It was a good story, I liked the characters, but without Yellow Springs, I'm not sure I would have even finished.

First sentence: Ever wonder what your friends really think of you?
Last sentence: There were so many ways to begin again.

When a group of neighborhood women gather for a wine fueled night around one family's fire pit, they hardly expect that one of their number will be gone by Monday morning. 

 

Kristin's disappearance is shocking. She and her twin children simply vanished, sending the neighborhood reeling from their loss. Despite going through a messy divorce from her doctor husband, no one saw this coming. There are, of course, concerns about foul play and suspicion is cast on Paul, the estranged husband. 

 

Neighbors Clara and Izzy deal with Kristin's disappearance in very different ways. Clara struggles with memories of a terrible incident from her past that may be clouding how she feels about Paul. Izzy, on the other hand, is devastated over her sister's marriage to the man she is in love with and turns to Paul as a possible new love interest, much to Clara's dismay.

 

In the small, charming town of Yellow Springs, Ohio, nothing is what is seems. The town becomes a media circus as Kristin's close friends and loved ones try to figure out what happened to her and her children. 

 

"Not That I Could Tell You" has an intriguing premise, but is not the gripping thriller I thought it would be. That doesn't make it a bad story, but it is more of a slow burn than a page turner. The story is less about what happened to Kristin (although that is eventually revealed) than it is about how Clara and Izzy deal with both her disappearance and their own various issues.

 

"Not That I Could Tell You" might not have been what I expected, but it's an engaging story that would have fit into a season of "Desperate Housewives". The characters are incredibly well developed. Just keep in mind that it takes a long time for the action to get going so it's really more of a character piece than a thriller.