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    If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
    If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
    If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
    Audiobook10 hours

    If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

    Written by Gregg Olsen

    Narrated by Karen Peakes

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller.

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen’s shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother’s house of horrors.

    After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.

    For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother’s dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.

    Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor’s story of absolute evil—and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today—loving, loved, and moving on.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateDec 1, 2019
    ISBN9781799749226
    If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
    Author

    Gregg Olsen

    #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Gregg Olsen has written more than thirty books, including Lying Next to Me, The Last Thing She Ever Did, and two novels in the Nicole Foster series, The Sound of Rain and The Weight of Silence. Known for his ability to create vivid and fascinating narratives, he’s appeared on multiple television and radio shows and news networks, such as Good Morning America, Dateline, Entertainment Tonight, CNN, and MSNBC. In addition, Olsen has been featured in Redbook, People, and Salon magazine, as well as in the Seattle Times, Los Angeles Times, and New York Post. Both his fiction and nonfiction works have received critical acclaim and numerous awards, including prominence on the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists. Washington State officially selected his young adult novel Envy for the National Book Festival, and The Deep Dark was named Idaho Book of the Year. A Seattle native who lives with his wife in rural Washington State, Olsen’s already at work on his next book.

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    Reviews for If You Tell

    4.5/5

    1,787 ratings123 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      This was really sad and so hard to listen too. To think that this is a true story is heart breaking. I found myself in tears many times. And cringing many many other times. The narrator did a great job.

      3 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      He's out & she's getting out next year! NO! WHY!
      Anyway, this story is absolutely heartbreaking for all involved (well not Shelly or Dave ???)
      I can not even begin to understand how these girls and Shane handled these vile people.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      One word…AMAZING PERIODT!!!!!!!!!!! IF you’re a true crime junkie like me, this is a good one!!!!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This true story will horrify you even if you’ve heard many, many horror stories before. Be warned that it is very disturbing and graphic.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book was so hard to get through. Not because it wasn’t well put together, but simply because of how disgustingly vial Michelle, (Shelly) is. Dave, although under the grasps of Shelly, is still a monster. How do you not know all of the abuse and torture was happening? Turning a blind eye is just as bad, as doing the abuse yourself. Nikki, Sami, & Tori are strong and resilient! They have overcome the obstacles and trauma their parents have embedded into them. I’m so glad that they were able to move forward & make peace within theirselves. They deserve the world.
      I’m so glad they were finally able to speak their truth & let it be heard!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      My heart sank at the thought that so many primary caregivers are capable of such, I’m partially one of the victim characters in this book (Tori) and I’ve been working on healing my Inner Toddler, it’s extremely hard but I’m forever grateful that I have enough sense to know that what happened to me was not right.

      Nikki lived through what my older sister experienced (except for the wallowing naked bit) she passed on though, but you could see that her life was a true reflection of what she went through, she was rough, a narcissist, and in pain, loved being seen as the wealthy one, most intelligent and if anyone disagrees, would be met by her wrath.

      The trail of abusive (physical, financial & verbal) relationships was a clear cry for help. I wondered if she ever got therapy or she just gave up. I had no lifeline to her, she hated my very existence. After I was born, mom died & in her mind I must’ve been the “thing” that killed mom.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This. Was. INTENSE. Mental manipulation is WILD. Read or listen at your own risk.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      This book was a lot. The story of abuse became a bit overwhelming due to the length of the story, and I found myself wanting to fast forward. I wish the ending came a bit faster. However, I did not fast forward and I’m glad I listened.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      How badly I wanted Tory to say YUP before they let CPS and the cops in!
      I hope these ladies are doing well. I can’t imagine having to grow up this way.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This was INSANE. I sit here, after I have finished the book, struggling to come up with the words to describe what I just went through as a reader. This is my first Gregg Olsen book and he did a fantastic job at describing the horrors this family went through at the hands of Shelly and Dave. It's infuriating, heartbreaking, and nauseating all at the same time. Shelly is supposed to get out of prison in 2022 and it's absolutely appalling that it is even an option for her to begin with. If you are into true crime, I don't think I could recommend this book enough. I'm so glad that the Knotek sisters finally got the courage to bring the horrors they went through into the light and just hope that they eventually find the peace they so desperately deserve.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Awesome! Storytelling! Riveting. Suspenseful. Could stop listening to it. Loved it

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Shocking, upsetting, sickening and captivating. Couldn’t stop listening - highly recommend it.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      Not that it wasn’t a great book and the story telling spot on. It was the content that sent me reeling. I wanted to beat the entire shit out of Shelly and didn’t understand why everyone didn’t just get together and gang jump her ass!! I had to stop only a quarter of the way in. And to think it was a true story…yikes! I actually saw this very story on the ID channel, but didn’t realize it was one in the same until the hairdresser came into the mix.

      I usually listen to my audibles while I’m getting lashes, nails or hair done. With my eyes closed while getting lashes applied and listening to this HORROR story I actually started to have a full on panic attack. This was just too much for me and I’m a very ballsy chick. The visuals were beyond comprehension. She does get her come uppins but far too late in the story for it to be worth the vicious tear at my heartstrings.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      It’s rare that I give anything 5 stars. This is a masterpiece. Masterfully read, bringing just the right amount of cold flatness and unbearable emotion, anticipation and dread to bring the reader into the depths of this horrific true account. For 3 young women there is hope, hopefully bringing hope to the lives around them in a dangerous new world.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Oh wow. What a view into a diabolical existence. All survivors are amazing and can give us a glimpse into domestic violence and manipulation.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book is horrific, please take care before reading. .

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I loved this book! It was riveting to the end. It evoked feelings of compassion, empathy and shock. It is almost unbelievable.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Amazing book and a joy to listen to! I recommend!
    • 5/5
      Haunting. Unbelievable. Heartbreaking. Sickening. Tragic. Wow.

      I still have trouble remembering that this is real.
    • 5/5
      This book breaks my heart, because these events describing this book actually happened. However, the book was very well written, and the descriptions were very detailed which allowed the reader to place themselves in the story.
    • 3/5
      It was hard to read not because of the writing but because of the terrible mother and person this woman is.
    • 5/5
      Very touching book….way too much violence. Feel so sorry for the three sisters…..some people are really monsters.
    • 5/5
      What a creepy family . Total psychopath of a mother and a loser husband . Disgusting. Recomendable because once you finish it you might really appreciate your life. Or at least realize what abuse is.
    • 5/5
      I debated on it because so many said it was weird or hard to follow I didn’t think so at all and feel it was really well done
    • 5/5
      At times, I felt like I couldn't take any more just because what the woman did was so horrendous and the book goes into graphic detail. But at the same time, I couldn't put it down because it was so well written and captivating. I also like how the narrator's voice had a bit of an ominous tone, which added to the listening experience. I'm so glad that the sisters have been able to make a life of their own despite what evil they had to grow up with.
    • 5/5
      Horrific yet compelling, a nightmare that is hard to imagine and much harder to live through.
    • 3/5
      Very difficult to listen to chapter after chapter of what these parents did. 15 and 22 years doesn't do the crimes justice.
    • 3/5
      I had listen to this book in bits and pieces so sad people could be so mean
    • 5/5
      Really good read. My first true crime. I highly recommend.
    • 5/5
      Hard to listen to and comprehend how anyone could be so evil and manipulative! Well written account of survival from horrific abuse.