I finished None Left To Tell by Noelle W. Ihli, Author last night. I was lucky enough to get an ARC (thank you to Noelle W. Ihli and NetGalley!) and read ahead of time. The book is going to be released 10/11/24. Easily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars and I’d do 10 if there was the option.

My review:

I actually finished this book last night, but I needed a little while to collect myself before I could write a review.
This book is about the Mountain Meadow Massacre in 1857. A story I have never even heard of until this wonderful author, Noelle W. Ihli wrote a very much researched and well thought out book.

I have no words for this awful tragic story. And the title. The title says it all.

The story starts with a wagon train heading to CA from AR. To think of literally walking across the United States on foot first of all is just unbelievable. In the weather and whatever else that can happen. With little kids too. And not just one kid but many families had a lot of kids back then. Yes, the oxen could pull the wagons but many times the extra weight of everyone was too much. And the oxen are really a necessity.

The story switches perspectives from three women; Katrina Huff; one of the women on the wagon train to CA, Kahpeputz (aka Sally) who is a native woman living with a tribe that is not where she was born, and Lucy Robison; a devout Mormon woman.
There are more but I don’t want any spoilers.

As I was reading this, one night I actually dreamed of the story. That’s how embedded this was in my head. It’s awful and very sad and tragic. I am still trying to wrap my head around it.

I would highly recommend and also do not skip the authors note at the end! The amount of time and research she put into this book is insurmountable. There are even excerpts from real sermons woven in.

I kind of knew going into the book that it wouldn’t be my typically genre of something spooky or a mystery to solve or a whodunnit psychological thriller. But, in actuality it was all of these things and more; because it is a true story. Truly blown away at how well this was written. Noelle told this story perfectly with so much respect to the victims and families and native culture.

This was not her usual type of book and was not my usual type of read but this was very well written. Great read.

I had not heard of Noelle West Ihli before, and after this book I have been trying to find others of hers to be added to my want to read list.

I do love the thriller genre and historical fiction- however this was about a historical event I had not heard of before reading the book - and I was throughly gripped with how it was discussed.

The characters and the way plot was twined together was really intriguing. The only criticism I could think of is potentially the first 50 pages or slow were a bit slow, but after that I was throughly hooked.

Families are crossing the US in hopes of settling in California in the land of gold. When they hit Utah things take a terrible turn. This is the story of the Meadow. Massacre. It is based on a true story and is absolutely devastating.

I have read several books by this author and they have all been thrillers. I never really read what a book is about before starting it and to say this one took me by surprise would be an understatement. It’s definitely historical fiction and I enjoyed it, but not what I thought I would be reading! The story is beyond sad and it’s a sad time in our history that I had absolutely no clue about and would venture to say most people don’t. Trigger warnings are at the beginning and take them seriously!

This book is a perfect depiction why Noelle West Ihli is one of my favourite authors. I wasn’t sure how I felt about a historical thriller but I’d be willing to read this woman’s shopping list, so I’m willing to try anything she puts on paper. The mountain meadows massacre was harrowing to read about through the eyes of the main women; but continuously endearing to see such a tragic event from every angle. It’s easy for the line of good and evil to be wavered when looking at either side of from the perspective of the women, who unluckily are pawns to the men around them and all victimised in their own ways. I have gone on to read more about the real event as I had never heard of it before and this book gives a great stepping stone to want to learn more about a tragedy everyone should know about.

I was lucky enough to get early access to this book and words cannot explain how moved I am. Based on a true story, you can tell the author put an intense about of research and emotion into this book. I loved the different perspectives of women during this time period and tragedy. Truly a piece of history that isn’t discussed enough. Noelle W. Ihli will continue to be one of my favorite authors and I will be sure to pick up every book she writes. Definitely worth the read when it releases next month!

First, I went into this book blind, as I do with most everything i read, and I quickly discovered this is a historical fiction with thriller aspects.

I will say, the first 100 pages or so were slow and, at times, boring for me, I was not that into it. After pushing past that, I found this to be an un-put-downable read.

I had moments reading this book where my heart was racing and moments where I was tearing up. This was a beautiful and, at the same time heartbreaking story.

If you are on the fence of weather or not to pick up this book based off the historical fiction aspect, I'd recommend you do.

Everybody needs to read this book. Thank you Net Galley for the advanced reading kindle version of this book. Before reading this I have read several other books by this author and loved them all. This was such a different story for her told about an awful moment in history that I had never heard of before. The Mountain Meadows Massacre was told in an amazing way based on the lives of actual people who experienced this. You grew to know the characters and to feel their experiences. The story telling was profound and the summary at the end was an amazing contribution as well. This book was heavily researched and told with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. I will be thinking about this one for a long time.

This novel diverges from the usual psychological thrillers I've come to expect from Ihli. In fact, I wouldn’t categorize it as a thriller at all. Rather, it leans more towards historical fiction and mystery. Set in the mid-1800s, the narrative revolves around the Mountain Meadows Massacre, a tragic historical event that was previously unknown to me. The story unfolds through the eyes of several women and girls who were impacted by this massacre—a brutal attack on over one hundred men, women, and children traveling in a caravan to California.

You can really see the dedication she poured into this book! The note at the end is a lovely addition, especially since she has a personal connection to this part of history, and the characters are inspired by real individuals. Additionally, the list of deaths included at the end adds depth.

This was visceral.

As a mother, wife and woman this was difficult to palate for so many reasons.
The writing is absolutely phenomenal. Poignant, captivating, immersive and so amazingly descriptive, depicting the movement of Wagon trains through baron land was so vivid in my mind due to Noelle’s writing.
As someone outside of the USA a I don’t have much of an in depth understanding of historical events pertaining to the country but this was such a great eye opener and starting point for me to further research.

And this is what I love about Noelle’s books- exposure to stories of those I wouldn’t have known otherwise!

First, I want to thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read the ARC of “None Left To Tell”. I always enjoy Noelle’s books and was truly excited to be picked to read and review this book. It’s definitely different than her other psychological thrillers as this is more of a historical fiction read than a thriller in my opinion. The writing was true to her fashion but this book fell a little short in the “thriller” department. I think the story was written and told well but It moved slow for me and at times I was a bit bored waiting for something to happen.
I know others will love this book and really feel the author’s connection to these events. Although this book wasn’t quite for me-I am happy to have read it and I think it will be a great read for others who enjoy historical fiction.

As a fan of everything Noelle W. Ihli writes, I had been patiently awaiting the release of her next thriller. When I realised that None Left to Tell was a historical thriller, I was a little apprehensive. It’s not a genre I would normally choose to read, but Noelle can do no wrong in my eyes, so I gave it a shot. All I can say is that this is now one of my favourite reads of 2024 - probably tied with Gray After Dark, another of Noelle’s masterpieces. It is a book that will stay with me forever, and I can see why she was so drawn to researching this story and honoring the victims of the Mountain Meadows Massacre by writing her version of events. Definitely a 5 star read for me!

I was very excited when I was chosen to be an ARC reader for this book. I went into it blind because I love this author. It was not at all what I expected. I feel honored to have read it. This book is based on a true event about the largest massacre on US soil before 9/11. This book was so beautifully written and I absolutely love how well she told the stories from those profoundly affected. I am so glad I was chosen to read this. This is not a book I would have normally read or picked up. I am forever changed from reading it. I was hooked from the very first page, the authors note. I highly recommend to everyone to get this book when it is released on Oct. 10th.

I don't typically read historical fiction and I went into this book without reading the synopsis. However, I'm so glad I read it! None Left To Tell is based on the true event of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, which is a historical event that I had never heard of before reading this book.
@noelleihliauthor did an incredible job researching and sharing about this horrific event. Although it's based off a true, historical event, it reads like a thriller. There was a twist that I definitely didn't expect. I highly recommend this book! It releases on
October 11th!
Thanks @netgalley and Noelle Ihli for the ARC!

Wow this book was honestly incredible. I write this post crying because this was so hard to read but such an important story ! I was totally in the dark about this and I feel like the author handled the story with dignity and grace across everything. A wonderful, sad read.

This is a book based on a historical period of time that happened in 1857. It is a very difficult story to read and the impression I got from the authors note was it was difficult to write after going through the research. I appreciated the fictional (or based on historical figures) point of views. We get to see the story through the “groups” they represented. At times, it was very difficult to stomach. I think it’s written very well but the subject matter (Mormon church leaders and their followers) was a big turnoff for me. Things in the name of religion just really continue to reinforce my belief that the use of violence in the name of someone’s god is the root of evil.

The author gives incredible insight into a massacre that is not well-known and until recently hardly acknowledged. I give high praise for shedding light on these events.

None left to tell is based in the 1800s and follows a family on their travels to better land. I found it hard to get into the book at test because the time setting and genre are not my typical style. I pushed through and grew to love the stories and each character. And wanted to get to the end!!

As a fictional re-telling of the Mountain Meadows Massacre, this book is long but an intriguing look at an event I'd never even heard of as it takes place in 1857 and involves Mormons and Indians in their attempts to get along and understand each other's customs. One of the main characters is Sally who was the actual wife of famed Brigham Young. The novel shows the slow progression of people--many on foot or on horseback as they travel to find a place to live and make a name for themselves free from persecution. It's long and sometimes tedious, but I really enjoyed learning more about a subject I'd heard about but knew so few details as I'd never gotten any of it in school.
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Here 120 men, women, and children were
massacred in cold blood early in September.
They were from Arkansas.
- Inscription by US Cavalry, marking a mass
grave at Mountain Meadows, Utah

None Left to Tell is a fictional retelling of the Mountain Meadows Massacre that happened in Utah in 1857, which resulted in one of the largest mass murders in US history. The conflict involved the Mormons, the Paiutes, and members of an emigrant wagon party heading to California from Arkansas. The story unfolds with alternating chapters that detail three different women's experiences. I really enjoyed those different perspectives depending on whose side each woman was on, and how it helped to give the reader a broader picture of what was going on.

I also really appreciate Ihli's candor in telling this story. She mentions at the beginning and end of the novel that she is a direct descendant of one of the Mormon families mentioned. Not all family history is pleasant and I applaud her courage in telling such a haunting (and at times downright disturbing) story of our countries history. No small task, but one Ihli told with extreme care and respect.

As an Arkansan myself I had never heard of this event. It's not shocking (but disappointing all the same) that when it comes to religion some sinful acts have attempted to be erased from history. Hopefully, with this novel more people will learn from humanities past mistakes to make a better (and kinder) future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for an ARC of None Left to Tell in exchange for my honest review. I can't wait to read more from Ihli soon.

4⭐️

SYNOPSIS
- Set in 1857 & based around the Mountain Meadows Massacre in Utah.
- Shift perspectives of three main characters: Katrina, Lucy, & Kahpeputz (aka Sally). Katrina is migrating with her husband & kids, and they are making the trek to California. Lucy is a devout Mormon, who made her way to Utah after being driven out of her prior home. Kahpeputz is a Bannock, who has “gifted” as a fourth wife to a Mormon man.

MY THOUGHTS
- Historical fiction.
- Ihli clearly did her homework on this one, and I learned a lot! I am shocked that I never heard of this happening, and frankly, this book made me realize I don’t know a lot about Utah’s history.
- I’m not a huge history buff, but I do love a well-written historical fiction. This book was engaging, and worth the read.
- Excellent character development & weaving together the many different lives and stories.
- This book has a LOT of triggers & tough content. I would recommend looking into those if you are trying to avoid anything.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️well-written historical fiction of a lesser known massacre in Utah. check for triggers.

Thanks to Dynamite Books and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchanges for an honest review. This book will be published on October 10, 2024.