Thank you to Harper Muse for this gifted ALC!

Was this book written by Fredrik Backman under a pen name? Because wow. It had the same wisdom. The same warmth, depth, way of summing life up in such a simple and profound way.

Tell Me Something Good is a story about murder, but it is a study of a poverty stricken town in Southern Illinois and the community in it. Which is also a Backman trait: community.

Maybe I have Backman on my mind because the narrator of this book is Marin Ireland, and she is the narrator for the Beartown Trilogy. Her voice will forever be cemented as Beartown vs Hed. And that’s a little bit of the vibe this book gave me, too. A poor town and a rich town fighting amongst each other.

It was tragic. But it was cozy. Is that weird? Maybe it’s Marin Ireland’s voice. It’s hard to not fall into her trance. She is hypnotizing.

I loved this one, to be frank. Something about it resonated with me. It clicked. I loved all of the moving parts, and how they all eventually came together as one beautiful machine.

Such a great audiobook. Couldn't stop listening to it. Thank you for my advance reader copy. Can't wait to look up other books from this author.

The power of having friends who read is that you can have entirely different interests and reading styles, but a sliver of Venn diagram overlap at a certain author. When a friend suggested that the writing style was Fredrick Backman’s I knew I would read it. Even though it was mystery/thriller. Even though it scared me from the first chapter (CW: mention of a school shooting, but not actually very prevalent throughout).

The power of storytelling is capturing a reader - making them care about fictional people in a setting they would’ve never thought to invest any concern. In Tell Me Something Good, it’s a cast of characters at a hunting lodge. Nearby, but set apart by a river, state line, and a massive economic divide is a poor, small town where a mother and daughter are being pummeled by life in just about every way. A wide cross section of people interact at the lodge, between the guests and the employees. There is a long ago unsolved mass murder, which has domino effects or violence and secrets toppling into the present day.

Keeping an open mind is worth it - I read outside my comfy genres and also enjoyed a fiction on audio for once! I will try to remember these lessons.

Such a good listen! The narrator made me not want to put this down. This is a new narrator for me and I definitely enjoyed their portrayal of the story. Court Stevens is an amazing author. I absolutely loved Last Girl Breathing, so when I saw she had a new book out, I knew I had to read it! And it did not disappoint.

When I read that this book claimed to be like Beartown, I had both high and low hopes. Beartown is one of my favorite books of all time, and I didn't think anything could come close. Tell Me Something Good truly rivals my love for those books. The narrative, if you are a Fredrik Backman fan, is paced very similarly and follows a similar style. It was very compelling, and I was enraptured up until the very end.

The characters were very hard to get straight at first, I think because it kind of jumps around explaining them a bit. Eventually I caught on, but the family trees still perplex me a bit. That being said, the characters were so nuanced and complex, and it in classic Fredrik Backman fashion it has you both loving and hating just about every character.

This book was truly a delight to read, and I foresee myself revisiting it in the future because it is a captivating and richly told story.

Thank you to Harper Muse Audio Books for the ARC!

Tell Me Something Good is a novel that doesn’t just tell a story it immerses you in a world so rich and layered that you feel like you’re uncovering a long-buried truth alongside the characters. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer depth of this book, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Court Stevens masterfully weaves multiple storylines together, creating an intricate mystery that keeps you chasing the truth even as the narrative unfolds in unexpected ways. The authorial intrusion—something I don’t often encounter was done so thoughtfully that it enhanced the experience rather than pulling me out of it. Every detail, every revelation, and every carefully placed thread wove itself together into an ending that was both devastating and satisfying.

And I have to mention the narration one particular character’s voice had me fully convinced Rick Grimes was giving a monologue to Carl about the dangers of this world. The sheer intensity, the gravelly Southern drawl, the weight of every word? Chef’s kiss. If you know, you know.

This isn’t just a thriller. It’s a meditation on truth, class divides, and the silent ripples of the past that refuse to stay buried. The pacing is relentless, the atmosphere haunting, and the characters unforgettable. It left me in awe of Stevens’s ability to tell a story with such emotional weight and complexity.

This is a must-read if you love literary mysteries that demand your full attention and reward you with a breathtaking conclusion.

All I can say is WOW! This story was wonderful, fabulous all the things. This was my first exposure to a novel by Court Stevens, but you can bet I will be reading the rest of her back list. I can't wait until June 3rd when I can get a physical copy and reread it. Court Stevens takes us to Kentucky and gives us stories intertwined between both tracks. The narrators were great! The story starts out with a murder, so you are immediately hooked. She weaves the story through past and present and multiple characters that you will fall in love with. All the way to the end she kept me guessing with several of the stories and man, I did not see one of those coming. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audible for an advanced copy of this story. I will be thinking about this one for awhile!

This book will draw you in from the first page. It is epic - full of original characters and unusual situations. As it moves along and unwinds like a ball of string, you begin to see connections to all kinds of characters and events. Everything is interconnected. The tension grows and grows, and there is lots of foreshadowing of things you hope will not come true. The ending is explosive. I could say something « spoiler » but I won’t. Suffice to say that the novel is wonderfully well-written, complex and twisted - lots of twisted people! I highly recommend this book to people who are interested in more than just a lightweight, formulaic novel. It will knock your socks off!

Loved this story and the characters. I was hooked from the beginning of the book and loved the weaving of the characters lives throughout the book. The narration of the book was amazing and such a great read. 5 stars!! A favorite read for me so far in 2025.

Oh this is a good book! Love the narrator! There are so many twists and turns with this story. I really enjoyed every minute of it. Now to find more by the same author and narrator. Highly recommend.

Court Stevens' latest novel is a serious and heartfelt pivot towards the adult genre. You'll find Stevens' classic character depth and relationships represented here with heaping serving of 20-year-old murder that's gone long-unsolved, as an undercurrent to present events. I found myself trying to solve the mysteries, both past and present, as I read, making me an active participant in this journey. Characters worth following, a town with a history worth telling, and an annual hunting event folks won't soon forget are the threads that hold this novel together, keeping readers on their toes. Check it out for yourself!

i really enjoyed this one! i've read one other court stevens, which i didn't love, but this one really shone. i loved the writing style and the atmosphere and the themes of family.

MY JAW IS ON THE FLOOR!!!
A small quiet Kentucky town has a large hunting event every year and what happens during this time isn't always legal. Years ago nine women were murdered on the river and the killer was never caught. In Tell Me Something Good you follow Anna- a woman who always wanted to leave the small town but, when her mother falls ill she has to take care of her. After losing her job at the school she is forced to look for employment across the river at the lodge. the place her mother has always told her to stay away from. but she has no choice and once she gets a job there all the secrets start to unravel. Everything and everyone are not who they seem. Can Anna find out the truth of what happened that night and how she is connected?

My expectations were set high when I saw this debut compared to Fredrik Backman's books. I’m happy to say that the similarities in style worked out pretty well, and this story landed with plenty of heart.

The beginning was a little rough, as I struggled to keep track of all the characters and the fairly complicated details of the plot. But it smoothed out toward the middle, and I was then able to track the characters, even on audio.

This ended up working well as an audiobook, especially with the main narrator being Marin Ireland. That also helped secure the connection to Backman’s books.

I appreciated the unique setting as well as the overall theme and individual topics covered in the story. They are highly relevant and meaningful to today’s challenges and tragedies.

I am grateful for an advanced audio copy of this book from NetGalley, and I look forward to reading what the author comes out with next.

This audiobook was an unexpectedly emotional experience. The narration was excellent and really brought the characters to life. The story is heartfelt, with themes of identity, forgiveness, and finding strength in unexpected places. It’s the kind of story that quietly sticks with you.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listening copy and the chance to review it.

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.

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!

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.

[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.

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!

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 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!

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.

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.

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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.

"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."

"We don't always live to see the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same." - - I'm pretty sure this is my new favorite quote.

This book simply reached in and plucked all my heartstrings. I don't exactly know why I connected with it so intensely but I did. I would describe it as a multi-genre novel - - a little mystery/thriller, with some romance and family drama blended in.

This story focuses on Anna. She grew up in a small town in Kentucky that she always wanted to leave. But life changed and she found herself tied there. Her mother became sick and Anna is the only family there is. When she loses her job teaching at the local high school, Anna is forced to ask for a job from her ex-fiance and things only get more chaotic after that.

The town that Anna lives in has a history - - years ago, there was a brutal murder of nine women and it's still unsolved. It hangs over the town like the elephant in the room that no one wants to mention and many seem to have forgotten about. But there are many that can't forget about it. They were there and can't erase the images from their minds. Either way, things in this sleepy little town are about to get heated.

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: I also listened to the audiobook and the narration was absolutely wonderful. It enabled me to completely immerse myself in the story. I simply loved it. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the audiobook and ebook.