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  • If You Tell

  • A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
  • By: Gregg Olsen
  • Narrated by: Karen Peakes
  • Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (479 ratings)

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If You Tell cover art

If You Tell

By: Gregg Olsen
Narrated by: Karen Peakes
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Publisher's Summary

2021 Audie Award Nominee for Best Nonfiction Audiobook

A #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon Charts, USA Today, and Washington Post bestseller.

#1 New York Times bestselling author Gregg Olsen’s shocking and empowering true-crime story of three sisters determined to survive their mother’s house of horrors.

After more than a decade, when sisters Nikki, Sami, and Tori Knotek hear the word mom, it claws like an eagle’s talons, triggering memories that have been their secret since childhood. Until now.

For years, behind the closed doors of their farmhouse in Raymond, Washington, their sadistic mother, Shelly, subjected her girls to unimaginable abuse, degradation, torture, and psychic terrors. Through it all, Nikki, Sami, and Tori developed a defiant bond that made them far less vulnerable than Shelly imagined. Even as others were drawn into their mother’s dark and perverse web, the sisters found the strength and courage to escape an escalating nightmare that culminated in multiple murders.

Harrowing and heartrending, If You Tell is a survivor’s story of absolute evil - and the freedom and justice that Nikki, Sami, and Tori risked their lives to fight for. Sisters forever, victims no more, they found a light in the darkness that made them the resilient women they are today - loving, loved, and moving on.

©2019 Gregg Olsen. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic Reviews

"Peakes's performance sucks the listener into the scenes of abuse, torture, sadism, and, eventually, murder committed by Shelly.... Peakes's narration is compelling." --AudioFile Magazine

"This riveting account will leave readers questioning every odd relative they’ve known." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Olsen presents the story chronologically and in a simple, straightforward style, which works well: it is chilling enough as is." --Booklist

What listeners say about If You Tell

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

such a sad but gripping story!

I couldn't stop listening, it was a very well told story and I would recommend

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Compelling and heartbreaking

Perfect narration. Very disturbing, at times hard to listen to.
Couldn't put it down though.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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  • Nat
  • 22-07-2020

Hooked

Kept me hooked to know when these nasty people would pay the price. 💕 Shane

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing and heartbreaking story

I went in just by recommendation and found it to be something I had to listen to over a weekend. Highly recommended,

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Deeply Disturbing

A deeply story told by an excellent narrator. I was hooked from start to finish, but I would've liked to know more about what exactly had made Shelly such a monster.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wow

I am speechless after listening to this book. Highly recommend! It is truly a horrific thing what some people go through. This book was so well written and read.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A terrifying story

Narrator was very effective and I liked the voices she did for the characters. Gripping, terrifying and hard to listen to. Like a train wreck you can't stop looking at.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Unbelievable

This story…far out. I couldn’t stop listening. I can’t believe the sentencing. A must listen!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Eye opening

A journey into the hell that some humans endure when they have no resources like safe family or friends.
A revelation into how a psychopath like Shelley is created as well.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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Wow ❗

This was such a graphic story of abuse the author did a brilliant job telling the story of the sisters and how many red flags there were that was ignored

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