I LOVE Marin Ireland so-her narration is on point on any project she takes on. This was a great book, sad, dark and tragic but done in such a way that leaves you wanting to keep listening. Thanks for this ALC!

Thank you to Harper Muse Audio Books for the ARC!

Tell Me Something Good is a novel that doesn’t just tell a story it immerses you in a world so rich and layered that you feel like you’re uncovering a long-buried truth alongside the characters. I wasn’t prepared for the sheer depth of this book, and I mean that in the best way possible.

Court Stevens masterfully weaves multiple storylines together, creating an intricate mystery that keeps you chasing the truth even as the narrative unfolds in unexpected ways. The authorial intrusion—something I don’t often encounter was done so thoughtfully that it enhanced the experience rather than pulling me out of it. Every detail, every revelation, and every carefully placed thread wove itself together into an ending that was both devastating and satisfying.

And I have to mention the narration one particular character’s voice had me fully convinced Rick Grimes was giving a monologue to Carl about the dangers of this world. The sheer intensity, the gravelly Southern drawl, the weight of every word? Chef’s kiss. If you know, you know.

This isn’t just a thriller. It’s a meditation on truth, class divides, and the silent ripples of the past that refuse to stay buried. The pacing is relentless, the atmosphere haunting, and the characters unforgettable. It left me in awe of Stevens’s ability to tell a story with such emotional weight and complexity.

This is a must-read if you love literary mysteries that demand your full attention and reward you with a breathtaking conclusion.

When I read that this book claimed to be like Beartown, I had both high and low hopes. Beartown is one of my favorite books of all time, and I didn't think anything could come close. Tell Me Something Good truly rivals my love for those books. The narrative, if you are a Fredrik Backman fan, is paced very similarly and follows a similar style. It was very compelling, and I was enraptured up until the very end.

The characters were very hard to get straight at first, I think because it kind of jumps around explaining them a bit. Eventually I caught on, but the family trees still perplex me a bit. That being said, the characters were so nuanced and complex, and it in classic Fredrik Backman fashion it has you both loving and hating just about every character.

This book was truly a delight to read, and I foresee myself revisiting it in the future because it is a captivating and richly told story.

'Tell Me Something Good' follows the story of several interlinked families in a hunting town in Kentucky. Several events in the past formed the present, which is quickly torn apart and lives upended when the truth comes to light. The story also highlights how events in one scenario ripple effects into the future.

With so many characters, it is hard to keep them track at first via audiobook with no chapter titles to make the point of view switch clear. Eventually the shifts are easier to understand as we learn more about the characters and their role in the story.

An established young-adult author, this is Court Steven's debut adult fiction novel. It is a solid entry, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks for the Advanced Listening Copy.

This was an incredibly engaging read that I finished in two days. There were times when I got a little in the weeds with how many side and tertiary characters there were (I'm still not a hundred percent sure of how Foster's dad fits into the whole thing, or who Waylon is related to and how), but the more prominent characters were beautifully realized. As someone from the South and who has family in northern Kentucky, the setting felt true to life, and Court did an excellent job in making it all feel real and lived-in. My one major complaint is that the school shooter storyline was entirely pointless. It was irrelevant to the plot in every way, and especially considering the shooting doesn't end up happening. I'd question the book's editor in particular on this point: it serves no storytelling purpose and would be an immediate turn-off for a large swathe of readers. I'll have to be really careful about who I recommend this book to as a result, which is such a shame because otherwise I'd be telling everyone about this one.

Really enjoyed this book. The narrators were great. The characters had a lot of depth and definitely made the story more interesting.
The mystery element was great and kept you guessing till the last chapter. Not knowing the who and why till the end was great cause it pushed me to keep listening, making this fast listen.

While the book was great that last chapter was just meh for me. Definitely could have ended a lot better.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy

Such a good listen! The narrator made me not want to put this down. This is a new narrator for me and I definitely enjoyed their portrayal of the story. Court Stevens is an amazing author. I absolutely loved Last Girl Breathing, so when I saw she had a new book out, I knew I had to read it! And it did not disappoint.

There is something about Court Stevens books that always makes me ready for the next one as soon as I close the cover of one. They are though provoking, twisty, and almost to real. Stevens pens mysteries that make you know this could happen in your neighborhood and that is why they are just a bit to close to home.
9 women were killed 20 years ago. The murders remain unsolved to this day.
Anna Rider wants to save her mother and in this saving, she will realize that she has no idea what her own story really is.
In depth, fascinating read, Stevens tells us that we are all connected, for better or worse. We all need to love each other and take care of each other. Even when we know the worse about each other.
Well written and beautifully paced, you will want to continue reading and knowing the people of Luxor, Kentucky long after the covers of the book close.

I was glued to this audiobook every free moment I had! That's how good this was. The narrator, Marin Ireland did a fantastic job.

Court Stevens is an amazing writer. There was a lot of elements to this book that she weaved together very well. I really enjoy a book where all the characters, minor roles or not, are distinct. Every character made me feel some type of emotion, whether good or bad and that's what drew me into this book.

I also liked that this book wasn't just a mystery thriller. It had family drama, betrayal on so many sides and more.

This debut adult novel has marked her as an author that I will watch out for in terms of future releases.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this advanced review copy!

This was an entertaining audio. A bit hard to keep up with sometimes bc of all the different character POVs. I think the confusion would be solved by reading the actual book instead of listening to the audio. Or maybe have narrators with completely different voices. Despite having to re-listen to a few portions to stay on track, this was a great story! I really liked the characters, especially Star and Jack. The twists at the end were both heart breaking and heart warming.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the arc audio in exchange for my honest review. This title releases in June 2025, and I will definitely recommend this to my reader friends!

2.75/5 stars.

While I enjoyed the writing of this book, I also felt this story suffered from too many characters and not enough development. I think it may have been easier to keep track of if I had physically read the book but I had the audio for this story. I did feel like this was a bit confusing and I didn’t always know which character was which.

The actual plot was enjoyable but I had a hard time feeling immersed and present throughout the whole story. This ended up being an “ok” listen for me. It wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t outstanding in my personal opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Tell Me Something Good
by Court Stevens
Narrated by Marin Ireland

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens was a fun, unique story that involves a weekend even with some heavy players. Anna, who lives across the river and has been told to keep away, finds herself in a pinch and on the other side of the river for this particular weekend. There is an auction about to happen, only this isn't your typical auction. There are some bad people in the world. Some of them living right across the river from Anna, and some planning on attending the weekend event. The story is told with glimpses into what could be, in the future, if certain paths are taken. These futures can be changed though, depending on what choices people decide to take. Sounds weird? Listen to the book and it will make a lot more sense. The story is written in this type of narration as well. A bit different than your typical story.

So, there are a lot of different characters in the book. I didn't really have a hard time remembering who was who, though some may struggle with it. I enjoyed the book, and it had me laughing in parts. I loved Foster's character. That being said, I could have taken the story itself without all of the possible timeline outcomes, etc. The story itself was enough. The possible outcomes just muddied the story up a bit, in my opinion. The narration was well done and easy to follow along with, even with all of the different characters. I give it a 3.7 out of 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperMuse Audiobooks, and the author for the chance to listen to and review this ARC!

This was a very interesting, well-written story. I listened to the audio version and I think perhaps it would be better in print form. There are a lot of things going on and if you miss any details, it’s easy to get lost for a while.

Tell Me Something Good is a mystery thriller that keeps readers engaged with its twists and suspenseful moments. The story unfolds with intrigue, pulling the reader into a plot filled with secrets, deception, and unexpected turns.

While the novel delivers on suspense, the characters could have been developed more to create a deeper emotional connection. Some motivations and backstories felt underexplored, making it harder to fully invest in their journeys. However, the pacing and atmosphere keep the tension high, making it an overall enjoyable read. Fans of fast-paced thrillers will appreciate the gripping storyline, even if they wish for a bit more depth in character development.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

#netgalley arc

This book kept me on the edge of my seat! I will say be prepared for tears…. I wasn’t bawling but definitely a tear jerker!!!

🎧 Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks, I had the opportunity to listen to this as an advanced copy—and from the very first chapter, I was hooked! This story immediately grabbed my attention, and I found myself putting on my sleuth hat, determined to solve the mystery.

Stevens does an excellent job of capturing small-town life and all the complexities that come with it—poverty, intergenerational trauma, and parents just trying to survive. The subtle clues woven throughout the story kept me guessing, and I was so sure I had figured it all out by the halfway point... but I was completely wrong (which I loved!).

🎙️ Audiobook Thoughts:
While I enjoyed the full-cast narration, I do wish I had a physical copy as well—it took me a little while to keep track of who was who. But once I settled into the rhythm, the fast-paced storytelling and gripping plot made this a thrilling listen!

📖 Pick this one up if you’re a fan of:
🔍 True crime-inspired mysteries
❤️ Second-chance romance
⚡ Short, punchy chapters that keep you hooked

The blurb for this book was really intriguing and definitely peaked my interest. However, the book itself seemed worlds away from this. There are so many characters with little development of each one, so it’s very difficult to warm to anyone, or even work out how they connect to the other characters. I found it very confusing and struggled to keep up with the different storylines. Maybe the written book would be able to follow, but whilst I like the narrator, I just couldn’t get onboard with the story.

I listened to the audiobook of this title. I kind of wish I had read a physical copy instead since this book has a LOT of characters and I found myself asking “who”??? And having to rewind the audio quite a few time.
This book shines the light on multigenerational trauma as well as being a mystery/thriller.
A solid 4 star read for me.
I received an ALC of this title, all opinions are my own.

Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens is a good mystery/suspense/thriller that keeps you guessing throughout the entire book. It intertwines an unsolved murder from many years ago with a present day plot of family and love dynamics. The two plot lines converge at the end and boy what an ending it is!
This book has a lot of characters to keep up with and keep straight , who is who and who is related to who.
The narrator does an excellent job with all the characters and the storyline.
I look forward to more books like this from Court Stevens..

4.4 stars - Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an ARC audiobook of 'Tell Me Something Good'. This book was SOOO good — but I definitely have some gripes. It gave me similar vibes to 'All the Colors of the Dark' by Chris Whitaker, with its fascinating, emotional, and at times horrifying story. It was a true rollercoaster of emotions.

My biggest struggle was the sheer number of characters. I actually had to make a diagram, complete with notes, just to keep track of who was who — and I had to rely on that cheat sheet the whole way through. For example, Anna is Jack’s ex-fiancée, Murray is Jack’s best friend, and Gleb is Murray’s dad. By the end, my notes were a total mess of chicken scratch, but it was the only way to stay on top of all the relationships and plot twists.

That said, the ending still left me completely shocked. I literally gasped. I’m still processing — part disbelief, part peace, and even some relief. It was such a powerful conclusion.

I do wonder if reading a physical copy would have made it easier to follow compared to listening to the audiobook. That’s actually another reason it reminded me of 'All the Colors of the Dark' — both were complex stories with lots of shifting viewpoints and jumps between past, present, and future. To be clear, the narrators did a great job, but the format definitely added to the challenge of keeping everything straight.

Despite all that, it was an absolutely beautiful story, and I’m so grateful I had the chance to experience it!