Astrid is a recovering alcoholic who has returned to her small hometown to live with her widowed mother. Her sordid past seems to be coming back to haunt her and to potentially destroy the fragile hold she has on her sobriety. The author attempts to provide us a front row seat to the inner conflicts Astrid experiences as she struggles with her secrets as well as her addiction. Astrid's damaged self-image is clearly described mostly as a result of her alcoholic past. However, the author neglects to more deeply develop Astrid's character so we can better understand the role her self-image might have played in causing her to turn to alcohol in the first place.

Astrid is newly sober and has moved back in with her mother. She doesn't have a job or any income, and she is stuck in this small town where everyone knows each others business. She only really goes out to walk along the beach or attend AA meetings. Astrid gets the feeling quite frequently that she is being followed or watched, and odd things keep happening. She has secrets that she is trying to keep buried as her life improves, and she's determined that someone knows and is trying to reveal them.
Very interesting book with lots of suspicious characters. I rooted for Astrid, because it feels like she really does want to get her life in order and turned around, but she carries a lot of guilt over what happened. I felt the ending was satisfactory in terms of clearing up loose ends.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am going to be completely honest. I was not loving Who Did You Tell for the first quarter or so into it. Blame it on the mood I have been in the last few days, blame it on my yearning for an upbeat funny read, it really doesn’t matter what the reason was, I just wasn’t that into it. I was planning on finishing it because I didn’t hate it, and plus it takes a LOT for me to be able to NOT finish a book, and that was not the case with this one. My intent was to skim through the rest and move on to my next read, but that didn’t happen. Do you know what DID happen? Things started happening in the book that were not what I expected or predicted, and the next thing you know I was completely enraptured devouring every word until I finished the book! Great job and kudos to the author! Very crafty and talented!

This is a gripping page turner. Astrid is a recovering alcoholic who is being haunted by her past. The author makes it a nail biter by offering the reader multiple people as suspects for her stalker. Just when we think we know who the villain is we are proven totally wrong. The characters are superbly well developed. They are purposeful and support the role they play. Keeping yourself glued to the pages will be effortless.

Life is all about second chances.

Astrid gets a fresh start in life. After the rehab, she moves in with her mother who helps Astrid with her transition. She starts to attend AA meetings, makes new friends, and meets a lovely guy. However, no matter how hard she tries, she can't escape the past. And eventually, it catches up with her, someone out there knows her secret, the secret that she thought has died with her ex-boyfriend...

Will Astrid's past ruin her future?

I loved the build-up of the plot, great story and I loved Astrid's character. However the ending was a little disappointing, I expected a stronger finale. Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine Books publisher for a free and advanced copy of the novel.

Astrid is back to living with her mum in the small town of Flinstead. An alcoholic, she's finally promised to put the drink behind her and attend AA meetings, especially since her boyfriend recently committed suicide after she got him back into drinking. At one such meeting, she meets Rosie, who is overly eager to make Astrid into her pet project, and Helen, who seems sad and lonely but seems to get Astrid more than Rosie does. Everything starts to look up for her. She's working to move past alcoholism, has a lovely new man she's falling for, and has been commissioned for a major art project. But a girl in a gray puffer jacket keeps popping up and threatening notes start appearing. And someone who knows all about Astrid's sordid past, one she doesn't remember because of frequent black outs, is stalking her.

Honestly, I don't remember why I wanted to read this one, but I had been looking to read more mysteries and thrillers this year. I also really liked the idea of secrets coming back to bite you. This wasn't quite the thriller I had expected, but it was still a quick read, meaning it had me flying through the pages just to find out exactly who to trust!

The Characters: Misleading

Since the story is told in first person, we really only get to know Astrid since she's the one telling the story. Everyone else is told through her eyes and with her lens coloring their characterization. It was fascinating to see how she saw them and how she thought of them as well as how they reacted to her. It was interesting to see her mum's concern for her even when Astrid just wanted to brush her off, Rosie's intense focus on her that came off as creepy, and Helen's sympathies as she was also going through a difficult time.

I think I enjoyed reading about how Astrid viewed the people around her more than I did getting to know Astrid. Honestly, she didn't seem too interesting to me. I understood she was going through a difficult time recovering from her addiction, so of course much of her internal life was going to focus on that, but it also felt a bit much. She felt entirely too fragile no matter how strong she tried to appear to be, and far too trusting. It turned out to be handy for the story, but it didn't leave me with an overly positive view of her.

What I did find fascinating were the other characters. Since we only get them from how Astrid sees them, getting to know them was a bit misleading. The only depth to them was what she gave to them, so it colors the way the reader sees them. It's also easy, though, to see through some of them as Astrid gets to know them better, and often infuriating when Astrid fails to see what I see. It did, though, add a layer of tension and suspense, especially towards the end when it really became thrilling.

The Setting: A Quiet, Seaside Town

I adore mysteries that are set in places that seem a little sinister, a little stark. The place in real life could be perfectly charming and bright and sunny, but something about it being gray and foreboding in a mystery and thriller just makes it so magical.

Most of this book takes place in the little seaside town of Flinstead. It seems quite charming when the reader is first introduced to it, a lovely place to visit in the summer. The sea is right there and there are plenty of quaint little shops.

As the story moved along, it took on a sinister edge. There's the fog rolling in, the rain coming down. Overall, there was a lovely atmosphere that was just perfect for a mystery and thriller. It all felt a little gray in my head, but in a good way. I like that color feeling when I read a psychological thriller. I really liked that we got to see it from Astrid's perspective and that it seemed to grow darker and scarier as the story progressed.

This setting was simply perfect for the story. A quiet seaside down with the fog and the rain. It added a dark layer. But there were also moments of bright sunshine and warm weather. It felt a little crazy that the weather changed so quickly, but I suppose that happens quite a bit in the UK. Or so I've read. Anyways, this was a charming, terrifying place, but I really liked how everyone knew everyone and everyone's business. I really felt like I was walking along with Astrid.

The Plot: Women's Fiction Plus a Thrilling Mystery

This book is listed as being both a Mystery and Thriller and as Women's Fiction. I thought it was a little odd, but, while reading, I could definitely see how it goes both ways. The one thing that frustrated me was that they went together, but didn't necessarily mesh well together.

Reading most of this book made me think I was reading Women's Fiction. You have a broken women looking to get a new lease on life, or to escape her secrets and heavy past. There's the love interest who just sweeps her away, but it's mostly about her and how she is learning to live life differently. In this case, we have Astrid, an alcoholic trying hard to recover and who now lives back with her mum. She's trying to get back on her feet and stumbles into the handsome Josh. Their relationship escalates quickly, but most of the story is focused on Astrid's struggles with alcohol and her developing friendship with Helen, also an alcoholic.

Woven throughout this Women's Fiction book is some tension and a bit of mystery. It's mostly psychological as Astrid keeps getting the feeling she's being watched and followed. Then strange things start to occur, threatening both her and her mum. But most of it felt like it was all in her head and not terribly frightening. As a recovering alcoholic who admits to having had multiple black outs, it made it easy for me as a reader to dismiss much of her paranoia as being the effects of recovery and uncertainty about her past. And then the thrilling part really started to pick up during the last 15% of the book. The last 15%. I had almost forgotten this was also supposed to be a Mystery and Thriller. Well, that last 15% had thriller written all over it! I couldn't read through those pages fast enough.

There's a heavy theme of alcoholism in this book. It seemed that if a character wasn't a recovering alcoholic, they had strong feelings about it. So much of the story was taken up with Astrid's thoughts and longing for alcohol. Sometimes I felt like I had lost sight of the story because there were chunks of Astrid fantasizing about alcohol or describing what it felt like to be faced with it. I know that struggle is real and difficult, but it did feel like half of the book was just talking about it.

All in all, this book actually moved at a really good pace. I liked the slips and slides Astrid made, as well as the progress she could be proud of. It never felt like it happened by magic and, clearly, she still has a lot of work in front of her by the end of the book. I also felt her and Josh's relationship moved a bit too fast, but it felt like a fun summer romance with the potential of being something more, and I really loved how the book ended in that aspect. Resolving the mystery part felt a little rushed as it seemed to be mostly confined to the last quarter of the book, but I think it also made it more thrilling as there were fewer pages to confine it to.

Overall: An Interesting Mix

Overall, I found this to be an interesting mix of Women's Fiction and Mystery and Thriller. I don't feel it meshed as well as it could have. But I did appreciate that the story felt like it was unfolding mostly organically. At least, it was driven by a woman who wasn't completely stable, which made it interesting. The characters weren't as interesting as I would have liked, but I did enjoy the suspense they added to the story. I did love the setting. It felt charming and sinister at the same time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Ballantine Books, for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Link to post: https://thelilycafe.com/book-review-who-did-you-tell-by-lesley-kara/

The writing style was great, but I just could not get into the story. There wasn’t as if anything was necessarily wrong with it, it just never grabbed my attention.

A heartbreaking tale of addiction, the work it takes to overcome addiction and how it effects everyone around you. Astrid, a recovering addict moves back home to rebuilt her life and attend AA meetings. I could feel the struggle, Astrid felt as she slowly looked to rebuild her life, conquer her demons and try to regain her artistic talent. However, there is something standing in the way.
She is also struggling with step 2, believing in a higher power, especially after what happened with her ex boyfriend. She struggles with this every single day, but it seems someone also knows what happened and is stalking her. This slow burn is a fascinating read and the gorgeous landscape adds some beauty to such a dark subject matter. Lesley Kara got it right in describing addiction, and all the perils that come along with overcoming addiction. You could also feel the struggle of Astrid's mom as she struggles with trusting her daughter again. This novel juggles addiction, honesty and betrayal brilliantly. What really happened to her ex-boyfriend and who knows about it? So many twists and turns in the end made me not want to put the book down until I knew the ending!
Thank you #NetGalley and #Random house for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, just starting the path to turning her life around. She is living with her mom for the time being, going to AA, and following the program. Often she feels like she is hanging onto her sobriety by her fingernails, but so far she has managed. She has even met a nice guy. Then the threatening notes start...and mini bottles of vodka slipped into her jacket pocket. Someone from her past wants her dead. She knows she has to make ammends for her actions while she was drinking, and she did some pretty horrible things. But were they bad enough to die for?
I really enjoyed this author's first novel "The Rumor" so I was excited to read this one. This one was good, but it felt a little too much like that first book. It has several good twists in it that will keep you guessing and a surprise ending. If you are a fan of mysteries or suspense I think you will enjoy this one.

This was an okay book. It followed Astrid, an alcoholic trying to get over her ex-boyfriend and follow the steps of AA. Someone is following her, making her paranoid that her ex is out to get her and she"s in danger. Is she?
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This book was decent, but not great. The struggles that Astrid felt over not drinking were truthful, but repetitive. I didn't figure out who was doing what until the very end, and ended up being surprised, which was great. All in all 3.5 stars rounded down.

“What goes around comes around. It’s time to pay for what you’ve done.”

Astrid is a recovering alcoholic. With no job, now living with her mother, she is struggling to put her life back in order after a significant, life changing event. Astrid is a complex obsessive character displaying disturbing mental health problems, attending AA meetings trying to maintain sobriety and conquer her demons.

In an alternate voice, we learn that someone is stalking Astrid, appearing to know her dark secret and is making plans to destroy her. The mystery person clearly has skin in the game but what could that be? Kara introduces a few characters who have come into Astrid’s orbit that well could be suspects. The tension ratchets up in the last 3rd of the book and had my head spinning - in a good way.

Recovering alcoholic, Astrid, has a rocky past and someone is looking to expose her... a gripping and entertaining mystery. The alcohol struggles are real and triggering for those dealing with the disease in themselves or loved ones. Great for thriller lovers of unreliable narrators.

Thanks to Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review Astrid is in recovery and doing her very best to set her life back on track. She's moved home to Flinstead, she's trying to mend things with her devout mother, and she's attending AA meetings. She's also made a friend- a possible romantic interest- in Josh, who she met while out for walk- and two other friends at AA. One problem, one BIG problem, is that something's really amiss and it's related to her deceased lover Simon. Someone is stalking her and gas lighting her but who? Much of this well constructed thriller involves Astrid's struggle to remain sober but don't fear that it gets boring or preachy- it's well done and important. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Kara is a good storyteller who has created a thriller just twisty enough to keep you guessing and then to go, of course! at the end.

Who Did You Tell? is equal parts a mystery novel and a recovery novel. Astrid has moved in with her mother after completing rehab for alcoholism. She is determined to make it this time and begin a new life. But unfortunately someone seems to have it out for her. Knowing things of her past life and using them to destroy what she is working hard to rebuild. I loved the descriptions of when Astrid thinks about sketching and painting again. As an artist myself I have felt those similar feelings. Lesley Kara writes in such a way that you feel the words written on the pages. Will Astrid find out who is after her? Will she continue with her recovery? Read this novel to find out!! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Ballantine Books for the ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and Lesley Kara for the opportunity to read and review her new book. I was a huge fan of her debut novel, The Rumor, and this was another hard to put down read. 4.5 stars.

Astrid is back at home living with her mom after going to rehab for alcoholism. She's struggling with no job, not a great relationship with her mom, and dealing with plenty of issues dealing with her ex-boyfriend, Simon. Things are starting to look up for Astrid - she's attending AA meetings, she meets a new guy, Josh, who seems perfect, and she's starting to feel hopeful about her life. But it's all those secrets and the lies she tells to cover them up. And now someone seems to be stalking her and threatening her fragile new life. Only her and Simon know their secret - she didn't tell so who did he tell?

I guessed and then second-guessed how all this would turn out and was still surprised in the end! Great read - this is definitely a must-read author for me!

3 1/2 stars. Nifty psychological suspense with some interesting twists. Would make for a great beach read.

What a fascinating and interesting psychological thriller. The characters are all believable and the story is too. A recovery alcoholic who has come home as ‘her last chance.’. Recovery, romance, deception, jealousy, guilt all enter into the story to keep you turning the pages. I really liked it!

I was drawn to the premise of Who Did You Tell? and was anticipating a nail biting psychological thriller. In all honesty, I was not a fan of this one and felt like the writing was missing something. The story as a whole was underdeveloped and had several holes. Astrid's story started out interesting. Astrid is a recovering alcoholic who attends AA meetings and has moved back in with her mother in a small English seaside town. Astrid meets a man who seems to have it all together and his father commissions her to do a mural in his house. (By the way, Astrid is unemployed, though her former job is never really mentioned other than the fact that she checks the mail daily for her unemployment check.) Astrid struggles through her sobriety, while getting to know this new man in her life and trying to forget some unspeakable act she did in her drunken past and her toxic ex-boyfriend.

From the beginning, the author learns that Astrid did "something" in her past that she either cannot remember because she was black out drunk at the time or it was so horrendous she has blocked out the memory. The reader also learns that she has an ex boyfriend, Simon, who seemed to be involved with when she was at her worst, drinking wise. Astrid starts getting strange pieces of mail and signs that show Simon might still be around, yet you learn that he committed suicide, therefore someone else is sending Astrid these symbols. The chapters occasionally have a break with an excerpt from Astrid's supposed stalker and it is clear that this person does not like Astrid and would rather she be dead.

Overall, I felt like the storyline had several holes and at times, I was wondering what was even happening because the writing was so spotty. The "climax" of the story was far from what I consider a climax and several parts were predictable. There were a lot of side stories going on that fizzled out and conveniently everything came together perfectly in the last two, rushed chapters. I am an avid thriller reader and psychological thrillers are one of my favorite genres. This is a far cry from a good psychological thriller. I gave it 2.5-3 stars at most. I kept reading because I wanted to find out who the stalker was, but I was very underwhelmed.

Astrid is a recovering alcoholic, trying to get her life back together after rehab. She's living with her mother, going to AA meetings, and she just met a guy who seems perfect... but she can't get over the feelings of guilt over the death of her boyfriend. If she hadn't convinced Simon to start drinking again that day... maybe he would still be alive. And now she's seeing Simon everywhere. She catches a glimpse of him on the beach. Smells his cologne on the wind. It can't possibly be Simon, right? Is someone else stalking her?

As Astrid tries to figure out whether someone has it in for her, her sobriety may be at risk. Can she trust the others at her AA meetings? Can she keep up her new relationship with Josh AND her sobriety while she keeps looking over her shoulder for Simon? This book gave me a glimpse into the mind of an addict; Astrid is doing her best to figure out what's going on, but every stress makes her want to drink. Can she trust herself to stay on the right path while the memory of Simon haunts her?

"Who Did You Tell" is like trailing alongside your best friend during her walk of shame. Except you don't giggle along each time she pieces together the memories of her blackout evening; instead, you cringe each time Astrid reveals another memory long since blocked out, blacked out, or locked away. Your stomach churns as Astrid remembers who she was and what she's running from. You cheer her on with each sober day she accrues, and you pat her hand with each drunken day she remembers.

The author dedicates the book to anyone who's life has been affected by addiction, and I think "Who Did You Tell" is a very realistic take on what happens when we take accountability for the addictions that held us captive. As a former smoker, I know exactly what it feels like to want to run to the nearest gas station and buy a pack of cigarettes during a moment of weakness. As the child of 2 addicts, I can relate to Astrid's mother and how she struggled with crossing the line between caring mother and enabling mommy.

The author weaved Astrid's past into the book, teasing the reader with tidbits as each tidbit haunted Astrid's present. It was a great plot device.

I found the big reveal to be predictable but not less enjoyable as a result.