Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser.
A Indian Summer evening, neighborhood women enjoy each other's company around a firepit. They get "feeling good", so good that their memories are a bit foggy the next day. And, one of the women has disappeared and no one can remember what really happened.
The plot is solid and the characters are developed in this story of secrets and lies, what goes on behind closed doors in the suburbs, and what appears to be - isn't.
Well written and will keep you guessing. Recommend.

4.5 Stars* (rounded up).

When a group of women get together, trouble always follows. Am I right or am I right? Not where I’m from, but whatever. Blame the alcohol.

“Not That I Could Tell” is a STELLAR follow up to Jessica Strawser’s debut, “Almost Missed You.” In this novel, after a group of gals spend the night drinking around a bonfire, one goes missing along with her two children - Kristin is nowhere to be found. And unfortunately, all of her friends had way too much to drink to remember anything they talked about. Anything that would help figure out what might have happened to her, at least. They don’t know if she ran off, or if her soon to be ex-husband Paul had something to do with it.

Each of Kristin’s neighbors cope with her disappearance differently, including Kristin’s best friend Clara, and the newest resident of Yellow Springs, Izzy. There are a couple of side stories involving both characters. How they interact with friends, the police and school administrators – simply fascinating. In my opinion however, the one involving Izzy stole the whole shebang! I won’t ruin it, but I will say that I think we’ve all been in her shoes and my heart ached for her.

All of the characters in this novel GRAB your attention. My favorite? Why Izzy, of course! The character development is spot on. And the ending? Not what I was expecting at all!

This is an easy, quick read. You can’t help but dig in and you don’t want to stop until you reach the very last page. This book FAR surpasses Ms. Strawser’s debut, “Almost Missed You”, which was good - “Not that I Could Tell” however is simply fantastic. A must-read.

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

Published on NetGalley and Goodreads on 9.17.17.

*Will be Published on Amazon on 3.27.17.

Thrilling second novel from this author. No sophomore slump here! Fast paced mystery. Couldn't wait to find out what happened next!

*4.5 stars*

Picking up an author’s second book—especially one following a debut as stunning as Almost Missed You—sparks a certain level of excitement on my part that often coincides with a tiny bit of apprehension. For me, it’s almost a test of sorts. Will that sophomore offering land an author on my must-read list going forward or prove them to be a one-hit wonder, instead? Well, for everyone that loved Almost Missed You as much as this reader, have no fear—Not That I Could Tell proves to be just as compelling and gripping as Jessica Strawser's fate-filled debut. Maybe even a touch more so.

What stood out to me was the way the story was told or rather what wasn’t. We know from the beginning, there was a last minute girl’s night of sorts with a group of neighbors—think wine, the glow of a fire pit and the freedom to relax and let loose without the kids. What we aren’t made privy to is exactly what happened that night. It was the very last time anyone laid eyes on Kristin. Finding that she's simply vanished, along with her young twins, everyone naturally questions if it was her choice or if someone made it for her. Someone like her soon-to-be ex-husband.

What this story is not is a police procedural or psychological thriller focused on unraveling every moment that leads up to Kristin’s disappearance. Instead, this work of women’s fiction—that falls on the darker end of the spectrum—is more about two different women, Izzy and Clara, and how they cope with the reality that their friend is gone. The magic of the story comes from the change it provokes in them and their perspective on life, in some shape or form. For me, that's where Jessica Strawser’s power lies—in creating deep and lasting impressions with her characters. Their wholly relatable and real on some level; making the reader/character connection effortless on my part. Honestly, as a reader, is there anything better?

Izzy was the first character to grab my attention and she pretty much refused to let go throughout the entire story. Her situation made my heart ache—like being held in a vice grip that’s continuously tightening, just begging for relief. Stronger than even she realized, Izzy’s perspective left me with this message—don’t assume anyone understands your true feelings; speak up before it’s too late and you're left saddled with the regret of what might have been.

This story is yet another reminder that no one is perfect—we all come with flaws and life isn't always sunshine and rainbows—regardless of the face we put out to the world. So don't make assumptions—about people or this storyline. What starts to feel like a story headed to a predictable end is anything but. Speechless. Surprised. Awed. That’s all I’m going to say. Well, other than, Jessica Strawser has definitely earned her spot on my must-read list.

When neighbors gather for a ladies wine night everyone is happy to "get out", but still in spitting distance to their homes. Talking, drinking, laughing and commiserating about life in general is the what happily transpired. Fun was had by all...or so it appeared. Two days later the ladies are stunned to learn that their friend, along with her two children, have simply vanished!! All of women try to recall the foggy details of the (now missing) neighbor from their wine night. As details of their friendship and interactions with her emerge, conspiracy theories start to develop and that's just the tip of the iceberg!! Ohhhhhh my!!!

What a twisty turny masterpiece Jessica Strawser has written!!! I was really in the mood for an addictive read that I wouldn't be able to put down and Not That I Could Tell came through--big time!! I am in awe of how utterly shocked I was by the ending-- I honestly had no clue what was coming. Having read Jessica Strawsers debut novel, Almost Missed You, I knew she was an extremely talented author, but she really outdid herself with this book!! If you were a fan of Big Little Lies, than Not That I Could Tell will be right up your alley!! This is a full 5 star read that needs to go on top of you TBR list!

I was so excited to see that Jessica Strawser had a new book coming out – I read and really enjoyed “Almost Missed You.” This one does not disappoint, either. From the opening paragraph it become evident that everything is not what it seems, and the story and the characters drew me in right away and kept me guessing until the end of the book.

Kristin’s neighbors have a gathering in her friend Clara’s backyard one Saturday night, drink a little too much wine, the night becomes fuzzy, and have a hard time waking up the next AM after overindulging. The soon learn that Kristin and her children went missing after the party broke up…

The neighborhood is friendly, and the women in the neighborhood are the kinds of neighbors I wish I had. They are likeable, and not overly concerned with gossip, but are very concerned about the absence of Kristin and her twins. Both Izzy and Clara are concerned about their friend, but also dealing with their own issues from their past that color their view on the situation they find themselves in – being worried about their friend, being questioned by police, but trying to continue their own lives in the meantime.

This is a suspenseful book that brings a mystery to life in suburban America…where everything may not be exactly what it seems. A great read!

This book was just what I was looking for. Suspenseful, and something I couldn't put down. It had a bit of homeyness to it. Like I wanted to be friends with the people in the neighborhood.

I received an advanced review copy of this book from The Great Thoughts Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own. This book has it all. It's dramatic, emotional and has a strong plot that will keep you reading until the end. Definitely pre order or put this is on your TBR list because it's a book not to be missed.

This thriller follows a group of neighbor girlfriends who spent Saturday night around the firepit, enjoying wine and secrets. On Monday, one of them is missing. Kristin seems to have the perfect family and perfect life but as her secrets come out as her disappearance is investigated; her neighbor girlfriends realize they don’t know her as well as they thought. All eyes go to the husband of course but others aren’t so sure that he is the reason behind her disappearance.

This book was interesting, I felt like the flow was really good, the twist at the end got me! I loved the cover, it pulled me in right away. The story was engaging and kept me interested.

The cover of Not That I Could Tell might've been what intrigued you to start it, but it won't be the reason you finish it! Almost instantaneously, Jessica Strawser draws you in to the type of neighborhood you may have or a neighborhood you want -- one that's filled with people of varying life experiences and stories and without whom the street just wouldn't be the same. The camaraderie between Kristin and the rest of the ladies makes her disappearance all the more confusing and traumatic. Is Kristin's soon-to-be-ex Paul a threat? Was her sudden disappearance financially motivated? Strawser does an admirable job of intertwining these women's lives, giving them all a past and a purpose that lend themselves to the investigation in ways that make the events of this story realistic. Bravo, Jessica Strawser! Readers who loved Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door, anything of David Bell's, or J.P. Delaney's The Girl Before should look for this one now!

The story of a woman who takes her kids and runs from the perfect marriage. Was it the money? Was it another man? No one knows what goes on bwhind closed doors. Great plot that keeps you guessing! I loved that it kept me guess all the way to the end. I usually figure books out half way through. The suspense of Paul, where Kristen was, and the views from each neighbor really kept me reading! I also loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter. I found myself wondering what the next one would say. I would definitely buy this book based on the description and I would recommend it to friends!

I am shocked how it ended, actually I did not even see it. I thought I had it figured out but boy was I wrong. I am usually not surprised but the author did an excellent job adding one more twist to complete this book. The girls have a night out drinking and telling stories, then the next morning one of them disappears. What happens when truth and fiction blend together? The author did a great job describing all the women's live and having the reader follow them through their paths. Thank you NetGalley and Jessica Strawser for allowing me to read this book in advance for a honest review.

A small circle of women, neighbors, gather together for a relaxing evening around the fire. They are relieved to be able to spend time talking to other adults, to be able to leave motherhood behind for a just a few short hours. After a lot of alcohol, stories begin pouring out and secrets that were never meant to see the light of day are revealed. A few days later, one of the woman, Kristin has disappeared. With a divorce on the horizon, Kristin seemed in surprisingly good spirits, but now with her disappearance, her husband becomes the prime suspect. A wickedly sly look inside the lives of suburbia

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC of this title, in exchange for my honests opinion. I've been heavily into the psychological thriller genre, so I dug into this one right away. I'm happy I did. It had all the elements of a good read, and honestly, I thought I had everything figured out halfway through, only to realize I was completely surprised by the end. The character development was good, to the point I liked some characters and didn't like others, as we'd do in real life. I also liked that even thought we were given narration by a few of the characters, it was well done so you don't get confused (a pet peeve of mine.) I highly recommend this one.