Feb 12, 2018 · edit
really liked it

I was pulled in immediately with the characters. There's more than meets the eye living in suburbia. How well do you really know your neighbors, how will do you know your friends? Plot twist until the final pages. Definitely worth reading.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for my review. If you are a fan of Big Little Lies-the tv series or the novel, you will really enjoy this story. Saturday night was Ladies' Night, well ladies' night if you are married and have young children asleep in bed and can only go to the neighbor's house for a glass or three of wine and a bonfire. As the best bonfires go, the conversation went beyond superficial to the deeply personal, but who knew that by Monday, one of the ladies and her children would simply disappear. As the story progresses, each one of the women at the fire is reflecting about their lives and secrets-wondering how well they know each other and themselves. This is a highly addicting story and I highly recommend it.

OK. So. It is rare that a book can surprise me. I’ve read so much that I can kinda tell where a book is going to go. That’s not to say anything negative of a book. I still thoroughly enjoy reading them all. I thought I had this book pegged.

Oh, was I wrong.

What happened to Kristin? The day after a girl’s night on the patio, Kristin and her twins go missing. How? Why? Where? Did anyone know? Suspect anything? Is her husband, the doctor, to blame? The neighbors thought they knew each other, thought they were friends. But how much do you really know a person?

Not That I Could Tell surprised me. This is definitely a good one.

I received an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

Local neighborhood women gathering for some backyard wine and gossip, what could be more fun? Oh, having one of those women go missing the next morning?!? Yes, please! Desperate Housewives intermixed with wonderful writing makes for a delightful combination. I read Strawser's debut, Almost Missed You, last year and thought there was a lot of growth from that to this. I'm a big fan of domestic drama and this certainly fits that bill. One final thought, is Paul the new go-to name for creepy husbands this year?!?

The day after a group of neighborhood women get together, one of them vanishes with her twins. Newly separated from her husband and seeking a divorce, did she leave of her own volition or was it something more sinister?
As we learn more about the remaining friends, especially the two main characters, Clara and Izzy, and their own secrets, the truth is slowing revealed.

This is a compelling read with strong character development. Trying not to be a spoiler, I have to say the ending did make me reassess my feelings about Clara and her allegiance to Izzy. I think this aspect would make a good discussion for a book club.

This book addresses a topic that is not easy to write about and, unusually, addresses from the perspective of those fundamentally peripherally involved. Domestic abuse is a complex issue and often incomprehensible to those who haven't lived through it.. Ms. Stawser brings it into the open with characters you feel, in a way that shines some light of the insidiously damaging reality attendant upon it. Well done.

Goodness knows if I was questioned by the police after a night of drinking wine with my neighbors my memory would be pretty fuzzy. But that's exactly what happens to the women of Yellow Springs when one of their neighbor's Kristin and her twins disappear from the neighborhood with Kristin's mother's china in tow. Did Kristin leave of her own volition, or was something more sinister responsible for the disappearance. As the neighbors become more involved in the investigation, we learn more about their lives and when Kristen's estranged husband Dr. Paul moves back into her house the women's relationships fracture as their opinions differ regarding Dr. Paul's involvement in Kristin's disappearance.

Strawser weaves clues to what happened in Kristin's life in with the stories of how the disappearance affects each of her neighbors and her ex-husband. There's a twist at he end, while not SHOCKING, that I didn't see coming. Enjoyable read.

Thanks to St. Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

Not That I Could Tell gives a nod to the 2017 best seller Little Fires Everywhere. Both are set in leafy, upscale Ohio neighborhoods (Little Fires is set in the Cleveland suburb of Shaker Heights while the locale for Not That I Could Tell is Yellow Springs near Dayton) and revolve around the secret lives of its' residents. Not That I Could Tell is Jessica Strawser's second novel-her first, Almost Missed You, was a critical and commercial success, and Not That I Could Tell should receive the same attention. Not That I Could Tell tiptoes around the issue of domestic violence and the effect it has not only the people involved, but friends (and even casual acquaintances) as well. The cleverness of the book's title (the biggest question of Not That I Could Tell is if the author wants us to interpret it as "I can not tell" or "I will not tell") and the allusive references to a previous domestic violence incident give the plot momentum and push it to a surprising and (somewhat) satisfying end. The characters are a bit "cookie cutter"-at the center of the story are a doctor and his seemingly perfect wife-with neighbors that include a lesbian couple and their new baby, a harried husband and wife with two preschoolers, and the single girl who always feels like she's on the outside looking in-but Ms. Strawser weaves them into the story so seamlessly you don't mind the cliches. Not That I Could Tell revels in its' subtleness-the mystery is not in learning who the "bad guy" is but finding out if he gets away with his crime-and that puts the "thrill" in this thriller.

This is definitely one of my favorite books so far of 2018. It's a thriller, yet a soft one that sucks you into the neighborhood of friends where the story takes place. You know these neighbors and friends almost immediately, but it builds from there, as if they really are your friend because it's very believable the entire way through.

When one friend and her two children are nowhere to be found after a fun night around the fire on the outdoor patio, everyone is stunned. Plot twists, interesting characters join in to the already eclectic bunch. I never saw it coming. A wonderful novel by Jessica Strawser. 5 big stars

I just reviewed Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser. #NetGalley

Solid mystery, reminiscent of Liane Moriarty, but more low key in intensity.

I think this story is about relationships more than anything else. The mystery propels the story forward, but what is front and center throughout is the relationships between the women in this small neighborhood who call themselves friends, but soon realize that they don't really know that much about each other after all.

After a fun, liquor infused evening around a campfire, it's discovered that one of these women has disappeared. The house is empty of all personal items and the kids favorite toys are gone. There are no apparent signs of foul play, but things just aren't adding up. As these women struggle to make sense of things and move forward with their lives, outside influences invade their small cocoon and cause all kinds of problems that test their relationships even further.

Told through multiple POV's, the story unfolds like an onion, revealing a new layer each chapter. When the final 'twist' is revealed, I actually smiled, as I couldn't have thought of a better way to end this.

This doesn't happen to me often, but I can honestly say that I enjoyed getting to know these women! I really wish they lived nearby, because my butt would be sitting at their next campfire, wineglass in hand!!

ARC provided by NetGalley

NOT THAT I COULD TELL is an extremely clever story of the strength of women, their friendships and their ability to handle crisis situations.

The catalyst is the disappearance of Kristin and her twins, with confusion and allegations swirling around the marriage that seemed perfect. Her friends are closely questioned, but nobody has a clue and her husband, the perfect doctor, seems troubled and perhaps sinister.

Strawser also details the struggles of her neighbors and friends and does an excellent job of portraying those women and the bond of sisterhood. The novel is written with incredible subtlety and perfect closure, which even this reader found shocking.

The book deals with a subject that is extremely timely, DOMESTIC ABUSE, and details how it is often the genesis of murder and fear which stalk so many women. This is a book that will serve both reading groups and college seminars well, with ample meat for rich discussions.

I really enjoyed the way Strawser portrayed the women and led us to see their strength. Thanks to NETGALLEY for allowing me to read this novel.

This book hooked me right from the get-go. It reminded me of Catherine McKenzie's Fractured, which I also thoroughly enjoyed. and would be perfect for Liane Moriarty fans, The town of Yellow Springs is like anywhere-town USA and the group of friends/neighbors involved in the drama could have been anyone's neighbors.That's what makes the story so plausible. I think I had figured out who-dun-it, but I still wanted to find out what happened in the end. Another hallmark of a well written book. I think this will be a popular read and will be a great book club pick. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Women enjoying a care-free night, a night that turned into telling too many personal things, and then a morning that turned out badly.

The women of Yellow Springs and their specific neighborhood were all busy with work and children and enjoyed spending time with each other, but did they really know each other?

They all questioned themselves the morning that Kristin was found missing along with her twins, her mother's china, and a million dollars.

Her estranged husband moved right into the house and kept a vigil as he waited along with the neighborhood. Did he have anything to hide, was he the reason for Kristin's leaving, or did she leave for her own reasons?

The police questioned everyone in the neighborhood and school. Meanwhile two of the neighbors had some problems of their own. Clara had something in her past that still haunted her, and Izzy had her sister's husband as her problem.

We follow along as the police and the community try to figure out what would have made Kristin leave, where she is, and is she safe?

Each chapter was headed with statements that left obscure clues but clues that kept you guessing who the unidentified character was and what they had to do with the situation.

NOT THAT I COULD TELL moved smoothly along with enough hints at what may have happened, that you felt for the characters and wanted to be there to join in the investigation and in their lives.

NOT THAT I COULD TELL was an intriguing, tension-filled mystery that increased in intensity as the secrets and surprises were revealed along with other underlying themes.

If you enjoy guessing and wondering, you will enjoy Jessica Strawser's newest book. 4/5

This advanced reader copy was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I liked the concept, but much of the plot, although in service of the final twist, and the ending itself, did not compel me.

I really enjoyed Not That I Could Tell. The story was well written and the characters really held my attention.

This story revolves around a small group of neighbor women who are faced with the unimaginable after a night of friendship and maybe a few too many glasses of wine. The disappearance of their friend and her two young children leads everyone to more closely examine their friendships and their neighbors. How well did they actually know their friend? What could they have done to help her? Jessica Strawser introduces several strong characters that really draw you in... and the twists at the end will leave you reconsidering the parts you thought you had all figured out. This is a fast paced thriller I would highly recommend adding to your reading list. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

"Not That I Could Tell" was a fascinating look into neighborhood gossip after a woman and her twin toddlers disappear. The story begins right after the disappearance and alternates third person limited perspectives between Izzy and Clara who are neighbors of Kristin (the woman who disappeared). Scattered throughout are first person perspectives of Kristin which add to the mystery. Kristin was going through a divorce with the handsome OBGYN, Paul, who appeared to be a very charming man. The women of the neighborhood, Izzy, Clara, Kristin, and the lesbian couple around the corner (who were characters I would have loved to hear more from) had met up for a night somewhat away from their children to drink wine and chat. The next day, Kristin was missing, and no one had expected this.

Add to this sudden disappearance, the evidence that keeps appearing- and how little the women actually knew Kristin, and the mystery grows. What happened to Kristin? Did Paul have anything to do with it? The mystery makes this book an intense page-turner. The two characters that we explore are quite different and fascinating in their own right. Izzy is a radio show producer who works on a morning show that is fluffy and ridiculous- the segments people love most are the ones she hates the most (the second date update). She moved to the small town of Yellow Springs to get away from her sister and her sister's new husband- the man that she loves. Izzy is slowly dealing with her own problems and feels for Paul, who was left behind, much as she was.

Clara is the consummate stay-at-home mother, who cares for her two little ones and is always there for the other women of the neighborhood. She has a great husband who complements her personality in many ways. Clara witnessed a horrible event in the past that has colored her view of the current events. Although Kristin was closest to Clara (their children frequently played together and they were next-door neighbors after all), Clara is learning that she really knew very little about her. Clara is our biggest source of information about the ongoing investigation. She is certainly easy to like and empathize with, and I really enjoyed reading her perspective.

Overall, this was a fascinating page-turner that engages you with neighborhood gossip along with a heavy mystery. I absolutely loved reading this book until the satisfying conclusion- it really gave you a lot to think about- not only about the mystery but also about what our obligations are to our neighbors and what really makes a good neighbor. The main characters were perfect selections, and I really became entrenched in their stories. The way it is written, you almost feel like you could live in that neighborhood and be experiencing all this gossip- it's really well done. I highly recommend to anyone who likes missing person stories and mysteries!

Please note that I received an ARC from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have been in a bit of a reading slump. You know the kind- suddenly picking up that book you have been meaning to get to feels like a chore.

Jessica Strawser seems to have helped yank me from my slump.
Before we get into that- if you haven't read Almost Missed You by Jessica Strawser. Go. Do it now. It was fantastic. She is so great at building suspense and sucking you into the world of her characters.

If you HAVE read Almost Missed You (I'm just going to assume you enjoyed it because it was great) Not That I Could Tell was better.

I was hooked from the very very beginning. The neighborhood women all had a relaxing evening getting drunk and spilling private secrets that they normally don't talk about. The next day, one of their ex's discover their wife and children are missing.

I was instantly caught up in the gossipy, small town feel of this book. I loved the experience of reading it.

This is the first book that I read by the author and I really enjoyed it. It wasn't your typical psychological thriller and the story isn't just focused on Kristin's disappearance.. The author also explores the other women who are friends with Kristin, Izzy and Clara as they try to come to terms with the fact that their friend is gone. We get a look into the lives of both characters, where everything isn't as it seems. One of the themes I found while reading this book is that no one and no family is perfect, despite what people may see looking in from the outside. I really enjoyed the characters in this story and found them to actually be quite relatable, which helps hold my interest in a book and it's plot. When I don't connect or become invested in the characters, I typically start to loose interest in the story. I do want to say that this might be a bit more on the contemporary fiction side with some mystery and suspense as well. And I of course enjoyed the ending to this story and everything finally makes sense. The story being told from multiple POV also kept it interesting throughout. I look forward to reading the author's other book in the future.

Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press, for sending me an ARC of this book.

This is the first book I have read by this author and I have thoroughly enjoyed it. Female relationships, secrets, alcohol, never a good mix... I loved the characters and enjoyed the surprise ending. It was not what I expected.