I just love Elizabeth Strout’s books! I was going to save this one as I’ve only read the first book in the series, but then it was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction. I’m working my way through the shortlist and I found this book to be a slice of light relief; it’s about love (in all its forms), family, unhappiness, loss, and friendship, in the usual Strout way.

Bob Burgess and Olive Kitteridge are two of the best ever characters 🫶

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Missing Pieces by Laura Pearson

I’ve read a little bit of Laura Pearson before, so I did come to this expecting a moving and powerful story. It didn’t disappoint. When Bea is born it should have been a healing, new chapter for the family - mum, dad and older sister Esme. However, Bea was born to a family struggling in the aftermath of a tragedy. Esme was only seven years old when their sister Phoebe died suddenly and unexpectedly. It hits Esme hard because she was supposed to be looking after her sister. Their dad Tom feels an immense weight of guilt because he shouldn’t have left them alone. Esme’s mother is also wrestling with guilt and blame, she’d briefly popped next door to help a neighbour knowing that Tom would be home imminently. This is a story of a family, years later, struggling with unimaginable loss. How can they learn to forgive each other, or themselves?

Laura splits the story into two sections: the first months after Phoebe’s death and the new baby, Bea, trying to understand what happened to her family a couple of decades later when she herself is pregnant. I really enjoyed the section in the present day as Bea searches for the truth when her parents won’t ever talk about it. It reminded me of something my mum has recently done. Her first sister, Teresa, died on Bonfire Night 1959 and although she doesn’t remember everything she does have a memory of a tiny coffin that my grandad was carrying and putting in a black car. Mum tracked down a community group who were looking for the resting place of their stillborn babies in the same area where she grew up. Back then, if there was no money for a funeral or a grave plot then a baby might have been buried in a coffin with someone else or in a grave for several bodies. Three years ago she was able to take my grandma to a ceremony at the graveyard in Liverpool where a memorial was finally in place for babies lost and buried in a pauper’s grave on the site. It’s easy to underestimate how much the death of a baby affects other children in the house and i think we all underestimated how it still affected my grandma who is now 91.

Bea feels like she’s lost part of her identity. This loss is part of their joint family history and no one is addressing or memorialising it. Of course this is tough for other family members, all of whom blame themselves. The loss for Bea and her older sister Esme is threefold: they lost a sister, they lost the relationships and life experiences they would have had as three sisters and they lost the happy family life they might have had if their parents hadn’t been carrying the weight of all that grief and guilt. As for the other characters in the book, I did find Linda a bit of a struggle. It’s clear she’s never fully connected with Bea and when we go back in time we can see her conflicting emotions over being heavily pregnant. She is buried by her grief for Phoebe and feels bad for being pregnant again. She doesn’t want to replace Phoebe and sometimes wishes she wasn’t pregnant. A combination of fear, guilt, sadness and anger take over and she really wasn’t there for Esme or Bea, once she’s born. In the past sections there’s an oppressive atmosphere that hasn’t fully lifted, even in the girl’s adulthood. Esme can’t talk with her father so Bea doesn’t stand a chance when wanting to ask questions. It would mean delving back into the pain and communicating honestly, but no one wants to go back into the raw grief and horror of that day. Bea wonders how she can be a good mother when she has no relationship with her own. Will the family be able to rally around her, find a way to talk and become a united family again?

It’s a trademark of Laura’s books that characters are forced to talk about difficult and frightening experiences or situations they find themselves in. I love the openness and honesty these issues need and it is like a counselling process if people can start sharing and healing. I did shed some tears at times. I thought the author’s depiction of the parent’s grief was realistic and raw. We’re let into every aspect of a characters mind, no matter what their thoughts might be. I could genuinely feel these character’s emotions and pain. Yes, this is intense. Somehow through, this isn’t off-putting. We’re given just enough glimpses of hope to lift the story, personified by the new start Bea’s baby brings to the family. I found myself gripped, willing these people to give themselves a break and stop being angry with themselves and each other. This is an emotional but satisfying novel that shows healing is possible, if we’re willing to do the work. Beautifully written, emotional and ultimately hopeful.

This is one of the best reads I have made so far this year, if not the best. Humane, humorous, suspenseful (yes, I know it seems unlikely, but it is!!!)... a real wonderful read. The mundane (or not so!!) stories the characters tell each other with Bob and Lucy (and Olive) at the center of the main narration make for a compelling mosaic of believable experiences. Strout offers proving insights in a lighthearted yet serious narration which is very much set in a post 2020 US of America, Maine. It is really excellent to read such delving into the universals of being human within a very well conveyed historical and political present. It is done with subtlety and in my opinion real artistry. Elizabeth Strout is anything but boring. The territory of the 1st person narration that was Lucy by the Sea, is now a 3rd person narration that continues and deepens some of the themes started there but with many more besides!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am only sorry it took me so long to pick it up for a variety of reasons. I am going to reread it, so good I found it. Recommended,

I love everything Elizabeth Strout writes. Her voice is so beautiful. It's sparse and direct which makes her books move along at such pace, while keeping us invested in her characters.

I think you either love Elizabeth Strout books or just don’t get on with them at all and I definitely fall into the love her books category.

Tell Me Everything feels as though it brings all of her other books together and we see Lucy Barton, Olive Kitteridge and Bob Burgess all come together to go about their daily lives. It’s a lovely slow story and although Bob taking on the case of defending someone accused of murder is the central storyline, it’s not really and more acts as a plot point to draw out stories from other characters.

It’s beautifully written - a real masterpiece in making the ordinary seem extraordinary. Strout really cleverly guides you through their lives and thoughts; it’s beautifully written and a real comfort read. I have read a few books by her before so I knew the background of the characters but I don’t think it matters - you could read this as a standalone. I’ve not read The Burgess Boys (which tells the background of Bob) or Amy and Isabelle (who also make an appearance) but I didn’t feel as if I knew any less about them and I think reading their books next will make me look back on this book even more fondly.

I really enjoyed it - can see why it has been shortlisted for the Women’s Prize and think it’s very deserving of the praise it has been receiving!

I have read a lot of Elizabeth Strout books recently, which I don't mind at all because I really enjoy catching up with these beloved characters who I feel like I've known for a long time. I heard that Tell Me Everything is when Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge meet. Despite reading the first three Amgash books a few years ago, I hadn't read Lucy By The Sea or either of the Olive books, so before picking this up, I re-read My Name is Lucy Barton and for the first time read Olive Kitteridge and Lucy By The Sea. I have heard that you can read these books as stand-alones but to be honest, having now read all of the Amgash series, I'm not sure how you could get anywhere near the same enjoyment from Tell Me Everything if it was the first Strout book you'd read.

One thing I love about Strout is her ability to so succinctly and accurately sum up the human experience. There is a wisdom to her writing that only comes with age and experience and I really don't think that a younger writer or younger characters could authentically speak, think and feel the way that Strout or her characters do. Their reflections on life, love, family and the world are so profound and true, giving almost a self-help vibe that doesn't feel preachy at all.

Tell Me Everything is a simple story, as all of Strout's books are, but they pack so much into them. Whole lives are lived, people are explored and histories are raked over. I really enjoyed the mystery element to this final (I assume?) instalment. I was gripped by the Beach family's story and loved getting to know Matt better. I suspected that he may have just been a misunderstood autistic man and he is certainly neurodiverse coded. I did start to think that Diana might have had something to do with her mother's death but the whole truth eluded me until its reveal.

I also loved watching Lucy and Olive interact and tell each other stories. These stories were often reasonably dull and meandering but both women appeared to enjoy each other's company and that was perhaps the whole point of them meeting. Sometimes friendships can be based on just that, which is beautiful.

I will definitely miss these characters but it was lovely to see them all settled and I think, somewhat happy. I guess time will tell.

I will never have anything negative to say about Elizabeth Strout and her writing. This was another home run and was an absolute joy from start to finish. Her characters are so well developed and believable - you root for them, become frustrated with them and think about them long after the book has been closed. The meeting of Lucy and Olive is something I didn't realise I wanted and would find some much joy in. Loved it. 4.5 stars as it is not my favourite (that will always be Lucy by the Sea) but still absolutely dazzling.

Une narration impeccable, comme d'habitude, et une analyse psychologique très fine. Hautement recommandé !

I’ve read every book in this series (and other Elizabeth Strout books besides), so I was really excited to dive into Tell Me Everything. Strout’s writing style is something I absolutely love—there’s this quiet, contemplative depth to her work that really gets under your skin. She has such a unique way of capturing the little quirks and complexities of people’s lives, and that’s what keeps me coming back.

This book continues that tradition beautifully. It’s introspective, nuanced, and full of those little moments that feel incredibly real. Strout doesn’t rush the story, allowing the characters to breathe and unfold slowly. It’s one of those books that asks you to lean in, pay attention, and really reflect on the lives of these characters.

Of course, a standout moment is when Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton finally meet. The scene is subtle but charged with unspoken tension, as Olive’s directness contrasts with Lucy’s quiet demeanor. Their interaction and development of their relationship throughout the book is filled with a blend of curiosity and discomfort, offering a perfect snapshot of these two wonderful characters.

If you love Strout’s contemplative style and her deep dive into human relationships, you’ll find a lot to appreciate here.

I loved this book!! Seeing Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge come together as everything I hoped for.
Elizabeth Strout is so beautifully observant, she creates wholly believable characters and their interactions are completely believable.

ahh this was just lovely. Strout's writing is always so soft but still sharply observant, so excellent at writing relationships and the inner worlds of her characters. There is also so much sadness in this book - nothing that ever feels gratuitous or on the nose, but just in the way that is by virtue of being human. she writes sensitively, honestly and masterfully, it was lovely to be back in her world again. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy!

I love Elizabeth Strout, her storytelling and style of writing. Lucy and Olivia together, a story I didn’t want to end and love
One of the best books I read in 2024

One of my new favourites from Stroud! Her writing g is poetic and beautiful. Definitely one of my automatic read authors!

This is my first Elizabeth Strout book and honestly I just loved it. She has a quirky style of writing and I was hooked straight away. My first introduction to Bob and Lucy and I will now certainly be looking out for more of her books just to find them again.

Olives stories carried subtle morals of the story and Lucy and Bobs friendship was all about what could have been.

5 stars from me.
Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced ARC

Elizabeth Strout’s Tell Me Everything is a masterful slow burn—quietly paced yet brimming with depth. True to her style, Strout peels back the layers of her characters’ lives, revealing a world of longing, aging, grief, marriage, and childhood trauma beneath the surface. Every scene is rendered with such tenderness and precision that even the most ordinary moments feel profound.

One of the most striking scenes is the first meeting between Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton, two of Strout’s most iconic characters. Their encounter is subtle yet loaded with the unspoken—Olive’s brusqueness clashing with Lucy’s quiet reserve. “I don’t mean to pry,” Olive says at one point, her tone making it clear that prying is precisely what she intends. Their brief exchange is charged with a mixture of curiosity and discomfort, a perfect snapshot of how strangers size each other up, carrying their own histories into the moment.

Strout also brings Bob Burgess into sharp focus, evolving him into a fully realized character even for readers familiar with his appearances in earlier works. His reflections on aging and regret are particularly moving: “I thought I would be a different kind of man by now,” Bob admits in one poignant moment. “But here I am, still unsure, still looking for something I can’t quite name.” It’s in these quiet admissions that Strout’s brilliance shines—her ability to articulate universal truths through the intimate thoughts of her characters.

The novel’s exploration of longing and loss is perhaps best encapsulated in a passage where Lucy reflects on her childhood trauma: “What was left of her had been shaped long ago, in a house where silence filled the rooms like water. She had learned to hold her breath then, and now, it seemed, she had never let it go.” Strout’s prose is restrained but devastating, evoking pain and resilience in equal measure.

Tell Me Everything may require patience—it’s not a book that rushes to deliver its revelations. But for those willing to sink into its quiet intensity, it offers an immensely rewarding experience. With her signature compassion and insight, Strout reminds us of the complexity of human connection and the scars we carry through life.

If you love Strout then you will without a doubt love this . It’s classic Strout , we have all the characters we love , we have great writing and we have that same old feeling of being back with an old group of friends . Another winner !

I love Elizabeth Strout, and Tell Me Everything is no exception. If you're a fan of any of her other books then you'll love this. It's slow-paced in a very deliberate and skilled way.

I thought this book was a beautiful meditation on love, friendship, family and guilt. Strout‘s writing is so readable and enjoyable and her characters are realistic and incredibly human. I now can’t wait to go back and read the books in the series which I have missed as I want more time with this colourful cast of characters. I highly recommend this book.

Reading Tell Me Everything is like meeting up with old friends as Elizabeth Strout brings the world of The Burgess Boys, Olive Kitteridge and the Amgash novels together in this novel. The theme of love and what it means is explored across the stories presented. Highly recommended to readers of the previous novels, if you're new to Elizabeth Strout read the other novels first.

This is another gorgeous read. No one quite captures characters and brings them to life like Elizabeth Strout. It’s lovely to meet old and beloved characters including the formidable Olive Kitteridge. If you haven’t read her previous books you absolutely must! I look forward to more books by this talent.