Carter Wilson has long been known for delivering dark, unsettling thrillers, and with Tell Me What You Did he takes the psychological suspense game to chilling new heights. This novel taps into our collective obsession with true crime while exploring the dangerous line between confessor and investigator, truth and performance.
The story follows Poe Webb, a popular true-crime podcaster whose show invites anonymous guests to confess their crimes in front of a wide audience. It is a format designed to shock and intrigue, but Poe never expects one of her callers to confess to murdering her mother years ago. The revelation would be enough to devastate any child, but Poe knows something that makes this moment even more horrifying. Her mother’s killer is already dead, because Poe herself killed him.
From there, Wilson builds a relentless cat-and-mouse game between Poe and a chilling new figure who seems to know far too much. The book raises the uncomfortable question of guilt and morality, asking readers whether murderers are always villains and whether vigilante justice can ever be justified.
Reactions to this book have been varied, and that is part of what makes it so fascinating to review. Some readers found the pacing uneven and Poe herself difficult to connect with, noting inconsistencies in her personality and decisions that strain believability. Others, however, were gripped from start to finish, calling it a bleak, blood-freezing thriller that had them sleeping with the lights on.
For me, the most striking quality of Tell Me What You Did is its atmosphere. Wilson knows how to construct a villain that feels eerily real, the kind who lingers in your imagination long after the final page. His use of a podcasting framework makes the narrative both contemporary and unnervingly intimate, pulling us into scenes that feel as if they could be playing out in our own headphones. The dual timelines and media-style storytelling heighten the suspense and deliver a few genuine jaw-dropping twists.
It is true that some of the plot turns may be predictable for seasoned thriller fans, but predictability does not lessen the impact of Wilson’s execution. The mounting tension, the psychological stakes, and the raw fear embedded in every chapter create a reading experience that is both addictive and unsettling.
Tell Me What You Did will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with morally gray characters, a true-crime edge, and an atmosphere thick with dread. It is a book that unsettles as much as it entertains, and whether you find yourself frustrated or fascinated, it is unlikely you will walk away indifferent.
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