Stunning



Oh, my goodness! What an incredibly fast-paced and thrilling opening! "Fear The Silence" by Robert Bryndza is a masterfully crafted book that hooks you right from the first page. The level of research and attention to detail is outstanding, making me feel completely immersed in the story and confident in the author's hands. From the moment I picked it up, I was electrified, unable to put it down until the very end.

The story revolves around Maggie Kendall, a leading trauma surgeon, and her husband Will, who has transitioned from a forensic pathologist to a property developer. They seem to be a professional couple living an idyllic life in their terraced house in Bermondsey. However, the tranquility is shattered when Maggie arrives at work and is confronted with a young man suffering from a gunshot wound and stabbing. As if that isn't distressing enough, another patient is brought in with a gunshot wound to the head—none other than her own husband. Devastated by the police's claim that it was suicide, Maggie refuses to believe it for a second.

As Maggie delves deeper into the mystery, things become increasingly chilling when she arrives at Tisina. She finds herself faced with life-threatening accidents and uncanny coincidences, making it clear that she is being followed or manipulated by an unknown force. The pace remains relentless, matched by the menacing atmosphere that pervades the house and the surrounding island. According to Will's letter, a key holds the answers to her future. However, when a friend arrives on a blue catamaran, a glimmer of hope emerges. Could this person be her savior? As far as I was concerned, she needed to escape from that island as quickly as possible.

With nowhere to turn and desperate for answers, Maggie finds herself caught in the midst of the most devastating storm of her life. The book expertly captures the creeping suspense of a locked-room mystery, where the house itself becomes a character amidst the swirling mists and storms. Many characters initially appear menacing but may later reveal unexpected benevolence, keeping readers on their toes. The ending is incredibly satisfying, flawlessly tying up all the loose ends. Even after finishing the book, I found myself continually contemplating the characters and the intricacies of the plot.

The breakneck speed of the narrative leaves no time to catch your breath, resulting in a thrilling and immersive reading experience. I was completely absorbed, devouring the book in a single afternoon.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to Raven Street Publishing, Robert Bryndza, and Netgalley for granting me the privilege of reading this ARC. Now, I eagerly await "Lethal Vengeance," where I can once again make friends with Erika Foster. In anticipation, I may even reread book 7 to fully immerse myself in the world of these captivating characters.

After spending a pleasant and relaxing day with her husband Will, trauma surgeon Maggie Kendall, headed off for her late shift in the ER. Will and Maggie had been happily married for 24 years, and after quitting his job as a forensic pathologist to do something he enjoyed more, Will was the happiest he’d ever been. When a gunshot victim is brought into the ER, Maggie is shocked to realise it’s Will and devastated when he dies from his wound. She’s even more shocked when the police tell her he clearly committed suicide, something she just can’t accept. But then, she didn’t even know that he had a gun hidden in a secret compartment in the house, so what else doesn’t she know about the man she thought she knew so well?

A few weeks after the funeral, Maggie travels alone to the holiday home that Will built for them on a small Croatian Island. As it’s winter, the island is deserted except for the caretaker, but she only plans to stay for a week to enjoy some time alone away from Will’s domineering mother and to pack a few of Will’s belongings to bring back home. While there she receives a letter written to her by Will six years before his death and mailed to her by his lawyer. In it he leaves her a cryptic clue to follow that will lead her to discover some dark secrets from his past. And some powerful forces, with access to the island, intends to keep those secrets deeply buried, no matter what the cost.

This standalone psychological thriller from Robert Bryndza is dark and twisty, packed with action and suspense, as the danger ramps up and Maggie fears for her life. She is forced to follow Will’s clues to find out why he died and why she now being targeted. Although, I did find her ability to follow these obscure clues sometimes implausible, they do add to an interesting plot. With the deserted rugged Croatian island in winter the perfect, chilling setting for the fear and panic that sets in, it all makes for a nail biting and gripping read as the tension builds with moments of sheer terror and non-stop action. Recommended to all those who enjoy a fast paced, well plotted psychological thriller that keeps you hooked until the final page.

This was a new to me author. I loved how fast paced the story was and how the plot just kept layering the mystery on. I really wanted to just read this book all through the night until I got to the very last word.

The book starts with the death of a man who is brought into an ER where his wife works. That is horrific in and of itself. As more is found out, Maggie is embroiled in more disturbing findings about her husband and his death. She really doesn't know who to trust or ask for help.

I really, really enjoyed this book and will read more by this author.

Thanks to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Once again a superb piece of writing from one of, if not the, best writers around.

I cannot express how much I enjoyed this book.

It was thrilling and mysterious with twists and turns a plenty.

Great characterisation and well thought out plot which flowed nicely.

A great stand alone. Robert Bryndza can do no literally wrong.

Highly recommended 5 stars from me.

Fear the Silence will grab your full attention right from the start! Maggie is trauma surgeon who is happily married to Will but one night while Maggie is at work Will is rushed to the ER with a gunshot wound to his head. Will does not survive and the police are telling Maggie it was a suicide but she does not believe them at all. Maggie traveled to their vacation home on a small Croatian island after Will's funeral. There she received a letter in the mail from Will which leads her on a crazy hunt to find out what really happened that night.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and the author for my ARC!

This is the first Robert Bryndza book I’ve read and I was impressed. Although he usually writes series, apparently, this works perfectly as a stand alone novel in its own right.

The Croatia setting was suitably dark and delightful by turns as befits the plot. Going by this novel alone, it’s clear the author is supremely gifted in the storytelling department.

But what jarred slightly for me was the shift from a fairly slow build start, where the characters were introduced, to a breathless, super-pacey, and somewhat improbable middle and ending.

It made for an exhilarating, page-turning read, but I was stalled a bit by unbelievable behaviour from Maggie, the main character, and some inconsistencies along the way.

A must-read for those who love nail biting thrillers with frequent heart-stopping moments. Although it’s not quite a 5 ** read for me, I’m inspired enough to check out Robert Bryndza’s other books because he’s clearly got a lot of talent. Grateful thanks to Raven Street Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5 stars

Fear the Silence by Robert Bryndza is a psychological thriller about a woman coming to terms with the death of her husband.

First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Raven Street Publishing and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Dr. Margaret (Maggie) Kendall is a leading trauma surgeon in London. When Will, Maggie's husband, is found dead in their London home, police tell her that the gunshot wound was self-inflicted.  Maggie cannot believe it.  Will wasn't suicidal.  She would have known.  She didn't even know he owned a gun.

After the funeral, Maggie goes to their holiday home on a small Croatian island.  This is where she learns that there were more things about her husband that she knew nothing about.  She receives a letter written by Will that hints of more secrets, and soon she becomes the target of someone who wants those secrets kept.  She starts to doubt everyone.


My Opinions:
WOW.  Well, this more than proves that Robert Bryndza can write anything.  I was a little nervous about a stand-alone novel when I am so in love with his Erika Foster and Kate Marshall novels.  This was wonderful.

I loved Maggie, although her "adventures" were a little over-the-top.  I mean, I was waiting for her to trip over a branch and break a nail next.  But she was a protagonist I could root for.  Loved her!

The plot was great, and the suspects many.  I had an idea as to the identity of the main criminal, but trying to figure out who else was involved was tricky.

The book did get a little overly descriptive at times, but it was still a fast and compelling read.  Robert Bryndza continues to amaze me.  I highly recommend this book.

A good mystery with a likable lead character. I liked Maggie immediately. The author painted a very descriptive setting and every time I picked up the book, I totally forgot it was summer in real life and instantly felt I was there. The story built up the anticipation slowly at first and picked up speed as it went. The book had a satisfying ending that wrapped up the mystery well. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is a fast paced adrenaline rush of a read. From the first to last page I was gripped. Every page kept the fear factor. I found myself gasping and holding my breath as poor Maggie delved further and further into her husbands so called "suicide". When Maggie's husband was found dead in his office, Maggie knew he would not have killed himself. Taking herself off to their holiday home in Croatia Maggie finds herself a target and has to escape to deliver the truth as to what really happened to Will.
This book is brilliantly written. The characters were convincing and believable. Woula totally recommend and cannot wait for another thrilling ride by Robert Bryndza

This is my first book by this author and I’m glad I took the chance to read it. It’s a very well written, developed and researched book. The plot is very interesting and entertaining. It’s an excellent read full of twists and turns. **this was a complimentary copy and this is my honest review**

The story is good but a bit draggy in areas. I did however very much enjoy the characters! When not dragging, it kept my interest and was unpredictable. This is the first I’ve read by this author but I am interested in reading more by him.
I was given a complimentary copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.

Unfortunately this book was a bit all over the place for me. It started out as a pretty slow burn, which did a nice job introducing the main character, but then as the book progressed it became a whirl-wind of characters, plot points, conspiracy theories, and action scenes. I found the action packed second half a little sporadic for my reading style, but I’m sure others will enjoy the pace.

💕You might like this book if:
🔹you like books that explore corruption in governments
🔹 you like books that have lots going on / lots of action
🔹you like books that provide answers to all the mysteries / questions that arise

A stand-alone thriller by Robert Bryndza. Loved it! Could not put this one down. I can't wait to see what he comes up with next. A must-read for this summer.

Thank you @netgalley and #Raven Street Publishing for the eARC.

I have read many of Robert Bryndza’s previous books including the Erika Foster series and the more recent Kate Marshall series, and was keen to read this stand alone crime thriller.

This book works very well as a stand alone storyline, and kept me interested enough to finish in less than a day. However I feel that much of the story wasn’t up to the usual standard that has become ‘expected’ with this author. Firstly, there is a heavy emphasis on medical facts and in fact many of these are incorrect or highly unlikely in reality. As someone who works in the Emergency Department, this made the first few chapters very uncomfortable to read simply due to these factual inconsistencies and I did consider abandoning the book because of the sheer number of these inconsistencies - however previous experience with books from this author have been so positive that I continued with the book. Overall I am satisfied to have continued to finish the book but found the twists to be disappointing, mainly founded from some character interactions early in the book which made the twist/conspiracy element very predictable.

This would not put me off reading further books by Robert Bryndza as his previous books have all been 4 or 5 stars for me - however this book would need some revision to make it a recommendation from me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Raven Street Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #FearTheSilence

Another amazing book!
This one didn't disappointed! Robert just masters the art of writing thrillers!
Can't wait to devore the next one

There was so much packed in the pages of this book! The main storyline is Maggie working out the death of her husband. Many horrible things ensue, mostly on a small island in Croatia. Is Maggie under constant threat, or is it all in her head? There are lots of moments I thought this is a bit ridiculous…but Bryndza’s writing is great and kept me turning the pages. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

First time of reading this author and it won't be the last! Great taut story mostly set on a Croatian island about a wife who cannot believe that her husband committed suicide. The tale goes from London to there and back across Europe in an actioned packed story which leaves the reader breathless at times. A great adventure story as well as a mystery. Definitely recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC to review.

Forty-seven-year-old Dr. Maggie Kendall was a competent and quick thinking trauma surgeon before her life went off the rails. Six years earlier, her husband, Will, left his career in forensic pathology to become a property developer. After he dies of an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, Maggie, visits their holiday retreat located on an island in Croatia. This turns out to be a bad idea, since the place is deserted except for a maintenance man, Branko, a caretaker, Dragan, and his son, Luka. Furthermore, winter in Croatia can be harsh. Maggie's home, which is perched high atop a cliff, is buffeted by heavy storms, and the ferry that connects the island to the mainland operates only once a week.

In "Fear the Silence," by Robert Bryndza, Maggie learns that Will has been keeping dangerous secrets from her. A lawyer sends a letter from Will to Maggie that her husband wrote in the event of his untimely death. Will provides hints that Maggie struggles to decipher. In addition, she is trying to accept that the man she loved did not trust her with the truth while he was alive.

The most impressive aspect of this thriller is its setting. Bryndza mentions in his afterword that he has made many trips to Croatia, and his descriptions of the Adriatic Sea and its beaches are so vivid that we feel as if we are there. Unfortunately, Maggie's shock transforms her from a capable and self-sufficient woman to someone who can no longer think rationally. She takes insane risks, and unwisely involves others in her dangerous quest for the truth. In this novel, villains attack innocent people, and Maggie goes through a physical and emotional ordeal that nearly destroys her. "Fear the Silence" has plenty of action, but it would have been far more entertaining had the plot, dialogue, and character development been more subtle and realistic.

First time I read a book by this author was Devil’s Way and I really enjoy that so I jump on reading this standalone book, unfortunately I’m in the minority around here because it wasn’t to my expectation.

The story started out with a strong opening and I’m fully interested in with figuring out the mystery behind the FMC's husband death however, 30/40% into the story things started to slow down and felt a bit dragging.

I have to say the eerie atmosphere is there but the explanations regarding some action/ the weather is a bit too detailed which just makes me skim through some paragraphs.

Although, the last few chapters are quite gripping and I feel quite satisfied with how everything gets wrapped up at the end.

I really want to like this one but this book just wasn't for me.
Anyway, I’ll still read books from this author especially from the Kate Marshall series.

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: Death, gun violence, grief and confinement

I received an advanced review copy for free through Netgalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Huge thank you to the author and publisher!

The archive date has suddenly changed so I am unable to give feedback. This is quite unfortunate. Hopefully I will be able to read it in the near future.