An intimate get-together in the back garden of a house in Yellow Springs, Ohio may seem inconspicuous – a group of friends and neighbours gathered together for drinks and gossip – but when one of the women and her twin children have disappeared the following morning, the remaining women spend time analysing every conversation that took place, trying to remember the smallest detail of Kristin’s mood looking for clues as to what might have happened. Did Kristin pack up her kids and run away, or has something more sinister happened, something that might explain the sudden appearance of Kristin’s estranged husband on the street?

While Kristin’s disappearance is the focus of the investigation at the heart of the book, her two friends and neighbours Izzy and Clara, become the focal points for the reader. Clara is happily married, though she has a dark secret in her past that forced her to move from Cincinnati to Yellow Springs. Izzy, on the other hand, is single, still devastated from the fact that the man she loved has recently married her sister, and, as a result, the perfect target for the attentions of the seemingly-innocent Paul, Kristin’s ex-husband, and the man on whom the police have set their sights for his wife’s disappearance.

Jessica Strawser presents small-town Americana in the mould of Big Little Lies or Desperate Housewives. Here are a group of women who seem, on the outside, to have everything they need for the perfect life. But each of them has at least one skeleton in their closet, and none of them know their closest neighbours as well as they think they do: allegations of Paul having abused Kristin come as a complete surprise to the others, and forces each to react to the man in different ways. In Clara’s case, she is wary and believes the worst; Izzy finds herself falling for the man’s good looks and charms, happy that she finally seems to be getting over the blow of losing Josh to her sister and convinced that the rumours of abuse are nothing more than malicious gossip.

Not That I Could Tell moves at a reasonably sedate pace, introducing us to the central characters as they attempt to come to terms with the disappearance of their friend. Has Kristin taken the children and fled an abusive household, or has Paul taken his cruelty to the next level, killing his wife and children and getting rid of the bodies? Strawser is careful not to let us find out too much as the story progresses, leaving us to form our own opinion on what might have happened to Kristin. There are a handful of short chapters sprinkled throughout the narrative that show us things from Kristin’s point of view, but they’re presented in such a way that they might be the final thoughts of a woman already dead, or the observations of a woman on the run from an abusive husband.

With a sharp focus on character, Strawser presents everyday small-town America at its worst. The women to whom we’re introduced are wonderfully-written, fleshed-out characters who positively leap from the page. While it’s a slow-paced read, there are moments of tension-filled genius that are worth the price of admission alone, not enough to consider Not That I Could Tell a “thriller” in the traditional sense, but enough to get the reader’s heart beating faster, and their attention glued firmly to the page.

An excellent novel about the relationships between women in small-town America, and their ability to keep secrets even in the most intimate of surroundings. A must-read for those who enjoyed HBO’s Big Little Lies, Not That I Could Tell is an excellent introduction to Jessica Strawser, and a nice change of pace from the usual high-tension, fast-paced psychological thrillers that are all the rage at the moment.

You had me intrigued from the first line “Ever wondered what you’re friends really think about you”

Set in Yellow Springs a small Ohio town, a group of female neighbours gather round a fire pit clutching their baby monitors in one hand and their wine in another. Gossiping and laughing unaware that the next day one of them will have gone missing!!

Kristin is the wife of Paul, a small town doctor, who from the outside appears to be the perfect wife, mother and friend. Why has she disappeared with her children and why do the police suspect Paul?

I was very intrigued with this book, everybody had their own secrets to hide and you felt like you couldn’t trust anyone!! It’s an easy book to read in one sitting and although I thought I had the ending all mapped out,I hadn’t which delighted me.

A book I would recommend to read on holiday whilst chilling by the pool!! Will be keeping an eye out for Jessica’s next book.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

I really enjoyed this book. Izzy has just moved to a new area and is getting to know her new neighbours. After a drunken girlie night one of the friends, Kristin, disappears along with her 2 young children. It appears that she has planned this, but suspicion falls on her soon to be divorced husband, Paul. What secrets was Kristin hiding? As Izzy finds herself attracted to Paul, how can she be sure of his innocence? This is a good story which will keep you guessing. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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Gripping. Fascinating.

As soon I read the blurb for this book, I knew this was a book I would enjoy.
It slightly reminded me of the mystery of Gone Girl, the did-he or did-she mystery really had me gripped from the start.and I kept convincing myself to read "just one more chapter" that would then lead to another and another.

I connected with both Clara and Izzy. Both characters were people I could imagine being friends with. Clara, that one friend that you know would have your back and Izzy, the innocent, relateable one that you understand but want more for. Rhoda and Randi were a quirky little addition too.

I found myself constantly looking for little clues by the author and she was master at giving little hints in the most nonchalant way. I was constantly trying to read between the lines, trying to work out if a sentence was just a throwaway, or meant something more.

Even though there were no real shockers for me, I still enjoyed the story.
I definitely would recommend this book and I will be adding more of the authors novels to my "to read" list.

I received a copy of this ebook from the author and publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review but this has is no way influenced my review or opinions.

Welcome to my book review on the blog tour for Not that I could tell by Jessica Strawser!!

This is a story of a woman who disappears one Monday morning, following a Saturday night drinking around the fire pit with the girls. The story is not about Kristin, the perfect mother, friend and neighbour but Clara and Izzy. How they are affected by her disappearance. How no one seems to remember much about Saturday night, I mean did they really drink that much?

The story unfolds through their eyes. Clara, the best friend, mum of two and Izzy, the new single neighbour who has a soft spot for the soon-to-be ex-husband Paul.

It is also a great sales pitch for Yellow  Springs. I mean who wouldn't want to live in a nice idyllic neighbourhood despite what happens behind closed doors.

There were a lot of questions going through my mind reading the opening chapters. Is Kristin dead? Will this be like Gone girl? What happened in Cincinnati? What happened to Kristin first husband? Did she actually run?

You really do have to pay attention to every word that the author writes. Sentences that are in the book which could be considered as throwaway comments actually do mean something. One that springs to mind (without giving any spoilers away!) was Clara picking a letter up from the post box, an everyday chore but this time, being noted by the author so blasé had to mean something more and I was proven right!!

You have Hallie, the teenage girl, who in my eyes, was me, the reader. She was her own detective and she wanted to get to the truth and wasn't afraid of finding out what was going on, no matter what the cost was. She is a spirited teenage girl and I would love for my little girl to grow up to be like her!

The two main women in the story are extremely relatable, they could be your friend, your neighbour or even you!

Clara, who is visibly shaken by her friend who goes missing, is a mum of two. She worries about the children and the impact that this has on her children's life. It brings back the memories of the events that happened in Cincinnati. She starts to re-evaluate how well do you really know someone. She finds herself trying to 'mother' Izzy and protect her Paul. Come on let us be honest who would not want a husband like Benny is just damn near perfect and the voice of much-needed reason for Clara, as sometimes her thoughts run away from the truth. 

Clara made me reevaluate how well do we know people when she was doing it.  Kristin lived a life where she was a friend to everyone, always helped with bake sales, friends, but was it all an act? Do we really know anyone? Can you trust what you know about people? Like an unreliable narrator, you know what they wish to know, there are secrets. In this story, it was exactly that Kirstin allowed her "friends" and neighbours only know what she wanted them to know, keeping the real "Kristin" hidden. To them, she was the Perfect mother, neighbour and friend.

Izzy's story is one I relate to, definitely when I was growing up. Watching the guy you wanted to be with, being in a relationship with someone who was close to you and trying to deal with the hurt, the guilt and the want for them. (I am married now got the guy in the end!) It was heartbreaking as she missed her moment with the guy. You feel her guilt as she pushes away her loved ones as she tries to learn to accept her new life without him.

We focus on these relationships with each other and outside the circle. One relationship we review is that of Paul, the estranged husband. Clara watches him and writes him off immediately, she suspects something has happened and she believes he is no good and does not trust him full stop. Izzy however, views it a different way, why should they look at the husband first. He seems nice enough...right?!

*I received this book from Net Galley for my honest review*

There seem to be a lot of books about neighbourhoods out there lately. This is about a group of young women who have a spontaneous girl's night. Shortly thereafter, one of them, Kristin, disappeared with her two children. She was divorced, her husband had already moved out. Still, it looks like she's packed and just drove away without telling anyone. Or should it just look like that?

The book takes a lot of time with its story. Although there are six women, only two are in focus: Clara and Izzy. Clara also has two small children and leads a harmonious marriage. Izzy is single and has fled to a small town due to personal problems.

This book is in its style close to "Big Little Lies". It's not so much a thriller, not a all a psycho thriller. It is a domestic drama. It's about the two women and how they handle a girlfriend's disappearance. The slow narration let me deeply immerse myself as a reader in both lives and easily empathize with them. The people seemed very real to me with all their mistakes. I was quickly drawn into the story and I could imagine that I could be friends with these women, too.

Although I enjoyed the slow and very sensitive narrative, I think that the book would have done a bit of streamlining. A little more pace could not have hurt. It was also a bit too much detailed description of an everyday life with small children for my taste. The quotes at the beginning of each chapter left me a bit helpless. But that's complaining at a high level. Jessica Strawser wrote a very well written and constructed story and I enjoyed reading it.

This book drew me in with the first chapter and despite not being overly fast paced it held my attention completely until the end. I have heard a lot of comparisons likening Not That I Could Tell to Desperate Housewives and Big Little Lies and it definitely does have a similar sort of feel to it in the sense that it is in part about a small group of women supporting one another whilst also keeping secrets from each other. It is also about the darkness hiding behind the glossy veneer of suburbia which is a topic I find endlessly fascinating.
The narrative is mostly split between two of the women, Clara and Izzy, with occasional short interludes presumably from Kristin. Both of the characters have a clear and separate voice and personality with different motivations and secrets in their pasts. The author doesn’t give much away up front instead leaving tantalising hints throughout. I enjoyed Clara’s sections the most, I liked her character and found her enjoyable to follow. I didn’t immediately like Izzy’s sections as much but she actually grew on me a lot throughout the novel. All of the characters were interesting, the author doesn’t give too much away about any of them which keeps the air of mystery surrounding the community ever-present.
One of the strongest parts of Not That I Could Tell was it’s focus on friendship. It makes the reader question how well we really know the people we ostensibly call friends. Often with neighbours there is a feeling of amiability but without really wanting to know about the intimate aspects of their lives, almost as if we make a conscious decision to not be able to tell if something is really wrong. The title of the book sums up that feeling perfectly, because when someone outside the community questions the women who supposedly know Kristin the best, all they can really say when asked if she was scared of something is ‘Not That I Could Tell’.
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It is not an action-filled story full of huge twists and turns, instead it is more of a quiet look at friendship and community. I mostly guessed where the story was headed but that doesn’t bother me if I enjoy the journey getting there which in this case I did. There was a little twist at the end which was a nice touch and gave some closure to the reader. If you are looking for an enjoyable, quick read about an interesting community of characters then Not That I Could Tell is a really good choice.

Powerful, gripping, sad and realistic with well- fleshed out characters and a pace that will keep you wanting more. 

I was hooked as soon as I read the synopsis for Not That I Can Tell. The covers for all editions are incredibly eye-catching, too, which always helps me in choosing what to listen to.

I was gripped by the mystery the title evokes. I thought Why would someone say 'not that I could tell?' Something must he going on, and there must be hidden secrets and more to discover. 

The book has so many layers and facets in its plot and characters and Jessica Strawser uses the characters' conversations and actions to make us really think and feel and always want to be on the next page. 

All the characters are very well created and represented throughout and I liked them all, but identified most with Izzy, and I felt that her point of view in chapters was what stood out most. I enjoyed how open, honest and raw she was.

Clare has an interesting, quirky dress sense which got my attention, and her little girl was ever so cute.

 I kept thinking what I would do if one if my friends disappeared. This scenario is a worst nightmare. Everything, from the beginning to the build-up to the disappearance and subsequent reactions was very honestly and realistically portrayed and I did not want to miss a word!

The way the story played out and has so many twists and turns had me questioning the loyalties of everyone who played a part in it. 

As with a disapperance in real life, the police investigations were of paramount importance and are woven into well-thought out slots within the book and impact where, and how, they are supposed to.

 In summary, Not That I Could Tell is abook that really makes you think while tugging at your heartstrings and at the same time making you question, yet want to delve deeper into, what is happening and the lives of those who live in the apparently tranquil town of Yellow Springs, Ohio. 

SUCH A BRILLIANT BOOK! If you are a fan of Desperate Housewives, or indeed any twisty novel as I am, you will LOVE this book.

The incident in a small town and the huge unsettling question that looms throughout throughout the book of just how well you can ever really know your neighbours makes this, Jessica's second novel, into a TRUE BLOCKBUSTER in my opinion. 
 I had shivers down my spine and a huge sense of dread, anticipation and a compelling need to continue the book until its end. And even then, I did not want it to. That's why there's only one star rating for this: 5 stars! 

Thanks to Jessica Strawser and St Martin's Press for my ARC in exchnge for an honest review. I'm pleased to be participating in the blog tour for this title.

the review:

Not That I Could Tell takes us to a close-knit neighbourhood in small-town America, in the town of Yellow Springs in Ohio, to the kind of street where everyone knows (or thinks they know) pretty much everybody else and the sum of each other's lives. It is a Saturday night in September, and several women decide to spend a well deserved night of relaxation away from their husbands and children. Armed with their child monitors, glass of wine in hand, they get together around the fire pit in the back garden of one of their houses, getting to know each other and, in particular, the new arrival to the street, a woman who has only recently bought a house there.

Sitting around the fire, the women enjoy their rare night of freedom, drinking a glass of wine and exchanging stories and confidences. At the end of the night they return home, and by next morning they realise they can hardly remember how they got there, or indeed most of the fireside evening, and what they cannot remember seems to be as mortifying as what they can. Tellingly, perhaps, neither can they  remember having drunk all that much. Such things however are, if not to be expected at least not unheard of, and life resumes as sleepily as usual for the street's inhabitants in general, and the five women in particular.  Nothing seems to have changed -- until, that is, one of the women and her children are discovered missing.

Overnight, the lives of the street's inhabitants are catapulted into a cycle of constant upheaval and uncertainty. As the neighbourhood reels from the shock, the police seem to trundle along a not very successful investigation, and the media seem to rejoice in the confusion they create. As the weeks progress without either a body being found, or the woman and her children located safe and sound, no one and nothing is left untouched; and one by one the women are forced to re-examine the ties that bind them to one another, how well they know themselves, and how much exactly they know about each other's lives.

the verdict:

I wish I could say I enjoyed this book more than I have. Although Strawser's style is quite fluid and proficient, and the novel is very well written, I feel the plot has let it down somewhat. In fact, after about 20 pages or so, I knew exactly what had happened to Kirsten and her children, and how the novel would be ending; the 'twists and turns' the author introduces along the way were unfortunately not enough to make me cast enough doubt on the outcome. And even though I felt that at times certain details were almost too contrived, I believe that on the balance they contributed positively to the development of the story-line.

The characters are well fleshed out and on the whole quite believable, even slightly dopey Lizzy who seems only too happy to be taken in by handsome doctor Paul, soon-to-be ex-husband of the missing woman -- and this despite the veritable cacophony of alarm bells she seems so intent on ignoring. Even giving her due discount for being on the rebound (from what was to all effects a non-relationship) and perhaps somewhat inexperienced, I spent half the novel wanting to shake some sense into her.  Seriously, Lizzy? Seriously?

In terms of genre, however, I am somewhat perplexed by how this novel is being marketed in the U.K., though I am i complete agreement with how it''s been genre-pegged in the U.S.. Here's why: I agree that it is too light and straightforward for literary fiction, and similarly too light and nowhere near suspenseful enough to be classed as a mystery/suspense read, while any elements that could have made it a thriller are simply not marked enough. But surely its subject matter, as well as the treatment thereof, make it undeniably fall under Women's Fiction...?

Apart from that, all well and good, I should say. I'm shelving it as Women's Lit, because it is where I believe it belongs. And it is as women's lit that I am rating it four, wholly deserved, lovely little hearts.

Therefore, and if women's fiction is your cup of tea, or if you're looking for something on the general cross-section between general fiction and a thriller, a light-enough though serious-enough kind of novel talking about mysterious happenings and women's lives and which can keep you company during your week's holiday, I daresay this is the book you're looking for -- so look no further: now that you've found it, go grab your own copy. Mine's already taken.

 
Genre pegging: General Fiction
Verdict: recommended
Rating: ♥♥♥♥
Shelves: Women's Fiction

I loved this authors last novel so I was very happy to get to read Not That I Could Tell - once again it was an excellent read, a beautifully written character drama featuring a group of friends and neighbours coming together in the aftermath of the disappearance of one of their number.

This is not so much psychological thriller as it is an exploration of friends and community - and how little you can know about the actual reality of someone else's life. As secrets come to light, the women both support and expose each other - was there  anything wrong in the hours before Kristen vanished? The answer to that is "Not that I could tell.."

Jessica Strawser twists and turns your perceptions of the characters as the story goes on - building a compelling and intricate set of relationships, not only between the women but within the street that they live. Ultimately the resolution is thought provoking and perfectly placed.

Yes, really enjoyed it. It was both gentle and authentic, a birds eye view of one incident in one place that resonates with us all and could, actually, happen anywhere.

Recommended.

4 stars for this modern-day cautionary tale.

I really enjoyed reading Not That I Could Tell, once I got past the first few chapters and started to sort out in my mind the cast of characters. Strawser explores how people may be very different from how they appear, sometimes in dangerous ways. 

The story is set  in Yellow Springs, Ohio, and centres around neighbours Clara, Izzy, Kristin, Rhoda, Randi, Natalie and their families. After the women spend an evening drinking wine together, Kristin and her pre-school twins disappear. No-one seems to know whether this was Kristin's decision or whether they were abducted - or worse. As the friends worry over what has happened, the reader realises alongside the characters that there can be considerable distance between appearance and reality, that perhaps these women don't know one another as well as they had thought. Through Clara in particular Strawser demonstrates how gossip and meddling can serve the vital function of keeping women safe. 

In some ways this novel is quite cosy in its depiction of suburban motherhood but the disappearance plot means the novel has an edginess that keeps the reader turning the pages. And I must credit Strawser for her fusion of these two elements - a middle-class environment; the possibility of danger - when she has one of her characters have this thought: "Briefly and ridiculously, she wondered how many people met their demise out of politeness" * Yes! - women in particular and middle-class women most especially are conditioned not to 'make a fuss' and this hesitation as they assess whether they may be in danger could cause them to pay with their lives. 

This is Jessica Strawser's second novel. Her understanding of women's lives and her approach to writing mean that I will be seeking out her debut, Almost Missed You.

I received this ebook free from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

* Please note that this quote is taken from the ARC, and it may therefore be subject to change in the published novel.

How well do you really know your neighbours when appearances can be deceiving? No one truly ever knows what goes on behind closed doors

Clara,Izzy,Natalie,Randi,Rhoda and Kirstin gather around a fire pit to enjoy a rare child free Saturday night.Glasses in hand,they drink too much and share secrets they wish,perhaps they hadn't.

The single newcomer,the imperfect mother,the new-born parents,the military wife,the almost divorcee.

Come Monday morning,one of them is gone.

During the ensuing police investigation,friendships are tested,and loyalties divided as the women ask themselves whether they should have noticed that their friend and neighbours life wasn't as perfect as it seemed.

The story is narrated in the duel perspectives of Clara who is married to Benny and has two small children Thomas and Maddie.And Izzy who is a newcomer to the neighbourhood,single and works at the local radio station.Clara`s chapters where my favourite parts of the story.Clara had a secret,something that happened in her past and isn't revealed until towards the end of the book.This secret added mystery and intrigue to the story and explained why Clara was so determined to find out what had happened to Kirstin and her young children and why she tried to warn Izzy about her fears for Izzy`s safety.I really liked Natalie`s young daughter Hallie,children have a uncanny knack of seeing things that adults don't and yet no one ever listens to what they are saying.I found Izzy`s self pitying attitude over certain aspects of her life irritating.My favourite parts of her story were the stunning descriptions of the trails where she went hiking and the couple of chapters where she found herself in a life threatening situation.Interspersed throughout the book where italicized chapters by a unknown person,it's not obvious who this person is until towards the end of the book.

This is a riveting story about how Kristin`s disappearance affects the lives and friendships of the other women during and after the investigation.Part domestic drama,part mystery thriller it isn't fast paced but it is a enjoyable,Intreguing read.The characters were vivid and realistic and there was a couple of unexpected twists towards the end of the story.This is the first book that I have read by this author and it most definitely won't be my last.

I tried but couldn't really get into this book. I didn't really connect with any of the characters and it's not the thriller I was hoping for.