Propelling the reader back and forth between the 1940s, 1960s and 1980s, The Silent Listener is an unforgettable literary suspense novel set in the dark, gothic heart of rural Australia. In the cold, wet summer of 1960, 11-year-old Joy Henderson lives in constant fear of her father. She tries to make him happy but, as he keeps reminding her, she is nothing but a filthy sinner destined for Hell . . . Yet, decades later, she returns to the family's farm to nurse him on his death bed. To her surprise, her 'perfect' sister Ruth is also there, whispering dark words, urging revenge. Then the day after their father finally confesses to a despicable crime, Joy finds him dead - with a belt pulled tight around his neck . . . For Senior Constable Alex Shepherd, investigating George's murder revives memories of an unsolved case still haunting him since that strange summer of 1960- the disappearance of nine-year-old Wendy Boscombe. As seemingly impossible facts surface about the Hendersons - from the past and the present - Shepherd suspects that Joy is pulling him into an intricate web of lies and that Wendy's disappearance is the key to the bizarre truth.
Reviews with the most likes.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – WOWZA!
This by far is the best book I have read this year! It completely blew me away that this is the author's debut novel! The writing was phenomenal. It was well paced. The setting was atmospheric and bleak. The characters were well developed and intriguing. The plot was intricate and compelling. Each minor revelation akin to peeling the layers of an onion. And that ending...WOW! I honestly don't know what else to say about it other than if you can only read one book this year, this should be it!
ARC Via NetGalley
