EVERYTHING WE DIDN'T SAY by Nicole Baart

 

From the author of Little Broken Things, a “race-to-the-finish family drama” (People) following a mother who must confront the dark summer that changed her life forever in order to reclaim the daughter she left behind.

Juniper Baker had just graduated from high school and was deep in the throes of a summer romance when Cal and Beth Murphy, a childless couple who lived on a neighboring farm, were brutally murdered. When her younger brother became the prime suspect, June’s world collapsed and everything she loved that summer fell away. She left, promising never to return to tiny Jericho, Iowa.

Until now. Officially, she’s back in town to help an ill friend manage the local library. But really, she’s returned to repair her relationship with her teenage daughter, who’s been raised by Juniper’s mother and stepfather since birth—and to solve the infamous Murphy murders once and for all. She knows the key to both lies in the darkest secret of that long-ago summer night, one that’s haunted her for nearly fifteen years.

As history begins to repeat itself and a dogged local true crime podcaster starts delving into the murders, the race to the truth puts past and present on a dangerous collision course. Juniper lands back in an all-too-familiar place with the answers to everything finally in her sights, but this time it’s her daughter’s life that hangs in the balance. Will revealing what really happened mean a fresh start? Or will the truth destroy everything Juniper loves for a second time? Baart once again brilliantly weaves mystery into family drama in this expertly-crafted novel for fans of Lisa Jewell and Megan Miranda.

My thoughts

This is my first book by this author. I look forward to more. This book was totally great. Breathtakingly beautiful. Written to perfection. It was very heart touching. Heartbreaking. Full of love and pain. A bit of laughter along the way. It had it all.

Juniper comes back to town to help out her friend who has cancer and to see the daughter she deserted so many years ago. She did see her child through the years but left her no the less. There was a tragedy all those years ago and nothing was ever the same again for Juniper. Her life was turned upside down. As was her baby brother's life. Jonathan was only a few months younger than June. Almost twins. They were very close and could all but read each other's minds. So much changed that day. That summer. That fourth of July.

A family is killed. A husband and wife. Who could have done such a horrible thing? Could it have been Jonathan? Or Sullivan Tate? Or any of the Tates? Juniper was in love with Sullivan and could not imagine him doing such a heinous thing. But where had he been all day. Things went so wrong that day. But when June came back to help out her friend, Cora, a lot of things changed. She started remembering some things. The town seemed to honestly believe that it was Jonathan even though he loved Cal and Beth Murphy. They were his friends. He did a lot of work for them. What secrets could they be keeping. Why did the people in this town seem to hate them so much? 

Every family has its secrets. The things that they don't want others to know about. But what could be lurking in the Baker's lives that they didn't want anyone to know? How many secrets did they have? A few too many perhaps. 

This is a very well written book. A story that will keep you guessing. Keep you turning the pages. Have you on the edge of your seat in so many places and so many ways. There are a few secrets that will be revealed and some closures too. This book to me is honestly one of the best I've read. From the start to the very last words I was hooked. I didn't want it to end but couldn't stop reading. There are quite a fews twists and turns. A few friendships that are torn apart due to betrayals. A family who does not seem to want to stand together and another that definitely stands strong for each other. One that loses everything. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #NicloeBaart, #Atria for this ARC. This is my own true feelings about this book. It's truly so good. A must read.

5/5 huge stars and the highest recommendation. Read it. Grab some tissues and be ready for a page turning time.