Book/Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book Cover: ⭐⭐⭐⭐️

TRIGGER(S): MURDER, CHILD ABUSE (MENTIONED/OFF PAGE), INFIDELITY (MENTIONED/OFF PAGE)

POV: Singular, First Person
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Tropes: None
Spice: None
Genre: Thriller
Debut Novel: No
Safe or Dark: Dark

“Tell me what you did.”

What I did was love the hell out of this book! 

We all have secrets we plan on taking to our graves. Dirty laundry we don’t want to air. But what if we were forced to share things we’d rather not on a podcast or live stream? What if someone’s life depended on us sharing the darkest parts of our mind and our lives? 

What a fun, fast, and addictive read. I could not put this book down. I always had to know what happened next. The short but engaging chapters and the flow of the writing made that easy to do. “Just one more chapter” became my mantra while reading this. 

“He’s Buffalo Bill demanding for me to PUT THE LOTION IN THE FUCKING BASKET.”

The true crime podcast aspect of the plot was such a fun take on the thriller book genre. The podcast itself was an interesting take on true crime shows. I would love if someone took this idea and made an actual true crime podcast from it. However, that would be hard to do given the topics discussed. 

I was LIVING for the way the story alternated between being told in current time and on a podcast. It was such a fun experience. Both flowed nicely and tied into each other seamlessly. The sifts in perspectives were not jarring in the least, and you’re definitely able to stay locked in on the story. 

“But nothing is permanent, and nature is beautiful. Everything eventually dies, and most lives end with frustration over not being able to revisit the flights of our youth.”

During the live stream part of the plot, Ian Hindley is holding a victim hostage, but we are not told who it is up front. We know it is a male, but that’s all. Is it Poe’s boyfriend, Kip? Is it her dad? Is it a random fan of her podcast? We have no idea. That made it that much more suspenseful, and I enjoyed trying to figure it out. 

Our main character’s name is Dylan Poe Webb. Her dad made sure Poe was part of her name due to his love of the writer. I absolutely adored this nod to Edgar Allan Poe. Especially since he lived and died in my home state of Maryland. Call me morbid, but sometimes that’s my biggest flex. 

“We never really know how others view us, but the one certain thing is that it's rarely how we expect.”

Choosing to name the villain in the book Ian Hindley was genius! I picked up on the “homage” (the character’s words, not mine) right away. I got it as soon as I saw the name. A name combination of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, the couple responsible for the Moors Murders in England during the early to mid 1960s. Fellow true crime lovers, Carter Wilson did that one for us. *appreciative slow clap* 

I also have to give this book props for having a left-handed character. As a lefty myself, I sure do love the representation. 

I will for sure be checking out Carter Wilson’s other books. 

“It’s the ghost you’ve always wanted to appear.” 

TLDR: A FUN PODCAST-BASED THRILLER! A QUICK AND EXCITING READ! CHECK IT OUT! 

I would like to thank Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book.

This is my voluntary, unbiased, and honest review.

Carter Wilson's TELL ME WHAT YOU DID is a gripping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very first page. Wilson, a new author for me, created an intense, unique plot that weaved together suspense, intrigue, and complex characters.

The story unfolds quite quickly, one where secrets are buried deep, and everyone seems to have something to hide. When our protagonist, Poe, is thrown into a role she normally saves for guests on her podcast, she finds the tables turned, the situation spiraling out of control and into one that tests both her morals and emotional endurance. The narrative takes off at a relentless pace. Wilson expertly crafts a web of mystery and secrets, making it impossible to predict where the story will end up.

I really loved the character of Poe, who although incredibly flawed, is strong, intelligent, and compassionate. Her love for her dog, Bailey, made me feel connected to her in a way only other dog lovers would understand. You truly care about Poe and her fate, understanding her desperation while staring into the face a pure evil. The evil I speak of is truly one of the creepiest antagonists I’ve come across in a long time! Wilson’s writing is both taut and vivid, creating a sense of unease that lingers long after you’ve turned the last page.

If you're a fan of novels that explore the darkest corners of the human mind while keeping you guessing until the very end, TELL ME WHAT YOU DID is a book you’ll devour.

Thank you to NetGalley, Carter Wilson, and Poisoned Pen Press for my ARC of this unputdownable thriller! It was a privilege reading this before publication in January!

A true crime podcaster has the tables turned on her in this creepy thriller. Poe's podcast invites people to call in and confess their crimes... but one caller confesses to a crime she knows he can't have committed, because she killed him. Or did she? I was ready for a creepy thrill ride, and this didn't disappoint. I was engaged and rooting for the antihero even as I questioned my own sympathies. The structure--alternating between a live podcast and the events that led up to it--was interesting and worked well. The characters were appropriately complex. I never felt the author was trying to excuse--or have me excuse--the choices that they made.

All in all, this was a fun and solid book. It was what I'd hope in a book from this genre. However, there were some pacing issue, some inconsistencies that took me out of the story, and a few characters I wanted to have a little more insight into. (Kip, I'm looking at you.) Loved learning in the end author's note that a side character I found very compelling was actually the main character of an earlier book. I'm intrigued enough to now seek that one out.

Tell Me What You Did had me hooked from the very first page. Carter Wilson weaves a chilling tale of mystery and suspense, blending a true-crime podcast element with a story that unfolds chapter by chapter. The back-and-forth between the podcast episodes and the story’s development adds a unique layer to the book, which drew me deeper into the mystery and kept me on edge.

The author’s ability to build suspense was excellent and each chapter reveals just enough to keep you guessing, but never too much to spoil the twists and turns ahead. The sense of unease grows with every page, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. The story’s creepiness is perfectly executed—it’s unsettling in the best possible way, making you question every character's motives and wonder who can truly be trusted.

This was my first read from Carter Wilson, and it certainly won’t be my last. The writing style is engaging, characters are likeable, especially Bailey the dog, and the plot is well crafted. I was hooked from start to finish and found myself completely absorbed in this dark, creepy thriller.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the advanced read and another creepy thriller recommendation from me! Pick it up!

4 stars!

I saw the reviews beforehand stating that this book was a real page turner and they were not wrong! I finished this pretty quickly over one weekend. Unfortunately, the characters did fall a bit flat for me and some of Poe's decisions really annoyed me. I did enjoy the storyline overall and would recommend it to fellow thriller lovers.

Thank you Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

She gets people to confess their crimes for a living. He knows she's hiding a terrible secret. It's time for the truth to come out in Tell Me What You Did by Carter Wilson.

While the premise sounded exciting and page-turning, Poe was a frustrating character as she made some questionable decisions that were a bit unbelievable. The relationship between Poe and Kip was also a bit over the top.

There were good red herrings, but some of Poe's decisions and amateur detective work had me shaking my head.

Tell Me What You Did was just an okay read for me.

#tellmewhatyoudid #NetGalley @PPPress

Whew. It will be hard to put down this book once you started. Even though it is quite gruesome at times (not for the faint of heart), it keeps you rooting for the spirited protagonist. Well thought out plot lines and cleverly constructed narrative that will keep you at the edge of the seat, compelled to timidly read on.

This book was impossible to put down. It was dark and sinister than what I usually read. It had me bitting my nails from start to finish in the best kind of way.

Tell Me What You Did is a fresh take on the mystery-solving podcaster trope that is so popular right now. Poe Webb gets her guests to confess to the worst crimes you can imagine, but she's not exactly prepared when one of her guests confessing to killing Poe's mother. Is the guy telling the truth, is he just a crazed fan, or is there more to the story? This set up leads to a cat and mouse game that ratchets up the tension a little more on each new page. You won't want to stop until you know the truth. Whether that truth leaves you feeling satisfied is up to your level of willingness to suspend some disbelief. For me, I was strapped in and along for the whole ride, willing to follow Wilson wherever the story went.

'Tell Me What You Did' is a thriller exploring themes of serial killing, revenge & justice.

What I liked about this book was that it wasn't at all what I expected: it was much more dark & sinister than anticipated. The story was well thought out & different to the usual suspense books out there. The short, choppy chapters & two timelines also made for an interesting read.

My main gripe, however, was the main character, Poe. I just couldn't get on her wavelength & therefore, found it hard to relate to her or at points, sympathise with her. In fact, she annoyed me at points. The best part about her was her dog & the relationship with her dad (but maybe that was the point?).

All in all, 'Tell Me What You Did' was enjoyable & I would recommend reading, especially if you're after a unique cat-and-mouse thriller.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley, Carter Wilson & Poisoned Pen Press for allowing me to read & review the ARC of 'Tell Me What You Did'; all views are honest & my own.</i>

This had everything I want from a mystery thriller - a unique premise, a strong main character, and enough doubt running in the background of the story for me to truly believe I had an idea of where things were going.

This book had me on the edge of my seat with every page turn and I could not wait to see how it all came together. Creepy, unsettling, and dark in the best way. I will definitely be reading more by Carter Wilson!

If you're looking for an absolute page-turner, this is it! I could NOT put this book down. It is such a unique way to approach a murder/mystery plot through it's interview style. I especially enjoyed that the reader is not only trying to figure out what the antagonist has done/is doing, but also trying to find out what terrible thing the main character has done. I recommend picking this book up! Loved it!

I liked the concept of a podcast that uncovers buried secrets, especially when we come to find out the biggest one might be the host’s. However, the characters felt flat and I failed to really connect with the storyline. It might have been the back and forth from past to present, or the super short choppy chapters, but I think the main reason is the heroine, Poe. She is utterly unlikeable. When we find out she’s done some morally questionable things, it’s hard to keep rooting for her.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

My heart is still racing and I already added all of Carter Wilson's books to my TBR list.... Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Tell Me What You Did, one of the best books that I've read this year by a landslide.

Poe is a true crime podcaster who interviews people ready to share the gruesome details of their most devastating actions. She is also a survivor, having witnessed the murder of her mother at the hands of a depraved lunatic. And even though she's fairly certain that he's dead, someone claiming to be the killer joins Poe's podcast and engages her in a terrifying game of cat and mouse.

I may not sleep for the next week... this is an absolute must-read, five star thrill ride.

Thanks NetGalley for my ARC.
I really did enjoy this book. Very unique story, not your usual phys thriller.
I felt the characters were relatable and certainly throws up moral dilemmas and the “what would you do” thought process.
Not so much twists and turns in this book, but equally not linear.
Did enjoy this read.

𝚃𝚛𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚜:
•Suspense
•Twists
•Graphic
•Deâtħ
•Trauma


𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚛𝚋:

“𝑻𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒅.”

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐇𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐮𝐭…

ᴘᴏᴇ ᴡᴇʙʙ, ʜᴏꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀ ᴘᴏᴘᴜʟᴀʀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ᴘᴏᴅᴄᴀꜱᴛ, ɪɴᴠɪᴛᴇꜱ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀɴᴏɴʏᴍᴏᴜꜱʟʏ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ʜᴇʀ ꜱʜᴏᴡ. ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏʟɪᴄᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʟʟᴜʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴᴏɴʏᴍɪᴛʏ ᴍɪxᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ɪɴꜱᴛᴀɴᴛ ꜰᴀᴍᴇ ᴋᴇᴇᴘꜱ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ. ᴜꜱᴜᴀʟʟʏ, ᴘᴏᴇ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛꜱ ʜᴇʀ ɢᴜᴇꜱᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴄᴏɴꜰᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴꜱ. ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴀ ᴍᴀɴ ᴄʟᴀɪᴍꜱ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴍᴜʀᴅᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀ ᴍᴏᴛʜᴇʀ…ᴀ ᴄʀɪᴍᴇ ᴘᴏᴇ ᴋɴᴏᴡꜱ ꜱʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍɪᴛᴛᴇᴅ ʜᴇʀꜱᴇʟꜰ…ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ꜰᴏʀᴄᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴏɴꜰʀᴏɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴛʜ.

“𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚.”

💬I was immediately sucked in and didn’t want to stop reading. This book blends mystery, suspense and morality uncertainty in a way that is wild and captivating. It is unlike any thriller I’ve read before and it will definitely stick with me.

🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆 ⁣
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Tell Me What You Did
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Carter Wilson
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: January 14, 2025
⁣
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⇥ The premise is intriguing and unique.
⇥ If you like short chapters, this one has like 100 short ones.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐝:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
⇥ But oddly enough, the mega short chapters were very distracting. I feel like most could have been a simple page break, but instead the author decided to just write a new chapter. The frequent breaks disrupted the flow and immersion of the story.
⇥ The main character was a damn dumbass. Like truly. As I said in my story, I was rooting for her to die at the end because she was so infuriating. It's never good when you don't like the MC.
⇥ Kip, the boyfriend, came across as overly submissive and also deserved to kick the bucket.
⇥ Poe's (hate that name) constant cussing at the "killer" thinking she was a badass was dramatic and irritating. Looooots of complaining is done by Poe, my friends. Lots.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
★★☆☆☆
BOOOOOOOOOOOO. I'm so bummed about this. It had a promising start and an interesting concept, but it became tedious and unengaging about 30% in. Poe’s erratic behavior and poor decisions were too much. Like one scene she decides to tell her boyfriend all about her past. Then in a new paragraph, she basically goes, "Nah, he doesn't deserve to hear it." LIKE WHAT? This was just horror movie bad. Like all the worst decisions you could make, Poe made them, bad.

If you approach this as a light, cheesy mystery rather than a gripping thriller, you might find some enjoyment, but it didn’t work for me.

BUT! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an early ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3 ⭐️ I really wanted to love this book but unfortunately it ended up not living up to my high expectations based on the premise. This is about Poe, a podcaster who has guests on her show confess to crimes they have committed - not knowing what they are going to confess upfront. One of her guests confesses to killing her mother, which she witnessed as a child but she has her own secrets and suspicions of the man on her show. It starts off great but quickly falls into pacing problems and gets very repetitive with no real twists or turns. It is an extremely slow burn with minimal pay off (at least for me).

What I liked:
* Short chapters, I love a book with short burst chapters.
* Mixed story telling, some past and present day with some chapters being podcast transcripts.
* The premise and start of this book really hooks you in.
* Poe’s Dad and Bailey the dog, two very loyal creatures.
* Alice, I now want to read this author’s past book about this character, which he mentions in the author’s note.

What I didn’t love:
* Poe, she was incredibly hard to root for and her actions and attitude were either too rash/not well thought out or too arrogant.
* Kip, I did not believe the love story or understand this character at all.
* The bad guy, so a frail old man is supposed to be threatening and menacing?
* The pacing and length of this book, the first half was great but then got very repetitive with no real movement of the story. It took me a really long time to finish after the 50% mark.
* The lack of shock and awe in the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Carter Wilson for the advanced readers copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Twisty and suspenseful! Finished this in an afternoon because I couldn't stop turning the pages. I did predict the ending but it didn't take away from my reading experience!

This was a really fun story that kept you on the edge of your seat! Poe Webb hosts of a true crime podcast that has grown astronmically in popularity as she invites random callers to confess crimes they've committed to her audience. The callers are anonymous and the audtiance spends hours working out the details! A driving force behind her program is the murder of her mother and the steps she took after.

Poe has secrets and she is afraid they will be shared when a caller claims that they murdered her mother. The caller knows plenty of information that only the killer should know and Poe is scared for her life. Pick up Tell Me What You Did for a fascinating premise and killer thriller! #poisonedpenpress #tellmewhatyoudid #carterwilson