Court Stevens crafts a heartfelt and haunting exploration of community, grief, and the quiet courage it takes to create change in Tell Me Something Good. Set in a rural town reeling from tragedy, Stevens gives an emotional tale that made for a solid adult debut.
Over twenty years ago, a young hunting guide in rural Kentucky was driving his boat in the early morning mist when his peaceful cruise was cut short by a scene so disturbing, he packed up and moved away. Nine women died early that morning, but it was linked to a similar crime in Texas, so the locals quickly wrote it off as having nothing to do with them.
Now, all these years later, when everyone has nearly forgotten about that grisly part of their past, one man’s accidental death will bring everything back up to the surface. The locals who knew better can no longer claim it had nothing to do with them, and one woman, desperate to do whatever it takes to save her mother’s life, will learn that nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her.
I thoroughly enjoy the writing of Court Stevens. After reading Last Girl Breathing at the end of 2023, I was truly excited to explore more from the author in Tell Me Something Good. This time around I opted for the audiobook, narrated by Marin Ireland, Charlie Thurston & Annalee Scott. While I found the writing itself engaging, the story felt a bit overcrowded with too many underdeveloped characters, making it hard to follow along.
The plot had moments of great entertainment but lacked a bit of focus. Multiple simultaneous storylines can be a highlight of a story, but these didn’t seem to align well by the end, making it harder to fully immerse myself in the story. That said, the overall concept was unique and I hoped the book would deliver something exceptional. Despite its shortcomings, it still turned out to be a solid read.
Tell Me Something Good had a few twists and turns throughout, but none were particularly groundbreaking. The ending carried some emotional weight that made for a meaningful gut punch, but reaching this conclusion involved too many unnecessary detours.
Overall, Tell Me Something Good was a worthwhile read. However, I enjoyed Last Girl Breathing a bit more. While this adult debut wasn’t without its flaws, I am looking forward to more from the talent author. The audiobook narration was outstanding and worth the listen.
Tell Me Something Good is available at bookstores everywhere from Harper Muse. The audiobook is available at Libro.fm!
