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.

This book touches a few topics that many times we go over them unnoticed or we just don’t pay the attention it needs.
Astrid is trying to get her life on straight again after doing rehab and attempting to every AA meeting. There’s a past that won’t let her go on and it’s coming back to hunt her.
Dealing with alcohol addiction and e everything that comes from it from depression, withdrawal and fear of everything around her, on top of losing her ex-boyfriend, Astrid was pictured as a nice female character that deserves to overcome her addiction and find good life for her future.
It’s a good paced story overall but there are small things that kept me from giving 5 stars. The second part of the story has so many mixed twists and turns that makes your head spinning.
I enjoyed it and I’m looking forward to more books by the author.

This book is quite sad in a lot of ways but not understanding addiction (thankgoodness) it gave me an insight which I found interesting. The book did not go the way I thought it would which is the sign of a good story teller. Astrid is a troubled soul from her teenage years which led her on a path of destruction after leaving village life for the London lights job wise. The story twists and eventually she has to go home to her mom to heal and the journey she takes is a difficult one especially with the addiction she has. Her mom tries hard not to interfere but Astrid feels under tremendous pressure to conform to a new life which is not an easy path. She meets someone who she has feelings for but does not tell him the truth and that leads to complications which do sort themselves out but could so easily have gone the other way. The story ends sadly not for Astrid but for someone she did not know but their paths cross in a way I did not see coming as I felt it was going to be someone else who was causing her pain so the story kept me hooked throughout. Great book

After seeing Lesley Kara at Capital Crime, taking part in the Who's Crime is it Anyway sessions, I couldn't help but be impressed by her, and thus couldn't resist the opportunity to read her new book when it appeared.

And I'm completely correct to be impressed... What a fabulous book.

From the first few pages I could feel a slightly sinister undertone, something was rather unsettling but at the same I needed to know exactly what was going on. I had a few thoughts but generally was very happy to go with the flow.

And what a story it was. Astrid is a recovering alcoholic and is attempting to rebuilt her life, and stay away from drink. Yet someone seems determined to mess with her mind, and remind her of things that she thought were a complete secret. For she has never spoken of them to anyone.

I found it a fascinating look at the struggle Astrid is going through every day, and as things came to a head, I was shocked but at the same time really felt for her too.

To me this was a great mix of grit, psychological thriller, suspense and drama, wrapped up in this story that really had me on my toes.

I was completely hooked and even altered some of my plans for the evening in order to make sure I could read for longer, and I'm still not sure how I got home, as I'm sure I was oblivious for most of the journey as I was finding the story unputdownable.

One thing is for certain this may be my first book by Lesley Kara, but it certainly won't be the last, and I think I may need to read her debut too.

I had no real idea what to expect from this but it exceeded any thoughts that I did, ten-fold. Was really impressed and very happy that I've been able to read a book that may stay with me for a while.

Thank you to Transworld Digital on Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Unfortunately I went to read this one to review for my blog and it’s disappeared from my kindle, I was really looking forward to reading this one I’m so disappointed 😔

I found this book harrowing, in part because I have a family member who is a recovering alcoholic, but also because Astrid is suffering so much. Most people have had the odd night where we can't remember what happened, but usually someone can fill in the details. Astrid's companion was at least as drunk as her, so she can't be sure of her memory.

Well written and interesting.

I read an advance review copy of the book. This review is voluntary,honest and my own opinion

Who Did You Tell by Lesley Kara was a book high on my radar after reading and loving The Rumour. This book is emotional and not always easy to read. The main character Astrid is not the easiest of people to like, but as the story goes along you feel for her more and more and want her to succeed. I read this book in a day, it was one that I just needed to keep reading to know how it was going to end. Highly recommend this book.

Astrid has had troubles with alcohol since she was a teenager. Now at 32 she is trying to stop. She has moved back to her childhood home with her mother, is attending AA meeting and starting to pick up the pieces of her life. Her last relationship with Simon, a fellow alcoholic, was toxic and when she meets Josh she is terrified of him finding out about her past. But somebody does know what she did, and not just the drinking. Somebody in town is leaving her messages and she is scared. She needs to find out who it is and why before they destroy everything that she has worked for.

Thanks to Random House UK, Transworld Publishing and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased..

I really enjoyed this well written but slightly disturbing novel. At many times I was close to tears and at others willing for the main protagonist to do the right thing. It’s a very human story with a twist at the end. Do read it!

This book was an excellent thriller. It was full of secrets , twists. It was very well written and kept me guessing. I couldn't put it down and that's a good indication of how good the books was.

An enjoyable page turner undercut with the serious theme of being a recovering alcoholic and the missing pieces of your history. However I did find it slightly predictable with the good looking man coming to her rescue in the end, and a bit bizarre with people pretending to be alcoholics.
However, having really enjoyed "the rumour" I'm looking forward to Ms Kara's next book.
Thank you to netgalley and Random house for an advance copy of this book.

A well written, thought provoking book looking at the impact of alcoholism not just on the individual but also those around. The twist at the end is good.
Enjoy is not perhaps the word to be used when describing "Who Did You Tell" but certainly a book worth reading.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK for the ARC of this book.

We meet Astrid, a recovering alcoholic ... sober now for 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes.
Then we meet the cute hunk, Josh ... who still needs to recover from the sudden and tragic death of his mother.
Then there are all the supporting characters and a true-to-life small-British-town feel. A great mix.

I found this to be a fun read, which didn't go too deep and kept things fairly light despite the content matter. The experiences for both the alcoholic main character and for her supporting characters were realistic, and I felt for the MC and her mother most especially. While I did guess who the culprit was way early, I still enjoyed the getting there part.

The plot has some good twists in there, and following Astrid while she teeters on the edge of the sober-wagon makes for an intriguing and mildly suspenseful read. I found myself rooting for her, and I could easily understand her struggles. I felt that her character arc was well portrayed from weak and a little pathetic to growing stronger and more determined to solve her own problems and get on with her life.

I give this book a strong 4 out of 5 stars and highly recommend it.


***

NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.

5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.

Some secrets cannot be hidden.

Astrid is a 32-year-old alcoholic. She is determined to remain sober and has moved back home to a sleepy little seaside town to live with her mother and attend the local Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. However, she is devastated by her past and is desperately trying to create a better life for herself.

She has had a toxic relationship with Simon, both of them alcoholics. Simon finally managed to leave Astrid and become sober but a chance meeting with her had made him drink again. Shortly after full of remorse Simon had committed suicide. Another incident that haunts Astrid is a vague recollection of her and Simon attacking a woman with a small child in order to steal some money for alcohol. Astrid was so drunk that she fears that the woman was severely injured and may even have died but she cannot be sure.

Things begin to improve for Astrid when she meets Josh, a good-looking man who is obviously attracted to her. His father, Richard, is renovating his house and employs Astrid to create a painting in the house. This awakens Astrid’s passion for painting and also adds to her self-esteem as she is finally earning some of her own money instead of sponging off her mother.

The problems begin to build again for her as she is terrified of going near a pub but is also unable to tell Josh that she is an alcoholic and has to make excuses about why she does not want a drink. She is on the last chance saloon with her mother but is constantly fighting off the need to have just one small drink. She makes a friend at her meetings, Helen, who offers her a shoulder to cry on and understands what she is going through. However, when Astrid sees Helen buying bottles of wine in the local shop her illusions are once again shattered. Then she starts receiving messages through the post and even left in the house threatening her and saying that soon everyone will know what she has done.

It is not possible to reveal too much more of the story without giving away the ending, but it was compelling reading and threw up a few shocks.

However, the main feeling that I brought away from this book is how hard it must be to be an alcoholic, the need for a drink just never seems to go away and Astrid is fighting her craving every moment of every day. The writer describes the way drink becomes the all-consuming part of Astrid’s life and even when, on the surface, things are going well, a new boyfriend, a job, the support of her mother and her friend, she is still one small step away from relapsing. I found this book very thought-provoking combined with an interesting story and an ending that may or may not be the ending. You will need to read the book to see what I mean.

Dexter

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

An absorbing read from the pen of the immensely talented Lesley Kara.

This was a thrilling read which reminds us that the past is never quite the foreign country that the proverb would have us believe. Not for our main protagonist, Astrid, anyway, a recovering alcoholic, struggling to leave her past behind. If only it were that simple. But alas in the best traditions of crime fiction the past soon rears it’s ugly head and Astrid is soon in danger. We are henceforth taken for a thrilling ride trying to figure out the source of Astrid’s torment, which is beautifully described by Kara. The backdrop of a small seaside town, populated by characters that are both sinister and quirky illuminates the author’s acute understanding of the manifold faces that comprise human nature.

Kara builds the tension expertly to its thrilling denouement and just when you think you have figured everything out... well , you may have to think again...

A thrilling twisty mystery told by an expert storyteller.

4.5 Stars.

Summary:
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, in a quiet seaside town away 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.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . .

I LOVED this. So tense, this read was as addictive as the alcohol addiction threatening to completely ruin the main character, Astrid's life.
I am not a drinker at all and yet throughout the book I felt desperate for the agony Astrid was going through trying to stay dry and resist the temptation of drink. I felt her mother's pain at seeing her daughter destroy herself and her life chances for yet another glass of wine, a shot of vodka, or a can of beer.
The descriptions of AA meetings and the constant effort required to ignore that insistent call to drink are extremely powerful. I was on the edge of my seat, desperate for Astrid to win through, to not give in and lose herself in alcoholic oblivion. There were so many times in the story when Astrid, hurting, worried, fearful and plain guilty was tempted and I found myself crying out 'Don't do it!' Yes, I was that emotionally invested in Astrid's life as if she was a real friend!
Astrid certainly has a lot of challenges facing her. She is living with her mother, her last chance to get her life back in order after a spell in rehab and she is fighting painful memories of Simon, her one true love who died because of the demon drink.
Astrid meets Josh and through him she glimpses a lifestyle that could be hers, employment, love and the chance to indulge her passion for painting. However there are two women who both go to the AA meetings who might have different plans for Astrid. One is Rosie, volunteer in the Oxfam shop and keen to mentor Astrid. The other is Helen, who Astrid does befriend, but Helen keeps having lapses and drinking a bottle of wine or two or three which only adds to Astrid's temptations to blur the shame of her past by joining her and getting drunk.
Astrid starts to receive some disturbing threats and as we witness Astrid's battle to overcome her addiction, we see the past threatening to reveal some very dark and guilty secrets which could send Astrid spiralling out of control and end up homeless, penniless and vulnerable.
There are some lovely twists in this novel which make it so exciting to read. People and situations are not all they at first appear to be and when I thought I had reached the 'Aha! I knew it!' moment the tables were turned.
Highly recommend this read to others.

Wow, this book grips you and won't let go! It's a psychological theiller you won't regret picking up!
Astrid has returned to her family home, rather reluctantly, with the aim of sorting herself out and starting her life afresh, she doesn't bank on what's to come! She has a secret that she has been running from forever...but she is in for a shock! Loved every page of this! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved Lesley Kara's previous book -The Rumour so I had high expectations for this one. It was an OK book giving an insight into alcoholism but I must admit to finding it a bit disappointing

An absolute blast! Couldn't put this book down (even though there were so many interruptions!). A true suspense and nail biter to the end. Would definitely recommend this book to interested in a real thriller.

4 Stars from me

This book is in part a fascinating peek into the world of the AA, the meetings, the 'Big Book, the 'twelve steps', and the sheer risk and trust you are forced to have with a room full of strangers. I really enjoyed this part of the story and found it - and Astrid's struggle not to drink - really interesting.

I read Who Did You Tell in a day and found it hard to put the book down as I struggled to work out who was stalking Astrid and why, who she could trust and whether her relationship with Josh was going to work as she tried her best to leave the past behind.

The small town vibe was hilarious, I loved all the nosy neighbours and busybodies.

And, who isn't in love with Josh? What a sweetie.

Synopsis: 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, in a quiet seaside town away 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.

Some mistakes, you have to pay for...