The Silence

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“Emotionally spry, smartly suspenseful...vibrates with Hitchcockian atmosphere." -- Booklist (starred review) This powerful debut novel weaves an emotional narrative with a suspenseful mystery centered on a shocking disappearance, two neighboring families, and buried secrets. In 1997, Isla Green receives a midnight call from her father in Sydney, prompting her to recall the 1967 disappearance of their neighbor, Mandy. Initially thought to have left her troubled marriage, Mandy's family now seeks closure, and suspicion falls on Isla’s father, Joe, who was allegedly the last to see her alive. Reluctantly, Isla returns to Australia after a decade away to support her father. This journey leads her back to a seaside street where her parents, Louisa and Joe, have recently emigrated, while next door, the troubled marriage of Steve and Mandy unfolds. As Isla delves into the past, she uncovers unsettling truths about both couples and their relationships. Questions arise about Joe’s potential culpability and Louisa’s knowledge of past events. Furthermore, a deeper secret tied to Australia’s colonial history looms over the community, shrouded in silence. This novel deftly explores the fragility of relationships and the painful truths we hide from those we love, marking a stunning entry from a promising literary talent.