SO I requested this book because it sounded really intriguing. Unfortunately, for me, it wasn't. ALthough well written, I found the endless descriptions and exposition too much. Not one of my favorites so far this year.

Thank you to OMC and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for review consideration.

The title and blurb for this book sounded right up my alley. A little girl gets lost in the curraghs, only to emerge from the woods saying she found a dead body. Nobody believes her, and all is forgotten, until her estranged brother and strange woman show up on her doorstep. Cora is searching for her long-lost sister, twenty years missing, and refuses to leave the small island town until she searches every inch of the curraghs.

This book is a slow burn full of subtle twists and social commentary. Rosalie, the MC, takes us through grief, depression, isolation, and loss on a journey of recovery. She's lost everyone close to her, taken by death and pointed absence, and for that reason, she's shut herself off from the world. Favoring the solitude of her home to just about anything else, Dallin's arrival sends her routine into upheaval, forcing her to relive painful memories and demand answers to questions. As she slowly finds her voice, and her feet, after so many years in the dark, Rosalie finds the courage to admit transgressions and becomes tangled in the mystery of the missing sister.

Bennett's prose is beautiful and descriptive, and the characters are realistic and likeable. This was a nice change for me, as most of the characters in this genre can be a little black or white. Rosalie, Dallin, and Cora have lied. They've misled and bent the truth to suit their pursuits. But they also grow from their mistakes, engaging in important conversations that help them in more ways than they realize. Even the side characters have distinct arcs, which I really appreciated. There was enough development to keep the suspect list varied and plenty of heartbreaking secrets along the path to truth.

I will say that the reveals feel more grounded than fatalistic, so fans of high-octane thrillers or psychologically-heavy plots might not enjoy the quiet fuse Little Girls Tell Tales embodies. However, anyone looking for complex family drama, well-thought out mystery, and insightful questions about how we form relationships, this is the book for you. A beautiful read with a satisfying conclusion.

A 10-year-old Rosalie finds a skeleton while lost in the curraghs, but no one believes her.
15 years later, Rosalie's estranged brother returns to his family home, now occupied by his sister, with a woman named Cora who believes that the skeleton that Rosalie found all those years ago might be her long-missing sister. Cora vows to search every square inch of the curraghs but after a series of incidents, it quickly becomes clear that someone is trying to scare her off.

It was a very good albeit slow to start read, and I really enjoyed it.
The story is told from Rosalie's perspective. I do like first-person accounts of events so that scored a point for me right at the start.
It was a gripping and intriguing book but unfortunately, it was one of those books I struggle to rate.
The story does pick up, and I was hooked but not enough to warrant 4 stars. I like my books fast-paced and unputdownable and this story, in my opinion, despite being good failed to meet the criteria.
On the other hand, I did feel like a 3-star rating is not enough and wouldn't do the book the justice it deserves, so I'm truly torn about it. Ugh, I'd like to keep it unrated and urge you instead to check it out by yourself, but because I'm obliged to provide a rating, with a heavy heart, I'll settle for 3 with the intention to reach for previous and future books from this author.

A fantastic crime novel. Great story and I could never have guessed the ending. Lots of twists and turns and very well written. Highly recommended xx

2004: Rosalie is walking through the wild wetland behind her mother’s home on the isolated Isle of Man when she stumbles across a body. Having strayed from the path and lost her brother, Dallin, it’s hours before she’s discovered, shaken and exhausted. With a reputation for telling stories, not many believe the little girl’s tale of the body in the marsh.
2019: Dallin, estranged from his family, returns unannounced with a woman named Cora by his side. Cora’s sister went missing fifteen years ago and she believes Rosalie was the one who found her. As dangerous secrets are unearthed, Cora and Rosalie start asking questions about a girl who some would rather keep buried...
The narration of this one is superb. Although some characters are good while others were so so but it's style is so good.
Its a fresh concept and to write such book is difficult. Kudos to the author.
Thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for giving me an advance copy.

Young Rosalie is walking home and wanders off the path when she finds a body . When she finally makes her way home, no one believes her tale. Fifteen years later, Rosalie’s brother, Dallin comes home with Cora. Cora believes the body Rosalie found all those years ago was her missing sister. Together the two women seek the answers to a long buried truth.

When Rosalie gets lost in the curraghs as a young girl she discovers a skeleton, after searching the police find nothing but fifteen years later someone turns up asking questions. Was the skeleton real or imagined?

Little Girls Tell Tales gripped me from the beginning.
It perfectly shows how small community living works when strangers show up asking questions. I would have liked some more information / red herrings about the other islanders since I worked out the antagonist quickly. I was also left with a lot of questions that weren’t answered.
A respectable 3/5.