Reviews with content warning for Child abuse - Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation

Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation by Erika Krouse

73 reviews

sammies_shelf's review against another edition

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3.5

The timelines felt a little disjointed which took away from the way the different story lines and her processing moved together. I also wish there was a little more background on Title IX, though I appreciate that the author included a reflection on the current state of it (Betsy Devos, etc.) in the epilogue. I think this is a really unique story of sexual violence survival as Erika processes her trauma through this case, and much of it was very moving as I was also able to see myself in some of her reflections. I just wish the execution was more well-rounded overall.

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sarahbrown_6's review against another edition

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4.0

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lauraorourke's review against another edition

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4.0

I heard such great things about this book when it was released last year, so I was looking forward to reading it. It did not disappoint. It is an incredibly readable memoir pairing the true crime details from a college sexual violence case and the author's personal experience with sexual violence. While the prose is engaging, the topic is heavy. (Obvious trigger warnings, plus CSA and suicidal thoughts).

The author was quite critical of her role as a private investigator whose task was to get the right information to prove that the university knew about and did nothing about its culture of sexual assault, especially within the context of the football team. Her role was integral to getting the outcome the case needed, but it is clear reading from her perspective that she felt like she was continuing the process of exploiting victims. It made her honestly a bit unlikeable and I found myself frustrated at how she was engaging in her work, however, I also wonder if it shows important self-awareness for her to have written about the experiences in such a way. She does not write herself as the hero, but as another cog in a system that exploits women and victims of abuse, even when the outcome is the right one.

There was a lot personal about this book for me. I spent a year at university as a football trainer, and I was good friends with football players during the first two years of my university career. One of my own experiences of sexual assault happened with a football player (not one who was my friend, at least) and this book brought a lot of those memories back. I really understood the experiences of the women who were friends with these football players.

I think I probably need a few books to refresh me from reading a couple of books about sexual assault in a row. I'm glad I read this but I'm also glad to put a bit of distance between myself and this reading experience.

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ashleywrites's review against another edition

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4.25

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meaghancook's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

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morr_books's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative medium-paced

4.0

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rodiemom's review against another edition

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challenging dark fast-paced

4.0

This book is so difficult to read. I had to skip parts because the descriptions of the author’s own sexual assault were too much for me to take in. That said, it tells the story so compassionately and brings light to the devastation effects of rape culture in locker rooms and in college campuses across the country. So well written. The crossover between the author’s investigation and her own personal abuse made this read more difficult to read, and I ended up
Skipping several pages because of personal triggers.

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julieb3a's review against another edition

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2.5

Liked the first 3/4 okay. I wasn’t really interested in her personal trauma as much, so I became disinterested during the falling action where she discusses the wrap up of her personal life. Conversations start to feel repetitive, slightly braggy about her talent as a people-nutcracker, but combined with guilt about doing so. I hope the PI experience and book writing were cathartic for her, just not my favorite read.

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gossamerchild's review against another edition

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4.0

This was challenging to read at times. The author became a private investigator and ends up delving deeply into a high profile rape and sexual assault case. She flips between the case and her own struggles with mental health, in large part due to her own sexual abuse at the hands of her stepfather. It's...not easy to read about.

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adriso's review against another edition

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3.75

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