The Silent Ones is a brilliant read and a first rate psychological thriller. The book opens with Maddy and Brianna, ten year old cousins, being taken by the police for questioning. They had been at the home of Bessie, an elderly friend of their grandparents, who they were visiting when Bessie was discovered with brutal injuries and both girls were splattered in blood. But when questioned the girls refuse to speak to anyone about it. Juliet and Chloe are sisters but totally different. Juliet is married to Tom and has two children, Maddy and Josh. Chloe lives with her parents and Brianna. Both mothers refuse to believe that the girls could have attacked Bessie and are keen to solve the mystery. Dana, a family therapist is called in and her digging uncovers all the long buried secrets and lies of the family especially the accident where their brother Corey died and where Juliet has always been blamed. The book is mostly written from Juliet’s point of view but with some chapters from other members of the family and from the past, which builds the tension that leads to a shocking climax. A highly recommended read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Silent Ones is my second novel by British author, K.L.Slater.

Shocked amazement was the reaction of sisters Juliet and Chloe when they were brought to a Police Station to learn that their ten-year-old daughters, Maddy and Brianna, were implicated in the fatal beating of an elderly woman in their small Nottinghamshire village.

This was a cleverly plotted page-turner with many twists and red herrings leading up to an exciting conclusion. The narrative was from the perspective of the sisters and a therapist and the reader was not privy to some key pieces of information, helping to maintain the high levels of intrigue. Long-held family secrets, guilt, blame and selfishness all had a place in this fabulous and compulsive thriller.

Deeply layered and strongly character driven, this masterful thriller provided some thought provoking questions along the way. This is a novel not to be missed!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

Review: Another great read by K.L. Slater. This one really kept me on the edge of my seat. It starts out with cousins Maddy and Brianna going into an elderly neighbor's house while their grandmother is looking after them. The girls find the old woman in her chair and she looks like she is sleeping. What happens next blows the families of the girls apart. The girls won't speak about what happened and when they do one of the girls blames the other. But there is something deeper to this story. The elderly woman ends up dying and the whole town thinks it is the girls' fault. I love trying to guess the whodunnit which is why mysteries and thrillers are my favorite genre. This one was done so well with characters intertwined with one another that I was almost mad at myself for not figuring it out earlier. This book has a cast of unstable characters so it's really difficult to know who is telling the truth and who is carrying a secret. There are also parts in the book that seem easy to guess and the author leads you right to it and then you are wrong. Fantastically done by K.L. Slater! A must-read for mystery, suspense, thriller aficionados.

Thank you to Netgalley, K.L. Slater, and Bookouture for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a number of books by this author, and am always excited to see a new one! The Silent Ones is a gripping thriller that grabbed my attention from the start and kept me guessing until the end. Recommended to fans of twisty thrillers with engaging characters!

Two little girls are accused of a ghastly crime. But family secrets run deep. This book did not give up its secrets easily. Another wonderful story by one of my favourite authors! I can't wait for the next book!

What would you do if your ten year old child was accused of murder? What if everything starts falling apart? How would you handle it? This book starts innocently enough with two ten year old cousins playing but quickly turns horrific when the girls are accused of harming an elderly neighbor. At the police station the girls remain silent. Not uttering a single word or acknowledging anyone in anyway. The evidence against them is overwhelming. They were at the house. They are covered in her blood. Neither of the girls' mothers think their daughter did this horrible crime. They beg the girls to tell the truth about what happened. But the longer the girls stay silent the worse it gets. Their mothers who are sisters start turning on each other in order to protect their own daughter even if its a the price of their niece. The police bring in a specialist to try to get the girls to talk. What unfolds is years of hidden secrets from one family.
This book had me on the edge of my seat right from the start. I loved everything about this book. It had so many twists and surprising developments that I was kept guessing right until the end. Every time I thought I had figured out what really happened another twist was thrown in. This was a gripping mystery that was an excellent read. I highly recommend it. This was the first book by K.L. Slater that I have read, but I can guarantee it wont be the last.

Wow ....Wow ......Wow....... what can I say i love k.l Slater her books are amazing and I've read them all so when I heard she had a new book coming out I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and when I received a copy from netgalley I thought all my Christmases had come at once this book was every bit amazing 5 stars this book is a must read

I am a huge fan of Kim Slater and I love her books, though I have yet to read them all. I had eagerly been awaiting it to land NetGalley and as soon as I did I requested it. The premise sounded interesting and I couldn't wait to dive into it. I've read "Blink", "Liar" and "Finding Grace" previously but this one was different. And I was not disappointed. For those who may remember, it had a hint of the Jamie Bulger murder case which occurred in the UK in the 90s. But in true Kim Slater fashion, it was so much more than that.

Two sisters - Juliet and Chloe - run their own kids clothing business and have a daughter each, Maddy and Brianna, both aged 10. The girls are best friends, having practically grown up together, as the family is a close-knit one. But as we delve further in, we discover that this family is not like other families. They are incredibly dysfunctional, taking the concept to a whole new level.

The story begins with Maddy and Brianna making their way to elderly Bessie Wilford's place, after stealthily leaving the safety of their grandparents' place, and letting themselves in through the back door. When they arrive Bessie is sound asleep in her chair and so the girls decide to have "some fun with Bessie". One of them leans forward with her lips close to Bessie's ear and yells "WAKE UP BESSIE!!" after which Bessie is jolted awake and falls backwards from her chair. At this stage, it isn't revealed which girl is which.

As the girls leave Bessie's house, they are picked up by authorities and taken to the police station. We, as readers, are left wondering what really took place and why the girls refuse to utter a single word.

Juliet and Chloe are in the midst of accounts and orders at the warehouse they have rented for their business when the police arrive. They are told simply that their girls are at the police station and they need to come. The sisters are worried something has happened to their girls and fire off questions to the officers who accompany them. But they are assured their girls are fine. So why are they at the police station?

When they are ushered into an interview room, Detective Inspector Conor Neary - SIO on the case - informs them that the girls have been arrested for the vicious assault of elderly victim Bessie Wilford. Juliet and Chloe cannot believe this of their girls. They are sweet, kind and gentle...and are only 10 years old!

But there is one major problem. Both Maddy and Brianna refuse to utter a single word. Even to each other.

Then they receive word that Bessie has died of her injuries and it is now a murder inquiry.

The girls' grandparents arrive, along with Juliet's husband Tom. All are at a loss as to the magnitude of the situation that the girls have found themselves in. If only they would talk... So it becomes Juliet and Chloe's job to try and encourage Maddy and Brianna to speak.

What ensues is a frantic 36 hours from start to finish as the truth of what really happened at Bessie's place eludes the police. Tensions rise, secrets unravel and the truth behind the seemingly loving family comes to light. There are sooo many secrets, deceptions and lies to be uncovered it will make your head reel.

The characters are all those you love to hate. Juliet is probably the exception - although she had her issues as well, as she tried to run from a past she could not escape. I found her sister Chloe to be entitled and bitchy. Their mother, Joan, is positively awful who takes to her bed with migraines whenever the mood took her, and didn't seem to care one iota for Juliet but doted on Chloe. That would probably explain Chloe's air of entitlement. Their father seemed to be ruled by their mother's moods and her every whim. And the girls? Maddy and Brianna? I found them to be horrible precocious entitled little brats. I did feel a little sorry for them in parts but their actions toward Bessie, just as a laugh, was cruel. But then having come from such a dysfunctional family, what hope was there for them?

Despite the unlikable characters, THE SILENT ONES was a compelling, intriguing and untputdownable thriller that I devoured. The twists and turns throughout which led to false conclusions were both tense and breathtaking. I had an inkling that fluttered at the edge of my brain as the story unraveled which, though I suspected, still shocked me upon revelation. The "how" was devious but the "why" was shocking!

A cleverly crafted psychological thriller, THE SILENT ONES analyses friendship, betrayal, family, deception, secrets and lies all wrapped up in a fast paced tale of enthralling domestic suspense.

I love every minute of THE SILENT ONES. Every page, every secret, every reveal.

I highly recommend you check this book out. I think you will love it as much as I did. In fact, I'd be surprised if you didn't.

I would like to thank #KLSlater, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheSilentOnes in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book and would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC. I have also bought the ebook through Amazon.
I have read many of K L Slaters books and enjoyed all of them. This was a clever psychological thriller involving two 10 year old cousins who were caught up in a pensioners murder. Their mothers also have a history of a tragedy happening to them in their youth, which may also impact on their daughters.
It was an interesting read. Recommended

This book is the story of two best friends who happen to be also cousins, Maddy and Brianna.
The interesting thing about this thriller is the fact that after an elderly woman is found beaten to death, the two 10-year-old cousins are brought in for questioning. Which is weird. You don't hear much about children being interrogated
From this moment on, the family becomes dysfunctional, everyone taking sides.
It is not a very plausible idea, this book, but it is not that bad either. It is readable nonetheless!

I enjoyed this thrilling read, I kept guessing and kept getting it wrong. Some points I did feel were a bit far fetched but it wouldn’t be as thrilling if it was all very realistic. I’d give it 4.5 as I did really enjoy it and couldn’t put it down.

I’m a huge fan of this author. I heard some of my fellow book buddies not liking this one. So I went in with an open mind. Not expecting much and taking on board some sizzling gripes from other reviews. I expected to feel the same.

But I don’t.

Questioning two young children, how could they manage to kill a frail old woman?
This got me thinking. I then remembered several news headlines.
I also remember an event in a TV soap. Yes, it is plausible and yes it has been done. Evil things have been committed by youngsters. Nurture or nature, who knows.

Putting this aside this is a very well thought out thriller/mystery that will keep you chopping and changing your mind about one thing and another as the story develops.

I found the writing had absolute strength and the characters were well rounded.

It was easy to follow, I love how this author gradually reveals things then turns things around and keeps me guessing.

The two little girls although very different in character to each other I so felt sorry for.

Their mothers were sisters. Both as opposite to each other too.

This is a very dysfunctional family and the “boss” was surely the older sisters Mother who had so many secrets it was shocking.

I loved how it came out with a big BANG at the end. I would never have believed it.

Check it out, you may love it as much as I did.

Maddy & Brianna were cousins. Close in age, they spent a lot of time together, especially when their grandparents looked after them whilst their mothers were working at their clothing business. Grandparents can be boring, so they often visit an old lady- she's good for the odd drink & cake! But one day something happens whilst they are there. The old lady is found badly injured & the girls are taken into custody. They make a vow to saynothing,

Julidt (Maddy's mum) has never fit in with her family. Her sister Chloe was thefavourite with their mother- who is one of the nastiest characters I've comeacrossin a while! Juliet has had some mental health issues so her husband has tried to shield her from any unpleasentnes but the news of the death of the old lady & the fact the girls were inolved cannot be hidden. There is no escape from the public outcry on the news & on Social Media. Then -Juliet & Chloe's business suffers a catastrophic fire.

This story is very cleverly written as the reader really doesn't know which girl is which at the house and who might be reponsible. The story also deals with events in the past & explains why Juliet is the black sheep of the family., although I was rooting for her all the way!

I loved this book & couldn't put it down. Definitely 5*. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

Well this is certainly a book that will stay with me for a long time !! We meet sisters Juliet and Chloe who are running their own kids clothing business when the police arrive to tell them that their daughters aged 10 and 11 are being held at the police station in connection with an elderly woman being beaten up in her home. The girls - Brianna and Maddie are not talking they are staying silent. Over the next 24 hours things happen that makes juliet question her own past. What she discovers will change the course of the sisters and their families lives. Long buried family secrets are exposed and the author builds up the story surrounding the characters excellently. There are so many twists and turns that I didn't know what was going to happen next !! A real page turner. Loved it! Thanks to KL Slater, Netgalley and Bookoutre.

4.5★s

The Silent Ones is the ninth novel by British author, K.L.Slater. Stunned disbelief is the reaction of sisters Juliet Fletcher and Chloe Voce when they are brought to Hucknall Police Station to learn that their ten-year-old daughters, Maddy and Brianna, are implicated in the fatal beating of an elderly woman in their quiet Nottinghamshire village.

While forensic evidence indicates the girls were at the scene, Maddy and Brianna are maintaining a stubborn silence, making it impossible to know exactly what happened in Bessie Wilmore’s living room. Meanwhile, mere hours since the girls have been brought in, the media are clamouring for information, and social media already has the ten-year-olds tried and convicted. The Fletcher and Voce families are shocked at the level of vitriol and vandalism being exhibited by the villagers.

Psychologist and therapist Dana Sewell is no stranger to ostracism, having endured it from this village herself quite recently. This initially gave DI Conor Neary pause when requesting her services in this case, but the priority is to get the girls talking: “‘We’ve got to find out from the kids exactly what happened in that house, Dana.’ He fixed his red-rimmed eyes on her. ‘The super isn’t going to let me wait around forever. The press are frenzied, the locals are already baying for blood. I’m not going to be able to shield the girls for much longer.’”

It's already clear to the reader early on that, despite being in business together, Juliet and Chloe don’t get on well, but once she has met the girls, their parents and grandparents, Dana senses a great deal of tension between the members of this dysfunctional family. Once the girls do talk, Dana feels it’s essential to understand the source of this to be certain that what they are saying is the truth.

Slater gives the reader a cleverly plotted page-turner with a number of twists and red herrings leading to an exciting climax and, because, apart from the prologue, the narrative is from the perspective of the sisters or the therapist, the reader is not privy to some key pieces of information, maintaining the intrigue. Long-held family secrets, selfishness, guilt and blame all feature.

Against the real-life background of child murderer cases like Mary Bell and those of Jamie Bulger, this is both a topical and thought-provoking premise, and the story also deftly demonstrates the power of the online press and social media. Some of Dana’s actions may strike reader as unprofessional, but this serves to illustrate that these clinicians have the same human flaws and weaknesses as anyone else. This is a gripping read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Bookouture

I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it. Somehow halfway through the book I was losing interest and then the twists came about and I was sucked back in. I may read more from this author in the future.

I enjoyed this book from start to finish. While lots of it was very unpredictable some was predictable.. It has lots of twists and turns. Had emotions to keep you wanting more.

Richly developed and well like characters. At least most were. I kept reading this one until early morning hours not getting the sleep I should have. But it was worth it.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Bookouture for the arc of this for my honest review.

I give it 4 stars and highly recommend it.

Overall, this was a pretty good read. I enjoyed the characters and thought it was definitely heart racing with several good twists. However, I didn’t find it to be unique or anything special.

The Silent Ones is another 5 🌟 read for me from K.L.Slater. Yes you’ve done it again, I totally loved this book.
Juliet is the main character in this pacy thriller, she runs a clothing business with her sister and they both have 10 year old girls. Life is good until one day when the police knock at the office door saying that there has been an incident involving the two girls. It transpires that they have abused an elderly woman with dementia and are being held in a juvenile custody centre, the trouble is neither of the girls will speak, which is out of character for both girls. So we are drip fed hints and truths along the way with so many twists at the end, I couldn’t possibly have worked it out but still being believable. I liked Juliet I thought she was a good lead character and this made the journey all the more enjoyable.
I have read a few books lately that has made me think I’ve gone off reading but this has totally turned this around. Thank you!!
I would like to thank Netgalley and Bookouture for this ARC I received in exchange for an honest review.

A quick, gripping read about a dysfunctional family trying to cope with a shocking situation. Two children are accused of murdering a beloved elderly member of the community. Did the girls really commit murder? And why are they not speaking? Old secrets gradually emerge which explains some of the odd behavior within the family, some of which verges on the bizarre. I found the book fairly compelling, and enjoyed the forays into online fraud and the horror of crowd mentality. The arrest of the girls leads to instant hatred directed at the families – there is no such thing as innocent until proven guilty in this community!