“The Quiet Dead” is a thrilling, twisty, and addictive crime thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Fifteen years ago, Leonard DaSilva confessed to the brutal murder of his wife and children. As a teenager, Hayley DaSilva walked into a nightmare, discovering the lifeless bodies of her mother, twin brother, and friend in their home. Her nine-year-old brother, Ethan, was missing. Now, Hayley has fled her traumatic past in Thamespark. But when Detective Sebastian Locke uncovers little bones in a shallow grave, they belong to Ethan. The investigation reveals holes in Leonard’s confession—why did he lie about killing his family? As DI Locke and the squad dig deeper, they realize a killer has been hiding in plain sight in the sleepy commuter town. The cold case becomes an urgent investigation, and the shocking secrets behind the DaSilva murders begin to unravel.

The novel masterfully weaves a web of secrets, lies, and buried trauma. The slow-burn mystery kept me, and the unearthing of family secrets added emotional depth. The partnership between DC Lucy Quinn and DI Sebastian Locke is a highlight, as they work together to unravel the complex case. “The Quiet Dead” is an excellent combination of police procedural and psychological thriller.

I was not able to finish the book and therefore do not feel that I can give an unbiased review about the book, its plot, characters, or the author's work. I might revisit this book at a later time and finish it then, but not right now.

Once again NJ Mackay has not disappointed with this book, everything I have read by her just flows ,making you want to read in one go. I always feel her books would make great tv/film adaptations ,and continue to look forward to the next book I read by her.

While The Quiet Dead offers an intriguing premise, this psychological thriller unfortunately falls a bit short in its execution. Mackay tries to build an aura of mystery around a small town with buried secrets, but the plot feels rather predictable at times. The characters, while complex, don't quite come alive on the page. That said, fans of slower-paced, character-driven suspense may still find something to appreciate in the brooding atmosphere and examination of dark compulsions. Overall, a decent read but not a standout. 3.7 stars.

This book is told by multiple POV. I connected to the characters but I wanted more of Lucy. It was also repetitive in parts.

This started off very well, it was very interesting but sadly I got caught up other books so never finished it and the book was archived. My low rating is not what I would have given it if I had read the whole book.

As a teen Hayley DaSilva was a bit of a wild child! She came home from a party in a pretty wasted state but what she found soon sobered her up. Her twin & her mother had been brutally murdered & her young brother, Ethan, is missing. When her estranged father confesses to their murder, but gives no information about Ethan, Hayley wanted to get as far away as possible. However, fifteen years later, a shallow grave is found containing the bones of a young boy. Can they cold case finally be put to rest? For DI Sebastian Locke things with the confession don't add up. They need to get to the truth.

This is the first in a new series and I am already hooked. I really liked Seb & his relationship with his young teen daughter. This wasn't a particularly fast paced read, but it was an absorbing one. Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book- I'll be eagerly awaiting the next one!

The Quiet Dead by NJ Mackay is the first book in the new DI Sebastian Locke series and I found it had a good start and then it became very slow, I just lost my way and found it hard to get back into, especially as I loved the cover I found it very eye catching.

Big thank you to NetGalley and Hera Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first N J Mackay book i have read and i have too say i really enjoyed this book i like sebastian locke he has a hard but sympathetic side and it shows parenthood and his striggles with balancing that and work which i think is great for a male character too have the reaponsibilities there and not let that impact work. I love tilly as well typical teenager.
The other characters in this story all have there own personalities and its so easy too relate too them.
This book is very fast paced grips you from the beginning i love the twists and turns this book gave .
willl definately keep an eye out for more sebastian locke books.

A 15 year cold case and the new development that brings it to the front and center of the news. The Quiet Dead tells of trauma and how is changes the course of our lives, and what family is willing to do for each other.

Told from 2 POV - Hailey, the remaining member of her family after they were murdered the night of a party when she was 15, and Seb, the father of a teenager himself and detective now re-opening a cold case after new remains have been found in the woods.

There are a lot of characters in this book, and it took me a while to keep them all organized. A slower police thriller, yet it kept me engage and truly hoping for justice. And I never guessed how it would turn out!

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Pub date: 07 Sep 2023

This cold case thriller is unputdownable! I absolutely loved this! It keeps you on the edge of your seat! It was so good!
I just reviewed The Quiet Dead by NJ Mackay. #TheQuietDead #NetGalley
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An excellent police procedural that kept on the edge and turning pages very fast as I wanted to know who did and why
Dark, twisty, surprising and welll written.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the book in exchange for my honest opinion. I would be willing to read a second book in this series.

This was a really enjoyable mystery, and I was unable to predict how it would turn out in the end (which is always a bonus). I did find the sheer number of characters and relationships across generations and timelines pretty difficult to follow, but it did get easier as the story moved along. Just don't quiz me on any of those names of connections now, mkay? The audio narrator is excellent, and I thought the pacing of the story was perfect!

4 stars

This is a much more slow paced book than what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it. It's well written and the characters are well developed. Overall this was an enjoyable mystery that I enjoyed and would recommend. Special Thank You to M.J. Mackay, Hera Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

After attending an outdoor party with her friends, teenager Hayley DaSilva arrived home to a bloodbath. Her mother, twin brother, & his friend had all been stabbed to death & her youngest brother, nine-year-old Ethan was missing. Her father, Leonard DaSilva, was arrested & imprisoned for the crime after he confessed to the murders. Hayley fled her past & moved to America. Fifteen years later, Detective Inspector Seb Locke receives a call to say that the bones of a young child have been found in a shallow grave. The bones are identified as Ethan DaSilva, & it looks as though he was killed shortly after the rest of his family. Why was he taken away & killed later though? Locke contacts Hayley DaSilva, now married & living a life of luxury, & she returns to the UK. When Locke uncovers evidence suggesting that Leonard DaSilva may be innocent, this sets off a chain of events that no-one could see coming.

The plot of this book is good, but the pace is rather slow. It's definitely more about weighing up the inconsistencies of interviews with witnesses, & looking at the holes in the previous investigation, rather than being focused on action. I liked DI Locke, he is a single father to a young teenage girl & the mother is not in the picture although her shadow casts a pall over home events at one point. Hayley is difficult to like at first as it seems she is hiding something about what happened to her family, but the reader gains sympathy for her as the story progresses. The only issue I really had, apart from the slow pace, was the shoehorning in of a couple of scenes with a female prison psychologist - as if there HAS to be some romance aspect in a book. They were so brief & there was no chemistry between the characters on the page, it felt a little out of step with the rest of the book. 3.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Hera Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

The quiet dead by NJ Makay.
A DI Sebastian Locke Mystery Book 1.
Fifteen years ago, he confessed to the murder of his wife and children. As a teenager, Hayley DaSilva walked into a nightmare; discovering the bodies of her mother, twin brother, and friend all brutally slaughtered in her home… and her nine-year-old brother missing. Her father, Leonard DaSilva, confessed to the murders, but Ethan was never seen again. He lied. But why?
I really enjoyed this book. Twisty and gripping. Can't wait for the next book. 5*.

There are some books I wish I could give more than 5 stars to and this is one of them. Not only would I re-read this one and any more the author writes for this series but I would also hunt down bonus content if it were offered anywhere, I enjoyed the read that much!
The story arc was interesting, following along with both Seb and Hayley as they learn the truth of what happened THAT night. The character progression was what made this such a good read for me, seeing how events changed the teens and also how his private life had made Seb into who he is. I'm hoping for much more about Tilly and Val in the next book as well, it's such a good, and interesting family dynamic.
With all the possibilities for who may have been responsible, I was a little surprised by the who if not by the why and I guess that is also a big part of my enjoyment of this book. After reading so many thrillers, it's rare for one to surprise me in this way and made it all the more enjoyable especially with how logical the final reveal was.
Now to wait for book 2 and hop to see a bit more of Faye in that one too!

I always love the first book in a new police procedural series- it's like getting Christmas morning as a kid all over again- you have no idea what is in the package- will you like/love the lead character, will the other characters be as good, will the place/concepts work...Locke is definitely a keeper- he reminds me of televisions Sherlock- he sees what others aren't seeing for the bigger picture- the nuances that are wrong. The reader may guess quickly why Da Silva confessed all those years ago, but the question is, who REALLY is the killer, and as the story progresses, the reader isn't sure until the roller coaster ending. Can't wait for book 2 in this series!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Hera Books for an advance copy of The Quiet Dead, the first novel to feature DI Sebastian Locke of Surrey Police.

Sixteen years ago fifteen year old Hayley DaSilva returns home from a night of partying to find her mother, her twin brother and his friend brutally stabbed to death and her younger brother, Ethan, missing. Her father, Leonard quickly confesses and is sentenced to life in prison. Now Ethan’s remains have been discovered and Hayley returns to Thamespark from the life she has made in New York to find out that Leonard’s confession was false and DI Locke is determined to catch the real murderer.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Quiet Dead, which is a great mix of police procedural and psychological thriller. I like the way the narrative switches between Locke and his investigation and Hayley’s actions and reactions to this new reality. It gives the novel a depth and emotional heft many in the genre don’t have. I was glued to the pages.

I was impressed by the way the author develops her plot as it starts with an apparent family annihilation situation and turns into something more nefarious yet banal. With a rather slapdash initial investigation and precious few notes and no forensics after such a long time the enquiry rests on interviews and deductive reasoning. Of course the small circle of witnesses and potential suspects either lie or are economical with the truth, so it’s a matter of piecing it all together to arrive at what I think is a clever and surprising resolution. There is an unexpectedly big story to discover.

I think Hayley DaSilva is an amazing creation. She ran away to America to get married and become the perfect wife in real contrast to the troubled, rebellious teenager she was before the slaughter. Basically she hid, not even telling her husband about her past. Then she comes home and finds a third version of herself. It is a real voyage of self discovery and she is surprisingly likeable in spite of some of her past decisions. She has relatable reactions and feels real(ish).

I didn’t feel that Sebastian Locke really came to life in this novel aside from his relationship with his daughter. Still, it’s the first novel so there’s plenty of time for him to grow and shine more strongly.

The Quiet Dead is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

2.5 Stars.
Hayley Marriott (née DaSilva) is living as a trophy wife in New York City when her whole world is upended. The former life she ran away from comes barreling towards her charmed life. Fifteen years ago in the U.K., Hayley's mother and twin brother were brutally murdered as well as her brother's best friend. Hayley's youngest brother, Ethan, was nowhere to be found. The perpetrator? Hayley's own father, Leonard DaSilva. Back in present day, bones belonging to a child are uncovered during a construction project in Hayley's hometown. The police determine the child is Ethan DaSilva, sending Hayley to return to her past life and finally face her father after his supposed crimes.

The writing started off really strong and I was really interested in the story until we got to about 50% through. Sebastian Locke is a single dad with a teenaged daughter who is trying to balance his career and family. Sebastian doesn't believe Leonard committed these crimes which leads him to think about what he would do for his own daughter. Those are some heartfelt parts that make you go "aww" but don't necessarily add to the story but help build Sebastian as a multidimensional character. Mackay also does this with Hayley's story but it falls flat with the supporting characters. Hayley has been gone for over a decade with no contact, basically disappeared off the face of the Earth as far as her high school friends are concerned. She picks up all her past relationships as if nothing happened.

Once we get to about half way through, the story really really slows down. It's almost like Mackay realized she was going too fast, too soon and needed to buy time. The story starts taking the reader in circles trying to spin a twist that when the final reveal happens you don't care anymore because you're so exhausted from trying to keep everything straight with so many red herrings. But I guess that's how police work is, so therefore, it's well-written. Just not my cup of tea.

I do read a lot of thriller/mysteries. I wouldn't quite classify this a thriller per se. Definitely a police procedural, which is not my favorite, but I was interested in this after reading the synopsis. If you are a fan of police procedurals, this will most likely be a good read for you. Mackay's writing is good for the most part, but I'm not sure if I would read another police procedural from her.