There's Something I Have to Tell You

All the stars for this book. This is going to be a big hit. I read this book in hours it was so gripping. I hated one of the characters so much and there was one particular scene where I felt so much emotion reading it that I had to put the book down for a moment. I was really rooting for some of the characters especially Christina. This book is excellent but there is some triggers that some readers may find upsetting. If you like family dramas and murder mysteries check this out.

This was an excellent read, I was drawn in from the opening chapter and could not put this one down.

The book opens on Glenbeg Farm, its a normal morning, everything is as it should be and then comes the sound of the relentless distressed barking from the family dog., something is badly wrong. The bodies of a married couple in their sixties are found in a slurry tank, their family are the only ones who could possibly know what happened.

A tense family drama with well drawn and well developed characters. I loved how this story was weaved together and it was paced beautifully. Less of a whodunnit and more of a why did they do it. Secrets unearthed, relationships tested and the tension builds throughout. Great storytelling, the whole book flowed brilliantly. I think this one will be really popular, one I will recommend.

Spoilers

I'm not sure if we would class this as family drama, but there's definitely enough drama.
One of the characters is so toxic it was astounding.
What starts out as a simple accident, leads to all manner of secrets tumbling out, and I was there for every single one of them.
The tension on what actually happened built beautifully, and then it was done. I felt a bit deflated.
Very enjoyable read.

A tense and twisting family drama, There's Something I Have To Tell You unfolds through the eyes of the Kennedy family and the great many secrets they have kept from one another when a farm accident forces each to create new lies to cover old ones. Far more concerned with the why than the how, McDonagh expertly unpicks and reforms the tangled webs of a complicated family history in a page turning debut.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC.

This did start with a bang and kept me hooked throughout. I loved how many twists and turns and secrets were revealed and I loved how realistic a lot of the characters actions and struggles were. I dont usually get drawn into character led thrillers but I loved this and couldn't stop until I'd gotten to the bottom of it all. A really strong domestic noir

For fans of family dramas and long held secrets. This was a brilliant twisty, yet realistic view of an upper class family with tons of secrets. Read this book to uncover them all. You will not believe it xx

I really, really enjoyed this novel & it kept me constantly guessing!

A total breath of fresh air.

There's trouble at the Kennedy Farm - the dog is barking, and there's not a sight to be seen of matriarch and prominent businesswoman Ursula Kennedy or her farmer husband James.

When the alarm is raised, Ursula's daughter in law Kate and son Rob soon have their worst fears confirmed when two bodies are found in the slurry pit.

As family secrets are pulled to the surface, everyone has something they want to keep hidden - Christina, the youngest Kennedy daughter, is already struggling with her mental health. If she tells anyone what she knows, the consequences could be devastating.

Kate and Rob had been arguing with Ursula over a barn conversion, but neither of them would resort to a double murder. Would they?

I enjoyed this dramatic family thriller set on a farm in Ireland. Rows over land and property aren't uncommon, and I felt the plot was believable and the characters all had their own reasons for behaving the way they did (apart from one, who was just a pure weapon).

There was one element of the story I wasn't fond of, and wish it hadn't been included, but otherwise I liked how the story developed. I read it over a couple of train journeys and found it to be a great travel companion. I think that Graham Norton fans would enjoy it, it had a similar vibe to how he weaves a story, although the themes are a little darker.

Bonus points for the inclusion of the word "foosthered" which I hadn't heard in ages and have been very much enjoying adding back into my lexicon!

Thank you to @hachetteireland for the ARC via Netgalley. This is Michelle's debut novel and is available for pre-order now wherever you buy your books, it'll be released on April 13th.

Nothing like a small town murder to get tongues wagging and bring out the worst in folks!
The farmer and his wife are dead and the kids aren’t doing so hot either as they try to put together the pieces. Another reason to keep the doors locked and the windows up when driving through the countryside!

What a great debut novel from the author! Well written, an interesting plot, filled with suspense, family drama, great characters, secrets and twists. Boom! 5 * from me all the way. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

Thank you to #Netgalley for my copy of #There’sSomethingIHaveToTellYou by #MichelleMcDonagh

This is great book that I really enjoyed.
When Robs parents die, Rob and his wife Kate are under suspicion of having something to do with it.
But did they, Rob had just had a huge row with his mother Ursula but would he kill her and his father Jimmy.
You will keep changing your mind all the way through.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Hachette Books-Ireland and Michelle McDonagh for the opportunity to read an advance copy of THERE IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO TELL YOU, to be published 13 April 2023. This novel is about family secrets everywhere you look. The Kennedy family which includes, parents, son & daughter-in-law and their children, daughter, and a deceased son all live and work the farm together with the matriarch as the manager. This makes a sticky situation during which there are deaths followed by police investigations. #NetGalley. #HachetteBooks-Ireland. #MichelleMcDonagh. #ThereIsSomethingIHaveToTellYou.

What I loved about There's Something I Have to Tell You is that it combines the intrigue of a classic domestic thriller with a higher than average level of psychological insight and character development.

Too often, all that a domestic thriller offers is building suspense and a series of plot twists. This novel is well-written and feels more like easy-to-read literary fiction. But it also delivers on the domestic suspense front, and works well as a compelling murder mystery.

The town of Glenbeg is reeling from the shocking deaths of Jimmy and Ursula Kennedy, a well liked local farmer and his rather less popular entrepreneur wife. Ursula is not known for her gentle treatment of family members either, her eldest son Mark having committed suicide a few years before his parents' deaths, and her sensitive daughter Christina left irrevocably damaged by Ursula's lack of maternal warmth.

Clearly no contender for Mother of the Year, Ursula Kennedy also repeatedly broke her promises to her second son Robert and his wife Kate, whose marriage was on the verge of disintegration immediately prior to her and her husband's corpses being found in the slurry pit of the farm.

Despite an initial wave of sympathy, questions are quickly raised about the possible role played by the Kennedy family members in the death of the matriarch and her husband.

There are family secrets aplenty, and and those who fear the discovery of them, but is it really reasonable to think that Jimmy and Ursula's awful deaths could be laid at the door of any of their nearest and dearest?

The author does a good job of keeping readers engaged without resorting to sensationalism. This suspense in this story is more of a gradual unfolding, but it firmly holds the reader's attention, and things get a lot more complicated before they get simpler...

What a brilliant read! A family drama, murder mystery where it all unravels. A gripping page turner each chapter a different persons story with flashbacks to years before, good story and character development. Would recommend.

This is a very dark mix of psychological thriller and family drama. There's a dysfunctional family, a matriarch that you will love to hate, and a a family of tormented and flawed persons.
There's a lot of secrets, twists and the author did an excellent job in delivering a story that works on classic domestic thriller tropes but it's also very original at the same time.
Riveting and gripping.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

when two parents are found dead in a slurry tank long lost secrets come to the fore , a wonderful read keeping the reader engrossed right to the end .Simply amazing .

A great mix of thriller and family saga combined expertly. The characters were all really interesting and added to how I felt about the reveal. The timing is good and whilst I guessed some of the secrets others came as a complete surprise.

Excellent read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great family drama with some lovely characters and one not so nice. The writer led you one way in the story then it twisted another way. This would definitely make a great film.

The novel starts with a frantic dog’s barking and two horrific deaths on a rural farm.
As the police investigate, the Kennedy family secrets start to unravel.
It’s pacy and full of twists, but the characterisation is also really good.
Told through different family members in different chapters, we readers start to piece together the story, with a big reveal at the end.
This is part family saga, part thriller, part police procedural, but it’s always compelling.
Recommended: a well-written novel that keep you guessing.

Fabulous debut whodunnit novel.
Draws you in from the first line ‘It was the dog who raised the alarm first’ - to what?
Jimmy runs the family farm, while his wealthy wife, Ursula, has a business in town.
Panic sets in when their daughter, Christina visits the farm and can’t find either of them.
The door to the slurry pit is open and Jimmy has dementia, has he accidentally fallen in, and where is Ursula.
Was it just a tragic accident or is there something more sinister at play.
As you read further, you realise everything was not hunky dory on the Kennedy farm.
A fabulous page turner that keeps you guessing with multiple twists that reveal shocking secrets.
Well written and plotted with believable characters and showcasing how family dynamics can create toxic results.
Thanks @michellemcd @hachettebooks & @netgalley for the eARC