Unraveling Secrets in Crosby: 'Tell Me Everything' by Elizabeth Strout

[Music] Crosby Maine It's a Small Town the people there know each other they know each other's families They Know Each Other's Secrets I've written about Crosby before readers have met some of its residents in tell me everything we return to this familiar ground we see how life unfolds in a place where everyone knows your name Crosby is a place of quiet Beauty the ocean is a constant presence the seasons change dramatically the people of Crosby are shaped by their environment they are tough resilient and private but there is also a Darkness to Crosby it Lies Beneath the surface it simmers in the silences between neighbors tell me everything explores this Duality it reveals the complexities of a place that is both beautiful and unsettling in many ways Crosby is a character in itself it is a place that gets under your skin it stays with you long after you finished reading tell me everything brings back characters from my previous novels readers will recognize Lucy Barton she is a writer grappling with her past her insights into human nature are sharp and often funny she is drawn back to Crosby by a family crisis she finds herself caught up in the town's drama I never thought I'd come back to Crosby but here I am it's funny how life pulls you back to places you'd rather forget Olive kid also returns she is a woman who doesn't shy away from from speaking her mind Olive can be difficult she can be frustrating but she is also deeply human she is capable of surprising kindness people think they know everything about me but they don't they see what they want to see her presence in tell me everything adds a layer of complexity then there is Bob Burgess he is a lawyer he is a widower he is a man trying to find his way in the world Bob is a pillar of the Crosby Community he is known for his integrity and his compassion he's asked to defend the accused in the shocking crime That Rocks the town this decision tests him in ways he never imagined defending the accused is not just about the law it's about doing what's right even when it's hard these characters both familiar and new populate the world of tell me everything they are flawed and real they are trying to make sense of their lives they are trying to find their place in a world that can be confusing and cruel Crosby is a place where things usually stay the same people of their lives seasons change but then something happens that shatters the peace a crime rocks the community it is a crime that no one saw coming it is a crime that no one wants to believe could happen in their town the details of the crime are shocking but it is the aftermath that is truly devastating the crime exposes the fault lines in Crosby it reveals the secrets that people have been keeping it forces everyone to confront uncomfortable truths the crime becomes an obsession for the residents of Crosby they whisper about it in hushed tones they speculate about who could have done such a thing the crime becomes a lens through which they view themselves and their neighbors Bob Burgess is thrust into the center of this drama he is asked to defend the accused this decision weighs heavily on him he knows that taking on this case will have consequences he will be judged he will be ostracized but Bob is a man of principle he believes that every one deserves a fair trial he believes in the justice system even when it is tested it's not about winning or losing it's about Justice it's about making sure the truth comes out no matter what as he delves into the case Bob uncovers Secrets he learns things about his friends and neighbors that he never wanted to know Bob's journey is one of the most compelling aspects of tell me everything he is a good man forced to confront the darkness in his community he is a man wrestling with his conscience he is a man trying to do the right thing even when it is difficult