Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Tell Me Everything: A Novel

Top positive review

Buckle Your Seatbelt

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019

While parts of this book reminded me of The Secret History, I found the characters in this novel more realistic. I’ve known someone like each of them with the exception of Malin—but, then, if I’ve met someone like her, I wouldn’t necessarily recognize it, would I? After finishing this whirlwind read, I checked out the reviews and completely disagree about the ending being a disappointment. The ending was perfect! How many books have you read when the first sentence of the LAST page lifts the hairs on your arms? I look forward to reading Ms Brockman’s next novel.

11 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Bree

Flawed but compelling

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019

I agree with most of these reviews. Good plot, interesting characters, great setting and somewhat suspenseful. But, the main character, upon whom the entire novel rests, was not believable. Not that there aren't people who lack empathy, but Malin's feelings were not always put on. The author wanted it both ways; Malin was a sociopath who faked feelings and Malin had true feelings of love for some of her friends and real concern for her parents. As a result, I didn't believe the ending. It felt like it just got plunked down on the final page. Also, some of the gestures between characters are over played and a bit monotonous Broader conversations could have reveal inner lives as well as the repetitious ones. So, that makes the novel a little narrow. Still, as a first novel a good story, a winner.

4 people found this helpful

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From the United States

Deeder

Buckle Your Seatbelt

Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2019

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11 people found this helpful

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Mackenzie @ PhDiva.blog

A shocking twist and a brilliant debut novel!

Reviewed in the United States on September 20, 2019

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An elite New England college, a group of friends that form fast and close, a shocking murder that tears them apart…. I knew going in the Tell Me Everything by Cambria Brockman was my kind of book. I love books that take place on college campuses. They are little microcosm of society—everything always seemed heightened because it is more contained. This was no exception!

What a book! The suspense in this one creeps up. Despite knowing upfront that Senior Day will end in a murder, the story was so captivating that I almost forgot about the murder for the first half. The story is told in alternating timelines between freshman year as Malin forms friendships with the group of six, Senior Day where the twisted path these friendships have taken unfold through quick stories leading up to the murder, and stories from Malin’s past that cover secrets she has worked to keep hidden.

This narrative structure was so perfectly executed, as the bits of stories we learned about each character slowly became connected, leading to a shocking ending that truly took me by surprise. Sometimes I think that telling a story out of sequence can be jarring, but that didn’t happen here. Instead, the characters became more rounded as the book progressed.

Malin is an incredible and unique character. Her beauty is in stark contrast to who she is—someone who is more comfortable in the shadows letting others shine. When Malin starts college, she pushes herself to try to make friends. In the past, she has always preferred being alone, a fact that made her parents worry about her. With a fresh start, Malin is determined to be normal and have people to rely on.

And despite Malin’s reserved nature and distance from others, she does develop friendships. Seeing the characters through Malin’s eyes was interesting, because Malin is a person who thinks deeply about each interaction. She reads others and tries to understand what they want, what they are hiding, and why they are doing things. But Malin herself never seems fully reliable. Through her monologue, we come to understand that Malin has some secrets in her past that she hopes the others won’t learn. Malin doesn’t even share them with us right away.

And the ending! I have to be careful here because I don’t want to give any hints. I saw another reviewer describe the ending as “a twist so quiet you never saw it coming” and I think that is the perfect way to describe it. A brilliant debut novel! I will be looking for whatever Cambria Brockman does next!

5 people found this helpful

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Bree

Flawed but compelling

Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019

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4 people found this helpful

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mark h

get ready to shiver!

Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2019

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It’s all about the relationship dynamics among six college students in New England told from the perspective of one of them - a refugee from a Texas family steeped in tragedy. All harbor secrets, mask insecurities, and fear the future. They are socially and emotionally bonded into a friend group during the first week of freshman year. Romantic entanglements form and dissolve or remain hidden. One of the group is surprisingly murdered by another in an attempt to settle a score. The progressive revelation of a psychopath will send shivers down your spine. Brockman deftly weaves a narrative that skips in time to build tension and suspense making it difficult to predict or put down. Her characterizations of college life in a small New England liberal arts school are spot-on. She is clearly an expert in observing and interpreting human behavior and able to write about it with great depth and verve. The word-smithing and character quirks are stellar and keep you entertained. A great read from a debut author with tons of talent and potential.

3 people found this helpful

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Lori Sherwood

What's the point?

Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2021

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The author quite literally told you everything but yet nothing in over 300 pages. Then the author tries to cobble together a murder that supposedly has been plotted for four years in a mere 30-50 pages at the end. If your cup of tea is the drunken comings and goings of a group of private college students, this mindless storyline is for you. This character fell flat. The references in the storyline to a genetic psychotic predisposition for violence are gratuitous and at odds with the outcome of the book. To make matters worse, the single reference to the main character's 'future' is weak and unbelievable. This book was such an unsatisfying read of nothingness.

One person found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

A Great Thriller

Reviewed in the United States on June 9, 2021

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This is the first book book from this author and she did not fail my expectations. I truly adore this book. I love how the author mastered the main character's style of thinking. The supporting characters, the plot, is very well written. Genuinely one of my favourite books so far!!!

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If you liked YOU

Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2019

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This book reminded me a lot of YOU but with a woman protagonist. I really loved the build up and the flashbacks that helped explain Malin and why she is the way she is. I really connected with many of the characters, and felt like I knew them. Definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read anything else the author writes in the future!

3 people found this helpful

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Nhlisa

Loved It!

Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2019

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Great book that really keeps you on your toes until the last page. I tend to be able to predict endings, but this one had quite the twist! I already can’t wait to read Cambria’s next novel whenever that comes out!

One person found this helpful

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