The Silence is book two in Kendra Elliot’s Columbia River series, but I don’t think I missed out on anything in terms of the plot by not reading the previous book, The Last Sister. Although the two principals in this story have featured in other books by the author – they’re an engaged couple – the mystery plot is completely self-contained, so you’d have no problems reading this as a standalone.

Detective Mason Callahan of the Oregon State Police is called to the scene of a particularly brutal murder at a house on the outskirts of Portland. Rueben Braswell was killed with a blunt instrument and his body was mutilated – the face bashed in, most of the fingers cut off and strewn around – which, if not for the fact that he was found in his own home, would normally have indicated that whoever killed him was trying to conceal his identity. Officers are carrying out a routine search of Braswell’s home when one of them finds a folder on his desk containing pages of anti-law enforcement rants and conspiracy theories – and blueprints of a building, the local courthouse, that indicate a bomb is set to detonate there that afternoon. As Mason gets on the phone to alert others to the threat, he and his partner notice one particular name among Braswell’s papers – that of Special Agent Ava McLane. Mason’s fiancée.

Ava isn’t having the best day either. She’s just about to leave for work when a young man she doesn’t know arrives on her doorstep and introduces himself as Brady Shurr – the man her troublesome – and troubled – twin sister Jayne had left a local drug and alcohol rehab centre with eight months earlier. Ava’s history with her wayward sister is complicated – it’s probably more detailed in the books in the Callahan and McLane series, but the author includes enough detail here for new readers to be able to catch up quickly. Basically, Jayne is selfish, conscienceless and manipulative – but she’s still Ava’s twin and no matter how much Ava wishes she could simply wash her hands of her… she can’t. Shurr tells Ava that Jayne has disappeared, and while Ava is intensely sceptical and is inclined to believe it’s yet another instance of her sister’s cruel and careless behaviour, when Shurr tells her that Jayne had told him to contact Ava if she ever disappeared, alarm bells start ringing in Ava’s head.

Things go from bad to worse when she arrives at the office to find out about the bomb threat and about Braswell’s murder. Braswell had been an informant of hers, although she’d quickly realised he had a huge chip on his shoulder about law enforcement and that he really just wanted someone to vent to. He’d insinuated he was associated with various anti-government factions, but most of their few meetings had yielded nothing useful; and at their last one, Braswell had crossed a line by grabbing her, and she’d walked away. Now Ava asks herself if she’d been too hasty – but she knows he never mentioned anything about a bomb.

When Mason and Ray arrive at the courthouse, the place is heaving with LEOs. They’re wading through the crowd when suddenly, shots are fired, chaos erupts and Mason realises the truth – there IS no bomb; the warning was a ploy to draw out cops and kill as many of them as possible.

Ava is given permission to work as part of the task force looking into the court house shooting, and I appreciated that the author addresses the potential conflict of interest by making it clear she’s on board under special circumstances; so often in novels like this, things like that are handwaved away. Mason’s investigations into Braswell’s murder reveal he had a brother he didn’t get along with – yet his car was seen parked in his driveway just days earlier. Could Shawn Braswell have killed his brother? Could he have been responsible for the shootings? Or are the two cases completely unrelated?

There’s a lot going on in The Silence, but the story never feels rushed or cluttered, and Ms. Elliot crafts a complex and fast-paced thriller as she juggles her various plot threads and begins to skilfully weave them all together. The investigations into the murder and shootings are nicely balanced by familial storylines, which provide some depth to Ava’s character, and the whole thing is slick, well-paced and engaging.

On the downside, I have to admit to feeling just a little bit disappointed because Ms. Elliot is generally billed as an author of romantic suspense, and the romance in this story has already happened (in the Callahan and McLane series), so it’s a kind of tying up of loose ends for the central couple. I liked Mason and Ava, but this is a plot- rather than character-driven story, and I didn’t feel as though I actually got to know either of them that well.

Those quibbles aside, The Silence was a suspenseful and entertaining page-turner with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. It’s the first book I’ve read by Kendra Elliot, but I will definitely read her again.

A well-paced thriller, The Silence, is book 2 in the Columbia River series. I was on the edge of my seat consumed by this well written suspense not able to put it down until it was over. A must read for lovers of this genre and an author I will be recommending and reading a lot more of.

Although this is Book 2 in the Columbia River series, it’s a Callahan and McLane novel, and if you haven’t read those books, you’re going to be left wondering about a lot of the background to these characters. The protagonist of pretty much every other book the author has ever written gets a cameo appearance here as Mason Callahan and Ava McLane prepare for their wedding while dealing with murders, domestic terrorism, missing family members and more.

I’m not actually sure where the title of this book comes from… it didn’t seem to have any relevance to the story - and I’m really not a fan of these crossover stories where characters from every other book make an appearance. This would be a fascinating story WITHOUT all those other appearances, because Elliot really does know how to write an intriguing procedural suspense thriller. If you’re a devotee of her work, you might well enjoy all the little Easter eggs, but I found them annoying and a bit exclusionary… like telling ‘in’ jokes newcomers won’t get. It’s one thing to need to have read the first in a series to comprehend everything that’s going on, quite another to have to read an author’s entire backlist. For that reason, though the storyline here is really good, I’m knocking this down to four stars.

The Silence is book two in Kendra Elliot’s Columbia River series, but I don’t think I missed out on anything in terms of the plot by not reading the previous book, The Last Sister.  Although the two principals in this story have featured in other books by the author – they’re an engaged couple – the mystery plot is completely self-contained, so you’d have no problems reading this as a standalone.

Detective Mason Callahan of the Oregon State Police is called to the scene of a particularly brutal murder at a house on the outskirts of Portland.  Rueben Braswell was killed with a blunt instrument and his body was mutilated – the face bashed in, most of the fingers cut off and strewn around – which, if not for the fact that he was found in his own home, would normally have indicated that whoever killed him was trying to conceal his identity.  Officers are carrying out a routine search of Braswell’s home when one of them finds a folder on his desk containing pages of anti-law enforcement rants and conspiracy theories - and blueprints of a building, the local courthouse, that indicate a bomb is set to detonate there that afternoon.  As Mason gets on the phone to alert others to the threat, he and his partner notice one particular name among Braswell’s papers – that of Special Agent Ava McLane.  Mason’s fiancée.

Ava isn’t having the best day either.  She’s just about to leave for work when a young man she doesn’t know arrives on her doorstep and introduces himself as Brady Shurr – the man her troublesome – and troubled – twin sister Jayne had left a local drug and alcohol rehab centre with eight months earlier.  Ava’s history with her wayward sister is complicated – it’s probably more detailed in the books in the Callahan and McLane series, but the author includes enough detail here for new readers to be able to catch up quickly. Basically, Jayne is selfish, conscienceless and manipulative – but she’s still Ava’s twin and no matter how much Ava wishes she could simply wash her hands of her… she can’t.  Shurr tells Ava that Jayne has disappeared, and while Ava is intensely sceptical and is inclined to believe it’s yet another instance of her sister’s cruel and careless behaviour, when Shurr tells her that Jayne had told him to contact Ava if she ever disappeared, alarm bells start ringing in Ava’s head.

Things go from bad to worse when she arrives at the office to find out about the bomb threat and about Braswell’s murder.  Braswell had been an informant of hers, although she’d quickly realised he had a huge chip on his shoulder about law enforcement and that he really just wanted someone to vent to.  He’d insinuated he was associated with various anti-government factions, but most of their few meetings had yielded nothing useful; and at their last one, Braswell had crossed a line by grabbing her, and she’d walked away.  Now Ava asks herself if she’d been too hasty – but she knows he never mentioned anything about a bomb.

When Mason and Ray arrive at the courthouse, the place is heaving with LEOs.  They’re wading through the crowd when suddenly, shots are fired, chaos erupts and Mason realises the truth – there IS no bomb; the warning was a ploy to draw out cops and kill as many of them as possible.

Ava is given permission to work as part of the task force looking into the court house shooting, and I appreciated that the author addresses the potential conflict of interest by making it clear she’s on board under special circumstances; so often in novels like this, things like that are handwaved away.  Mason’s investigations into Braswell’s murder reveal he had a brother he didn’t get along with – yet his car was seen parked in his driveway just days earlier.  Could Shawn Braswell have killed his brother?  Could he have been responsible for the shootings?  Or are the two cases completely unrelated?

There’s a lot going on in The Silence, but the story never feels rushed or cluttered, and Ms. Elliot crafts a complex and fast-paced thriller as she juggles her various plot threads and begins to skilfully weave them all together.  The investigations into the murder and shootings are nicely balanced by familial storylines, which provide some depth to Ava’s character, and the whole thing is slick, well-paced and engaging.

On the downside,  I have to admit to feeling just a little bit disappointed because Ms. Elliot is generally billed as an author of romantic suspense, and the romance in this story has already happened (in the Callahan and McLane series), so it’s a kind of tying up of loose ends for the central couple.  I liked Mason and Ava, but this is a plot- rather than character-driven story, and I didn’t feel as though I actually got to know either of them that well.

Those quibbles aside, The Silence was a suspenseful and entertaining page-turner with plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing. It’s the first book I’ve read by Kendra Elliot, but I will definitely read her again.

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The second book in the Columbia River Series, and with each book I read by this author I fall in love with her books more and more. This book was full of so many things, murder, pain, betrayal, wild goose chases, lots of different twists and turns. Although this is part of a series, I feel that it is so well written that you could read it also as a stand alone. I would most definitely recommend this book to others.

I received a ARC from NetGalley and Montlake Romance and am under no obligation to leave a favorable review, all opinions expressed here are my own.

I didn't get a chance to tackle book 1 in the series but this was such a solid read. You do miss a bit of backstory without book 1 but not enough to make "The Silence" any less of a worthy read.

From start to finish, "The Silence" sucked me in. I was kept my attention. The only down part for me is that I didn't really connect with the characters. Could that be because I didn't read the first book in the series? I don't know but I may take the time and read book 1 because I am very interested in reading the next novels to come in this series.

This book had me at the edge of my seat the whole time. This book was very hard to put down. One of the best Thrillers I read this year! Highly recommend!

Loved it! I am always amazed at the twists and turns Kendra Elliott’s books take. I always think I know who did it and what is going to happen and then BAM another twist! It is fantastic! I think the interplay between Ava and Mason’s cases are masterfully woven together and leave you unable to put the book down. I also love how characters from her other series make appearances in this book. I cannot wait for the next!

There was so much going on in this book it was hard to put it down. It’s loaded with excitement, suspense, action, danger, and romance. The characters are great and the storyline engaging as we get to follow Ava and Mason through their current cases, puzzling connections, family drama, a wedding not to miss, and many twists and turns along the way to keep you on the edge of your seat. A great read from start to finish!

*I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, and I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Yet another book where Kendra Elliot hits it out of the park. I want to start off saying that you should read at least the Callahan & McLane series before picking this one up. Most of Kendra's books are interconnected so you see characters from other books in this series.

When evidence at a crime scene suggests a bomb threat, Mason Callahan races to the spot to help law enforcement mitigate the threat. Evidence at the scene also suggests a connection to Ava McLane, Mason's fiance. When the bomb threat turns out to be an ambush, a task force is formed to find the sniper. How are all the people connected? And will they be able to find the connection before it's too late?

This book definitely kept me guessing through all of the twists and turns. There was so much going on and Kendra made it all come together perfectly. I loved getting to see Ava and Mason again, along with so many of the other characters from other series. It was hard to put this book down because I just had to know how it was going to end. I can't wait to read the next in this series!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Montlake, and Kendra Elliot for the opportunity to read her latest thriller - I loved getting back into these characters' lives but they are written so well that you don't need to have read the first book in this series to enjoy. There are many returning characters from many of Elliot's books which is always fun. 4.5 stars rounded up because I love these characters!

Detective Mason Callahan and his partner, Ray, find a man brutally murdered and evidence at the scene leads them to a possible bomb threat at the nearby courthouse. The evidence also mentions Mason's fiancee, FBI agent Ava McLane, so Mason is doubly worried. Ava is investigating the shootings of multiple police officers and finds that Mason's investigation intertwines with her own. When Ava's troubled twin sister disappears, there are too many coincidences to believe that all these crimes are anything but personal.

A quick read and one that was hard to put down as the story built to its conclusion. I loved all the emotions and relationships between the characters even in the midst of murder and mayhem.

Oh my god! Ava and Mason are in for the fight of their lives when a murderd man is found with a terrorist plot in his office. No spoilers intended in any way, but you guys are going to love this one! There are so many things going on and the puzzle pieces don't seem to match. We get to see all the old characters make appearances and Ava and Mason's wedding is shaping up to be an do not want to miss affair. If they can all make it there alive! I can't believe how much was packed into this story and the action is non stop! Seriously, when do your characters get to take a break?? No one is going to want to miss this edge of your seat, thrilling, bodies are dropping like flies book! Seriously, don't skip it!

Welcome back to the world of Mason Callahan and Ava McLane! A long anticipated foray into a familiar world.

When the brutal murder of a conspiracy theorist ties back to an informant that his FBI fiancee has ties to, Mason Callahan has no idea the mess they are going to step into. Add in the complications of Ava's twin, Jayne, and there is no telling how this will end.

Fast paced and crisply written, Kendra Elliot's books are full of twists and turns that will keep you reading well into the night.

Twists and turns and just when you think you have it figured out BAM! it turns again. Ava and Mason are tangled into the same case when Mason's murder case turns out to be one of Ava's CI. In the house there is evidence pointing towards a bombing and when law enforcement converges shots are fired and Mason's partner, Ray, is wounded before he can put his vest on and several other deputies are taken out. It was not a bombing but a targeted shooting. So begins the mystery of who, what, where, and why of it. Oh, and Ava's twin, Jane is back in the picture. All this with the wedding coming up. Will they make it to the wedding finally? This one was so good and I consumed it in one afternoon!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Murder, thrills, and suspense. Plus a twist ending that you will not expect. This book has it all! Highly recommend!

The Silence is Book 2 of Kendra Elliot's Columbia River series. These stories stand perfectly fine on their own. I haven't had a chance to read Mason and Ava's story yet but I followed along nicely. As typical with this author's books, this story was fast-paced, intriguing and engaging right from the start. Lots of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. Great story!

When readers happen upon a book set in THEIR neighborhood, it can go one of two ways. Maybe they grow even more fond of the book than they might otherwise have been. Or, if the writer doesn't do justice to the setting, nothing can salvage their opinion of the book as a whole.

Let me tell you, Kendra Elliot does justice to her settings. The Mercy Kilpatrick series about the "prepper" FBI agent is set in Deschutes County, on the high desert of Central Oregon. I've lived there for five years, and she nails it.

The first book in this series, The Last Sister, was set in Clatsop County, on the northern Oregon coast. I was a reporter there for the daily newspaper in Astoria, and the book made me nostalgic.

In this second book in the Columbia River series, a mass shooting takes place overlooking the Clackamas County courthouse, on the banks of the Willamette River, upriver from Portland. Elliot pinpointed the shooter's position, high on the bluffs overlooking the river -- and just blocks from where I was born.

So, yes, I enjoy these books. But that wouldn't be the case unless they were well-written, well-plotted, and well-balanced. There is a lot of suspense, a bit of romance (nothing overboard or unrealistic), and plenty of solid friendship and support among law enforcement professionals from various agencies and jurisdictions.

Elliot's writing is clean and basic, but I've read enough of her books to predict that you will never come across a poorly-turned phrase that stops you in your tracks and makes you lose the thread of the story (a common occurrence for an avid reader.)

In this novel, Ava McClane is an FBI agent working on the aforementioned mass shooting. Her fiance, Mason, is an Oregon State Police detective who is investigating a single murder with connections to the larger crime. There are also complications from their personal lives -- and a wedding to plan. Elliot handles it all deftly.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for an advance readers copy.

Buckle in for the ride of your life buttercup. It's finally release day for book two of this riveting series and you're going to want to run and pick up your copy now. Starts out with a bang and the action just keeps ramping up until the explosive end. Unputdownable. A must read. Happy reading!

THE SILENCE is the second book in Kendra Elliot's new "Columbiana River" series. It picks up shortly after the end of book one (The Last Sister), and begins with tying up plot threads from that investigation by Ava and Mason. As the plotline continues, a man is gruesomely murdered outside Portland, and the blood-spatter evidence found by Detective Mason Callahan is troubling. The murder victim, Ruben Braswell, is found to have been a radical conspiracy theorist. While searching his home rantings against law enforcement are found by investigators and a name is found, Ava McLane fiancee to one Mason Callahan and an FBI agent. It turns out that the vic was Ava’s informant and had good reasons to be paranoid but Ava was dismissive of those rants, until Ruben turns up dead…And then law enforcement officers, responding to a threat found in evidence at Ruben’s house, are attacked. It’s a race against the clock to find out what happened to Ruben and stop the killer before they kill again. Good RS, and another good series by Elliot.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Kendra Elliot is one of my favorite authors. She writes a wonderful mystery plot and her characters are fantastic. I especially like that she weaves characters from her older books into her new work. In "The Silence" we get a new McLane and Callahan update in this new series. I love it!

When Oregon State Police detective, Mason Callahan, catches a murder call, he has no idea what a can of worms has been opened and how it will affect him in ways he never imagined. The murder was brutal, but what Mason finds in the victim's office is even more chilling as it involves his fiancée, Ava McLane, and conspiracy plans to wreck havoc in the Portland area.

Ava McLane is an FBI agent who has finally gotten her life together. She has recovered from being shot last fall, is engaged to a man she loves deeply and the wedding is on track. Life is good, with some minor exceptions. When she is informed that one of her confidential informants has been brutally murdered and she was named in a conspiracy diatribe, she is glad that Mason caught the case. He would see that Ruben Braswell's killer is caught.

Ava's sister goes missing and so does Ruben's brother. Other people related and unrelated to the case are murdered and Ava and Mason find themselves at the center of it all trying to solve the case and keep anyone else from dying.