"This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish."


You get all of this and more. This dual timeline and multi POV was engaging, captivating, haunting and heartbreaking. The fine line between extreme wealth and poverty and how that shapes ones personality. The lengths they go to, to find happiness.

Our narrators are both unreliable but also unlikable. The way their stories wove into each other had you guessing throughout.

"The trouble with the truth is this: we can't always control when it comes."

Books like this one are absolutely the reason that I wanted to start reading advanced copies. This book was SO good, and I want to tell everyone I know to read it immediately.

I will tell you up front, this story has a lot of characters and a lot going on. I listened to it on audio, so I really had to pay attention; lucky for me, Marin Ireland and Charlie Thurston made it impossible to even think about getting distracted. (Hands up for these audiobook legends, who I was first wowed by when I listened to Remarkably Bright Creatures and Demon Copperhead, respectively.)

Set in rural Kentucky, this is a story about how lies can change lives and what happens when the truth finally comes out. It's about decades-old hurts and hopes that never come to fruition. It's about the way life changes us.

I cannot wait for all of you to read this one. Mind you, it's not a happy tale, and these characters are hit with blow after blow, but Stevens' writing is so, so good. Not only did I want to figure out what was going to happen but I also wanted to hear more of these beautifully-written words.

Murder and money and poverty and lies. It's all here.

"We don't live to see all the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same."

The title fits the story. I really really like the narrators. Their voices were exactly like you would picture the person.
The book was a bit depressing. Cancer of a parent, dead girls (mystery part of the book), a character that has no money and doesn’t know who her father is……..it just keeps going.
Even when the mystery is solved, it end’s sadly.

Tell Me Something Good tells the story of two towns in rural Kentucky and the secrets that they hide. Anna is from Luxor, the town on the wrong side of the river. She has just lost her job and learned that her mother, Star, is sick. Now Anna must do the one thing Star warned her not to: find a job at the Lodges in Bent Tree across the river. The Lodges are known for hosting the Royale every year where hunters from all around the world come to hunt and participate in an exclusive auction. Anna comes to learn that everything at the Lodges is not what it seems and that the auction might be connected to the Choir Girls, nine women who were murdered twenty years before. This was a twisty mystery with a large cast of characters and a strong sense of place.

I really, really enjoyed this story. There was a lot going on in terms of all of the characters and how they related to each other, but I feel like the story fit together really well. In the beginning it was a little bit overwhelming and confusing how everything was related, but as the story went on it became clear. I also loved the setting and I think Stevens did a great job of making the reader feel like they were in these small, rival towns. The pacing was great and it felt like the story was constantly ramping up the tension until it finally cracks. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators did a great job with matching the pacing and setting of the story, they were really wonderful. This will be a must-read for anyone who enjoys a good mystery, especially mysteries set in small town.

I was lucky enough to receive a physical copy of this one as well so I could toggle between the audio and physical.. A synopsis that piqued my interest for the uniqueness of it and a new-to-me author that found it's way into my hands.
The storyline was slow but having the audio to flip to made it a bit more interesting. I did struggle with too many characters to start with but once I got into the audiobook it was a little clearer.
And even then it was still hard to muddle through.

I just found there was too many plots and too many characters. I also found I "heard" the authors voice in the writing...her passions of opinions on what at times felt like preaching but other times just took me out of the story.

Besides that, if it was edited out a bit, I would have enjoyed the crime novel a lot more.
In the end it was just an "ok" read for me

Tell Me Something Good
Court Stevens
06/03/2025
Harper Muse

If you give me a Kentucky author with a story set in a rural Kentucky area I will read it every single time. That being said, let me start at the end. The ripple effect often describes how one event—like a tragic accident or a secret(s) being revealed—impacts not just the people directly involved, but an entire community or group of people and oftentimes for generations. When you step into this unforgettable and emotionally resonant tale, prepare yourself to think, not only about this story, but about the world and people around you for a long time to come.

I agree with other reviews, yes, there are a lot of characters, and several different moving pieces to this story, but this also covers decades of traditions and secrets and decisions, both good and bad, that have been made. Take your time with this book. Let it sink in. Uncover parts of your childhood and past that you may have forgotten. Consider how you may be compassionate to the people around you when you don’t know all of the circumstances surrounding their situations and remember not all secrets are meant to hurt you, some are meant to protect you.

Tell Me Something Good is a chilling tale of an area not only divided by a river, but by money, privilege, moral complexities and secrets. The story examines how love and desperation can drive individuals to extreme measures, revealing the lengths people will go to protect those they cherish. At its core, the book examines how past actions cast long shadows, affecting not just individuals but entire communities. It prompts readers to consider the unseen consequences of choices and the importance of confronting uncomfortable truths.

An atmospheric and enveloping mystery, Tell Me Something Good tells the story of a small Kentucky town with a dark past. This was a quick read with an engaging plot and I think it would make an excellent book to toss in your suitcase for vacation.

I tandem read the print copy and audiobook and found the print copy a bit easier to follow with such a large cast of characters. Marin Ireland can do no wrong from where I'm sitting though and I thought she did a great job narrating this story as always.

It’s a beautifully layered story about loss, forgiveness, and the messiness of healing — all wrapped in a small-town mystery that kept me hooked. The characters felt so real, and the emotional depth reminded me a lot of Fredrik Backman.

This powerful story is narrated by Marin Ireland — yes, the Marin Ireland who brought the Beartown series to life. If you’ve heard her narrate, you know how incredible she is! If you loved that series, this one is a must-listen too.

<b> 3.5 </b>

This was more of a crime novel then mystery/thriller. It was well written and I enjoyed the ride for the most part. I think you would like this book If you liked God Of The Woods by Liz Moore.

I agree with the general critique that there were a lot of characters and I lost track of some of them. It also tried to hard to be sentimental at times which felt cringey. The ending was weak and unsatisfying.



I recieved a copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC audio version of this novel. This was my first novel by Court Stevens and what drew me in was the description and the place. Growing up in Ohio, I'm always drawn to rural books within the tri-state area. I really strugged with the beginning of this one. There were so many characters and I couldn't keep track of who was who and what was what. It felt like the book was just all over the place. I can typically manage two timelines but this one had me all sorts of confused and I didn't love any of it enough to rewind and start over to figure out what I'd missed. I did enjoy the actual plot (a murder that happened over twenty years ago and the people still affected by it in the present). I was really rooting for Anna and hoping that everything would work out for her in the end!

WOW! This was a STUNNER!!!

So, we start out like a typical Hallmark Channel movie...kind of...
BUT, it is definitely NOT a Hallmark book!!! 😮😮

Girl (Anna) and Mom (Star) live on the sparse side of town. Mom gets sick. Things start going wrong for the girl. And then, she needs a big favor, and goes back to speak to the love of her life (Jack)... to beg for a job... anything, just to get her through these rough times. And he obliges! But, all just may not be as it seems... and she may have gotten herself in a little too deep!

We OPEN the book with the gruesome killing of nine women, many years ago....

But then we return to current day, and the current problems... But, every now and then, the nine women come up. After all, the case has never been solved! As we bounce back and forth, little tidbits are revealed... And Anna starts to wonder... what exactly happened??

And then, a very wealthy, beautiful woman (Foster) comes STORMING into her life... and she realizes that this woman is so much like her! But how can that be??

And the more we discover, the more her world just keeps on changing.

#TellMeSomethingGood by #CourtStevens and narrated beautifully by #MarinIreland.

All the Stars for me, as it brought out ALL the feels, and then some!!!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟💫💫💫💫⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*** THIS ONE HAS NOT YET BEEN RELEASED!! *** LOOK 👀 FOR IT ON JUNE 3, 2025!!! ***

Thanks so much to #NetGalley and #HarperMuseAudiobooks for an ARC of the audiobook, in exchange for an honest review.

You can find my reviews on: Goodreads,
Insta @BookReviews_with_emsr and/or
My Facebook Book Club: Book Reviews With Elaine

Thanks so much for reading! And if you ‘liked’ my review, please share with your friends, & click ‘LIKE’ below… And, let me know YOUR thoughts if you read it!! 📚⭐️

🎧 Advance Listen Copy – Audiobook Review
📚 Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens
⭐️ 3.25/5 stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @harpermusebooks for the advance listen copy in exchange for my honest review.

Tell Me Something Good caught my attention with its unique premise: a small-town entangled in a decades-old murder case that suddenly comes back into the spotlight. I was expecting a twisty, fast-paced thriller—but what I got instead was a slower-burn mystery with a strong undercurrent of romance and emotional exploration.

The audiobook performance left me a bit conflicted. While the narrator had a nice tone and pacing overall, the lack of vocal distinction between characters made it hard to follow in scenes with a lot of dialogue. With a large cast and overlapping relationships, I sometimes found myself rewinding to catch who was speaking or how they connected to the plot.

That said, there are things to appreciate here: the small-town setting was vivid, the family dynamics added heart, and the mystery itself had layers that slowly peeled back. Readers who enjoy a character-driven mystery with relational tension and light suspense may still find this one worth checking out.

Not quite the thriller I was expecting, but an interesting ride.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens is a crime thriller. It was an okay book but the never-ending addition of characters. Trying to remember who was who took away from premise of the plot. I will definitely give it a re-read with a physical book, as an audiobook can make it harder to keep track.

An excellent, emotional story that gives you Fredrik Backman vibes. I read and listened to the book. The narrator brought me to tears several times.

𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳 𝑴𝑬 𝑺𝑶𝑴𝑬𝑻𝑯𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑮𝑶𝑶𝑫 𝒃𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒔 is coming June 3rd by @harpermusebooks and I am so grateful to have received an early audio copy from @netgalley so I can tell you THIS is something good!

Most synopses I've seen of this one are a bit vague, and I hesitate to add more. Go in blind, just knowing this is a story about class, power, family, and love.

For those who need more:
There is a dark event that comes back to haunt this area that pulls in two towns of varying economic conditions. When a man dies from a crazy ass accident (pun intended IYKYK), his secrets don't stay buried with him and it gets nasty. Intertwined in this mess is Anna and her relationship with her mom, her ex, and her new job at the Lodges with a sketchy auction coming up.

I was caught up into this literary mystery with characters that pulled me in. I did feel that, speaking of characters, it took me a couple starts to catch them all in the audio, but with Marin Ireland narrating, it was surely my distraction problem. I also noticed a little distraction with the occasional note to the reader which makes me wonder how it is presented in the book: as a footnote or parenthetical note perhaps? These critiques are minor, however, as the story really was captivating! I really enjoy these deeper character mystery stories.

"Tell Me Something Good" delivers beautiful writing, as a mystery that has hints of both literary fiction and historical fiction. I enjoyed the writing style and had to stop and savor a few poignant passages, especially the closing line. Court Stevens delivers deep and satisfying character development. Still, this novel stopped short of being a home-run for me, as I found there were quite a few characters, especially looking back historically, and I struggled a bit to keep them all straight and to place them all within the layers of the plot.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperMuse Audiobooks, and Court Stevens for an advance copy for honest review. While I got a bit tripped up by this book at times, I'm still impressed and would happily read more of this author in the future. 3.5 stars rounded up.

A small river town hosts a large hunting event annually that has an even larger secret. The beginning of the book is a bit confusing,  but once you learn who is who, its very easy to keep up with. The main story is about Anna who is struggling to pay bills and take care of her sick mother. She seeks a job at a place her mother forbade her to enter. The story is the of ultra rich and dirt poor. A dual storyline is expertly woven throughout. Very well paced and very rich story.

3.5 Stars ⭐️

This was an interesting book, written in a style that most people said reminded them of author Fredrik Backman. Unfortunately, I've never read a book by that author so all it did for me was add about 5 new books to my ever expanding TBR list.

I did feel that the style was unique. It is told in a very calm yet interesting manner that unfolds and leads the reader down a trail as more and more facts are discovered. It somehow straddles the line of being a character driven book - even though we are following several characters. It also seems to shine as it gives us the history of this small community, describing very explicitly the details of the people who live in this community.

There are many things going on in this place. Many events over many years. Also, there are surprise revelations of the back story of many of these characters.

I didn't think I was going to like this book in the beginning, but somehow, it grew on me, and I found myself definitely engaged as we progressed farther and farther into the book.

This book was narrated by Marin Ireland and I felt like the narration matched the style of the way in which the book was written.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the opportunity to listen to and review this ARC. This book will be out for publication on June 03, 2025.

3.75 Audiobook NetGalley ARC. I really like this book although it was a bit confusing with all the characters. I loved Anna and Star and Forrester. Jack too. Although the ending was not how I would have like to go and there was a twist that I didn’t care for, this book was about genuine love. The narrator was very good. Thank you to Harper Collin’s publishing for the advanced copy.

I chose this book as my first audio book so that I would hopefully enjoy it while on my torture machine (elliptical). I give up. This is really not catching my attention and there are soooo many characters and nothing is seamed together. I'd rather just use the elliptical and that is a bad sign.

Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.