This morning, I was packing up lunches, ironing, putting on the laundry I should have done last night. Now my precious daughter is accused of murder. When ten-year-old cousins Maddy and Brianna are arrested for a terrible crime, Maddy’s mother Juliet cannot believe it. How could her bright, joyful daughter be capable of such a thing? As the small village community recoils in horror, the pressure … recoils in horror, the pressure of the tragedy blows Juliet and her sister’s lives apart. And things get even worse when their daughters retreat into a self-imposed silence. Can anyone reach Maddy and discover the truth before her fate is sealed?
Juliet is crushed. Nothing will ever be the same for her darling girl. But she knows that to find out what really happened that day, she and her sister must unlock the secrets of their own terrible past, a past they swore never to speak about again…
The most unputdownable psychological thriller you’ll read this year from the bestselling author K.L. Slater. If you love The Wife Between Us or Gone Girl, you’ll be totally hooked on The Silent Ones.
What everyone is saying about The Silent Ones:
‘OH, WOW, WOW, WOW… KL Slater does it again… I’m absolutely dumbfounded and flabbergasted… A story full of lies, twisted family values, sibling rivalry… A perfect psychological thriller that you will not want to put down… Outstanding.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Amazing!! One of the best thrillers I have read this year. I have enjoyed all of this author’s books and I think the author is highly underrated. This book should be at the top of the best sellers list. A must read!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘If I could give this book 6 stars I would, that’s how good it is… A finale with more twists and turns than a labyrinth… The author builds up the tension and anticipation leading to a shocking climax. Absolutely brilliant.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘This book was SO GOOD! I couldn’t put it down! The twists, the family drama, the sibling wars, it was a total page-turner! This is by far the best psychological thriller I’ve read in a long time, and highly recommend it!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘WOW. This is an outstanding story. I was totally gripped from the beginning and on the edge of my seat throughout. Twists, turns, it has it all. AMAZING.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘Woah! What a story and a half this one is!!!… I am a huge fan of this author’s and have to say, hands down, this is her best book to date and that is high praise indeed as her other books are fab also. Dark, twisted, brilliant!’ By the Letter Book Reviews, 5 stars
‘I absolutely could not put this book down! I read this book on one super hot day, and enjoyed every last bit. The book is full of suspense and keeps you guessing all the time. Just when you think that you know what is going on you are surprised yet again… Riveting.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘If you suffer from a pre-existing heart condition check with your doctor before reading!… I didn’t have a clue where the story was leading and I loved it.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘I devoured this book as it twisted and turned… If I had been standing up I would have been hopping from foot to foot as the surprises kept coming… An exciting psychological family thriller… The ending is breath-taking… I LOVED it, enjoyed every page.’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
‘This book was AMAZING… There were seriously like four twists at the end, all of which left me with my jaw on the floor…If you like psychological thrillers PLEASE read this. I’m begging. It was AMAZING. 5 stars!!’ Goodreads Reviewer, 5 stars
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Absolutely brilliant thriller.
Such a great story with loads of twists.
Cannot recommend this book enough.
5 stars
I have heard KL Slater books are amazing! This is the first of her novels I delved into and it didn’t disappoint! I felt for the terrified girls and Juliet throughout the story. A mother knows her child, and Juliet was certain her daughter couldn’t have done this horrific crime. This book showed a mother’s struggle to protect her family and uncover the truth before her daughter’s life was forever changed. There was family drama, and secrets that came out about Juliet’s childhood that she had felt defined her life before discovering the truth. There were not many twists throughout the novel, but there one a surprising one towards the end- albeit somewhat unbelievable. This book held my attention and was a quick read for me. If you want to read a book about dysfunctional families overcoming giant obstacles, this one is for you!
Excellent novel
Kept me guessing until the final big reveal
Not my usual genre so I don’t have much to compare it to.
I thought this was a great read. The basic setup reminded me somewhat of the first season of the TV series “Broadchurch” (high praise from me as I loved that first season) but it took me in unexpected directions soon enough.
Worth checking out, and in my opinion not unsuitable for older teen readers.
Enjoyed this book. Characters were interesting and I really cared about the main characters. Recommend this book.
Good reading
Oh my! This is one twisted psycho-thriller! Not that the villain is a psychopath, just seeking revenge, but by the time the real killer is unmasked, the reader has been all over the plot, through just about all of the characters, puzzled through the scenarios, and made several erroneous conclusions. The switches in points of view are easy to follow, the plot mostly believable (especially if one comes from a dysfunctional family), and the characters are realistic. Great read!
Maddy and Brianna are cousins … both 10 years old… and both arrested for a terrible crime against an elderly woman who lives down the street. When they were picked up, both sets of clothes had blood splatter .. and neither of them are saying a word. Not to the police…and not to their parents.
Juliet, Maddy’s mother, just cannot fathom her daughter doing anything to hurt anyone else. Chloe, Brianna’s mother, feels the same about her daughter.
The police bring in Dana, a therapist, to see if she can coax the children to talk .. it’s imperative they find some answers soon. The entire small village is up in arms and much damage is being done. Juliet’s business is set on fire and everything destroyed. Chloe and Brianna live with their parents and the house is covered with graffiti and windows broken.
And when the girls do begin to talk … it rips the family apart even further. Juliet and her sister must unlock the secrets of their own terrible past, a past they swore never to speak about again …
This is not a new author to me and she never disappoints. It’s a well-written story of a dysfunctional family torn even further apart by decades old secrets and lies. I thought I had this one all figured out early … but I was so far off track. There are twists and turns that kept me glued to the pages. The ending was totally unpredictable and surprising.
Many thanks to the author / Bookouture / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Psychological Thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
An easy book to read, although sometimes confusing who was narrating at times.
I would recommend for a good easy read with twists and turns – still enjoyed.
The Silent Ones is an emotional novel focusing on family dynamics, dysfunction and secrets in the aftermath of 10 year old cousins being accused of a serious crime. The novel is multiple point-of-view and dual timeline. I think fans of character-driven fiction will enjoy this book.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #TheSilentOnes #suspense
This is actually my first book by K. L. Slater and I really enjoyed it, although it was much different than my normal crime/thriller reads. I didn’t read the reviews prior to deciding I wanted to read it. I was a little shocked by some of the lower ratings on Goodreads when I did read them, although I understood several of the points made. It isn’t a fast-paced crime thriller and I’m not sure I could classify it as a dark psychological read.
It is a complex read with multiple characters and lots of information to follow and sink in as you’re led through a family drama. Two mothers examining their current and past lives as they struggle to understand why their daughters have been accused of a horrible crime they couldn’t possibly have committed. I loved the role of Dana who had her own past issues to deal with, a mixed up love life, and a strong desire to find the secrets the family was hiding. My heart went out to Julie and her young son as the town turned against them more than willing to believe her daughter was a monster.
It’s difficult to say more without giving away spoilers, and I’d much rather you enjoyed the book yourself and found the answers to the questions that it will raise in your mind. A very entertaining read and one I can easily recommend to those who enjoy something out of the norm. I’ll definitely be reading more of Ms. Slater’s work.
I thought it was unrealistic that the public would cause such chaos condemning the girls so vehemently. It was also unrealistic how quickly word spread about the crime. The plot was good but the main characters did not act as most people would to this tragedy. To be worried about a self employed business and income under the circumstances, rediculous!!!
It had me from the first page!!!! Love this author!!!
KL Slater has REALLLLY hit it out of the park this time. I LOVE her books, and each time I think “it can’t get any better than this”. I was proved wrong. This book held me and would not let me go. I am a very slow reader and can only read a bit after I go to bed. I have trouble sleeping and reading a bit puts me to sleep. NOT THIS BOOK… ha. I had to FORCE myself to put it away and GET SOME SLEEP. Keep up the FANTASTIC writing!!!
The Silent Ones by K. L. Slater is described by the author as “An absolutely gripping psychological thriller.” The self-description serves as a subtitle, and the author fully delivers on the promise. I could spend a lot of time trying to count the twists in this novel, but the time is better spent in reading. This five-star thriller should assure a readership willing to pay for eight of the other books the author has written. There is one additional novel that will appeal to readers who are conversant with Italian. The Silent Ones sells on Amazon for USD 0.99; the remaining Slater novels sell for USD 3.99. No Slater books are available through Kindle Unlimited. The Silent Ones is so impressive I am sure I will pay a higher price than I usually do to read other K. L. Slater novels.
The term “dysfunctional family” is used to describe aberrations in familial relationships on different levels. A story of sibling disputes might earn the description. With this novel, the family is dysfunctional through three generations. Maddy and Brianna act out a very substantial conflict about who has committed a possible crime. Their mothers, sisters Chloe and Juliet, have had conflicts from their childhood over the death of a sibling. The battle continues into their adult lives over the power roles in a shared business and mutual accusations over which daughter is responsible for the accident with Bessie. Ray and Joan are the parents of Chloe and Juliet. Joan completely dominates and emasculates Ray as the parents hide secrets from their daughters and emotionally favor Chloe over Juliet. Readers can decide how much this has further affected Chloe and Juliet’s raising of Maddy and Brianna. Secrets abound on all three levels with more than enough twists to fill the sixty-one chapter, three hundred two-page book.
We first meet two cousins, Maddy and Brianna, who exhibit the central conflict for the story. Maddy is usually confident, unassuming, and kind. Brianna is dominant, prone to having temper tantrums, and is not above bending the truth. Could these be typical ten-year-old children? The two are looking for fun during the last days of summer vacation, and they decide to visit old lady Bessie Wilford, something they have done several times before. Bessie is advancing through stages of Alzheimer’s Disease, but during her lucid moments, she recounts interesting stories while serving cookies and lemonade. On their most recent visit, Bessie has an accident after waking suddenly and striking her head. Maddy and Brianna become alarmed in the presence of unconscious Bessie and run from the room. When Bessie is found unconscious, police bring Maddy and Brianna to a police facility for questioning. Things turn serious when Bessie dies. Someone will be charged with responsibility for Bessie’s death.
Secrets are revealed by communicating in many forms, but primarily by talking. When police brought Maddy and Brianna into the station for interviews, the two refused to speak. Not one word. The two don’t even look at each other. Maddy and Brianna didn’t talk to the police, family therapist consultants, lawyers, their parents, or even each other. Their failure to communicate was a fascinating part of the novel for me as I have been involved in many interrogations. The cousins adopted the only effective resistance method to an interrogation, complete silence, but I found it difficult to believe two ten-year-old subjects held out so long.
It was bad enough that parents/grandparents Ray and Joan had always favored Chloe as a child; this family relationship continued into adulthood. Chloe and Brianna lived with Joan after Chloe’s husband, Jason, abandoned her. Chloe, therefore, spoke more often to Mom and always got her version of events to Joan before Juliet. An uncomfortable feeling of resentment, but not jealousy, consumed Juliet. A business run jointly by the sisters was not going well. Juliet, founder and theoretically dominant partner in the firm, felt that Chloe was telling all her business problems to Joan while neglecting routine business tasks and even deceiving Juliet about business problems.
Most readers will focus on Juliet as a likable, confused, and caring character. Juliet knows there are secrets but can’t figure out how to discover them. There are furtive looks between family members that will lead Juliet to believe husband Tom is having an affair. It is Juliet we watch as she tries to figure out whether daughter Maddy is responsible for a crime while at the same time trying to meet the contract deadlines of her struggling business. Dana, a family therapist and consultant to the police, will try to help Juliet and all members of the family in discovering the truth of the accident/crime as well as the hidden truths of the three-tiered family. Dana will also contribute secrets to the story as we learn about a past mistake that nearly disgraced Dana’s therapist career for good.
Lots of twists and turns in this fast-paced novel make this a book to schedule for reading in one session. Between chapters forty and forty-one, I experienced a shock that had nothing to do with content but with the timeline. Not every reader will experience this. I was so caught up in the story that I felt a temporal jolt. It was a form of a twist in a story with many twists. In the genre of psychological thrillers, I highly recommend The Silent Ones and consider it an excellent choice for a book club discussion.
You know those books that you wake up during the night and trying to figure out who did what and guess the ending? This is one of those. A book to keep you guessing. To wrap your head around how one or both ten year old girls could really kill an elderly lady with dementia. Then when arrested they refuse to speak at all to anyone. Not even their parents. The girls are cousins in a very dysfunctional family. The story takes place over a few days at the police station. However, a lifetime of painful memories are stirred up and current complicated relattionships come to a boiling point. The sisters, mothers to the girls always had a wedge between them, created mostly by the parents, are now pointing fingers at each other’s child. So many secrets come out that will change their lives forever. Surprises that will shock you. And two little girls sit silent while the police put together a very strong case against them.
Thank you NetGalley, publisher and author for allowing me to read this advanced readers copy this is my honest opinion. I like a book that keep you guessing and thinking. Did Brianna or Maddy Kill Bessie Wilford? Or are they little girls driven by the past sins of family. .
This book was incredible. The premise drew me in right away – would two little girls commit such a gruesome crime? How could it be otherwise when there is so much evidence against them? And why aren’t they talking about what happened?
That’s pretty much the gist of the story, but we see what happens through the eyes of their mothers, Juliet and Chloe. They are sisters and the girls, Maddy and Brianna, are 10 year old cousins. Juliet and Chloe work together in Juliet’s business that she owns and spends all of her time managing. The situation with the girls affects that business in all the ways you would imagine, and so many more. Their family members are equally vilified by their small town, with everyone’s minds made up about the girls’ guilt from the very beginning. Isn’t it always that way in small towns? The personal relationship between Juliet and Chloe appears complicated from the start and the more we read about their dysfunctional family, the more it makes sense. The two little girls aren’t the only ones hiding their secrets in silence.
The story was so gripping that I read it in one sitting, I just couldn’t put it down. You will find yourself thinking that you know exactly what is going on, but don’t count on it… Trust me!
A psychological thriller with more twists and turns than you could ever imagine and the lives of two little girls and their families that will forever be torn apart by the dark secret that can never really be forgotten. A horrible crime is committed and two 10 year old girls were the only ones there, and they refuse to speak. Two sisters who were never really that close to begin with will see their relationship unravel further when their children are held for assaulting and elder woman. Many different view points and it’s definitely pretty messes up! I could never imagine the horror and the heartbreak that comes with a child being interrogated and held in custody for a heinous crime, especially when you begin to question what they are really hiding from you. Intense and definitely twisty and turny and not to be missed. An enjoyable read I finished in a few hours and I would recommend to anyone how enjoys a thriller that will leave you guessing and a little out of sorts.
Wow! Just Wow! The Silent Ones is my first K.L. Slater novel and it definitely won’t be my last! Ten-year-old cousins, Maddie and Brianna are being charged with bludgering an elderly lady. They have made a pact not to speak. Their mothers Juliet and Chloe are sisters who are part of a very unlikable dysfunctional family! This is a fast paced book filled with twists and turns. I thought I had it figured out several times but I didn’t. My head is still reeling. Do yourself a favor and read this one; you won’t be disappointed!
Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Fantastic story!! The Silent Ones is by far one of the best books I’ve read this year!! Engrossing story, well developed characters, twists and turns I never expected! Very compelling and sympathetic characters. This is the first book I’ve read by K.L. Slater, but I am eager to read others! Great story; absolutely unexpected ending. Thank you so much to Netgalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read this excellent book in exchange for my honest review.