I enjoyed reading Not That I Could Tell. It was a quick read that kept me entertained throughout the entire book. It was full of mystery and deceit. It will keep you guessing til the very end, with a surprise ending you'll be shocked to see. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a good thought provoking mystery!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was not one of my favorite suspense novels mainly because there was no suspense. The premise was promising and it had a good start. As the characters were introduced it was hard to keep track of who was related to whom and how long they lived in the community. I began to wonder if knowing these characters well was really essential to the story, turned out not really and it made the story drag on.

Neighbor ladies have gathered around a fire pit for wine and conversation one evening. By the start of the week, one of the ladies and her two children are missing and no one happens after that night of gathering and wine. This was a good mystery - perfect for curling up and reading on a cold winter day. The different ladies share their thoughts and we learn more about each of them and their backgrounds. While not overly suspenseful, the mystery was there and I really enjoyed the ending.

Good book. Easy to read. As others mention, it does remind me of Big Little Lies but the characters are more relatable. At first it was hard to keep the characters straight because the story is about all of the women in a neighborhood. As the story moved along and the mystery unfolded I learned the backgrounds of each woman and it became easier to remember them . I like the writing style and the story. Well done.

Great read! This was my first book by this author and now I can't wait for more releases in the future. This mystery was so well paced and written, and had me guessing a lot during the read. I love one that I can't figure out but I care enough to keep changing my guess--Highly recommended!

Really enjoyed this book & was surprised with the ending. I grew up & lived in Dayton; along with visiting Springfield & Yellow Springs many times.
I would recommend this book to family and friends.

4 stars- Not That I Could Tell was a really enjoyable read. All of the characters were likeable, except that ones that weren’t supposed to be, and though there were many characters I never felt as if the story was bogged down. The pace was fast enough to keep the interest going and I felt myself wanting to know what the final draw was going to be. The neighbors’ lives were so intertwined, yet they realized they did not even know the one who disappeared. At least not the way they thought.

The story is being told with an intermittent second voice, which you quickly know who it is, but the twist at the end was fantastic. I saw some things coming but not that. I know this is Strawser’s second book and I plan on getting my hands on her first book. Recommend this book!

I received an Advance Review Copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

How well do you know your neighbors? How well do you know your own spouse? Six neighbors, girlfriends, gather for a fun night of drinks and laughs around one neighbor's new fire pit. The next morning, one of the girlfriends is missing with her kids, 4-year old twins. When her estranged husband shows up looking for the kids, the police get involved and some deep secrets are discovered that just encourage more questions.

Not That I Could Tell kept me guessing the entire read. I think during the book, at one point I thought each of the neighbors was involved, but never fathomed that the ending would be what it was (which I loved and could not have been more perfect). Predictable this book was not. Kudos to the author for telling the story in such a way that I had no clue as to the mystery until the last 10 pages.

I am hoping I can encourage my book club to read this novel, because their are so many details and themes to discuss. I can see them all sitting by the fire with a glass of wine, reading it in one sitting and cursing me at the same time. It's worth it.

I was so excited to get my hot little hands on Jessica Strawser's second novel and I wasn't disappointed. One night goes terribly awry amongst neighbors and friends and when the women wake up in the AM, bleary-eyed, one of them, Kristin, has disappeared, taking her children with her, leaving an estranged husband in her wake. Each of the women wracks their brain to make sense of the disappearance as their neighborhood is turned upside down in the midst of the investigation. Strawser is a master of painting believable, well-defined characters. Clara is a likeable protagonist and Izzy made me want to shake her most of the time and Kirstin, while absent, was just as much of a character as the rest of them. The book is a page-turner and it kept me guessing all the way until the end. Bravo, bravo!

It's a mystery to her neighbors what exactly happened to Kristin and her young twins. The night before all the neighbor women were enjoying a rare night "out" around a backyard fire-pit and the next day Kristin and her kids had disappeared. Each woman will examine her own version of what transpired as they, along with the local PD, try to solve the mystery. 

The background of each neighbor is examined. This sometimes had me hoping the pace would step up a bit but the author held it steady as the plot unfolded. There were times, interactions at the local school - to name one, when I laughed. Relatable kernels of real life I guess. It really seemed like more of a character study for most of the novel until things revved up near the end. I'm ok with that and smiled as I turned the last page. I enjoyed Jessica Strawser's style of telling her story and look forward to her next novel.

4.5 stars

Writing a review of Not That I Could Tell without including any spoilers is tricky so I will keep it short and sweet. The book is fabulous. Strawser focuses on the relationships between a group of woman and the question of how well one human can know another. As the story unfolds, some aspects are clear from the beginning, but the question of what has happened to Kristen dominates the book. As another reviewer mentioned, I thought I knew where the story was headed and was quite pleasantly surprised to find that in fact it went in a totally different direction at the end. As I have said many times, I love that feeling of “whoa I did not see that coming!” Kudos to Jessica Strawser for writing another winner. I received this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

4.5*
Lately I’ve been reading a number of books involving neighbors. How they interact together - and the expectations they have of each other when living so close. This one ranks right up there among my favorite “neighborhood books”.

A backyard get-together of the neighborhood gals, where drinking and giggles are the order of the day. Baby monitors turned up high and husbands shooed off to do their own thing. Purely innocent. Just another fun, girl’s night out. Almost.

The following morning, one of the women is missing along with her young twin children. Maybe she left on her own, but how? And why? She never gave the slightest hint of any problem at the party last night.

As the police begin their investigation, secrets start to unfold. Is anyone on this block safe?

I absolutely enjoyed this domestic thriller. A fast passed, easy read. The characters are all vivid, making it easy to keep them apart as the story is told from several POV’s.

This was my first book by Jessica Strawser. Though I have her previous one Almost Missed You on my list waiting for me. I plan on bumping it up to the top. I highly recommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Jessica Strawser for an ARC to review in exchange for an honest review.

A group of soccer mom's in the neighborhood enjoy a late night out, sharing wine and secrets having a good time by the fire. Upon waking the next morning, one of them is missing. Each of the women deal with Kristen’s disappearance in their own way, and question if they ever knew their neighbor at all. Themes of domestic abuse indicate some of the story line, but there are fairly predicable twists and turns. It was an enjoyable little book, with a middle that didn't move the storyline forward.

I want to thank the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advance reader copy for an honest review. It's a good little book for bedtime reading. Three and 1/2 stars.

4.5 Stars. Not that I Could Tell is a well-written, thoughtful, quiet mystery/thriller. It takes place in a small Ohio neighborhood where one night a group of women get together for a night of wine and friendly conversation. The next day they learn that one woman from the group (Kristin) has disappeared along with her two children. Did she leave of her own accord or did her soon-to-be ex-husband play a more sinister role? Nothing said at the girls’ night provides anyone with a clue. The novel takes the reader through what transpires over the six weeks following Kristin’s sudden disappearance. The police become involved, Kristin’s ex moves back into the house, and one teen girl sets off a firestorm when she creates a neighborhood newsletter that reveals some damning information about the mystery.

Not That I Could Tell is told through the eyes of the women in the neighborhood, primarily Kristin’s good friend Clara, the host of the girls’ night, and Izzy, the one single woman who is new to the neighborhood. The characters were very well developed and sympathetic. The writing was clean and articulate. And the book was well paced. No spoilers here, but I found the ending very thought-provoking. I highly recommend this novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.

This small town neighborhood drama started off really strong, but it wasn't long before it was just too easy to tell where it was headed and how it would end up.
Kristin wasn't just gone, her twins were gone, her belongings were gone and her perfect soon to be ex husband was back. Everyone had their own suspicions but it was all just too simplistic for me.

I was so excited to be chosen to review this novel after reading the synopsis, that I can't even find the words to describe how disappointed I am with the overall story. Don't get me wrong, it started off strong, but it just couldn't hold the momentum.

To begin with this novel both bounces around from character point of view to character point of view (at times becoming confusing), but the author tends to be a little too descriptive at times - and not in a good way, but rather in a way that just makes the story seem to drag on without adding anything useful to it.

The characters were lackluster and for the most part forgettable - in fact the only character that really stands out is one that I rolled my eyes at every time their name was uttered. I get it, you fancied yourself in love with the guy and it didn't work out in a bad way. But to constantly read about her moping over it and being depressed over it just made me want to shake her and demand that she get a hold of herself.

When I requested this novel I was expecting a gripping novel that would keep me glued to the pages with twists and surprises I didn't see coming. What I got was a look at small town life when someone disappears and everyone realizes they didn't really know their neighbors despite having considered themselves friends. A true enough feeling, but not enough to make me really invested in this story. In fact, it was entirely way too predictable for my liking. Which was unfortunate given the potential.

I do still think this novel may appeal to those who like the "small town" vibe, with chapters that jump from character to character, and who don't care about the "thrill" level in their stories. This one was just not for me.

DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are 100% my own.

This is an interesting read constructed with rotating perspectives coupled with personal revelations relating the story of a wife and her twins that disappear one day. Each character has her own take on the husband and his possible guilt or innocence. None truly realize the struggles of the wife or the inner turmoil of the family.
There are interesting characters in the book, each with their own stories which definitely add to the plot.

Not That I Could Tell – Jessica Strawser

An innocent wine filled Saturday night around a campfire amongst six neighborhood women with baby monitors in hand, sharing laughter and life. But the next day, one of these women is missing, with the evidence pointing to a hasty departure – children, clothing, luggage and money all missing. Did she really leave of her own free will? Or did her estranged husband have something to do with her disappearance??

This novel takes you on an intriguing ride, as you see the investigation unfold through each of the women’s eyes.

Kristin has vanished, an event that comes to light on early Monday morning, after her estranged husband Paul, receives a call from school, reporting that the children are not there. Puzzled, he comes to the house they once shared, looking for her, only to discover that certain items are missing from the home, with evidence of a hasty departure present. Mystified, Paul calls the police.

Clara and Isabel, two of Kristin’s closest neighbors, are also stymied by her disappearance. After interviews with the investigating Detective, Claire realizes how little she truly knew about her friend, and doubts begin to fill her head about Kristin’s estranged husband Paul. These doubts are further fueled when detectives report that Kristin had researched domestic violence in the hours prior to her disappearance.

The story unfolds through the eyes of Clara and Isabel, as well as past musings of Kristin, as time passes and no evidence of Kristin’s whereabouts can be found. Clara’s doubts about Paul grow, while Isabel, whom recently lost the love of her life in a strange twist of fate, struggles with loneliness, and finds herself feeling sorry for, and drawn to, Kristin’s bereaved husband.

Is Paul a jilted husband, or something far more sinister?

I have never read anything from this author before, and I thoroughly enjoyed this novel! One finds herself rooting for Kristin in the hopes that she escaped safely, all the while wondering is Paul is as innocent as he seems. Izzy and Clara become close to your heart as you learn about their lives and their concerns for their missing friend. As the novel races towards a stunning and somewhat predictable conclusion, it ends with a sweet surprise that ties it all together

I LOVED this book!!

The story line of a missing abused wife is typical, plot arc is typical. But "typical" not a bad thing. I expect certain things from a book like this--easy plot, relatable characters, easy read for bedtime--and that's all here.
Beginning, though, is disjointed and confusing
Loved the ending.