Title: Who Did You Tell?
Author: Lesley Kara
Published: January 7th 2020
Publisher: Penguin Books Australia
Pages: 304
Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Crime, Thriller
RRP: $32.99
Rating: 4 stars
You thought your darkest secret was safe.
You were wrong.
The addictive new stand alone psychological thriller from the bestselling author of The Rumour
Every town has its secrets. Lesley Kara knows them all . . .
From the author of 2019’s biggest crime thriller debut, The Rumour, comes an addictive new novel . . .
It’s been 192 days, seven hours and fifteen minutes since her last drink. Now Astrid is trying to turn her life around.
Having reluctantly moved back in with her mother, in a quiet seaside town away from the temptations and painful memories of her life before, Astrid is focusing on her recovery. She’s going to meetings. Confessing her misdeeds. Making amends to those she’s wronged.
But someone knows exactly what Astrid is running from. And they won’t stop until she learns that some mistakes can’t be corrected.
Some mistakes, you have to pay for . . .
Review:
The bestselling author of The Rumour returns with her new addictive psychological thriller, Who Did You Tell? A story of secrets, lies, admissions, mistakes, blame, addiction, trust and guilt, author Lesley Kara keeps her cards close to her chest in this suspenseful mystery novel.
Astrid has a secret and it is one that she believes no one knows about. She has grappled with this secret for many days and months. It has consumed her, leading Astrid down a path of self-loathing and alcohol abuse. Astrid has recently returned home, which brings further problems as she deals with the strained relationship with her mother. Astrid’s recovery involves meetings and sessions dedicated to helping her overcome the extreme guilt she feels from her past actions. It is about reconciling with the past to move on to a healthier future and it will see Astrid reach out to repair the wrongs from the past. However, as Astrid slowly begins to make inroads in her recovery process, someone is determined to make Astrid pay for her wrongful deeds. They haunt and taunt her, reminding Astrid that she can never be forgiven for her mistake.
With praise coming from top shelf authors Lee Child and Paula Hawkins, it seems that Lesley Kara is being touted as an author to watch. Her debut novel and Who Did You Tell? have both gained plenty of interest from readers. Lesley Kara’s second novel is another explosive page turner, tapping into the psychological elements of a secret that the lead character of this tale is desperately trying to put behind her, along with the mistakes she has made in its aftermath.
Who Did You Tell? is a novel told from the perspective of Astrid, the head of this tale. Astrid is a complicated woman, who comes with plenty of baggage, problems, flaws and issues to her name. Unveiling the story from Astrid’s perspective sees the reader gain a direct insight into this emotionally fraught character’s life. We see her spectacular downfall, her anxieties, struggles and moments of pure despair. She is desperately trying to gain the upper hand over her life, which seems to spiraling out of control. However, she is taking the right steps to heal. Astrid’s recovery in her seaside home, her meeting commitments and the promise of a new connection in her life sees things light up for a woman who has been engulfed in darkness.
There is plenty of fear and apprehension that goes hand in hand with Astrid’s life. Kara works to build a strong air of tension, dread and anxiety. We know that someone with a dogged sense of determination has it in for Astrid, or is it the mind playing tricks on this unreliable narrator? The slant of alcoholism adds another complex layer to this tale. We never know if we can completely trust Astrid’s judgment, or perception. It is causing a significant amount of strain on this troubled young woman, but also her loved ones. Lesley Kara takes a raw approach to the impact of alcoholism and self-perception. It makes for a moving read.
Kara’s characterisation is solid. Astrid is clearly presented, along with the secondary cast. The additional protagonists add an edge of suspense, mystery and the unknown. There are plenty of doubts surrounding the characters, which Kara ramps up with the use of plot twists, mid-section diversions, complications and shady behaviour. Kara’s plotting is canny, she keeps the reader in tune the whole way through this novel. The short and succinct chapter format definitely encouraged me to stick with this one for as long as I possibly could. I managed to knock it off in less than 24 hours. Who Did You Tell? is a book I would classify as sitting very easily in the psychological thriller genre, but it also pulls on suspense elements to unveil the central mystery.
Punishment, secrets, lies, redemption, broken lives and the pressure to keep yourself above board all gyrate around Who Did You Tell?, a perplexing contemporary thriller. Lesley Kara’s follow up novel to The Rumour will be sure to draw in readers who look for deceptive plots and complicated central characters.
Who Did You Tell? by Lesley Kara was published on January 7th 2020 by Penguin Books Australia. Details on how to purchase the book can be found here.
To learn more about the author of Who Did You Tell?, Lesley Kara, visit here.
*I wish to thank Penguin Books Australia for providing me with a free copy of this book for review purposes.
