Title: We Don’t Talk About Carol
Author: Kristen L. Berry (Debut Author)
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam
Genre: Thriller
Pub Date: June 3, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pages: 336

Prologue opens with Granny wanting everyone to stay at her home in North Carolina to celebrate her sixty-fifth birthday. Sydney is sharing a small bedroom with younger sister but cannot sleep due to the summer heat as well as Sasha’s snoring – so decided to explore she finds an old photograph of a beautiful teenage girl tucked away in a drawer at her grandmother's home. She asks her grandmother about the photograph. She states – “Baby – “We don’t talk about Carol”.

She discovers the girl in the photograph is her aunt, Carol, who was one of six local North Carolina Black girls who went missing in the 1960s. No one talked Carol or what really happened to her. Sydney is a journalist and sets out to find the truth. What happened to her long-lost aunt and why is there silence surrounding her.

There is another story personal side of Sydney as she and her husband want to start a family however she struggles with miscarriage, fertility treatments.

This story was great. I thought I had it figured out but I certainly didn’t!

Great Debut – Additionally enjoyed reading Ms. Berry ' Acknowledgements ' She , of course, is grateful for the support she got in writing this story but she also provided some stats on the disproportionate number of Black people who are reported missing each year.
I am sure readers will find this interesting.

About the Author ~ Kristen L. Berry is a writer and communications executive. Born and raised in Metro Detroit, Kristen graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature. She has provided PR and communications expertise to leading consumer brands for nearly twenty years, all while writing in her spare time. When she isn’t reading or writing, Kristen can be found lifting heavy at the gym, hiking in Malibu, eating her way through Los Angeles with her husband.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Bantam for granting me this GREAT story!
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 3, 2025.

Can’t believe this is a debut. Such a good book, such a great storyline that kept me guessing, such a powerful meaning behind it all. Wow wow wow. I loved this one

My only criticism is that one of my questions remained unanswered but I don’t wanna give spoilers

An emotional book that starts with a woman finding out about an aunt she didn’t know existed, which leads her to discover a group of missing woman from the 1960s. It was powerfully written. It had a nice mix of family issues with a mystery that kept me reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback. I loved this book. Right on time w a mystery dealing with unfortunately true situation. Great one.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Shocked...Stunned..5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What did I just read??? An amazing debut novel!!! Filled with dysfunction, trauma, mystery, twists, secrets, and shocking revelations, I cannot say enough amazing things about this book.

While going through IVF, Sydney comes across a picture and diary of Carol. Carol has been missing and most think she is dead. However, Sydney will quickly find out that she has a connection to Carol that is closer than she realizes. The twists and rollercoaster ride that this novel will have you on will BLOW. YOUR. MIND. Sometimes, things may be better left unknown.

Thank you NetGalley, Kristen Berry, and Random House Publishing Group for this ARC! Undoubtedly one of my favorites!

This was a good read. Suspenseful and mysterious. I liked the wat it played out. Bit of dragging in the middle or could be a 5. An authr to watch for sure!

this was interesting. a lot of mystery and suspense I was able to see what would happen and why it affected the race

Wow—this book is not just a powerful tale of a dysfunctional family navigating generational trauma, it’s also a deeply haunting, twist-filled mystery centered around a 60-year-old cold case involving six missing Black women whose stories were forgotten by the world but never by their families. With razor-sharp emotional insight and atmospheric tension, this story unravels hidden truths, buried pain, and the complex legacy of silence passed down through generations.

At the heart of the novel are three complicated women: two estranged sisters and their emotionally distant, controlling mother who has never been one for honest conversations or vulnerability. Sydney, in her late thirties and struggling with fertility and the emotional toll of repeated IVF failures, returns home to help clear out her late grandmother’s house. Her sister Sasha, still unemployed and living with their mother despite nearing forty, offers sharp contrast—carefree, unmoored, and frustratingly evasive. Their mother is still the same woman: stoic, proud, and absolutely allergic to emotional transparency.

While cleaning, Sydney is haunted by a memory from her youth—finding a photo of a woman who looked just like her. Her grandmother once shut down the conversation about this mysterious “Carol,” leaving Sydney with questions that were never answered. Now, decades later, she learns the chilling truth: her aunt Carol disappeared nearly sixty years ago and is one of six brilliant young Black women who went missing within the same time period—women who had bright futures and big dreams. And yet… there was no public outcry, no serious investigation, no closure. Why? Could the color of their skin have made their lives easier to overlook?

Sydney becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth—not just for her aunt, but for all the girls whose stories were erased. This journey forces her to confront the toxic legacy left by her grandmother’s pride, her father’s emotional damage and alcoholism, and her own internal battles. Her husband, Malik, fears for her mental health, especially after her last investigation spiraled into tragedy. But for Sydney, solving Carol’s disappearance isn’t just a search for justice—it’s a way to find meaning, to reclaim her voice, and to heal the broken pieces of her past.

As she digs deeper, she uncovers shocking secrets, buried trauma, and long-concealed truths that threaten to unravel not only her family, but the entire community. What she discovers will leave you breathless.

Overall Thoughts:
This book begins as a gripping family drama but quickly evolves into a shocking, emotional, and powerfully written psychological mystery. Sydney is a deeply relatable character—strong, wounded, determined—and her reconnection with her sister Sasha adds humor, heart, and complexity. The final quarter of this novel hit me like a freight train. I was not prepared for the intensity, the heartbreak, and the dark revelations that made my blood run cold.

This is the kind of story that lingers long after the final page—a hidden gem that deserves to be shouted about. Add it to your TBR immediately. I’ve already added the author to my auto-buy list and cannot wait to see what she writes next!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group / Ballantine / Bantam for sharing this stunning psychological mystery and women’s fiction ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

What a great book! First of all thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an advanced copy
The story begins with Sydney and her sister accompany their mother to North Carolina to clean out their grandmother’s house after her death. Sydney finds a photo of a young girl who look remarkably like she does but her mother takes it and tells her “ we don’t talk about Carol” . Mystified by the look alike, Sydney begins searching and discovers that six young black girls disappeared without a trace or investigation

I thoroughly enjoyed this debut. It had the right amount of twists and turns for me to feel like I couldnt anticipate what would happen next. I loved the introspective look into Sydney's journey into motherhood and her relationship with her sister and mother as it progressed. I felt there were some slight discrepancies with her investigative purview that helped further the plot but would be unlikely as a former reporter but that was a minor note.

overall, a great novel that can hopefully further the discourse of missing black women and girls in America.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry due to be published June 3, 2025.

After her grandmother passes, Sydney Singleton finds a hidden photograph of a little girl who looks so much like her. She soon discovers the mystery girl in the photograph is her aunt, Carol, who was one of six North Carolina Black girls to go missing in the 1960s. As a journalist Sydney seeks to uncover the mystery of her aunt, Carol, and the other missing girls.

This held my attention the entire time – so many intertwined stories – IVF, company realignment, past failures, etc., along with many twists to keep me interested. This is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to more books from Kristen Berry!

#NetGalley #KristenLBerry #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallentine #WeDon’tTalkAboutCarol

Wow! What a fantastic debut. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more Kristen Berry books! This book was so full of heart and soul. I really did not want it to end. Outstanding characters and brilliant storytelling. Don’t let this one pass you by.
Thank you NetGalley, Kristen Berry and Bantam Books for the opportunity to read and review this book

This book was AMAZING! Especially because it was a debit. My background is in journalism, so reading about all the research and work Sydney put in to her job and uncovering what really happened helped me sink into the story even deeper. I couldn’t put this book down! In thrillers, the ending can really make or break a book, and this one was absolutely perfect. No notes! This story is fiction but it deals with the unfortunate reality far too many people deal with every year. I can’t wait to read more from this author in the future!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. This was a twisty, turny story. Even the twists I saw coming were so well written and emotional that there was still a payoff. The characters were well written. Many times when I read books like this I get annoys with the side stories. There were a lot in this book - Sydney’s relationship with her sister, her husband, and her hot and cold desire to have a kid. But they all worked well with the main plot that I didn’t mind. Overall this was a book about families and secrets. The side plots all built into that. I think the worst thing for me was that every time I opened it I would sing We Don’t Talk About Carol

“We Don’t Talk About Carol” is a debut novel by Kristen Berry. This book follows a woman, Sydney, as she searches for her unknown aunt, Carol, but also five other Black girls who went missing around the same time. Ms. Berry tacked a number of topics, I felt, really well. Why don’t POC’s disappearances get wider coverage? I also thought she handled the police investigation (from the early 1960s in North Carolina) very realistically with the police trying but eventually putting the cases into cold case (it was very typical of the time). I also felt the story about Sydney trying to become a parent - from feelings to actual fertility appointments - along with trying to work on her relationship with her sibling and parent very well done. This book took a turn that I wasn’t expecting (one turn I wondered about but the other one I didn’t see) - which was rather fun to read. I hope that Ms. Berry writes another book - I will eagerly read that one too. A strong recommend.

This book had me locked in from page one ..and I still can’t believe it’s a debut novel! We Don’t Talk About Carol is part mystery, part emotional deep dive into generational trauma, family, and identity. Sydney is such a compelling character—flawed, determined, and real. The writing is sharp and layered, and the story balances suspense with heart in such a powerful way.
✨This one is a must read!! ✨

In We Don’t Talk About Carol, Sydney Singleton uncovers a haunting family secret after finding a hidden photo of a young girl who looks eerily like her. The girl turns out to be Carol, Sydney’s long-lost aunt, who vanished in the 1960s along with several other Black girls in North Carolina. As Sydney investigates the decades old mystery, she’s forced to confront painful truths about her own past, her family’s silence, and what she’s willing to sacrifice for the people she loves.

I knew from the dedication that I was going to enjoy this book. I don't even have all of the words to describe how amazing this book was. I will start with necessary and powerful. It is definitely a 5-star read in my eyes !! I knew this story was going to be a heavy read, but my God. There was a lot I enjoyed about this book. I loved the focus on missing black girls and the lack of coverage they receive. I loved Sydney's determination to uncover what happened with her aunt and the other missing girls while tackling her own issues and traumas. The writing was phenomenal, and I was surprised to learn this is the author's debut novel. I am now a fan and can't wait to see what the author does next. I am absolutely going to be recommending this book to everyone I know.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book!

This was a phenomenal mystery novel. I loved how the information was revealed, through flashbacks and small discoveries as we journeyed with Sydney to solve the case of the missing girls. Even though I felt like I knew who did it, Kristen Berry still managed to include a twist that I didn't see coming.

Thank you Random House Publishing Group, for providing the early copy of We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L. Berry - this is one heck of a debut! I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did, and I ended up staying late to finish it and was still thinking about the book after I woke up. Sydney was such an engaging character I was totally drawn into her search to uncover what happened to her aunt and why she had never heard of Carol who disappeared along with five other teen girls. I really loved how it addressed the problem of missing Black girls and women not getting the media coverage without being preachy. I won’t give any spoilers, but I gasped at the many shocking reveals that made this book veer into thriller territory because my mind was reeling as I raced through the pages. 5 amazing stars

We Don’t Talk About Carol by Kristen L Berry

5 stars

336 pages
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine, Bantam
Release Date: June 3, 2025

Fiction (Adult), General Fiction (Adult), Multicultural Interest, Women’s Fiction, Ancestry, Missing Persons

Six black teenage girls go missing between 1963 and 1965 in North Carolina. No one seems to care. The authorities believe they just ran away. Sydney travels with her mother and sister from their home in California to settle her grandmother’s estate. She comes across a picture that was always hidden. When she first found the picture as teenager, she asked her grandmother about it. Her grandmother said we don’t talk about Carol. That left Sydney with more questions than answers. Sydney begins a historical search for Carol to find how who she was and why no one talks about her.

The story has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the first-person point of view. Although this is a work of fiction, the topic of missing women and girls needs to be addressed.