As always Louisa’s books really hit the spot where you cannot put a book down! I became invested in the characters and whilst a difficult topic, was thoroughly gripped throughout.

There is no way around admitting this: I could not read this because it stressed me out very badly. A combination of new motherhood and a pandemic made reading stressful books impossible for me. I felt claustrophobic reading this - from the very first page. O'Neill's writing had this effect on me before in the only other book of hers I've read (Almost Love) but where I loved that one, this time around I could not get myself to read this. I am sure this book will work beautifully for other people who are not as anxious about reading as I am.

Great book could not put down will definitely read more from this author. A tv crew return to film a documentary about a murder and end up uncovering a web of lies. Suspenseful throughout a must read

After the Silence by Louise O’Neil is a book about women who live with violent partners and why they go and why they stay. Keelin is the main character in this storyline but the other key characters are her second husband, Henry and her son Alex from her first marriage
The story revolves around the death of Nessa Crowley on Christmas Day when she and many others attends a party and a storm triggers a power cut. Nessa’s death isn’t discovered until the next morning.
Henry is an coercive abuser, as opposed to Keelin’s first husband who was a violent and abusive abuser. Will she ever leave Henry and why does she stay?
An interesting storyline with many twists and turns all taking place on a small island.

"After the Silence" was an intriguing read. I really liked the different timelines and the addition of the interviews. The characters interesting and off-putting at the same time and while I could see some parts of the resolution coming, I was surprised by others.

An unsolved murder. A close-knit community living on the island of Inisrun, off the coast of county Cork. A film crew arrives to make a documentary to mark the 10th anniversary of Nessa Crowley’s death, hoping to uncover new evidence. On the surface After the Silence sounds like your standard crime novel. But this is Louise O’Neill, so the murder itself acts as the backdrop for an examination of abusive relationships — in all their forms.

The Kinsella family have never quite recovered from the night Nessa Crowley was killed at a party in their home. How could they, when people are convinced that Henry Kinsella is the man responsible for the crime and Keelin, his wife, is covering for him.

But Keelin knows that Henry is not a violent man. She left her first husband because he was physically abusive, Henry is not the same. But there is more to domestic abuse than physical violence. Keelin and Henry’s relationship is unsettling from the beginning and that sense of unease grows as the story unfolds.

Similar to The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard, After the Silence takes the popularity of true crime and turns it back into fiction. There are echoes of the West Cork podcast here and of I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara in The Nothing Man.

After the Silence is an atmospheric and disconcerting slow burner of a novel, which in true O’Neill style spotlights difficult subjects without feeling lecture-y.

I expected to really enjoy After the Silence by Louise O’Neill based on the summary of the story and also having read the author before. It started well and I was intrigued to continue, but then, after a while, I couldn’t tell whether the story was in the past or present and I found that I was losing interest, I began to find it a bit creepy and sinister. I persevered but didn’t complete it.

My thanks to Netgalley and Quercus Editions for the opportunity to read this book.

I have hesitated in my submission of this review, as a huge fan of Louise O'Neill's previous work I was so looking forward to reading this but was sadly disappointed. I found Louise's previous novels absolutely stunning and after hearing her speak at a book signing a few years ago was really inspired by her. I found After the Silence to be a slow read and difficult to get into. I wasn't gripped by the plot or convinced by the characters. As ever with the author's writing it is beautifully written and I loved the setting. I didn't feel that it was hugely original as there seem to be multiple novels using the theme of documentary or podcast makers at the moment and this idea really didn't grab me. I'm sorry that this wasn't one of my favourite reads of the authors but I would highly recommend her back catalogue.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

This story follows Henry and Keelin Kinsella and what happened to Nessa Crowley at one of their wild parties. No one was ever charged with the death of Nessa and now an Australian film crew wants to do a documentary all about it.

I did like a lot of this book. I enjoyed the interview sections and at times I was glad the story had them. Some of the story I felt went on a bit and I was glad that the interview sections were there just to break it up a bit.

The story goes back and forth, leading up to the events of the party and after. I don't know if it was just me or because I was reading the book on my kindle, but at times I couldn't figure out if I was in the past or the present.

The story for me was all about what really did happen that night and when revealed it was a little predictable. The story also covers some topics to do with marriages and relationships, especially violent ones. A lot going on really in this book.

Not a bad read at all but for me it was overlong and did go on a bit. The story of Nessa kept my interest as I wanted to know what happened.

A very disturbing read but utterly gripping. It certainly stays with you once you have read it, I couldn't stop thinking about this book for days afterwards. An absolute page turner.

I liked this one, Had a well written plot and kept me engaged from page one, the characters were well thought out and relatable, I didn’t guess the twist, and was reading well into the night. Can't wait to see what the author brings out next, would recommend for sure.

This is my first experience of Louise O’Neill’s writing and I really enjoyed this book. Billed as a murder- mystery, I think this was more of a dissection of an abusive marriage and the saying - ‘ you don’t know what happens behind closed doors’. Set on a small Irish island, a film crew visits the community to tell the story of a ten year old mystery. Ten years ago Keelin and Henry Kinsella held a party in their beautiful island home for her birthday. This is a party on an epic scale, with everyone getting wild as a storm rages overhead. The next morning one of the Crowley girls is found dead in the garden. Nessa’s death is blamed on Henry Kinsella, Yet the Kinsellas still seem to have it all. The beautiful house, the great kids in Alex and Evie. Yet the blame of this murder still lingers and Henry hopes that the film will finally clear his name.
The story is told by Keelin with the interesting device of inserting other islanders interviews for the film. It’s clear that there is resentment for this ‘golden’ family on the island. The characters are well written, they’re psychologically complex and I was invested in how they relate to each other. As a survivor of psychological abuse this was a difficult read for me, but very well portrayed. The Kinsella family are isolated, not just because of the island, but because of their relationship with the other islanders. The mystery of who killed Nessa builds and builds as suspicion and accusations fly. I hadn’t guessed all of the ending but it isn’t the ending but the journey that I enjoyed most. An interesting, but sometimes difficult read that would be a great TV series.

Ten years previously, the body of a young woman is discovered in the grounds of Peter and Keelin Kinsella's home on the isolated isle of Inisrún, off the coast of Ireland. Suspicion is cast on Henry but the investigation is called to a halt due to a lack of evidence.

Now, with the 10th anniversary looming of Nessa's death, two young documentary makers arrive on the island, and memories, pain and resentment is reawakened within the remote community.

The narrative is told through the eyes and mind of Keelin and interspersed with excerpts from various people interviewed by the documentarians. Little by little, the reader comes to understand relationships within the community and within the Kinsella family and the repercussions from the tragedy.

Keelin is a complex character, troubled by a previous relationship, and devoted to her husband and children. The dynamic within the family has changed since Nessa's death and this is explored at some depth. Other characters are less nuanced but do extend beyond the stereotypical. Henry, in particular, is affected by his relationship with his rich parents and his elder brother, whose success overshadows his.

At the core is the mystery surrounding Nessa's death but the identity of the perpetrator is less important than its effect on personal relations. There is also an underlying theme about abuse and control.

A strong story which builds slowly but effectively as the pace builds to its final revelations.

I was so keen to read this book as I loved Louise’s earlier novel Almost Love and I’m pleased to say that this one was every bit as good. This is billed as a thriller but for me it’s more an exploration of people in small towns, and relationships and what lengths people will go to to hide the truth when something terrible happens. The novel follows a cast of characters as a crime podcast is being made about the murder of a teenage girl ten years earlier. We slowly find out about the possible suspects and how the islanders view each other, and the suspicions that linger. For me, the novel really shows what it is like to be controlled by someone who has more power than you. There is a moment near the end of the novel that sent shivers down my spine as it explained coercive control better than anything I’ve ever read before. This is an excellent novel and I highly recommend it.

Wonderfully descriptive book of an idyllic sounding island off the Irish coast. The sometimes bleakness of the island is a brilliant background to a gripping tale of murder, abusive partners and jealousy.

A compelling mystery that sensitively explores coercive control. AFTER THE SILENCE was unsettling and memorable. Definitely one I'll be recommending.

This is a book that really creeps in to your mind and stays there. It plants a seed which slowly begins to grow as the story unfolds and then continues to do so long after the story has reached its conclusion,

This was a wonderfully written, thought provoking book that had me fully immersed in the world in which the author brought to life.


A definite must read which I would highly recommend.

After the Silence is a quiet book. It creeps into your mind and sits there, a seed which continues to grow long after you've finished reading it. Before this, I have only read two books by Louise O'Neill, both of which I adored but neither of which were rooted in reality. It was interesting to see her style in a more grounded setting and I was pleased to see that the writing still managed to be beautiful and thought-provoking.

Probably my favourite of Louise O'Neill's books so far. Would love to see more from her in this genre. Her character depictions are detailed yet nuanced and I found myself forgetting these were fictional people - the highest compliment I can pay any author!

A creepy, atmospheric book set on a remote island off Ireland. The majority of islanders live humble lives except for Henry and Keelin Kinsella who have the largest house with all the mod cons and floor to ceiling windows. Keelin is an islander and Henry a previous summer holiday boy. A murder 10 years ago put all the suspicion on Henry, however, he stays and holds his head arrogantly high. Keelin hides away in her stunning home. A documentary crew arrive to find out the real story. Lots of secrets, some dark backstories and some gaslighting all bring together a good story with great twists.