A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Title: Tell Me What Really Happened

Author: Chelsea Sedoti

Genre: Contemporary, Thriller, Young Adult, Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Netgalley

Date Started: February 12th, 2023

Date Finished: February 13th, 2023

Status: Finished

Rating: 4.6/5

Sypnosis: There are stories about the woods around Salvation Creek, about the people who have gone missing. Now their friend is one of them. A riveting, fast-paced YA mystery told entirely through first person police interviews of four teens over the course of a few hours.

It was all her idea. They would get away from their parents and spend the weekend camping. Down by Salvation Creek, the five of them would make smores, steal kisses, share secrets.

But sometime around midnight, she vanished.

Now the four friends who came back are under suspicion―and they each have a very different story to tell about what happened in the woods.

The clock is ticking. What are they hiding? Who is lying? Dark truths must come to light if their friend is to be found...

Told entirely through first-person police interviews, this riveting mystery asks: what really happened that night?

Review: Five went out camping.

But only four came back.

Friends -

Petra, the overachiever, need to be in charge.
Her stepbrother, Nolan - the Bigfoot-obsessed and resident nerd
Abigail - the outcast who lives in a trailer park.
John - Maylee's boyfriend and suspect.
Maylee - the wannabe social influencer

Each one is burdened to tell their story, their version of events clouded and muddled over how their friend has been murdered. As each story is told, we get an inside look into who Maylee really was. She wanted to be a social influencer believing that she did not need a second option to be opened to her. No, she believed that influencing was the best way to go. So, she gathers up her group and sets them off to camp at Salvation Creek.

But Salvation Creek has stories of missing people, of a bipedal creature that is covered in hair, and bodies being found miles away from where they were originally.

Sprinkle this story with a bit of Agatha Christies's And Then There Were None and The Blair Witch Project (seriously these two would fit this book perfectly) and you have a tale spun with mystery and chills as each teen weaves their story from the integration room.

Who do you believe?

This story takes you on a wild ride that you will not be expecting. The characters tell you the events from their point of view and you need to piece it together on your own. Who is guilty? Was there really a Bigfoot stalking them? Or was one of them determined to end their friend's life?

So many questions and you won't know the answer until the very end. It will be a jaw-dropping moment. This book was great fun to read. I enjoyed the characters. They were well-fleshed out and their personalities really shined during their interviews.

Trust me when I say you will devour this book quickly. You won't be able to put it down and you will try to find clues as to who would be behind it all.


Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for allowing me a chance to read this digital copy and allow me the chance to offer my honest opinion on the piece.