Should they have suspected something was amiss? And even if they had, what could they have done? 

When a group of neighborhood women gathers, wine in hand, around a fire pit where their backyards meet one Saturday night, most of them are just ecstatic to have discovered that their baby monitors reach that far. It’s a rare kid-free night, and they’re giddy with it. They drink too much, and the conversation turns personal.

By Monday morning, one of them is gone.

“Well-drawn characters, a perfectly cast neighborhood, and a great puzzle; what more could you want in your next read?” —Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Fractured and The Good Liar

Everyone knows something about everyone else in the quirky small Ohio town of Yellow Springs, but no one can make sense of the disappearance. Kristin was a sociable twin mom, college administrator, and doctor’s wife who didn’t seem all that bothered by her impending divorce―and the investigation turns up more questions than answers, with her husband, Paul, at the center. For her closest neighbor, Clara, the incident triggers memories she thought she’d put behind her―and when she’s unable to extract herself from the widening circle of scrutiny, her own suspicions quickly grow. But the neighborhood’s newest addition, Izzy, is determined not to jump to any conclusions―especially since she’s dealing with a crisis of her own.

As the police investigation goes from a media circus to a cold case, the neighbors are forced to reexamine what’s going on behind their own closed doors―and to ask how well anyone really knows anyone else.

An “engrossing, taut tale.” —Publishers Weekly

A “page-turner à la Big Little Lies.” —Book of the Month (March selection)

NOW AVAILABLE! Get your hardcover, ebook or audiobook today, or preorder the paperback (coming 1/8/19): Amazon • Amazon U.K. • Barnes & Noble • Joseph-Beth Booksellers • Powell’s Books • Books-A-Million • IndieBound • iBooks • Google Play

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Listen to an excerpt of the Not That I Could Tell audiobook via AudioCloud.

BOOK CLUBS: Find the complete Readers Group Discussion Guide here (warning: spoilers included!).

“Full of slow-burning intrigue, Strawser’s second novel will appeal to fans of Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies and Jennifer Kitses’ Small Hours. With the same ripped-from-the-headlines feel as her first, this novel is narrated by an ensemble of women, giving readers a variety of perspectives on the disappearance. Strawser does readers an additional service by focusing on the nuanced realities of domestic violence rather than merely sensationalizing it for the sake of the plot.” —Booklist

“In NOT THAT I COULD TELL, Strawser tackles the secrets of suburbia, domestic abuse, and friendship in a gripping story about a neighboring family gone missing. The characters are unique, engaging, and relatable and the ending is both surprising and poignant. Fans of Liane Moriarty will adore Jessica Strawser; she’s a huge talent!” —Kate Moretti, New York Times bestselling author of The Blackbird Season and The Vanishing Year

“Equal parts mystery and female bonding, this riveting tale asks the question: Can we truly know our neighbors? The compelling cast of characters is led by the fiercely protective Clara, the endearing, naïve Izzy, and the inexplicably vanished Kristin. Their distinctive paths lead to powerful lessons about love, connection, and community.” – Cynthia Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of The Bookseller and The Glass Forest

“You’ll probably stay up too late to finish the book as it speeds toward an edge-of-your-seat conclusion. Ultimately a story about the power of instincts and the strength of women, NOT THAT I COULD TELL is full of satisfying suspense and one to add to your ‘must-read’ list!” —Karma Brown, international bestselling author of Come Away With Me and In This Moment

“Gritty, beautiful and urgent.” —The Daily Beast

“A psychological thriller of the highest order, as well written as it is structured.” —bestselling thriller writer Jon Land via Booktrib and The Providence Journal

“A story that makes everyone question their motives, this one will leave you thinking after the pages are done.” —The Parkersburg News and Sentinel 

“Ms. Strawser has written a deeply thoughtful book in NOT THAT I COULD TELL… a nuanced portrayal of domestic violence: how it begins, how it continues, and its devastating after-effects. It’s also a very necessary look at how innumerable lives are changed by abuse — not just those of the victims but the people around them as well.” —The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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