I find it very impressive that this is Tracey Lien's debut novel. It's fantastic and beautifully written, with characters whose complicated relationships and tender feelings for each other felt so real. I felt as though I knew them because we see each character's story from their own perspective, and we get to see their individual lives before they intertwined that night at Lucky 8. This was a really emotional portrayal of the heartache felt by a Vietnamese community in Australia. I look forward to reading more from Tracey Lien in the future.

This book centres around Ky, daughter of Vietnamese refugees now living in Australia. Her brother Denny is brutally murdered in a busy restaurant, filled with people Ky and Denny knew. No-one saw anything... but Ky knows they're lying!
This is a story of a sister wanting to know what happened to her brother, who had he become in the short time since she'd left home, who did he know, how did he spend his spare time, what went so wrong that night?
Ky persuades the police to let her carry out her own investigations, as a journalist, to speak to people who were at the restaurant and find out their version of events, trying to find closure for herself and her family.
This is Tracey Lien's debut novel and her writing is incredible, Lien welcomes the reader into the life of Vietnamese refugees and describes what it felt like to arrive in Australia as newcomers, what it feels like to live there now after some years and how the communities are regarded by both the Vietnamese and Austrian people.
I really enjoyed exploring the characters, the history and life of the people in this book and the author writes so well I felt like I had visited the area and could see in my mind's eye how it is to live in a place such as this.
The writing takes the reader back through the years and brings us right through to modern day, with various characters who are now feeling accepted, bitter, loyal and more.
This novel is a wonder!

This was a very slow read and the flipping back from past to present throughout did not help. It was though an intense read which was based on family drama in a Vietnamese setting in Australia. I could understand Ky wanting to find out what had happened to her brother and to try to come to terms with what she perceived as her fault. I could not relate to the other characters in the same way sadly.
The story line was good in so much that I wanted to find out the truth of why Denny died but I found the ending so confusing and did not follow what the author was trying at that point to say to the reader.

3.5⭐️
This was a strong debut novel with full
of emotions. There were parts where I whish that things were much quicker but I really did enjoy it.
It shows what’s it like to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Denny dies at a restaurant and Ky his sister sets out to uncover how and why he died. Unfortunately I found it slightly repetitive in places and drawn out, but I appreciate other readers will enjoy it more. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read and give an honest review of it.

This is a perfect combination of family drama and suspense thriller-both of which I love.

The varying points of view keep the narrative moving but there is always a main driver which ensures the book is easy to read and keep track of.

The Vietnamese immigrant angle makes it stand out and this is a very well written and authentic feeling debut.

Great book! A simple decision that ends up changing the lives of family and friends and a search for the truth. Highly recommended.

Thanks to Net Galley and General Fiction for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found this a slow and laborious read. The characters are strong, but I didn’t connect with them. The story flips between past and present rather randomly. There is a lot of strong racism against the Viietnamese which is difficult to read, and it overshadows the main story.
Denny a young teenage boy has been murdered while out to dinner with his parents in an Asian restaurant.
His sister Ky, a young journalist is trying to find out the truth about what happened to him. Their parents are Vietnamese, poor and don’t speak any English and struggle to fit in to life in Australia.
Ky is interviewing people who were in the restaurant the night her brother was murdered, no one recalls seeing anything the police are also of little help, she keeps digging though and eventually finds out what happened.
This book was not one I enjoyed, it’s definitely not just a murder mystery.
2.5 stars.

Set in a Vietnamese immigrant community in Australia, it tells us of the problems and heartbreak of fitting into a new country.
I found it very sad, and rather slow and hard going at times. I also was disappointed at the confusing ending, I would’ve wanted to find out more about the outcome of the main characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book for review.

My thanks to NetGalley and HQ publishing for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Enjoyed this debut novel that gave an insight on the plight of refugees and the difficulties of fitting in and having worth.
It shows how easy it is to be indoctrinated into the wrong crowd, and the devastating outcome.
I would have liked a tidier end just to know what happened to one of the main characters.
Generally a good read.

An unusual theme which had lots of promise. The storyline is based around an immigrant community in Australia. Ky had left home but returns to investigate the death of her you brother I a community and family who fail to accept drugs and crime which are rife. She is determined to get th the bottom of why he died. The book was a little repetitive at times but well written and a great debut.

“ALL THAT’S LEFT UNSAID” is a deeply moving and unflinching debut novel by Tracey Lein, following a young Vietnamese-Australian woman who returns home to her family in the wake of her brother’s shocking murder, determined to discover what happened.

Set in the real life town of Cabramatta, New South Wales which did actually experience a heroin epidemic during the 90’s, this is an unusual mystery as the crime committed does take a backseat to the powerful theme of Vietnamese migrants. (So if you’re a die hard thriller reader this may not be for you) However, as a debut fiction novel, this is really well written and tremendously researched and therefore is genuinely a thought provoking read.

This is a slow burn story but it is worth the time invested in reading it for the satisfying ending. The emotional journey the Vietnam refugees endured settling in another country, so unlike what they were used to, was quite eye opening. Something I’ve never took notice of before or was even aware of.

Very emotive and moving, this dramatic exploration of the intricate bonds and obligations of friendship, family and community, is definitely worth reading. I learned a lot about the struggles of settling in a new country, both emotionally and physically and found the rituals after death in the Buddhism religion interesting and informative.

Tracey Lein grew up in Cabramatta herself but based this book on fictional characters. She currently lives in New York and has been a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. “All That’s Left Unsaid” is Tracey’s first novel.

#AllThatsLeftUnsaid - 3.5 stars

A very sad and emotional story that really got to me and I did shed some tears reading it. Tracey Lien writes a great story that can start some in depth discussions about the run down area of Cabramatta, how the Vietnamese feel they are treated, police indifference etc.
I enjoyed this story and I think you will too.
Many thanks to Netgalley for the free ARC book for an honest review.
#Netgalley, #hqstories, #hellotraceylien.

A multilayered and in depth look at loss & grief, as well as the backdrop of immigration & identity in a community and family

All that’s Left Unsaid Tracey Lien

5 stars
What a heart-breaking story

This is an amazing debut for the author. She lived in Carbamate and although this is fiction she is obviously writing from the heart. I found this book profoundly moving and it also opened my eyes to how refugees from the Vietnam War had to learn to live in a strange land, adapt to their circumstances whilst still trying to remember their roots.

KY has moved away to Melbourne and is working as a journalist, she is trying to make a new life for herself in an effort to break away from her straitlaced upbringing. When her brother Denny is brutally murdered in a local café after celebrating his graduation no-one has seen anything despite the café being full. KY cannot understand why her brother has been killed and why no-one is prepared to be a witness. She decides that she is going to use her journalistic experience to talk to everyone involved with both her brother and the people who were present at the time of the murder.

The story alternates between KY’s investigation and details of her and her family’s life in Carbamate. This is where I found this story so moving, I had no idea of the racial tensions between Asian refugees and the Australians and how cruel people could be. Both KY and her brother had spent their whole lives trying to be good and do the right thing whereas KY’s best friend Minnie had kicked against the traces and became involved in the thriving drug gangs. Why then was Denny the one to be killed and why will no-one come forward?

Although KY eventually discovers the truth I feel the main purpose of this book was to give the reader an insight into how hard life was and quite possibly still is for a foreigner moving into another country. I found this book compelling and hope Ms Lien will write another book as soon as possible for me to read.

Karen Deborah
Reviewer for Net galley

All That's Left Unsaid
By Tracey Lein

Ky (pronounced kee, not kai) is a young Vietnamese-Australian woman who has returned home to the notorious Cabramatta suburb of Sydney because her brother has been brutally murdered, however nobody can answer any of the questions she has about Denny's killing. Her parents didn't authorise an autopsy, the police didn't provide a report and nobody seems to know anything, or do they?

Ky, now a journalist, launches her own investigation. You might think this is a murder mystery, but actually it is far from it. The details of Denny's death unfold throughout the story, but actually this is the story of Ky's relationship with her estranged friend Minnie. It is also an examination of the Asian immigrant experience in Australia, especially those that sought refuge.

The structure is quite interesting. The narrative alternates between Ky and the witnesses she speaks to about Denny's final days. Through each of these perspectives we gain an insight into Ky's life, her straitlaced upbringing, her awareness of her own class among the immigrant community, her unbalanced friendship with Minnie, her gentle brother...how could he have become embroiled in the pervasive gang culture.

The tone is dark and reflective, I cried inwardly a lot and real tears at one point, and yet Ky's inner dialogue is quite funny and relevant. I really appreciate how much growth she achieves throughout the book. For a book that is so character driven, it is surprising how propulsive this is, because even thought it is not a mystery, I really wanted to know how it would end. We get redemption and understanding. A very thought provoking read.

Thanks to #netgalley #harpercollinsuk and #HQ for the egalley
Publication date: 15th September 2022

I enjoyed this very much, beautifully written, heartbreaking and about a subject I knew very little of, so it was interesting to read about the lives of Vietnamese refugees in Australia and how difficult life was for them.

An interesting and often heart breaking book, in many different ways, while portraying an area of Australia in the 1990’s. I felt it was beautifully written and well researched but I did feel at times that it didn’t always keep me compelled to pick up the book.

This is not just a murder mystery book, it contains family drama and a lot of social descriptions of various cultures in and around Cabramatta, Australia.

Ky needs answers about her brother Denny’s murder but won’t accept that he was involved with any drugs/gangs, so she sets out to find out the truth. Ky struggles to be the ‘perfect’ she felt her parents want her to be and maybe this is why she wants to find the truth out about her brother’s death, to prove he was the perfect they wanted.

This was a very complex and interesting read but unfortunately it just wasn't for me, but please do make up your own mind about it as it was well written and eye-opening on how things were.

At first glance, I didn't think there was anything in the book that would be relatable for me — and I like books that are relatable. It's about first and second generation Vietnamese immigrants and their lives in current day Australia. But just a few pages in and I was HOOKED. What a compelling portrayal not only of immigrant culture and its complexities but also families, friendships, grief, growing up as someone who's not always comfortable in their skin — and all the layers and layers that go with each of these elements in our lives. I highly recommend this book to everybody and look forward to seeing what Tracey Lien writes next.

I absolutely loved this beautifully written book about Ky Tran who returns home for her murdered brother Denny’s funeral and is determined to uncover the truth. Definitely an unforgettable debut novel from start to finish. It’s a heartbreaking and gripping story. I loved all the great characters and the relationships between Ky and Minnie, her childhood friend. I couldn’t put it down.
It’s a powerful, emotional thought provoking read. Highly recommend. I look forward to reading more from Tracey Lien.
Thanks to #NetGallery #HQ #TraceyLien for an arc of #AllThatsLeftUnsaid in exchange for an honest review.