All That's Left Unsaid is a beautiful read. It is sad, but parts of it are humorously written. I was hooked on the questions that did get asked and those left unanswered. . A book about relationships, I would recommend it. I was gripped from the beginning. In these days of inclusion, diversity, equity, equality and justice, this novel hits the spot.


I read about the tensions, the clashes of different cultures but ultimately, the book lands where it should - that relationships matter and there is a place for love, grace, mercy, community and forgiveness. The end had me in tears - absolutely lovely!.

#relationships #love #forgiveness # questions #justice

This was a challenging read but a very pertinent one, given the migrant problems all over the western world. The book is set in one of the outer suburbs of Sydney, which has become an enclave of Vietnamese and other Asian migrants who not only have to deal with life in a new country and culture, but also with the prejudice that surrounds them. Ky, a young Vietnamese woman needs to discover why her younger brother was murdered on a seemingly innocent night out with his friends - police haven’t made much effort to discover why the tragedy happened, and it becomes Ky’s mission to discover the truth, both for herself and for her shattered parents.
This is not an easy read and it takes the reader to some pretty dark places, but it is well written and gives an excellent picture of the cultural differences in society. A very worthwhile read and congratulations are due to the author for tackling such difficult subjects with compassion and understanding.

This is a really gripping book, set in a small town in Australia which has a large Vietnamese population and a massive drugs problem. Ky's brother is killed and no-one is able to explain why or how. Ky takes it upon herself to investigate as she feels partly responsible because she persuaded her parents to allow Danny to go out that fatal night. What she uncovers is a sad train of avoidable events. The plight and character of the Vietnamese people is strongly portrayed. This writer has a flowing style which makes for compelling reading.

An intriguing book that I was very keen to read. Ky is a great character and I warmed to her from the beginning. Ky's brother is murdered but no-one is prepared to tell the truth until Ky starts investigating on her own to find out what really happened. The book is set in Australia within an enclave of the Vietnamese immigrant community. This is where I had my first problem. The language, outlook, views are all really heavily American so it just did not feel that you were reading an Australian novel with Vietnamese people. The language, writing and tone felt completely alienated from the people in the book. It would almost have worked better if the book had been set in the USA with which the author is clearly more familiar . I do realise that Australia has a greater immigrant Vietnamese population so the country makes sense but it just felt wrong combined with USA language
Overall a good YA novel which is where the book seems to target rather than contemporary fiction.
The end of the book with the conversation between Ky and Minnie is brutally honest and very dark and highlights so many issues. Should almost be made compulsory reading. Articulated supremely well.
A good solid read

1996 – Cabramatta, Sydney.
‘Just let him go.’
Those are words Ky Tran will forever regret. The words she spoke when her parents called to ask if they should let her younger brother Denny out to celebrate his high school graduation with friends. That night, Denny – optimistic, guileless Denny – is brutally murdered inside a busy restaurant in the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, a refugee enclave facing violent crime, and an indifferent police force.
Returning home for the funeral, Ky learns that the police are stumped by her brother’s case. Even though several people were present at Denny’s murder, each bystander claims to have seen nothing, and they are all staying silent.
Determined to uncover the truth, Ky tracks down and questions the witnesses herself. But what she learns goes beyond what happened that fateful night. The silence has always been there, threaded through the generations, and Ky begins to expose the complex traumas weighing on those present the night Denny died. As she peels back the layers of the place that shaped her, she must confront more than the reasons her brother is dead. And once those truths have finally been spoken, how can any of them move on?

“All That’s Left Unsaid” is Tracey Lien’s debut novel and what a stunner it is! It’s haunting, it’s captivating, it’s every parent’s worst nightmare. Or do it seems. Except nobody saw anything, nobody knows anything and nobody is willing to say anything, which makes Ky’s search for the truth to her brother’s untimely death a difficult one. Expect to feel all the emotions with this book; it is very evocative and raw. Thoroughly enjoyed this debut novel and eagerly await Ms Lien’s next book. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is looking to get lost within an absorbing and heartfelt book.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I wasn’t the biggest fan - it’s well written but I didn’t connect with the characters and found the subject matter a little dark

This is a good read and I recommend it. However, it can be challenging read at times as a result of the murder of a teenager, the themes of poverty and addiction and the unsettling portrayal of life for refugees in New South Wales.
Ky will always blame herself for the advice she gave her parents the night that her brother died and when the police make no progress in solving his murder, she decides to investigate it herself.
Whilst at times this wasn't pleasant to read, it was a good read

Ky grew up with her parents and younger brother in Cambrametta in New South Wales. Her parents were Vietnamese refugees as is the greater part of the local,community. She and her brother Denny excel at school which is really the only way an immigrant can survive in this discriminating Australian culture. Ky goes to be a journalist in Melbourne. In a phone call she advises her over protective mother to let Denny go to a school social event. Afterwards, he goes to a local restaurant and is murdered. Ky will always blame herself for the advice she gave. The police make no progress in solving the murder as nobody admits to seeing what happened and her parents are in denial not having even agreed to an autopsy. Ky takes over and conducts her own investigation. She solves the murder. That is the main theme of the book but the context of white disdain for incomes in their country is the upsetting theme. That is exceedingly well handled and could be distressing for readers. It also sends an important message. This is a good read and I recommend it.

This is a book that, at times, is a difficult read. The background to the story is deep and disturbing, with an insight into lives that were largely ignored.

Ky and Minnie were friends for a long time, but grew apart as they became older and wanted different things in life. When Ky returns to her home town after the murder of her brother, she realises how the area has changed, and not for the better, but is determined to discover her brother’s killer.

I enjoyed this story, though at times it was extremely sad. For a debut novel it is good and I would definitely recommend.


Thank you NetGalley.

Solid mystery building and interesting characters. I think the writing did, at times, feel a little clunky and some of the storytelling felt a little confusing. I'd recommend this more to New Adult readers rather than fans of literary fiction - but as a dark and engaging new adult mystery, it is engaging and compelling.

Thanks to NetGalley and to the publisher for this e-ARC!

Great book, I loved this read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

I've been waiting to read All That's Left Unsaid since the deal was first announced, and it was better than I could have imagined. This deep dive into an immigrant community in Australia absolutely gutted me, on top of being an absolute page turner with a mystery at its heart. An exploration of family, friendship, community in the most trying of times. A must read.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was an excellent page turner that I couldn’t put down. It’s full of twists and turns throughout that keel you on the edge of your seat. The characters were interesting, the plot was excellent, and the style of writing was perfect. The first book I have read by this author and I will be keeping my eye out for more in the future. If you enjoy reading a good psychological thriller then this book is for you.

I definitely felt Ky's frustration in wanting to know what happened to her brother, the longer we didn't know the details, the more I needed to know.
I was however distracted from that, by the stories of poverty, immigrants and heroin addiction running through the town, that made for slightly grim, yet compelling reading.
I can't say it was an enjoyable read, but a good one .

Brilliant, heartbreaking book. The murder of a teenager is in the center of the story. I loved the deep psychological analysis of every single character in the book. Nobody is perfect, but one can feel that no matter what the person is, the author condemns him or her and looks for the roots of their motivation.
This well written and deep book gives a lot of thoughts about values of life. Also it gives knowledge about the life of emigrants in Australia.

Oh My Gosh this book was good, I couldn't put it down - nor did I want too. It was a gripping read that had me hooked from the very first page. It was emotive with ky's guilt palpable on the page so that the reader almost feels bogged down and claustrophic with it too - and I mean that in the best way.
It was twisty and unpredictable as well as heart wrenching and compelling.
Possibly one of my favourite books of the year so far and I cannot believe this is a debut. I cannot wait to read more by this author.