What do you think?
Rate this book
Do You Think I Cried Too Long?
This story of heartache and suspense will keep you guessing until the very end...
It’s the fall of 1954; eight-year-old Lily and her two-year-old brother are playing on the porch of an isolated farmhouse in rural California. They suddenly hear the reverberating boom of a shotgun in the house. Lily rushes inside and watches in horror as she sees her mother, Ellen, bleeding from a shotgun wound to the abdomen.
No one is prepared for the burden of having to care for Ellen’s three children, and after Ellen’s death, Lily is sent to live with her grandmother, and her two half-siblings are orphaned off to whichever of their father’s relatives agree to “keep” them. Ellen’s husband, Orville, proclaims his innocence but keeps vanishing and reappearing without notice.
Lily’s gypsy grandmother, Pet, as she likes to be called, is tormented by her daughter’s death but is unable to confront her pain as she drags Lily through a myriad of rural California towns in search of work. Lily is thrust into one school after another, navigating whispers and rumors about Ellen’s death while clinging desperately to her mother’s memory.
The coroner rules the death a suicide without any real investigation, though suspicions linger that the jealous-hearted husband is guilty. Will the tragedy and the town gossip that follows tear the family apart?
This story takes you down winding paths filled with in-depth perspectives from friends and relatives, trying to determine what really happened. Was it a suicide or a heinous murder?
Buy now before the price changes!
It’s the fall of 1954; eight-year-old Lily and her two-year-old brother are playing on the porch of an isolated farmhouse in rural California. They suddenly hear the reverberating boom of a shotgun in the house. Lily rushes inside and watches in horror as she sees her mother, Ellen, bleeding from a shotgun wound to the abdomen.
No one is prepared for the burden of having to care for Ellen’s three children, and after Ellen’s death, Lily is sent to live with her grandmother, and her two half-siblings are orphaned off to whichever of their father’s relatives agree to “keep” them. Ellen’s husband, Orville, proclaims his innocence but keeps vanishing and reappearing without notice.
Lily’s gypsy grandmother, Pet, as she likes to be called, is tormented by her daughter’s death but is unable to confront her pain as she drags Lily through a myriad of rural California towns in search of work. Lily is thrust into one school after another, navigating whispers and rumors about Ellen’s death while clinging desperately to her mother’s memory.
The coroner rules the death a suicide without any real investigation, though suspicions linger that the jealous-hearted husband is guilty. Will the tragedy and the town gossip that follows tear the family apart?
This story takes you down winding paths filled with in-depth perspectives from friends and relatives, trying to determine what really happened. Was it a suicide or a heinous murder?
Buy now before the price changes!
357 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2023
25 people are currently reading
126 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 11, 2024
This book absolutely broke my heart. Lily is a young girl who witnesses her mother’s murder, but because of the time in our history it’s ruled a suicide with no investigation. Her life is incredibly hard and unstable, but she still grows up to be an intelligent, well rounded, young woman. I understand growing up with family that doesn’t seem to have your best interest at heart. I would love to read a continuation of this story to see if her mother ever got the justice she deserves.
Thank you Elaine for telling this story and for sending it to me to read!
Thank you Elaine for telling this story and for sending it to me to read!
January 23, 2025
“𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤. 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙣, 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙖 𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙞𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩—𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙝, 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙚𝙩 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙮.” 🌹
📓 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤: do you think i cried too long? by elaine kelliher
🕯️ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: historical fiction, family drama
✨ 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5/5 ⭐️
〰️ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
set in 1950s rural america, this story follows a young girl, lily, as she navigates loss, change, and the complexities of family. when her life takes an unexpected turn, lily embarks on a journey of resilience and self-discovery, uncovering hidden truths and finding strength in the face of hardship.
💡 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
elaine kelliher’s do you think i cried too long? is a poignant exploration of grief, family dynamics, and the search for answers. through lily’s perceptive eyes, we’re drawn into a deeply emotional story that captures the heartache of change and the resilience of the human spirit.
kelliher masterfully portrays 1950s rural america, creating a vivid backdrop that enhances the depth of the narrative. the characters are richly developed, each adding their own layer of complexity to lily’s journey. the mystery at the heart of the story keeps you turning pages, while the emotional depth lingers long after you’ve finished.
this is more than a tale of grief—it’s a story about strength, love, and the courage to face the past. kelliher’s writing is evocative and beautifully captures both the heartbreak and the hope of lily’s journey.
••trigger warnings:
themes of loss, familial separation, and trauma.
if you’re looking for a heartfelt and thought-provoking read that weaves mystery with emotional depth, do you think i cried too long? should be on your list. let me know if it’s already on your radar! 👀✨
📓 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤: do you think i cried too long? by elaine kelliher
🕯️ 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: historical fiction, family drama
✨ 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5/5 ⭐️
〰️ 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
set in 1950s rural america, this story follows a young girl, lily, as she navigates loss, change, and the complexities of family. when her life takes an unexpected turn, lily embarks on a journey of resilience and self-discovery, uncovering hidden truths and finding strength in the face of hardship.
💡 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫-𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰:
elaine kelliher’s do you think i cried too long? is a poignant exploration of grief, family dynamics, and the search for answers. through lily’s perceptive eyes, we’re drawn into a deeply emotional story that captures the heartache of change and the resilience of the human spirit.
kelliher masterfully portrays 1950s rural america, creating a vivid backdrop that enhances the depth of the narrative. the characters are richly developed, each adding their own layer of complexity to lily’s journey. the mystery at the heart of the story keeps you turning pages, while the emotional depth lingers long after you’ve finished.
this is more than a tale of grief—it’s a story about strength, love, and the courage to face the past. kelliher’s writing is evocative and beautifully captures both the heartbreak and the hope of lily’s journey.
••trigger warnings:
themes of loss, familial separation, and trauma.
if you’re looking for a heartfelt and thought-provoking read that weaves mystery with emotional depth, do you think i cried too long? should be on your list. let me know if it’s already on your radar! 👀✨
October 15, 2023
Compelling and well-written, this story includes a colorful cast of characters set during a time of racial strife and financial challenges. As we peer into the histories of each character, the book helps to re-frame how we view the generation that raised us. Centered within the larger context of racism, Elaine makes known all the ways that discrimination creeps into every corner of history in new ways that I hadn’t considered before. Examining theories on parenting, generational trauma, and the delicate psychology and inner world of children within a fascinating tale of tragedy and coping, I was captivated from beginning to end. Looking forward to Elaine’s next book and finding out what happens after this for Lily and her family.
May 23, 2024
Knowing this story was drawn from the author’s life experiences, made for an impactful walk through Lily’s shoes. A beautiful study in how the tragic loss of a mother/daughter shapes the future of a family.
May 1, 2025
So good
This book is a powerful and beautifully crafted narrative that delves into the profound experiences of a young African American girl navigating life in the racially charged landscape of 1950s America. The author masterfully weaves a compelling story of personal growth, familial strength, and resilience, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of childhood during a transformative period in American history. The writing is exceptional, with a captivating prose style that brings the protagonist's journey to life, making it an emotionally resonant and deeply moving literary work that explores themes of identity, perseverance, and the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity.
This book is a powerful and beautifully crafted narrative that delves into the profound experiences of a young African American girl navigating life in the racially charged landscape of 1950s America. The author masterfully weaves a compelling story of personal growth, familial strength, and resilience, offering readers an intimate glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of childhood during a transformative period in American history. The writing is exceptional, with a captivating prose style that brings the protagonist's journey to life, making it an emotionally resonant and deeply moving literary work that explores themes of identity, perseverance, and the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity.
March 20, 2024
Captivating and poignant! Set against the backdrop of racial strife and financial struggles in 1950s California, the story follows Lily, an eight-year-old girl who grapples with the aftermath of her mother's violent death. This is a powerful and unforgettable read that resonates long after the final page, and it really showcases the author's talent for weaving together personal experiences with larger social issues and purely human emotional responses.
October 14, 2025
A powerful story that had me experiencing different emotions as I read. Lily’s relationship with her “mean” grandmother proves to be one that she needs to give her enough strength to continue through the heartbreak in her young life. The different relationships in Lily’s life, although complicated, play an important role but the Broussard family shows her a beautiful and different point of view of family. I cannot wait to read the true ending and learn how Lily manages to move past her trauma.
September 9, 2024
the scream I let out at the end of this book
This was a great story but it’s not finished. I loved the recap of the life of this sweet little girl. I need the next part. I loved the relationship between Lilly and Mr Broussard. He was such a good person to her, she really needed that! Bravo this was excellent
This was a great story but it’s not finished. I loved the recap of the life of this sweet little girl. I need the next part. I loved the relationship between Lilly and Mr Broussard. He was such a good person to her, she really needed that! Bravo this was excellent
January 5, 2024
Names and Places
I understand that the book is fiction and told from the perspective of a child. However knowing the names and places made the book more than background noise. Every chapter was vibrant drawing me deeper and deeper into Lily’s world.
I understand that the book is fiction and told from the perspective of a child. However knowing the names and places made the book more than background noise. Every chapter was vibrant drawing me deeper and deeper into Lily’s world.
December 3, 2025
I love this book. I don’t read fiction but this one has me looped in from a Pinterest recommendation. But am I pissed at the ending? Yes, absolutely lol where is the freaking part two 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
October 15, 2023
Compelling and well-written, this story includes a colorful cast of characters set during a time of racial strife and financial challenges. As we peer into the histories of each character, the book helps to re-frame how we view the generation that raised us. Centered within the larger context of racism, Elaine makes known all the ways that discrimination creeps into every corner of history in new ways that I hadn’t considered before. Examining theories on parenting, generational trauma, and the delicate psychology and inner world of children within a fascinating tale of tragedy and coping, I was captivated from beginning to end. Looking forward to Elaine’s next book and finding out what happens after this for Lily and her family.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews