If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood

Olsen relies on imagery and diction that invokes hunting: tracking, stalking, lying in wait, prey, and more. This motif not only sets up Shelly as the villain in the story, but also raises the stakes of her daughters’ survival. Nikki, Sami, and Tori’s mother’s violence, abuse, and crimes are so sensational and inhumane that they prompt questions about her own sense of humanity. Shelly’s behavior is twisted and animalistic. Their ability to escape her grasp is all the more admirable and shocking considering her ruthless, reckless penchant for violence.

The love that Nikki, Sami, and Tori have for one another, despite many trials and tribulations, remains constant throughout the story. It is this bond, forged by the family secrets they were forced to keep and their desire to support one another, that helps them to survive. This love comes up in a myriad of ways throughout the book, often through small acts of kindness they do for one another. Examples are Sami visiting Nikki while her mother has locked her in a closet for extended periods of time, and Nikki’s taking punishments to protect Sami. The girls show great care for each other and see each other as allies, as if they are secretly at war with their parents.