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Tell Me No Lies
Riverdale meets Gone Girl in a shocking thriller about two sisters whose bond is tested when one girl's boyfriend goes missing... and her sister is the primary suspect.
Nora and Sophie Linden may be sisters, but they're not friends. Not since the party last month. Not since the night Sophie's boyfriend, Garrett, disappeared. Half the town thinks Garrett is dead, the other half believes he ran away, but Sophie knows something no one else does -- Garrett left that party with Nora. And straight-A, Ivy-league-bound Nora had never been to a single party before that night.
Then Nora withdraws, barely coming home anymore, right when Sophie starts receiving messages from someone who claims to be Garrett, promising revenge -- for what happened to him that night, and for the lies both girls told to the police about it.
With the sisters' futures -- and lives -- in jeopardy, they'll have to decide whether to trust each other again, or risk their secrets leading them to their graves.
Nora and Sophie Linden may be sisters, but they're not friends. Not since the party last month. Not since the night Sophie's boyfriend, Garrett, disappeared. Half the town thinks Garrett is dead, the other half believes he ran away, but Sophie knows something no one else does -- Garrett left that party with Nora. And straight-A, Ivy-league-bound Nora had never been to a single party before that night.
Then Nora withdraws, barely coming home anymore, right when Sophie starts receiving messages from someone who claims to be Garrett, promising revenge -- for what happened to him that night, and for the lies both girls told to the police about it.
With the sisters' futures -- and lives -- in jeopardy, they'll have to decide whether to trust each other again, or risk their secrets leading them to their graves.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2022
52 people are currently reading
1142 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Contos
4 books159 followersAndrea Contos is an award-winning writer of young adult mysteries and thrillers. She is the author of OUT OF THE FIRE (Scholastic, 10/19/21) and TELL ME NO LIES (Scholastic 2022.)
Her debut, THROWAWAY GIRLS, was named Best Young Adult Novel by International Thriller Writers (ITW) for 2021, and was also a Kirkus Best Book of 2020.
Andrea is a Pitch Wars 2018-2020 Mentor, a 2017 Mentee, and a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Andrea is represented by Chelsea Eberly of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.
Her debut, THROWAWAY GIRLS, was named Best Young Adult Novel by International Thriller Writers (ITW) for 2021, and was also a Kirkus Best Book of 2020.
Andrea is a Pitch Wars 2018-2020 Mentor, a 2017 Mentee, and a member of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
Andrea is represented by Chelsea Eberly of The Greenhouse Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews
November 22, 2022
Listen, I don't give one star reviews very often. And maybe this is a tad harsh, maybe it could've been two stars. But MAN this book irritated me. It frustrated me so much. The timeline jumps between the sisters was confusing/hard to remember, both of their personalities and actions grated on me, and I didn't really like any of the characters at all. My biggest problem though, was the way the author insisted on hinting at things that we didn't know. I understand wanting to hold back a little info, making it intriguing or something...but it drove me absolutely bonkers. It took me forever to finish because I just kept getting so irritated. Things would be alluded to that we didn't know yet, always hinting that we would eventually know it, over and over. Maybe that wasn't irksome for others, I don't know...but for me it drove me mad. I really do hate to be negative, but every once in a while I think it's ok to just say "this wasn't for me!"
November 18, 2022
Honestly this book dragged. The story was all over the place and had a lot of meaningless info. I should have read something else LOL
October 30, 2022
Such a clever and bold YA thriller!
Nora and Sophie are sisters, but they are nothing alike.
Nora is a smart-ass wannabe lawyer, who does not care about anything but her grades.
Sophie is a dancer, who never feels like "enough" and spends her whole life searching for people's praise.
They live under the same roof, and they don't share anything... until Sophie's boyfriend, Garrett, disappears. And Sophie lies to the police: the last person to have seen her boyfriend alive is indeed her sister Nora.
The book follows the two girls in two different timelines. Nora's chapters are her confessions about what happened, and Sophie's chapters are her trial at reconstructing if her sister is guilty, of betrayal or even murder.
I was surprised by this book, for both the pace of the story and the writing, which is colloquial and funny. It kinda reminded me of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, with a deeper insight into familiar bonds.
Nora and Sophie are sisters, but they are nothing alike.
Nora is a smart-ass wannabe lawyer, who does not care about anything but her grades.
Sophie is a dancer, who never feels like "enough" and spends her whole life searching for people's praise.
They live under the same roof, and they don't share anything... until Sophie's boyfriend, Garrett, disappears. And Sophie lies to the police: the last person to have seen her boyfriend alive is indeed her sister Nora.
The book follows the two girls in two different timelines. Nora's chapters are her confessions about what happened, and Sophie's chapters are her trial at reconstructing if her sister is guilty, of betrayal or even murder.
I was surprised by this book, for both the pace of the story and the writing, which is colloquial and funny. It kinda reminded me of A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, with a deeper insight into familiar bonds.
December 27, 2022
This book, sadly was a struggle read for me and I got halfway through the book and then skimmed the rest. I've loved Contos' other books- solidly 4 star books but the issues I had reading Tell Me No Lies had to do with the dual timelines between Nora and Sophie, just a month apart, and the character development. Sure, Nora and Sophie are polar opposites but it's all the secondary characters and the plot includes a cheating ring and murders. I can suspend reality to a point but I just didn't care that much by the middle of the book.
Maybe if the book was structured differently with Part 1 being Nora, Part 2 being Sophie and Part 3 the reveal, it might have been less choppy and difficult to read. I think the suspense would have built up better, but I'm a reader, not a mystery writer. There are some heavy topics including parents divorce, cheating, corrupt principals, death threats and attempts, and for what? Sorry to say this book didn't work for me. It was from the library so it's going back. 2.5/5☆
Maybe if the book was structured differently with Part 1 being Nora, Part 2 being Sophie and Part 3 the reveal, it might have been less choppy and difficult to read. I think the suspense would have built up better, but I'm a reader, not a mystery writer. There are some heavy topics including parents divorce, cheating, corrupt principals, death threats and attempts, and for what? Sorry to say this book didn't work for me. It was from the library so it's going back. 2.5/5☆
October 19, 2022
Two sisters, a year apart in age, both excel in different ways. One sister is extremely smart, applying to Ivy League universities, is head of all school clubs and generally does not care what others think of her. The younger sister, is beautiful and popular amongst all her peers, warm and bubbly and a friend to everyone.
Enter cute charming quarterback from an affluent family and tension is caused between the two siblings. Not over jealousy, but over a secret cute boyfriend has and one sister knows about.
Cute boyfriend disappears after a huge party and the town, and their peers put the siblings through the ringer trying to figure out if he is dead? Or just ran away and why?
Rumors circulate and tensions grow and it becomes clear that one or both of the sisters is lying, but which one?
A fast paced engaging read about secrets and sibling bonding.
Enter cute charming quarterback from an affluent family and tension is caused between the two siblings. Not over jealousy, but over a secret cute boyfriend has and one sister knows about.
Cute boyfriend disappears after a huge party and the town, and their peers put the siblings through the ringer trying to figure out if he is dead? Or just ran away and why?
Rumors circulate and tensions grow and it becomes clear that one or both of the sisters is lying, but which one?
A fast paced engaging read about secrets and sibling bonding.
June 30, 2023
Literal trash 😭 Sophie was so boring to read about and really was a boring character to read about with Nora honestly being written better. The way it’s laid out with their different pov’s, AND being told a month apart made it even more confusing to understand. So many characters to the point that I started losing track of who was who, I.e. a character being in the first chapter, not mentioned for like 10 chapters, then being a somehow important character? The whole plot being about a ‘cheating ring’ for high school homework was so stupid, and the theme of privilege/ people using others for their own advantage could’ve been told in a better way. Also the characters being Woc was randomly thrown in cause the book cover is of white girls is a small/stupid thing I’m annoyed at, but it was so random☠️ Long rant, but I really would recommend spending time on another book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2022
4.25 stars
I liked how this book approached privilege, especially in a thriller, instead of normalizing it, it challenged it. And showed how it can negatively affect everyone.
I wish one of the POC could have had a bit more depth. I would have liked to have gotten into a bit more of Jude who did have a good bit of depth.
Overall an enjoyable and twisty thriller. But I think more insight into the men of the story would have been good.
I liked how this book approached privilege, especially in a thriller, instead of normalizing it, it challenged it. And showed how it can negatively affect everyone.
I wish one of the POC could have had a bit more depth. I would have liked to have gotten into a bit more of Jude who did have a good bit of depth.
Overall an enjoyable and twisty thriller. But I think more insight into the men of the story would have been good.
March 18, 2023
4.5
what.
what.
June 9, 2023
Truly confusing and a waste of time. Utterly unlikable characters, a ridiculous plot, and a "twist" with zero payoff.
February 19, 2023
I enjoyed the first hundred or so pages, but then it got too hard to track with the shifting timeline and the numerous characters. And please, how many times is someone getting almost choked to death??? The plot was too absurd. If I weren't trying to complete a reading challenge, I would have given up on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
2.5 ⭐️
DNF
DNF
April 27, 2023
i did not finish this book. i am a person that cannot stop a book because i have to finish what i start, but this i tried way too hard to finish. waste of my time. the story doesn’t make sense, the plot isn’t very intriguing, and i feel like there’s grammar issues? i don’t know. i do not recommended this at all, and i’m embarrassed i couldn’t finish it but it was too painful to even attempt. i only marked this as finished so i could review it to warn others. i feel bad leaving this because authors work very hard, but this is just a no.
March 11, 2023
This book was good! I love suspense/thriller/mystery books. However, I did get a little confused with the sudden shifts in the time frame. I also thought there was something off about the writing style. It just felt like there was something missing and a lack of character development and explanation on some parts of the plot.
July 9, 2024
I liked how there was some suspense after each chapter. It left you wanting to keep reading and never stop. A good quick read!
February 27, 2023
It had potential, and then it just didn't anymore.
April 13, 2023
The motivation for the original crime is so not explained well
January 29, 2024
DNFed page 167 (45% in)
This book reads like it was written by someone who either reeaaaally wants internet brownie points or is absolutely terrified of being canceled. The inclusion of "white girl nonsense", one of the main characters apologizing to her brown friend for her white privilege after suggesting they go to the police (context: her car was broken into and a bloody necklace was left hanging from her mirror, and she blames her wanting to go to the police as white privilege instead of... yknow... fear?), and the same main character commenting about the mean girl having a black friend cause "I didn't know she knew anyone who wasn't white and blonde"... it's all a bit much. Especially when both sisters and the author herself is white. Just feels very forced. Let me add on real quick that I'm black. I reached my limit when Sophie feared that Nora was having an affair with their classmate's dad, and the thought was followed with a whole ass paragraph about how of course Nora is a minor so it wouldn't be consensual regardless, Sophie would never suggest that! Minor/Adult relationships were a crime and should result in jail time for the adult! I just... maybe this book's intended audience is children way younger than me, but it feels like the author thinks I'm too stupid to know that she isn't endorsing minor/adult relationships by having her character consider the possibility for 0.2 seconds.
Besides that the pacing is awful. Why is Sophie having an inner monologue about never being enough while being attacked? Now is not the time, stay in the moment! Action often jumps from 0 to 100 in a way that makes you think the editor accidentally deleted a few sentences before publishing. Also both girls talk in these ridiculously long, extravagant metaphors that no real person would use. It was a cute writing style at first but got old really quick.
Finally decided to DNF when Sophie was testing the stability of the roof her and a guy were standing on before dancing, and the narrative acts like the guy made a grave misogynistic sin by telling her that he wouldn't have suggested she danced if the roof wasn't safe. It's literally referred to as "emotional manipulation" and the guy apologizes for "making her feel bad about looking out for herself." I'm sorry what?? Had to put the book down for the rest of the day. I tried to continue but the reading experience was too painful. When I turned on the audiobook after a long day of work and realized that listening was making my mood worse, I knew it was time to call it quits. Too bad, I really wanted to know what happened to Garrett.
I could say more about my problems with this book but this review is long enough.
This book reads like it was written by someone who either reeaaaally wants internet brownie points or is absolutely terrified of being canceled. The inclusion of "white girl nonsense", one of the main characters apologizing to her brown friend for her white privilege after suggesting they go to the police (context: her car was broken into and a bloody necklace was left hanging from her mirror, and she blames her wanting to go to the police as white privilege instead of... yknow... fear?), and the same main character commenting about the mean girl having a black friend cause "I didn't know she knew anyone who wasn't white and blonde"... it's all a bit much. Especially when both sisters and the author herself is white. Just feels very forced. Let me add on real quick that I'm black. I reached my limit when Sophie feared that Nora was having an affair with their classmate's dad, and the thought was followed with a whole ass paragraph about how of course Nora is a minor so it wouldn't be consensual regardless, Sophie would never suggest that! Minor/Adult relationships were a crime and should result in jail time for the adult! I just... maybe this book's intended audience is children way younger than me, but it feels like the author thinks I'm too stupid to know that she isn't endorsing minor/adult relationships by having her character consider the possibility for 0.2 seconds.
Besides that the pacing is awful. Why is Sophie having an inner monologue about never being enough while being attacked? Now is not the time, stay in the moment! Action often jumps from 0 to 100 in a way that makes you think the editor accidentally deleted a few sentences before publishing. Also both girls talk in these ridiculously long, extravagant metaphors that no real person would use. It was a cute writing style at first but got old really quick.
Finally decided to DNF when Sophie was testing the stability of the roof her and a guy were standing on before dancing, and the narrative acts like the guy made a grave misogynistic sin by telling her that he wouldn't have suggested she danced if the roof wasn't safe. It's literally referred to as "emotional manipulation" and the guy apologizes for "making her feel bad about looking out for herself." I'm sorry what?? Had to put the book down for the rest of the day. I tried to continue but the reading experience was too painful. When I turned on the audiobook after a long day of work and realized that listening was making my mood worse, I knew it was time to call it quits. Too bad, I really wanted to know what happened to Garrett.
I could say more about my problems with this book but this review is long enough.
April 13, 2025
This is a ya book for sure; the jumpy timeline is a dead giveaway to me. In addition, the characters are often too snarky, which for me is often a hallmark of books for young adults. This issue kept me from liking the characters or being able to relate to them at all. I'm certainly tired of hearing about the deadbeat dad, and after the zillionth time I read it I was over it... I GOT IT.
In addition, I don't really enjoy books where the author holds it over the reader's head that they don't know things when they have not offered them... You know what I mean? I am not stupid and don't think that most readers are, so it bugs me when authors get snarky with readers and it feels like they are mocking us.
Lastly I think it dragged on and on... get somewhere a bit quicker... like the end of the book!
2.6 round to a barely 3 stars
Happy Reading!
In addition, I don't really enjoy books where the author holds it over the reader's head that they don't know things when they have not offered them... You know what I mean? I am not stupid and don't think that most readers are, so it bugs me when authors get snarky with readers and it feels like they are mocking us.
Lastly I think it dragged on and on... get somewhere a bit quicker... like the end of the book!
2.6 round to a barely 3 stars
Happy Reading!
January 1, 2024
*Slight spoilers ahead*
I just did not like this book. I hated Nora and I could not care less about Garrett's disappearance.
Everything with the cheating ring was confusing. I still have no clue who Maddie is or why she mattered 🤔
And Sophie and Nora - y'all are only teenagers, why are you pretending to be detectives??? Please STOP breaking and entering and go do your calculus homework or something.
Nora especially grated on my nerves. Why do you care so much about cheating? Babe, it's not that serious-
I just did not like this book. I hated Nora and I could not care less about Garrett's disappearance.
Everything with the cheating ring was confusing. I still have no clue who Maddie is or why she mattered 🤔
And Sophie and Nora - y'all are only teenagers, why are you pretending to be detectives??? Please STOP breaking and entering and go do your calculus homework or something.
Nora especially grated on my nerves. Why do you care so much about cheating? Babe, it's not that serious-
September 26, 2023
Tell Me No Lies was told in the POV of two sisters, who are the leads in the story. I don't know if it's an audiobook issue but it was hard to follow the story flow when it switches POVs from one character to another. The timeline jumps don't help either. I guess the story is just not audiobook friendly.
November 10, 2023
this was really good with great plot twists!! the writing was great and the character relationships were very interesting. however i kinda just want invested enough?? it was great but not really for me😭😭
June 19, 2025
4 ⭐️ A little slow to start, but picked up towards the end.
February 19, 2026
This book has a clever premise, but it was tough to follow at times. The ending also wasn’t entirely plausible to me. Also there is a fair amount of cursing in this book, FYI!
July 6, 2025
Was quite confused for most of it. From the perspective of two sisters, but each sister is telling the story from a different point in time, and it’s not really explained at all
Read
April 19, 2023DNF
September 18, 2022
This was a dark story featuring two sisters who are totally opposite from each other but will still do anything to protect the other. The only issue in the story for me was the long cast of characters which made it difficult to keep track of who was who. Minus that, I enjoyed Contos's writing and the deep layers of the mystery. Thank you Edelweiss for an ARC.
February 22, 2024
This book was a bit of a dud.
Going into a book about missing people, I expected a lot more tension. The fact that this all centered around a cheating ring to help high schoolers get into college was just not interesting enough. It was just not high enough stakes to validate the deaths of three people under 18? Why was the principal moonlighting as a hit man? They really couldn’t find someone else? It was stupidly conviennent that Nora manages to stumble upon the magic business card that starts all this and actually pegs it as suspicious. Both sisters were annoying, but especially Sophie. She was very whiny. Jude was just there for no reason. I understand red herrings but he wasn’t a good one and it just added more pages to a book that droned on too long.
Why did Garret cheat off Nora in the first place? This is never explained. Why cheat so poorly at that? Just putting his name on the same paper.
Why was Sophie and Nora’s mom so absolutely terrible? She might have been my least favorite character. She didn’t know anything happening in her high school daughter’s lives and instead of getting Sophie therapy when her boyfriend goes missing, she takes away a summer dance intensive that could mean her future because Sophie is, surprise, struggling. I don’t even remember what she did for a living for the fact that she was gone all of the time unless to yell at her daughters for being disappointments.
Neither of them really had a good character arc.
I wanted to like this. I was hoping for a Pretty Little Liars esc moment. I liked the start. But like the random grammar mistakes and even more typos throughout, it just did not come together for me.
Going into a book about missing people, I expected a lot more tension. The fact that this all centered around a cheating ring to help high schoolers get into college was just not interesting enough. It was just not high enough stakes to validate the deaths of three people under 18? Why was the principal moonlighting as a hit man? They really couldn’t find someone else? It was stupidly conviennent that Nora manages to stumble upon the magic business card that starts all this and actually pegs it as suspicious. Both sisters were annoying, but especially Sophie. She was very whiny. Jude was just there for no reason. I understand red herrings but he wasn’t a good one and it just added more pages to a book that droned on too long.
Why did Garret cheat off Nora in the first place? This is never explained. Why cheat so poorly at that? Just putting his name on the same paper.
Why was Sophie and Nora’s mom so absolutely terrible? She might have been my least favorite character. She didn’t know anything happening in her high school daughter’s lives and instead of getting Sophie therapy when her boyfriend goes missing, she takes away a summer dance intensive that could mean her future because Sophie is, surprise, struggling. I don’t even remember what she did for a living for the fact that she was gone all of the time unless to yell at her daughters for being disappointments.
Neither of them really had a good character arc.
I wanted to like this. I was hoping for a Pretty Little Liars esc moment. I liked the start. But like the random grammar mistakes and even more typos throughout, it just did not come together for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2023
I don’t really remember putting this book on hold at my local library, but lo and behold, one day it was available for pickup.
I read it.
[errrrr, skimmed it?”]
This book was unnecessarily long and sophomoric at best.
I finished it.
It has decent bones, but the whole purpose of the plot, the ‘mystery’ of it all, is probably only fascinating if you’re under the age of 16.
The book also tried, and failed, to be diverse. The diverse specifiers felt so randomly placed. It was as if the author finished the novel, and then was like ‘hmmm, I need more diversity,” and then selected a few descriptive words, and placed them throughout the story. But there was no depth, there was no character development, I didn’t care for any character at all and I didn’t necessarily care what happened. I finished it more out of hatred for not finishing books. But it wasn’t because it told a gripping story.
I read it.
[errrrr, skimmed it?”]
This book was unnecessarily long and sophomoric at best.
I finished it.
It has decent bones, but the whole purpose of the plot, the ‘mystery’ of it all, is probably only fascinating if you’re under the age of 16.
The book also tried, and failed, to be diverse. The diverse specifiers felt so randomly placed. It was as if the author finished the novel, and then was like ‘hmmm, I need more diversity,” and then selected a few descriptive words, and placed them throughout the story. But there was no depth, there was no character development, I didn’t care for any character at all and I didn’t necessarily care what happened. I finished it more out of hatred for not finishing books. But it wasn’t because it told a gripping story.
December 26, 2022
The last chunk was really hard for me to get through and it was mostly just skimming...
A bit of a disappointment, really, although I am now going to look up what happened in the end because I was into the plot and just couldn't get through the writing.
A bit of a disappointment, really, although I am now going to look up what happened in the end because I was into the plot and just couldn't get through the writing.
January 2, 2023
TW: death, murder, blackmail, gaslighting, manipulation, assault, violence, blood, drowning, stalking
Andrea Contos just jumped up my list of must read mystery writers.
I absolutely adored Throwaway Girls, as it was a YA mystery with real bite. Contos did not hold back, delving into cutting social commentary and forcing you to question the imbalance around victimhood and who is considered ‘good enough’ to be a victim. That socially conscious writing continues here in a scathing look at toxic masculinity, privilege and the social hierarchy designed to protect these characteristics. I really appreciated Contos’ grit and determination to highlight these issues. They are always presented with sensitivity, but also are shown in their full horror.
I think it really helped that I read this as a double bill with Contos’ equally brilliant Out of the Fire. A real hallmark of her writing is that ability to capture the essence of teenage emotions, particularly female rage. It is always depicted with such nuance and shades of grey. Tell Me No Lies sits murkily ethically, plunging you into some dark places alongside Nora and Sophie. These two are complicated and endlessly fascinating protagonists. Contos ensures that every action has real and long reaching ramifications that you feel fracture through the two timelines. That was something I loved about this book, each sister takes a narrative voice either leading up to the fateful day or following on from it. It creates a heightened sense of tension and isolation for each sister, as they are the only voice you follow in each splintered timeline. This novel approach is so, so clever and allows for quite a few moments that made me nearly throw the book across the room as suddenly pieces clicked together.
Tell Me No Lies continues a trend of absolute ferociousness from Andrea Contos and emphasises why she is an author you should have on your radar.
Andrea Contos just jumped up my list of must read mystery writers.
I absolutely adored Throwaway Girls, as it was a YA mystery with real bite. Contos did not hold back, delving into cutting social commentary and forcing you to question the imbalance around victimhood and who is considered ‘good enough’ to be a victim. That socially conscious writing continues here in a scathing look at toxic masculinity, privilege and the social hierarchy designed to protect these characteristics. I really appreciated Contos’ grit and determination to highlight these issues. They are always presented with sensitivity, but also are shown in their full horror.
I think it really helped that I read this as a double bill with Contos’ equally brilliant Out of the Fire. A real hallmark of her writing is that ability to capture the essence of teenage emotions, particularly female rage. It is always depicted with such nuance and shades of grey. Tell Me No Lies sits murkily ethically, plunging you into some dark places alongside Nora and Sophie. These two are complicated and endlessly fascinating protagonists. Contos ensures that every action has real and long reaching ramifications that you feel fracture through the two timelines. That was something I loved about this book, each sister takes a narrative voice either leading up to the fateful day or following on from it. It creates a heightened sense of tension and isolation for each sister, as they are the only voice you follow in each splintered timeline. This novel approach is so, so clever and allows for quite a few moments that made me nearly throw the book across the room as suddenly pieces clicked together.
Tell Me No Lies continues a trend of absolute ferociousness from Andrea Contos and emphasises why she is an author you should have on your radar.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 118 reviews