Reviews with content warning for Abandonment - Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation

This reads more like a memoir than true crime coverage. It is a real middle of the road book for me. I was very interested in the subject and wanted to learn more about the case, but I think I’d have learned more about it if I’d done my own research (which I will now do).

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tuesdaydg's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

4.25

I’m a bit surprised that this has such mixed reviews, as I found this memoir to be a skillful blend of true crime and personal memoir. Let me say this, though, if you are coming to Tell Me Everything expecting intense true crime THIS IS NOT THE BOOK. This novel is just as much about Krouse’s own experiences as it is the case itself, but I don’t think it should be discredited for this fact. Is it a perfect book with a flawless investigation? No, but that’s what makes it human. I appreciate Krouse’s recognition that her personal history is what made her a unique fit for this case, despite the hardships she faced and the mistakes she made along the way.

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adriso's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

3.75

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jhbandcats's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

4.25

I liked the premise of the book and the way the author, Erika Krouse, interwove her history of child sexual abuse with the contemporary sexual assaults by the Univ of Colorado football team, told through the lens of researching a legal case. It’s part memoir, part expose of a university coverup at the highest levels. By including her own story within the legal case, Krouse turns a fascinating story of rape and deception into one of personal struggle and redemption.

There’s no truly happy ending - there were no criminal charges ever filed, the university faculty and staff got off scot-free, and not everyone who was assaulted received part of the settlement. But within the convoluted justice system in the US, a form of justice was achieved.

My only quibble was that all the names were changed even though the case, settled in 2007, is a matter of public record. However, I read an interview with Krouse in JNews where she explains more fully how she was doing all she could to protect the women by not tying them to assailants who might further retaliate. It was the best she could do under the circumstances.

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torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

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challenging dark informative tense medium-paced

4.0

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comrad3's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

5.0

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pollyhall's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative sad tense fast-paced

3.0

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