Based in West Wales in the small town of St David’s it is an unusual place for any sort of crime.
But five years ago, Izzy Grants boyfriend Charlie took their newborn daughter Alys out for a drive. They never came back. Panic starts to rise, different thoughts crowd her mind as she pontificates what may have happened. Despite torturous emotions the case remains unsolved and a heartbroken Izzy needs to rebuild her life.

5 years later, in a cruel twist, Izzy receives a postcard – ‘I’ve got Alys don’t try to find us’. She then sees an old friend Grace Madden in town in the back of a taxi. She has not seen Grace since Alys disappeared, nor had she been in touch. The case is re-opened with DI Rhys Walker, who was on the original case who is now joined by DS Gaby Dari who brings fresh eyes to the case.

There is lots of layers to this plot. O’Brien gives all the characters an undertone, so that you are unsure who can be trusted and who can’t. Izzy is heartbroken and diminished by what has happened. Her confidence is rock bottom. Gaby is intelligent, intuitive, outspoken and brings some good energy to the cast. There are good twists, red herrings and lots of emotions weaved into the story. With lots of investigating and leg work the pace is fairly slow, but manages to build up nicely as everything starts to unfold. It definitely keeps you guessing. Maybe not the most indelible characters, but with room to grow, this offers a solid read to set the series off to a good start.

What a read! Silent Cry is the first in the DC Gaby Darin series and I'll be checking out the second as soon as it's available. There was no way I could put this book down till the end. I read it in two sittings, much to the annoyance of my husband who was desperate to take our daily lockdown stroll ... well you can't interrupt a good book, can you?
Silent Cry is one of those novels that falls between being a traditional police procedural and being a psychological thriller - and I liked that. It made for a really tense and atmospheric read. Set in a small Welsh town near Cardiff, the remoteness leant more tension to the storline as different events unfolded.
Of course, it's any mother's worst nightmare to have their newborn baby disappear, but when the baby's father is the one to take her, it must be so much worse. O'Brien effectively shows Izzy's (the mother) raw emotion as she comes to terms with the disappearance of her baby daughter. The way she trys so hard to rebuild her life is poignant and effectively shown through flashback.
Now, in the present day, Izzy's new normality seems to be under threat as a chance sighting of an old friend followed by a postcard arriving regarding her daughter, brings her grief to life again and unsettles her.
Initially, I thought DC Darin was a minor character in the book, but as the narrative rolled out, her roll became clearer as did her very intriguing back story.

I have to admit I was blindsided by red herrings and misdirections along the way, which made the denoument much more pleasurable. However, I DID NOT expect that ending - what a thrill. It came out of the blue and had me gasping. But, you'll have to read it yourself to find out what I'm talking about.

At the most vulnerable, confusing and happiest time in her life the last thing Izzy expects is the ultimate betrayal. The kind of betrayal that never lets go of your heart, mind or soul. Five years ago, shortly after giving birth to her daughter Alys, Izzy's boyfriend Charlie disappears with the baby. The only thing left in this mysterious wake of destruction is a postcard 'Alys is fine. Don’t try to find us' -that's all.

No words of explanation. No trail left to follow. All there is are the suspicions and conspiracy theories of a distraught mother. DC Gabriella Darin is the only person who seems to be interested in helping Izzy find the truth.

The author gives an accurate and heartbreaking account of what it must be like for victims of missing loved ones. The people who are relegated to cold case file status, because the clues and the trails run cold. None of that changes the way they feel about the missing or their need to find them.

It's a psychological thriller built on constantly rising emotional tension.

O'Brien builds her story on the complacency and assumptions of her readers. We expect, so we assume. Our minds create the rest of the narrative around the few details and minimal information we receive at the beginning. Full steam ahead towards - and that's when we end up in the ocean waiting for someone to throw us a lifeline, because the plot gets turned upside down.

A brilliant storyline, full of twists and turns. It had me quite upset at times.I look forward to more stories from Jenny.

Izzy finds herself pregnant after the briefest of relationships. She and the father, Charlie are determined to make a go of it. When little Alys is born they are both besotted. A week later Charlie takes Alice out to give Izzy a rest. They are never seen again. Five years later Izzy spots an old friend, Grace who disappeared around the same time. She feels she has answers and tries to track her down. A postcard arrives from France apparently from Charlie that tells Izzy not to try and find them. DI Rhys Walker who has always had a soft spot for Izzy is happy to re-open the case. A story with many twists, turns and red herrings to keep the reader turning the pages. I certainly guessed a totally different ending to the one that was finally revealed and from that perspective the book was a success. I felt the police were at times slow and not eliminating or checking certain aspects early on but then I suppose there wouldn’t have been much of a story.

I enjoyed this book very much and appreciated its twists and red herrings. I particularly liked the ending which I hadn’t seen coming because I was being cleverly pointed in the wrong direction. A very good plot with well rounded three dimensional characters. I’m looking forward to reading the next one.

I give myself five stars for getting through this book which seemed all over the place. The plot was ok and the pace was good but the quality of construction very poor.

Silent Cry is a very well written thriller. Well crafted plot and characters. Edge of your seat plot with many twists and turns. I received an arc from the publisher and this is my unbiased review.

I enjoyed this book, although it was slow moving at the start. A baby and her father go missing and Izzy, the baby's mother, is still hunting for them five years later. Detective Gaby Darin is investigating the disappearance. The Welsh setting is lovely, the plot is complicated and the characters are interesting. This is a good solid read and I loved the ending. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

😊 It is always so exciting to start at the beginning of a new crime mystery series. Silent Cry features DC Gabriella (Gaby) Darin who has just moved to a new area in Wales after a difficult work-related experience. She is paired with DCI Rhys Walker, a man who seems to have his secrets but is an inspector that she holds in high regard.

Kicking things off, the reader is introduced to Izzy Grant, who waved goodbye to her then newborn daughter Alys, and her partner, Charlie as they left to do some shopping, five years ago. But the unthinkable happens and the two never return, apparently disappearing into thin air. Izzy's world crumbled around her, and despite an extensive search the police found no trace of the missing girl, but Izzy refused to give up hope that her daughter would be found. Around the same time, her friend, Grace Madden also disappeared.

Since then Izzy has tried to move on, and is now running her own business and has a cat, curiously named Bucket. Out in Swansea, completing her Christmas shopping, she spots a familiar face across the street, someone intrinsically linked to her former self... Grace Madden. Izzy informs DCI Rhys Walker who worked on the case five years ago. He begins re-investigating the cold case, alongside newbie DC Gaby Darin.

As is usual in a new series, this first book sets up the characters providing a smattering of useful background. With pacing that was spot on, there was always plenty going on and there was certainly never a dull moment! Jenny O'Brien clearly knows how to write a story that is compelling and entertaining with characters that were not necessarily easy to love but fitted with the story very well. I really enjoyed Gaby's personality traits - particularly her brashness and astuteness, although she was inclined towards impulsiveness.

The plot was brilliantly executed and I was desperate to find out what was going to happen next. Written with clarity, Jenny O'Brien demonstrated a mastery of misdirection that certainly kept me guessing! Complete with a fabulous ending, I am certain that Silent Cry will be well-received by all who enthuse over a well-written police procedural or thriller/ mystery. I look forward to the second instalment which sees DC Gaby Darin moving again to a different police station. A well-deserved five stars! My thanks must go to Jenny O'Brien for writing such an gripping, clever and awesome book! 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from HQ Digital via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

Five years ago, Izzy’s husband and newborn daughter went missing. When Izzy receives a note similar to the one posted to her when she lost her baby, Izzy relives her nightmare. And with it comes some hope - is her daughter still out there? Are they still alive?
We follow a male and a female detective as they search through the history of the case and try to come up with answers.

I found the story a tad contrived but it's what most people would call a 'page turner' because terrible things keep happening and poor Izzy is put through the grinder. I liked Detective Darin and she'll definitely be better without her boss. If you're looking for an easy read which you can pick up and put down, this would tick the box. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. This is my honest review.

An atmospheric, emotional police procedural, with a refreshingly unique storyline, and a complex and interesting female detective.

Izzy’s story is tragic, and the chance for closure, has her contacting the police again, even though it will mean revisiting her painful past. This is a character-driven story, and the players are believable. Izzy is easy to empathise. The pacing is a little slow in the first third of the story but picks up as the plot twists start.

DC Darin has secrets, but good instincts and insight, which prove to be pivotal in solving the case. The ending is suspenseful, and though I did guess who the antagonist is, the clues are there, if you look, the ending’s impact resonates.

A series I would like to read.

I received a copy of this book from HQ Digital via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I am really sorry but the writing style just wasn't for me. I couldn't gel with the main character and got as far as I could but I just couldn't finish it. The storyline is interesting and I did want to know what happened but I just couldn't get past the writing style and became frustrated by the protagonist. Sorry!

I enjoyed this who done it very much!! My first time reading anything from Jenny but I highly recommend it if you like a good thriller that hooks you from the first page!

Who murdered Izzy's boyfriend and week old baby? Definitely a twisted read and kept me wanting to read more. I wonder what happened to Rebecca? Also I hope there is a second book because of how it ends.

An enjoyable police procedural novel, with plenty of twists, though I did guess what was happening well before the end.

The story moves rapidly from one character to another, which keeps the pace moving but on the other hand, I did not feel that I really got to know the characters in depth particularly Detective Gaby Darin & was quite surprised to see that it is part of a series featuring her.

Izzy comes over as a likeable heroine, although she does seem to be very fortunate in having more lives than her cat!

An easy read for a sunny afternoon.


Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for my ARC

I so often guess the end before I get there but this book was different - full of surprises. Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this - I loved it and couldn’t put it down. Hope to see more from this author very soon.
Izzy’s life comes crashing down when, a week after giving birth to a daughter - Alys, she disappears with her father Charlie. The police enquiries go nowhere, there are no clues as to where Father and daughter have gone and eventually the investigation tails off.
Five years later, Izzy, never having given up hope, receives a post card warning her off. The police start investigating again and newly arrived PC Gaby Darin provides a fresh pair of eyes.

Five years ago, in Abereiddy in south-west Wales, Isabelle (Izzy) Grant’s boyfriend, Charlie Dawson, took their week old baby, Alys, out for a drive to the shops to give her a break. Izzy falls asleep and when she wakes up a few hours later, there’s no sign of them. She discovers a plain white postcard on her door mat, with wording that says: ‘I’ve got Alys. Don’t try to find us, Charlie’. Despite a lengthy and expensive police investigation, they were never seen again and the car was never found.

After several awful years, culminating in a cry for help, Izzy decides she needs to try and move on and throws herself into her work making handmade knits and enjoys being an aunt to her nephews, Dylan and Gareth, who are the children of her sister, Bethan, and brother-in-law, Oscar.

One afternoon, while Christmas shopping in Swansea, Izzy spots her former best friend, Grace Madden, who she met while they were both heavily pregnant and attending antenatal classes. Grace left town around the time of Charlie and Alys’ disappearance and cut all contact with Izzy, who has her suspicions she was involved somehow. Grace hinted that her and Charlie were having an affair.

Later on that day, when she bumps into local policeman, Detective Inspector Rhys Walker, who is the brother of an old schoolfriend, Rebecca, she mentions to him about seeing Grace. He was involved in the original case and he investigates again, with the help of Detective Constable Gabriella (Gaby) Darin, who has recently transferred from Cardiff after a few difficult incidents in her work and personal life. The pair visit Izzy’s cottage a few days later, after Christmas, and discover a postcard has been delivered. It’s of the Eiffel Tower, with a French postmark and is another message from Charlie.

The police investigate the case again and DC Gaby Darin studies all the paperwork to see if she can spot anything that was missed. As new evidence is brought to light, Izzy is hopeful that she may finally discover what happened to her boyfriend and daughter but, as the police move nearer to the truth and Izzy makes her own enquiries, someone seems determined to ensure that she won’t be around much longer.

Poor Izzy has had a terrible time of things over the years, with one trauma after another, and it’s only her family and white cat, Bucket, who keep her going. DC Gaby Darin is an interesting protagonist, with a good instinct for police work, and I’m keen to see how her character is developed in the next novel.

Silent Cry was a compelling and engaging story and well put together, with great details and descriptions. I liked the setting of the novel, in Wales; it was fascinating to check a map and see that these places actually exist! The Blue Lagoon sounds beautiful.

In this well-written and cleverly plotted police procedural, we’re treated to a great storyline with some intriguing twists, turns, red herrings and misdirection! The investigation developed well and I hadn’t guessed in which direction it was going to go; there were some surprising revelations. I had a few theories but was still surprised by a lot that happened!

Overall, I really enjoyed this gripping, engaging and entertaining read and I flew through it in a few hours, frantically turning the pages to see how everything was going to be resolved! I’m already looking forward to the next book in the Detective Gaby Darin series.

This was a suspenseful read with lots of twists and turns. It was well paced and had me hooked from start to finish.

Silent Cry is a mystery with a suspenseful storyline. Baby Alys and her father Charlie went out the shops one day and did not return. The party line was that Charlie took her and was living elsewhere. The police gave up the search and Izzy had to move on with her life. Fast forward five years and things start to happen. Izzy glimpses her friend Grace who also disappeared at the same time as Charlie and Alys, a postcard is delivered that tells Izzy that Alys is fine, but she needs to leave them alone to keep her safe and the Detective who was on the case five years earlier, DI Rhys Walker, is back on the case again. When DS Gaby Darin joins their team, she has her own insights that speed up the investigation.

This was a well plotted and paced police procedural. There is a lot of leg work, interviews and digging through old case file material to determine where to go with this case. Izzy is a heartbreaking character. She has tried to move on with her life, but will never stop hoping that she will find Alys. She doesn't have much of a life, does not trust men and just wants to be left alone to manage her business she developed after the disappearance. DS Gaby Darin is a smart and savvy copper with great instincts, but as in many other police stories, is treated poorly because of her gender. She does a great job biting her tongue on many occasions. As the story unfolds there were several twists that I did not see coming and few red herrings along the way. The more the police and Izzy found out, the more danger Izzy seemed to be in. The final plot twist was totally unexpected, but reflecting back on the story, there were clues. I am hoping that we will see more of DS Gaby Darin in future book. Not only is this the first book I have read by Jenny O'Brien, but it is the first book I have read set in Wales. I liked the setting, the cliffs, the rain and the isolated areas. It gave the story that gloomy vibe. I will watch for more books by Jenny O'Brien.

Five years ago, Izzy Grant’s boyfriend Charlie took their newborn daughter Alys out for a drive.

They never came back.

After years of waiting, Izzy has almost given up hoping that they’re still alive – until a note is pushed through her door telling her they’re fine, not to look for them. Suddenly the case is top priority again, and Izzy is swarmed with faces from the past: the detective who was first on the scene to help; an old friend who vanished not long after Alys and Charlie.

Izzy doesn’t know who she can trust, who is sending her notes, where Charlie and Alys might be. Her only ally is DC Gabriella Darin, recently transferred from Cardiff and fleeing a painful past of her own.

Gaby knows something doesn’t fit with the case, and she knows Izzy won’t rest until she finds out what really happened to her daughter. Could someone she knew and trusted really have taken Alys from her?

I love reading thrillers and this one had an interesting storyline to hook me. So happy I got an ARC.

This is the first in the Gabriella Darin series and after reading this book I can't wait for the next one to come out. I like Gabriella. She is a smart woman who is good at her job, has great instincts. I like the way the realistic way the character has been fleshed out. It is what happens in the real world... the politics of the job.

This is a well-paced and plotted story with a lot of grit and some crazy twists and turns. A couple seem a little unrealistic but overall it's a great story and I was quite hooked.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.