What do you think?
Rate this book
Tell Me Who You Are
The Silent Patient meets Gone Girl in this sharp psychological thriller about a psychiatrist with a shocking past and her dangerous new patient.
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.
Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat—yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.
Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
Harrowing, unpredictable, and compulsively readable, award-winning author Louisa Luna’s Tell Me Who You Are is an utterly gripping psychological thriller that begs the question: Can a person ever really outrun their past?
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.
Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat—yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.
Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
Harrowing, unpredictable, and compulsively readable, award-winning author Louisa Luna’s Tell Me Who You Are is an utterly gripping psychological thriller that begs the question: Can a person ever really outrun their past?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 4, 2024
247 people are currently reading
22.9k people want to read
About the author
Louisa Luna
8books1,066followersLouisa Luna is the author of the novels Brave New Girl, Crooked, and Serious As A Heart Attack. She was born and raised in the city of San Francisco and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and daughter.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
April 5, 2024
One readers "meh" book is another readers delight. That is this book for me. I absolutely loved this!
Dr. Caroline Strange is a Brooklyn psychiatrist. She's meeting a new patient and what he says is as shocking as can be: "I am going to kill someone, and I know who you are." Before she can inquire more he gets up and leaves meanwhile leaving her to think, plot, and scheme. She will find him and she will get to the bottom of this. What is it that he thinks he knows? And who exactly is he planning to kill?
Dr. Caroline, as she prefers her patients to call her, doesn't get rattled easy. Having bared witness to her best friends entire family getting murdered by their father when she was just 13 years old, she's learned to be quick on her feet and she's able to adapt to any situation at a moments notice.
Then a local woman disappears, Ellen Garcia, and the police set their sights on Dr. Caroline. Just recently Ellen wrote a newspaper article claiming that Dr. Caroline was one of the top 10 worst doctors in the area. Certainly that gives Dr. Caroline motive but is every thing as it seems?
Of course not! Where's the fun in that?
Oh, how I loved being in the mind of Dr. Caroline. She's intelligent, acerbic, and maybe a little unhinged. My favorite kind of fictional character.
We have alternating chapters between Dr. Caroline, Ellen Garcia as she's being held in captivity, and Gordon Strong.
Ellen's chapters could be a little difficult to read if you're a sensitive soul so tread carefully. She was also an amazing character who you can't help to root for. Even with the dire straits she finds herself in she maintains a bit of thoughtful humor which I found refreshing considering her circumstances.
Gordon Strong, you may be wondering who he is and why should we care, but I assure you this will all come full circle in the end so just be patient.
I have heard high praise for Luna and her Alice Vega series but because I tend to prefer standalones I never gave her a try. Until now. Let's just say she has one very excited new fan. Heck, I may even break my *no series* rules for her and that is something I don't say lightly. All. The. Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
Dr. Caroline Strange is a Brooklyn psychiatrist. She's meeting a new patient and what he says is as shocking as can be: "I am going to kill someone, and I know who you are." Before she can inquire more he gets up and leaves meanwhile leaving her to think, plot, and scheme. She will find him and she will get to the bottom of this. What is it that he thinks he knows? And who exactly is he planning to kill?
Dr. Caroline, as she prefers her patients to call her, doesn't get rattled easy. Having bared witness to her best friends entire family getting murdered by their father when she was just 13 years old, she's learned to be quick on her feet and she's able to adapt to any situation at a moments notice.
Then a local woman disappears, Ellen Garcia, and the police set their sights on Dr. Caroline. Just recently Ellen wrote a newspaper article claiming that Dr. Caroline was one of the top 10 worst doctors in the area. Certainly that gives Dr. Caroline motive but is every thing as it seems?
Of course not! Where's the fun in that?
Oh, how I loved being in the mind of Dr. Caroline. She's intelligent, acerbic, and maybe a little unhinged. My favorite kind of fictional character.
We have alternating chapters between Dr. Caroline, Ellen Garcia as she's being held in captivity, and Gordon Strong.
Ellen's chapters could be a little difficult to read if you're a sensitive soul so tread carefully. She was also an amazing character who you can't help to root for. Even with the dire straits she finds herself in she maintains a bit of thoughtful humor which I found refreshing considering her circumstances.
Gordon Strong, you may be wondering who he is and why should we care, but I assure you this will all come full circle in the end so just be patient.
I have heard high praise for Luna and her Alice Vega series but because I tend to prefer standalones I never gave her a try. Until now. Let's just say she has one very excited new fan. Heck, I may even break my *no series* rules for her and that is something I don't say lightly. All. The. Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐�
August 14, 2024
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.
Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat―yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.
Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
What in all that is holy did I just read? From the characters who I loved to hate to the twisty, twisty plot, Tell Me Who You Are screwed with my head in the best possible way. Pulling me in with a slow burn start, the dark humor and thoroughly unlikeable characters kept my eyes pinned to the pages. But it was Dr. Caroline who was the true star. With a compelling yet thoroughly twisted character arc and a mysterious past, she was an utter home run.
The storyline itself came a close second to the characters, however. Told via multiple POVs, the shrewd plotting lined up the puzzle pieces just so with false leads and plenty of second guessing. I can’t tell you how many times I suspected each in the three narrators as the plot progressed. But it was the arrival of the perfectly devised climax that had my jaw on the floor. A scene easily straight out of the best thriller film, I think I forgot to breathe until the final brilliant reveal.
I do have to say, however, that to enjoy this one, you must suspend all disbelief. Filled with unhinged behaviors, less than nice individuals, and unrivaled suspense, even the excessive facts and details in the first few chapters didn’t bother me in the least. Besides, this was probably one of the most original premises that I’ve read in a while. So despite plenty of drama mixed in with this psychological thriller, it still managed to deliver plenty of chills.
All said and done, from the cliffhanger chapters to well—written unreliable narrators, there was very little not to love in this novel. After all, not only was there a killer plot, but there were some intense observations concerning identity, mental heath, and the weight of the past. Even better, though, was that—thanks to dual timelines—this plot doubled down on the whos, the whats, and the whys. Not once could I see behind the deftly woven curtain, which made my enjoyment skyrocket for sure. Thank you, Ms. Luna, for one heck of a ride. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Louisa Luna and MCD x Farrar, Straus and Giroux for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 4, 2024
Trigger warning: forced captivity, alcoholism, mention of: abduction, murder-suicide
Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat―yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.
Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
What in all that is holy did I just read? From the characters who I loved to hate to the twisty, twisty plot, Tell Me Who You Are screwed with my head in the best possible way. Pulling me in with a slow burn start, the dark humor and thoroughly unlikeable characters kept my eyes pinned to the pages. But it was Dr. Caroline who was the true star. With a compelling yet thoroughly twisted character arc and a mysterious past, she was an utter home run.
The storyline itself came a close second to the characters, however. Told via multiple POVs, the shrewd plotting lined up the puzzle pieces just so with false leads and plenty of second guessing. I can’t tell you how many times I suspected each in the three narrators as the plot progressed. But it was the arrival of the perfectly devised climax that had my jaw on the floor. A scene easily straight out of the best thriller film, I think I forgot to breathe until the final brilliant reveal.
I do have to say, however, that to enjoy this one, you must suspend all disbelief. Filled with unhinged behaviors, less than nice individuals, and unrivaled suspense, even the excessive facts and details in the first few chapters didn’t bother me in the least. Besides, this was probably one of the most original premises that I’ve read in a while. So despite plenty of drama mixed in with this psychological thriller, it still managed to deliver plenty of chills.
All said and done, from the cliffhanger chapters to well—written unreliable narrators, there was very little not to love in this novel. After all, not only was there a killer plot, but there were some intense observations concerning identity, mental heath, and the weight of the past. Even better, though, was that—thanks to dual timelines—this plot doubled down on the whos, the whats, and the whys. Not once could I see behind the deftly woven curtain, which made my enjoyment skyrocket for sure. Thank you, Ms. Luna, for one heck of a ride. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Thank you to Louisa Luna and MCD x Farrar, Straus and Giroux for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: June 4, 2024
Trigger warning: forced captivity, alcoholism, mention of: abduction, murder-suicide
August 2, 2024
“I think I’m going to kill someone Doc…and I know who you really are.�
I absolutely loved this deliciously twisted thriller…enough to read the small print in the physical book with reading glasses and a flashlight IYKYK-it took longer than most reads as the struggle was real! Fortunately, the well-written characters, clever plot, and surprising twists are fantastic and just hit the spot!
Dr. Caroline Strange is a snarky psychiatrist with dark secrets. Can she really outrun her sordid past? When a new patient threatens to commit murder and tell all, Caroline must figure out what he knows and who he really is before her time is up.
There is so much more to this plot, but it is best to go in blind. It is dark and disturbing, with John Marrs� What Lies Between Us vibes.
Luna is a new author to me and will be making my must read list!
4.5/5 stars rounded up
I absolutely loved this deliciously twisted thriller…enough to read the small print in the physical book with reading glasses and a flashlight IYKYK-it took longer than most reads as the struggle was real! Fortunately, the well-written characters, clever plot, and surprising twists are fantastic and just hit the spot!
Dr. Caroline Strange is a snarky psychiatrist with dark secrets. Can she really outrun her sordid past? When a new patient threatens to commit murder and tell all, Caroline must figure out what he knows and who he really is before her time is up.
There is so much more to this plot, but it is best to go in blind. It is dark and disturbing, with John Marrs� What Lies Between Us vibes.
Luna is a new author to me and will be making my must read list!
4.5/5 stars rounded up
May 30, 2024
QUESTION:
What can be better than a thriller with a snarky female psychiatrist protagonist with a "Strange" surname???????
ANSWER:
Not too many thrillers!
This book begins with an "I plan to kill someone and I know who you are" confession by a male patient to Dr. Caroline Strange, his new psychiatrist.
After that, the book continues to sizzle, soar, and astound.
"TELL ME WHO YOU ARE" checked all of my boxes:
* Unreliable, unlikeable narrators
* Unpredictable and unputdownable
* Brilliantly orchestrated and fast-paced
* Gripping and deeply troubling
* Many LOL and GOL (Gasp Out Loud) moments
* Full-cast, Oscar-worthy audiobook narration by Megan Tusing, Robb Moreira, and Stephanie Németh-Parker
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
And thanks, too, to author Louisa Luna for penning one of my besties of 2024.
June 3, 2024
Tell Me Who You Are is a psychological thriller that literally has a psychiatrist as a main character. Dr. Caroline Strange has a new client that states he is thinking of killing someone. Someone that Dr. Strange knows. But he leaves before the session is even over. Not long after, two police detectives show up at her door. A woman is missing and the police see Dr. Strange as a person of interest.
The story is told from three different perspectives. There’s Caroline, Ellen Garcia, the missing woman and then there’s Gordon Strong, an unknown third MC. I found Caroline snarky and hard to like. Let’s just say, she does nothing to make me think more of the profession. Ellen had a lot of gumption for someone kidnapped and trapped but as I learned more about her, she had taken some shortcuts with some of her reporting. And then Gordon is just old plain loony tunes.
I’ve been a big fan of Lina’s Alice Vega series. This stand-alone didn’t work for me nearly as well. It made me realize that while I don’t need to like a main character, they have to be able to at least interest me. And none of these three MCs did that. I will give Vega credit for a fast moving story with several twists I didn’t see coming. But the big supposed reveal was obvious.
I also found fault with the ending, which came across as rushed, unbelievable and lacking in explanations.
It worked well to have different narrators for each of the main characters and they all did a good job.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
The story is told from three different perspectives. There’s Caroline, Ellen Garcia, the missing woman and then there’s Gordon Strong, an unknown third MC. I found Caroline snarky and hard to like. Let’s just say, she does nothing to make me think more of the profession. Ellen had a lot of gumption for someone kidnapped and trapped but as I learned more about her, she had taken some shortcuts with some of her reporting. And then Gordon is just old plain loony tunes.
I’ve been a big fan of Lina’s Alice Vega series. This stand-alone didn’t work for me nearly as well. It made me realize that while I don’t need to like a main character, they have to be able to at least interest me. And none of these three MCs did that. I will give Vega credit for a fast moving story with several twists I didn’t see coming. But the big supposed reveal was obvious.
I also found fault with the ending, which came across as rushed, unbelievable and lacking in explanations.
It worked well to have different narrators for each of the main characters and they all did a good job.
My thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this audiobook.
September 19, 2024
Tell Me Who You Are is a strong thriller novel that follows a psychiatrist through a traumatic set of events. The pacing in this novel is very good, and the character development, even for smaller characters, is quite impressive throughout.
Biggest con: so many thrillers aren’t based in reality, but this one is really teetering on the edge of a line between nonsense and possibility. Specifically, I’m not sure how the antagonist in this book would have been able to tie together so much information in order to insert themselves into the psychiatrist’s life. It is explained, but even still, it’s challenging to believe knowing how many hoops the antagonist would have to go through.
Nonetheless, this book is pretty captivating, and the premise is not super common. I’m pretty refreshed by the ingenuity of the MFC.
Recommend this one for an unputdownable read.
Biggest con: so many thrillers aren’t based in reality, but this one is really teetering on the edge of a line between nonsense and possibility. Specifically, I’m not sure how the antagonist in this book would have been able to tie together so much information in order to insert themselves into the psychiatrist’s life. It is explained, but even still, it’s challenging to believe knowing how many hoops the antagonist would have to go through.
Nonetheless, this book is pretty captivating, and the premise is not super common. I’m pretty refreshed by the ingenuity of the MFC.
Recommend this one for an unputdownable read.
November 24, 2024
In the beginning I was super eager and optimistic. I loved the snarky characters and the black humor. I wasn’t too impressed by Dr. Caroline and her mockery of her clients, but it fitted her personality. After some chapters however it all got a bit old. When not only the psychiatrist but the other characters as well seemed to think in the same ironic, sarcastic way what was funny just got tiresome. I found them more and more dislikable and didn’t care much for anything happening after that.
May 4, 2024
4.5 Stars
I loved this book full of unlikeable characters and unreliable narrators. Dr. Caroline treats a new patient who leaves halfway through their first session after professing he’s going to commit a murder. Before he parts, he tells her he knows who she really is. Thus begins this twisty novel told from three POVs: Dr. Caroline and two other people connected to her. I fear to say much more as I loved going into this novel blind and trying to figure out the truth.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I loved this book full of unlikeable characters and unreliable narrators. Dr. Caroline treats a new patient who leaves halfway through their first session after professing he’s going to commit a murder. Before he parts, he tells her he knows who she really is. Thus begins this twisty novel told from three POVs: Dr. Caroline and two other people connected to her. I fear to say much more as I loved going into this novel blind and trying to figure out the truth.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
June 6, 2024
Dr. Caroline Strange, psychiatrist, is a pompous, arrogant,know it all, who thinks normal rules don’t apply to her. She is a very unlikable character, and possibly an unreliable narrator. Throughout most of this I just wasn’t sure. When a new patient comes to her office the visit is short, but far from sweet. He tells her he is going to kill someone and that he knows all about her. The next day a young woman goes missing and the police show up at Carolyn’s door. She explains about the patient but the police don’t believe her. Where does the truth lie?
The book rotates between the past and present, and we soon hear the narration from a man in Caroline’s past. Usually a book that has unlikable characters would cause me to put the book down. Not the case here. The slow unraveling of the plot, the insidious tone, I found intriguing. I was curious to see where this was going. Sometimes the past comes back to haunt with dire consequences.
Love her Alice Vega series but this one is a standalone.
The narration was terrific.
The book rotates between the past and present, and we soon hear the narration from a man in Caroline’s past. Usually a book that has unlikable characters would cause me to put the book down. Not the case here. The slow unraveling of the plot, the insidious tone, I found intriguing. I was curious to see where this was going. Sometimes the past comes back to haunt with dire consequences.
Love her Alice Vega series but this one is a standalone.
The narration was terrific.
October 11, 2024
When I first learned of the existence of Tell Me Who You Are, I excitedly expected it to be a continuation to the Alice Vega series. It was only after I received a copy, that I realized that it wasn't. That it's actually a standalone novel.
Nevertheless, it sounded like the kind of Psychological Thriller I enjoy, therefore I was still excited to get to it. I've had great success with Luna's previous work, and had no doubt she would impress me with this as well.
In this story, we are mainly following Brooklyn psychiatrist, Dr. Caroline Strange. While Dr. Caroline isn't the only perspective we follow, for me, she was definitely the star.
Dr. Caroline is opinionated, head-strong and certainly confident, both in her field and in her every day life. Things take a turn though when she has her first session with Nelson Schack, a disturbing new patient.
Nelson succeeds in getting under Caroline's skin quickly by uttering two statements, I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.
Then a woman goes missing. A woman who Caroline has a loose connection to. Unfortunately, for Caroline, the police know of her connection to the woman and now she's apparently their number one suspect.
Believing the police to be incompetent, I mean they'd have to be if they suspect her, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, trying to track down the elusive Nelson, and possibly even rescuing the missing woman.
During this process, Caroline needs to face her own past, and the terrible truth that lies there.
I know Tell Me Who You Are won't be for everyone, but it's just my kind of messy train-wreck drama. I found every aspect of this compelling and entertaining.
Going into it, I was aware it didn't have the highest overall rating, but from the very start it hooked me. The cast of characters are so interesting. I couldn't keep my brain from thinking about this story. I was eating it up.
I flew through this so fast. As it cycled through the various perspectives, my mind was flipping like a rolodex trying to make all the connections. I thought Luna did a great job piecing this all together and bringing it to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.
I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy books like , or . All have a similar vibe, part of which is being a fly on the wall during someone's therapy session.
I did listen to the audiobook and really enjoyed that format. There are different narrators for the various perspectives and I did find it well-done and engaging.
Thank you to the publisher, MCD and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a great time with this and look forward to more from this author!
Nevertheless, it sounded like the kind of Psychological Thriller I enjoy, therefore I was still excited to get to it. I've had great success with Luna's previous work, and had no doubt she would impress me with this as well.
In this story, we are mainly following Brooklyn psychiatrist, Dr. Caroline Strange. While Dr. Caroline isn't the only perspective we follow, for me, she was definitely the star.
Dr. Caroline is opinionated, head-strong and certainly confident, both in her field and in her every day life. Things take a turn though when she has her first session with Nelson Schack, a disturbing new patient.
Nelson succeeds in getting under Caroline's skin quickly by uttering two statements, I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.
Then a woman goes missing. A woman who Caroline has a loose connection to. Unfortunately, for Caroline, the police know of her connection to the woman and now she's apparently their number one suspect.
Believing the police to be incompetent, I mean they'd have to be if they suspect her, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, trying to track down the elusive Nelson, and possibly even rescuing the missing woman.
During this process, Caroline needs to face her own past, and the terrible truth that lies there.
I know Tell Me Who You Are won't be for everyone, but it's just my kind of messy train-wreck drama. I found every aspect of this compelling and entertaining.
Going into it, I was aware it didn't have the highest overall rating, but from the very start it hooked me. The cast of characters are so interesting. I couldn't keep my brain from thinking about this story. I was eating it up.
I flew through this so fast. As it cycled through the various perspectives, my mind was flipping like a rolodex trying to make all the connections. I thought Luna did a great job piecing this all together and bringing it to an exciting and satisfying conclusion.
I would recommend this to Readers who enjoy books like , or . All have a similar vibe, part of which is being a fly on the wall during someone's therapy session.
I did listen to the audiobook and really enjoyed that format. There are different narrators for the various perspectives and I did find it well-done and engaging.
Thank you to the publisher, MCD and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I had a great time with this and look forward to more from this author!
October 14, 2024
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else. After her newest patient states that he is going to kill someone and a woman disappears, Dr. Caroline becomes the main suspect. She takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive patient and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget.
This book is something different and I liked it a lot. The story is told from the points of view of Dr. Caroline as well as the woman being held captive and slowly starved, and Gordon Strong whose pivotal role in the story becomes clear as the story develops. I thought the book was a little longer than it needed to be and the many references to covid were unnecessary but overall I was immersed in the story.
TW: There are definitely some triggering topics covered including familicide, mental health and violence.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
This book is something different and I liked it a lot. The story is told from the points of view of Dr. Caroline as well as the woman being held captive and slowly starved, and Gordon Strong whose pivotal role in the story becomes clear as the story develops. I thought the book was a little longer than it needed to be and the many references to covid were unnecessary but overall I was immersed in the story.
TW: There are definitely some triggering topics covered including familicide, mental health and violence.
Thanks to the London Public Library for the loan of this book.
August 26, 2024
Clever and imaginative!
I have to admit Louisa Luna came up with quite he premise to her story, along with an apropos name for her main character, Dr Caroline Strange. Added to that is the husband, Gordon Strange, and a patient or two that are as strange as the couple's last name.
At a session with a patient, said patient confesses that he wants to kill someone, and to top it all off, he says the words sending Caroline into a bit of a panic. When a reporter goes missing, Caroline is concerned but more concerned with the patient's words, "I know who you are."
The plot thickens when it is discovered that the reporter has listed Caroline as one of the ten worst doctors so guess what the police think? It's not looking good for the doctor so she decides to become her own investigator.
A basket full of snarky and characters you will love to hate make for a fun read with lots of clues for the detective within you.
I have to admit Louisa Luna came up with quite he premise to her story, along with an apropos name for her main character, Dr Caroline Strange. Added to that is the husband, Gordon Strange, and a patient or two that are as strange as the couple's last name.
At a session with a patient, said patient confesses that he wants to kill someone, and to top it all off, he says the words sending Caroline into a bit of a panic. When a reporter goes missing, Caroline is concerned but more concerned with the patient's words, "I know who you are."
The plot thickens when it is discovered that the reporter has listed Caroline as one of the ten worst doctors so guess what the police think? It's not looking good for the doctor so she decides to become her own investigator.
A basket full of snarky and characters you will love to hate make for a fun read with lots of clues for the detective within you.
May 2, 2024
Tell Me Who You Are is the fourth stand-alone novel by award-winning American author, Louisa Luna. During the twenty years she has been a psychiatrist, Dr Carolne Strange’s patients have confided many unusual things in the safe space she provides in the basement of her Brooklyn Brownstone, but what her newest patient, Nelson Schack tells her is certainly unique: in virtually the same breath, he says that he is going to kill someone, and that he knows who Caroline really is.
It's not until Detective Makeda Marks and her sidekick, Detective Miguel Jiminez come to her door to question her about the disappearance of journalist Ellen Garcia that she decides it merits breaking patient confidentiality to mention part of Nelson’s statement. Ellen Garcia included Dr Caroline in a highly critical article on doctors, and any of those targeted might hold a grudge. Some days after putting out her recycling on the kerb, Ellen is very surprised to come to in a dark basement, thirsty, hungry and afraid.
Dr Caroline (as she likes patients to call her) doesn’t reveal the extent of her communication with Ellen. Nor does she mention a well-publicised incident from her youth: Caroline really wants the police to focus on Nelson, rather than looking at her, as they seem to want to do�
In 1993 in Glen Grove, Wisconsin, Gordon Strong has just lost his brewery job, something that contributes to a downward spiral that involves drinking to excess and a paranoid delusion that his wife is having an affair with their neighbour, Chuck Strange. When his control finally breaks, and he murders his family with a pair of garden shears, then hangs himself, the only survivor is the neighbour’s teenaged daughter, on a sleep-over with her best friend.
Luna easily evokes her era and setting, and the reason that her main protagonist seems initially to live up to her name becomes clear as the story progresses. It is told over two timelines and from three perspectives: Caroline Strange, Ellen Garcia and Gordon Strong.
None of the characters are particularly nice people: Caroline’s nicknames for her patients seem to contradict the care she professes to feel for them; Gordon is clearly a lazy, entitled chauvinist, a toxic male; and, while she’s an innocent victim who in no way deserves what happens to her, Ellen does lack journalistic integrity. It gradually becomes clear that the reliability of at least two of the narratives is questionable, which serves to keep the reader thoroughly invested in the outcome. Often blackly funny, Luna’s latest is a cleverly-plotted page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.
It's not until Detective Makeda Marks and her sidekick, Detective Miguel Jiminez come to her door to question her about the disappearance of journalist Ellen Garcia that she decides it merits breaking patient confidentiality to mention part of Nelson’s statement. Ellen Garcia included Dr Caroline in a highly critical article on doctors, and any of those targeted might hold a grudge. Some days after putting out her recycling on the kerb, Ellen is very surprised to come to in a dark basement, thirsty, hungry and afraid.
Dr Caroline (as she likes patients to call her) doesn’t reveal the extent of her communication with Ellen. Nor does she mention a well-publicised incident from her youth: Caroline really wants the police to focus on Nelson, rather than looking at her, as they seem to want to do�
In 1993 in Glen Grove, Wisconsin, Gordon Strong has just lost his brewery job, something that contributes to a downward spiral that involves drinking to excess and a paranoid delusion that his wife is having an affair with their neighbour, Chuck Strange. When his control finally breaks, and he murders his family with a pair of garden shears, then hangs himself, the only survivor is the neighbour’s teenaged daughter, on a sleep-over with her best friend.
Luna easily evokes her era and setting, and the reason that her main protagonist seems initially to live up to her name becomes clear as the story progresses. It is told over two timelines and from three perspectives: Caroline Strange, Ellen Garcia and Gordon Strong.
None of the characters are particularly nice people: Caroline’s nicknames for her patients seem to contradict the care she professes to feel for them; Gordon is clearly a lazy, entitled chauvinist, a toxic male; and, while she’s an innocent victim who in no way deserves what happens to her, Ellen does lack journalistic integrity. It gradually becomes clear that the reliability of at least two of the narratives is questionable, which serves to keep the reader thoroughly invested in the outcome. Often blackly funny, Luna’s latest is a cleverly-plotted page-turner.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss & Giroux.
June 2, 2024
First of all, most of this story is based directly following the highest points of the Covid-19 pandemic - approximately June 2021. With this book being released in 2024, it doesn’t exactly spark good memories, nor is it something I want to read about 3ish years later. It feels like had this released in 2022, it’d make much more sense than now. People are over it, and we don’t wanna go back. The worst part? The Covid pandemic has nothing to do with the plot and could easily be removed from this story. Ahh, that is just the start of the laundry list of issues I had with this book. 😫
Our FMC takes bluntness to an extreme, and the MMC is a raging misogynistic drunk. In fact, nearly all of the main characters are so unlikeable and bordering on intolerable that I debated multiple times about quitting this book (and seriously I wish I would have!). I caught myself skimming so much of the second half because I could not handle the writing anymore but was too stubborn to quit and just wanted closure.
The way the author portrayed mental health issues physically pained me, and the deplorable, judgmental thoughts Dr. Caroline had about her patients is enough to scare people (who could probably benefit) away from therapy. I really hoped the ending would make up for all the issues in the book (it didn’t unsurprisingly), but I cannot in good conscience promote a book that so negatively portrays mental health professionals.
Overall, this was the most convoluted mess of a book I think I’ve ever read. After just finishing it, I’m still in shock but not in a good way. I really didn’t think it could get worse, but I was wrong. So very wrong. Typically, I’m a rather gracious reviewer, but there is so much wrong with this book. I think it genuinely makes my top 5 worst books ever list.
There’s a lot of triggers in this book so please note the warnings if you’re considering reading. Although, I sincerely really would not recommend reading it.
TW: intense mental health disorders, eating disorders, fat-shaming, implied non-con/gang rape, domestic violence, sexual abuse involving minors (including rape, sodomy, etc), alcohol dependency
And also many cringeworthy scenes such as: eating garbage and drinking urine
My gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
Our FMC takes bluntness to an extreme, and the MMC is a raging misogynistic drunk. In fact, nearly all of the main characters are so unlikeable and bordering on intolerable that I debated multiple times about quitting this book (and seriously I wish I would have!). I caught myself skimming so much of the second half because I could not handle the writing anymore but was too stubborn to quit and just wanted closure.
The way the author portrayed mental health issues physically pained me, and the deplorable, judgmental thoughts Dr. Caroline had about her patients is enough to scare people (who could probably benefit) away from therapy. I really hoped the ending would make up for all the issues in the book (it didn’t unsurprisingly), but I cannot in good conscience promote a book that so negatively portrays mental health professionals.
Overall, this was the most convoluted mess of a book I think I’ve ever read. After just finishing it, I’m still in shock but not in a good way. I really didn’t think it could get worse, but I was wrong. So very wrong. Typically, I’m a rather gracious reviewer, but there is so much wrong with this book. I think it genuinely makes my top 5 worst books ever list.
There’s a lot of triggers in this book so please note the warnings if you’re considering reading. Although, I sincerely really would not recommend reading it.
TW: intense mental health disorders, eating disorders, fat-shaming, implied non-con/gang rape, domestic violence, sexual abuse involving minors (including rape, sodomy, etc), alcohol dependency
And also many cringeworthy scenes such as: eating garbage and drinking urine
My gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 22, 2024
3,5 ⭐️
Tell Me Who You Are
by Louisa Luna
Dr Caroline Strange has it all under control. Her patients, family, life in general. Until a young man arrives and proclaims that he knows all her secrets and will kill somebody.
She is very much used to dark secrets and disturbing outbursts. Until a detective arrives at her doorstep, a woman is missing. But not Nelson is a suspect, it’s Caroline who ends up under investigation. That’s when she takes matters into her own hand. But what will it take until/when the truth comes out?!
Is file this in the ok/good category. My opinion is very much on the neutral side. I didn’t feel any special emotions or anything that would have stayed with me after finishing.
It’s a solid thriller which will appeal to people who are very much into psychological thrillers. This is a bit more intricate and rougher than what I usually read, even though I might have enjoyed this more at a different time.
The idea of this is very intriguing and interesting. I imagine as a therapist you hear all kinds of things. What do you take seriously and what not? What is a threat and what will be done with it. It was curious how Caroline ended up being the suspect. But in the end I liked the idea more than the execution.
The writing is good, compelling at times. As I am a bit of a mood reader, this did not fitting my current state of mind. Which is a personal issue and has nothing to do with the book/author.
I personally felt unable to connect with the characters, whilst I liked the story/idea itself. I struggled at times
To keep up with the storylines even though they made sense and I did not bump into any obvious plot holes.
Publication June 4th 2024 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD. ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you so much. I was under no obligation to review, all opinions are my own.
Tell Me Who You Are
by Louisa Luna
Dr Caroline Strange has it all under control. Her patients, family, life in general. Until a young man arrives and proclaims that he knows all her secrets and will kill somebody.
She is very much used to dark secrets and disturbing outbursts. Until a detective arrives at her doorstep, a woman is missing. But not Nelson is a suspect, it’s Caroline who ends up under investigation. That’s when she takes matters into her own hand. But what will it take until/when the truth comes out?!
Is file this in the ok/good category. My opinion is very much on the neutral side. I didn’t feel any special emotions or anything that would have stayed with me after finishing.
It’s a solid thriller which will appeal to people who are very much into psychological thrillers. This is a bit more intricate and rougher than what I usually read, even though I might have enjoyed this more at a different time.
The idea of this is very intriguing and interesting. I imagine as a therapist you hear all kinds of things. What do you take seriously and what not? What is a threat and what will be done with it. It was curious how Caroline ended up being the suspect. But in the end I liked the idea more than the execution.
The writing is good, compelling at times. As I am a bit of a mood reader, this did not fitting my current state of mind. Which is a personal issue and has nothing to do with the book/author.
I personally felt unable to connect with the characters, whilst I liked the story/idea itself. I struggled at times
To keep up with the storylines even though they made sense and I did not bump into any obvious plot holes.
Publication June 4th 2024 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, MCD. ARC received courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you so much. I was under no obligation to review, all opinions are my own.
June 5, 2024
TW/CW: Language, cheating, divorce, drinking, toxic family relationships, misogyny, fat shaming, sexual harassment, covid, domestic abuse, child abuse, alcoholism, use of c-word, Eating disorder, child sexual abuse, death of child
SPOILERS
About the book:
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat—yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Rating: �(one star only because the writing was good)
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
What I Didn't Like:
1. Everything...
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Wow I hate her Gordon he's a piece of shit. The way he talks to his son and then tells his wife to lose some weight.
Plot twist Billy looks like Nelson so are they just twins? Why go to that he has borderline?
Author dismisses DID as though it's all made up. That people only fake it to get away with a crime. I don't get why she doesn't think Billy can be twin?????
It's not Legos it's Lego blocks!!
Don't worry I just know that this book is going to be one of those books that uses mental health as a crutch to kill people. I keep wondering if Caroline is the one killing the women and she's thinking these people Billy/Nelson are real.
So is Carloine that young version. We're in duel timelines.
Then we find out Caroline was talking to Billy and he says red rover red rover, but then when talking to the man he mentions that Caroline plays red rover with his kids.
"Grunt like a baby Frankenstein" ummmmm Frankenstein is the doctor not the monster.
This lady being kidnapped is just acting so causal about being abducted. She's laughing to herself and being so cheery. Weird.
Caroline has these moments where she passes out. She calls it falling asleep.
Omg omg omg Caroline's mom eating gross food from the garage deposal. Ew. But then also fat shamming her mother.
This book is so offensive. There's a character that struggles with an eating disorder and Caroline calls her dysmorphia. It's all so terrible.
"Nelson" calls Caroline and we all know again that Nelson is apart of her disorder.
How is Carloine able to just make calls and sit in her car all while the police are looking for her.
Omfg! That ending! Can I unread this book?
Soooooo Caroline is 13 and decides to set up this whole plan to make Gordon disturbed. He ends up killing his family and then Caroline's mother sells her to talk shows about how she survived it (she was staying the night the night it happened). Skip to like 15+ years and a child named William becomes obsessed with what happened to Caroline so much so that he ends up murdering his family too and then strives to get her attention by kidnapping a neighbor. There's just so many questions to this. How did he know that Caroline would care enough to actually follow him? How did he know that Caroline was going to be like him? It wasn't her family it was the neighbor's family. She just survived it's not like she was the one that survived because he was after her. This whole ending is completely convoluted.
Also I was completely wrong Caroline really is Caroline and William really is William so DID isn't a thing in this just something for the author to make fun of and says doesn't exist.
Final Thoughts:
Oh my God these characters were absolutely terrible. They are all bad. I didn't know who I was supposed to be rooting for.
I'm not political but there is a lot of things mentioned that are anti-Trump so for people who don't want to have that in your books then steer clear of this
If you love books that use mental health for a reasoning to kill then this is your book. Just your standard Thriller that has no understanding about Mental Health and uses it as a crutch to turn someone into a murderer. Just a horrible book. No offense to the author but there was nothing redeemable about this book. The characters are terrible. The story is ridiculous. And the way mental health is treated in this book is absolutely comical.
|
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
SPOILERS
About the book:
Brooklyn psychiatrist Dr. Caroline Strange is certain she knows what's best for her patients, her family, and pretty much everyone else, but that all changes when a troubled young man arrives for his appointment and makes a pair of alarming confessions: I am going to kill someone, and I know who you really are.Dr. Caroline is accustomed to hearing her patients� deepest, darkest secrets, but it seems Nelson Schack may be one step ahead when detectives show up later that day, inquiring about a missing woman. It looks like Nelson has made good on his threat—yet somehow it’s Dr. Caroline who becomes the prime suspect.Convinced the police are incompetent, Dr. Caroline takes matters into her own hands, chasing down the elusive Nelson and running headlong into a past she has spent her entire life trying to forget. As she closes in on her target, all the polished pieces of her manicured life splinter when people begin to question who she really is.
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Genre: Thriller
Pages: 352
Rating: �(one star only because the writing was good)
What I Liked:
1. Writing style was good
What I Didn't Like:
1. Everything...
Overall Thoughts:
{{Disclaimer: I write my review as I read}}
Wow I hate her Gordon he's a piece of shit. The way he talks to his son and then tells his wife to lose some weight.
Plot twist Billy looks like Nelson so are they just twins? Why go to that he has borderline?
Author dismisses DID as though it's all made up. That people only fake it to get away with a crime. I don't get why she doesn't think Billy can be twin?????
It's not Legos it's Lego blocks!!
Don't worry I just know that this book is going to be one of those books that uses mental health as a crutch to kill people. I keep wondering if Caroline is the one killing the women and she's thinking these people Billy/Nelson are real.
So is Carloine that young version. We're in duel timelines.
Then we find out Caroline was talking to Billy and he says red rover red rover, but then when talking to the man he mentions that Caroline plays red rover with his kids.
"Grunt like a baby Frankenstein" ummmmm Frankenstein is the doctor not the monster.
This lady being kidnapped is just acting so causal about being abducted. She's laughing to herself and being so cheery. Weird.
Caroline has these moments where she passes out. She calls it falling asleep.
Omg omg omg Caroline's mom eating gross food from the garage deposal. Ew. But then also fat shamming her mother.
This book is so offensive. There's a character that struggles with an eating disorder and Caroline calls her dysmorphia. It's all so terrible.
"Nelson" calls Caroline and we all know again that Nelson is apart of her disorder.
How is Carloine able to just make calls and sit in her car all while the police are looking for her.
Omfg! That ending! Can I unread this book?
Soooooo Caroline is 13 and decides to set up this whole plan to make Gordon disturbed. He ends up killing his family and then Caroline's mother sells her to talk shows about how she survived it (she was staying the night the night it happened). Skip to like 15+ years and a child named William becomes obsessed with what happened to Caroline so much so that he ends up murdering his family too and then strives to get her attention by kidnapping a neighbor. There's just so many questions to this. How did he know that Caroline would care enough to actually follow him? How did he know that Caroline was going to be like him? It wasn't her family it was the neighbor's family. She just survived it's not like she was the one that survived because he was after her. This whole ending is completely convoluted.
Also I was completely wrong Caroline really is Caroline and William really is William so DID isn't a thing in this just something for the author to make fun of and says doesn't exist.
Final Thoughts:
Oh my God these characters were absolutely terrible. They are all bad. I didn't know who I was supposed to be rooting for.
I'm not political but there is a lot of things mentioned that are anti-Trump so for people who don't want to have that in your books then steer clear of this
If you love books that use mental health for a reasoning to kill then this is your book. Just your standard Thriller that has no understanding about Mental Health and uses it as a crutch to turn someone into a murderer. Just a horrible book. No offense to the author but there was nothing redeemable about this book. The characters are terrible. The story is ridiculous. And the way mental health is treated in this book is absolutely comical.
|
Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 7, 2024
Starts strong, had me actually thinking the Gone Girl/Silent Patient comps made sense instead of just being lazy twisty thriller comparisons. Sadly it can't maintain it, there isn't enough mystery, not enough tension, about halfway through it is already clear what is happening and how it's going to go. Which would be fine if the book wasn't trying to signal that it's all about twists.
I think it may have been a better book if it didn't go as high concept and was more of a slow burn, that fits the actual plot.
A lot of readers will probably enjoy this just fine, it does keep you reading. Caroline, who narrates most of the book, is definitely one of those purposely prickly narrators who you never actually like or take to. I think Luna mostly pulls her off, but I found myself getting annoyed with her more than caring about what happened in the story. She is so offputting that it's unclear how she's able to do what she does on a daily basis.
But if you are looking for something that you can speed through that isn't the schlocky paint by numbers writing of many thrillers these days, this is a pretty good choice.
I think it may have been a better book if it didn't go as high concept and was more of a slow burn, that fits the actual plot.
A lot of readers will probably enjoy this just fine, it does keep you reading. Caroline, who narrates most of the book, is definitely one of those purposely prickly narrators who you never actually like or take to. I think Luna mostly pulls her off, but I found myself getting annoyed with her more than caring about what happened in the story. She is so offputting that it's unclear how she's able to do what she does on a daily basis.
But if you are looking for something that you can speed through that isn't the schlocky paint by numbers writing of many thrillers these days, this is a pretty good choice.
Want to read
January 26, 2024Another Louisa Luna! I’m hooked already.
May 2, 2024
I won this book in a ŷ Giveaway. This book was so so good. It's written like real people actually think, but things don't say out loud. The smart-ass sarcastic nature in the main character made me feel at home and at ease. The main character a psychiatrist named Caroline has an interesting appointment with a new client. He's actually a new client twice because he has a supposed split personality issue. The client finds out that Caroline had been a survivor of of a gruesome murder when she was a child. Later Caroline finds out that her client had actually been a survivor of a gruesome murder as well as a child, and believes at first that's why he sought her out. The only thing is he admits he is very soon going to commit murder himself. A woman goes missing that Caroline knows. The cops aren't helping and think that the client doesn't exist and Caroline's their suspect. Caroline believes it's up to her to find the missing women and prove her innocence. The ending of this book tells you why Caroline became a psychiatrist, and its absolutely mind blowing. 💣 💣 💣. This book is very well written and the writing style and thought processes of the characters are so different its refreshing. I love this author now that I read her work. I highly recommend you read this book, I think you'll agree you have never read anything like it before. 😉
Read
March 23, 2025Read. Library book.
Because I have become such a HUGE fan of Luna's writing after listening to the first two books in the Alice Vega series (just this minute downloaded HIDEOUT: #3), I actually squealed with glee when I saw TELL ME WHO YOU ARE on the shelf in the library.
While I enjoyed the read, the fact that this book was so entirely different from those books in every conceivable way sort of threw me.
Because I have become such a HUGE fan of Luna's writing after listening to the first two books in the Alice Vega series (just this minute downloaded HIDEOUT: #3), I actually squealed with glee when I saw TELL ME WHO YOU ARE on the shelf in the library.
While I enjoyed the read, the fact that this book was so entirely different from those books in every conceivable way sort of threw me.
December 9, 2024
3.5 Stars
This is one of those books where the main character isn't exactly a good person or particularly likeable/relatable. She was such a judgmental bitch and she really embraced it. But, it was entertaining.
This is one of those books where the main character isn't exactly a good person or particularly likeable/relatable. She was such a judgmental bitch and she really embraced it. But, it was entertaining.
April 22, 2024
Dark, intense, fresh, original and binge worthy! I loved every word of this one! Dr. Caroline Strange, a psychiatrist, has her life well under control until Nelson Schack walks into her office and announces that he is going to kill someone and she knows who it is during his first visit. Before leaving her office, he leaves Dr. Caroline with one last bit of ominous information by announcing “he knows who she really is�. With the possibility of someone’s life on the line, Dr. Caroline will have to dredge up her sinister past and figure out who Nelson really is and what motivates him to want to commit murder. This story is told in 3 points of view and I enjoyed each one. Generally, I have a favorite POV but this story is written so well and so tightly plotted that I looked forward to each new chapter equally. I loved all the dark humor and snarky inner thoughts of each of the characters. I hope this book hits the mainstream and many get to enjoy it. This is EVERYTHING a thriller should be and thriller lovers are going to eat this one up! Thank you Netgalley, Farrah, Straus and Giroux, and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be available for purchase on June 4, 2024
September 30, 2024
Dr. Caroline Strange, a psychiatrist, receives a new patient, Nelson, who tells her he is A) going to kill someone she knows and B) he knows who she really is and then we're off on a complex plot with 3 unreliable narrators. Ellen, a magazine writer, disappears and once put Caroline on a list of the worst doctors in Brooklyn. How Ellen's disappearance may be tied to Caroline or Nelson reveals a lot of twists and it is best to go into this story not knowing a lot of detail. I was frustrated at times keeping up with the story and, although this book has been compared to Gone Girl and Silent Patient, I loved those books and didn't see the similarities at all. I managed to finish the book but it did not live up to my expectations and I know I am in the minority with my review but I just wasn't involved in the plot.
June 7, 2024
*3.5 stars rounded up
'Give me an hour, I'll tell you who you are.' Psychiatrist Dr Caroline Strange introduces us to her practice and from what she describes, she's heard just about everything from her patients over the years. But even she is taken aback when a new patient named Nelson Schack announces he thinks he's going to kill someone and then walks out of her office with the parting comment 'And I know who you really are.'
So when police show up on her doorstep asking about a missing woman named Ellen Garcia, a local journalist who had maligned Dr Caroline's practice in a recent article, she decides to tell them about her strange encounter with 'Nelson.' Only they find his personal details were made up--there is no Nelson Schack. And Caroline realizes she is quickly becoming their 'person of interest' because of her grudge against Ellen. So it would behoove Caroline to try to figure out what is going on, right? Ah, but we get some hints about what's happening to Ellen in her own chapters so we're one step ahead of Caroline.
And what did 'Nelson' mean by his parting shot, 'And I know who you really are.' We begin to learn about Caroline's childhood through alternating chapters told by Gordon Strong, her best friend's father. The Strongs lived next door to the Stranges and their lives ended tragically one summer after Gordon lost his job. What role did Caroline play in what happened?
Caroline is really not a very likable character. She's a clever self-made woman, making the most of her intelligence and her looks, and is pretty smug about it all. But what is she hiding? And is she smarter than the police?
The story gets off to a great start, drags a bit in the middle, but delivers an exciting conclusion. Definitely worthy beach-read material.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller. I always enjoy Louisa Luna's books and this was no exception. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
'Give me an hour, I'll tell you who you are.' Psychiatrist Dr Caroline Strange introduces us to her practice and from what she describes, she's heard just about everything from her patients over the years. But even she is taken aback when a new patient named Nelson Schack announces he thinks he's going to kill someone and then walks out of her office with the parting comment 'And I know who you really are.'
So when police show up on her doorstep asking about a missing woman named Ellen Garcia, a local journalist who had maligned Dr Caroline's practice in a recent article, she decides to tell them about her strange encounter with 'Nelson.' Only they find his personal details were made up--there is no Nelson Schack. And Caroline realizes she is quickly becoming their 'person of interest' because of her grudge against Ellen. So it would behoove Caroline to try to figure out what is going on, right? Ah, but we get some hints about what's happening to Ellen in her own chapters so we're one step ahead of Caroline.
And what did 'Nelson' mean by his parting shot, 'And I know who you really are.' We begin to learn about Caroline's childhood through alternating chapters told by Gordon Strong, her best friend's father. The Strongs lived next door to the Stranges and their lives ended tragically one summer after Gordon lost his job. What role did Caroline play in what happened?
Caroline is really not a very likable character. She's a clever self-made woman, making the most of her intelligence and her looks, and is pretty smug about it all. But what is she hiding? And is she smarter than the police?
The story gets off to a great start, drags a bit in the middle, but delivers an exciting conclusion. Definitely worthy beach-read material.
Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller. I always enjoy Louisa Luna's books and this was no exception. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.
July 11, 2024
Listened to the audiobook.
Ummmm...ok?
Ummmm...ok?
Read
June 18, 2024Tell Me Who You Are definitely felt like a more out-there Alex Michalides book. I had a theory that I was hoping would be the case the ENTIRE time and then the author pulled back and went for a more conventional ending.
I still think I prefer Louisa Luna's excellent procedurals, but I love an author who will try something new and I hope this resonates with suspense readers. We will see!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter Let's be friends on
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
June 23, 2024
While I’ve been a huge fan of this authors work, this one just didn’t do it for me. I didn’t like the main character and the different POV storyline made it hard for me to follow along. It was just a bit glitchy. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review
June 6, 2024
It’s hard to like a book full of unlikable characters, but here we are. This book includes multiple timelines and points of view, which weave the storyline together in a delightfully chaotic way.
I didn’t find the twists shocking, and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the conclusion. I was hoping for a BIG final reveal or AHA moment at the end, which didn’t come. That said, the story included enough drama and tension to keep me entertained all the way through. A fun, well-paced read. Definitely recommend.
4.1 rounded down to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
I didn’t find the twists shocking, and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the conclusion. I was hoping for a BIG final reveal or AHA moment at the end, which didn’t come. That said, the story included enough drama and tension to keep me entertained all the way through. A fun, well-paced read. Definitely recommend.
4.1 rounded down to 4.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.
July 19, 2024
Louisa Luna created Alice Vega (), so I’ll read anything she puts out here in the world.
Tell Me Who You Are is full of unlikeable characters, but damnit…she keeps you reading with a piece here or a missing piece there. You just have to know.
A captivating page-turner!
Tell Me Who You Are is full of unlikeable characters, but damnit…she keeps you reading with a piece here or a missing piece there. You just have to know.
A captivating page-turner!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 427 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.