When Ky Tran returns home after the murder of her brother, she finds that nobody really knows what happened or trying to find out. A tale of cultural difficulties despite the tragedy of the loss of a son and brother.

The story is told from different time periods but is quite slow paced and frustrating at times. Struggled to keep fully engaged with the story or make connections with any of the characters.

"All That’s Left Unsaid" by Tracey Lien is a poignant and emotionally charged debut novel that delves into themes of grief, family, and the complexity of cultural identity. The story revolves around the aftermath of a tragic death in a close-knit Vietnamese community, focusing on the protagonist, a young woman named Ky, as she navigates the fallout of her brother's murder.

Lien's writing is both lyrical and incisive, beautifully capturing the nuances of family dynamics and the weight of unspoken words. The narrative shifts between past and present, revealing the deep connections and unresolved tensions within Ky's family, as well as the broader impact of loss on their community.

The exploration of cultural heritage and the challenges of balancing personal identity with familial expectations adds depth to the story. Lien skillfully weaves in themes of guilt, memory, and the search for truth, making Ky's journey both relatable and profound.

As the plot unfolds, readers are drawn into a web of secrets and revelations that challenge the characters' understanding of love and loyalty. The pacing is well-structured, keeping the tension high while allowing for moments of reflection and emotional depth.

Overall, "All That’s Left Unsaid" is a powerful and moving read that lingers in the mind long after the final page. Tracey Lien's ability to blend personal narrative with broader social issues makes this novel a significant contribution to contemporary fiction, resonating with anyone who has experienced the complexities of family and loss.

Took me a while to get into this one but so glad I persevered. Such a compelling and moving read. Everyone needs to read this book.

this wasn't quite the big mystery/thriller I thought this would be. it's definitely more of an exploration of a community and commentary on how the actions of the people in that community affect one another. but it's still a good read though!

what I enjoyed the most was Ky learning more about her brother. sibling relationships can be so complicated, and I feel like this story perfectly captures that. I think Ky investigating Denny's death was a good vehicle for her own characters growth, a smart way of immersing the reader into a Vietnamese Australian community and created a plot that felt engaging.

so overall, this is pretty commendable debut novel!

This book tackles several heavy themes, such as immigration, cultural identity and trauma. Grief and loss are central to the story. It is very well written, it captures the drama of the story but also deals with difficult personal issues in a sensitive way. The author captures the complexity of family relationships and how we love our siblings in a way we can't always fully understand or explain. I would say it is more a commentary on immigration than a murder mystery but both of those elements are interesting and well written.

So sorry but I could not get into this book. I couldn't complete it. Not very often this happens.
Maybe I will try and come back to it at some point.

This! What a story! Emotionally charged, heartbreaking and shocking.
Siblings, friends, drugs, death, loss, so many deep feelings exquisitely portrayed. I loved this book.

I tried the audiobook for this one and I think I’ve come to accept that this genre isn’t for me. I found the story sad, but the pace was slow and it didn’t keep me engaged.
Probably one I’d recommend to friends, but not for me I’m sorry.

The book explores some heavy topics. This is well written and the characters are well developed. The culture element has been well researched.

Heart-rending and profound story of intricate family dynamics, identity and racism, set in 1990s Australia within a community of Vietnamese refugees.

Siblings Ky and Denny grew up in a hard working family as their parents made the best of the options open to them as refugees with marked accents and limited English against a backdrop of overwhelmingly white culture which leaves them misunderstood, undervalued and marginalised.

Now a journalist, Ky returns to her home town after learning of the death of her brother, and tries to discover what happened that fateful day.

First published in 2022 and out in paperback now, All That’s Left Unsaid is the gripping debut novel from Australian author Tracey Lien, exploring the aftermath of the death of 17 year old Denny, who is viciously murdered on the night of his high school senior formal in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta.

With the police apparently uninterested in finding out who murdered Denny, his sister Ky, a young journalist, sets about finding out the truth and pursuing justice for her brother, a task that takes her back to a lost friendship with her childhood best friend Minh Le (or Minnie as she’s known).

The book explores themes of multi-generational trauma for Vietnamese refugees who sought refuge in Australia, identity (the myth of the “model minority” comes under scrutiny), institutional and deep-rooted racism in Australian society, and drug addiction in 1990s Cabramatta, with the rigour of a journalist and the heart of a loving sister.

Kirkus Reviews describe this as “a fictional tragedy evoked with such clarity and specificity that it will linger in your memory as if it really happened” and this rings true. A heartbreaking, page-turning, suspenseful read that unsurprisingly, has been nominated for several awards, including the 2023 Stella Prize. Recommended. 4/5⭐️

*With thanks to HQ Books for the arc via @netgalley. As always, this is an honest review.

Such a moving and heart-breaking read. Tracey has done an amazing job putting this together with compassion, heart and realism. A decision can change everything, advice given can have an irrevocable consequence. Sadly, something that Ky comes to know when her brother is murdered and she finds herself driven to uncover the truth behind his death, A recommended read.

Ky, a young Vietnamese girl, returns home when her younger brother is murdered. Despite the murder taking place in a busy restaurant, everybody there that night claims not to have seen anything, leaving Ky desperate to know what happened. This book is not just a crime thriller but a book about racism, friendship, family and grief.

A really compelling read and, although, the answer to the 'who dunnit' question was not the big reveal I had hoped for, the characters and storyline made it one of my favourite reads of the year.

Compelling from start to finish. Astonishly good debut. Loved it and would absolutely recommend. Five stars.

A slow burner but a great book, very compelling and emotional in parts it’s one I thought was very good and I’d defo read more from the author

Ky is a Vietnamese Australian woman working in Melbourne when she receives a heartbreaking phone call from her father telling her that her younger brother, Denny has been killed. Ky decides to go home to Cabramatta, discovering the police have absolutely no interest in Denny's case, Ky will not accept this and decides that she will find out the truth. We the readers are introduced to the crime, deprivation and heroin trafficking that was such a huge part of Cabramatta life in the 1990s.
This book was emotive and moving with dark, deep thought provoking themes running through it, murder and the hardship of Vietnamese refugees trying to fit into the new world they live in while trying to hold on to their own culture and beliefs being the main two.
The characters were written so well, and you can tell a lot of research went into this novel. A Poignant, powerful heartbreaking and somewhat hard to read in places because of the sensitive topics raised debut novel that is a must read.
I was shocked when I learnt this was a debut Tracy Lein is definitely an author to look out for.

This was a great story, although initially it took me a while to get in to it and understand the characters but I think that was more me than the book.

Once I got there though I was hooked. Such a compelling read because although the story was about the main characters brothers death it was also about refugees and their continued struggles but also grief and its effect on families and the wider circle of friends. It was an eye opener and I will certainly be looking for more stories from this author

The story is told from the perspective of Ky a young Vietnamese girl growing up in a run down area of Australia. I will admit from the culture perspective the book was fascinating and really makes you think about how life is for “refugees” seeking a better life for their family whilst trying to maintain their own beliefs and family values.
Kys younger brother is murdered leaving her with lots of unanswered questions. I struggle to see how this book is a thriller but more a story of family and friendships. The pace of the story and the style of writing is however excellent so despite there not being an addictive “who done it” you can’t help but want the best for Ky and Minnie. I was left with lots of questions and felt other storylines could have been explored further. But overall a good read.

This is a great mix of mystery thriller and social commentary. Beautifully written it is at times heartbreaking and intriguing.
Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this wonderful debut novel.

A fabulous, emotional & intriguing debut.
If you are looking for a different take on a mystery then pick this one up.