Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson
Carter Wilson is a brilliant author that writes thrilling and intense novels that grip the reader from the very beginning. As I read Tell Me What You Did I was intrigued from the very beginning. The novel is laid out perfectly to keep the reader wanting more. We see the story of Poe Webb, a true crime podcast that interviews criminals and has them confess to their crimes. Poe finds herself sucked into her past when a man claims to be her mothers murderer from 17 years ago. However, there are many twists and turns that leave Poe questioning herself and her safety. The reader follows Poe's journey to use her skills and her past to find peace after what happened so long ago.
I was intrigued by this book from the minutes I read the description, but I was also curious the entire time reading. The novel goes back and forth between time, so the reader is able to understand what is at stake. This was a very good form of writing for this book because it really brought the whole story together. I was able to feel connected to Poe and what she was going through. Wilson did a great job at creating this story, and intertwining with his other books. Overall, this was a very intriguing book that got me hooked on Carter Wilson, and I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next

This was my first Carter Wilson book, and I really enjoyed it! The unique writing style and the back-and-forth timelines kept me hooked. I usually read a lot of dual timelines, so it was refreshing to see all the events unfold within a week.

The only downside was that I predicted the twist. But it was still a lot of fun and hard to put down.

I was reading this book late at night. It was the perfect setting for this suspenseful story. The dialog keeps you intrigued. What did she do? That’s all I needed to know to keep me glued to the plot! This is an intense and fast read. Highly recommended!

Poe is the host of a popular true crime podcast where she nvites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. Her podcast offers the chance for anonymity, but she cannot guarantee that the police won't look into any crimes. Things take a turn when one of her guests claims to have murdered her mother all those years ago. But Poe knows this cannot be true. Because she murdered her mother's killer.

This was a very interesting concept for a novel! I really enjoyed it. It was really creepy and suspenseful. I love when there's a good creep factor involved in a thriller. Also really loved the main character, Poe. A very strong female lead who I instantly loved.

The chapters are interspersed with the transcript from the podcast. Sometimes, I don't like this style, but it worked really well for this book. The timeline went back and forth between past events that lead up to a certain day, and the actual day. It worked really well and built up the suspense.

I honestly could not put it down! Highly recommend. I need to read more of Carter Wilson's novels.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a taut psychological thriller filled with suspense and unexpected twists. The story follows a woman confronting buried secrets after receiving a chilling message, leading to a tense unraveling of her past. Wilson’s sharp writing and gripping plot make this a compelling read for fans of dark, twisty mysteries.

So incredibly good!!!! Carter Wilson hooked my attention from the very beginning, all the way through the very end!!! Very unique premise, and quite twisty! Loved it!

This book started off with a lot of potential. The beginning of the book was really clever. Poe is a popular podcaster and she invites people on her show to confess crimes. Poe has her own terrible secrets surrounding her mom’s murder when she was a girl.

As the novel moved forward it came to a standstill and I felt like nothing new was really happening. A creepy man was stalking Poe and he may or may not be involved in the secrets from her past. My problem with this book is Poe continuously makes poor decisions. If I was legitimately being stalked I would find a way to protect myself. Maybe buy a gun? Practice shooting? Learn self defense? Something! Poe’s idea is whine and cry and drink herself into oblivion. I couldn’t deal with this character. The police are not going to help you. Help yourself!

My second major problem is the back and forth of whether or not Poe is going to do this live podcast. Either do it or don’t but please for the love of god stop talking about it. The book literally says you are going to do it so why all the back and forth?

I wasn’t a fan of this book but I’m looking at the reviews and a lot of people are loving it! Go read it and tell me I got this one wrong. Please.


Thank you to netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is my first time to read a book by Carter Wilson but I’m now going to go back & dive into her previous book, Mr Tender’s Girl. I enjoyed Tell Me what You Did a lot. Poe was a relatable protagonist. Flawed & real. This book was super fast paced with plenty twists & turns. Glad I found it & ready to read the author’s previous work & will keep my eye out for the next. Four solid stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.⭐️

Poe Webb is one tough cookie with a lot of attitude and swings between survival mode and full on trying to get herself killed! This is a fast paced book that frequently has you on the edge of your seat as you read. There is a moment in the book where the main character, Poe, talks about her online book club. She mentioned that when there is a book character fearing for her life, hunted by a dangerous killer, who doesn’t call the police immediately they will get labelled as TSTL (too stupid to live). At this point Poe indicates she feels like she has these letters pin to her chest and it sure does feel this way at multiple points throughout the book. Frequently Poe places herself and her loved ones in increasingly dangerous situations all the while playing a cat and mouse game with someone who claims to have brutally killed her mother. Of course there’s also the tiny little matter that Poe has also killed somebody which the alleged killer knows all about and she doesn’t want the police investigating. With all of this going on, and so much else between the true crime podcasts she hosts, it’s no wonder that this book is an explosive adventure which keeps the reader engaged and wondering how everything will unravel. There’s one side character who is referred to several times and seems to have a well-built backstory, and at times feels more real than Poe, so it wasn’t a surprise in reaching the end of the book to find out that she has featured in a previous book by Carter Wilson. Of course now I want to read this one as well. I particularly enjoyed the ending of this book and the way that played out, and enjoyed my first book by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for letting me read an advanced copy in exchange for my review. The book is out in Australia on 14 January 2025.

read if you like:
🔪 intense murders
📡 podcasts
😱 psychological thrillers
🎃 Halloween

summary:
Wow this book is intense. It revolves around Poe Webb, a true crime podcaster who invites people on her show to give anonymous confessions. Things take a dramatic turn when a man appears on her podcast, claiming to be her mother's murderer. However, Poe has a secret — she knows the real killer is dead, and she killed him. As the man becomes increasingly a mystery, knowing details that no one else could about her crime, Poe finds herself caught in a web of lies and deceit, forced to confront her past and the consequences of her actions.

This story is a dark cat-and-mouse game, all revolving around several violent and gruesome crimes. It focuses on the themes of guilt and redemption and the tension that builds between them. Wilson’s writing is SO GOOD, giving you that spine chilling, goosebump raising feeling as Poe finds herself stalked and haunted by the man she killed and the same man sitting behind the computer screen. For anyone who likes books about true crime podcasts, this story is a nice twist, integrating both the podcast, a live stream and the element of mystery.

The ending feels like a true chase, with Poe being closed in on while closing in on the killer himself. I highly recommend not reading this at night, and not reading it when you’re alone in the house! It’ll keep you guessing until the very end, which has a pretty good twist to it.

If you’re looking for an intense fall, Halloween-themed thriller, check this book out when it releases on January 14! Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and Net Galley for the advanced copy!

This was my first book by Carter Wilson and I really enjoyed it! The writing and back to forth timelines were done in such a unique way it kept me hooked. I read a lot of dual timelines so it was nice to change it up a little with all the events happening within a week.

My only downfall was I did predict the twist. But it was still a lot of fun and hard to put down. :)

I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!
I loved this psychological thriller so much! If you’re into true crime and podcast, this book is for you. I read “a good girls guide to murder” this is similar, but way more intense.

This book definitely kept me guessing. When I thought I figured it out, I was pushed into a different direction.

Thank you Netgally for this free ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 stars.

Short review: Poe is such a complicated narrator you almost question how reliable and stable she is. The podcast transcript and back and forth time periods keep you on the edge of your seat constantly guessing where her story is heading.

Long review: 17 years ago Poe watched her mother be murdered and her childhood house burned to the ground. She spent months silenced emotionally and physically. Now she runs a successful true crime podcast with her producer boyfriend and her dog. It makes sense that since she lived a time crime this would be her life’s focus. But vengeance was still due. And the justice system isn’t alway just or fair. Especially when the lead witness in her mother’s murder never told the police what she saw. Now her past is catching up to her, but is it a consequence of her past actions or a side effect of her life’s work? The man hunting her is dead set on Poe suffering, but for what? And why? And those closest to Poe are just as vulnerable. Because danger is closer than she expected.

I have no read any of this authors previous work, where the character Alice was first introduced. So I will be doing that now and I have so many questions about her story. The backstory and current situation of Poe’s dad is easy to relate too, the man lost his wife and never got answers only for his daughter to shatter his reality 17 years later. While the story comes to an end with a finale you have been rooting for, the epilogue/ending for Poe leaves room for some follow-up a year or so later and I hope the author continues Poe’s story line. If not, the story is wrapped up enough to provide closure. But you really are just rooting for Poe and I wanna know how her and her pup Bailey and her dad and his cat Grimm navigate life moving forward after all the tragedies.

Overall, if you are a fan of true crime, crime podcasts and overall thriller mysteries this is the book for you.

“See, that’s the thing about trauma. You never get to quit it. You never get to walk away from it and rediscover the innocence and joy you felt just before The Thing happened.”

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Poe Webb, the host of the wildly popular true-crime podcast Tell Me What You Did, invites listeners to confess their darkest secrets on air.

From the very first page, this book had me hooked. The narrative's shifting perspectives and timelines, jumping between the present and future, kept me on edge. However, this approach sometimes made the plot a bit predictable.

The characters are impressively complex and well-crafted. Poe and her father’s struggles with alcoholism are depicted unflinchingly, adding depth to their mental states throughout the story. Poe, in particular, is a compellingly morally grey character, leaving me torn between admiration and frustration.

Hindley is another standout—a methodical, haunting, and deeply unsettling figure. He’s the kind of person you’d hope never to encounter, even in your worst nightmares.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the podcast element of the story. The concept is so engaging that I found myself wishing Tell Me What You Did was a real podcast I could tune into.

Overall, this is a great read! While some parts felt predictable, there were enough twists and turns to keep me intrigued. And for those concerned—because I certainly was—Bailey is fine!

I've been on a thriller/mystery kick recently, and when I saw the premise of this book I was intrigued and excited to read it. Tell Me What You Did is fast-paced, and I finished it quickly. I found it decently entertaining, but it was frustrating at times and ultimately pretty forgettable. Its greatest strength is its premise: Poe Webb hosts a podcast in which criminals confess their crimes, and one day a guest confesses that he killed her mother 17 years ago – but Poe knows that she already tracked down her mother's killer and killed him 7 years ago. So is this creep telling the truth – which means she killed the wrong person – or is something else going on?

At one point in the book, Poe mentions that members of her online book club will disparage book characters as "too stupid to live," and she thinks to herself that she's been acting too stupid to live. And yes, I agree, that's a major problem with this book! Poe and her father are obviously in danger, and they repeatedly risk their lives for no reason other than to move the plot along. The fact that Poe recognizes that she's being stupid doesn't make things better! Why doesn't she immediately get a lawyer and call the cops, especially if she's rich from her podcast? If the Burlington police don't have enough resources to help her, why doesn't she use her massive stash of podcast money to hire security or something?

Another problem I had with this book is that I saw the twist about the professed mother-killer's identity from miles away. It was hardly a twist. I also find it very hard to believe that he wouldn't immediately be identified by Poe's fans. There are facial recognition search engines out there!

Kind of a waste of a great premise. But hey, maybe worth adapting?

I don’t really know where to start except that I absolutely loved and devoured this novel. I have never read anything else by this author and kind of went in blindly, only knowing it was about a crime podcaster. So good. This book is going to be HUGE when it releases. I see this taking over BookTok, being major book club picks and topping the bestseller list. Thank you to the author and publisher for this galley.

I absolutely LOVED this book! As a true crime podcast junkie myself, this was the perfect thriller for me. Of all the mystery and thriller books I’ve read, this one checks all the boxes: original plot, full of suspense, revenge, and a protagonist that isn’t quite so innocent but you still root for the whole way through! I will definitely be recommending this to everyone I know!

Poe is the host of a popular true crime podcast that encourages guests to share their criminal confessions, but she hides a grisly secret of her own. This story was undoubtedly entertaining, but not without a couple of “eye-roll” moments. At times, Poe’s motives seem to contradict themselves and her decisions can be irritatingly bullheaded. Still, I found myself hooked with suspense and morbidly fascinated with our antagonist. This is a great beach reader.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really liked this book although it got a bit long. The alternating between past and present made it interesting to read,. The reveal at the end and the fact it wasn’t a “happily ever after” ending made it more realistic. I will have to read Alice’s story as I was unaware she had a story as well.

Well done and a good read.

The book captivated me from the very start with its gripping premise and unique narrative structure. The introduction of Poe Webb's crime podcast immediately drew me in, offering a intriguing glimpse into the confessions of its guests. The partnership between Poe and Kip in deciphering the truth behind these confessions added a layer of intrigue and suspense, keeping me engaged as they unraveled each story.

The addition of Ian Hindley's involvement through the live stream transcripts injected a new level of complexity and mystery. Learning about Ian's connection to Poe's past, particularly her mother's death, was a masterstroke that kept me guessing about his true motives and how it all tied together.

Poe's character was a highlight for me, with her snarky attitude and deep-seated emotions that surfaced as she relived the trauma of her past. This emotional depth made her journey all the more compelling and relatable.

The interwoven past and present narratives heightened the suspense. Each revelation and twist contributed to the overall thrill of the story, making it a page-turner that I couldn't put down.

Overall, the book delivered on its promise to provide a thrilling experience in the genre. It kept me on my toes with its atmospheric tension, fast-paced narrative, and intriguing characters, making it a standout read for anyone seeking a captivating psychological thriller.

Thank you Netgalley for this advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review.