Promise Not to Tell

Promise Not to Tell alternates between 1971 and 2002, following Kate Cypher as she returns to her childhood home in rural Vermont to care for her mother with Alzheimer's. A brutal murder occurs on her first night back, mirroring the decades-old killing of her childhood friend Del, known as "Potato Girl." The story moves between Kate's present-day investigation into the new murder and her memories of Del Griswold, an outcast whose death became local legend. As Kate follows a trail of mysterious messages, she must confront both her past actions and the possibility that Del's ghost still haunts the community. The novel combines elements of murder mystery, ghost story, and coming-of-age tale while exploring themes of guilt, memory, and the long-term impact of childhood choices. The rural Vermont setting and commune backdrop add layers to this examination of how communities deal with tragedy and outsiders.

Readers describe Promise Not to Tell as a ghost story that blends past and present timelines, with many noting the book keeps them guessing until the end. The mystery elements and Vermont setting create an eerie atmosphere that pulls readers through the story. Readers appreciated: - Fast-paced plotting - Realistic portrayal of bullying - Atmospheric rural Vermont details - Complex female characters "The parallel storylines worked seamlessly" - Goodreads reviewer "Captured the cruelty kids can inflict" - Amazon review Common criticisms: - Predictable ending - Too many coincidences in plot - Underdeveloped secondary characters "The supernatural elements felt forced" - LibraryThing review "Last third of book rushed" - Goodreads reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (32,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (800+ reviews) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (300+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (150+ reviews)

The Winter People by Jennifer McMahon This multi-generational ghost story weaves between past and present as two women uncover dark secrets in a rural Vermont town connected to a century-old string of disappearances.

Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn A reporter returns to her hometown to investigate the murders of two girls while confronting her own haunted past and toxic family relationships.

The Broken Girls by Simone St. James A journalist's investigation of a haunted boarding school connects a modern murder to unsolved disappearances from 1950s Vermont.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon A social worker investigates her sister's death at their family estate, uncovering supernatural connections to a spring with wish-granting powers and a history of claimed lives.

The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield Two mothers from different backgrounds search for their missing sons in a North Dakota oil boom town, exposing buried secrets and corruption in their desperate quest for truth.

🌟 The rural Vermont setting was inspired by McMahon's own experiences living in a commune during her childhood 🌟 The character of "Del" is based on a real-life outcast girl McMahon knew during her school years, though the author changed significant details for the novel 🌟 The novel's folklore elements draw heavily from traditional New England ghost stories, particularly the "White Lady" legends common throughout the region 🌟 Vermont experienced a significant commune movement in the 1970s, with over 100 intentional communities established across the state during that decade 🌟 Jennifer McMahon wrote the first draft of "Promise Not to Tell" in just 30 days during National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)