Books
Kristyn Kusek Lewis

Half of What You Hear

“Detox from the holidays with Kristyn Kusek Lewis’s novel of a small and well-to-do Virginia town, its meddlesome residents, and the decades of secrets within its walls.” — InStyle
“After losing her job at the White House, a woman moves her family to her husband’s affluent (and gossip-y) hometown, where she finds that fitting in is almost as hard as figuring out who’s hiding what about their lives.” — PureWow
“Exciting and addicting. . . . you’ll have a hard time putting it down this holiday season.” — Women.com
“The story won’t end where you expect it to, and its strong women’s-relationships theme underscores many truths.” — NJ.com
“A character-driven, dishy, gossipy, fun read. … A fine story that will move readers to look for other books by this talented author.” — New York Journal of Books
“The fast pace and intriguing mystery make this one perfect for fans of Big Little Lies. A compelling look at the power of small-town gossip.” — Kirkus Reviews
The ending is neatly constructed, with satisfying redemption for all. Fans of Emily Griffin and Sally Hepworth will appreciate this enjoyable family drama featuring likable characters in challenging situations.” — Booklist
“An astute, exquisite account of a gossipy small town . . . . mesmerizing and entertaining.” — The Washington Book Review
“This engrossing novel has everything: a web of secrets, gossip and lies, and a heroine you’ll be cheering for. In other words, it’s delightful.” — Jennifer Close, author of Girls in White Dresses and The Hopefuls
“A juicy delight of a novel! HALF OF WHAT YOU HEAR has it all: a charming small town, family secrets, and relatable working mom heroine whose life hits a speedbump. Fans of Liane Moriarty will adore the quirky cast of characters, gossip, and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed it!” — Jamie Brenner, bestselling author of The Forever Summer and The Husband Hour
“A delicious, insightful page-turner set in a genteel Virginia town where everyone knows your secrets—and nothing is what it appears.” — Kristin Harmel, international bestselling author of The Room on Rue Amelie and The Sweetness of Forgetting
“Imagine a Liane Moriarty novel served with a tall glass of sweet tea and you’ll have Half of What You Hear. Kristyn Kusek Lewis’ latest tells the story of a Virginia town that may be too small to handle the truth—and the explosive result when several women’s secrets manage to come to light anyway. Utterly captivating.” — Camille Pagán, bestselling author of Woman Last Seen in Her Thirties
“Incredibly intriguing, Half of What You Hear is a must-read that artfully delves its way through the layers of gossip, secrets and lies of the small and seemingly charming town of Greyhill, where everyone knows your name, and oh so much more. Buckle up for a fun ride and one thing is for sure: you won’t know who to believe until the very end.” — Liz Fenton & Lisa Steinke, bestselling authors of Girls’ Night Out
361 printed pages
Original publication
2018
Publication year
2018
Have you already read it? How did you like it?
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Impressions

  • verogr16shared an impression4 years ago
    🙈Lost On Me
    🌴Beach Bag Book

    Bess was fired from her job in the White House, so she needs a fresh start. Her husband, Cole, is from an apparently idyllic small town called Greyhill, and they decide to take over an inn that has been his family's business for generations. Bess' twins, Livvie and Max, are 12 years old, so she is worried about how this change may affect them, especially since they are growing so fast and becoming more independent. Being new in a small town can be hard, as gossip and the weight of appearances are impossible to avoid. The book also adds a suspense note with the secrets of Susannah, an eccentric woman who left town fifty years before and is hated by the entire population of Greyhill. Since a professional opportunity comes up for Bess, she has to spend some time with Susannah. Their conversations help the reader to understand many of the secrets of these women and the past of this town, which develops the layers of the characters and their relationships. This family drama explores the challenges of new beginnings for a woman in her forties, but it also talks about friendship and identity.

    What I liked: The book is easy to read. I particularly liked how Bess' teenage-years were portraited, so it is possible to understand why she behaved the way she did, where her fears came from, and why she found it important to raise her children in a certain way. The descriptions were very vivid, especially when the author was describing clothes. I also think it is interesting that some chapters were just dialogues between anonymous gossips who discuss what they have heard around, and this really sets a mood for the town.

    What I did not like: Even when I enjoyed this book, I did not find it particularly memorable. The whole drama about Susannah returning to town, the gossip around why she left, her motivations, and her intentions were not as interesting for me as the author intended. Susannah es a well-constructed character, and her personality is strongly present in the dialogues, so her conversations with Bess were entertaining, but I did not care about them. I just thought there were other parts of the book that attracted my attention a lot more, like Livvie's experiences with bullying or the relationship between people from Greyhill and the "Others", as they call working-class people who leave nearby.

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