This was a story of a recovering alcoholic who moves to seaside town, to live with her mother. A very slow start to the story and it was very emotional.

This is the first book I've read by Lesley Kara and I will definitely read more after really enjoying Who Did You Tell. Due to the subject matter this is sometimes a difficult read but it has been handled very sensitively and I applaud the author for this. We get to see both sides of the story and the wide reaching impact alcoholism can have.

I was totally caught out with the numerous twists in the story and didn't see any of them coming.

Highly recommend.

This book was a difficult read at times, our main character Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, she’s been sober for almost 200 days and has moved to a small town to be with her mum after successfully completing rehab.
She’s still coming to terms with the death of her ex boyfriend Simon, we know there is a secret surrounding him, there are lots of Astrid hinting towards it and this is the main crux of the story as Astrid starts receiving little notes and photos saying that they know what she did.
This book is mainly told from Astrids perspective, but we do get the odd paragraph from the person who is following and tormenting Astrid and those ones honestly gave me goosebumps and made me shiver, especially the opening paragraph.. WOW.
Astrid is just starting to get her life together, she’s getting back into painting and has fallen in love, but can she stay on the straight and narrow long enough for her to enjoy the happiness she’s creating?
This book had me hooked from the beginning and I honestly couldn’t put it down.
Would definitely recommend to absolutely everyone.

After enjoying The Rumour so much earlier this year, I had high hopes for Who Did You Tell? And boy, were those hopes satisfied and more!

Who Did You Tell? is the story of Astrid, a woman who is concerned that her past will catch up with her when she moves to Flinstead to live with her mother following a stint in rehab. As an alcoholic, Astrid's accounts are not always reliable, which definitely adds to the sense of tension in the novel; however there was something about her that drew me to her and made me wish that everything would work out for her. I was gripped to her story, and once I started reading, I couldn't tear myself away.

Alcoholism and addiction is obviously a central theme in Who Did You Tell? and Kara has researched it in great depth. The struggles of Astrid, and those she meets through her AA meetings, feel very raw and I could feel their need for something to take the pain away radiating through the pages. I learnt a lot about addiction through reading this novel and I was blown away by how real each story seemed.

Like The Rumour, Who Did You Tell? is set in Flinstead. It's a small town where everyone knows everyone and having grown up in a town like this myself, I could really feel Astrid's fear and frustration when she felt people were keeping tabs on her. I loved the nod to the events of The Rumour too.

As the novel progressed, it was very difficult to work out which characters I could trust and this brought with it many twists and turns. I was shocked by several of these and I was frantically turning pages to find the answers.

Who Did You Tell? will stay with me for a long time to come.

I really enjoyed Lesley Kara's first book The Rumour so was very excited to read Who Did you Tell. Unfortunately I found it a bit of a slow burner, and it took me a really long time to get into it.
I liked the character of Astrid and I thought her battle with addiction was written very well. Once the story picked it more I enjoyed it and found myself more engaged. There were a couple of twists I didn't see coming! Overall it was a good read but personally I found it took a little too long to grab my attention.

I really enjoyed Lesley's first book....The Rumour...unfortunately, this one not so much...the setting, and build up, was enthralling...and I read the book in two days, however, I don't feel the ending delivered at all, and I ended up ultimately disappointed. It all seemed a little too familiar, but hopefully it is just that The Rumour was very very good? As I've said it was a gripping read, just I felt the ending let it down...in my opinion.

Brilliant !
I loved it ! I loved her first novel ‘The rumour’ and was so looking forward to this one. I wasn’t disappointed. 10/10

If like me, you loved and were completely gripped by Lesley Kara’s debut novel The Rumour, then boy are you going to love Who Did You Tell! It’s even more addictive, making it even harder to put down, and for me it has surpassed her debut.

32 year old Astrid is a recovering alcoholic. After an episode 5 months previously which left her hospitalised, she is now living back at home in the small, sleepy seaside town of Flinstead with her mother – since leaving rehab 2 weeks previously. She is attending AA meetings, more so to please her mum but trying to piece her life back together…

One of the ways in beginning to do that is when she forms a relationship with Josh – a man who has struck up little conversations on the beach since her return to Flinstead and which when we pick up the book is now slowly developing into something more. It’s not only adding a sense of normality and happiness into her life but also employment from his father that reignites a spark for what she loves: painting.

But her past won’t let her go. She hasn’t told Josh she’s an alcoholic, which day by day is adding more strain on their relationship. Simon, her alcoholic ex is haunting her – she keeps smelling his aftershave, seeing his clothes in charity shops, and feels like someone is constantly watching her. But Simon committed suicide. Is this just an alcoholics’ paranoia and fear from all she’s done from drink in the past – an unreliable narrator? Or is she in danger? Is someone out for revenge? Are her AA friends truly who they seem?

kara’s narrative, detail and research in Who Did You Tell really captures the life and daily strains of an alcoholic and how AA works – clarifying many misconceptions on the topic. I felt I was in the head of Astrid throughout this novel; the constant day in day out of battling against demons, urges and temptations (that are at every turn with drink in pubs, shops, peoples’ homes!). It made the writing at times seem a little chaotic and slightly exhausting but all the more realistic.

Fans of The Rumour will be familiar with the setting of Flinstead (based around Frinton-on-Sea, if I’m correct) – a fantastic setting that has worked in creating a great atmosphere in both novels now – even a little nod towards the previous story-line thrown in for good measure. It’s a small, sleepy seaside town where pretty much everyone knows everyone, or knows someone who knows you – there’s no hiding anything which is not always great for Astrid especially with her mother’s trust issues, but for which actually ends up being a good thing in the end and the situation she finds herself in. The sea and beach itself plays a big role in this book which the author really used to it’s advantage – a case of where there’s beauty there’s also danger.

Who Did You Tell is a story of alcoholism and all that surrounds it; cravings, temptations, vulnerability, depression, guilt, self-woe and the lasting humiliation of being an addict even when in recovery. You can have the most loving family yet sometimes life just spirals out of control – which is what happened to Astrid, her mother is a very poignant portrayal of the pain and worry caused to loved ones and this almost suffocating need to protect them is shown. I’m not sure I should of rooted for Astrid as much as I did, but something about her and something inside me desperately wanted her to survive and to have a happy future – I truly felt she wanted to make amends for the wrongs caused. When those cravings and temptations came to her I was yelling inside “Don’t do it, Astrid!”.

There is a little romantic storyline in the novel; I know some people aren’t a fan of this in thrillers, but I think it depicts real life. I loved Astrid’s time with Josh. I was HUGELY smitten with Josh! He was kind, caring, funny, a stickler to the rules but he had that little cheeky/naughty spark about him. Whilst I got this massively good vibe about him, you never really know if an author is going to screw you over by making the character evil, do you?! I’ll let you find that out…

Who Did You Tell is full of secrets, suspicion and suspense from the very off and it’s twists and turns just keep coming at you, with it really upping it’s pace in the second half where one more chapter turns into consuming the lot! There are red herrings a plenty that will have you questioning everyone and everything at one time or another and whereas in The Rumour I worked it all out, this time I never fully joined ALL the dots!

It’s fair to say that Kara has established herself in really knowing how to write fast, fun, exciting, highly addictive thrillers that you really don’t want to put down, and I am desperate for more!

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for my ARC of Who Did You Tell, which I read in exchange for my honest thoughts.

After reading and enjoying Lesley Kara’s first book, The Rumour, I had high hopes for this one. But unfortunately it just didn’t live up to expectation for me. I found it slow and sluggish and just couldn’t get into it the way I did with The Rumour. Some parts felt quite repetitive and similar to The Rumour so perhaps that’s why.

For me is was predictable and full of the usual thriller elements, however I think her portrayal of a main character who deals with alcohol problems was done well and sensitively and for that I praise the author.

A good run of the mill thriller; easy to read but probably pretty unforgettable in that huge marketplace genre.
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Disclaimer: Thank you to Penguin Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review of this book.

This is such a good read. Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, back living with her mother and with lots of things for which she has regrets.
The story covers her adapting to being back in her childhood home, her addiction and her paranoia....or, is it paranoia? She smells the aftershave of her ex-boyfriend and feels she is being followed. Then, she starts to receive strange notes. The book captures well the ripple effects of addiction as well as the challenges of moving back home to a small town in adulthood when Astrid had hoped to be living a very different life.

It’s so well written and I loved the interaction between Astrid and her mum, who so wants to be supportive, but, ends u0 making Astrid feel claustrophobic. Then there are the characters from Astrid’s AA meeting....are they all who they seem to be?

The storyline moves at pace and definitely kept you interest throughout.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK and the author for the opportunity to preview.

After the success Lesley Kara had with ‘The Rumour’, her new suspense thriller ‘Who Did You Tell’, looks to be another bestseller. I love this author and I personally thought this new book to be even better than her previous one and had me engrossed from the very start.
“It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around. Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She's going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she's wronged. But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from and they won't stop until she learns that some mistakes can't be corrected.”
Set out in three clever parts, I loved how the author wrote this book from the first person perspective of Astrid, so that we got to feel all her differing emotions first hand. With tantalising teaser pages between chapters from her stalker, which I personally love in a book, we get to see exactly what Astrid is going through, what she might be running from and how she tackles the desire to restart her drinking. It was an ingenious idea from the author to allow readers to see into the mind of an alcoholic and how those around them are left to deal with the situation. I felt very invested in Astrid’s character and because the author depicted her character so well I understood her addiction and felt I was with her every step of her journey. She was a very natural and realistic girl with real issues and demons but at her heart she was very remorseful towards the people she’d hurt and I could truly imagine her pain. The AA twelve step programme was very informative and I liked how Astrid’s mother used the Quaker religion to seek solace after her husbands death.
With twists and red herrings along the way, I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend. Great characters, real life issues and a very believable storyline, I can’t wait for more by this author again in the future.
Has to be 5 stars!

An interesting story which had a recovering alcoholic trying to find her way back to life living with her mother, but things turned haywire when she felt someone watching her.

My second book by author Lesley Kara. I liked parts of the book, especially the trials of a recovering alcoholic and the AA meetings. I liked the author's honest portrayal of an addict and how every day was a struggle. The author showed great sensitivity in that.

The suspense was subtle in it and the ending was quite expected as there were only a few characters described in the book. I would have liked more of a thrill in the book. Astrid as a character was difficult to like for me, but I could feel empathy for her. She opened my eyes to a different world.

Overall, it was a fun afternoon read.

Astrid formerly known as Hilary is a 32 year old recovering alcoholic, she has now been sober for 192 days, trying to turn her life around. Back living with her mum in a sleepy seaside town, where everyone seems to know everyone’s business. It’s the last place Astrid had thought she would be. With her Quaker mum, who has had to deal with a lot from Astrid, but you know this is her last chance, not just with her mum but maybe with life. Astrid had gone off the rails at 15 which is when she had changed her name believing she would become more ‘visible’.

Astrid has many demons she is fighting, some of those demons you aren’t sure whether they are real, or the drink, creating false memories. But as the story moves on you realise some of those worries are genuine. She attends weekly AA meetings where she meets Rosie, who is a volunteer at Oxfam, Astrid doesn’t seem too keen on her, then there’s Helen, who Astrid does befriend but are either of them a good influence, Astrid sees Helen coming out of a shop with bottles of alcohol, should she really be that close to temptation.

She is clearly trying to make up for any misdeeds committed whilst under the influence of alcohol. But what is she running from? Who is following her? What did she do when desperate for a drink? What has she done that is so bad? There are lots of twists in the story to keep you engaged, can she resist temptation?

The description’s of the battles that Astrid is fighting every time she goes out the door, passing a pub or an off licence, that temptation is always there. With alcohol available 24/7 , it makes it very difficult, when she craves that taste, whether it’s a bottle of cheap cider, or a shot of vodka that craving is there. She is continuously fighting it.

Just as things are starting to look a little brighter, gaining a bit of employment, a possible relationship although she isn’t honest about being an alcoholic, this puts a strain on things when she refuses a drink. Although realistically it shouldn’t matter whether she has alcohol or a soft drink. Messages start arriving in the post, as well as some left in the house. What has she done that someone knows about?

Although this book was a bit of a slow starter the pace did pick up. I like the way the author shows the difficulties an alcoholic has, that craving which doesn’t go away, it’s a temptation that will be there for ever, one sip of alcohol can sends you straight back down the slippery slope, the same as any addiction, but it may be harder for alcoholics with so many social drinkers nowadays. This is a debilitating addiction, the effects it has on the drinker, how you behave, the effects on family. Such a tough thing to give up when it has you gripped.

A good story with enlightening insights to what alcoholics go through, the AA meetings. But also the suspense in the story.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Randomhousepublishers for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

A very readable novel about love, forgiveness and the bond between family.
Astrid is an alcoholic who has recently returned to live with her mother after being in rehab. Due to her alcoholism she has lost everything. When she meets Josh can she begin again or is her past going to catch up with her?
I enjoyed this book and although I guessed quite a bit about the plot I think that is because I've read so many similar books and nothing to do with the book itself. If you enjoy a psychological thriller I would recommend.

Wow, this was an on the edge of your seat story! Several times I thought I’d cracked it, only for there to be yet another twist in the tale.
My first book of Lesley Kara’s and it won’t be the last!

I was really excited to read this as I enjoyed The Rumour and wanted to see what Lesley Kara would come up with next! This follows Astrid, a recovering alcoholic as she deals with the horrors of her past. She isn't a very lovable character but I'm sure she's not meant to be. She has moved back home to live with her mum while she tries to get her life back on track by meeting new people and going to AA meetings.

The small village the book is set in is perfect as everyone knows everyone and this really impacts how the story unfolds. Someone knows Astrid's past and is following her, sending threatening messages and even befriending her mum to enter their home. We follow Astrid as she tries to figure out who the person is and what they want from her.

I enjoyed the book but didn't find it massively thrilling. There were a couple of good twists but nothing too shocking. There were some brilliant characters but I would have loved to have seen more of Josh as their relationship seemed to develop too quickly and easily.

Overall I recommend this if you're looking to pick up an easy to read thriller!

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity of reading this book.
It is a exceptional read. You think that Astrid is managing to get back on track by living with her mum and attending all her AA meetings even meeting Josh and starting to live a bit more normally but it all comes crashing down on her.
Her life seems to be settling into an acceptable pattern except who had she told about her previous life that could now bring this one crashing down.
Loved the ending but need to know more now.

After such a success with her debut novel ‘The Rumour’ last year a lot of readers were/are excited to read this follow up, I was one of them!
As an aside I loved that the rumour storyline is mentioned randomly in the book, this is because this new tale is set in the same sleepy seaside town as the rumour! ( Eastbourne without the excitement as its known! )
So......Astrid ( formerly known as Hillary! ) is a recovering alcoholic and is back living with her Quaker Mother, attending AA meetings and generally pretty miserable although half loving/half hating her new non alcoholic state
Astrid has a past though, people have died because of her including Simon her ex....she has no choice but to put that behind her....until of course the past comes a calling and bringing with it a brutal enemy who wants revenge
A good psychological thriller with a good ‘whoisdoingit’ element and the author leads you one way, then another then back again and I was never 100% who was a goody or baddy!
The book spends quite a time dealing with Astrids feelings and temptations re alcohol and its stark, moving and fabulously described although may be upsetting to some affected, the AA meetings and characters we meet there are brilliantly portrayed
The ending is satisfying and has lots of surprises in it and the writing smooth and buoyant and never once was I bored with the story or what was happening
Its a harrowing story at times but there is also humour and ‘feel good’ along with intrigue and mystery
A good follow up and roll on book 3
9/10
5 Stars

Astrid takes things one day at a time. It's been nearly 200 days since she had a drink and left her really rather sordid past behind her and moved in with her mother in a quiet seaside town. But her past won't leave her alone and, more importantly, as strange things start to happen, threatens her present and indeed her very future.
Oh Astrid! I really felt for her and her struggle trying to keep sober. Pretty much every second she craves a drink but instead of feeling repetitive in her story herein, it just reinforced what she is going through and the perils and pitfalls of trying to stay off the booze. She's also done a lot of bad things in her past, mostly when off her head, and she is obviously still recovering from the fallout of some of these. But she's doing her best, with the help of her mother who is still wary. And, when we first meet her, she is ticking along, staying sober and going to meetings. But she is running from her worst mistake and it soon becomes apparent that someone knows what that was and wants her to pay...
There's a lot going on in the book, most of which isn't divulged fully until quite far in so you do need to prepare yourself to be a bit confused along the way. Not badly I hasted to add, just a few things to hold onto until they can be explained at the right times. Astrid is obviously quite complex and, due to her drinking issues, not wholly reliable - not a spoiler, this is blatantly obvious due the nature of the beast of alcoholism. And it does take a while to cut through the noise and see things for what they really are. In the mean time she does a good job of being paranoid, with good reason though as the notes come thick and fast and other things that happen. I found her to be a very well drawn character, easy to both connect to and empathise with. I did feel for her along the way as things started to spiral out of her control. Other characters were just as equally defined and played their parts in the convoluted plot very well.
It's a tale of regret and revenge and, to a certain extent, remembering! With twists and turns along the way, it held my attention nicely throughout and left me shocked but satisfied at its conclusion. All in all, a cracking read which I have no hesitation in recommending. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This is the author’s second book and having loved The Rumour, requesting this book to review was a no brainer for me.

Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, who has returned to the sleepy seaside town of Flintstead, where she is living with her Mum. This would seem to be her last chance, certainly with her Mum, but maybe in a bigger way and in life in general. Astrid joins the local AA group, more out of necessity than want. One of the group leaders, Rosie, latches on to Astrid, but Astrid doesn’t want her friendship, instead she forms a gradual friendship with another member Helen.

She meets Josh who is kind and they quickly form a relationship, however it is based on lies as she hasn’t told him about her past. Astrid feels haunted about the death of her ex, Simon. Constantly smelling his aftershave and then spotting what she thought was his Cranberries T-shirt in the charity shop. Soon after this her paranoia is bumped up a level when she receives anonymous threatening notes. Does someone know her past? Maybe she isn’t imagining everything after all.

The story is a little chaotic, which I guess portrays well the life of an alcoholic and it is steeped in guilt. I did feel that the story gave a good insight into what it must be like to be an alcoholic. It takes a little time to warm up, but it keeps you reading with ease. There are a couple of twists, but they didn’t really come as a surprise to me as the signs were there to be found.

I did enjoy this book, it didn’t quite grab me as much as The Rumour did, but all the same another good read. I received this book from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for this review. I give this 4/5.