Who Did You Tell tells the story of Astrid, a recovering alcoholic, who reveals a bit too much to her AA sponsors, and soon her past secrets come back to haunt her. The author weaves a disturbing story that slowly builds and builds, with plenty of twists and suspense that keeps you rooted. Great characters with an interesting, uncomplicated plot, the pages fly by. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In this story we meet Astrid, a recovering alcoholic who is actively going to meetings and working the 12 step program. After rehab, she moves in with her mother hoping to make recovery a bit easier.

Well, in this thriller that is full of suspense, her recovery is not quite going as planned. Someone knows what she did and is taunting her. This was a very good story!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing - Ballentine for this advanced readers copy. This book is due to release in June 2020.

Astrid, a recovering alcoholic, who has pretty much hit rock bottom, moves in with her mom as she recovers and rebuilds her life. However, many strange thing begin to happen and strongly seems like she is being stalked and hunted by someone who knows about her past and a tragic incident that happened. Astrid's circle of friends include her AA friends and a budding romance with Josh. As Astrid begins to work through all of her past, she wonders if someone close to her knows and is tormenting her.

While this is definitely a mystery with some suspense, it is also a good story of someone trying to work on their life and recover from alcoholism and a painful past. Overall a good read.

Lesley Kara revisits the claustrophobic coastal town of Flintstead in her second novel Who Did You Tell? In her debut, The Rumor, Kara portrays how innuendo and lies can run rampant in such an enclosed space, where newcomers are regarded with suspicion and all seek to discover each other’s darkest shame. This novel also deals with mistruths and misunderstandings, but this time the deception is internal as well as external. Astrid is on her last chance with her mother when she moves in with her after a stint in rehab. She is still fragile and prone to temptation for relapse, torn apart by guilt and regret for acts she committed while still in the grips of her alcoholism. She is haunted by the memory of an ex-boyfriend, experiencing flashbacks and reminders of some great misdeed that she has perpetrated. The reader is left to guess the true circumstances around the events that brought Astrid to this point, and the novel is dedicated to slowly unspooling the tale. Astrid believes that she is trying to avoid entanglements, yet she is hasty to get involved with a handsome surfer and a new friend from AA. She avoids telling her new love interest about her issues and eventually finds herself constantly lying to him as they become more involved. Helen, a new fellow-AA member, seems like a safer bet for Astrid, and she begins to trust her story to this woman who appears to be as damaged as herself. The pressure to confide and unburden herself is almost as strong as the compulsion Astrid feels to take a drink. This intensity is magnified when it becomes clear that her instincts were correct—someone really is stalking her, sending her messages that threaten to expose her secrets. Who Did You Tell? continues Kara’s exploration of the costs of self-deception and the burden of secrecy and she does an admirable job describing the torture of temptation. The book’s strongest points are when describing Astrid’s inner struggles, but the reader becomes frustrated with her irrational swings between subterfuge and confession. The “romantic” interludes are a bit awkward and the stakes of the relationship don’t quite measure up to the emotional throes that Astrid experiences. As a thriller, the book does not inspire many chills, but there are enough plot twists and action to make it a decent read for a long summer afternoon.

Thanks to the author, Random House Publishing-Ballantine and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an ARC of this book. Astrid, is a recovering alcoholic, living with her mother near the sea. Her boyfriend is dead? Or is he? Is it the hallucinations of a recovering alcoholic? Why does she smell his cologne? Who wants her dead? As a recovering alcoholic myself, this book was spot on about the cravings, the illusions, the anger, and the hopes in early sobriety. Not remembering what happened is par for the course. Lesley Kara does an absolutely BRILLIANT job getting it all correct. Plan on finishing this book in one go.

Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher for my complimentary eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Unfortunately this book just didn't capture my attention enough for me to finish it

I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I wish to thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Wow! This book! I read Ms Kara's book, The Rumor, last year, and while I didn't love it, it stayed with me so much that when I saw another book by her, I knew I wanted to read it. This book didn't disappoint, but I didn't 'love' it, either. The main character, Astrid, is a complicated character, but I didn't like her. Her struggles with alcohol felt real and raw and actually made me cry a few times. I wanted her to stay sober, to go through the steps. I applauded her for each little bit she did. And I can sympathize with her for being haunted by 'something' that happened in her past. But I never really LIKED her. All of the characters felt a bit flat and not fleshed out. But I kept turning pages, wanting to see what would happen next. But it wasn't suspenseful. I kept expecting it to be more, I think. But overall, it felt like very little really happened. And some of the dialog felt clunky and wrong. But there's always hope it will be cleaned up before publication.

The romantic interest seemed forced. I don't understand why so many books feel the need to interest a love interest. Sometimes, it's just not a fit. More than anything else, it felt like filler for the story. The ending felt a little disappointing and like not a lot was resolved.

I'm disappointed, because I wanted so much for this book, with the way Astrid's struggle to stay sober was written and the creepy feel of someone - or something! - is following her around. This would be a 2 star book for me ('it was ok') but I'm going to bump it up to a 3 star review ('liked it') because of the author's authentic description of this young woman recovering from addiction, and the potential that the story had. I'll keep watching for Ms Kara's books! But for someone who is a steady thriller/suspense reader, this might not be the best book.

A very solid addition to the crowded thriller genre. A recommended purchase for collections where the genre is popular.

I think this was my first book by Kara, but it probably won't be my last. That said, it's not an easy read and deals with a number of difficult issues. The story moves at a good pace and I found the characters, especially Astrid, quite compelling. Recommended!

Who Did You Tell is the story of addiction, breaking free from bonds, and fighting for recovery, even as the past chases and threatens to overcome you.

Astrid, is a recovering alcoholic who has worked hard for her recovery, and though she dreads it, she feels she must move back in with her mother, into her dreary home, in order to get her life sorted and back on track. Even though she’s forging ahead, she still struggles to trust people and to free herself from her complicated past. And the past comes calling, seeking revenge.

This book was a bit hard for me to get into at first. The writing style didn’t flow well, therefore it was difficult to become immersed in the plot. Also, and the main character, an unreliable narrator, was rather unlikeable in my opinion. She was bit self-centered and carried on a great deal of inner dialogue and self-flagellation.

That said, once the plot got moving it was rather intriguing to determine who was seeking payback, who was following Astrid and who was writing threatening letters. This story had some interesting twists and surprises. The setting was atmospheric and perfect for this kind of story: gloomy, a bit dingy, dark and foreboding. The story also portrayed a detailed, graphic look at addiction and the uphill battle of recovery.

Though this story fell a bit flat for me, and though it didn’t entirely thrill me, it was an entertaining and rather provocative.

Who Did You Tell. A gripping story from the beginning to the end! I love the writing. The characters are well developed. I give this book 5 stars and a strong recommendation.

Kara’s second novel (although really her first) starts slowly and builds. Astrid is at home with her mother in the small village of Flinstead after a bout in rehab. Astrid is a well fleshed out character that you can’t help rooting for. Trying to put her life back together and fighting the need to drink is greatly compromised when she feels like she’s being followed, when she starts to smell her ex-boyfriends cologne. Is she crazy? Things escalate as the pages turn and finally come to a conclusion that most wont see coming. Well done!!

The opening chapter grabbed me right away. From there it was a bit of a slower pace until abut 25%. when the first twist was dropped. The author did a good job of continuing to drop twists throughout the book. Every time you thought you had it you found out you did not. A good mystery about survival. Even if you do not like the main character Astrid you can't help but root for her and a happy ending.

I don't often read thrillers or mysteries, but this one just sounded so good! It didn't disappoint. There were a lot of twists and turns, and it kept me wanting to turn the page over and over again. I think that since this book deals with addiction that there's a lot to learn about that topic as well.

There's suspense as well as psychological drama. It's a great read that will for sure keep you guessing.

Who Did You Tell? By Lesley Kara
Addiction can be a powerful thing. It will take over your mind. You will do things you never would have done had you been sober. It will make you forget things. It will twist your memories. It will rule you world.
Welcome to Astrid’s world. As she tries to get sober and begin life anew, her memories taunt her. They creep into her subconscious, but are they real? Can Astrid start a new life or will she be sucked into her old ways? Can she trust anyone with the truth? Will she be judged?
Ms. Kara is able to take the reader through a gamut of emotions as Astrid tries to get clean and begin a new life in a small town while living with her mother, juggling AA meetings, a new job and a potential love interest.
This book is a page turner. It is well written and easy to read. You will want to stay up late to see Astrid through this journey and discover who can be trusted.

First time reading any of Lesley Kara books and I found it fairly easy to read and very fast paced. There were some hard things emotionally, but I really enjoyed it and didn't want it to end. I highly recommend this book.

Astrid senses a penetrating stare, but when she turns to look no one is there. She hears footsteps close behind her in the deserted street, but when she stops walking, she doesn't hear anything. Who is stalking her? Is anyone stalking her? Is her mind playing tricks on her? If she could just have a small drink, she knows she would feel better, but she promised her mother she would stay clean. If her mom kicks her out now for drinking, she doesn't know where she will go. She knows she has hit rock bottom, but she doesn't know where she can go from there. Who did you Tell pulls readers into the fears, hopes, and self-recriminations of Astrid, a young recovering alcoholic.

This book is about a struggling alcoholic who after experiencing a tragedy moves bck in w/her mum. Astrid hasn't had a drink for 190 days attends AA meetings where she makes a few friends. She also gets bck into painting again, which she used to love. We know she has a secret about her ex Simon that scared the crap outta her. She starts getting paranoid thinking someone is out to get her. This story definitely opens you're eyes to addiction and the struggles people go through trying to overcome it. This book is so full of twists that you think you know what's going on and then BOOM!!!!! nope you don't lol. Thank you to netgalley & randomhouse for my early review copy

Who Did You Tell is a very slow moving book. This made it difficult for me to maintain an interest in the story and to develop a connection to the characters. This one was a miss for me, but those who enjoy a slower paced book and an interesting look at recovery might enjoy it.

Thanks go to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Who Did You Tell? was an intriguing novel. I felt like I was going through recovery myself. Recovery seemed difficult- who to trust, how to get through a basic date, how to explain your past. Astrid had some redeeming qualities so I really was cheering for her. But I also worried that she had truly lost her mind. My only negative- I would have liked a faster pace.