Tell Me What Really Happened was such a good book and incredibly hard to put down. The whole story is told in first person narrative in the form of a police interview, which was a really fun concept. Each chapter heading acts as the prompt given by the detective and the body of the chapter is each character’s response. You get the feeling of being involved in the story as if you are the detective and you are the one trying to figure out who did what. Each character is so different that you feel as if you are moving room to room as you read each character’s account of the night Maylee goes missing. I loved the multi povs and the strong personalities making it very easy to switch between characters multiple times in a chapter.

The book reads like an episode of the First 48 or a Dateline story. As a true crime fan, I loved the feel and pace of the book. The ending took me by surprise and had me do a double take as the investigation came to an end. My heart broke for the friend group as the truth comes out and the reality of what happened comes to light. The concept for this book was very well thought out and executed. The themes and details stray on the safer side as this is a YA novel, but I would still recommend if you are in the mood for a quick true crime fiction read. Go grab it when it releases April 4, 2023!

This was a really fun read and just what I like in a thriller. The format of just getting each characters responses to interview questions took some getting used to at first, but I think overall it worked once the book progressed into longer narratives. I stayed up pretty late reading this one, though admittedly Nolan's testimony and all the late night running through the woods started making me nervous and I had to set it down and wait for daylight to continue. I think Nolan was an especially well-written character and very convincing about his beliefs. The wrap up to all the testimony was very satisfying, though the epilogue kind of fell flat and seemed just a little too brisk. Overall I really enjoyed the story.

I don't really understand why the cover has a seismometer on it, though.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I liked the story for the most part. I really liked how it was written. It was interesting to get everyone’s point of view. The interactions between the characters was done well.

I think Nolan’s obsession over big foot and people disappearing was a bit too much.

Maylee was annoying, entitled, rude character. She was my least favorite person in the book.

Overall it was an okay read.

Excellent storytelling and kept me on the edge of my seat!

I love the format of multiple POVs during their police interviews. The characters were well developed and interesting. The bigfoot theories added mystery and kept me questioning if it really could have been an unknown beast.

3.5 stars. Five teens go camping at a site with a dubious history and only four leave. This is a very quick, fast paced read. Told entirely in the format of police interrogation with the four teens that are left, it has multiple POV and does a great job at making each of the four voices unique. For such a fast paced read, the character development really stands out. It’s got some twists I didn’t see coming and the tension builds nicely, but the end was a little anti-climactic and somewhat “after school special”.

Thank you NetGalley for a digital copy and the chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

What make this book unique is the fact that it is told entirely through police interviews, with the first person prospective of each of the characters answering the questions. The idea that everyone’s truths are different is really portrayed in this book as each person experiences the night differently. This was easy to read, kept my interest, and really does keep the mystery until the end! This is a YA book, but really enjoyable for any age. Sedoti did a great job with making each other characters distinct and realistic. It was easy to dislike certain characters, like others, and maybe even connect to one that is like yourself. I would recommend this book for anyone that enjoys a really well done whodunit!

Solid, suspenseful momentum utterly tarnished by a boring, anti-climactic ending.

Up until the last 50 pages, there's a lot to recommend about "Tell Me What Really Happened." The characters are realistic (even a little cartoon-ish), the setting is suitably creepy, the Bigfoot stuff is fun, and there are enough red herrings to keep you guessing.

The first-person, interrogation-style formatting is great for readers who struggle to get into books; the lack of depth in setting descriptions and other writing techniques help maintain reader interest, while also keeping the story moving.

However, the ending was such a let-down. Literally ruined the rest of the book for me. All that build-up, all that suspense, all that tension- and for that? Sure, we got hints about this ending throughout the book, but it was so boring and plain that I thought the author wouldn't go there. But she did; she went with the boring ending. Sure, maybe that's part of the book's themes (don't believe everything you read/see, etc), but I'm not reading thrillers to be reminded of real life.

Five friends go camping. One goes missing. The one thing the police want to know? What really happened?

When Maylee goes missing during an overnight camping trip, the police interrogate the four others that were there: Maylee’s type-A, rule following best friend Petra, Petra’s nerdy Bigfoot obsessed brother Nolan, Maylee’s boyfriend John, and Abigail, who she’d fallen out of touch with.

The story is told with each chapter being a question the police are asking the four… friends? Witnesses? Accomplices? Liars?

I really liked the premise of this book. The setup was really interesting. I liked how the reader can get every view of each character’s point of view. It was a really different way of telling the story of a thriller that I thought was really fun. The plot twist was a little easy to guess for me but I still enjoyed it. A very fast read, I finished it in under 24 hours.

Thank you to the publisher, Sourcebooks Fire and NetGalley for the eARC!

Spoiler-free review

Tell Me What Really Happened follows the story of five high-school friends entering the woods on a camping trip in Salvation Creek and only four coming out. This is a YA thriller murder mystery told uniquely by first-person police interviews. Each chapter in this book proposed a question that told the story of this camping trip to get to the bottom of what truly happened to Maylee. Everyone has their secrets and burning questions. No one really knows what happened. Or do they? Control freak Petra, her Bigfoot-believer stepbrother Nolan, Abigail (the victims ex), and lastly the victims boyfriend John all accompanied Maylee on this camping trip. I loved the story-telling and plot of this book. This is a perfect read for someone looking to get out of a reading slump like I did.

Do I think you should read Tell Me What Really Happened? If you're looking for a new YA murder mystery to keep you up at night go for it!

e-ARC provided by NetGalley and publisher (Thank you!)
I requested and received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
All thoughts and opinions are mine.
EXPECTED RELEASE DATE: April 4th, 2023
REVIEWED: 2/26/2023

A thrilling book that keeps you turning the pages until the shocking ending. Full of twists and turns and shocks. Brilliant!’ I rate this book four out of five stars.

Although this is a YA book it was fun for the most part. The plot was interesting, distinctive characters, I liked the mystery, and the format helped get through the book quicker. I liked trying to guess what happened. Though I got a part of it early on, there were things I didn't expect. I also liked the feeling of isolation in the forest, it set an unsettling atmosphere that kept me on the edge of my seat. Really fun book! I love when the narrative of a book is presented in a unique way. In Tell Me What Really Happened, we are introduced to a group of 4 very different high school students who are responding to interview questions presented in a police station. Before long we learn that a 5th member of a camping trip has been reported missing the police is questioning the friends about what transpired.

I loved everything about this book. Written in a unique way as an interrogation.
5 teens go on a camping trip at Salvation Creek that soon goes wrong. They find themselves at the police station being questioned after reporting their 5th friend missing from the woods.
I don't want to say much more in fear of giving away spoilers, but this book definitely deserves some hype.

I got this as an ARC from netgalley, all in exchange for an honest review of my thoughts. The format of this book was unique and I actually really enjoyed it, although it may not be up to everybody’s taste. It fully takes place through police interviews and I loved it. It’s a fast paced book, a page turner. I didn’t realize how much I had read in one sitting because I was so invested, that I just couldn’t stop reading it. However, the main problem I had with the format is that there wasn’t really a description of the characters and how they looked, or how old they were. Granted, I knew they were teenagers based on the description, but that was that. It was hard to picture the story taking place because I had no visions of the characters in my head. Overall though, I did really enjoy reading this book and highly recommend it.

𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗 𝗜𝗙 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘
— short chapters
— fast paced novels
— mysteries

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style was different and I loved it! I’ve never read a book where it was strictly interview style. This book did it well!

This is not an appropriate book for my age group of students. The language and graphic nature will be allowed for a read aloud. I did like the book very much, but in my opinion it is more appropriate for high school students.

First- I’d like to start off by saying that I absolutely LOVED the way this book was organized. I loved the quick pace of the interrogations of each character, and how each question from the detectives drove the plot of the book. I will say, I was a little disappointed in how it ended, even though the characters were definitely typical teenagers focused on themselves and their own fate. I would have loved to see it wrap up with a final detective report of what actually happened, even though we get the general idea. I did not find it feasible that *spoiler* she would be found in the manner she was that quickly since it seems not even 24 hours have gone by in the book. I definitely think this is a great young adult mystery, thriller, and would definitely recommend to students.

Thank you Net Galley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for this early access to Chelsea Sedoti's Teens and YA, Mystery and Thrillers book.

Tell Me What Really Happened hooked me right away. This book is written in an interview process between four teen characters to find out what REALLY happened to their friend...or is it "friend"? This book is perfect at "Do you really know someone?" or "Can you ever know everything about someone?".

When these teens decide to go on a camping trip in the upcoming weekend, will everyone make it out alive? Will we finally find a Big Foot at Salvation Creek? Do plans work out the way these teens want?

Cannot say more, as I do not want to give any spoilers because YOU have to read this for yourself, it's worth it! This book will have you on the edge of your chair while you read through it until you finally get to the end. Don't make plans when you start this, because you will not be able to put it down. You do not want to miss out on this one if you love a good thrill and mystery!

#NetGalley #SOURCEBOOKSfire

Tell Me What Really Happened has an interesting twist on a new premise. A girl goes missing on a camping trip with friends in the woods- but the story is told through each person's first person POV during their police interview. Comprised of flashbacks told through each character in brief snippets of response to chapter headed interrogation questions we get each person's side of the story. Fast paced, entertaining, easy to read.

I received an ARC copy of Tell me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti.

I finished this book in practically one sitting! Is fame worth risking everything? When 5 teens go on a camping trip in the woods, only 4 return to find themselves in the middle of a police investigation to find out what really happened. Told from the perspective of four of the teens, we get to see just what the interrogation process was like. Each chapter delves into one question posed by the detectives, and we get to read the perspectives of each teen on what they believe has happened.

We have the boyfriend, the best friend, the weird girl, a conspiracy theorist, and a girl who wants the attention of the world. Set in the woods of Salvation Creek, we hear of tales of girls that have gone missing and possible bigfoot sightings. The five teens have been persuaded to go on a camping trip in the woods. They explore and find a mysterious cabin. Is someone staying there? Is someone coming for them? When they wake during the night, they find that one of them is missing, and it is a race against the clock to see what happened to them and who is responsible for it.

This book was fast-paced, and I loved getting everyone's perspective on how they believed the whole night played out and what they think happened.

Five friends go camping but four come out, What has happened to the missing ?
This story is told after the facts through the eyes of the survivors as they are being questioned by the police. As is often the case each teen has a different version of what has happened to their friend Maylee. I enjoyed this book because of the way it was written as well as this it was just an easy entertaining read. This book will appeal to fans of Natalie D Richards and Holly Jackson as well as Maureen Johnson. A quick read with good characters