"Emotionally intelligent and exquisitely and beautifully painful, Australian small town politics rule in this compelling character-driven mystery spanning either side of a 12-year sentence in prison."
If you love a beautifully written slow-burn exploration of a mystery then this should bypass your ‘to be read’ pile to arrive straight into your hands so you can soak up the unforgettable characters and small town politics. Bestselling and award-winning author Michael Robotham explains in his acknowledgements that this was the first story he wrote back in his early 20’s, but its taken 19 previous novels for him to decide to rework it and and let it loose into the world.
It feels as though his experience of life, of writing, and his love for the story and characters were all necessary for this to be as good as it is. Arlo Hackett has spent 12 years in prison, on his release he returns straight into the storm of his home town in Australia where peoples memories are just as sharp and painful as before he left.
This is very much a character-driven story, each person on the page feels as though they are as authentic and deep and true as can be. The sense of place is just immense and the intensity of the feelings it and its occupants evoked set the words on fire. The story either side of the time spent in prison unfolds and builds an intricately placed plot of increasing tension.
Love and hope walk hand in hand with devastating actions and reactions, which means this is going to remain with me as a story and I will freely admit that the last few sentences broke off a piece of my heart. Sitting as a LoveReading Star Book, Tell Me Something True drills deep into thoughts and feelings to create a piercing and entirely captivating read.

'A riveting, and chilling, look into the dark niches of Australian small-town life' GERALDINE BROOKS 'This is the book Michael Robotham was born to write. This is a universal story' MICHAEL CONNELLY ' No one will ever forge a flawless novel, but with Tell Me Something True, Robotham has gotten as close to it as I've ever seen' DAVID BALDACCI
| Primary Genre | Thriller and Suspense |
| Other Genres: | |
| Recommendations: |
Win a Pair of Tickets to Agatha Christie’s The Hollow at a Venue of Your Choice.
Closing date: 15/10/2026
'A riveting, and chilling, look into the dark niches of Australian small-town life' GERALDINE BROOKS 'This is the book Michael Robotham was born to write. This is a universal story' MICHAEL CONNELLY ' No one will ever forge a flawless novel, but with Tell Me Something True, Robotham has gotten as close to it as I've ever seen' DAVID BALDACCI'He's a born storyteller, and this is the best.
Tell Me Something True features in the following genres: Book Club Recommendations, Books of the Month, Star Books, Crime and Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
Paperback, Hardback. Not Available.
Tell Me Something True was written by Michael Robotham and published by Hachette Australia an imprint of Little, Brown
Tell Me Something True has 432 pages