I inhaled this amazing book over the last two days, mostly as an audiobook read by Marin Ireland, one of my absolute favorite narrators. Court Stevens' adult debut is Southern literary fiction at its best, with generous helpings of family secrets, murder, and deep truths about the power of love. Court's writing has been compared to Flannery O'Connor, and Tell Me Something Good also reminded me of last summer's favorite The God of the Woods, with its multiple viewpoints and slow-burn unraveling of multiple mysteries.

In Tell Me Something Good, Anna Ryder finds out her mom needs expensive cancer treatment on the same day she loses her job at the local high school. Even though her mom has always told her to stay away from the Lodges, the shady hunting resort near Paducah, Kentucky, she knows that a job there is the best chance she has to save her mom's life. Years ago, nine women were killed at the Lodges, and Anna quickly discovers that crime is still rampant at the resort. Stevens does a masterful job setting up the stage and introducing us to a large cast of characters, and then the family secrets are revealed in rapid-fire succession to keep you turning pages long into the night. Highly recommended! Thanks so much to Netgalley, Harper Muse, and author Court Stevens for the librarian preview copies!

I received an advance copy of the audio book for review. I wasn’t sure what to expect - this is the first book by the author that I’ve read. In the end, I can’t wait for more books! This was a story that I fell into and hated putting down. In the end, I take away - whether you get to see the ripples you make, or not - keep making ripples!

Anna and Star live in a small town in southern Illinois, one that people long to get out of but often find themselves stuck in. When Anna loses her job shortly after her Mom receives a difficult diagnosis, she is forced to do something she promised her Mom she never would—but she would do anything for Star, whether she wanted her to or not.

On the other side of the Ohio River, the lodge workers prepare for the annual auction, which draws tourists from all over the country. When one of the employees turns up dead, it sets off an unexpected and dangerous series of events that bring a 20-year-old unsolved mass murder to the surface.

Holy geez. This was such a suspenseful, overwhelming, heartbreaking, phenomenal read. There were so many characters, but I don't know that it would have landed the same without them. Also, I liked them all...which is wild. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely hated some characters, but that was the point. They were all so damn well written. I've read reviews that said the pacing was slow, but I found the opposite -- I was so engaged that I had a hard time not rushing through it. Looking back, I am glad I took my time with the characters. Even if it gutted me at the end.

I want to note that I read the audiobook, and while I enjoyed the narrator, it was difficult to have that many characters without unique voices. I definitely recommend the book, but suggest considering a paper copy if you have trouble keeping track of characters.

I'd also really like to see a donkey with a neon pink shirt.

I love this book. I’ve always been a fan of Court Stevens, but this novel is on a whole new level! They say a narrator can make or break an audiobook, and I felt like this narrator did a great job. I couldn't stop listening, and it had me captivated until the very end.

But can we please talk about killing off Jack?! Ahhh!!! My heart!!! *Chef's Kiss*, Court. Fabulous job!

I really wanted to enjoy Tell Me Something Good, but this audiobook ultimately fell flat for me.

One of the biggest issues was the overwhelming number of characters and storylines. There were so many threads to follow that I often found myself confused about who was who and how they were connected. Instead of deepening the story, the crowded cast and cluttered plot made it hard to invest emotionally in anyone. I never truly felt connected to the characters, which left me wanting more.

There may be a meaningful message buried in the novel, but it gets lost in the noise. With tighter focus and stronger character development, this could have been a much more impactful story for me.

I appreciate the advance audio copy and opportunity to review.

This book was an okay read for me. I enjoyed the story but I had a hard time with so many characters and the pace of the story. I found myself a little confused at times and although I found the book to be enjoyable with some great underlying tones in the plot, it was also a bit forgettable for me in the end.

[Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!]

This book was an unexpected delight! I thought I was in for a standard thriller, and I was wrong in the best way possible. This story was so tender, funny, poignant, and more. It's rare that I read a book that truly feels unique, but this really was so refreshing! Highly recommend.

2.5 ⭐️ An ok read overall, not one that I would rave about. I can usually keep up with simultaneous storylines, but this one in my opinion had too many that didn’t quite relate nor come together. It did have a few twist and turns, just nothing jaw dropping that made me crave for more. The ending sent a powerful and emotional message, but it took a lot of unnecessary turns to get to that particular conclusion. The narrator did an amazing job in the audiobook. Thank you Harper Muse Audiobooks and NetGalley for this advanced listening copy. All opinions are my own.

I am not sure how I honestly feel about this book. I was HOOKED in the beginning because I had to know and learn about these characters. However, I eventually lost interest in all of them and their storylines. At one point, I felt like this was more of a romance than a mystery/thriller. The ending did not hit home for me because I just didn't care about the characters, unfortunately. Maybe it was the audio that just didn't hit for me and physically reading would have been a better avenue.

The synopsis of Tell Me Something Good intrigued me pretty quick, and that Court Stevens wrote it made me itch to begin reading it even quicker.

The story was definitely entertaining, and the way Stevens writes was as great as you’d expect. The plot is rich and complex, follows at a slow pace without being boring at any point, and I would definitely recommend this to any thriller lovers out there.
However, while I enjoyed the plot, it didn’t bring me to the edge of my seat like I might have wanted it too. I struggled a bit at first with the amount of characters, which made it harder to connect or care about what might happen to them. I expected the story to be more focused on the murders, however they weren’t that much of a focal point before midway through the book - and even at that point, the auction took most of the attention for a while.
Yet, despite not feeling that connected to the characters, the ending of the book still managed to crack my heart a bit in a way I don’t think any thriller has managed before. Looking back, I didn’t realise at first how well Stevens managed to deliver on the “we don’t always see the ripples we make” aspect, but while I was missing a bit of a jaw drop at times, she wrote this story brilliantly and I’m sure I’ll reread it in the future and push it in the direction of several reading buddies.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens has a compelling premise and some strong emotional beats, but my experience with the audiobook left me feeling somewhat disconnected from the story. The plot itself is layered and engaging, but the way it was presented in audio format made it difficult to follow at times.

One of the biggest challenges was the lack of distinct voices for different characters. With only one narrator, it was often hard to tell who was speaking, which made some scenes feel muddled or confusing. A full cast or even just a couple of different voice actors would have gone a long way in helping clarify the dialogue and bring the characters to life.

This seems like a book that’s better suited to being read in physical or digital form, where you can flip back to previous sections if needed and absorb the nuances more clearly. Overall, I’d recommend Tell Me Something Good for its story, but suggest skipping the audiobook and picking up a hard copy instead.

I’ve listened to 3 other books by this audio narrator and she does a great job every time. The story itself was good. The pacing was good and there was enough mystery to keep me interested. I didn’t like where the author kept saying “x didn’t know this but this was happening elsewhere”. If they don’t know it, then I don’t need to know it right then. I would have liked those parts of the story to flow more naturally. Overall, though, it was a good book and had mystery, humor, and emotion all wrapped in one. I even got a little teary at the beginning when Anna was asking for a job.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens tells the story of a small town full of secrets. Anna is from the poor part of town an only wants to help her ailing mother, but winds up getting hired by a hunting lodge. But she gets way in over her head, when the big hunt isn't all about hunting animals. Instead it's a cover up for something way more sinister.

The story isn't fast paced in my opinion, but held my interest. The plot has lots of twists, turns, and plenty of drama. Lots of characters had motive to commit murder in the past and hide it for years. Court Stevens creates very colorful and intricate characters, full of past hurts and lots of drama. The storytelling is unique, with a third-person omniscient narrator. The narrator becomes a character and lets readers in on the characters' secrets. And I was able to receive a review copy of the audiobook, and the narration is fantastic with the third-person omniscient...it works so well in audio.

I received an ebook review copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the arc of Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens.

I listened to the audio of this and I think this would have been a better physical read. There is a lot going on I. This story and it is filled with a lot of short chapters. There are tons of characters to follow along with as well. I found myself unable to connect to any of the characters and found the audio difficult to follow.
I think the premise of the story is interesting though.

Tell Me Something Good is a fast-paced, complex and intriguing novel filled to the brim with murder, illegal auctions, tangled relationships, and a community of secrets and lies.

There were times when this novel felt so jam-packed that it became a confusing jigsaw puzzle - so many characters whose lives were all entwined in ways that made it hard to keep track of who was the parent or child of all these linked people. However, the excellent narration of the audiobook definitely held my attention through to the end.

A satisfying conclusion confirms that “we don’t always live to see the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same.”

I received an audio copy of this book from the publisher, Harper Muse Audiobooks. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was totally engrossed in Tell Me Something Good. The story takes place in rural Kentucky where illegal auctions are held with huge consequences. This is a book about friendships, love, sacrifice, loyalty, lies, blackmail, murder, wealth, poverty, desperation, family ties and trying to do the right thing.

I loved Court Stevens writing style. He sets up potential futures with the caveat that if they happen depends on the decisions the characters make. He also breaks the fourth wall to talk to the reader and then goes back to telling the story. Such a unique approach I haven’t seen before.

Marin Ireland is one of my favorite narrators! I was thrilled to hear her narrating Tell Me Something Good.

We don’t live to see the ripples we make.

Thank you to NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for letting me read this ARC.

Absolutely. Love. When one of my auto-buy authors released a debut in a new category, I was already sold. This adult mystery/suspense reads like a Frederik Bachman with multiple layers, rich texture, and a strong sense of place. This author is always masterful at a small town setting, and this book holds up to expectations for sure! Deep southern relationships and story, massive stakes, and characters you'll hold onto for the long haul. Did I mention there are animals? Superlove & 10/10 recommend!

This story was so good. There is a lot of mystery and drama around the murders that took place in the past, but where this story shines is in the characters and the way they are all intertwined in some fashion or another. It reminded me a lot of A Man Called Ove, how the author carefully weaves these characters lives and stories in a way that feels intimate. While it starts out slow and can be confusing at times as it jumps around multiple POV's, it is so worth it as everything starts to come together is this beautiful, messy tapestry of mystery and lives in a small town in northern Kentucky by the Ohio river.

Tell my Something Good by Court Stevens is a mysterious thriller told by an omniscient narrator, with multiple storylines that all weave together. The book is essentially about ripple effect from decisions made or lies told. There are many characters, and it was hard to keep them straight at times. Nonetheless I enjoyed the book.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audiobooks for an advanced copy through NetGallery in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Tell Me Something Good (audio)
Author: Court Stevens         
Genre: Mystery/thriller   
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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.

Over twenty years ago, a young hunting guide in rural Kentucky was driving his boat in the early morning mist when his peaceful cruise was cut short by a scene so disturbing, he packed up and moved away. Nine women died early that morning, but it was linked to a similar crime in Texas, so the locals quickly wrote it off as having nothing to do with them.

Now, all these years later, when everyone has nearly forgotten about that grisly part of their past, one man's accidental death will bring everything back up to the surface. The locals who knew better can no longer claim it had nothing to do with them, and one woman, desperate to do whatever it takes to save her mother's life, will learn that nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her.

The narrator on this did a good job, but I didn’t really like the voice of the story. So many secrets. So many missed opportunities to speak up and avert all kinds of nonsense. But no, the characters refuse to talk to each other. About anything. This didn’t work for me on a lot of levels, and I didn’t really connect with any of the characters—except maybe the donkey. I think this book just wasn’t a good fit for me.

Court Stevens is from Kentucky. Tell Me Something Good is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harper Muse Audiobooks in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/5).