This was a fun read in an interesting format; hard to put down! Really enjoyed the unreliability of all the characters and their various misperceptions and mistakes - it snowballs into a growing certainty that whatever really happened here was a WHOLE MESS...but even then you gotta keep reading to find out the details!

A group of friends goes on a camping trip--one of them disappears. Now the police are asking them to "Tell me what REALLY happened." Told through a non-traditional format meant to mirror police interviews, this realistic fiction YA book will keep you guessing until the end (and maybe then some.) I loved trying to piece together the events of the trip that lead to the disappearance, trying to figure out who might have been involved, what might have happened. The characters are spot on to teenagers of 2023, which will make this very relatable to teens. I was in a reading slump before I started reading this, but I devoured this book in just two days. If you like mystery books, you will most likely enjoy this one. Don't miss your chance to find out what really happened.

Rounded up to 2.5 ⭐️

I really liked the way this was written - told from the POV of four characters in the first person through police interviews. It was different (in a good way) and I found it extremely easy to follow and I read it very quickly. I didn’t feel that there was any twist that shocked me but have to keep in mind that this is a YA book. I’ve read quite a few YA and enjoyed them but this may have been too juvenile for my taste. That being said, I think this definitely targets a younger audience and would be enjoyed by that age range. It was very well written, just not my cup of tea.

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A solid four. I love the format. Police questioning, we hear the entire story directly from the characters. It’s awesome. But, like any other group, what each has to say is influenced and changed by perception and experience. I spent most of the book sorting out who was telling the truth. I have to admit I did not expect the ending, at all! Everyone was telling the truth, but no one was. I know my students who are into mysteries are going to love this. The reading is easy because chapters are each one police question long. So it moves quickly. Definitely going on the classroom shelf. Would also be a fun one to read as part of a book club or literature circle. I’m going to add this one to my authors to watch list. Only drawback, sometimes it gets a little confusing as to who says what.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti.

Wow! This multi-perspective interview style was fast-paced and thrilling. Each character was well developed and this had me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

➼ Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti - out on 04 Apr 2023.


One camping trip: five teenagers.
One interrogation room: four only remain.

Told in the format of police interviews, this story follows Petra, Nolan, John and Abigail as they recount what happened the night before at Salvation Creek.

Forced by their common friend Maylee to go on a camping trip, little does the group know nothing will ever be the same again - Maylee disappears.

All four of them recount the events to the cops, but none of them match the other. Our narrators are emotional and wholly unreliable, which I loved!

I inhaled this book in two sittings, and although the ending let me down a bit, I totally enjoyed this read!

This book was honestly just a big miss for me. The book was written as the interviews from each of the friends on the trip which I thought was a neat twist but unfortunately that was the biggest appeal for me.

The book was slow over all but I pushed forward thinking it would eventually pick up as I got further into it and it never really did. The reveal was also lackluster. 2 stars because I did finish it but wouldn't be a book I'd recommend.

This was a decent YA mystery that kept me guessing! Perfect vibe for spooky season but when all was said and done I wasn’t a huge fan of the conclusion.

Five teens head into the woods for a camping trip, only four came back...what really happened? An interrogation of the survivors tells the story and allows readers to piece together the truth. There are secrets being kept, grudges being held, and lots of initial assumptions about the characters on face value. Sedoti keeps the pace exciting and twists galore!

A decent Young Adult mystery novel. If you liked Five Survive or A Good Girl’s Guide To Murder then you should read this next!

Five friends go out camping for a weekend and only four come back. An interesting format as well!

this book was super fast paced! i read it in 2 days! the plot was awesome, even though i guessed the plot twists. i would recommend this to anyone looking for a fast-paced psychological thriller! thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me review this book!

The synopsis of this book definitely drew me in, and I can never pass up a good YA thriller that explores the dynamics of a friend group, but at first I was a bit nervous about the formatting of this book. It is told through a series of police interrogations that go back and forth between four friends who have been brought in after their friend has disappeared in the woods and is feared dead.

While it took a moment to get into it, once the flow of the book picked up and I got used to the form of narration it was a quick and easy, fun read. All four ‘narrators’ had their own personality and while they all questioned each other you questioned each of them. Who can you trust when no one seems to tell the whole truth?

Overall this was an entertaining read that had me questioning the real story until the very end. I do wish there was a slightly more solid conclusion to the story, but it was still a good book nonetheless. Would definitely recommend to those looking for a thrilling YA that they’ll pick up and not put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read an early copy of this book. Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti will be released on April 2nd, 2024.

This book. THIS. BOOK. I don’t know what it was about it, but it was addicting. I rotated between an audiobook and an ebook and let me tell you - the experience of the audiobook is TOP TIER.

Tell Me What Really Happened takes a unique approach to the YA mystery genre, the whole story told completely in police interviews while switching between multiple unreliable narrators.

The book follows a group of friends who go out camping. Unfortunately, one of them does not come out alive. Was there a stranger lurking in the woods or is one of the others the killer? Police interviews help piece together the night of the incident and get down to, as the title says, what really happened.


Can I just say - that ending had me heartbroken. Ugh.

If you like YA and enjoy a good mystery written in a unique format, you are not going to want to miss this book. Chelsea Sedoti provided numerous twists and really had me empathizing with the characters while constantly questioning who I believed.

Engaging and entertaining. A recommended purchase for YA and HS collections where crime and thrillers are popular.

4 1/2 stars
I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the back and fourth of the different characters being interviewed. At first I wasn't sure if I would enjoy not hearing the polices side but it was actually really good for the flow of the story. Before I knew it I was halfway done and had to pause for dinner.
It's a must read if you like mysterys

Five teens sneak away to go camping for the night.Five teens go camping only four comeback.A story told through the eyes of the survivors.I really enjoyed the story the writing style.#netgalley #sourcebooks

With four untrustworthy narrators and a single murder case at the center, the book unravels through a prolonged interrogation, keeping readers engrossed in the captivating mystery.

It's a seamless and intelligent whodunit thriller that can be effortlessly devoured in a single sitting. I highly recommend it to enthusiasts of young adult thrillers!

The unique format led to intrigue and potential, but it fell flat. Once it was finished, it felt like such a waste of time.

I did want to like this book but it took too long to get into the plot. I did not finish this book but do not put it against the author. There are times when I think a book will be perfect for me, but it turns out not to be the case. That said, I always give authors another chance, so I'll look forward to her next work.