Extreme abuse. A failed system. Secrets untold. “If You Tell”, by Gregg Olsen, is the true story of three sisters. Three survivors. Three women who succeed, in spite of a past they should never have overcome.
I will tell you this read isn’t for the faint of heart. It isn’t often that I need to take a mental break when I’m reading a book. But when I was reading “If You Tell”, I simply had to step away or risk becoming a bawling pile of tears.
“If You Tell” is the story of Nikki, Sami, and Tori, three sisters from the Pacific Northwest, who survive unspeakable abuse at the hands of their mother. The irony is that this is exactly what tied them together for life. Their unbreakable bond is what helped them survive.
The story encompasses all the touchpoints that led up to, contributed to, and…turned their back on…the abuse they suffered. Family members, teachers, medical professionals, neighbors…every one of them failed these girls, if not once, then multiple times. The signs were missed, and the girls became masters at hiding what was going on. This story will make you gasp in shock, fill you with rage, and marvel at how these three women not only lived to tell the story, but thrived in spite of it.
While a visceral book, it certainly is one I would recommend. You might consider it for your book club. But, I would be sensitive to any members who may have experienced abuse.
