Wow! What a debut this is.

The book starts with the brutal murder of Denny. When his sister, Ky, returns from Melbourne for his funeral she finds her parents in denial, friends and family closing rank and claiming that they saw nothing, and an all white police force that have little to no interest in the affairs of the Vietnamese-Australian community in Cabramatta during a heroin epidemic. Unable to accept not knowing, Ky, a journalist, takes it into her own hands and pushes to find the truth.

Extremely powerful and touching, the book is a depiction of the difficulties faced by the immigrant Vietnamese community, and the racism and stereotyping they faced when forced to leave their home during the Vietnam war. The book cleverly depicts the different pressures experienced by the different generations, and how intergenerational trauma is carried forward, affecting behaviours for generations to come.

I had no idea of the heroin epidemic in the 1990s (based on true events) and the writing is uncomfortable and forces you to consider your own biases and beliefs. I couldn't put this down and finished it in less than 24 hours. It broke my heart and made me feel angry and sad. The writing was provocative and powerful, covering sensitive subjects with understanding and empathy.

A writer to watch and I will definitely be keeping my eye out for future releases.

All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien is a very compelling read. It did take me a little bit to get into it initially but then when I did, I had trouble putting it down.

The story was deeply disturbing due to the nature of her brothers death and you knew there wasn't going to be a happy ending, but somehow the author managed to capture some hope at the end.

Found this book so painfully sad. "Just let him go" Ky said to her parents about her brother Denny going out for a meal with his friends at Lucky 8, after his formal at school. She never knew he would be brutally murdered there
It's a book about refugees, racism, broken families, drug addiction, friendship, grief and so much more

"because what do the living do but carry the weight of the dead?"

Thanks to Tracey Lien, the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a book slightly different to my typical reads and was far more emotive and complexed. It was a difficult read which on the surface is a murder mystery, but has the added complexities of immigration and intergenerational relationships. An interesting read.

"All that's left unsaid" was a page turner and fuelled my curiosity from the first page. Ky (pronounced 'key') is the female protagonist, investigating the brutal and shocking murder of her younger brother Denny (a straight A student and University hopeful) on the day of his High School graduation. Denny got through school without even a bad grade against his name, so why would anyone want to kill him? With no suspects and no motive, Ky turns to the witnesses for answers and yet everyone stays quiet, only the sheepish excuse of "we didnt see anything" on everyone's lips. With the police ready to close the case, Ky has to take matters into her own hands to bring Denny's killers to justice but will she unearth more than she bargained for in the process?

A murder mystery set against a cultural political backdrop highlighting the trauma and experience of being a Vietnamese-Australian refugee in 90s Australia, this was a strong debut. I found myself getting invested in the story, often not even realising that the mystery itself was not the only aspect that captures attention but every individual character had their own unique experience to share with the reader and it was fascinating, and often tragic, real and raw. My only reason for knocking the star off is I felt the connection and link between the two themes in the book was off, I did not buy the correlation and when the conclusion was drawn, the execution felt like it missed the mark for me. It was still worth the read though and I would recommend it to readers who love thrillers! Thank you @NetGalley and @HQStories for the advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A bleak narrative of friendship and family in a community experiencing a heroin epidemic. Uncompromisingly bleak, but compelling and very interesting.

This book is so beautifully written and made me really quite emotional as I was reading it. It follows a woman as she comes home to grieve, and to find out what happened the night her younger brother was killed. I very quickly got engrossed in this book and could really feel the pain of the family throughout this novel, it was incredibly moving and I felt like I was reading about real people. This is one of those books that gets under your skin and it feels like it will stay with me for a long time to come. I highly recommend this one.

This is a beautifully written book which addresses themes of immigrant discrimination and difficulty in assimilating into a new host country through different generations. The writing is descriptive and evocative, conjuring up the setting and characters with depth and honesty.

*All That’s Left Unsaid* by Tracey Lien is an inter-generational family drama about the sudden and seemingly out-of-the-blue murder of a young man — a son, a brother, and a friend — and his older sister’s desperate mission to find the truth of what happened, even though everyone present in the busy restaurant that night claims not to have seen anything. The premise immediately reminded me of the excellent *Everything I Never Told You* and I felt vindicated when I saw that Celeste Ng blurbed this book. They share stories that are about a sudden and mysterious death of a teenager but are *really* about immigrant communities in xenophobic countries.

This book also looks at the intersections of a refugee group confronting a xenophobic post-colonial mainstream culture with drugs and abuse. The subject matter is heavy and the characters are all put through the wringer, so consider yourself warned. Drug addiction and its varying effects on people in its wake are a continuing thread through the story and Lien makes sure to add nuance to this difficult subject. It also sheds light on why many of the characters involved in the story and the mysterious death of the main character’s brother are reluctant to be forthcoming with any witness testimony. In the end, the reader does become enlightened about the mysterious and tragic death of Denny, but it is hard to say that this knowledge feels satisfying. It made the tragedy even sadder to me, but I think this is the point of the story. Tragedies happen and there is not always a satisfying reason for them. But the true tragedy in this story is the generational trauma, xenophobia, and drug addictions that made the mysterious death of Denny possible in the first place.

I have been slowly starting to read more books set in Australia, as it seems Australian authors are not well-represented in the bookshelves of British booksellers. *All That’s Left Unsaid* has joined *Moonlight and the Pearler’s Daughter*, *Feeling Sorry for Celia*, and *Three Wishes*, as one of my favorite stories set in Australia. *All That’s Left Unsaid* has a layer that much other coverage of Australia lacks: grappling with Australia’s colonial past and how it affects its current citizens and residents. I would like to expand my Australian literacy further in the future, and more Tracey Lien will certainly be on my list.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

This was an intriguing look into the experience of Vietnamese immigrants in Australia, and the racism and prejudice one family experiences after their son is killed and their daughter attempts to get to the bottom of what happened. It also touches on the complexities of family, friendship and relationships with the community as well as death, grief and injustice. Fans of Celeste Ng and Liane Moriarty should like this book.

All That's Left Unsaid is a phenomenally unpredictable thriller from start to finish. Filled to the brim with twists and a captivating plot, this one is sure to keep readers hooked. The characters are well-developed. The story is incredibly fast-paced. This is one not to be missed! Highly recommended! Be sure to check out All That's Left Unsaid today.

I found this quite a difficult book to read, it is well written and the characters are interesting , but it somehow seemed a bit dark and overwhelming. It is a murder mystery and does well in that category but it is also an insight into Vietnamese immigrants in Australia and that side felt more like a documentary. Quite a few characters were introduced to the narrative and then we just didn’t hear any more about them. The ending was good and followed a believable path but I didn’t really enjoy the read.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book, I genuinely didn’t want to put it down. Personally the writing style suited me and flowed easily, making the story a quick read.

I will be looking forward to the authors next release.

I enjoyed this book mainly because it covered places and themes that I knew nothing about. Is it in my top ten for 2022 - probably not. The writing was well done and I like the characterisation too. It just didn't grab me - it was quite gentle considering the themes it covered.

All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien

It is 1990’s Cabramatta, Sydney and Ky, a female journalist, returns home to find out the circumstances of her brother’s murder. The town with its large community of South East Asian background appears to put up a wall of silence, which frustrates her quest.

I read this book from the wrong angle. As an investigation into trying to find the killer, the detailed back stories of several characters slowed down the pace of the narrative. On reflection, the story is more about the different factors which led to the murderous situation - trying to fit into Australian society as an immigrant, family expectations, historical culture,drugs, gangs and current opportunities. Reading the novel in this way, gives an insight into the Vietnamese way of life and the challenges faced.

I particularly liked the details such as some families never taking the polythene of the couch to preserve its newness and referring to older female community members as “Auntie” as a mark of respect.

All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien. #AllThatsLeftUnsaid

I was attracted to this book for the whodunnit mystery elements but found it to be so much more than that. It has a realy interesting half true/half fiction backstory that I found equally mesmerising and heartbreaking and I'm coming away feeling like I've learnt a new perspective.

The characters are that perfect mix of flawed but loveable and although not the fast pace thrillers I'm usually into, this book feels perfect for what it is.

I really loved this debut novel from Tracey Lien. It paints a very human picture of life in Cabramatta for Vietnamese refugees, told through the eyes of a young woman from that community. I am a big fan of crime fiction and so the detective elements of Ky’s quest for the truth really appealed to me but I also loved the way in which the relationships between family members and friends were portrayed. I shall certain read more by this author.

All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracy Lien is an impressive debut that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. A powerful and moving story centered around the aftermath of the brutal murder of Denny Tran, it is a thought provoking and often harrowing read that really does get under your skin.

Set in 1996, the story takes place in Cabramatta, Sydney, Australia as Denny Tran celebrates his high school graduation with friends. Later that night Denny is brutally murdered inside a busy restaurant located in Cabramatta, a refugee enclave facing violence and an indifferent police force. Returning home for the funeral, Denny’s older sister Ky is haunted by the words she said to her parents when they called to ask her if they should let him go out to celebrate with his friends: ‘Just let him go.”

Determined to uncover the truth of what happened to her brother, Ky sets out to track down and talk to witnesses herself, but is met by silence and a refusal to admit to seeing anything happen at all. Ky’s torment at her own part in what happened to Denny is palpable as she struggles to understand her Vietnamese parents approach to grief, the cultural divide between them widening as she finds herself feeling more and more alone.

With flashbacks of Denny’s life meaningfully scattered throughout the narrative, Tracy Lien ensures he is still very much a part of the story, making the senselessness of his death even more painful as the horror and devastation of a life cut short is brought sharply into focus as the loss of the optimistic, likable Denny begins to become a stark reality.

A richly detailed and complex debut that once started I found hard to put down, All That’s Left Unsaid is a moving and unforgettable read that explores themes of grief, cultural divides and a family in turmoil. Tracy Lien has written a powerful and thought provoking story that I know will stay with me for a long time to come.

With a compelling cast of characters, All That’s Left Unsaid is a beautifully written literary crime debut that I would highly recommend.

I loved this book. It gave huge insights into how it felt to grow up as a Vietnamese refugee/migrant in Cabramatta in the 90's. It was a highly emotional read about female friendships, family relationships and the difficulties of maintaining ethnic values while trying to fit in. It also highlighted the inadequacies of public services in aiding assimilation. It is the story of Ty who managed to get away from Cambramatta to pursue her career, and her return to find out who was responsible for murdering her younger brother. Despite being killed in a restaurant why did nobody choose to see it and bear witness? A great read

What an amazing read! The book begins with us meeting Ky (pronounced Kee) who is at her brothers funeral.
The family are Vietnamese who have been living in Australia a long time. Ky is living in Melbourne when her brother Denny is killed in a restaurant and with no autopsy she has no idea what happened and why. For closure she sets out to return home to Cabramatta to try and discover exactly what happened that night.

Through out the book we meet different characters with different backgrounds Lulu has lived in that same town as Ky for the last 10 years, Minnie who is Kys childhood friend, Sharon a teacher at their school and Flora a wedding singer. The book was very powerful and also interesting read about all the different cultures and ways of each. Also how Ky feels that a lot of Asian families have to put on a front and how all their families previous sacrifices have been worth it. She is also sick of always being told what Asian women can and can't be.

I would say this is a character building novel rather than having lots of action but I absolutely loved this and the way the book still had lots of content as parts flashed back to the past. I managed to finish this is a couple of days , I will be recommending this book to others and looking out for others by this author.