Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Things You Won't Say: A Novel
    Things You Won't Say: A Novel
    Things You Won't Say: A Novel
    Audiobook11 hours

    Things You Won't Say: A Novel

    Written by Sarah Pekkanen

    Narrated by Cassandra Campbell

    4/5

    ()

    Switch to ebook

    About this audiobook

    In this timely and provocative novel, internationally bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen takes us inside a family in crisis and a marriage on the brink after a tragic shooting.

    How far would you go to save your family?

    Every morning, as her husband Mike straps on his SIG Sauer and pulls on his heavy Magnum boots, Jamie Anderson tenses up. Then comes the call she has always dreaded: There’s been a shooting at police headquarters. Mike isn’t hurt, but his long-time partner is grievously injured. As weeks pass and her husband’s insomnia and disconnectedness mount, Jamie realizes he is an invisible casualty of the attack. Then the phone rings again. Another shooting—but this time Mike has pulled the trigger.

    But the shooting does more than just alter Jamie’s world. It’s about to change everything for two other women. Christie Simmons, Mike’s flamboyant ex, sees the tragedy as an opportunity for a second chance with Mike. And Jamie’s younger sister, Lou, must face her own losses to help the big sister who raised her. As the press descends and public cries of police brutality swell, Jamie tries desperately to hold together her family, no matter what it takes.

    In her characteristic exploration of true-to-life relationships, Sarah Pekkanen has written a complex, compelling, and openhearted novel—her best yet.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSimon & Schuster Audio
    Release dateMay 26, 2015
    ISBN9781442377202
    Author

    Sarah Pekkanen

    SARAH PEKKANEN is the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of four novels of suspense including The Golden Couple and The Wife Between Us, and the solo author of the thriller Gone Tonight. A passionate volunteer for rescue animals, she serves as an Ambassador for RRSA India and works hands-on in India to heal and vaccinate street dogs. She lives just outside of Washington, D.C., with her family.

    More audiobooks from Sarah Pekkanen

    Related to Things You Won't Say

    Related audiobooks

    Contemporary Women's For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The 4thWrite Short Story Prize Winner: A Young Mother’s Chance Encounter With An Old Classmate

      Nov 16, 2022

      Wrinkled clear film around a forearm. A menthol super-king cigarette is carried to Amy’s mouth. She takes a long, considered drag then exhales a smoke stream into cold air. It’s October and the park is dying. Her other arm wraps tightly around her wa

      9 min read

    • Article

      Come With Me

      Nov 22, 2018

      Come With Me
      23 min read

    • Article

      The uninvited CALLER

      Oct 26, 2021

      The uninvited CALLER
      7 min read

    • Article

      A Boy Named Fish

      Nov 11, 2021

      Julie Taylor, 56, Chelmsford Babbling away on the living-room floor, my son James, then 15 months, and grandson Liam, then 11 months, made the cutest pair. ‘Fish, Fish,’ James garbled, trying to say Liam’s name. Me and my daughter Michelle fell about

      4 min read

    • Article

      Short Story Winner MISSING PIECE

      Mar 20, 2022

      Short Story Winner MISSING PIECE
      3 min read

    • Article

      Birdie

      Jan 14, 2020

      Birdie
      24 min read

    • Article

      On The Edge Of Seventeen

      Oct 19, 2018

      On The Edge Of Seventeen
      16 min read

    • Article

      Marla

      Feb 4, 2021

      Marla
      12 min read

    • Article

      Seeing RED

      Jan 16, 2024

      Seeing RED
      6 min read

    • Article

      Seeing RED

      Mar 31, 2021

      Seeing RED
      6 min read

    • Article

      Gone In 13 Seconds

      Sep 15, 2022

      Gone In 13 Seconds
      5 min read

    • Article

      Goodbye My Darling Boy

      Sep 26, 2023

      Goodbye My Darling Boy
      4 min read

    • Article

      Dead Woman

      Jun 5, 2023

      At first it seems like nothing. Headaches. Slight loss of appetite. An overall weariness Emma tries to ignore as she goes to work, yoga, Whole Foods. She’s forty-two and has always taken good care of her body. She stretches daily. Avoids fried foods

      24 min read

    • Article

      Forever 19

      Jun 16, 2022

      Packing the car to the brim, I held my breath as the boot finally closed. ‘Let’s go on holiday!’ I shouted, as my hubby Dexter, now 53, and daughter Michelle, now 40, buckled themselves in. With my son James and grandson Liam gurgling in their baby s

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Shape Of A Person

      Oct 20, 2022

      The Shape Of A Person
      25 min read

    • Article

      The Nanny

      Dec 15, 2019

      There isn’t much in the house,” Mary said. “I’m sorry.” Kayla looked around, shrugged. “I’m not even that hungry.” Mary set the table, bright Fiestaware on place mats alongside fringed cloth napkins. They ate microwave pizzas. “Gotta have something a

      21 min read

    • Article

      Epithalamium

      Jun 1, 2023

      Epithalamium
      16 min read

    • Article

      Thank God Nothing Lasts Forever

      May 21, 2021

      Thank God Nothing Lasts Forever
      16 min read

    • Article

      Cat World

      Oct 2, 2020

      Cat World
      12 min read

    • Article

      Generations Of Love

      Nov 2, 2021

      Generations Of Love
      5 min read

    • Article

      A River of Stars

      Aug 13, 2018

      A River of Stars
      17 min read

    • Article

      A Miracle Named Rippin

      Oct 25, 2019

      A Miracle Named Rippin
      4 min read

    • Article

      Cruel World

      Jul 9, 2020

      Cruel World
      6 min read

    • Article

      Hell On wheels

      Sep 21, 2023

      Hell On wheels
      4 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for Things You Won't Say

    4/5

    81 ratings11 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Another gripping story with characters you quickly become invested in.
    • 5/5
      This is my first novel by Sarah Pekkanen and I was really impressed. She took on a issue that has been in today's headlines and put it personal light for her readers. A police officer shoots a man of color and the book takes us through the personal hardships of the officers family Not only do we see the family trying to stay together but there are other little things going on that keep the reader wanting to keep turning pages. Sarah Pekkanem's writing flows in such a way that everything is tied together just right. If you like reading about families working out problems it today's high stressed world than this is a book for you. I will read more of Sarah Pakkanen's books
    • 3/5
      I definitely enjoyed this novel by Pekkanen. It's the first of her books I've read and after I completed it, I looked back on Goodreads and saw I've had several of her earlier novels on my "to read" list for a while. I certainly liked what I read here enough to go back and explore some of her earlier works. Probably the only thing that prevented me from giving this a 4-star rating (I'd say this is about 3.5 star - still wish Goodreads let us give half star ratings) is that the novel wrapped up suddenly and a little too easily.

      The novel follows the story of Jamie, a stay-at-home mom with three young kids. Her husband, Mike, is a cop. The story is very current -- not long after his partner is seriously wounded in a shooting, Mike finds himself in another dangerous situation. There's another shooting--at Mike's hands.

      The story unfolds from the viewpoint of the women in Mike's life: Jamie; her sister, Lou - a slightly eccentric zookeeper and part-time barista; and Christie, Mike's ex-girlfriend, who is night to Jamie's day, but also mother to Mike's eldest son, Henry.

      The characters are well-developed and complex. Jamie is a bit irritating at times, but I really liked Lou. The book is a rapid read and a very easy one, as well, even if it's rather stressful. It's certainly a worthwhile and enjoyable read. I'll be curious to see what some of Pekkanen's earlier books are like.

      (Note: I received an advance ebook version of this book from Edelweiss in return for an unbiased review.)
    • 4/5
      Great book with ongoing storyline don't want to stop reading.
    • 3/5
      Mildly entertaining but anticlimactic. I think it was contrived and not well written. I kept expecting it to go somewhere deep and it stayed shallow and simplistic.
    • 5/5
      A thoughtful heart grabbing story. Also an honest look at both sides of the heartbreaking cop/race issues we are currently dealing with.
    • 3/5
      This is a nice little story about a woman named Jamie who is married to Mike, a cop, and has three children with him. Mike also has a son with his ex-girlfriend Christie who is a welcome part of their family. Jamie’s younger sister Lou is also an integral part of this story and some of the best parts of this novel involve her work with elephants at the local zoo. The crisis in this story occurs when Mike is involved in a shooting that results in a teen’s death. This affects everyone he loves and cares about so the resolution is important to a number of people. It was an entertaining read.
    • 4/5
      Things you won't say by Sarah PekkanenJamie Anderson worries about her husband who is a policeman. Then she gets the call a policeman has been hurt, but it's not her husband but his partner. Mike struggles to go on with a new partner but nightmares keep him from getting good sleep.Her sister Lew works with animals and lives with an ex boyfriend who's dating a new girl.Story also follows Sandy and her husband who's laid up in the hospital for months....Also it follows Christy who shares a boy with Mike and he gets to visit with Jamie and the 3 kids her and Mike have together.She was a receptionist and now works for a PI, Elroy trying to find unfaithful husbands for a lot higher wage.Lots of references to elephants and their habits.Another call and now her husband has pulled his trigger and the teen died. There was no gun but he says he saw it. She needs to stand by him but she has her own doubts.I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
    • 3/5
      I chose this book to read because I enjoyed Pekkanen’s previous novel, SKIPPING A BEAT. I didn’t like THINGS YOU WON’T SAY as much, but it was a worthwhile read nonetheless. The author tackles the subject of police brutality and racial tension, and her novel at least covers part of the controversial situation in a sensitive way.The novel starts off strong with Mike’s tragedies at work and the burden it puts on Jamie and their children. It seemed to lose focus though, with the introduction of Christie (Mike’s ex) and Lou (Jamie’s sister). Their side stories didn’t do anything to advance the plot, and Lou’s, unfortunately, was boring.I liked how the book wraps up, though it was probably too neat and tidy to be realistic, especially with recent real life events similar to this one. What I liked most was watching how Jamie and Mike’s relationship changed over the course of the terrible ordeal, and what they learned from their mistakes.Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher thorough NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
    • 5/5
      A special thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. THINGS YOU WON'T SAY is Sarah Pekkanen's "best work" thus far; she keeps getting better and better--if this is even possible! An avid fan for many years, having read all of Sarah's books--she has always had a "thumb" on modern day relationships and parenting, and interjects plenty of wit and humor, wisdom, and inspiration; tackling single life, marriage, extended family, ex-wives, careers, divorce, and other contemporary issues, like no other, appealing to a wide audience of women. In her latest compelling novel, the ongoing theme is parenting and communication, with three very different women: Jamie, Lou, and Christie; however, as an added bonus, Pekkanen tackles some highly-charged emotional topics, crossing genres with racial, police procedural, a shooting, mystery/crime, firearms, motherhood, teens, family bonds, and emotional human dynamics--making THINGS YOU WON'T SAY a gripping, and thought-provoking suspenseful read, with well-developed characters, keeping you glued to the pages for hours. Jamie, age thirty-two, is a mother of three children; Sam (age eight), Eloise (age three), and Emily (age six). She is a busy mom and married to a cop, Mike. Years ago, before meeting Jamie, Mike had a relationship with Christie and they have a teenage son, Henry, sharing joint custody. Emily is a wonderful step mom to Henry, unfortunately, Christie is always in their life and most of the time, not a plus – now she is a character!Recently things have been stressed as Mike’s best friend and partner, Ritchie was shot in the line of duty, and will never be the same. Mike has much guilt as his friend walked out the door a step ahead of his partner, and he was not hurt.To further complicate matters, Mike goes back to work after the incident, with PTSD, and now in the middle of an investigation when he shoots a Hispanic teenager trying to protect another fellow cop partner, breaking up a gang fight. However, all fingers and blame at pointed at Mike, since they cannot prove the teen had a gun.Emily has always been the protector of the family – her husband, and children; however, now she cannot fix their life this time and her marriage is falling apart. Emily, the narrator seeks desperately to save her family and her marriage. However, she has to deal with the ex- Christie, who is totally the opposite, dressing provocatively, not a very responsible parent, acts impulsively, and happens to be there to support Mike and believes in his innocence when Emily has doubts. No one seems to be communicating. Christie brings so much fun to the book, as you will laugh out loud. She never fits in, and always getting into trouble. She gets a new job working for a PI, and going undercover to help weed out cheating husbands. She is hilarious and at the same time she is the one who steps up to help Mike. Of course, she would like to have Mike for herself and uses Henry, her son sometimes to get close to him.With much friction from the two different women, readers get to see two opposite women in a realistic situation. Personally, I have been the wife, mother, the ex-wife, step-mom, and had to deal with ex-wives; not fun, so had to laugh at some of the things which were right on—how a lack of communication can lead you to ponder, things are not always as they appear. Lou, the single sister, of Emily is another major part of the story. Poor Lou is not a girly girl, and works for a zoo, as a full time animal keeper, and loves her job-she is not cut out to work in an office. She also works a second job at a coffee shop, to pay the bills. She would rather sleep with the animals if she could. The guy she lives with has dumped her for another girl and all the while she still lives in the same apartment with him. Awkward! You feel so bad for her as she is run out of her own house, and the roommate she hooks up with is horrible, and then she takes time off from her job to help her sister, and at the same time she is there with love, passion, and devotion with her beloved elephant, Tabitha when giving birth. All three women connect in some ways with a powerful motherhood bond, making each woman unique in their own way. Pekkanen can write chick-lit, humor, and women's contemporary fiction, like a rock star, right up there with Jennifer Weiner and Emily Giffin; however, with her latest, she has moved up next to Jodi Picoult, delivering a complex portrayal and exploration of human emotions with much depth and sensitivity, appealing to fans of all three authors with her latest "must read!." Fans of Picoult's Leaving Time will enjoy the elephant/human motherhood connection. I enjoyed reading about the inspiration behind the book, and Christie's character was SO MUCH FUN--keeping me laughing throughout the book!An ideal choice for book clubs and group discussions, with a detailed readers club guide included. Well-done, Sarah, another winner-highly recommend all her books!
    • 4/5
      Things You Won't Say is based on the very timely topic of problems between police and minorities that we are seeing play out on TV recently. In the book we get more of a behind the scenes look at what goes on inside the policeman's family during a tragedy. Mike is a cop whose partner was recently shot. He is still recovering from that when he goes back to work and shoots a teenager. He swears that he saw a gun but there is no gun at the scene. The media is quick to cast blame and a huge media circus ensues. Mike's wife Jamie, his children, ex girlfriend and sister in law are all part of the story and even though that seems like a lot of people, the author handles it well. My only negative is that I really didn't like Jamie. I thought that she came across as very shallow - even before the shooting. Aside from that one minor problem, this is definitely a book to be read and discussed in book clubs. I definitely recommend it.