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Dead Silence
Political games can be deadly…
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2020
92 people are currently reading
1022 people want to read
About the author
Robin Caroll
55 books450 followers“I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I've never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in.” ~Robin Caroll is definitely a contradiction, but one that beckons you to get to know her better.
Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her published novels.
Best-selling author of more than twenty-seven novels, ROBIN CAROLL writes Southern stories of mystery and suspense, with a hint of romance to entertain readers. Her books have been recognized in several awards, including the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and more.
When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of twenty-eight-plus years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home.
Robin serves the writing community as Executive/Conference Director for ACFW.
Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her published novels.
Best-selling author of more than twenty-seven novels, ROBIN CAROLL writes Southern stories of mystery and suspense, with a hint of romance to entertain readers. Her books have been recognized in several awards, including the Carol Award, HOLT Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, and more.
When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of twenty-eight-plus years, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home.
Robin serves the writing community as Executive/Conference Director for ACFW.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 234 reviews
April 27, 2020
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this novel from NetGalley. These are my honest thoughts.
The cover of this book grabbed my attention straightaway. There’s something about it that’s stunning, almost haunting, and definitely gorgeous. It’s the perfect cover for a suspense novel.
The book blurb also nabbed me. I didn’t even read the whole thing, and I knew I had to read this book. When a lip-reading sign language interpreter is mentioned, I’m likely to give it a try. That is a fascinating job and talent, and I love reading about quirky, different things like that. (Quirky is one of my favorite words, and I mean it kindly, just so you know.) I took ASL lessons in high school, so anything to do with sign language or lip-reading still fascinates me today, even though I myself am not that great at either.
The first six chapters were amazing. I loved them and gushed about them to my mom and a dear friend. The stakes were high from page one. The protectiveness of a single mom worried about her kid was spot-on. The danger and threats were realistic.
However, the book took a strange turn from there.
In chapter seven, there was a profane use of the Lord’s name, which was followed shortly by a different profane phrase. These were disappointing in a Christian fiction book, as the Lord and his holiness are expected to be respected in the genre.
Another sort of disrespect happened that I’m still baffled over. The FBI played a large role in this novel, but there were issues of incompetency that are unexplainable to me. One agent was so rude and unprofessional that it shocked me. How did she pass any sort of training tests with the attitude and unprofessionalism she had? The main agent on the case never seemed to do his job or find his own clues, rather depending on the key witness for any and all information he accrued. This, also, was shocking, because usually FBI agents are presented as being competent at their work. The real FBI solve loads of cases each year and know what their own equipment does and when to use it. They don’t need a lip-reading sign language interpreter, who has zero experience with their equipment or investigative skills, to tell them how to use their equipment or to blatantly run her own investigation because of their incompetency. The real FBI is trained a whole heap better than these fictional agents apparently were.
Yet another thing that bothered me was the instant-bff with a member of the press. If the woman was so concerned about things leaking out and making the danger more realistic for her son and herself, the very last person on earth she would want to befriend is an up-and-coming journalist looking to make a name for herself. Yet, they became best buddies in about two seconds on the mere promise that she wouldn’t use anything for a story until permission was granted. I honestly expected this journalist to be using the situation for her own gain—and was shocked to my bones when she didn’t. That also was unrealistic, especially since the journalist claimed to be trying her best to make a name for herself. I’m not sure how this nobody of a journalist had so many high-ranking contacts either. Nobody knew who she was in journalism yet, so no one high up in the FBI or politics would have given her the time of day let alone huge clues about leaks and secrets and all sorts of other pertinent information the FBI agents themselves couldn’t access.
While this story was very engaging in the early chapters, it became quite repetitive throughout, as every detail they learned was given at least three times each, explained yet again to another new set of people who hadn’t been there to learn it in the first place. This bogged down the story for me.
The most frustrating thing was the incompetency and unprofessionalism of the FBI agents. It felt very much like this bureau of our government was being made fun of, which made it difficult for me to finish this story. I just wanted a realistic portrayal of this highly-trained group of people.
Some readers will adore this book. It’s a wonderful story of a woman fighting for her son’s safety. There are aspects I cherished and raved about to a couple of people.
I really enjoyed the fact that there was no romance in this book. That was refreshing in a way, even though I enjoy a good romance subplot in suspense books. It's also sometimes fun to read a non-romance book.
Personally, I won’t be reading this author’s work anymore. The profanity and disrespect for highly-trained FBI agents are not of interest to me.
Trigger: rape was mentioned but not shown
Content: profanity, crude gesture, incompetent and unprofessional FBI agents
The cover of this book grabbed my attention straightaway. There’s something about it that’s stunning, almost haunting, and definitely gorgeous. It’s the perfect cover for a suspense novel.
The book blurb also nabbed me. I didn’t even read the whole thing, and I knew I had to read this book. When a lip-reading sign language interpreter is mentioned, I’m likely to give it a try. That is a fascinating job and talent, and I love reading about quirky, different things like that. (Quirky is one of my favorite words, and I mean it kindly, just so you know.) I took ASL lessons in high school, so anything to do with sign language or lip-reading still fascinates me today, even though I myself am not that great at either.
The first six chapters were amazing. I loved them and gushed about them to my mom and a dear friend. The stakes were high from page one. The protectiveness of a single mom worried about her kid was spot-on. The danger and threats were realistic.
However, the book took a strange turn from there.
In chapter seven, there was a profane use of the Lord’s name, which was followed shortly by a different profane phrase. These were disappointing in a Christian fiction book, as the Lord and his holiness are expected to be respected in the genre.
Another sort of disrespect happened that I’m still baffled over. The FBI played a large role in this novel, but there were issues of incompetency that are unexplainable to me. One agent was so rude and unprofessional that it shocked me. How did she pass any sort of training tests with the attitude and unprofessionalism she had? The main agent on the case never seemed to do his job or find his own clues, rather depending on the key witness for any and all information he accrued. This, also, was shocking, because usually FBI agents are presented as being competent at their work. The real FBI solve loads of cases each year and know what their own equipment does and when to use it. They don’t need a lip-reading sign language interpreter, who has zero experience with their equipment or investigative skills, to tell them how to use their equipment or to blatantly run her own investigation because of their incompetency. The real FBI is trained a whole heap better than these fictional agents apparently were.
Yet another thing that bothered me was the instant-bff with a member of the press. If the woman was so concerned about things leaking out and making the danger more realistic for her son and herself, the very last person on earth she would want to befriend is an up-and-coming journalist looking to make a name for herself. Yet, they became best buddies in about two seconds on the mere promise that she wouldn’t use anything for a story until permission was granted. I honestly expected this journalist to be using the situation for her own gain—and was shocked to my bones when she didn’t. That also was unrealistic, especially since the journalist claimed to be trying her best to make a name for herself. I’m not sure how this nobody of a journalist had so many high-ranking contacts either. Nobody knew who she was in journalism yet, so no one high up in the FBI or politics would have given her the time of day let alone huge clues about leaks and secrets and all sorts of other pertinent information the FBI agents themselves couldn’t access.
While this story was very engaging in the early chapters, it became quite repetitive throughout, as every detail they learned was given at least three times each, explained yet again to another new set of people who hadn’t been there to learn it in the first place. This bogged down the story for me.
The most frustrating thing was the incompetency and unprofessionalism of the FBI agents. It felt very much like this bureau of our government was being made fun of, which made it difficult for me to finish this story. I just wanted a realistic portrayal of this highly-trained group of people.
Some readers will adore this book. It’s a wonderful story of a woman fighting for her son’s safety. There are aspects I cherished and raved about to a couple of people.
I really enjoyed the fact that there was no romance in this book. That was refreshing in a way, even though I enjoy a good romance subplot in suspense books. It's also sometimes fun to read a non-romance book.
Personally, I won’t be reading this author’s work anymore. The profanity and disrespect for highly-trained FBI agents are not of interest to me.
Trigger: rape was mentioned but not shown
Content: profanity, crude gesture, incompetent and unprofessional FBI agents
December 1, 2020
About this book:
“Political games can be deadly…
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are read, mentioned, & thought over; Prayers; Going to church & singing a hymn; Talks about God & faiths; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Elise is angry at God & has to work through it in this book; Mentions of God & faiths; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, & hymns; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of sins; A couple mentions of blessings & a curse; A mention of a possible miracle; A mention of a christening;
*Note: A few mentions of evil; A mention of a demonic-looking doll.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘idiot’, a ‘oh my gosh’, a ‘sheesh’, a ‘how in all that is holy…’, two ‘blah blah blah’s, and six forms of ‘stupid’; Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); All about (& many mentions of) threats, shootings/murders, & trying to find the murderer (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of a kidnapping & a hostage situation (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of threats through packages (this includes a dead rat, a deadly snake, and more, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of shooting, guns, & knives; Mentions of injuries; A few mentions of Elise’s late husband who was shot in the line of duty; A few mentions of car accidents & deaths; A few mentions of criminals & crimes; A few mentions of break-ins & thefts; A few mentions of lying & lies; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of autopsy; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of rumors; A few mentions of vomiting; A couple mentions of divorces; A couple mentions of tattoos;
*Note: Mentions of brand names, products, & stores; A few mentions of car brands; A few mentions of mass shootings & a politician calling for stricter gun laws; A mention of a driver throwing a hand signal; A mention of Girl Scouts.
Sexual Content- Mentions of (married man) womanizer who seduces young girls, assaults (rapes) them, & pays them to get an abortion; Mentions of a man being unable to father children; Mentions of a paternity test; Mentions of flirting & crushes; A few mentions of married men cheating or possibly cheating & adultery; A few mentions of romance novels; A mention of a place that married men and their mistresses go to; A mention of a young woman who wasn’t the type at all to be in a physical relationship with someone she didn’t know well; A mention of Elise thinking about her late husband’s touch; A mention of a peeping Tom;
*Note: A few mentions of Elise being a model for swimsuits when she meant her husband; A couple mentions of a STD & a hysterectomy.
-Elise Carmichael
P.O.V. of Elise
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{ Add ½ star for older girls who enjoyed political/suspense books. }
I’ve read a prior suspense book by this author before and enjoyed it, so “Dead Silence”, was on my release radar. The beginning of this book was suspenseful and the ending of this book was very suspenseful. I really liked Elise and her determination to do whatever for her son. I loved seeing them together and I really liked that this wasn’t a romance story at all. Elise is a widow who still very much misses her husband, but besides that there is no “romance” content at all. I’m constantly trying to find romance-free books in the Christian Fiction genre and it’s hard to find. That was an added bonus to this book.
I only have two and a half things that I wasn’t thrilled with: There was mentions of a senator who assaulted young women and made them get abortions. The middle of the book seemed a bit slower that the beginning and end (but it still flowed well). And the half-point goes to Elise’s faith. Now, I really enjoyed the faith content and the discussions, but Elise’s realization about trusting God felt a little out of place to me. The faith content was really good, but I wanted to see more of Elise having to make the steps towards trusting God, not just have someone witness to her and her pray. A little detail that doesn’t matter too much in the scheme of the plot, but something I wanted to note.
Overall, this was a good political suspense book that had nice faith content and a no-romance-based plot.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Shiloh Run Press) for this honest review.
“Political games can be deadly…
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.”
Series: As of now, no.
Spiritual Content- Scriptures are read, mentioned, & thought over; Prayers; Going to church & singing a hymn; Talks about God & faiths; ‘H’s are capitalized when referring to God; Elise is angry at God & has to work through it in this book; Mentions of God & faiths; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of Bibles & Bible reading; Mentions of churches, church going, services, pastors, & hymns; A couple mentions of Heaven; A couple mentions of sins; A couple mentions of blessings & a curse; A mention of a possible miracle; A mention of a christening;
*Note: A few mentions of evil; A mention of a demonic-looking doll.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘dumb’, a ‘idiot’, a ‘oh my gosh’, a ‘sheesh’, a ‘how in all that is holy…’, two ‘blah blah blah’s, and six forms of ‘stupid’; Some sarcasm & eye rolling; Pain, Injuries, & Blood/Bleeding (barely-above-not-detailed); All about (& many mentions of) threats, shootings/murders, & trying to find the murderer (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of a kidnapping & a hostage situation (up to semi-detailed); Many mentions of threats through packages (this includes a dead rat, a deadly snake, and more, up to semi-detailed); Mentions of shooting, guns, & knives; Mentions of injuries; A few mentions of Elise’s late husband who was shot in the line of duty; A few mentions of car accidents & deaths; A few mentions of criminals & crimes; A few mentions of break-ins & thefts; A few mentions of lying & lies; A few mentions of hunting; A couple mentions of autopsy; A couple mentions of blackmail; A couple mentions of rumors; A few mentions of vomiting; A couple mentions of divorces; A couple mentions of tattoos;
*Note: Mentions of brand names, products, & stores; A few mentions of car brands; A few mentions of mass shootings & a politician calling for stricter gun laws; A mention of a driver throwing a hand signal; A mention of Girl Scouts.
Sexual Content- Mentions of (married man) womanizer who seduces young girls, assaults (rapes) them, & pays them to get an abortion; Mentions of a man being unable to father children; Mentions of a paternity test; Mentions of flirting & crushes; A few mentions of married men cheating or possibly cheating & adultery; A few mentions of romance novels; A mention of a place that married men and their mistresses go to; A mention of a young woman who wasn’t the type at all to be in a physical relationship with someone she didn’t know well; A mention of Elise thinking about her late husband’s touch; A mention of a peeping Tom;
*Note: A few mentions of Elise being a model for swimsuits when she meant her husband; A couple mentions of a STD & a hysterectomy.
-Elise Carmichael
P.O.V. of Elise
320 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{ Add ½ star for older girls who enjoyed political/suspense books. }
I’ve read a prior suspense book by this author before and enjoyed it, so “Dead Silence”, was on my release radar. The beginning of this book was suspenseful and the ending of this book was very suspenseful. I really liked Elise and her determination to do whatever for her son. I loved seeing them together and I really liked that this wasn’t a romance story at all. Elise is a widow who still very much misses her husband, but besides that there is no “romance” content at all. I’m constantly trying to find romance-free books in the Christian Fiction genre and it’s hard to find. That was an added bonus to this book.
I only have two and a half things that I wasn’t thrilled with: There was mentions of a senator who assaulted young women and made them get abortions. The middle of the book seemed a bit slower that the beginning and end (but it still flowed well). And the half-point goes to Elise’s faith. Now, I really enjoyed the faith content and the discussions, but Elise’s realization about trusting God felt a little out of place to me. The faith content was really good, but I wanted to see more of Elise having to make the steps towards trusting God, not just have someone witness to her and her pray. A little detail that doesn’t matter too much in the scheme of the plot, but something I wanted to note.
Overall, this was a good political suspense book that had nice faith content and a no-romance-based plot.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Publisher (Shiloh Run Press) for this honest review.
April 29, 2020
"Dead Silence" is a Christian suspense novel. There was no romance. When Elsie realized that the FBI had no leads except for the ones that she gave them, she and her sister-in-law and a female reporter and a female lawyer worked together to find the clues and solve the case. Granted, they did get a little help from two men, but the women were the ones actively solving the case. The FBI were portrayed as hampered by having to follow protocol and sometimes as downright incompetent. This created some suspense as the bad guys could leave threatening messages with little fear of being caught.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like Elise. She tended to forget important things whenever her son was threatened, so it was easy to throw her off her game. When one of the FBI agents pointed out that the senator died because Elise forgot to warn her or the police about the plot, Elise kicked the agents out and refused to provide them with the information they requested that would help catch the bad guy who murdered her mother-in-law and was threatening her. She did show courage by continuing to investigate the case even when threatened. But when she and one of the FBI agents were talking in the house, something happened outside that they equally should have noticed but she publicly blamed the FBI for not seeing it. She promised to do certain things that would prevent a sympathetic FBI agent from getting in trouble for helping her, but then she didn't do them and made his life very difficult. She used her deep love for her son to justify her behavior, but one can love their child without also blaming everyone else for their own mistakes.
A major clue was dropped at the beginning, allowing the reader to know all along who the bad guy was. It was understandable that the main characters didn't immediately see the significance, but it still took them a frustratingly long time to make the connections. Elise was angry at God for allowing her son to be born deaf, his father and grandmother killed, etc. Her sister-in-law encouraged her to talk to God and trust him. There was no sex or bad language.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
Unfortunately, I didn't really like Elise. She tended to forget important things whenever her son was threatened, so it was easy to throw her off her game. When one of the FBI agents pointed out that the senator died because Elise forgot to warn her or the police about the plot, Elise kicked the agents out and refused to provide them with the information they requested that would help catch the bad guy who murdered her mother-in-law and was threatening her. She did show courage by continuing to investigate the case even when threatened. But when she and one of the FBI agents were talking in the house, something happened outside that they equally should have noticed but she publicly blamed the FBI for not seeing it. She promised to do certain things that would prevent a sympathetic FBI agent from getting in trouble for helping her, but then she didn't do them and made his life very difficult. She used her deep love for her son to justify her behavior, but one can love their child without also blaming everyone else for their own mistakes.
A major clue was dropped at the beginning, allowing the reader to know all along who the bad guy was. It was understandable that the main characters didn't immediately see the significance, but it still took them a frustratingly long time to make the connections. Elise was angry at God for allowing her son to be born deaf, his father and grandmother killed, etc. Her sister-in-law encouraged her to talk to God and trust him. There was no sex or bad language.
I received an ebook review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
November 7, 2024
3.75⭐️
A U.S. Senator is murdered and her widowed, estranged daughter in-law, Elise, is questioned. Elise’s military husband had passed away a few years ago, leaving her to raise their deaf & mute son on her own.
Started off great, but felt a little predictable by the 1/2 mark. The way that Elise and the senator’s daughter handle shock & grief was a bit unbelievable too….🤷🏼♀️
What I REALLY liked about it though was that our main character was a single (widowed) woman, and there was NO ROMANCE for her in the book! How refreshing for a Christian suspense!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
A U.S. Senator is murdered and her widowed, estranged daughter in-law, Elise, is questioned. Elise’s military husband had passed away a few years ago, leaving her to raise their deaf & mute son on her own.
Started off great, but felt a little predictable by the 1/2 mark. The way that Elise and the senator’s daughter handle shock & grief was a bit unbelievable too….🤷🏼♀️
What I REALLY liked about it though was that our main character was a single (widowed) woman, and there was NO ROMANCE for her in the book! How refreshing for a Christian suspense!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
May 7, 2020
Fast paced from beginning to end this book will have you sitting on the edge of your seat eagerly turning the pages and leaves u thinking about the characters long after the story is finished.
I've read this author before and I think she's quite good!
This book was wonderful! It kept me guessing through the whole book and it really surprised me.
I liked the book because to me it was exciting and I loved all of the characters.
Mary Ellen especially. I liked her because she was a very understanding and forgiving person unlike her mother Lilliana.
Elise was outstanding! Her strength, determination, and dedication truly amazed me.
I finished this book in one day because I enjoyed it so.
I'm a forever fan of Robin's!
My thanks to Netgalley and Barbour publishers for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
I've read this author before and I think she's quite good!
This book was wonderful! It kept me guessing through the whole book and it really surprised me.
I liked the book because to me it was exciting and I loved all of the characters.
Mary Ellen especially. I liked her because she was a very understanding and forgiving person unlike her mother Lilliana.
Elise was outstanding! Her strength, determination, and dedication truly amazed me.
I finished this book in one day because I enjoyed it so.
I'm a forever fan of Robin's!
My thanks to Netgalley and Barbour publishers for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
May 4, 2020
“Dead Silence” by Robin Caroll is a very unique book. It’s a detective murder mystery story with strong Christian messages and suspense. It has sprinkles of humor scattered around, and no romance. There were twists and several parts were unexpected, at least for me. Overall, it was a fantastic book that I will certainly recommend and read again sometime, plus looking for more books by Robin Caroll.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a review.
Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC. All opinions are my own. I was not required to write a review.
April 15, 2021
*I received a free digital ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Christian political suspense
I should have paid more attention when picking this book up, that it was listed as Christian fiction, as I know that I have many problems with that. In fact, this book could also be surmised as “Mother of deaf child works her way back to God through additional trials and tribulations.” Yes, the substory was essentially that, which I felt a little uncomfortable with. It wasn’t too preachy, surprisingly, but as soon as a book goes into that sort of territory, I do hope that it’s not going to go too far.
But the main thing that invited me to read this book was actually the fact that the MC’s son is deaf. Sign language, lip reading, and deafness aren’t huge topics for a mystery suspense, so I liked the idea.
So, anyway, as for the main part of the story itself, we have a single mother, who lost her husband a few years previously, who now loses her difficult mother-in-law. She can sign and lipread, making her great as a court sign-language interpreter. But it also puts her into other difficult territory, when she reads the lips of someone without thinking, who turns out to be planning the murder of her mother-in-law, one of the state senators.
Well, of course, something comes in the way, so she can’t inform anyone, until it’s too late and the FBI are already at her workplace asking her questions. One FBI agent, who’s rude, abrasive, and incompetent. Another who is well meaning, but completely blind to how bad his partner actually is. When a leak puts Elise’s life in danger, all secrets are excruciatingly slowly forced out into the open.
In actual fact, it takes Elise herself, plus the assistance of a reporter who wants to help rather than going for the big money, and her ex-press step-father-in-law and sister-in-law, to crack the case. They somehow, between themselves, manage to uncover things that the FBI hasn’t.
How believable all of that truly is, I’m not quite sure. It was quite a ride, which left me wanting to read further at many points. Although it was pretty frustrating when it was revealed what Liliana (MiL) was actually working on and the penny didn’t even drop as to who the villain actually was. For me, it was blazingly obvious! So with the Christian elements, the FBI incompetence, and the supposedly ‘good sleuthing crew’ missing obvious clues, there were a few head bashing moments.
All of it put together, and it ends up as an OK read instead of a brilliant one. I don’t regret reading it, yet it doesn’t warm me to read any of the author’s other books.
Final rating: ★★★☆☆ – Sort of liked/OK
July 20, 2020
2.5 stars. This book has a wonderful cover and spectacular blurb—I couldn’t wait to dive in!! It started strong, but quickly went downhill. First, I had a hard time even superficially liking the main character. She had interesting ways of expressing her opinions and feelings that I wasn’t always on board with. The supporting cast was also on the flat side other than the one extremely irritating FBI agent. I will say though, that it WAS suspenseful, and it also didn’t have a centralized romance like most books of its kind, which was refreshing! I enjoy romantic suspense, but realized that I do like a book focused on the mystery instead of having the dual focus.
FTC disclosure—I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
FTC disclosure—I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 23, 2020
A court sign language interpreter reads the lips of a person on the phone and he is talking about the killing of a senator. A senator who just happens to be her mother in law. This is the premise for a taut drama as the woman's life and safety is threatened along with her deaf son. Caroll brings us into this world very well as we race with her to the thrilling conclusion. Recommended.
*My thanks to the publisher, Shiloh Run Press, for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
*My thanks to the publisher, Shiloh Run Press, for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinions in this review are entirely my own.
May 29, 2020
A single mom and her special needs son star in this suspenseful tale. The author creates a strong heroine in Elise, who will do anything to keep her deaf son safe. Her mama bear qualities serve her well as the heat is turned up. The family endures a lot as they grieve and get put in the crosshairs of an unknown enemy. Many red herrings thrown in kept me guessing at who the culprit was behind the scene. Coupled with a few inept FBI agents, pushy politicians and journalists, it was hard to know who she could trust.
Elise's struggles with faith were believable considering all she had endured. It was inspiring though as she realizes that God has not left her alone, and the power of prayer brings hope and renewal to her spiritual life. No romance here, but the bonds of family are explored, both their strengths and weaknesses.
Recommend to readers who like clean contemporary suspense with some inspiration.
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
Elise's struggles with faith were believable considering all she had endured. It was inspiring though as she realizes that God has not left her alone, and the power of prayer brings hope and renewal to her spiritual life. No romance here, but the bonds of family are explored, both their strengths and weaknesses.
Recommend to readers who like clean contemporary suspense with some inspiration.
(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)
June 28, 2020
Robin Caroll pens another good suspense with a fast-paced and intriguing plot filled with twists and turns, characters/family members who work well together, and insightful discussions about faith in the midst of tragedy, grief, and fear.
This is straight-up suspense without a hint of romance in the plot, except for Elise's fond memories of the great love she had shared with her deceased husband. Elise goes through a tremendous amount of grief and stress as her mother-in-law is found murdered and she and her son start receiving threats. She is a strong and determined lady, though a little impulsive and hot-headed. She's emotionally and physically supported by her loyal sister-in-law Mary Ellen, her smart and connected stepfather-in-law Noland, and a young but eager reporter Wesson who becomes a friend. I learned a bit of the day-to-day modifications a deaf child needs through Elise's son Sawyer's life.
I didn't fully connect with Elise unfortunately and I also wasn't too keen on how the investigation of the senator's murder played out but the suspense of the plot was gripping. If you enjoy suspense novels, you will enjoy this newest from Robin Caroll.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This is straight-up suspense without a hint of romance in the plot, except for Elise's fond memories of the great love she had shared with her deceased husband. Elise goes through a tremendous amount of grief and stress as her mother-in-law is found murdered and she and her son start receiving threats. She is a strong and determined lady, though a little impulsive and hot-headed. She's emotionally and physically supported by her loyal sister-in-law Mary Ellen, her smart and connected stepfather-in-law Noland, and a young but eager reporter Wesson who becomes a friend. I learned a bit of the day-to-day modifications a deaf child needs through Elise's son Sawyer's life.
I didn't fully connect with Elise unfortunately and I also wasn't too keen on how the investigation of the senator's murder played out but the suspense of the plot was gripping. If you enjoy suspense novels, you will enjoy this newest from Robin Caroll.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
May 25, 2020
A young deaf child, a court sign language
interpreter, a United States Senator
mother-in-law, a murder, a kidnapping,
a leak within the FBI combine for a power
packed, emotional, completely riveting
storyline.
The description in the story in so well
defined, the reader feels like they are right
there. The story is filled with many faith
references and inspirational reflections.
A tale of suspense, intrigue, mystery, vivid
characters, deceit, murder, kidnapping and
details of how to provide and live with a
disabled person.
A Highly Recommended Read.
I volunteered to read Dead Silence. Thanks
to Barbour Publisher via Net Gallery for the
opportunity. My opinion is voluntary and
my own.
interpreter, a United States Senator
mother-in-law, a murder, a kidnapping,
a leak within the FBI combine for a power
packed, emotional, completely riveting
storyline.
The description in the story in so well
defined, the reader feels like they are right
there. The story is filled with many faith
references and inspirational reflections.
A tale of suspense, intrigue, mystery, vivid
characters, deceit, murder, kidnapping and
details of how to provide and live with a
disabled person.
A Highly Recommended Read.
I volunteered to read Dead Silence. Thanks
to Barbour Publisher via Net Gallery for the
opportunity. My opinion is voluntary and
my own.
July 5, 2020
I really loved Elise in this story, I wish I could have the confidence this woman has when dealing with a difficult situation. She was so protective of her son, she honored her mother-in-law even though their relationship had been strained, and she brilliantly stands up to nosy reporters without being disrespectful.
This story is quite the page-turner yet there is nothing I considered inappropriate described. I am new to this author (maybe read one other book), but this is easily one of the best reads I've had this year and good reads have become harder to find lately.
Character EASIEST to despise in this story: FBI Agent Monica Wright wins the honor!
Characters most loved: hard to say because Connie the artist is great, Noland isn't even in the story until later but wow does he make a difference, and anyone else who helps Elise gets my vote.
One of my favorite scenes is when the police artist is drawing someone with Elise's description. The banter between Agent Wright and Elise is so tense and should even be frustrating to read about, but Caroll brilliantly writes it as if the reader is THERE and you end up cheering for Elise while Connie and the sister-in-law smile. Agent Wright should have had much harder consequences to deal with, her attitude alone was a liability, but to me she didn't get what was due to her.
I guessed who the culprit was early on but it still didn't take away anything in the story for me, just SO well written!! I was really blessed by this story! Smart characters to cheer for and seeing justice done as needed.
This story is quite the page-turner yet there is nothing I considered inappropriate described. I am new to this author (maybe read one other book), but this is easily one of the best reads I've had this year and good reads have become harder to find lately.
Character EASIEST to despise in this story: FBI Agent Monica Wright wins the honor!
Characters most loved: hard to say because Connie the artist is great, Noland isn't even in the story until later but wow does he make a difference, and anyone else who helps Elise gets my vote.
One of my favorite scenes is when the police artist is drawing someone with Elise's description. The banter between Agent Wright and Elise is so tense and should even be frustrating to read about, but Caroll brilliantly writes it as if the reader is THERE and you end up cheering for Elise while Connie and the sister-in-law smile. Agent Wright should have had much harder consequences to deal with, her attitude alone was a liability, but to me she didn't get what was due to her.
I guessed who the culprit was early on but it still didn't take away anything in the story for me, just SO well written!! I was really blessed by this story! Smart characters to cheer for and seeing justice done as needed.
June 18, 2020
This book was a super unique and cool twist on suspense—I mean, Elise has a deaf son, and is a lip reader and sign language-er (what's even the right term here? Maybe interpreter?) at the courthouse. Obviously, she sees something she wasn't supposed to, and now someone wants her silenced.
It was a good, suspenseful book, but...(there's always that one little word, isn't there?) I don't know. The writing seemed almost...amateurish?
Don't get me wrong, it was not at all like a middle-schooler had written it (nothing against middle schoolers, y'all, but your writing is supposed to mature with you). Usually the story hooked me. But then sometimes there were just those little words or phrases that completely took me out of the story.
The plot was engaging, and when I expected a romance to bloom, it didn't (the main reason for that being that one of the parties involved was married, though that fact wasn't brought out until over halfway through the book), so that was actually a pleasant surprise. The rookie agent, though? I felt like her character was...overplayed? I mean, her arrogance and condescending attitude made her character more real and diverse, I suppose, but I think it may have been a little bit over-the-top.
I appreciated Elise's gradual wading back into her faith and prayer life (and if that was a spoiler, please forgive me), but somehow it seemed...detached from the mystery. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, seeing as how it was prayer that got her through it all, but...I don't know. I wasn't a huge fan of that.
Sawyer was super cute, though, and while he wasn't perfect, he wasn't a spoiled brat either, so that was utterly fabulous.
(And detective Rodriguez? Give the man a high five, for both his patience and his work!)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. A positive review was not required. All thoughts are my own.
It was a good, suspenseful book, but...(there's always that one little word, isn't there?) I don't know. The writing seemed almost...amateurish?
Don't get me wrong, it was not at all like a middle-schooler had written it (nothing against middle schoolers, y'all, but your writing is supposed to mature with you). Usually the story hooked me. But then sometimes there were just those little words or phrases that completely took me out of the story.
The plot was engaging, and when I expected a romance to bloom, it didn't (the main reason for that being that one of the parties involved was married, though that fact wasn't brought out until over halfway through the book), so that was actually a pleasant surprise. The rookie agent, though? I felt like her character was...overplayed? I mean, her arrogance and condescending attitude made her character more real and diverse, I suppose, but I think it may have been a little bit over-the-top.
I appreciated Elise's gradual wading back into her faith and prayer life (and if that was a spoiler, please forgive me), but somehow it seemed...detached from the mystery. Which doesn't make a whole lot of sense, seeing as how it was prayer that got her through it all, but...I don't know. I wasn't a huge fan of that.
Sawyer was super cute, though, and while he wasn't perfect, he wasn't a spoiled brat either, so that was utterly fabulous.
(And detective Rodriguez? Give the man a high five, for both his patience and his work!)
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. A positive review was not required. All thoughts are my own.
April 10, 2020
This is my first read by this author and I'm glad I read it. I enjoyed it. The mystery was very good.
Elise reads lips and is a witness to a murder being planned. Things take off after this involving the dangerous situation she and her son are now in. Her son is deaf which makes things more difficult.
It was a great plot and I loved trying to figure things out. It wasn't your typical mystery where a female is in danger, the handsome detective shows up, saves her life and they fall in love in two weeks. No romance in this book, which was refreshing.
Here comes the however. Some things made no sense to me at all. These things ruined some of the enjoyment of the book. Elise gets threats against her and her son. Someone was in the house with her taking pictures. Boxes of different things are left as threats. A snake is put in her son's bed. A man tries to pick up her son at school. Someone was hiding outside her house watching her. What does she do? She lets her son go in the back yard to play by himself. He can't even yell for help as he is deaf and mute. An FBI man shows up to talk to her. She doesn't even face the back yard to watch her son. What happens next is predictable. He's kidnapped.
Later, while the FBI is trying to find her son she starts remembering when he was born. She thinks about all his birthdays and the first time she heard him say da-da and ma-ma. He's been deaf and mute since birth. How is this possible? Also, the FBI is so incompetent that Elise, her sister in law and a reporter friend have to give them all the information they can't figure out. Elise and her friends even have to solve the crime. These inconsistencies bother me.
Well, there's my likes and dislikes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest opinion.
Elise reads lips and is a witness to a murder being planned. Things take off after this involving the dangerous situation she and her son are now in. Her son is deaf which makes things more difficult.
It was a great plot and I loved trying to figure things out. It wasn't your typical mystery where a female is in danger, the handsome detective shows up, saves her life and they fall in love in two weeks. No romance in this book, which was refreshing.
Here comes the however. Some things made no sense to me at all. These things ruined some of the enjoyment of the book. Elise gets threats against her and her son. Someone was in the house with her taking pictures. Boxes of different things are left as threats. A snake is put in her son's bed. A man tries to pick up her son at school. Someone was hiding outside her house watching her. What does she do? She lets her son go in the back yard to play by himself. He can't even yell for help as he is deaf and mute. An FBI man shows up to talk to her. She doesn't even face the back yard to watch her son. What happens next is predictable. He's kidnapped.
Later, while the FBI is trying to find her son she starts remembering when he was born. She thinks about all his birthdays and the first time she heard him say da-da and ma-ma. He's been deaf and mute since birth. How is this possible? Also, the FBI is so incompetent that Elise, her sister in law and a reporter friend have to give them all the information they can't figure out. Elise and her friends even have to solve the crime. These inconsistencies bother me.
Well, there's my likes and dislikes.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest opinion.
March 15, 2020
In Dead Silence, Robin Caroll's latest novel, court sign language interpreter Elise Carmichael find herself and her deaf and mute son in the crosshairs of someone determined to keep her silent. As a lip reader, Carmichael "hears" a threat against a US Senator only to find the threat realized. When she goes to the authorities, Elise and her son are threatened. Full of action and suspense, the novel follows Elise's crusade to find the killer while trying to stay a step ahead of the threats.
A likeable, smart, down-to-earth woman who's just trying to get on with her life after her Marine husband was killed and trying to protect her young deaf and mute son. Readers are immediately drawn into Elise's story and find themselves cheering for her throughout the book and booking the bad guys. Lots of twists and turns keep readers guessing who is really to blame. But will Elise be able to solve the mystery before it's too late? You'll have to pick up a copy of Dead Silence and find out. Make sure you block out some time because you won't want to put the book down until you're done!
Readers, note: there's no romance in this novel! And it was actually quite refreshing to read a suspenseful mystery novel that was not centered around a romance. Plus, it was great to see a main character who didn't need a man in her life to be successful, to be smart, to have a good support system. It was just a nice change from novels that focus on romance plus mystery. Way to go, Robin Caroll! Give us more like this one.
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
A likeable, smart, down-to-earth woman who's just trying to get on with her life after her Marine husband was killed and trying to protect her young deaf and mute son. Readers are immediately drawn into Elise's story and find themselves cheering for her throughout the book and booking the bad guys. Lots of twists and turns keep readers guessing who is really to blame. But will Elise be able to solve the mystery before it's too late? You'll have to pick up a copy of Dead Silence and find out. Make sure you block out some time because you won't want to put the book down until you're done!
Readers, note: there's no romance in this novel! And it was actually quite refreshing to read a suspenseful mystery novel that was not centered around a romance. Plus, it was great to see a main character who didn't need a man in her life to be successful, to be smart, to have a good support system. It was just a nice change from novels that focus on romance plus mystery. Way to go, Robin Caroll! Give us more like this one.
Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.
March 7, 2020
Dead Silence is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you turning the pages. Oh my heart! It is still beating hard after this emotional roller coaster ride. The heroine is a loving mom who is an interpreter for the deaf in a court of law. She reads lips and sees a man say make a threat against a senator. The senator happens to be her mother in law. Her son is deaf and they both are in danger. I won't go into any more detail because you just have to read it. This is a suspenseful thriller with no romance. The love in this book is the love of a mother for her son and what she will do to keep him safe.
*I was given a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing. This is my honest opinion
4.5 stars
*I was given a copy of this book by Barbour Publishing. This is my honest opinion
4.5 stars
May 30, 2020
Dead Silence by Robin Caroll is an exciting Christian contemporary suspense that had me glued from the start.
The novel is set among the political echelons of America and the FBI. There is always a question of who to trust especially as there appears to be a leak from within. God can always be trusted even when life is tough. He sees the end from the beginning and can turn around what others meant for harm. Even when life appears to be spinning away from us we have to “believe that God was [is] in control.”
Life has dealt blows to a character meaning that they withdrew from God in anger and pain. “It’s okay to rally at Him – none of it catches Him by surprise. He can handle your questions and even your anger.” God longs to hear from us, no matter what it is that is bothering us. If it bothers us, it bothers Him. He never abandons us. If we do not hear from Him, maybe we are not listening.
There is a media frenzy within the tale. They all want a story, except for one kind heart who really wants to help.
God can give us a peace in our heart in spite of our circumstances if we would just turn to Him. We need to exercise our faith muscle.
The characters were well drawn and believable. I read with my heart in my mouth as the tension rose. Robin Caroll has created a well thought out tale that captured my imagination from the start. I really enjoyed Dead Silence.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
The novel is set among the political echelons of America and the FBI. There is always a question of who to trust especially as there appears to be a leak from within. God can always be trusted even when life is tough. He sees the end from the beginning and can turn around what others meant for harm. Even when life appears to be spinning away from us we have to “believe that God was [is] in control.”
Life has dealt blows to a character meaning that they withdrew from God in anger and pain. “It’s okay to rally at Him – none of it catches Him by surprise. He can handle your questions and even your anger.” God longs to hear from us, no matter what it is that is bothering us. If it bothers us, it bothers Him. He never abandons us. If we do not hear from Him, maybe we are not listening.
There is a media frenzy within the tale. They all want a story, except for one kind heart who really wants to help.
God can give us a peace in our heart in spite of our circumstances if we would just turn to Him. We need to exercise our faith muscle.
The characters were well drawn and believable. I read with my heart in my mouth as the tension rose. Robin Caroll has created a well thought out tale that captured my imagination from the start. I really enjoyed Dead Silence.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
June 28, 2020
In Dead Silence, single mother Elise Carmichael is a sign language interpreter who accidentally lip-reads someone talking about a possible murder of a senator. Before she can do anything, she rushes to the ER where her young deaf son is being treated. Then the news announces the senator -- her mother-in-law -- was killed. What should she do?
When Elise shares what she knows, she puts herself and her son at risk, and the killer comes after them. Elise’s faith helps her get through a challenging situation where it is unclear who to trust with their safety. She, like most mothers, will do anything to protect her son. When faced with journalists, politicians, and even FBI agents who are anything but helpful, Elise takes matters into her own hands.
Carroll presents a well-written realistic suspense novel. While the character development is slow for the first part of the book, the story is filled with non-stop action. Elise's faith is evident as she prays for guidance and protection. The book has a few red herrings, making it difficult for the reader to guess the killer.
Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write reviews, nor to even post positive reviews.
When Elise shares what she knows, she puts herself and her son at risk, and the killer comes after them. Elise’s faith helps her get through a challenging situation where it is unclear who to trust with their safety. She, like most mothers, will do anything to protect her son. When faced with journalists, politicians, and even FBI agents who are anything but helpful, Elise takes matters into her own hands.
Carroll presents a well-written realistic suspense novel. While the character development is slow for the first part of the book, the story is filled with non-stop action. Elise's faith is evident as she prays for guidance and protection. The book has a few red herrings, making it difficult for the reader to guess the killer.
Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write reviews, nor to even post positive reviews.
July 13, 2020
A fast paced suspenseful mystery with twists and turns throughout that kept me guessing until the climatic end.
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who can read lips. She is also a single mother of a little boy who is deaf. In court one day she reads the lips of two men who are planning a murder. She realizes that they are threatening the life of her mother in law, who is a U.S. Senator. Because of an emergency with her son, Elise doesn’t disclose the information in time and the Senator is murdered in her home with no suspects. Elise contacts the FBI and tries to work with them. Her life is in threatened over and over and she is frightened for her son. With strength she never knew she had, Elise takes matters into her own hands to save both her life and the life of her son.
I received this E book as a gift from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. It was enjoyable to read and a real page turner filled with suspense, political intrigue, and family. Highly recommended.
Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who can read lips. She is also a single mother of a little boy who is deaf. In court one day she reads the lips of two men who are planning a murder. She realizes that they are threatening the life of her mother in law, who is a U.S. Senator. Because of an emergency with her son, Elise doesn’t disclose the information in time and the Senator is murdered in her home with no suspects. Elise contacts the FBI and tries to work with them. Her life is in threatened over and over and she is frightened for her son. With strength she never knew she had, Elise takes matters into her own hands to save both her life and the life of her son.
I received this E book as a gift from Goodreads in exchange for an honest review. It was enjoyable to read and a real page turner filled with suspense, political intrigue, and family. Highly recommended.
June 21, 2020
We take so much for granted, and when the author gives us a woman whose son is deaf, and she now works as a sign language interpreter, and she reads lips. A gift? Well, yes, but her seven year old does and thus watches TV cartoons, wonderful! Then, she accidentally reads the lips of a man that becomes very personal, but life intervenes before she is able to act on it.
This story quickly became a page turner for me, looking for answers, the family is dealing with grief, then being tormented, and why?
I had my suspect from the very beginning, and yes, I was right, but there are many side stories, and life happenings that just kept this a great read.
You will end up with your heart in your throat, and not know whom to trust, and in the end one person has so little regard for human life, and is full of greed.
I received this book through the Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
This story quickly became a page turner for me, looking for answers, the family is dealing with grief, then being tormented, and why?
I had my suspect from the very beginning, and yes, I was right, but there are many side stories, and life happenings that just kept this a great read.
You will end up with your heart in your throat, and not know whom to trust, and in the end one person has so little regard for human life, and is full of greed.
I received this book through the Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.
June 10, 2020
Intriguing and interesting. It wasn’t ,oh no, what’s going to happen next, intriguing, but still intriguing. It’s starts out with Elise, widow, mother of deaf and mute little boy named Sawyer. She works at a courthouse and being a lip reader because of her deaf son, she lip reads a man saying he’s going to murder or do harm, to her mother-in-law, who is a Senator. Before she can let someone know, she gets a call her son is hurt and she rushes to be with him and make sure he’s okay, forgetting all about what she’s lipread, And then everything begins. It’s a truly good read. I don’t believe you’ll be sorry you read it. I really liked it. I thank #NetGalley and the publishers, Barbour Publishing, for the opportunity to read and review #DeadSilence . This review is my own honest opinion of this book.
July 24, 2020
If you love reading Christian suspense or clean suspense novels, then add Robin Caroll to your list of must-read authors.
I’m not going to give many story details in this review because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will tell you that this is quite a page-turner of a story. Elise Carmichael, the main character in the story, is still grieving the loss of her husband, and their son is her whole world. As Elise gets caught up in the investigation of her mother-in-law’s murder, she will do anything to protect her son, even if that means facing the dangers of conducting her own investigation. This political thriller has an unusual plot, and several of the story’s turns were unexpected. I liked the faith element of trusting God in difficult times.
This is one of the best Christian suspense novels I’ve read this year.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
I’m not going to give many story details in this review because I don’t want to give anything away, but I will tell you that this is quite a page-turner of a story. Elise Carmichael, the main character in the story, is still grieving the loss of her husband, and their son is her whole world. As Elise gets caught up in the investigation of her mother-in-law’s murder, she will do anything to protect her son, even if that means facing the dangers of conducting her own investigation. This political thriller has an unusual plot, and several of the story’s turns were unexpected. I liked the faith element of trusting God in difficult times.
This is one of the best Christian suspense novels I’ve read this year.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
July 27, 2020
This is a good, basic suspense novel.
When I selected it, I actually didn't realize it was Christian Lit. I still didn't realize until about half way through when characters started praying and doing something called a 'hedge of blessings'. I'll be honest that Christian Lit isn't really my thing and I did find it weird that the Christian part waited until halfway through the book to start. I think it would have been less clunky if it were all the way through.
That being said, it was still a good, basic suspense novel. I enjoyed the political issues, was intrigued by our murder, and loved our mom and her little boy. The fact that the boy was hearing impaired added to the story and I learned a little something as well.
All in all, it was a good read.
When I selected it, I actually didn't realize it was Christian Lit. I still didn't realize until about half way through when characters started praying and doing something called a 'hedge of blessings'. I'll be honest that Christian Lit isn't really my thing and I did find it weird that the Christian part waited until halfway through the book to start. I think it would have been less clunky if it were all the way through.
That being said, it was still a good, basic suspense novel. I enjoyed the political issues, was intrigued by our murder, and loved our mom and her little boy. The fact that the boy was hearing impaired added to the story and I learned a little something as well.
All in all, it was a good read.
June 11, 2020
Dead Silence is a fast-paced book full of nail-biting suspense. Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who can also read lips. This gets her into a heap of trouble when she reads a mans lips talking about something bad going to happen to a senator who also happens to be her mother-in-law. Soon after witnessing that conversation, her mother-in-law is found murdered. It quickly becomes very apparent that whoever is responsible wants Elise to keep quiet. They will stop at nothing to make sure she never figures out who is behind the senator's death. But who would want the senator dead and why? This is a definite page-turner. It totally held my interest as I kept trying to put all the clues together to figure out what was really going on.
I have heard about this author's books for several years, but had not gotten a chance to read one. So glad I read this one and plan to read more of her books in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
I have heard about this author's books for several years, but had not gotten a chance to read one. So glad I read this one and plan to read more of her books in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Net Galley. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
June 21, 2020
This is an exhilarating adventure experience that I really enjoyed. I found the sign language and lip reading interesting and it kept me reading till the end. I felt how Elise was treated by the one FBI Agent disturbing but I also understand how some personalities clash and have seen professionals act rudely so it was believable. Elise growth in her Faith was woven in and her love for her son was evident from the beginning. An enjoyable thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
September 11, 2020
Whew! What a ride you will go on with this book. This book starts out with action and it does not let up throughout the entire book. In this book we meet Elise is a widow with a son named Sawyer, 7. Sawyer is deaf. Sawyer is involved in an accident on the school playground. Right before this happens - Elise reads the lips of someone telling her that they will be killing her mother in law who is a senator. Then Sawyer is injured. Elise is not able to warn anyone - and her mother in law is assasinated. Now we go on an adventure of whodunit - is Sawyer's accident part of it - and is Elise and Sawyer safe?
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley - all thoughts are my own.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley - all thoughts are my own.
July 10, 2021
This has been on my TBR for quite awhile. I received this book on NetGalley from the publisher to give it a try. I am so so glad I finally did! It was awesome. It pulled me in immediately and I could not put it down, because I had to know what happened next. I devoured this book, let me tell you. Excellent read. I will now be looking up more of Robin's books as this was my first read by her, however it will not be my last!
I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I received this book from NetGalley and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
June 11, 2020
Thank-you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this story. Dead Silence is the story of a single mother who will do anything to protect her young son and extended family. After unknowingly lip-reading a murder plot, Elise becomes the target of unknown forces set out to silence her. The premise of the story was a very good one but had me wondering why it was tagged as a Christian Fiction. The beginning of the book did not play as a Christian book but when it finally kicked in we are bombarded with too much of it. For such a strong character, Elise makes a lot of questionable choices at the wrong time. At about 38%, I was able to solve the mystery. I am conflicted as I enjoyed the book. There was no hint of sexual anything going on, the relationship between Elise and her family was nice to see. I just needed a little more cohesiveness to the story for me. I would not mind reading more from this author. ***These are my honest opinions and not meant to take away from the author's hard work.***
May 23, 2020
Danger and intrigue are found in this fast paced story. When a murder occurs, finding who is responsible takes on twists and turns. A mother's love for her son shines strong. Great read. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
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