Tell Me Something Good
- Judith D Collins
- Aug 23
- 6 min read
By: Court Stevens
Narrators: Marin Ireland, Charlie Thurston, Annalee Scott ISBN: 9780840707697
Publisher: Harper Muse Audiobooks
Publication Date: 06/03/2025
Format: Audio
My Rating: 4 Stars (ALC)
"This is a writer that understands people down to the bones. Her characters are fallible and hopeful, flawed and loving, and so real they have stayed with me." --Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish.
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.
In Court Stevens's adult debut, she delves deep into the heart of a community, where some will learn that we don't always live to see the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same.
My Review
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD by Court Stevens is a gripping Southern Gothic mystery thriller of the haves and the have-nots, immersing readers in a haunting Kentucky community from past to present.
This atmospheric tale unravels as it delves deep into a web of long-buried secrets and unsolved murders, revealing a landscape steeped in deception where nearly every resident has been entangled in a web of lies for over two decades. As the story unfolds, the palpable tension and dark histories of the characters come to light, painting a vivid picture of a town haunted by its past.
About...
Twenty years ago, nine women, referred to as the "Choir Girls," were brutally murdered in a rural Kentucky town. The crimes were linked to a similar case in Texas, and locals quickly dismissed them as an outside problem, a narrative the community maintained to avoid scrutiny.
Anna Ryder is a woman in her thirties who stayed in the impoverished town of Luxor to care for her sick mother, Starr, after a major flood derailed her plans to leave for college.
When Anna loses her teaching job, she is forced by desperation to seek employment at the affluent "Lodges," a hunting resort her mother had always forbidden her from going near. The seemingly accidental death of a man who worked at the Lodges brings the old, unsolved murders back to the surface. The locals who knew better can no longer hide the truth.
Through her new job and the unfolding events, Anna learns that nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her, including her mother, and that the past events have left significant "ripples".
The mystery involves a criminal enterprise at the Lodges, specifically an illegal auction, which has dire consequences and is linked to the past and present murders.
Anna reconnects with her ex-fiancé, Jack, and together they delve deeper into the family secrets, local corruption, and the dark events at the Lodges, all while some locals will do anything to keep the truth buried.
My thoughts...
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD cleverly explores themes of intergenerational trauma, social class disparities between the two neighboring towns (Luxor and Bent Tree), the fierce loyalty of family, and the lengths people go to protect those they love.
Set in rural Kentucky, in a community sharply divided by wealth and geography, the two worlds are the main element of the story, highlighting social inequalities and long-held resentments. The physical setting is crucial to the narrative and functions almost as a character itself.
Character-driven and atmospheric, the Southern Gothic mystery explores the town's dark past, family secrets, and corruption with a sense of unease, where no one can be trusted. The traumatic events of twenty years earlier continue to affect the lives of the characters in the present.
Full of metaphors, the devastating flood that disrupted Anna's life and prevented her from leaving the town for college serves as a powerful symbol of nature's destructive power, one that physically and metaphorically traps the characters in their circumstances and sets the stage for the book's events.
The "Lodges" symbolize the moral ambiguity of wealth and the corruption it can hide. The silence of the townsfolk for 20 years showcases the collective guilt and denial that allow evil to persist. The unsolved nature of the crimes symbolizes a lingering injustice that poisons the community's present.
The title, Tell Me Something Good alludes to a well-known song lyric which serves as a form of powerful irony. The characters desperately want to hear something good, some positive news or a break from the misery of their lives, but instead, they are forced to confront the grim reality of murder, lies, and corruption. Highlighting a need for hope and innocence in a world that is steeped in darkness and the burden of the past.
The audiobook...
I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook, masterfully brought to life by a skilled multi-narrator cast featuring the captivating voices of Marin Ireland, Charlie Thurston, and Annalee Scott. Their performances infused the story with emotional depth, making the experience not just a listening session but a journey into the intricacies of complex family dynamics. The narrative skillfully explores themes of love and loyalty, illustrating how characters navigate challenging circumstances and go to extraordinary lengths to protect those they hold dear. This rich tapestry of relationships and emotions makes for an incredibly engaging and immersive listening experience.
Recs...
Readers who were captivated by "Tell Me Something Good" will likely find themselves drawn to a rich tapestry of Southern Gothic mysteries and thrillers that delve deep into the heart of small-town secrets. Furthermore, the exploration of intergenerational trauma adds layers of emotional depth, revealing how the haunting whispers of history shape the lives of the characters.
~What's Done in Darkness by Laura McHugh
~Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
~The Little Friend by Donna Tartt
~The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel
~Where All Light Tends to Go by David Joy
~Gothictown by Emily Carpenter
Special thanks to Harper Muse Audiobooks and Netgalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 03, 2025
My Rating: 4 Stars
Praise
'Court Stevens deftly weaves together all the strands of this novel into a complex, heart-wrenching whole. This is a writer who understands people down to the bones. Her characters are fallible and hopeful, flawed and loving, and so real they have stayed with me. TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD wraps wise meditations about love and justice around a propulsive tale of suspense; I can't wait to share this one with my book club.'
-- Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
'Court Stevens' impressive resume includes eight YA novels, and she makes her adult debut with this intense tale . . . The book's atmospheric setting instantly draws readers' attention and doesn't let go. Stevens' short sentences, crisp prose, and deft, omniscient narration add to the story's propulsion. A knockout.'
-- Booklist Starred Review
'I sat down to read a few pages and got up hours later having finished the whole thing, feeling like I'd just binged the most thrilling new drama on TV. Wow!'
-- Mary Laura Philpott, author of BOMB SHELTER: LOVE, TIME, AND OTHER EXPLOSIVES
'In her adult debut, TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD, Court Stevens delivers an unputdownable tale of murder, lies, and the extraordinary lengths we go to for the people we love. A haunting masterpiece.'
-- Rea Frey, #1 bestselling author of DON'T FORGET ME
'TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD by Court Stevens is a gripping mystery centered around family secrets, inherited trauma, and a convoluted web of crime. The implications of the central conflict are far-reaching and deadly, ratcheting up the stakes to rousing levels. Yet, despite its sweeping scope, Stevens still manages to make the narrative feel focused and personal. For anyone in pursuit of a fast-paced thriller that'll have you compulsively flipping the pages, this is one to look out for.'
-- Bookstr
'TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD is better than good. It's fantastic! Court Stevens has crafted a beautifully written tale full of heart and rich characters who live on long after the last page. If you like a just-one-more-page mystery that will keep you up late into the night, this one's for you. I absolutely loved it!'
-- Lisa Patton, bestselling author of WHISTLIN' DIXIE IN A NOR'EASTER and RUSH
About the Author
Court Stevens grew up among rivers, cornfields, churches, and gossip in the small-town South. She is a former adjunct professor, youth minister, and Olympic torchbearer. These days she writes coming-of-truth fiction and is the director of Warren County Public Library in Kentucky. She has a pet whale named Herman, a bandsaw named Rex, and several novels with her name on the spine: Last Girl Breathing, We Were Kings, The June Boys, Faking Normal, The Lies About Truth, the e-novella The Blue-Haired Boy, Dress Codes for Small Towns, and Four Three Two One. Find Court online at CourtsStevens.com; Instagram: @quartland; Facebook: @CourtneyCStevens; X: @quartland
