Tell Me Something Good
A Novel
Published on 31. July 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-0-8407-0741-3 (ISBN)
Description
"This is a writer that understands people down to the bones. Her characters are fallible and hopeful, flawed and loving, and so real they have stayed with me." --Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
"A knockout." --Booklist Starred Review
This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish.
Over twenty years ago, a young hunting guide in rural Kentucky was driving his boat in the early morning mist when his peaceful cruise was cut short by a scene so disturbing, he packed up and moved away. Nine women died early that morning, but it was linked to a similar crime in Texas, so the locals quickly wrote it off as having nothing to do with them.
Now, all these years later, when everyone has nearly forgotten about that grisly part of their past, one man's accidental death will bring everything back up to the surface. The locals who knew better can no longer claim it had nothing to do with them, and one woman, desperate to do whatever it takes to save her mother's life, will learn that nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her.
In Court Stevens's adult debut, she delves deep into the heart of a community, where some will learn that we don't always live to see the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same.
"A knockout." --Booklist Starred Review
This is a story of the rich and the very poor. This is a story of an illegal auction with dire consequences. This is a story of murders past and present. This is a story of intertwined relationships and the silent ripples they leave behind, where love becomes a guiding force, revealing the lengths one will go to protect those they cherish.
Over twenty years ago, a young hunting guide in rural Kentucky was driving his boat in the early morning mist when his peaceful cruise was cut short by a scene so disturbing, he packed up and moved away. Nine women died early that morning, but it was linked to a similar crime in Texas, so the locals quickly wrote it off as having nothing to do with them.
Now, all these years later, when everyone has nearly forgotten about that grisly part of their past, one man's accidental death will bring everything back up to the surface. The locals who knew better can no longer claim it had nothing to do with them, and one woman, desperate to do whatever it takes to save her mother's life, will learn that nearly everyone in her life has been lying to her.
In Court Stevens's adult debut, she delves deep into the heart of a community, where some will learn that we don't always live to see the ripples we make, but we must make them all the same.
Reviews / Votes
'Court Stevens deftly weaves together all the strands of this novel into a complex, heart-wrenching whole. This is a writer that understands people down to the bones. Her characters are fallible and hopeful, flawed and loving, and so real they have stayed with me. TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD wraps wise meditations about love and justice around a propulsive tale of suspense; I can't wait to share this one with my book club.' * Joshilyn Jackson, New York Times bestselling author * 'Court Stevens' impressive resume includes eight YA novels, and she makes her adult debut with this intense tale . . . The book's atmospheric setting instantly draws readers' attention and doesn't let go. Stevens' short sentences, crisp prose, and deft, omniscient narration add to the story's propulsion. A knockout.' * Booklist Starred Review * 'I sat down to read a few pages and got up hours later having finished the whole thing, feeling like I'd just binged the most thrilling new drama on TV. Wow!' * Mary Laura Philpott, author of BOMB SHELTER: LOVE, TIME, AND OTHER EXPLOSIVES * 'In her adult debut, TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD, Court Stevens delivers an unputdownable tale of murder, lies, and the extraordinary lengths we go to for the people we love. A haunting masterpiece.' * Rea Frey, #1 bestselling author of DON'T FORGET ME * 'TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD by Court Stevens is a gripping mystery centered around family secrets, inherited trauma, and a convoluted web of crime. The implications of the central conflict are far-reaching and deadly, ratcheting up the stakes to rousing levels. Yet, despite its sweeping scope, Stevens still manages to make the narrative feel focused and personal. For anyone in pursuit of a fast-paced thriller that'll have you compulsively flipping the pages, this is one to look out for.' * Bookstr * 'TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD is better than good. It's fantastic! Court Stevens has crafted a beautifully written tale full of heart and rich characters who live on long after the last page. If you like a just-one-more-page mystery that will keep you up late into the night, this one's for you. I absolutely loved it!' * Lisa Patton, bestselling author of WHISTLIN' DIXIE IN A NOR'EASTER and RUSH *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
HarperCollins Focus
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 211 mm
Width: 137 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
318 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-8407-0741-3 (9780840707413)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Court Stevens grew up among rivers, cornfields, churches, and gossip in the small-town South. She is a former adjunct professor, youth minister, and Olympic torchbearer. These days she writes coming-of-truth fiction and is the director of Warren County Public Library in Kentucky. She has a pet whale named Herman, a bandsaw named Rex, and several novels with her name on the spine: Last Girl Breathing, We Were Kings, The June Boys, Faking Normal, The Lies About Truth, the e-novella The Blue-Haired Boy, Dress Codes for Small Towns, and Four Three Two One. Find Court online at CourtneyCStevens.com; Instagram: @quartland; Facebook: @CourtneyCStevens; X: @quartland