Joanne Lee digging an eighteen-inch deep hole, with her bare hands, in the family grave in order to bury the body of a baby girl which she and her sister Cath had discovered stuffed into a red bin in her mother’s wardrobe. Bernadette, having concealed her pregnancy, claimed that the child had been stillborn and that she hadn’t known what to do. Joanne felt torn: having recently buried her own baby son she knew that her dead sister had a right to a proper funeral, yet she knew her mother would get into trouble for concealing the death and wanted to protect her. So, even though she knew it was wrong, she reluctantly suggested this illegal interment in the family grave. It wouldn’t be until 2008 that she would discover that Bernadette had also kept the remains of three more dead babies, born between 1986 and 1997: one was discovered in the same red bin and the other two in a canvas holdall. What the family had seen as the effects of Bernadette’s yo-yo dieting over the years had, in fact, been concealed pregnancies. With her mother initially denying all knowledge of the bodies, Joanne was arrested on suspicion of murder but, once the facts emerged, her mother eventually stood trial. However, because forensic examinations were unable to determine whether any of the babies had been born alive, she was charged only with the concealment of their births and deaths.
The background to these horrors is exposed through Joanne Lee’s account of her childhood experiences growing up in almost unimaginable squalor in a dysfunctional, filthy, chaotic home, seeing and experiencing things no young child should ever be exposed to. When the police searched the house in 2008, they discovered animal faeces scattered around the place, swarms of maggots, bin bags piled up from the floor to the ceiling, and even stinking, years-old nappies matted into the carpet. To describe her mother as inadequate is a huge understatement. Although she wasn’t physically abusive, she showed absolutely no interest in her daughter, leaving her to fend for herself from a very young age.
A sad story but so good that you wont want to stop reading.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Riveting and heart-wrenching at its core!


This memoir Silent Sisters is the story of Joanne Lee and how she learned her mother kept the remains of three newborn babies hidden in a bin in her wardrobe and the fourth baby in a cemetery.

We learn that Joanne grew up in a chaotic home suffering physical and emotional abuse. Eventually she details her struggles in piecing together the truth of what really happened and is able to bring justice for the babies she never knew.

This book is very haunting. Very dark and disturbing, but a good read. I felt for the family and all they went through. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.

This book was heartwrenching and heartbreaking. the story was incredible and I really enjoyed reading it.

*Received for free from netgalley for honest review* yikes don't even begin to cover it, but this was a really great read for multiple reasons, it showed me the differences in government support and help of its people in the UK (over decades ago no less) and of it in the US. I also thought loved what Joanne did for and with her son, she's right that there's a huge gap in communication and its really all on hearing peoples end! i know sign myself tho i rarely have chances to use it, reading all that she did was really awesome. Overall heartwarming book and though the story itself isnt pleasant and is hard to read it is less, graphic, i suppose id say, than other true crimes ive read so i was able to not cry once while reading this (though it was hard at times ngl).

A very dark and tough read to get through. Powerful though, and gave similar type vibes as Educated and The Glass Castle and it's quite emotional at times too. It's a reminder that some people really shouldn't be allowed to have children.

I really enjoyed this book, the characters were well developed. It had an interesting plot. I would be interested in reading more

Wow.. From the first page how everything was described is was like you where there with her, feeling her pain, and everything she had to go through. This is definitely I book I will recommend to everyone. Very sad to think that someone had to go through all of this, but also thank you for sharing your storie for everyone to read. This will definitely make an excellent movie..

This is a true story that really grabs your heartstrings and gives a good tug. It kept me emotions going throughout and kept me interested. Great read.

3.5/5 rating.

Silent Sisters read as a heartbreaking, traumatic, desperate for understand and acceptance from readers. I try not to judge memoirs too harshly since they are stories of someone's life, but this story is one that will stick with me for a lifetime.

From the opening of the novel, we are walked through a childhood that could've used a bit more love and care. With parents who were too self involved, and grandmas with clashing love languages, Joanne starts to repeat the turbulent and chaotic actions of her mother.

This story is one that highlights the flaws that the US foster system has when dealing with children who are in direct danger of their parents, especially those whose parents have a mental illness. While the crime is horrendous and traumatic, overall, I think the topic of mental illness and abuse could've been handled with a bit more empathy.

This was a great way to advocate for children in foster care, children in abusive homes, children living with parents that suffer from debilitating mental illness, and instead I read it as a smear campaign against Joanne's mother. But I understand it's hard to forgive your abuser, so grain of salt.

This isn’t my usual type of book. But it was good and I enjoyed it all the same. It was good to read and well written. It flowed well and was easy to read And sad to boot

Silent Sisters by Joanne Lee
This is a true story that really grabs your heartstrings and gives a good tug. Well written and pretty quick reading. Thank you Netgalley and Mirrorbooks for a copy of this book and allowing me to leave my opinion.

4/5*
I'm so glad I got to read this book. It definitely had my emotions going. My heart swells for Joanne and what she went through, but I think it's amazing to hear of the lady she became from the 'darkness'. I really enjoyed this book.

A true story of a young girl growing up in Merseyside, England. Her parents tell her that they are getting a divorce which devastates her as she loves her dad, but her mum seems to take little notice of Joanne. Then things get worse as her mother just sits in the house and drinks and watches television all day. Joanne virtually runs the household and at age 11 is looking after herself and her brother and keeping the house as best she can, cooking meals and going to school most days. Her mother Bernadette, has many boyfriends and young Joanne also meets Mark. They have a child together and then Joanne realizes that Mark is also one of her mum's lovers. Then tradegy hits and just when you think things cannot get any worse, Joanne has to do the most unimaginable thing to protect her mother.
I found this story interesting, but kept asking myself when Child Protection was going to step in and also why Joanne did not go to the Police when the first incident took place. It is supposed to all be true, but some parts seem totally unbelievable and ghastly.

I really enjoyed this book. Those interested in biographies/Memoirs will be interested in reading this book. I rate this book 5 out of 5. Generously provided by NetGalley.

Yet another true crime story, I never get bored reading these. This story was really heartbreaking for me. I felt so bad for the author as she details what her life was like growing up. She essentially took on the roll of the mother and being a mom myself I couldn't imagine doing that to one of my children.

Even though I have read stories that are similar in their premise, this one has details that almost have to be read/heard to be believed. If you are looking for a book that will leave you wondering how it could be possible, this might be the one for you.

Having just finished Silent Sisters, I am not sure if the book is about redemption, victimisation or lack of accountability as the book seems to look for acceptance from the masses. This is a true story that deals with the Merseyside mother who hid dead babies in her wardrobe for up to 20 years though the information is a bit sketchy on the length of time. Although the crime is a great tabloid story, there is a lot of holes in the story and it is basically a he said, she said scenario that lends itself to a lot of hearsay.

The book opens with Joanne’s look at her upbringing with a mother who is described as loose, unresponsive, alcoholic and unmotherly. Joanne is pushed from pillar to post with a father who comes across as not being very present. It seems like shared custody was not on the cards or thought about. We get one third of the book of Joanne being miserable because of her circumstances which is acceptable but then we start the repeating history phase of her life where she starts repeating the past of her mother.

She is particularly hard on her grandmothers one who is kind and the other who seemed to step out of a Shirley Temple film with her hard edges and wicked ways. At times, these passages come across as a person who really doesn’t reflect on the situation as a whole. The book is basically told from the point of view as Joanne is the victim in everything from her parents, grandparents, friends, co-workers, and partners and from her own decisions. This could be from the tone of the book but she doesn’t really accept any responsibility for her actions or her decisions. The book tends to place her in the middle of a life that she has no say even though it is stressed who strong willed she is.

The crime is very sad and though one shakes their heads at the thought of four dead possibly stillborn, maybe not babies being stored in canvas bags and a red pail, one has to wonder about the mother who put them there. This is where the story takes a sad downward turn as there is an apparently s mentally ill mother who has a mother with a medical career and a sister who is a social worker and not one person thought this woman could use some kind of intervention.

Joanne’s story is heart breaking and I am sure that most of the story’s tone is lacking in empathy. Some serious questions do get raised as mentioned above and all through the court case, we really do not get any answers. The facts are shady, we have a distraught daughter whom made a bad decision with the first dead baby and admittedly knew she did wrong but never thought to find her mother help. The court case happens and the mother stays with the social worker sister, hiding from the world and still no psychiatric help. Her court fiasco still did not give her any psychiatric care.

As the sordid story comes to a close we are left with Joanne in a failed relationship but with an upturn as she has done a world of good for the deaf and is an institution to her accomplishments and my hats are off to her.

Overall, the tone of the book could have been handled a bit better and handled with a bit more empathy. Bernie was atrocious human being who really shouldn’t have had children due to her many psychiatric problems which are never addressed. The social services let down Joanne and her sister and brothers. She conquered all odds to raise well adjusted children and was able to break the cycle but questions are still left unanswered about who Bernie is handled as person who needs help. Through her alcoholism, psychiatric breaks, bipolar tendencies we are left with a story about the lack of professional help when it incurs within the UK. Interesting story and does have its merits but at times, the reader is left with a lot more questions than answers.

It is possible that maybe the journalists involved with the overall editing could have done a better job for Joanne and had the means to provide a story that is let down by its tone in general.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!
I am truly on a True Crime kick right now. I mean you can't make some of this stuff up. The truth quite honestly is more horrifying and stranger than fiction. This book is no exception. I can not even begin to imagine how Joanne dealt with it all and is here to tell the tale. My hat is off to her. I hate to say I enjoyed reading this given the topic, but I enjoyed reading this. Highly recommend to all my fellow true crime lovers!

In Silent Sisters Joanne Lee shares a story of her life stretching from early childhood through adulthood that is horrifying and engrossing at the same time. Reading Silent Sisters was somewhat like stumbling upon a terrible car wreck. You are both horrified and curious in almost equal measure, asking, "How could this happen? What could possibly have led to this?" Although Silent Sisters reveals a story of neglect and out and out abuse, it also reveals a story of breathtaking courage and strength. Readers will be amazed and inspired at the generosity and love of Joanne Lee.

This was so sad and horrible and gross. How could the author's mother work in a mental health facility, live with a psychiatric nurse and have a mother who was also a psychiatric nurse a f yet no one ever did anything about her clearly horrible mental health state? Everyone noticed her kids and home were filthy, she was constantly drunk, and they had no power, gas or water in the home and yet no one stepped in? So gross. Those poor, poor children. What a horrible way to grow up.