Tell Me Everything, By Erika Krouse

Erika Krouse’s book titled “Tell Me Everything” pairs the qualities of a memoir with true crime to share the story of a sexual assault investigation conducted by an amateur private investigator. Nonetheless, she manages to help crack the case open. This particular excerpt takes place near the beginning of the first chapter. Here, Krouse battles with her internal conscience, which tells her she is past her prime and struggles to break free from the tireless cycle of unfulfillment. This piece of literature uses unique style choices to describe this profoundly vulnerable story. Through the use of varying sentence lengths, strong word choice, climactic sentence structure, and other strategies, this writing further communicates the vulnerability

Additionally, her use of the word “destitute” is a very jarring way to express that she is broke, furthering the emphasis on her issues. Krouse did this to truly emphasize her financial state, which contrasts very harshly with the statement that she had technically made it in terms of success at the time. Using these harsh words and blunt statements, the author has the ability to communicate vulnerably with the

For example, in the third paragraph of the excerpt, there is a long sentence which explains that her new job “was an upgrade from my last temp job two weeks before, as a receptionist at a large medical practice where they refused to give me a chair because they couldn't spare one from the crowded waiting room.” This long sentence feels incredibly exhaustive, giving the reader a glimpse into Krouse's mental state at the time. This style makes the sentence feel never-ending and builds her feelings of discontent. This is later followed by Krouse stating that her “back and ego still hurt from it,” which is a critical choice of words that furthers her struggles and how she has a hard time moving past the hardships she has faced in life. It emphasizes the harsh critique she carries within