If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood by Gregg Olsen is a very highly recommended true crime story of an abusive, murderous dysfunctional family. This is a difficult novel to read as it depicts a tyrannical woman and the horrible control, abuse, and torture she inflicted on others.

In Raymond, Washington, Shelly Knotek ruled and controlled her third husband, Dave, and her three daughters through her words and abuse. Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek experienced, witnessed, and, ultimately, survived their mother's horrific control, degradation, torture, and physical and mental abuse of her whole family and two other adults. They endured belittling, verbal abuse, numerous beatings, control of bathroom usage, forced naked time, being hosed off outside, and bleach baths, to just name some of the torture. "Shelly was Cujo. Freddy Krueger. The freaky clown, Pennywise, from It."

In telling of their horrific abuse, Olsen talked to the three sisters, Dave Knotek, and their grandmother, Lara. The experiences of the girls are told in short chapters, covering Shelly's problems and indications of her mental illness from a child to adulthood. This is not an examination of Shelly's mental illness. It is a compelling account of the survivors. This is the story of the girls, what they endured, observed, and how they finally managed the fortitude to go to the authorities and tell them the horrors of their life with their mother.

Once I started reading this account, even though I knew the girls survived, I had to finish it. I had to see how the girls escaped. It is much to my chagrin that no one from the public schools noticed a problem until much later and then let it go when they talked to one of the girls and she denied it. What would they expect from an abused child? And when Nikki and Lara actually told the police, the first time, the investigation was not pursued. It wasn't until the older sisters discovered Tori was being abused that they tried to get the authorities involved again, with the backing of their grandmother, Lara.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Thomas & Mercer.

http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2019/12/if-you-tell.html
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3077339047
https://www.librarything.com/work/23158977/book/176312764
https://twitter.com/SheTreadsSoftly/status/1203771183726022656?s=20

It's absolutely unbelievable how horrible Shelly was. Impossible to understand how she could treat anyone the way she did, much less her own children. It was actually sickening reading one terrible act after another - how is it this monster won't be behind bars for the rest of her life? It's amazing the sisters were able to withstand the treatment they received and that they are evidently thriving.

Hard to read knowing this is a true story
Was well written. Did the story justice on what everyone had to go through. I was excited to get approved for this book!
First book for me from this author. Will have to check out his other books. A good solid 4 from me.


Thanks to the publisher and net galley for an early release of this book.

I have a hard time reading nonfiction. This was is the fiction category but was more a nonfiction. I did enjoy this read though. It could have been shorter to make it easier to read but overall was good.

This book has made me a Gregg Olsen fan. I will be looking for other books he has written.

This story was horrific. I spent most of my time reading it wanting to cry and yet not being able to stop reading. I am a huge true crime fan, but I don't think any other book has touched me so deeply. My heartbreaks for the 4 children raised in that household, for the 3 sisters to have that be the only life you knew...I just can't even imagine.

Sometimes you read a book and it stays with you a long time after you are done reading. This is that book. I had so many questions while reading this, such as why didn't anyone step in and help these poor girls? Why did the older sister stay despite being old enough to move out on her own and suspecting her parents of murder? This book shows the strength of incredible women in horrendous circumstances.

If You Tell by Gregg Olsen. Well written and researched. Subject matter was hard to read, however the text flowed like a novel . The author was respectful of the people involved and didn't sensationalize the horrific abuse. Like looking at the proverbial train wreck, it was hard to stop reading.

Wow! This book was listed as “General Fiction” when I selected it. When I found out it was true, I couldn’t believe it. Such evil is incomprehensible, especially from a parent. Excellent writing keeps the reader eager/scared/horrified. Not recommended for the squeamish.

This feels like a hard review to write.
This is someone's real life events. This is their life growing up and beyond. This is one harrowing story that is so real it's terrifying.
As a mother, I cannot fathom Shelley and her antics. She obviously is mentally ill, maybe schizophrenic, not that I'm making excuses for her. Still, how could she do any of these things to her children?!
I immediately thought of Mommie Dearest.
Except this was real, and maybe even more sadistic with friends and family being murdered. It's almost surreal.
I'm literally scared for when this woman gets out of prison in a couple years. If her and her husband hook back up, people are screwed. He's so weak, he'd probably go right back to her.
I really hope the author keeps up with the sisters and keeps us all posted as to what happens in a few years. My money is on Nikki, Sami and Tori, but still my mind will be abuzz with wonder.
A tragic, intense but great read. One I highly recommend to true crime fans.