Tell Me Something True - by Michael Robotham (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

"No one does suspense better."--Stephen King

"A compelling, devastating story about family and the long shadows of the past."--Karin Slaughter

"No one will ever forge a flawless novel, but with Tell Me Something True, Robotham has gotten as close to it as I've ever seen."--David Baldacci

The astonishing, moving crime epic from award-winning and bestselling Michael Robotham: a mystery, a coming-of-age tale, and a love story wrapped into one, set against the simmering tensions of a small Australian town

I look along the road and notice how many people are standing outside their houses or watching from doorways and windows. Staring. Studying.

"Do you think this town will ever forgive me?" I ask.

"Not in a million years."

Small towns are quick to anger and slow to forgive, but Arlo Hackett doesn't expect mercy when he emerges from a twelve-year prison sentence and makes his way back to Yulara, a waypoint on Australia's Great Southern Road. The last time Arlo was home in 1988, his brother Luke was charged with a terrible crime, and Arlo was found guilty by association.

His return to Yulara is like cracking open a time capsule full of hatred and violence, along with memories of the people he loved--the ones he couldn't save.

The small town wants Arlo gone, or worse, but every insult and humiliation pushes him to confront what really happened all those years ago. The truth will shock you, surprise you, and break your heart.

For fans of Liz Moore and Chris Whitaker, Tell Me Something True is a poignant, slow-burning mystery filled with palpable tension and tender love about the cost of clemency and the need for revenge.

Review Quotes

Praise for Tell Me Something True:

"A profoundly rich and heartbreaking novel about the singular endurance of love in all its forms, even through unthinkable and compounding tragedies. Michael Robotham demonstrates uncommon insight into the suffering and survival of a family devastated by murder and its myriad aftermaths. Here is a master storyteller reminding us that hope is more powerful than grief."--Jeanine Cummins, author of American Dirt

"This novel and its characters will stay with me forever. I ached, cried, and laughed and it felt like I bled right along with them. No one will ever forge a flawless novel, but with Tell Me Something True, Robotham has gotten as close to it as I've ever seen."--David Baldacci

"A compelling, devastating story about family and the long shadows of the past. Tell Me Something True is unforgettable."--Karin Slaughter

"My book of the year. This compelling, intriguing and entertaining masterpiece examines the conscience of a whole town and should win every award going. Genius."--Liz Nugent

"Emotional, startling and beautifully crafted; it brings small town Australia into your living room."--Val McDermid

"Most writers would be proud to produce, in their entire career, a book half as good as Tell Me Something True. No one can touch him when it comes to infusing crime with character and heart."--Linwood Barclay

"One of the best books I've read all year - beautifully written, moving and propels you to a devastating ending."--Ajay Chowdhury

"Michael Robotham's masterpiece. An epic elegy of love, family, morality and justice. It is tender, heartbreaking, beguiling, enraging, exhilarating and triumphant."--Chris Brookmyre

"A triumph, with a plot you can't second guess and real emotional punch."--Chris Chibnall

Praise for Michael Robotham:

"No one does suspense better."--Stephen King

"I love this guy's books."--Lee Child

"Robotham's brilliant ability to render complex characters, both good and bad, keeps readers unsure of whom to trust, maintaining an air of excruciating suspense until the very last page."--Washington Post

"Tension and tenderness--Michael Robotham is that rare thing, a writer who does both brilliantly."--William Shaw, author of the DS Alexandra Cupidi series

"I always have a huge stack of books to read, but a Michael Robotham novel automatically goes to the top of the pile."--Stephen King

"Michael Robotham never lets me down!"--Christian White, author of international bestseller The Nowhere Child

"End-to-end excitement for crime fans . . . Tension imbues this dark tale, with action reaching a scary crescendo."--Kirkus (starred review), on The White Crow

"Robotham nimbly balances Philomena's psychological stresses with vigorous action and sharp dialogue. The plot is sleek and elegant, with interlocking story lines that culminate in a big, bloody finale. Readers will be sold on the prospect of another Philomena McCarthy mystery even before they put this one down."--Publishers Weekly (starred review), on The White Crow

"Another standout thriller from Robotham. Fans of Peter Swanson and Liz Moore will delight in the complex characters and layered plotlines that he delivers."--Library Journal (starred review), on The White Crow

"You don't read a book by Michael Robotham so much as you step into his world."--The Australian Women's Weekly

"A brilliant book from an absolute master of the craft. Deeply felt, utterly memorable and sharp as a razor."--Dervla McTiernan, author of the Cormac Reilly series

"Michael Robotham is a first-rate plotter and master of suspense, and The White Crow features these qualities in unrelenting fashion."--Bookreporter, on The White Crow

About the Author

Michael Robotham is a former investigative journalist whose bestselling psychological thrillers have been translated into twenty-five languages. He has twice won a Ned Kelly Award for Australia's best crime novel, for Lost in 2005 and Shatter in 2008. His recent novels include When She Was Good, winner of the UK's Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award for best thriller; The Secrets She Keeps; Good Girl, Bad Girl; When You Are Mine; Lying Beside You; Storm Child; and The White Crow. After living and writing all over the world, Robotham settled his family in Sydney, Australia.