Kathleen Barber - Truth Be Told

Praise for

truth be told

(originally published as are you sleeping)

[An] inventive debut... The intense plot and character studies are enhanced by the emotional look at the dynamics of a family forever scarred by violence.

Publishers Weekly, starred review

Verdict: Barber weaves a twisty tale that will grip readers as they follow Josie confronting a past she finally cannot escape. Highly recommended for fans of the podcast Serial and authors such as Ruth Ware and Paula Hawkins.

Library Journal, starred review

Showing how complicated the truth can be when people have different levels of investment in it. Dark. Moving. Timely.

Oprah.com

Josies dark past becomes fodder for the podcast du jourif that doesnt hook you, the twist will.

Cosmopolitan

Barber is a delightful writer who has produced a taut thriller that will leave you wondering the identity of the killer. My prediction: the book is destined for the New York Times bestseller list.

Chicago Tribune

Reminiscent of the hit podcast Serial, this debut is an exciting read about what happens when the past continues to haunt the present.

Dallas News

Anyone who has fallen headfirst into a podcast such as S-Town or Serial will appreciate the plot of Kathleen Barbers novel.

Houston Chronicle

[A]sks the reader to reflect on his or her own complicity when the people involved in a real-life crime story are dragged back into the limelight years later by that kind of journalism, and the impact it can have on their lives... in this age of unfettered access to other peoples stories.

Kirkus Reviews

I was completely hooked from the very first page. Layers of deceit, family drama, a murdered father, a disturbed mother, mayhem, cults, lies, betrayals, and a possibly deranged podcasterthis story has it all. Lanie and Josie are Janus twins, and their twisting lives left me breathless. Who to trust? Who to believe? Barber is a fabulous new author to watch. If you like twisty psychological thrillers, this is your book.

J.T. Ellison, New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Devils Triangle

Are You Sleeping will more than likely keep you up all night as this most compelling suspenseful novel unfolds. A classic whodunit gets a very clever modern treatment that left this readers heart racing right up to the last page.

Liz Nugent, author of Unraveling Oliver

Kathleen Barber perfectly captures the media frenzy around a notorious murder, and the inclusion of a podcast adds an extra layer of timely eeriness.... Beautifully and sympathetically written, Are You Sleeping is a murder whodunit, a social commentary, and an exploration of sisterly bonds all in one.

Kate Moretti, author of The Vanishing Year

The powerful portrayal of the joys and sorrows of sisterhood and layers of drama and intrigue only upped the dark, twisty tension as I turned page after page. A swiftly moving thriller thatll keep you guessing till the very end.

Erica Ferencik, author of The River at Night

An excellent examination of what it must be like to be caught up in a media frenzy... absorbing reading for those who cant get enough of flawed-but-likable narrators.

Booklist

Are You Sleeping reels the reader in and keeps us wondering until the very end... dives into the complexities of relationships, and the value of love and connection, especially in the face of tragedy and despair.

BookReporter

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for Mom

Excerpt from transcript of Reconsidered: The Chuck Buhrman Murder, Episode 1: An Introduction to the Chuck Buhrman Murder, September 7, 2015

Charles Chuck Buhrman had no enemies. A mild-mannered professor of American history at a small midwestern liberal arts college, Chuck was respected by his colleagues and well liked by his students. Each year, students in the History Department at Elm Park College held an informal vote to determine their favorite professor, and each year, Chuck Buhrman was crowned the winner. By all accounts, he was similarly well regarded in the community of Elm Park, Illinois, where he made his home. People recalled his participation in thankless volunteer projects like organizing the annual town Halloween parade, selling raffle tickets to support the civic arts center, and manning the cash register at the library rummage sale. Even his family life seemed picturesque: a young, beautiful wife and a set of adoring, well-behaved daughters.

Chuck Buhrman was living the American Dream. But then, on October 19, 2002, this popular and congenial man met an untimely endshot at point-blank range in the back of the head in his own kitchen.

Warren Cave, the seventeen-year-old next-door neighbor, was arrested and charged with the murder. He was convicted and is currently serving a life sentence.

Chuck Buhrmans murder was a shocking, senseless crime, but at least justice has been served, right?

Right?

But what if Warren Cave didnt do it? What if hes spending his life in prison for a murder he did not commit?

My name is Poppy Parnell, and this is Reconsidered: The Chuck Buhrman Murder. Im going to spend the next several weeks investigating these questions and others that may arise. My goal? To take a hard, unflinching look at the scant evidence that might have convicted an innocent man, and to perhaps uncover the truthor put to rest any lingering doubtsabout what really happened that fateful night in October 2002. I hope youll join me for the ride.

chapter 1

Nothing good happens after midnight. At least thats what Aunt A used to tell us whenever we begged for later curfews. We would scoff and roll our eyes and dramatically pronounce she was ruining our social lives, but over time I came to see the wisdom in her words. Trouble is the only thing that occurs between midnight and sunrise.

So when my phone rang at three oclock that morning, my first thought was, Something bad has happened.

I instinctively reached for Caleb, but my hand grasped only cool sheets. Momentary panic fluttered in my throat, but then I remembered Caleb was three weeks into a trip overseeing aid workers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Still half asleep, I dimly worked out it was eight oclock in the morning there. Caleb must have forgotten about the time difference or miscalculated it. Frankly, neither mistake seemed like him, but I knew how draining these trips were on him.

The phone rang again and I snatched it up with a hurried greeting, eagerly anticipating Calebs familiar Kiwi accent, the soft rumble of his voice saying, Jo, love.

But there was nothing. I sighed in frustration. Calebs calls from abroad were always marked with exasperating delays, echoes, and strange clicks, but they had been particularly difficult on this trip.

Hello? I tried again. Caleb?... I think we have a bad connection.

But even as the words left my mouth, I noted the lack of static. The connection was crisp. So crisp, in fact, that I could hear the sound of someone breathing. And... something else. What was that? I strained to listen and thought I heard someone humming, the tune familiar but unplaceable. A warning tingle danced up my spine.

Caleb, I said again, even though I was no longer convinced my boyfriend was on the other end of the line. Im going to hang up. If you can hear me, call me back. I miss you.

I lowered the phone, and in the second before I pushed the disconnect button, I heard a hauntingly familiar feminine voice quietly say, I miss you, too.

I dropped the phone, my hand shaking and my heart thundering against my rib cage. It was just a bad connection, I told myself. Those had been my own words echoed back at me. There had been no too. It was three in the morning, after all. It hadnt been her. It couldnt have been. It had been nearly ten years; she wouldnt call me now, not like this.