When Sydney travels to Raleigh, North Carolina to help clean out her grandmother‘s house, she discovers an old picture of a little girl she finds out is her long lost aunt, Carol. The problem? No one in the family even knew that Carol existed. Sydney‘s grandmother and father assumed that Carol ran away in the 1960s to live out her dreams in Motown, and never even filed a police report when she went missing. But at the same time that Carol disappeared, five other girls in the neighborhood also went missing. Sydney, a former journalist, decides to look into the disappearances and find out once and for all what happened to her aunt Carol. But can she handle the pressure? This isn’t the first time an emotional story has taken over her life and her attention, but hopefully she can handle it this time.

This is definitely one of the best books. I have read all year. Not only is it a great mystery, but it is an incredibly emotionally intelligent, and powerful book. For people that grew up in a household, where there was a lot of arguments and not a lot of discussion of feelings, get ready to feel a lot reading this book. It was very cathartic.

Onto the main plot, the plot itself was really incredible because it was so interesting and it really unfolded like a true cold case, or at least how you think a cold case would unfold. I mean, I’m not a cop or anything. But it slowly unfolds and then ramps up until you feel like “Wow there’s really a lot here! We’re so close!” and you feel like you have a good handle on things. (of course the author has some great twists and some surprises in there to keep things interesting!)

The conclusion was great and felt really complete.

The other thing I liked about this book was that it addressed a lot of issues about the socioeconomic issues involving missing girls and women. We have a real problem in this country that goes back decades involving who we pay attention to and what cases we investigate “harder” based on things like race in class. This book really tackles that issue head on, and I hope it draws more attention to that.

Overall, if you’re looking for a good book that has a real message to it definitely pick up this book!

Five stars for Kristen L. Berry's debut novel!

While visiting Grandma Effie as a young girl, Sydney finds a framed photo of an unknown, what appears to be family member. She questions her grandmother and is told, "We don't talk about Carol." Years later Grandma Effie passes and Sydney, her sister Sasha and her mother are tasked with cleaning out the house preparing for its sale. Sydney rediscovers the photo of Carol, which leads to questions surrounding her aunt's disappearance.
This book dives into the missing minority young women and the lack of investigation surrounding the disappearances. It is an unraveling of family secrets, lies and " what happens in the family stays in the family" mentality. This novel with

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the eARC.

I absolutely loved this debut. From the very beginning, I was pulled into Sydney’s journey, and I found myself completely captivated by the mystery of her long-lost aunt, Carol. I felt Sydney’s determination so deeply, and her quest to uncover the truth about Carol was both compelling and emotional. I couldn’t stop turning the pages as the layers of family secrets and silence began to unravel. I was particularly struck by how well the author depicted Sydney’s struggles. I felt her pain and frustration as she navigated fertility treatments and a crumbling marriage while grappling with her own troubled past. I appreciated how raw and real her emotions were—it made her journey feel so authentic and relatable. I couldn’t help but admire her relentless pursuit of the truth, even when it brought her face-to-face with uncomfortable realities about her family and herself.

I finished the book feeling deeply moved and incredibly impressed by the author’s ability to weave such a gripping and emotional tale. This debut was thoughtful, powerful, and absolutely unforgettable. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves stories that delve into family secrets and the resilience of the human spirit.

This debut novel is amazing. I loved it. I was on the edge of my seat wondering where were these missing young girls. And who did it? And why wasn’t something being done to answer those questions. I can’t wait to see what this debut author writes next. I will be reading it!!!

This was one of NG’s read now for three days so I didn’t have high expectations. I was also on a long string of reading books that I wanted to read so wasn’t checking the site that often. I was wrong. “Oh honey. We don’t talk about Carol.” Her grandmother’s words to Sydney. Carol would be Sydney’s long missing aunt who disappeared about the same time that a number of girls went missing in rural North Carolina. Per the unfortunate usual, the police didn’t care about the missing black girls and their disappearance remained a mystery until Sydney, a former investigative journalist, decided to pursue not only the disappearance of her aunt, but all of the girls.

The beginning of the book is slow. The author replays the same scenarios over and over. Why is it important that Larry Singletary, Carol’s brother, Sydney’s dad and former pro NFL player is included? Sydney’s early family life was relatively miserable. She manages to escape to NYU (the family is living in California at that point). It leaves her younger sister angry and sad.

As Sydney’s investigation gains traction the book becomes far more interesting and moves along quickly. The ending is a rush. Ever been stuck in a good old Northeastern blizzard? That should,have been slowed down. Dedicate a little more attention to the ending of the book.

Great book that highlights an important social issue, the disproportionate media attention given to missing people based on race.

While helping to clear out her late grandmother's home in North Carolina, Sydney stumbles across an old photograph of an aunt she's never met, as well as a diary. Upon making some initial inquiries, she finds out that her aunt was believed to have run away from home in 1965 at the age of seventeen. However, others in the community think she may have been one of the victim's of the Creek Killer, un unproven theory developed to explain the disappearance of 6 different teen girls from local homes around that time. Given the date she disappeared, she would have been the sixth and final victim, but with her father and grandmother both gone, little-to-no evidence regarding the missing girls, and practically no attention from law enforcement, the task of finding out more about her aunt feels near impossible.

But that doesn't stop Sydney. Using the skills she honed as a crime reporter over 10 years ago, she begins reaching out to people she thinks might know more. The more she connects with family members of the other missing girls, the more she learns, and the more she's inclined to keep digging. She also uses her interest in true crime podcasts to help her garner more attention for the case overall.

Sydney also has her own personal struggles, namely that of starting a family. Her inability to conceive via conventional methods, coupled with her own turbulent childhood, have left her uncertain whether the IVF treatments she and her husband are pursuing are meant to work.

This story was a great character study. It highlighted Sydney's struggles, both emotionally and physically, with fertility treatments, the psychological impact of her childhood, her desire to know more about her aunt (for whom she is the spitting image), and her feelings of professional complacency about choosing a career path that is safe vs the one that she is passionate about.

The mystery angle is also fairly well-developed, though some scenes made me question how realistic they were, such as the placement of diary entries throughout the book, and the information shared by others regarding events that took place 60+ years prior. Overall, though, it was an intriguing story with a satisfying ending that I would highly recommend.

We Don't Talk About Carol is an excellent fictional depiction of the pain associated with missing people. The story centering on one woman's quest to find a newly discovered member of her family proves how just one person can make a difference.

Sydney's family situation mirrors a lot of Black homes. The mantra of "what happens in this house, stays in this house" was born out of survival but leads to secrets remaining harmful to finally healing.

This book is a must read and I throughly enjoyed the twist I didn’t see coming. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Sydney Singleton works for a PR company in LA, but she used to be a journalist and has a penchant for true crime. When Sydney discovers a picture of her aunt Carol, who she didn’t know existed, among her grandmother’s things, she becomes determined to learn more about this new relative. To Sydney’s surprise, Carol disappeared in the 1960s, alongside several other black adolescent women and, both surprisingly and unsurprisingly, no one ever really seems to have looked for them. Sydney decides she must figure out what happened to Carol and the, later-named Raleigh Six.

I really enjoyed this story. The mystery is well-paced and I liked the story subtexts: 1) that missing black women and girls are not found (or looked for) at the same rate as white women and girls, 2) Sydney’s struggles with infertility and 3) Sydney’s mental health challenges.

The story has some twists and turns and is a bit emotional. Trigger warnings for domestic violence and assault against women.

Recommended. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was asked to review “We Don’t Talk About Carol” by Kristen L. Berry.

Sydney is a journalist who discovers a secret connected to her family. Her aunt Carol disappeared when she was a teen but no one in the family will talk about it. As Sydney starts asking questions, she becomes more intrigued, especially when she discovers her aunt’s disappearance could be connected to those of other teen girls. Yet, Sydney’s quest brings flashes of previous mental breakdown, heightened because she and her husband are struggling with fertility issues.

Like many thrillers of this time, the story is narrated in both the present and past. However, Berry controls her narrative well, building suspense without relying on predictability.

I look forward to reading more by this author.

Four out of five stars.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and publisher for a chance to read this book.

pretty good thriller with some interesting plotting. the strength of this is the ripple effects in the present and less so the thriller part itself, tho, that part was more meh. 3.5 stars, rounded up. tysm for the arc.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. Okay, we do need to talk about this book which is one of the best books I've read this year so far. You say it's only mid-March, but I've already read 50+ books and this one stands out. It was very hard for me to put this book down. I wasn't even sure if it was a fiction or nonfiction book until the author's notes. It reads very true and very possible. It is very well-written. I would definitely recommend this book to everyone who likes true crime and even people who don't because it will pull you in.

What an emotionally gripping debut! I was pulled in right away with the mystery of what happened to Aunt Carol and the other Black girls who disappeared around the same time. The author created an atmospheric, time warp taking me back to the 1960s where segregation was still in effect and families hid their shame behind their pride. The writing was stellar and filled with emotion that just bled from the pages. I felt all of the grief and heartache like it was my own. This book was a bit slow moving at first but in no way deterring. The story focuses a lot on the IVF struggles that Sydney has endured as well as the obstacles that many women face when choosing to become a mother. I would have preferred more mystery than Sydney's self-reflections, but I appreciate the recognition of female strength and empowerment and welcome it. I had a hard time not being distracted by the name of Carol's neighborhood, South Park. Every time it was mentioned, my mind went straight to Cartman and Kenny. I couldn't help but laugh here. Definitely not the right emotions for this story, but I take full responsibility for my own immaturity. I would have also liked one final chapter prior to the epilogue that focused on the birth of Sydney's baby. We went along on this emotional journey with her, and I feel like this would have provided us with a more satisfying resolution to those feelings. I really enjoyed this book and think that many others will, also. I would definitely recommend!

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

Such an amazing debut!! I started this book on a plane and was hooked!!! It is such a powerful story. I couldn’t put it down. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

This ultimately was a moving book. I found it a little slow in the beginning, I was more interested in the mystery and cold case of it and a lot of the book was her family relationship, past abuse and current state and her ivf attempts. She finds out about a missing aunt, Carol and then 5 other missing black girls and attempts to solve the mystery. It talks about the ignored missing girls, who aren't white, young, pretty, middle class etc. I got more involved as the book went on and the story came together

Wow! This is a debut!? For anyone who listens to true crime podcasts? Don’t miss this! For anyone who devours true crime books? Grab a copy! For anyone who is sickened by the number of missing or exploited girls and women of color in America? This is an important and relevant read! Loved it! Netflix? What are you waiting for? Bravo Ms. Berry, bravo!

This a debut, but you would never guess. As a girl, Sydney finds a picture of a girl while visiting her Grandma Effie. She asks who it is and is told "we don't talk about Carol". Years later, Grandma Effie has passed, and Sydney is helping to clear her things. She finds the picture again and being a former journalist, begins trying to figure out what happened to that girl. It turns out she was Sydney's aunt who disappeared along with 5 other Black women in the 1960's. No one raised a red flag or really investigated at that time. Sydney and her husband Mikal are also trying to have a baby through fertility treatments and her investigation becomes an obsession that threatens her marriage. There are songs mentioned in this story that I looked up as I read, and this adds to the already strong, atmospheric feel. So many hot-button topics are covered in this well-written and characterized story. Missing minority women and IVF treatments, just to name a few. It is a heartbreaking story, and you will probably ugly cry, but it is well worth it. I do not want to spoil anything; I just strongly encourage you to not let this one pass by.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Kristen L. Berry and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Bantam for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Instagram and other retail and social media sites upon publication day of June 03, 2025.

This book is a work of fiction, but it’s grounded in accurate statistics regarding missing Black people & is a gripping story with many layers & thought-provoking elements. There’s so much to ruminate on, but I feel like one of the aspects that stood out to me was the way that the author spotlighted the right way to do true crime podcasts (focusing on the victims, & in unsolved cases hopefully getting the word out to help uncover information needed).

Marian, Bettie, Sally, Loretta, Geraldine, & Carol. These are the names of the six teenage girls who went missing from the same area in North Carolina in the 1960’s, & until Sydney Singleton came along, not many people even knew about the string of disappearances.

When Sydney flies across the country to help her mom & sister pack up her recently deceased grandmother’s house, she finds a picture of a girl who looks eerily like herself - and that was what started her digging. It turns out she had an aunt that she never knew about, & in the midst of fertility treatments she feels compelled to do some investigating. Her husband starts expressing concern when Sydney seems a little obsessed (she had an episode in her former career as a journalist when a story hit a little too close to home) but this time is different, she hopes…

Side note: I also loved the songs included with each of Carol’s journal entries - I looked them up & listened to them as I went along & it helped immerse me in the story even more.

Thank you very much to NetGalley & Random House Ballantine for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - I’ll be eagerly awaiting this author’s sophomore novel!

Sydney and Malik are going through IVF and anxious to have a child. But Syd finds a yearbook picture and journal of Carol--who once wanted to be a singer--and disappeared suddenly. Now Syd is more than curious as Carol has been missing for years and is presumed dead. There were connections to so many things that my head was spinning as I raced though this gem of a novel. It's a fascinating look at crime and how judgements are not always accurate!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

This book had a hold on me. It was about missing girls but also so much more which I was not expecting. The characters were well developed and the writing was so well done. This is an amazing first book. I do not want to give anything else away. I recommend picking this book up.

Missing girl thrillers usually pique my interest, but because there’s so many of them it’s difficult to find a memorable one these days. Berry takes a bit of a different approach to this trope by following former journalist Sydney who sets out to help solve the disappearance of an aunt she didn’t even know existed, and she was part of 6 black girls who went missing within the course of a year in the mid-‘60s.
It’s a very solid take on the missing girl trope, especially since it focuses on uncovering a cold case from 60 years ago, and although there are of course some reveals, it’s not a story focused on twists or red herrings and we figure out pretty early who the culprit was. Also I love finally seeing some new black authors in the mystery/thriller space! This deserves to be a buzzy book this summer.