Sisters Chloe and Juliet run their own business, and both have 10 year old daughters. Their daughters, Maddy and Brianna, are accused of murdering an elderly woman. Dana (child psychologist) and Neary (detective) are in charge of figuring out the truth of which girl committed the crime and why.

Just enough family drama to maintain interest, and the plot twist at the end was not something I predicted. I will say that the last third of the book was drawn out of me, and I did catch myself skimming pages. I did not skip any, but I did skim through the more redundant parts.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Firstly I would like to thank NetGalley and Bookouture for allowing me to read an eARC copy of this book.

I am a big fan of thriller books and this sounded very interesting from the premise and thought it reflected the way in which people do respond when children are accused of heinous crimes. I haven't read any of the authors other books so I can't say how this rates against her other books.

I can't say that I didn't enjoy the book, but it wasn't a great thriller for me. I definitely found that this book dragged and was very slow throughout. It felt a bit like I was reading the same thing over and over again. It's disappointing to me that we didn't get to experience anything after the first chapter through the eyes of the girls. They are clearly the focus of this book and yet we never experience their feelings or what is going on for them. It makes me wonder why the author chose them as the focus of the plot and then just essentially ignored them for the rest of the book.

I don't think this was a psychological thriller for me. I had guessed pretty much straight away one of the twists that Chloe was the one that injured their brother instead of Juliet; it just screamed out obvious to me. It also really frustrated me because Chloe is quite a bitch throughout this story, especially towards Juliet, and yet she's been holding this secret (as has THE REST OF THE FAMILY) and letting Juliet suffer for all these years. She just felt incredibly selfish and cruel to me and I didn't really feel sorry for her. I was just baffled about her actions she was willing to let the whole company go under instead of just finally tell the truth, and was still essentially making Juliet feel responsible for the reason the company wasn't doing well. I did think it was interesting the fact that they had Corey end up alive, but it didn't overly surprise me with his mother. To be fair I did believe that Tom and Chloe were having an affair so the reveal that they weren't surprised me.

I also figured that Beth wasn't as trusting as she seemed; they kept inserting her into the story and so I felt she was going to have a motivation against Juliet. I do honestly feel that the whole reveal of her being the murderer and having this planned for some time was just too unrealistic and too far-fetched.

Something that really irritates me in books (and shows) is when we skip the fallout of actions. And this book does exactly that. Juliet finds out all this information about her family and her life but we skip one month and we don't really get to experience her coming to terms with it or moving through it. It almost makes the rest of the book essentially pointless because we have everything building up to this point and then we don't get to experience the fallout at all. It feels like a cheat to me.

I initially rated this three stars but whilst reviewing it i've dropped it down to two stars. I wouldn't be looking to buy a physical copy of this book.

Title: The Silent Ones

Author: K. L. Slater

Length: approx 280 pages

Publisher: Bookouture

Publishing Date: July 24, 2019

Genre: Crime Thriller, Fiction, Psychological thriller

My rating: 5/5

Summary:

Two girls Brianna and Maddy visit a neighbourhood house where they end up hurting Bessie the resident of the house. Bessie dies and the story moves on investigation of the murder only that both the girls are not uttering a single word.

My Take:

I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC for reading and reviewing this wonderful thriller. I’ve loved Bookouture as a publisher for the choice of books they publish which are just brilliant.

The book started as a slow paced book nevertheless keeping me glued to the various mysteries on the way ahead. The estranged relationship of the Voce family is very evident. The story is narrated from first persons perspective i.e. Juliet’s and the third persons perspective on the happenings. The story also has flashback on a vile secret hidden by Voce family.

The character of Juliet is adorable while that of Chloe her sister is abhorred. At some point I felt the book had unnecessary details of Dana’s life who was therapist on the case but later on turned to be the most important link in solving the crime.

The second half of the book picks up pace. The revelations are mind boggling. One could never have expected the twists and turns in the book. That’s what i loved the most about the book. Absolutely no way one can predict the ending.

It’s a great book for all the crime thrillers readers so I would definitely recommend it to my friends to get their hands on this one.

K.L Slater does it again, another brilliant offering in the shape of the silent Twins. I have read most of her books and this one doesn’t disappoint.
Ten-year-old cousins Brianna and Maddie are accused of murdering Bessie Wilford in her home. When they are picked up by the police, they are both silent and will not talk about the event. Their mothers and both sisters Juliet and Chloe are shocked that their daughters could do such a thing. And the shock brings back memories of their own childhood when an accident happened, and their brother Corey dies, and Juliet is blamed. But what really happened that day?
This is a story of secrets and lies between two families which got me hooked from the start. There was more twist and turns in this story, more than a roller-coaster and this was a good thing because it made me want to keep on reading to find out what happens next. This has a great plot, and great characters and a very surprising ending.
Thank you NetGalley K.L Slater and Bookouture for a copy of this book.

This is actually my first experience with this author's writing - although my Audible TBR holds two of her earlier titles already waiting for me now. I enjoyed this thriller. It opens up with two ten-year-old cousins walking into an older woman's flat - and they wind up taken in for assault. It's an engaging hook - made all the more so when it becomes clear that there are plenty of family secrets and dysfunction all around, not just in the two, now silent in custody, young girls.

The plot definitely takes some unexpected twists - and a few familiar ones as well. The climax borders a little bit on the Scooby Doo-ish with the motivations for the more villainous characters a bit thin at times. In some ways, this reminded me of summer reading when I was younger - Sweet Valley thrillers - but that could just be because everything that could go wrong really does here. It's fast-paced and certainly a book that drives you to quickly finish it. I just wish that there had been a bit more motivation behind it all - plus, the most vile characters don't really get as much justice as I wanted...

Still, I am looking forward to listening to the earlier books and I can see this doing quite well as a vacation read!

Thriller about two young girls, cousins, Maddy and Brianna. Off school for the day. They are bored, and know they know they are not being watched. Closely by their grandparents. They skip down their small road and visit an elderly woman. What happens next leaves them in major trouble and not talking. Family dynamics are at the center of this book. Most of the characters are not likable for one reason or another. But your blood will boil as secrets and lies come to light and answers are revealed.

Well written. The action starts immediately, and so many lies are being told that you will turn the pages quickly to get to the end, which I didn’t expect. Great vacation read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

I think most will know by now I'm a huge fan of Kim Slater's psychological thrillers and she is without doubt one of my favorite authors of the genre. I absolutely loved 2019 release Finding Grace earlier this year, and I might have squeeled a little when I saw that we were going to have a second Slater title coming out this year. Of course I couldn't resist getting a copy as soon as I saw it was available on Netgalley, and of course I knew it wouldn't be waiting long on my kindle either. And guess what? The Silent Ones was without doubt another winner! The only reason I didn't finish this story in one sitting is that I started it too late in the evening and I needed to get some sleep in to be able to function as a human being the next day... Because trust me, this is one of those stories that will make it hard to let go and stop reading before you reach the final page. What a read!

Why was The Silent Ones yet another success for me? The first thing that stands out is the writing, which is just as brilliant as always and draws you right in. I found myself to be hooked as soon as I read the first chapter, and the beginning of the story sets the right tone for the rest of the book. The Silent Ones is basically a family focused psychological thriller with a dramatic twist and a LOT of secrets that will keep you on your toes. I think this contrast between the family drama and the shocking crime and accusation of the two ten year olds is what makes this plot so fascinating. On the one hand we have the two sisters, Juliet and Chloe, who seem to have their issues and secrets within their family and past. More about this part of the story is slowly revealed in the chapters set in the past as well as the present, and this storyline serves as a contrast with the more brutal and accute present situation. Because the real 'stars' of The Silent Ones are their ten year old daughters Maddy and Brianna. The fact that they are the only suspects of the brutal assault of an older member of a small community is shocking considering their age, and you are left wondering if one of them really could have done it. Likewise, we have that same community already convicting the whole family before the girls are even charged with something... Something that sadly is all too believable and still happens all the time. I admit I did see part of the final reveals coming, but it cannot be denied that it was a brilliant way of turning around the story completely. If you are looking for your next psychological thriller read, you should definitely consider this well written, complex and gripping little gem.

Wow. I just loved this book. I knew I was hooked when the police station mentioned at the start was from my hometown. I then loved following the characters around the areas I know.
That said, what a fantastic book. The story is brilliant and you won’t put it down till you’ve finished. The ending was not at all what I expected but brilliant. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

A fascinating journey into the darkness surrounding families and the things they hide. A lovely thrill ride! Will be an excellent choice for book club groups to discuss.

Juliet is shocked when her 10-year-old daughter and niece are held by police when suspected to be involved in the assault and death of an elderly woman, especially when the girls refuse to speak to anyone. Juliet's entire family was awful. Why are she and Chloe even business partners when they clearly can't stand each other? The only character I really liked in this book was Dana, the therapist. I can't say I was all that shocked by any of the twists, really. This was just okay for me. Three stars.

The Silent Ones was a very tense read that really keeps the reader on their toes. I found myself led to believe one thing, just to be blindsided by the truth later on.

The characters were well written, and the transition between the past and present was done well. I found it easy to follow along. The two girls being silent for the first bit really added good tension. The family dynamic was really intense and interesting. In fact, I found the family a bit fascinating.

The story itself is pretty... wow. There are so many elements and so many wild twists and turns. It was a real roller coaster ride. Constantly I found myself thinking that there is no way it could get any worse. Then it would. However, it was done in a way that could be believable. Not to mention, you would find yourself thinking the worst just to be proven wrong.

I will absolutely be picking up another book written by K.L. Slater.

I really enjoyed this book. It's fast paced and interesting with little surprises and twists peppered throughout to keep you turning the pages and wondering what will happen next. I had never heard of this author before, but will be adding to my "to-read" list because I like the writing style.

I received an Advanced Reviewers Copy of this book via #NetGalley.

Woah! What a story and a half this one is!!!

The story starts off with the two mother’s of two ten year old’s being taken into the police station after a serious incident. As a mother my heart was in my mouth as your head starts thinking straight away about what if that was your child. It really was quite frightening and I could easily understand the turbulence of feelings that both sisters, Juliet and Chloe were going through.

Understandably there is a lot of unrest with people in the area and I almost feared for the safety of Juliet and her family as much as she did. Whilst a lot of the story obviously focuses on what the girls have been accused of, there is also something going on with Juliet’s immediate family. Her mother for one is a very unlikable character and whilst I quite liked the dad, he infuriated me at times with how weak he is. I was just as much intrigued about their family life as I was with the what was happening in present day.

This is one storyline that just grabs you and doesn’t let go. I was well and truly hooked as the author takes us down a dark and twisted road of which I had no clue where it was going to take me but I enjoyed every minute of every thrill and oh those twists, K.L. Slater just keeps getting better and better.

The Silent Ones is a first rate psychological thriller. It truly is a brilliant read that kept me on my toes and just kept on delivering. I am a huge fan of this authors 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!

This was a very good book that had a lot of twists and turns. I felt I could relate to each of the characters and did not find the outcomes predictable.

When an elderly woman is found murdered in her home, two 10-year-old girls, who are cousins, are accused of the murder. The girls initially refuse to talk about the event. The author explores the dynamics of this dysfunctional family as the girls await their fate.
The author fluidly moves between the past and presents piecing together a family with so many secrets. It was difficult to keep up with all the secrets and lies this family kept. The story is told from different points of view, moving at a swift pace. The tension was intense. There were twists and turns and a lot of surprises.

I could not put this book down; it is gripping. This was my first book by this author but it will not be my last.

What a read this was!!!! 2 young girls go to visit a elderly neighbour, and a shocking crime has taken place. But the girls are silent, they won’t speak to anyone, but what did happen in Bessies house that day and who did it?
I absolutely loved this book. It was so gripping with a lot of twists and turns. I was gobsmacked when everything started to come together. The flow of the book was great and it was so easy to pick the book up and carry on reading where I finished off.
Another fantastic book from K.L. Slater. Thank you for the advanced copy 👌👌

This book is what I think of when I think about a gripping suspense novel. The Silent Ones was a fantastic novel. It completely pulled me into the story right from the start, and I had no choice but to finish it in two days (Ha!). This is my first novel by K.L. Slater and her writing style completely absorbed me. Sometimes when the pace is slow, I start skipping ahead, but with the way she approaches the story, I found myself reading every word so I wouldn’t miss a clue.

On the surface, this looks like it’s a story of two ten-year-old cousins who are accused of murder and for that reason, their village has chosen to crucify them and their families, but underneath it is so much more than that! Slater shows the dysfunction of this family in so many ways with the little details that I felt like I wanted to shake a few of them and slap one of the characters silly. The novel also presents beautifully how the community turns against you and tries you in public court here. I think public justice is a very much relevant topic at this time when 24/7 news and social media make it so easy to twist an event. It’s so easy to get caught up in someone else’s life and contribute publicly to their pain.

I could write a whole essay about the nitty-gritty of this book, but I won’t. All I can say is that I HIGHLY recommend this book. As I said this was my first K.L. Slater book and I plan to read her other works too!

Thank you NetGalley and Bookoutour for the ARC of The Silent Ones.

One of the best thrillers I have read in while. What a fantastic read by K.L. Slater! The story took off from the very first page and did not let up until the last. The ending was satisfying, never saw that coming, definitely not your cookie cutter thriller! I was so enthralled with the book, I dd not want to put it down. It was full of twists, turns, and (what?)s, I loved it!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of the book.
#netgalley
#TheSilentOnes

Well what a fabulous book, and I certainly didn’t see that coming!!!

I almost read it in one day,it was that good. Just when you think that it’s all sorted, and they really are a dysfunctional family, the author pulls it out from underneath you.

This is the second book I’ve read and it won’t be the last. How Kim does it is brilliant.

My thanks to the Publishers, Kim and Netgalley for the ARC.

Okay. I had to wait to write my review because if I didn't there would have been a LOT of swearing. As it is I'm going to swear twice, right now, and then try to lay off for the rest of my review: HOLY. FUCKING. SHIT.
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This book was AMAZING. How Slater managed to write this book so masterfully is beyond me - not because she's not talented or anything of that ilk; just because the fact that ANYONE can write this well is just shocking. There were seriously like four twists at the end, all of which left me with my jaw on the floor. This is a psychological thriller to rival the best. I didn't know who to trust or what to think. And when the end hit? Holy crap. I was stunned.
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If you like psychological thrillers PLEASE read this. I'm begging. It was AMAZING. 5 stars!!