Silent Evidence is a thriller that you finish and immediately think about rereading to catch all the things you missed the first time. I fell in love with the characters and the dynamics between them. How can you not root for Jayne and Scott??? I was definitely not able to guess who was behind the frozen bodies. I was along for the ride and really enjoyed it! I can’t wait to continue the series and keep falling in love with these characters.

Clea Koff’s new book is Silent Evidence, the first book in a planned series. There are two leads - Jayne and Steelie. The two women both have a set of unique forensic skills based on their time in Rwanda. They’re ready to share their knowledge with law enforcement.

A bundle of human parts falls out of the back of a van on a Los Angeles highway. Agent Scott Houston knows that Jayne and Steelie are who he needs to help crack this awful case.

Koff rapidly introduces us to the two leads, as well as a number of supporting characters. There’s a lot of banter back-and-forth between the various characters. Much of it is case based but some it is personal as well. I was concerned that the book would be too romantic based for me. I was happily wrong. Instead it added to plot. Although, I admit I'm not a fan of the name Steelie.

The plot is excellent and really well written, and after looking the author up I can see why. She is taking pieces from her own life and giving it to her characters. The authenticity of the book benefits greatly with this knowledge.

I chose to listen to Silent Evidence. The reader was Rachel Handshaw and she did a fantastic job. She has an interesting, gravelly tone to her voice that is perfect for this book. She portrays the characters with distinct voices, including males. The emotions and actions are captured. She enunciates well and is easy to understand. 8 hours 49 minutes. I would happily listen to the second book in this series.

I really wantedto like "Silent Evidence" but it just didn't quite do it for me--while the narrator was fine, there were too many characters at the beginning and their stories/relationships a little too complicated for me to keep straight. For the first book in a series, I had hoped for a little more clear insight into each character's backstory.

I do see potential, though, in Jayne and Steelie and their style of investigating--it's a nice change from the usual detective fiction.

I was so intrigued with the description, but felt this book fell flat. I listened to the audiobook version of it. Parts of it kept my interest while other parts I had to go back and listen again. I think this is the type of book I needed to be able to sit with for longer periods of time rather then listening on my short commute to work. It made it hard to remember who was who. Overall, I would rate it between a 2.5 and 3, but I'll round it up to 3. It might have pulled me in enough to be interested in future books in the series.

I received a digital ARC of the audiobook thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

I don’t really know what I was expecting out of this one… the synopsis gave me high hopes that this was going to be a fast paced and suspenseful thriller, but instead is a crime/police procedural story with really cheesy banter and jokes…

This book is the first in a series, but it didn’t read like a first book. I felt that there was no real character development or any back story. Jayne and Steelie founded Agency 32/1, but we only get the meaning behind the name at the very end of the book. This one read as a second or third book, in which the relationships between the characters felt as if it was something to be suspected by the reader, instead of information provided.

Another drawback for me was the narration. A single narrator trying to do multiple voices isn’t always bad, but this one was very unconvincing. One of the characters who we really don’t know much about or has much interaction or dialogue, save for one chapter early on (until the very end) was almost cringey in my opinion… now, how a book is narrated is not something I like to put a ton of emphasis on, because it’s really a reflection of the person narrating as opposed to the author and how the story is written, BUT it does definitely hinder the overall reading experience.

There were moments of this one that had me on my toes and really looking forward to what was next. But that part of the book came too late… and I probably would have DNF’d it if it weren’t an ALC… Overall I felt that this story was a bit underwhelming…

Thank you @netgalley and HarperAudio Adult for the gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed Silent Evidence by Clea Koff. This novel is a fast paced and I couldn’t put it down. It’s got a serial killer, forensic specialits, the FBI and past experiences impacting present day lives. What more could you ask for.

It’s the first book in a series and I cannot wait for the next one in the Jayne and Steelie Series. I’m a fan and will be reading it.

Rachel Handshaw did an excellent job with the narration.

Thank you to NetGalley & HarperAudio Adult/Avon for letting me read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was my first audiobook through NetGalley. The quality was good though the voices did not always match the gender or the linguistic nuances. It was not enough to be distracting.

Now for the book itself, the storyline was good, not great. This sounds like it will be a detective series. What was a miss for me is that I need latched onto either of the main characters. There was little character development to make me invested in their story. I am not sure I will look for book #2.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy.

Silent Evidence promised an intriguing premise but ultimately fell short of expectations. While the book's core concept seemed promising, the execution left much to be desired.

One of the most significant drawbacks was the lack of character development. As the first book in a series, I expected more substantial backstory and depth for the main characters. The delayed revelation of the agency's name—which doesn't occur until near the end of the book—only compounded this issue, making it difficult to fully engage with the narrative.

The audiobook experience was especially underwhelming. The narrator's tone and delivery didn’t align well with the book's genre and characters. Her attempts at different voices for the characters felt forced and unconvincing, with accents that were particularly out of place. Her voice seemed better suited to a lighthearted, comedic narrative rather than the more serious or intense story I had expected.
Despite receiving an ARC and appreciating the opportunity, I do not plan to continue with this series. While Koff may have potential, this first installment failed to capture my interest or convince me to invest in future books.
Thanks again to NetGalley for this ARC

Silent Evidence by Clea Koff is a suspense mystery thriller about two friends, Jayne and Steelie, who are skilled in forensics and founded an agency to help police solve crimes.

FBI agent Scott Houston has been assigned a new case in LA with body parts found on the freeway and knows who to call with the best forensic skills to help with an off-the-record post-mortem survey. Scott has a long personal history with Jayne and they have danced around each other for years. She and Steelie quickly determine that the parts are not from just one body and now the case becomes more concerning and leaning into a serial killer and not a single random murder.

Now that they have identified this case involves an active serial killer, Scott realizes that he put Jayne and Steelie’s lives in jeopardy, and the women both seem to be being watched. They hope their unique skills can find evidence to pinpoint the killer because the clock is ticking and everyone is scrambling to find the killer. The killer is meticulous with how they dismember the bodies and Jayne and Steelie don't want to be next.

With a bit of snarky banter between old friends, some serious discussions about the case, and a sticky situation the girls get into, this suspense thriller got nerve-wracking toward the end. If you like mystery thrillers, this certainly hit the spot.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher Avon for the advanced reader copy via Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
Expected pub date - January 21, 2025 by Avon

The story of Jayne and Steelie seemed to dive right into the case rather than introducing us to the leading characters of the series. This caused some confusion at the beginning as to what was happening. This came across as a book set later in the series. The case itself seemed more focused on the FBI agents, leaving Jayne and Steelie as the support characters. The series has potential as it continues and I will follow the scientist into the next case.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advance copy

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book when it started. The names were hard to follow and there are some random loose ends I don’t understand but seeing as it is book one out of a series, that’s okay. The narrator was good at changing voices for the most part and stayed consistent. Not annoying to listen to at all. You follow 2 main characters and a couple side characters you don’t hear for from too often. Very standard cop/forensic mystery. But has a love story going as well. Pleasant. I’ll follow up for book two.

I really enjoyed this book and can not wait for the next book to come out. It is always nice to find a new author from whom you would like to see more. The writing and characters seem believable and a little more interesting than those from other authors on this topic. I will be recommending this book to my patrons

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this audiobook! The narrator was great, she really brought life to all the different characters. I thought this was an interesting premise, but it could’ve been executed better. It was also quite predictable- I was hoping I was wrong about the villain but I was not. The romance took away from the plot a little bit, it kind of felt like that plot line went nowhere. I liked that it set up the next book- I look forward to reading it. <br /><br />Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for this ARC.

I recently listened to the audiobook of *Silent Evidence* by Clea Koff, and it was an enjoyable introduction to the Jayne and Steelie series. This first installment has me looking forward to diving into the next book. Audiobook enthusiasts will appreciate the high-quality production here, featuring a talented cast of voice actors who truly bring the characters to life. Poor narration or audio quality can quickly ruin a story for me, but that wasn’t an issue at all with this production—it was superbly done.

The story itself is well-crafted, with characters that feel fully developed and relatable. Although I pride myself on spotting twists early—and I did figure this one out pretty quickly—it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. The engaging narrative and compelling characters kept me hooked from start to finish.

Jayne is a fantastic character, but Steelie completely stole the show for me! Steelie’s charm and energy are magnetic, and I can’t wait to see more of them in future installments.

This was my first time reading Clea Koff’s work, and I’m already a fan of her writing. She has a strong, distinctive voice and a clear passion for her characters, which shines through in every scene.

If you’re a fan of crime novels featuring a spunky, dynamic duo, *Silent Evidence* is a must-read. I highly recommend it!

this is the first book in a series but it doesn’t read like it. the characters aren’t very fleshed out and there was a lack of background information. it reads more like a second book. the start was pretty strong but it ended up kinda getting a bit boring to me because the story got pretty predictable. bit of cringe dialogue between characters as well like aren’t these ppl supposed to be adults

Thanks NetGalley and Harper Audio for an advance copy for review purposes. This book is set in the early 2000’s. It is a bit off putting when the narrator says “she lay with a cassette tape next to her bed”. That being said Jane and Steelie have formed Department 32-1 their goal is to uses complied forensic information to help identify missing persons across the United States. Sgt Houston and Jane have been friends for 5 years and he reaches out to her for help since the back doors of a van fell open and human remains tumble off the free way. Both Jane and Houston have spent time in global conflicts and are still a bit shell shocked. No one in the book has social media, or cell phones. It is difficult to connect with other officers. There aren’t traffic cams. Those things make the book seem a bit antiquated even though it isn’t. I didn’t think this would be good for book club. I found myself drifting while listening and not really being into the story. The bad guy is fairly easy to spot. The publicity indicates that this is the first in the series. I am not sure that i will be reading any others. Skip this, you aren’t missing anything

I am a fan of Michael Connelly and Karin slaughter and have been looking for a new series to obsess over since reading all of theirs and I absolutely loved tbis! I’ll be not so patiently waiting for the next one to come out! Definitely recommend for fans of detective and crime genre.

This is a first read from this author. A good murder-mystery audiobook with a nice storyline. A bundle of body parts of several people were dropped from a van on a freeway in L.A. An FBI agent Scott Houston calls on an Agency with new high tech ways to research information that can possible help find a serial killer. In come Jayne & Steele. I enjoyed the storyline; however it feel just shy for me in the action area especially for this kind of genre. I enjoyed the characters and their relation to one another. This was a great start to a series I would like to follow to watch how these characters grow. I was a good read and I would recommend to anyone who like a good murder-mystery.

This was a different take on the police procedural type of story in regards to forensic pathology. The investigation focuses on reuniting family with the remains of dead family members. In the process of solving mysterious deaths, they sometimes run across a killer, a serial killer. They are called to the scene of an accident in Los Angeles to discover multiple body parts. The investigation leads them to discover multiple victims. They soon learn that they body parts could be tied to a series of murders in Atlanta. Jane and Steelie work closely with the FBI to track down the killer. Very fast paced, well constructed story.

Look forward to more from this series.

The narrator was great, She was able to deliver multiple characters superbly.

4 stars

Fast paced story, I got lost sometimes as there are many characters and differing storylines paralleling and then twisting together in place. It was well done. I think if I had read it rather than listen to it, I might’ve filed a little bit better, but that’s more about my difficulty, listening to multiple points of view and lots of characters. The story is great and the end this is good and it all ties together really really well