A richly twisted plot with layers of evil and family tension that will leave readers guessing. The book has a gothic feel and is filled with family pain, unresolved issues, and the need to stand for oneself. A really compelling read.

I have other books by Carrie Stuart Parks in my TBR pile, but Relative Silence grabbed my attention to read first. I was hooked right away in the story of Piper Boones and the mysteries that surround the island on which her wealthy, famous family have a home. Piper has not only lost a daughter, but also siblings and her father from the “curse” of the island. The plot twists and keeps the reader guessing until the end. I am impressed with Parks writing and am looking forward to getting one of her books off my list and start reading. I received this book complimentary from Thomas Nelson, but all opinions are my own.

I've read a number of books by this author, but I had a hard time with this one. I enjoyed some of the twists, but the pace was a bit slower than I expected, and I had a hard time connecting with the characters like I've done wit past books. It was just okay for me.

I found this book convoluted and confusing to follow. I lost interest about 30% in and wasn’t willing to finish. other reviews mentioned great family and mystery elements which i was excited for, but I couldn’t get past all of the characters and plot lines- I truly didn’t know which one was central to the story- the shooting? the death of the child in the prologue? the romance between the near-victim and her hero? the missing old woman? way too much.

This is the first of Carrie Stuart Parks books I have read but after reading this one, it WON'T be my last. Relative Silence moves quickly with lots of everything you want in a mystery novel. Beginning with mystery, the book is steeped in mystery from the death of Piper's sister Sparrow through to the attempts to kill Piper herself many, many years later. Who is behind all the deaths and why? Is the Boone family, the perfect family or are things not as they appear? Who killed Piper's sister, father, and daughter? Everyone is suspect. This book will grip you from beginning to its surprise ending. The kind of books I enjoy reading always have a plot twist and this book, this author did NOT disappoint. Throw in a little romance, a love of animals without vulgarity and explicit sex scenes and you have me hooked. The references to Bible verses, God and being a Christian are well written and add to the storyline.. I am a Christian and enjoy Christian Suspense but this book is a good read for anyone. It's just a good solid, clean mystery and good solid clean reading. Bravo Carrie Stuart Parks.
I was given a free copy through NetGalley, the choice to review, and all opinions are my own.

Piper Boone comes from a very political and powerful family. Piper becomes a hot topic in the media when Piper'a only child was killed in a boating accident. She secluded herself from the world to try and cope with her loss and inevitable divorce.

She becomes another media circus when a mass shooter opens fire while while she is in a cafe with a friend. She soon discovers that everyone is questionable with what happened many years ago with her daughter and now this shooting.

This story did not really hold my attention until the very end, and even then it was just ok.

Thank you to the publisher for this digital ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

A thoroughly enjoyable mystery/thriller with some surprises and shocks that will make you sit up and take notice. The characters were likable and the narrative flowed effortlessly from one reveal to the next. I was quite sad to finish it.

Can you trust your family?
The mix of family lies, accidents and murders, thrown in a hurricane and a sweet little love story, is very entertaining.
The change of POV, one first person and one third person needs some getting used to, though.

A gripping tale that will keep you guessing:
This book had plenty of intrigue and mystery, with the suspense drawing me in right from the start. The plot was complex with many twists and turns, however I was able to follow along with ease and found that it was well paced. With murder, family betrayal and even a hurricane to contend with, there was plenty to enjoy about this book.
However I would have preferred the romance to have been a greater part of the story and for more resolution to the characters personal development and situations. I felt the ending and epilogue was rushed and choppy. This book does not seem to be part of a series and I was left with a lot of unanswered questions. I also found myself a bit confused whilst reading as it switched frequently between points of view, with often just short snippets being provided each time. Despite this, I would still recommend this book as the plot, drama and suspense was well done.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

When Piper Boone survives a shooting, the press label it the latest incident in her family’s curse. It’s true the Boones have seen more than their share of death, but all accidental.

Or was it?

To keep reporters away from the stranger who saved her life, Piper invites him to join her family on their private island. Tucker comes with secrets of his own, a tragic past that has led him to faith.

Piper’s life and losses have crippled her faith and left her broken. But as she begins to look at her family with fresh eyes and to suspect what’s unspoken, her strength surprises them all.

Set in an opulent South Carolina island getaway against the backdrop of an approaching hurricane, Relative Silence is a complexly-plotted novel of romantic suspense, family treachery, and second chances.

Favourite lines:

"Does the presence of death etch into the face? A tightness around the mouth? Eyes narrowed, or worse, turning cold?" [Kindle location 263]

"I felt like someone had just dumped a second box of puzzle pieces into my partially finished jigsaw." [Kindle location 2205]

Visit carriestuartparks.com to learn about the author and her books.

[I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.]

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. That being said, I couldn't put this book down!! Right from the start it captures you and pulls you in. I like the idea that the family is compared to the Kennedy family. I enjoyed the setting around an island and until the last minute you don't know who was behind everything. I will highly recommend our library gets this book.

Relative Silence
This book raced away at the beginning and didn’t slow down! Carrie Stuart Parks is one of my favorite authors. I got hooked on her Gwen Marcey books and this one is just as good. It kept me guessing, figuring things out and then guessing again until the end. So many themes run through this book; fear, loneliness, loss, and then forgiveness and love bring it all back together. I loved the main characters of this book as they brought real emotions and even some humor to the story. Everything ties together well at the end. I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Carrie Stuart Parks, latest suspense, Relative Silence, will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final page. This tale begins with the sad remembrance of the day Piper Boone's young daughter, Dove, dies in a boating accident. You will then fast-forward to current day, fifteen years later, when Piper is having lunch with an old friend. When Tucker Laundry, the man sitting near Piper, notices a man on the street lift a rifle; you know this tale is about to take a deadly turn!

Piper is part of a wealthy Southern family, that is viewed as without fault. When Piper invites Tucker, who was injured by the shooter, to recover on her family's island, he will soon discover they are far from perfect. As Tucker, a former forensic artist, teams up with Piper to document the man who attacked them both, he begins to be drawn into this family's somewhat sordid history!

As Piper and Tucker attempt to solve, both the current and the old unknowns surrounding Piper's life, you will not believe the facts that come to life!

This is a fast-pace tale not to be missed!

I loved “Relative Silence” by Carrie Stuart Parks. I believe this is my favorite book, so far, by Carrie Stuart Parks, and I’ve read all of them. This book was intriguing from the first page, and I couldn’t put it down as I didn’t know how it would end! There was a huge twist that I didn’t see coming.

Piper Boone is the main character in this book. She lost her only daughter fifteen years ago in a boating accident. Piper survives her divorce and losing her job and comes back to her hometown of Curlew Island. Her family are pretty much American royalty. Weird things have happened on this island and continue since Piper has moved back home. Along the way Piper meets Tucker Landry. Together, they start piecing together the death of her daughter and the other mysterious deaths.

I highly recommend this book. It is clean yet full of suspense and adventure.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Carrie Stuart Parks, known for her thrilling suspense novels that usually involve forensic art and forensic science, delivers once again in her latest book, Relative Silence. Main character Sandpiper "Piper" Boone has never really gotten over her daughter's death, but she goes through the motions and thinks she's doing okay. Until one day a sniper attacks while she is enjoying lunch at a cafe with an old friend. Saved from bullets by a mysterious man named Tucker, Piper tries to repay his bravery and the two find themselves in the middle of a mystery, unsure who they can trust. As they work together, they must each face their own worst fears.

Don't pick up this book unless you're ready to see it through, because once you start, you won't want to put it down. The author leaves some breadcrumbs along the way, but the plot still holds a few surprises. Believable and likable main characters, plenty of suspense, a delightful setting--all come together in an interesting and exciting read.

Note: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for this honest review. The opinions expressed are my own.

This was a very good suspense novel. While I can usually figure out the antagonist I didn’t have a clue this time which makes the story so enjoyable. The novel is written with two protagonists which was confusing at times because it would go from one to the other without a space between the paragraphs which might be corrected in the final edition. It appears that someone is out to kill Piper the daughter of a very wealthy family who reside on their own island. Piper’s daughter was abducted when she as three years old. Fifteen years later Piper has never really gotten over this tragedy. Tucker lost his wife and unborn child due to an accident when he was drunk and has likewise not gotten over it. When Piper is shot at while out with her girlfriend Tucker protects Piper by shielding her and is shot himself. Piper visits Tucker in the hospital and offers her guest house for him to recuperate. During a hurricane Piper begins to figure out who the antagonist is. There are some unbelievable scenes during the hurricane but it makes for more suspense. Thank you to ThomasNelson Press and NetGalley for this ARC..

This book was just OK for me. It centers around Piper, who lost her only child in a boating accident 15 years ago, and is hold up in her family's secluded mansion in South Carolina trying to figure out what she wants to do with the rest of her life. The book starts off quickly with Piper involved in a shooting at a restaurant where she was meeting an old friend. She forges a friendship with the man who saves her, forensic artist, Tucker, and he ends up helping her dig into the situation with her daughter as well as talk of a "curse" that locals think affects her family. It's a pretty wild ride as Piper and Tucker find out more things about the secrets that the family is hiding. They also connect with Hannah, the granddaughter of Piper's missing neighbor, Joyce, who is along for the ride but ends up having her own place in the story.

I would classify this as an action book along with a mystery- there are plenty of action-packed scenes where Piper is struggling to survive, especially towards the end. I found myself more into the story before it got to that point, though- beyond that piece, the story became a little convoluted. I thought that the different pieces of the story were interesting, but tying them together into one motive felt kind of like a stretch. Continually, the author didn't help me get to know any of the ancillary characters well enough for me to guess or eventually understand what their motives might be. There was also a lot of religious dialogue throughout the book, which I could have done without.

All in all, this was a pretty decent mystery but didn't hit home for me. If you are good with a mystery that has a strong tie with both survival action and religion, you might enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Relative Silence by author Carrie Stuart Parks is a thrilling mystery that does not disappoint! Good plot with awesome characters!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a nice story and I did enjoy reading it. The God part really was a turn off, it felt heavy handed and a touch preachy.

The wealthy daughter of a wealthy family is involved in a shooting that results in the death of her friend. She is saved by a man nearby who ends up being part of her circle.
Weirdness and murky explanations are offered for issues that are obvious to others, but that she accepted without thinking. When light is shown on the characters and what drove them. the revelation is one we might have seen coming but the hints were so subtle they were easy to overlook.

I would be interested in reading more by this author as this book was very well written, but only if all the religious stuff were edited out.

Awesome, super fast read! Carrie Stuart Parks does not disappointment fans in this novel that will leave you sitting on the edge of your seat....full of suspense, you can't turn the pages fast enough!