In Silence

By Erica Spindler

Journalist Avery Chauvin is devastated when she receives word of her father's suicide. How could her father, a dedicated physician, have taken his own life?

Returning to her hometown of Cypress Springs, Louisiana, Avery desperately searches for answers. Instead she hears whispered rumors of strange happenings, of neighbors who go missing in the night. She discovers a box of fifteen-year-old newspaper articles in her father's house, all covering the same eventthe brutal murder of a local woman. Why had her father kept them?

Then the past and present collide. A woman is found savagely murdered. An outsider passing through town vanishes. And Avery begins to wonder, could her father have been murdered? As each step closer to the truth exposes yet another layer of deceit, Avery must face the fact that in this peaceful Southern town a terrible evil resides, protecteduntil nowby the power of silence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
• Release date: Sep 17, 2012
• ISBN: 9781460303108

Erica Spindler

New York Times bestselling author Erica Spindler has written many novels, including Breakneck, Blood Vines, Watch Me Die, Bone Cold, In Silence and Last Known Victim. Her books are published in 25 countries. Raised in Rockford, Illinois, Spindler planned on becoming an artist, and earned visual arts degrees from Delta State University and the University of New Orleans. But one day in 1982, she picked up a romance novel and was immediately hooked. She soon tried to write her own romance, but it was when she leapt from romance to suspense that she found her true calling. Spindler has won the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for excellence, the Kiss of Death Award, and has been a three-time RITA Award Finalist. She lives just outside New Orleans, Louisiana, with her husband and two sons.

Reviews for In Silence

[randall6hansen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A decent thriller about an investigative reporter who returns to her home town after her father commits suicide. But things in the town seem odd -- like the town is stuck in a timewarp and seems to like to keep outsiders out. A good story, but for an investigative reporter, it takes a long time for the main character to finally start putting the pieces together. The ending is fast-paced and enjoyable, but plot could have been tightened and writing a bit stronger.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Avery is a big-city journalist who returns to her hometown of Cypress Springs after father's suicide. Once there, she's amazed to see how nothing seems to have changed. Her old friends welcome her back with open arms, and the town's seemingly peaceful existence appeals to her. What is the price of this perfection? Rumor has it that years ago a council of citizens, called the Seven, used drastic measures to clean up the town, but now several people have disappeared or been killed in suspicious ways. Have the Seven returned?

After Avery discovers her father kept a shoebox box filled with newspaper stories of the murders, her investigative instincts kick in. Why did he keep them? Was he one of the original Seven? Soon she’s joined in her search by Gwen Lancaster, whose brother is missing. She becomes involved again with the twin brothers who used to be her best friends, one who she planned to spend the rest of her life with until their paths diverged, and one who is now the black sheep of the family.

There are quite a few twists and turns along the way. There's plenty of action and the suspense remains pretty high. While parts are somewhat predictable, there are plenty of surprises. Some of the characters were well done, even though I found Avery to be a bit of a pill. Her character made so many rash choices and refused to hear anything that criticized the town or her long time friends. However, it was still an enjoyable thriller and I would try another Erica Spindler book in the future.

[punxsygal · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Journalist Avery Chauvin returns to her hometown of Cypress Springs to buy her father following his suicide. While there she hears whispers and rumors of disappearances. Cleaning out her father's house she finds a box full of clippings about a murder that took place about fifteen years ago. Avery begins to wonder if her father's suicide was really just that.This is my first read by this author. I started on Friday and finished Monday morning, which is fast for me. The story sped along and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I began to get a idea of how it was going to play out. As I assign stars purely on an enjoyment factor this was a good book for me. It might have gained 5 stars if it had included a better sense of place. I read it to meet a Louisiana challenge, but it could had taken place in Idaho for all feel of the locale that came through.

[suzanne5002 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Twilight Zone and Stepford Wives wrapped in one book. Chilling.I'd like to read more books from this author.

[queencersei · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

In Silence reads like Southern Gothic meets Life Time movie of the week. Avery Chauvin is a burned out journalist who returns to her small Louisiana town to deal with her father’s shocking suicide. Avery struggles with understand the suicide and her growing alienation from her job and life in the city. As Avery easily slips into her old life she re-acquaints herself with her old high school sweetheart and his seemingly perfect family.But life in a small town is not what it seems. Avery quickly becomes convinced that her father was actually murdered by an undercover group known as The Seven. The Seven have made it their mission to keep their town clean of any big city vices and will do whatever it takes to keep its citizens in line. The characters are somewhat interesting. But at times the glaring unbelievable plot turns become a little too much to take in.

[chrissywest · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another well-written book by Erica Spindler. She has a talent for creating such vivid, real characters, with such depth. She puts just the right amount of details and background history into her books as well. As in all her Previous books I loved the characters. I do think that this book started out a little slow and I found the story line to be a little predictable. There were a few surprises in the plot, which I did not expect. Buddy's affair and Buddy not being the killer, were surprises. There was enough suspense and wonder as to who was behind all the killings to keep you reading on, but I just did not enjoy this book as much as I did some of Erica's other novels.