All That’s Left Unsaid
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Format: Kindle eBook
Date Published: 9/13/22
Author: Tracey Lien
Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Pages: 304
Goodreads Rating: 4.01

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley and William Morrow & Company and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Ky Tran will forever regret letting her younger brother Denny out to celebrate his high school graduation with friends. That night, Denny is brutally murdered inside a busy restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta. Returning home to Cabramatta for the funeral, Ky learns that the police are stumped by Denny's case: a dozen people were at Lucky 8 restaurant when Denny died, but each of the bystanders claim to have seen nothing. Ky sets aside her grief and determines to track down the witnesses herself.

My Thoughts: This story is narrated by Ky, the witnesses, and family members, in alternating perspectives. Lien does an absolutely amazing job at researching Vietnamese culture in Australia, you felt like you were there and have such a deep understanding of family, culture, and tradition. For this being Lien’s debut novel, it is truly amazing and mind-blowing. This book is a gripping, sad, poignant story that couldn’t have better timing. The characters were well developed with multifaceted depth, emotion, culture rich, and creatively done. The author’s writing style was complex, empowering, thought provoking, and kept me engaged. The author combines a brilliant cast of characters, friendship, family, culture, tradition, guilt, and a devastating crime into a beautifully written novel. This book hits the shelves on 9/13/22 and I would recommend, just keep in mind this is not a typical mystery, but is a very important story.

Even though this story is set in Australia, it could be in any large city in the U.S. It details the immigrant experience and misunderstandings between parents and children born in a place other than the country their parents came from. I recommend this book highly.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by HarperCollins Canada and William Morrow.

Just let him go. These are the words Ky Tran will forever regret. The words she spoke when her parents called to ask if they should let her younger brother Denny out to celebrate his high school graduation with friends. That night, Denny--optimistic, guileless, brilliant Denny--is brutally murdered inside a busy restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, a refugee enclave facing violent crime, an indifferent police force, and the worst heroin epidemic in Australian history.

Returning home to Cabramatta for the funeral, Ky learns that the police are stumped by Denny's case: a dozen people were at Lucky 8 restaurant when Denny died, but each of the bystanders claim to have seen nothing. Desperately hoping that understanding what happened might ease her suffocating guilt, Ky sets aside her grief and determines to track down the witnesses herself. With each encounter, she peels back another layer of the place that shaped her and Denny, exposing the seeds of violence that were planted well before that fateful celebration dinner: by colonialism, by the war in Vietnam, and by the choices they've all made to survive.

The book started very slowly and there seemed to be an awful of detail that just wasn’t necessary. After about 30% the book got a lot better. The writing for a debut novel was actually really good. Just short enough but with enough context. The characters were also raw and rich, and they showed you that hatred and racism against the Vietnamese community. However, the racism was all up in your face. Every flashback pointed it out and was underlined in red. The story wavered between trying to solve the murder, talking about the town, and just childhood memories, which didn’t add as much value as anticipated. It was an interesting story, and I most certainly didn’t anticipate the ending. It was a different sort of story for me but it was not really one I enjoyed that much. I think the author has talent but it is just not my cup of tea.

(Will rewrite before pub date and before posting to goodreads)

Amazing novel examining family dynamics, immigration in the 90s, and what it means to be a sister and a friend.

This is a book about the strength of a people to survive what seems unsurvivable. Ky returns home, to her immigrant parents to deal with her brother's violent and unexplainable death. Her parents are Vietnamese refugees living in Australia, a city with a big heroin problem. In the course of her investigation, we learn a lot of the stories of the witnesses' who refuse to speak to the police and she makes peace with the loss of her childhood best friend. It is a heart breaking book in some ways and a book about courage, about going beyond the having to always prove herself to her parents and to the larger white community 4.5

I received an ARC of, All That's Left Unsaid, by Tracey Lien. People are not nice, to each other and to outsiders. Ky Tran brother is murdered, her town is hooked on heroin. Such a tough and gripping read.

When Ky Tran finally returns home, it's for the funeral of her younger brother Danny, an awkward and straight-A student. In the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, where refugees face political indifference, violent crimes, and a heroin epidemic, Danny was brutally murdered the night of his high school graduation celebration. Everyone at the scene claims to have seen nothing. But as a young journalist, grieving sister, and rule follower, Ky is determined to discover the truth of what transpired on that tragic night.

All That's Left Unsaid is a heart-breaking debut encompassing much more than a murder mystery but examines refugee diasporas, especially those affected by the Vietnam War. The book alternates between Ky's narration and the witnesses' POV; it is a slower-paced suspense that gives way to exploring the lives of poor immigrants and first-generation Vietnamese Australians. I love how Tracey Lien alternates between the POVs to paint a diverse picture of everyone in the community, from the parents' narration, the white teacher's perspective, to the first-generations' voices.

In particular, the paragraph about Ky's parents discussing what it means to give up everything in search of "a better future" when that future often means diminishing opportunities and poverty had me sobbing. Another passage that stands out to me is how these first-gen children are scared to talk about their experience of racism with their parents to validate that their parents' sacrifice "is worth it." Because if not, what was it all for?

All That's Left Unsaid is a fantastic debut about an area that seems to be crime-infested and drug-laced from an outsider's perspective, but encourages the readers to dig deeper to unearth the strength and love within the community.

All That's Left Unsaid is a fascinating novel about a Vietnamese-Australian family who has suffered the devastating loss of a 17 year old son and brother Denny. He dies under violent, mysterious circumstances, but all the witnesses are mum. His sister Ky begins to investigate what happened to him. Tracey Lien does an amazing job depicting each grieving character and those Ky interviews and associates with, weaving in the childhoods of Ky and Denny and family and community dynamics. I would recommend this if you enjoy domestic novels like Everything I Never Told You.

Thank you William Morrow for providing this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Ky has to return to her hometown for her brother's funeral. Denny was a high school student with a bright future ahead of him, but he was beaten to death in a restaurant. When Ky realizes that the police have made no progress in the investigation because none of the witnesses are talking, she takes it upon herself to try to find answers.

This was a very impressive debut novel. I was hooked immediately by the story because of the mystery of Denny's death and the grief his family was experiencing. As the story of his death unraveled between the witnesses' point of view, I was turning pages as fast as I could so I could find out what really happened.

As a child of Vietnamese immigrants, I connected with Ky's character. I enjoyed being able to see parts of my culture and language on the page. It's such an impactful experience for a reader who doesn't get to see someone like them in books very often. Reading this book made me long for my childhood so that I could be immersed in the language, food, superstitions, and other aspects of my home life when I was younger.

I thought it was interesting that although Ky and I have different nationalities, the struggles of immigrants from a war torn country like Vietnam can be very similar, no matter where the family lands. Ky's family left their financially comfortable life in Vietnam to escape the communist regime, yet they were met with different challenges in Australia. They carried the traumas of war with them and now they had to deal with new traumas. The racism, poverty, cycle of violence and criminal activity in their neighborhood was heartbreaking.

It was clever of Tracey Lien to change points of view to each witness that Ky attempts to extract information from. It widened the perspective and experiences of the diverse set of characters in this book and showed that although many of them were living in the same city, they each had a unique situation that led them to that restaurant that day. Tracey Lien gave each character a unique voice.

I enjoyed Lien's writing style and the way she packed loads of punch in such a short book.
There is a lot to read between the lines in this one and I know I'm going to be thinking of this one for a while. Bravo to Lien on this gripping novel that emphasized the struggles of immigrants against the backdrop of a mystery!

⚠️: grief, death of a loved one, racism, fatal beating & murder, addiction, PTSD, child abuse & neglect, cancer, depression, overdose, partner abuse, mention of war

All That's Left Unsaid is the story of a young Asian Australian, Ky, who travels back to her childhood home after her younger brother is brutally murdered. When her parents and the local police don't have much interest in investigating the murder, Ky undertakes the investigation on her own. We learn about the murder, but we learn much more about the hardships in the immigrant community and the overwhelming racism that exists. The novel explore the bonds of family and friends in heartbreaking reality. I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley, Book Club Girl, and William Morrow for the arc
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Really enjoy reading and learning about different cultures. This story will stay with me for quite some time.
Will recommend!

I'm getting stoked to recommend this one! It's on my book club docket for next year, definite first round purchase.

This novel is an excellent addition to the body of immigrant literature being published that reveal the struggles and conflicts immigrants face in new countries.

Ky Tran and her younger brother Denny are Vietnamese-Australians living in the area of Cabramatta, a town plagued by a heroin epidemic in the 1990s. After Ky graduates from high school and begins work as a journalist in Melbourne, she returns home to find out how and especially why, her brother Denny was viciously killed in a restaurant filled with other Vietnamese diners, none of whom are willing to say anything about the killing.

I liked that relationships are explored in the novel in both a cultural and a personal context - traditional immigrant parents and their more modern children, who nevertheless feel pressure to conform to their elders' wishes and expectations; older sister and younger brother, and friendship between high school students Ky and her troubled friend Minnie.

I also like that Ky takes on herself the role of, investigating her brother's death, the perpetrator(s) and the reasons for the violence against the boy not yet a man.

A book for those interested in immigration and immigrants, the perspectives of the old and the young.

I enjoyed the book, but also wasn’t my favorite. I really enjoyed the back and forth from Ky’s perspective to other character’s that were there the night her brother died. I would have loved to have a chapter from his perspective, and even more chapter’s from Minnie’s side. Overall, I enjoyed the book but would’ve loved more from other characters.

The best published book in 2022 (well, read so far)! Set in a Sydney, Australia suburb in the late ‘90’s, a journalist returns to her hometown to help investigate a family member’s death & in the process investigates her family’s history & the immigrant connections the town shares. If you enjoyed the intrigue of Gillian Flynn’s “Sharp Objects” (premise-wise) & the melting of facades (persona-wide) of Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” — mixed with opening a window into the melting pot emotional experiences of refugees a la Thi Bui’s “The Best We Could Do”… this book is for you. Truly cinematic in tone & description, Tracey Lien hits a bullseye as an author and is a creative force to be reckoned.

I don't think I was the ideal audience for this book. While I found aspects really interesting like learning about the Vietnamese people settling in Austrailia after the war and being exposed to a different culture as a reader, I wasn't very invested in the story itself. I enjoyed the book the most when some of the various character (besides Ky were explored, like the young girl, the teacher and the wedding singer. Their experiences were engaging but I think the overall mystery itself wasn't compelling enough to keep my attention. I'm used to faster paced stories so my reaction may not be the same as other readers who may like the book better.

In All That's Left Unsaid, we meet Ky, a young Viet-Australian woman who's younger brother, Denny, was tragically murdered on the evening of his senior year formal. Over the course of the novel, Ky investigates his murder for herself, feeling that the police have written her brother off as a troubled drug addict Viet.

This novel skillfully weaves her perspective in with the perspective of other characters who witnessed Denny's murder, as she slowly works her way towards the truth. By no means is this a true murder mystery/thriller, but more domestic drama surrounded the Viet-Australian community of the town. As Ky encounters each witness and learns more about the evening of Denny's murder, the truth is revealed. The author is adept at building in clues with each new witness, so by the point everything ties together, we as the reader have all the information and have already figured out what happened and why.

In solving her brother's murder, Ky brings resolution to her parents and to herself, and I think gains a new appreciation and understanding of her own community.

I enjoyed this new and interesting perspective on post Vietnam conflict survivors and refugees in Australia, and the struggles associated with being Asian in Australia. For me as a reader, this was the first time I encountered this topic, and while this book did entertain, it also educated and shed light on what I assume is a common struggle for immigrants in Australia.

Thank you to Book Club Girl, William Morrow, and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

Heartbreaking look at the life of Vietnamese immigrants and the many challenges faced while making new lives in Australia. This unputdownable novel is much more than a mystery. Beautifully written and recommended for readers who enjoy Celeste Ng. Excellent audiobook narration. One of my favorite books of 2022 and simply a stunning debut.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the copy of All That’s Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien. This is an amazing debut about a murder of a boy on his graduation night. His sister decides to look into the murder because no one is talking to the police so they have no leads and don’t really care enough to keep trying.
Ky was a great character. Through her reminisces we get insight into what it is like being part of the Vietnamese Australian community and growing up as an immigrant. I was entranced by the lyrical writing from the first page. The story started slowly but kept building up the tension. Who was lying? What were they hiding and why? Of course, it all comes together in the end and makes perfect sense. The last chapter was beautiful and made me cry. If you value good writing and a touching, realistic story this book is for you.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

All That's Left Unsaid by Tracey Lien is an amazing adult mystery set in the Vietnamese-Australian community. The story revolves around Ky, who has just found out her younger brother Denny has been murdered. When she talks to the police, they say that no one is talking. There are no leads and no suspects. But Ky won't rest on her haunches. She decides to launch her own investigation into Denny's death. Doing that will require interviewing all of the witnesses, including people whose stories will impact Ky's life in an immense way.

Here is a gripping excerpt from Chapter 1:

"The circumstances of Denny Tran’s death were so violent that most people in Cabramatta were too spooked to attend his funeral.At least that’s how it seemed to his big sister, Ky. The funeral hall had been all but empty—her dead seventeen-year-old brotherlay in the glossy closed casket; her parents and a few relatives kneeled next to a blown-up photo of a grinning Denny; anda Buddhist monk chanted prayers in exchange for lunch.
The only non-family in attendance were Denny’s high school teachers, who huddled together big-eyed and confused by the lackof seating and eulogies. At the wake, they stood in the doorway to her family’s narrow townhouse, still holding the flowersand signed cards they’d brought to the funeral (no one had told them that Vietnamese families take cash), and waved at Kylike they were getting a waiter’s attention. "

Overall, All That's Left Unsaid is an engrossing adult mystery that will appeal to fans of Celeste Ng's Everything I Never Told You or Catherine Dang's Nice Girls. One highlight of this book is how much it reveals about the Vietnamese-Australian community. Even though I am not from Australia, I'm sure that many of the issues would apply to the Vietnamese diaspora all over the world. Also, as a reader of Asian descent, I am so happy to support a diverse voice being published.

Another highlight of this book is how there are chapters from each of the witnesses to the murder. Although Ky is the main character, the chapters from other perspectives were really creative and offered windows into other lives. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of mysteries in general, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in September!