You Should Have Told Me

by Leah Konen

A devoted father. A loving partner. A suspect for murder...


When Janie's boyfriend Max doesn't come home one night, she's doesn't know what to do. Why would he leave her and their baby daughter, with no explanation?

Then the police turn up, asking questions about the body of a woman found outside a local bar.

They want to know where Max was last night. Where Max is now - but Janie has no idea.

They want answers, but Janie only has questions.

She loves Max more than anything. But did she ever really know him at all?

And if he's capable of disappearing, could he be capable of murder too?

Praise for Leah Konen:

'Intense, unpredictable and completely addictive' T.M. Logan

'The twists keep on coming right up to the final page. I read it in one sitting' Sarah Pinborough

'One White Lie hooked me from the start. This book has everything - engaging characters, a unique story, and an ending that will blow you away' Samantha Downing

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Fiction, Suspense, Adult

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 3, 2023

About the author

Leah Konen is the author of The Last Room on the Left, Keep Your Friends Close, You Should Have Told Me, The Perfect Escape, All the Broken People, and several young adult novels, including Love and Other Train Wrecks and The Romantics. Her books have been featured in Vogue, Rolling Stone, Marie Claire, Reader’s Digest and The NY Post, among others. She lives in Brooklyn and the Catskills with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This was another gripping, adrenaline fueled, psychological thriller you devour in one sitting!
Here’s the summary of the plot:

Janine, taking a leave to climb the corporate ladders, her fast, vivid, social, big city life behind to move to the upstate to raise her baby girl with her musician boyfriend! She is not happy with the choices she’s made! She’s loving her boyfriend Max and she’s loving her baby but she misses the hell of her old life, her free, careless self! She cannot sleep! She has to be 24/7 mother but she’s struggling to adapt her new responsibilities, her new secluded life!

She also keeps a secret from her boyfriend. She gets alerted when she gets texts about one of her special client!

One night at her weakest moment, she blurts out to her boyfriend that she never wanted her baby! The same night, her boyfriend Max soothes her, sending her to sleep, promising he’ll take her of their baby girl when she sleeps off.

But when Janine wakes up from restless sleep, she realizes, Max is GONE! He vanished into thin air.

She calls Max’s family but Max’s father Carl is way too much relaxed and he thinks Max will come back after cooling off. Max’s best friend Lilian comes to Janine help but interestingly she doesn’t seem worried.

And police officers knock her door to ask Max’s whereabouts. He’s last seen at the bar where a young woman was murdered and her kid was kidnapped.

As Janine digs deeper, she realizes Max keeps so many dirty secrets to himself! Could he be the same reliable, caring, honest guy she wanted to raise kids with?

Overall: the mystery surprisingly unfolded.It was smart, fast pacing, intriguing reading!
Janine was flawed but still a great character you can root for and understand her predicaments.

I loved the execution and smart ending which made me 4.5 stars to 5 dirty secrets, motherhood, action packed stars!

Many thanks to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP PUTNAM/ G. P. Putnam’s Sons for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[Lit with Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Putnam for my beautiful gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. IYKYK, my reviews are always honest.

Writing: 3/5 | Plot: 3/5 | Ending: 3/5

SYNOPSIS

Janie is a new mom struggling with connecting with her newborn Freya. One night, her husband Max offers to take care of Freya's nighttime feedings so Janie can get some much-needed rest. But when she wakes to a screaming and unfed Freya, she realizes Max has gone. And things go from bad to worse when he becomes a prime suspect in the murder of a seemingly random woman.

MY OPINION

First of all, this cover has everything I love: neon coloured font and shades of purple, pink, and red. Is this relevant to the quality of the book? No. I just felt like sharing.

ANYWAYS. I found this book really hard to rate. Why? I'm not a mother. Plain and simple. In all honesty, I found the detailed breastfeeding descriptions in EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER a bit tiresome. I do not have a problem with breastfeeding; kids gotta eat. But the sheer number of breastfeeding scenes was giving me propaganda vibes because she didn't spend as much time describing changing Freya's diapers, an activity which according to Google happens 10-12 times per day for a newborn. If there had been more balance across the repetitive tasks of motherhood, it would've felt more genuine, instead of hyper-fixating on breastfeeding. However, I didn't take this fact into account with my rating because maybe if I was a mother, I would feel differently?

I did appreciate the authenticity of a mother who felt "conned" into motherhood. She made some great points about how society reacts more harshly when a woman abandons her child vs. a man. A single mother is oftentimes looked at with disdain, while a single father is heralded as a hero and a Great Guy™. The raw accounts of Janie struggling to love Freya the way she thought she should, struggling with the demands of motherhood, and struggling with her family and friends' expectations of how she should feel, were very heartfelt.

I think if you liked how the The Last Housewife tackled women's issues within a thriller, you will most likely vibulate with this one. The writing was much better than The Last Housewife IMO. Stronger overall but still a little melodramatic here and there, with some questionable lines: "Out had so many meanings, but it was always that—out. Living. My pores, opening up, like the world was a sauna, and I was there to sweat out the bad stuff, soak up the good" (uhh??)

I'm gonna keep it a stack with you, Max is a stage 5 dumbass. Another Goodreader, Melissa, asked "why all the subterfuge?" and I second this question. Homie could've explained things real quick to Janie before taking off and becoming a prime suspect in murder. And his lil phone calls where he answered nothing and acted like some deep-op CIA agent killed me LOL. I understand this was done to add suspense, but I want to believe there's a better way than her husband making the worst choices possible....

SPOILERS SO SCROLL DOWN




My biggest issue with this book was the r@pe reveal at the end. It felt like the author wanted to throw in a lil consent in the workplace/men abusing authority in the workplace message for the readers. Which is fine, but it also felt manipulative in a sense because seemed it "redeemed" Janie from being a cheater. She never questioned being a cheater in the beginning; in fact she seemed very clear on the fact they had sex and there were vibes. But then near the end it was like, oh wait! It was r@pe! I'm still a "good" person! And how she figured it out had me like ?????? She took a piss and the urine stung the abrasions aroung her v@g hole? What? Why is she peeing like that? Seems like a medical issue? And this was before the kid, so that's not the reason either. I know not all streams are straight, but the logistics of this particular pee stream seemed questionable.




END OF SPOILERS



All in all, if you like your thrillers with a side of women's issues, you might vibulate with this. Plus the cover will look gorg on your bookshelf duh.

PROS AND CONS

Pros: authentic look at the struggles of being a new mom, complex characters

Cons: unnecessary lying, ending was ????, Max needs a brain scan because his decision making is horrible

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gripping, hard to put down and full of twists!

Janine wakes up to a crying baby and wonders where Max, her musician boyfriend is. She tends to their daughter and goes back to sleep. In the morning, Max is still not home and is not answering his phone. Anxious and sleep deprived she begins making calls. No one seems too worried about Max being gone, but Janine knows that something isn't right. This is out of character for him. He is a devoted father and loving partner. He has been supportive to her as she struggles with being a new mother. She knows Max wouldn’t just leave; something must be wrong!

When the police show up asking for Max, Janine is shocked. She was going to file a missing person’s report, but what the police tell her is beyond shocking. Max was seen at a bar where a woman was found murdered! Why did he leave without telling her? Who was this woman?

Reeling, Janine slowly learns that Max had secrets, things she never knew. But can she judge him when she has a secret herself?

Who much do you know the person you love? What impact do secrets have?

I found this book to be a fast read which kept me on my toes. I enjoyed the mystery and thought I had things figured out, but the reveal took me by surprise. Secrets always have a way of coming out in the end.

Another solid book by Konen. I look forward to what she writes next.


#YouShouldHaveToldMe #NetGalley

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Jayne · Rating 1 out of 5]

A note to the publisher:

YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME about what "YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME" was really about.

The publisher's blurb states that the book is about a missing dad suspected of murder.

In reality, 90% of this book is a melodramatic tale of a whiny, overwhelmed mother suffering from a severe case of post-partum depression.

Repeatedly, readers hear about the mother's crying baby, her malfunctioning breast pump, her sleepless nights, her anger about having to abandon her well-paying job for motherhood, and her hatred and resentment of her child. (Huh?)

I made it through 63% of the book before I tried skipping chapters, only to hear the "same old, same old" repetitive dialogue and angst.

Very little was said about the missing dad.

I realize that post-partum depression is a serious mental illness and, as I mother, I empathized with the book's protagonist.

However, I wanted to listen to a thriller book about a missing father and not a book about a woman suffering from post-partum depression who, BTW, had issues with her own mother.

I listened to the audiobook read by Karissa Vacker, one of my favorite narrators.

Unfortunately, even Karissa Vacker could not help this book.

DNF. One star, rounded up.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'm in thriller burnout mode again. This was just ok.

Janie and her boyfriend Max have a young baby Freya. Janie is overwhelmed with new motherhood and all it entails, and has left her high powered job to take care of the baby. Max is trying to help out, and tells Janie to take the night off, he will care for the baby while she gets some sleep. When she wakes up in the morning, Max is gone, and it seems as if he has been gone for hours. When she calls his parents frantically, they brush her off. Janie knows something is wrong, and when the police show up saying a woman has been murdered and that Max is a suspect, Janie starts to uncover the many things Max has been hiding.

There are quite a few things I liked about this book, and also a few things I didn't.

I loved the realistic portrayal of new motherhood. It vividly took me back to those days of sleep deprivation and never feeling as if I was good enough. Just a warning, there is a lot of discussion about breastfeeding, pumping, etc. I really appreciated the authenticity, but some readers might think it's a bit much because it is mentioned quite often.

There are some decent twists in the story and I did like how everything came together in the end. Everything was logical and made sense, even though it really didn't as I was reading.

What I didn't care for and found head shaking was the armchair detecting Janie did. Seriously it is just stupid both the risks she takes and the information that she just happens to get that the police don't. And could Max not have left her a note? Sent her a quick text that said he had to leave town and he would explain later? Why so much subterfuge? And there are other people who are lying throughout the story whose lies just did not make sense at all.

In the end, I liked some of the book, some of it I didn't. It was a decent popcorn thriller and fairly fast paced. If you're looking for some entertainment and don't mind some eye rolling moments, you might enjoy it.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Linzie (suspenseisthrillingme) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Janie is having a tough time of motherhood. Her six week old daughter, Freya, is a difficult child and only sleeps in fits and starts. Sure that she’s doing something wrong, that she’s not a good mother, Janie leans heavily on her partner, Max. For him, fatherhood comes easily. Quite frankly, she doesn’t know if she’d even be able to manage day to day without him.

So when, after a particularly grueling week, Max offers to do the night feedings so that Janie can finally get some much deserved sleep, she jumps at the chance. But only a handful of hours later, she awakens to the desperate screams of her infant daughter. Even worse, turning to the bed, she is horrified to find that Max is no where to be seen.

As the hours pass and Max remains missing, Janie is sure that something terrible has occurred. Shockingly, however, no one else seems quite as concerned. Determined to find out what has become of her partner, she begins hunting for answers herself. Piece by piece, facts start to come to light. But with each revelation, the further Janie gets from the man she thought she knew.

Then the unthinkable happens. A woman is murdered and the blame is pointed squarely at Max. Could he actually be behind it? Or is there another answer to the situation? All Janie knows is that finding out the truth is the only chance she and her daughter have of ever seeing Max again and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen.

Leah Konen is a literary superstar, in my opinion, and You Should Have Told Me is simply further proof. Right from the start, this book grabbed me and didn’t let go with a blindingly good prologue that morphed into a fast-paced, suspenseful tale made for the silver screen.

So what in particular riveted me so completely? Well, let me just start with the very best bit first. Told from the perspective of a brand-new mom, the raw fears and uncertainties that come with it were laid bare in a wholly genuine and realistic manner. From the doubts inherent to the job to the ever present exhaustion, the emotion was written in a thoroughly beautiful way, ripped from the real world. With so many books, motherhood is described as beautiful and idyllic, and while I’m sure some experience it as such, the reality for many is definitely much less black and white.

Next up in my list of what I loved about this one was easily the scores of thoroughly unexpected twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. Every time I thought that I knew where the plot was headed, I was thrilled to find that I couldn’t have been further from the truth. With suspense gradually building until the perfect climax, I found myself speed reading just to find out the underlying truth behind the multitude of secrets and lies. And when they’re all finally revealed, what could have been a let down was anything but. Instead, I was left reeling from all I’d learned. Bravo, Ms. Konen, bravo!

When all was said and done, I found this one addictive and hard to put down. On top of that the emotion was truly off the charts in a way that many thrillers just can’t pull off. The only tiny exception I had with the entire book was the somewhat over-the-top cloak and dagger meeting (can’t say anymore or it would spoil the plot). But it was short lived and that epic climax brought the plot back on track, so ultimately, I couldn’t care less. All I know is, if you haven’t picked up a Konen book yet, you’re really missing out. Rating of 5 stars.

Trigger warning: alcoholism, bankruptcy, kidnapping, infidelity, death of a spouse, controlling relationship, blackmail, unconsensual sex/rape

[L.A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A devoted father. A loving partner. A suspect for murder..."

This is very engaging and has a mostly unpredictable premise. It cleverly becomes super intense and I enjoyed the thrill of the mystery and hunt for the truth.
I loved the character Janie! She is consumed with a new baby and the struggles that endure during feedings. She brings postpartum and depression to light. The plot thickens when her boyfriend, Max, offers to get the early A.M. feeding, so she can rest. He has been the most supportive father that she has envied their relationship. She is awaken to her daughter's screaming in the night....Max is no where to be found.

Max has vanished and the police are at the door questioning Janie of his whereabouts. A woman's body was found outside the bar he was seen leaving. Was this man she loved capable of murder? There are so many underlaying secrets yet to be revealed by both. "You Should Have Told Me" is a great title for this book. A lot of twists at the end, when I thought it was finished....just wait.
Thank you NetGalley and G.P Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review!

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Janie's boyfriend Max doesn't come home one night, she doesn't know what to do. Why would he leave her and their baby daughter with no explanation? Then the police turn up, asking questions aboujt the body of a woman found outside a local bar. They want to know where Max was last night, where Max is now - but Janie has no idea. They want answers, but Janie only has questions.

Janie is a new mother struggling to bond with her baby. Her partner Max has disappeared. The police need to talk to him about a murder. This quick and easy read kept me turning the pages. I needed to know exactly what had taken place. There are some unexpected twists in this fast-paced thriller. Buried secrets are revealed. I also liked that we get a realistic portrayal of motherhood. The characters are well rounded and believable. I did not see the end twist coming. This is a really good domestic thriller.

I would like to thank #NetGalley #MichaelJoseph #PenguinRandomHouse and the author #LeahKonen for my ARC of #YouShouldHaveToldMe in exchange for an honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book I’ve read by the author and I really like her brand of writing. She always seems to come up with storylines that at first glance seem like something you’ve read before, but then when you dive in you realize she puts her own unique spin on it. A partner with secrets is nothing new but there was still something fresh here. The author managed to really capture the feeling of being a new parent, especially the low moments that aren’t often discussed. This aspect alongside a plot full of tension and secrets worked pretty well for me. I did think there was a repetitive feel at times but I almost wonder if that was done intentionally as much of it revolves around Janie taking care of her newborn. Other than that it was solid, some mild surprises along the way and it was the kind of compulsive read I’ve come to expect from the author.

[Emmyreads444 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars. This was so damn good. The plot twists… every time I thought I had this book figured out I hit with another huge twist. I also loved how the author touched on PPD ( postpartum depression) and Janie having a caesarean. As a mom I felt myself relating to her character so much. There were times in the book I just wanted to reach in and give her a hug. This is one of my top reads of the year so far.

[Sabrina Grafenberger · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story moved super slow and Janie's internal monologue is repetitive and boring. It's tiresome to hear the same thoughts over and over.

The reveal of Janie's secret at the end of the book was unnecessary and seemed to only be there to "redeem" Janie and make her the perfect wife.

That's the second book I read from Leah Konen and I didn't like either of them, I guess her books just aren't for me.

[Andrea Bartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I FLIPPING LOVED THIS BOOK. I'm so grateful I got to read an early copy—it's smart, dizzyingly twisty, well-plotted, resonant, and just brilliantly done. Mark my words, this one's going to be huge!

[MicheleReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Poor Janie. She's a new mom and she should be thrilled but hasn't connected yet to her newborn baby girl Freya. She left her exciting New York City job and her Brooklyn home and together with her partner Max, they decided to rent a place in Kingston for a while (90 miles north of the City). After expressing her anxiety about being a new mom to Max, a former indie rock musician, he disappears in the middle of the night. His parents don't seem too concerned. But when the police show up at her door telling her about the murder of a young woman at a local bar, where Max was last seen, the love of her life soon becomes the prime suspect. Janie uncovers some concerning truths about Max but knows she is also hiding something from him.

I was a fan of Leah Konen's book All the Broken People and was excited to read You Should Have Told Me. While her latest didn't rise to the level of suspense of her first thriller, it kept me interested in learning the truth. While I was sympathetic to Janie's postpartum depression, she made some very foolish and risky moves in trying to play amateur detective, which put herself and her child at risk. Nevertheless, I recommend checking this fast-paced book out for its creativity and some unexpected twists.

Rated 3.75 stars.

[Krista crone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! From the new mom dealing with postpartum depression/thoughts to the murder mystery. Postpartum depression and breastfeeding is such a stigma and not talked about much but as a mom of three I understand and connect on a different level to the main character Janie. When Max went missing my mind went a mile a minute. It was a wild ride; a riveting and twisty psychological thriller that will keep you flipping the pages or glued to your earbuds like me.

I listened to this as an audiobook and I loved the narrator, Karissa Vacker! I would have never guessed who the murderer was and it left my mind reeling. This is definitely a book that shouldn’t be missed!

Thank you to @PRHaudio for the complimentary audiobook and Penguin Group Putman and NetGalley for the complimentary ebook in return for my honest review!

Rating this 4.5 stars but rounding up to 5 stars on Goodreads.

[Brianne Mcmurray · Rating 1 out of 5]

Worst book I’ve ever read. If I never see the name Freya again it will be too soon. It is on every page at least twice. I can’t believe I suffered through this. Do yourself a favor and NEVER read it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, though it was a little repetitive at parts. The story centers on Janie, who is struggling as a new mom when her partner Max disappears and those closest to him don’t seem that worried about it. Then the plot thickens as his disappearance is tied to the murder of a local woman.

There were some good twists in the book; also, there were some things I thought were going to happen that never did, so there was always a sense of mystery. I thought the story moved along at a fast clip throughout. I could have done without so many mentions of Janie feeding the baby- it seems like that’s all she ever did when they were together! And while I was frustrated with her for not letting the people who wanted to help her get close, I also thought she made decisions that people would really make, even if some of them were ill-advised. I liked the ending of the story and thought it tied up loose ends well.

Overall, this was a good book and I’d recommend it to those who enjoy mysteries, though prepare yourself for nonstop baby feeding :) Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first of Leah Konen's thrillers that I read and I will definitely be going to check out her backlist now, too! A missing husband, a dead body and so many secrets in between are just some of the details that had me flying through Konen's You Should Have Told Me. I'm not always one for books where a new mother is the main character as it's a bit unrelatable for me, however, this was not the case with this one - I enjoyed immensely.

Thank you to Putnam for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of You Should Have Told Me.

This is another stereotypical domestic thriller where the domestic partners don't know each other (at all) and each of them is keeping secrets from the other.

** Minor cliche-y spoilers ahead **

Janie is struggling; she's a new mother suffering from the aftermath of an indiscretion with a client that caused her the loss of her job.

Her baby daddy, Max, is a doting father, a former sort of famous musician now a music teacher. He is kind, loving and supportive - until one day, Janie wakes up to find him gone.

As Janie delves into Max's disappearance, unsettling new facts come to light.

Max's tendency to cut and run when he gets overwhelmed, the police appear on her doorstep looking to question Max on the death of a woman, and a bereaved father and widower missing his child.

How does this all tie back into Max? What has he done?

And can Janie ever trust the father of her child again?

And do we care?

I didn't.

I read a lot of these books in this genre so none of the revelations was shocking; a secret phone, a secret son, everyone lying through their teeth including Max's friend and bandmate, his parents, the widower.

To be honest, most of these events really test your ability to suspend disbelief.

Max is on the run but he can't take 5 seconds to text Janie to tell him he's okay?

It just takes 5 seconds (depending on how fast you type).

His excuse is that things happened so fast he couldn't text her to let him know he's innocent and will explain everything.

You know what I smell? Phony baloney.

I guessed who killed the woman at the end, a lucky guess but like I said, I read a lot of books like this.

I found the identity a bit hard to swallow but by that time, I was near the end so it no longer mattered.

I found Janie difficult to like.

I didn't dislike her, but I didn't like her. Her personality and behavior was very naive, which I found odd considering her unstable childhood.

Max was a decent guy; in books like these the husband or partner is usually a louse but in this case, Max wasn't.

He was a bit of a nitwit.

There was something very scatterbrained and ditzy about his character, like he was a person who you could easily take advantage of, and you wouldn't mind conning him, either.

I didn't find this suspenseful and the pacing was slow; no surprise since Janie is a mother and her time is spent caring for her baby girl and worrying about Max and her indiscretion.

The writing wasn't bad, but the narrative was repetitive and lacked urgency and tension, and the characters were, to say the least, unmemorable and one dimensional.

[ᒪᗴᗩᕼ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3½⭐

…the bullet points
➨ murder mystery
➨ suspense thriller
➨ a devoted father…a loving partner…a suspect for murder
➨ postpartum anxiety
➨ secrets will get you every time…

This is one of those stories where while I was in it…listening to it, I thought it was fairly good. But once I sat down to write something about it…I realized there were a lot of aspects that didn’t quite work. That being said it did have a genuine portrayal of Postpartum anxiety, although it was rather repetitive with it all of its intricacies. Also, the secret, the one that the book blurb hints at on the cover, was really unnecessary to the story, overall.

…about the narration
➨ 🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️🎙️/5
➨ Karissa Vacker…narration was excellent, of course! She had a lot to do with why I enjoyed listening to this as much as I did.


...the score
➨ 6.86/10 | Opening-7 | Characters-7 | Plot-7 | Atmosphere-6.5 | Writing Style-7 | Ending-6.5 | Overall Enjoyment- 7

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Janie is a new mom to an adorable baby girl. She is struggling with sleep and feedings, but her boyfriend Max is supportive and helpful. One day though, Max just disappears. She can't find him anywhere and his parents and friends are not too worried as this is something he has done before. That is, until a woman was found dead and Max is considered a prime suspect!! Did Janie really know Max at all?

YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME is a fast-paced novel full of twists and turns. I didn't guess the final twist so that is always a bonus for me. If you are looking for a well-written mystery, I think you'll enjoy this one. This was the second novel I have read by Leah Konen and I look forward to reading more.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam, for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be shared on my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

[dmayr · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this author's previous two thriller books but this one is a major letdown. This felt like a novel about motherhood issues masquerading as a thriller. Plot was straightforward and the reveal who the killer was wasn't shocking at all, especially the circumstances of the death. I get that Janie was overwhelmed with motherhood but I found her extremely whiny, and the whole it-was-nonconsensual realization, which just came out of the blue at the end felt like a cop-out

[Lynn Peterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25. The Prologue sucks you right in. It’s frenzied and dark and boom. New parents are on a holiday and the mom wakes up and her husband is missing. Where is he? Then news comes that rocks her world and makes her question everything. Interweaved is the story of a new mom that isn’t sure she’s good enough, strong enough, capable of being a new mom. This was a great story within the story and one that needs to be told. Very good novel that kept me guessing and wondering. Thank you to NetGalkwy for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever truly know anyone? Even your partner?

Janie is a struggling new mom. Her partner Max is more of a natural at parenting. Janie misses the old times before Freya and she admits that to Max who seems appalled, even though he admits to being overwhelmed as well.

After that confession, he vanishes, leaving her feeling guilty and insecure. He'd told her to get some rest and that he'd watch Freya but she awoke to a wet, grumpy, hungry baby. Her anger turns to desperate worry as the hours pass.

Max's parents and oldest friend Liana are in town so she calls them. The parents think little of it but Liana comes over to assist Janie. Janie wants to call the police but the others are telling her to slow down. It feels like they know something she doesn't.

When the police show up, she thinks she's getting the news that he's dead somewhere but it's actually some other poor soul who died last night. A woman in the alley behind the bar Max had been at. She doesn't even know why he would have been there. They want to speak with him.

None of this makes any sense. Max is caring and nurturing. He couldn't hurt anyone, she could bet on that.. but she is finding out that she may not know him as well as she thought. Did Max do something terrible or is he in danger too? No one is more determined to find out than Janie.

This was a well thought out book. I got a little bored at times because Max went missing pretty soon after the book started and there was a lot of retracing of the night with so many details that I got a bit lost and there were too many characters for my liking. Luckily I had written them down for my review so I was able to reference it. The side quest characters could be hard to recall.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lone wolf time. Look. One thing I love about women who write psychological thrillers is their ability to weave in social themes and/or the struggles women go through. And for this I commend Leah Konen.

The problem is that she beat it like a dead horse, revived to beaten again. Maybe if there had been multiple POV? To get out of the MC's head?

But it was just the hammer after hammer of being nailed by the same thought narrative over and over and over again.

It killed the mystery, The thrill and suspense. I kept yelling get on with it. Because I wanted to know what happened but I swear her mental narrative gave me a headache.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hooked me right from the beginning. However, the ending fell flat for me.

[RT · Rating 1 out of 5]

Conflicted and gobsmacked are two words to describe what I feel, conclude, opine about this novel. Up until the last dozen pages I was going to rate it 3.5 stars but then this author did one of the most offensive , woman-hating acts I've rarely seen in literature. Spoiler, so stop if you're fragile about that sort of thing.

The story is basic and predictable New York 'love story' ... not interesting, nothing new ... the 'murder mystery' is somewhat interesting and well written with minor enough holes in theme, plot, believability, character development to still make it a solid book worth recommending.

Then, the author tosses a grenade, presented as a nothing, unimportant, aside like one would an unwanted receipt for shampoo found in a wallet the author reveals the main character was drugged and raped by a client which may have resulted in a pregnancy. This earth shattering devastation is presented like she ordered a danish when she intended to order a strudel ... a nothing event that was really her fault.

It's one of the more repulsive literary acts of derision and contempt for women and the victims of sexual violence including rape

Konen dedicates about three pages to this rape and violence that may have resulted in pregnancy and a child declaring it 'nothing' over and over because the character loves her child.

It's so f*cking disturbing, left as an insulting, face smack to the reader at the end of this book leaving the reader too stunned and powerless, as if Konen was trying to make sure the rapists had the last word on the subject of drugging, raping and staining children with these acts of violence. As if what matters is Bill Cosby get the last word in this bizarre book that according to her 'acknowledgements' dozens of human women and men read and not a single one objected and tried to reason with the author to at the very least, leave this bombshell of a 'revelation' to be handled in another book and another story where it can be developed.

Just Wow.

[Sharon M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/GP Putnam Sons for gifting me a digital ARC of the latest thriller by Leah Konen - 5 stars!

Janie is struggling with new motherhood and relying heavily on her husband, Max, to help out. When he disappears one night, she is beside herself with worry. He was the perfect dad - why would he leave? Max's parents and best friend don't see as concerned as she is. Then when it's discovered that a local woman has been murdered and Max is a potential suspect, Janie wonders if she ever knew him.

What a great book on so many levels. It's a twisty thriller that will leave you on the edge of your seat trying to figure it all out. Both Janie and Max are keeping secrets and Janie worries that what she confessed to Max right before he left is the cause of his disappearance. It's also a look at the other side of motherhood - when postpartum depression hits and nothing feels right. This is such an unexplored subject - you just have to look at Pinterest or social media to see how motherhood is "supposed to be." If your life doesn't look like that, you are shamed both internally and externally. We as women need to be kinder to each other and - as the Publishers Weekly review of this book showed - change the view of women "histrionics." Maddening. Definitely a must read book!

[Samantha Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, brave, and gripping, YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME is a brilliant portrayal of a new mother whose struggles will cut you to the core. The flawless writing is both emotionally resonant and tantalizingly suspenseful as we try to figure out the secrets and lies behind a missing person and a murder. Every chapter is more addictive than the last, leading to a stunning ending that you won't see coming. Leah Konen is an astonishing talent.

[Sherri Thacker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had me engaged from the very first page. Jane is a new mom to Freya and is struggling doing everything on her own even though her boyfriend is in the picture but goes missing. It’s a fast paced thriller till the very end. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release. To be released January 2023.

[Aneira Hayward · Rating 1 out of 5]

Where to begin. I have no idea how I persevered and finished this book. I thought it was meant to be a story about a missing Father/ partner and what had happened to make him disappear. It was really, 90% about a Mother who was constantly saying how much she "didn't love" her newborn baby and wished she hadn't had her and 10% about the story. I understand writing about Mothers with post partum depression as it is an important topic, but the constant (what felt like every page) long monologues from the main character about how much she didn't love her baby (when she clearly did) or feel good enough really distracted from the story. The reader doesn't need a reminder in every paragraph about how the character "doesn't love her but I should" we know you feel that way. You've told us 20 times on this one page alone. And do not get me started on the really graphic and constant descriptions of anything to do with breast feeding. Which again, totally natural and I have no issues with it. Heck, please feel free to write about it - just not every other sentence where it adds nothing to the plot or storytelling at all!!!

We're in the middle of dialogue with the police, quick break up the flow of the conversation to mention your veiny boob is hanging out and the police man was looking at it. We're running down a road, better say her breasts were leaking and forming milky patches on her top. She's feeding her baby who was crying, let's make a bizarre statement about liquids flowing from one duct to another. Too much!!! We get it!!! You breast-feed babies, it doesn't need to be included in every other sentence!!

Oh, and by the end, (no) surprise surprise, she realises she loves her baby after all. Shocker. Sorry, I absolutely hated this.