Member Reviews

I had high hopes for this book, which might've been one of the issues with it. It had a really interesting premise, I loved the Old Hollywood idea of it all, but the execution was lacking for me. I never really cared about Edie and therefore was never able to be invested in the story. Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for this ARC!

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"Do Tell" doesn’t read as a traditional novel. It’s more of a fictional autobiography of a 1940s movie actress named Edie O’Dare who, after her acting career nosedives, turns to writing a successful Hollywood gossip column. Over the course of Edie’s career, she makes and loses friends in Hollywood – actors, film studio heads, publicists – as she is often the one to uncover scandals and reveal secrets her friends would rather stay buried.

Because of the approach debut author Lindsay Lynch takes in revealing Edie’s story – a dry, journalistic style of writing, like a ghostwriter hired to write a star’s career-spanning memoir – the book isn’t as compelling and engrossing as it could’ve been. I’m always up for an old Hollywood tale, and when you throw in elements of #MeToo right along with it as Lynch does, the book should’ve been my catnip. But all the Hollywood stars, the people working behind the scenes … they run together and are indistinguishable. And though there are a few interesting narrative threads, like a mysterious Hollywood love triangle and a sexual assault of a young girl by a famous actor, the book failed to ever hook me. It felt like I was reading a blah and unexciting news report.

Lynch is a solid writer, though. I’d like to see her take a crack at another novel because I think she’ll get it right the second time.


My sincerest appreciation to Lindsay Lynch, Doubleday Books, and NetGalley for the digital review copy. All opinions included herein are my own.

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this was such a fun read! Hard to believe it was a debut and will def look for future stories. Loved the old hollywood glamour and stories. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

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Do Tell is a fun trip through golden age Hollywood seen through the eyes of gossip columnist Edie O'Dare. Great for fans of this era, but pretty standard otherwise.

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I loved the glimpse of life in Old Hollywood. All the secrets and drama. The main character, Edie, was fierce and persevered against all odds. A great read!

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I just didn't mesh with this one at all. I liked the beginning, and the old Hollywood vibes, but I felt like it veered off course pretty quickly and I couldn't follow the characters or the storyline.

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Historical fiction isn't always my go-to genre, but l've been branching out a lot lately because I keep landing on total winners! The latest historical slay was DO TELL, Lindsay Lynch's debut novel. Edie O'Dare is a character actress who is searching for a new job after her contract runs out. She's been supplementing her onscreen stint with a gig as a popular gossip columnist. When Edie is given a tip in the form of an explosive letter alleging an assault from an A-list actor, she taps into her gossip columnist experience to propel the story to the forefront, not knowing that it will have lasting repercussions. This book was FANTASTIC.
Historical fiction is so detail-dependent, and Lynch infused the perfect level of scene-setting in the narrative. Lots of glitz and glam in here! especially loved the gossip columnist take on Hollywood. I've read several books set in this time period in Hollywood, but never from the perspective of a gossip columnist, so this POV felt especially fresh. This novel deals with some heavier topics, and I liked how in some ways, it paralled modern-Hollywood, but never felt too heavy-handed in the commentary. This book did slow a bit in the middle, but otherwise, a fantastic debut! If you're an Old Hollywood fan, then I highly recommend this one.

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When I heard this author worked closely with Ann Patchett my hopes and expectations for this novel skyrocketed. Unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. I loved the time period and setting, I just didn't love the main character and was bored by her story.

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I was very excited going into this one and I'm a huge fan of Golden Age Hollywood films and stories. Unfortunately I truly did not enjoy this book and cannot recommend it. It felt almost like a tabloid-esque exposé with real life names thrown in. The characters were two-dimensional and extremely unlikeable. The plot was confusing at times and didn't really have a point. I wouldn't have finished it if I wasn't reading to rate it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

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I was initially drawn to this book for its classic Hollywood theme (I'm a HUGE fan of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo), and her writing certainly transported me there. However, the structure of the story, with its constant flashbacks, made it challenging to stay engaged. That also made it difficult for me to connect with the characters. While readers of literary fiction might appreciate this approach, as someone who leans towards more commercial tastes, I found it distracting and somewhat detracting from the overall enjoyment of the book.

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I loved the setting of this book! Who wouldn't be intrigued by scandal in old Hollywood? The scene setting and characters were great and I look forward to the author's next book!

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This is such a tough review to write because there are SO MANY things I love about this book, but also so many things that deterred me from finishing it.

Starting with the great: Lindsay Lynch has a strong voice that perfectly captures the era without without feeling over-the-top. Her descriptions of Hollywood are both the dreamy portrayals we romanticize in modern times and seamlessly realistic. I wanted to step into that world, get to know Edie, and bask in the fictional glamour.

However, I struggled with elements of the writing. I surprisingly loved the short, truncated scenes that made up each chapter. But as fast-paced as those vignettes were, overall it felt like the plot dragged. I also struggled with how the flashbacks were written into the story; it was challenging to keep up with the timeline and what happened when.

All of that said, I think this is an incredible debut and I'll absolutely be watching for the author's next book.

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Do Tell by Lindsay Lynch is a story that brings light to the golden age of Hollywood, and Lynch is a local writer to Nashville, so I love to give her support. It's a great debut and an intriguing work of historical fiction.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

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Lovely writing and such a fun setting, but the “Me Too” in a different era premise was ultimately not for me. I look forward to whatever Lynch does next!

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I was beyond impressed by this debut novel, and how expertly it navigated the shine of Hollywood and the dark underbelly of stardom. Lindsay Lynch is a wonderful writer, and I'm excited to see where she goes next.

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Gosh. I had high hopes for this one - I am OBSESSED with the golden age of Hollywood, and though I don't typically gravitate towards a historical fiction pick, the synopsis and description of this one had me hooked. Unfortunately, it really fell flat for me and I slogged through to the finish in hopes it would get better (spoiler alert: it never did).

It has all the elements that would normally intrigue me - the setting, the journalism, the investigation, the mystery, but all were poorly executed and never really captured my attention. I never should've finished this one because the ending was less than satisfying and didn't make the process worth it. Skip this one - it's not as good as you want it to be.

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Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me and was a DNF but I am sure other readers will feel differently! Thank you for the ARC!

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Fully immersed in this world with lots of great characters that keep you engaged from start to finish!

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A very engaging debut about the Golden age of Hollywood.

This was a fresh take and I was wholly engaged through out the entire tale.

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This debut novel will appeal to fans of old Hollywood and all to familiar gossip stories that ring true today. Lindsay Lynch is an author with a lot of promise.

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