I loved that this book was centered around something other than sex (which seems to be what the motivating factor is in a lot of thrillers). In my opinion, it made made it the book more interesting and unique from other thrillers.

I'm not sure how much the main character being deaf really impacted the story. a lot of times i found myself even forgetting she was deaf.

Awesome! I've always enjoyed Heather Gudenkauf's writing. So far, I think this is one of her bests. It had great suspense and a real heart pounder of a finish.

ARC from Harlequin, via Netgalley

Not a complex mystery that kept you guessing, but more engaging that kept you reading. It was very interesting to have the main character being a deaf woman. I gave this 4 stars on goodreads.

When a tragic accident leaves nurse Amelia Winn deaf, she spirals into a depression that ultimately causes her to lose everything that matters--her job, her husband, David, and her stepdaughter, Nora. Now, two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, Stitch, she is finally getting back on her feet. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush by the river, deep in the woods near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again.

As clues begin to surface, Amelia finds herself swept into an investigation that hits all too close to home. But how much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice?



* * * * *



I enjoy the romantic suspense genre and I do have to admit that Ms. Gudenkauf quickly became a must read author. It's well worth checking out her lineup for books. She always adds that little extra touch that makes her books special.



I have imagined losing various senses before but I never realized just how much the loss of one's hearing would really effect a person. Thanks to WITHOUT A SOUND, I now have a glimmer of the sense of isolation and helplessness that it can cause on a good day. Amelia being deaf really adds a sense of terror and that little extra to the story.



I really enjoyed WITHOUT A SOUND. It started out with a bang and the tension never ebbed from there. The characters were well drawn out, the dialogue flowed even when there was a language barrier and the villain was truly immoral. And of course, there was Stitch who was a major part of the story and I can't resist a dog.



I do think that my readers who enjoy romantic suspense will really enjoy this book. There is some violence which might bother some readers but no graphic sex scenes.



*** I received this book at no charge from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions expressed within are my own.

Not a Sound is my first by Gudenkauf, but I can tell you it most certainly will not be my last. She writes one excellent thriller! The story involves a nurse who lost her hearing a couple years prior in a hit and run, and the dead body of another nurse found. How is it all connected? This new body hits a little close to home. What Gudenkauf does well is emotional suspense. The story is dark, but you feel a connection to the characters. The tension exists throughout keeping you on the edge of your seat. This is quite the page-turner with a satisfying ending. If you enjoy thrillers, this is a great one for you to check out. Get it in time for your beach read!

This was my first opportunity to read a book by Heather Gudenkauf and I was impressed. The story line was unique and grabbed your attention from the get go. It was suspenseful throughout and kept you guessing as to who was the villain. Overall, an enjoyable read and I look forward to more from this author.

As a teacher of people with disabilities, I especially loved this book.
A strong character whose disability does not limit her.
Disability aside, this is a great read. Moves fast, keeps you guessing.
Recommended !

I just finished my advance copy of "Not A Sound" by Heather Gudenkauf. She is one of my favorite authors and I have read all her books. This book about a deaf nurse trying to get her life back on track after an accident that took her hearing. Also in the book her service dog Stitch which she uses as a second person to talk with throughout the book. I liked the book very much. As with her other books it was very suspenseful. Unlike so of her other books I did figure out the ending. A quick read for me. I did think too much time was given to her service dog and his day to day routine . A great book and I am ready for her next book. Thanks Net Galley for the advance copy.

Heather Gudenkauf is on my list of favourite authors and she did not disappoint with "Not A Sound".

Nurse Amelia Winn suddenly becomes deaf when she is involved in a tragic accident. Her life spirals into a depression and she becomes an alcoholic resulting in the loss of her husband, stepdaughter and job. Two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, Stitch, she is finally getting her life back on track only to discover the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush, by the river, near her cabin.

She is plunged into a distressing mystery and investigation that could shatter all she has accomplished in becoming well again.

Writing "Not A Sound" from the point of view of a deaf character is not only unique but fascinating as well. I highly recommend this page-turner!

Thank you to Net Galley, Heather Gudenkauf, and Harlequin for an arc of this novel.

SOUNDLESSLY SEAMLESS!

As usual, Heather Gudenkauf does not disappoint. I really enjoy her books..

This book was a bit unique in that it was basically told from the perspective of a deaf woman who was a Nurse until an accident took her hearing away. It also took all that she holds near and dear away from her.

Amelia see a boat leaving and goes to investigate. She finds a dead body. She was just out for a morning on the river and now she is involved in a crime. She misses her interview that was scheduled for that morning, but is able to secure another appointment. She gets the job. Things start to amp up and Amelia is following the clues to see where they lead. Something is not right and she works to figure it out.

Her ex, David has not yet divorced her, but Amelia took the pity route after her accident, so he left her with his daughter in two.

As Amelia, with the aid of her service dog, Stitch, work to unravel the mystery of the dead girl, she becomes the hunted.

Jake, her longtime friend, is there for her and her newest neighbor, Evan is one of her suspects.

This is a great journey and such an enjoyable read. Every time I pick up a Gudenkauf book, I know I'm going to love it.

5 stars

Heather Gudenkauf is one of my favourite authors and Not a Sound is proof, if proof were needed, that she is a master of her craft. It is one of those rare psychological thrillers, both gripping and yet told with a deceptively light touch, skilfully drawing the reader into the mystery with every subtle twist and turn. In Gudenkauf's flawed protagonist, Amelia Winn, we meet a young woman filled with regrets but also determined to get to the truth, no matter the risk to her own safety. Having lost her hearing in a tragic accident, Amelia sets out to discover not only who murdered her good friend, Gwen, but why. Although the tension begins gently, it is perfectly paced, so that by the final few chapters I was compelled to continue long after 'lights out'! I simply can't write a review for Not a Sound without mentioning Amelia's wonderful, loyal, clever service hearing dog, Stitch. Amelia couldn't have done her job without her canine helper - a real four legged hero. In addition to all this, Gudenkauf also writes brilliant, evocative descriptions of landscape. I loved the scenes when Amelia and Stitch are paddling the waterways of Five Mines. Another fantastic offering from an author at the top of her game.

Not A Sound

I've read a few of Heather's books and they never fail to grab me. Her books are the sort that keep me up long into the night because I just need to know what happens next. Not A Sound was no exception.

I'm not going to retell the blurb as you can read that yourself just fine! Told entirely through the voice of Amelia; our protagonist who lost her hearing in a freak accident, you can't fail to be drawn into her world. To feel the frustrations she feels and the sense of loss, to want her independence while being vulnerable and to want to be believed when it starts to look like she's losing her mind.

I absolutely loved this book. I love her style of writing, I love the subjects that she writes about and I love the twists that she weaves into her tales. I highly recommend this book and will now wait patiently for Gudenkauf's next novel! Five shiny stars from purplebookstand.

Amelia’s life fell apart after an accident left her deaf, losing her husband and stepdaughter in the process. I can understand how Amelia could let things fall apart, but thankfully the author doesn’t drag us through the depressing experience. We pick up with Amelia slowly getting back on track: sober, new job, reconnecting with her stepdaughter, Nora, and getting back on friendly terms with her ex-husband, David. She wouldn’t have got that far without the help of Jake, her childhood friend, and detective on the Mathias Police Force.

Things are going great when Amelia discovers the body of a woman close to her home. She becomes wrapped up in the mystery, and in the path of danger.

The challenges of living without hearing gave an unexpected layer of terror to the story. Someone could be walking in your house, up your stairs, rush you while you unlock your car door, and you wouldn’t hear them coming until it was too late. A frightening prospect. That’s where the lovable Stitch, her service dog came in handy. Stitch wasn’t always super obedient, but he had an adorable personality. He was her lifeline and loyal friend, and came through when it counted.

The idea of spending time in a lakeside cabin during the fall is appealing and I loved the beautiful descriptions of Amelia’s surroundings. However, those peaceful woods turned into a potential hiding spot, eerie with dangerous possibilities once Amelia became a target. There were several silent, suspenseful moments when I felt my skin prickle with alarm!

At times I did feel the writing was a little overly descriptive of the surroundings, the town, the past; things I didn’t feel had much bearing on the overall story. I skimmed where it felt unnecessary to the story.

I was really rooting for Amelia, really liked her. She was back on the right path with her life after falling so low, and she was trying to get justice for the poor woman murdered. That being said, I wasn’t thrilled with a few of Amelia’s choices. I don’t like it when a character ignores their gut feeling or plain facts, getting into risky situations unnecessarily. For the most part Amelia handled whatever came at her pretty well, and those risky situations made for an exciting read! I have to say the ending was a roller coaster thrill ride! Definitely had me on the edge of my seat!

I was pleased with the way the romance turned out, but would’ve liked a little more development. Still, this was a thriller/mystery so I was happy I got any romance at all!

Not a Sound was an exciting mystery! One I read straight through in one sitting! I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Ms. Gudenkauf’s next story!

I have read several of Heather Gudenkauf’s books and she never disappoints me, and once again, she lives up to my expectations with Not a Sound.

The main character is Amelia Winn. Amelia is deaf. We learn that she lost her hearing when hit by a hit and run driver. We also learn that her frustration and anger over losing her hearing caused her to start drinking and end up losing her job, her husband and her step daughter. She now lives alone in the woods with her therapy dog, Stitch.

One day, while out paddling on the water with Stitch, she finds a dead body. Even worse, she knows who it is. It’s a nurse who also helped victims of abuse, just like she had been. From then on, things move quickly.

The author did an excellent job of making you feel and understand what it would like to be deaf and being threatened and pursued. But even though she has that against her, Amelia is a strong character.

I couldn’t put this book down! Loved it!

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’m pretty new to the genius of Heather Gudenkauf only having read 1 other book by her, but when I saw this book- I knew I had to request it. The cover, the main character, and the summary all drew me in.



What I liked:

Cover. Ya’ll know how I adore my covers and I really love this one. My only regret is that I requested this via Netgalley so I cannot gaze adoringly at the cover as I would if I had it paperback ARC or hardcover.

Amelia. Amelia is at the top of her game when we meet her, but her fate quickly turns. I’ve known people who were deaf from birth, but never known someone who lost their hearing in the age of life that Amelia was. It must be frustrating to be able to hear for years and then.. nothing. I liked how Heather explained things about the way that Amelia was coping and learning new skills to compensate her loss of hearing. It made Amelia seem more real and gave me something to think about.

The mystery. I was not quite sure where Heather was headed with this story, then I thought I knew, then I realized that she was pulling a switcher-roo. Good girl 🙂



Bottom line: Suspenseful at times, educational at others- Not A Sound offers much for readers!



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

**Not A Sound was a May 2017 #FuturisticFriday selection from Traveling With T.**

Amelia Winn is a talented and dedicated nurse who specializes in working with victims of assault and abuse. One evening when she is escorting a patient to her vehicle, she and the other woman are hit by a car. The patient dies and Amelia is left profoundly deaf. Amelia turns to alcohol for comfort, a decision that destroys her family. With the help of her friend Jake, she gets her life back together, attending AA meetings and learning sign language. Now she is reentering the work force by getting an office job at an oncology practice. Then while she is out kayaking with her service dog, she finds the body of a former coworker.

I felt bad for Amelia and what she went through even if some of that pain was caused by her own choices. It was good to see that she was able to rebuild a life for herself. It was interesting to read a book from the view point of someone who is deaf and to see how Amelia adjusts to that and how others respond to her. I loved Stitch. He wasn't always the most obedient dog but he was definitely endearing. I also learned about the technological advances for hearing impaired people like phones that will translate what people say into text.

Not a Sound is definitely a suspenseful story and adding to that feeling of suspense is the fact that Amelia keeps putting herself in dangerous situations. I felt frustrated with her for doing that but it is a common trope in suspense for the amateur investigator to take all kinds of risks in order to increase the suspense. Aside from my frustration with Amelia's risk taking, I did like the book. It is a page turner and while I figured out who the killer was early on in spite of red herrings, there was one little twist I wasn't expecting.

Review will be live on June 5, 2017.

Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf has an interesting premise. Our protagonist, Amelia, is in a horrific accident that has taken her hearing. As the story progresses, we see how her loss of hearing puts her at a disadvantage when it comes to capturing the antagonist. It’s an interesting concept that falls short when the book is read silently.

Gudenkauf did an excellent job of creating a character that you could be empathetic with. This is a strength of hers as an author. I was drawn to Amelia and her broken world. Her accident put her at a disadvantage. Some of the choices she made after her accident put her at even a greater disadvantage, but Amelia is determined to make amends so when she gets wound up in the mystery of the story this determination shines and you can’t help but root for her to solve the mystery.

The story falls short on two accounts. One of which might be considered a spoiler so read ahead at your own risk.

1) The big reveal of “who-dun-it” in the novel relies on how speech is interpreted (seeing vs. hearing). This reveal would have been more powerful in a more visual (a movie) or auditory format (an audiobook). The twist is built in the text of the story, but if you read quickly, “it’s a blink and you miss it, kick yourself for missing it” when it’s finally explained.

2) The person that caused Amelia’s accident that lead to her hearing loss is never found. The accident has a huge impact on Amelia’s life, I was disappointed this secondary mystery wasn’t wrapped up at the end.

Gudenkauf has found her niche in writing character driven mystery novels. The life situations she places her characters are realistic and believable. While there isn’t tons of depth in the mystery and many times the antagonist is painfully obvious at the conclusion, I do enjoy reading her novels because I’m drawn to the characters she creates in her fictional Iowa towns.

Amelia Winn loses her hearing in a hit and run accident. This turns her life upside down. She spirals into drinking, which leads to her losing her husband. She is getting back on her feet when while kayaking with her dog Stitch (who steals the show and is really our hero), she comes across the dead body of a woman she used to work with. They were both nurses who worked sexual assault cases and it makes you wonder, could they be targeted? Amelia starts her own investigation while also getting back to work in a doctor’s office, going through their files. And while also seeming to have something starting with Jake, her brother’s best friend from childhood, and the detective on the case.

As per usual Heather Gudenkauf, you can’t put this one down until you know what is really going on. She always has a way of twisting you around her finger as you read. I love how the lead character is a deaf heroine. It added a different texture to everything and more of that dreadful suspense when you wonder if someone is going to come up on her. I did kind of have a feeling about who the “bad guys” were but that didn’t distract from the story at all. I am a fan of Heather Gudenkauf’s writing and always look forward to her next book. This one did not disappoint.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.

I am utterly speechless! A 5 Star ++++. Brilliantly crafted . . . LOVED. Just finished this incredible and compelling book. It may take some time to get my heart rate back to normal. My nails will never be the same. The author is at the "Top" of her game.

Heather Gudenkauf returns following Missing Pieces landing on my Top 50 Books of 2016 with her "Best Yet," NOT A SOUND. Hands down, this is the "best book I have read in 2017!" I have no doubt by year end, it will still be the best of the year.

As the book opens we meet ER nurse Amelia Winn, specialized in domestic abuse. She has a patient, Stacey and she is leaving. Amelia walks with her to the car and another car is barreling at them, full speed ahead, which ends in tragedy. An unsolved hit-and-run. (hopefully another book here . . . )

Flash forward two years later, Amelia has found herself deaf, jobless, and now separated from her doctor husband, David, her home and her seven-year-old stepdaughter, Nora.

Life has not been easy. She is not able to continue her career as a nurse, and suffers from alcoholism, since the accident.

She has moved to a cabin in the woods and spends her time on the river, paddle boarding, kayaking, hiking, and running with her service dog, Stitch. She is trying to rebuild her life.

Amelia delivers all her commands in Czech to Stitch. His former trainer Vilem was originally from Prague and trained all of his police and rescue dogs using Czech commands, including Stitch and Jake’s K-9.

Jake a childhood friend (her brother Andrew's best friend), now Detective and her best friend. He too has experienced tragedy in his life with his wife’s suicide four years earlier off the Five Mines Bridge. He has helped pull her out of the gutter.

Just when Amelia thinks she is getting her life back on track with a job interview at the hospital (a file clerk), not what she was trained to do, but a step back in the direction, she stumbles upon a dead body in the river that same morning. The body turns out to be a fellow nurse, Gwen.

There are only three ways to get to this remote Five Mines River location: by boat, by four-wheeler, or by foot. She cannot believe Gwen Locke is dead and she cannot help but think of her own accident two years ago, which she is not convinced was an accident, after all. They met being sexual assault nurse examiners. Could it be a rapist or an abusive boyfriend for husband looking for revenge?

What if Gwen’s murder and her attempted murder are connected? She and Gwen both treated patients who were abused by very bad people. Would it be a stretch to think they would come after the nurses who were trying to gather forensic evidence to put them in jail for a very long time? Now she is a witness.

Turns out Amelia had pushed everyone away during the two years after the accident while she spiraled down with the devil (alcohol). In looking at some old emails, Gwen had tried to reach out to her. They had been good friends once before she got hit by a car. Before she lost her hearing and abandoned her family and friends for alcohol. They had daughters about the same age.

Presently, Amelia has not had a drink in eighteen months and determined more than ever to get her life back in order to spend time with Nora.

Amelia is one tough cookie (love her) . . . and she soon suspects there is more than meets the eye with the murder. Crazy things begin happening. There are tons of suspects. However, she keeps her suspicions to herself, after Jake tells her to let them handle the case.

She becomes obsessed with finding the killer and begins her own investigation (she is some detective –no slouch here). Her dog Stitch was a gift from her friend Jake and he is always at her side as her loyal companion. Being deaf really sets her back, working with her handicap--especially with a killer on a loose and she may be next.

Without her hearing, she has to rely on her vision to gauge the world around her.

Pretty soon, she begins suspecting things are not as they appear at work, plus she finds herself doing all sorts of illegal things to gather information. She is determined whoever murdered Gwen, is out to get her next. She will not look the other way.

She has two choices when she gets the urge to drink. The devil is calling her in the back of the cabinet (booze), or she can do what she does to make the urge pass. Go for a run. However, when it is dark, remote, and a killer on the loose, the two choices are not so great. She chooses the darkness and lurking danger outside, over the bottle.

It the meantime, the only person near her is her closest neighbor, Evan who owns the Five Mines Outfitters. She now is dealing with Peter, someone from Gwen's past. An obsessive-compulsive quasi-stalker (used bookstore owner) who lives in his parent’s house and spends his free time in a garage, pasting news articles about his murdered ex-girlfriend into a scrapbook.

She cannot seem to wrap her head around all that has happened. Gwen’s death, her mysterious email, missing records at the hospital, David’s newfound interest in her, not to mention Jake’s; the break-in at her house, the condition of David’s boat, Peter’s strange behavior and his cryptic statement making her suspect her ex-husband.

None of this adds up and she must do more digging. Is she missing something? Something very wrong is going on. Could her doctor ex-husband be involved in a murder? Complex.

Plus, someone is trying to discredit her by breaking into her house (using her past alcoholism), and setting her up. Someone is trying to cover their tracks, and she may be next on their list. The closer she gets to discovering the truth, she and Stitch find themselves in a complex dangerous web of deceit.

A huge fan of this talented author; have read all her books and enjoyed them immensely; however, this one is particularly powerful, compelling, explosive, intense, and emotional . . . as the author mentions, her most personal; referencing "Amelia is one of her most complicated endearing characters to-date."

If you can only read one (moving and emotional) crime thriller this year— this would be the ONE. There is so much here on a number of different levels. Yes, you need to pre-order ASAP and count yourself fortunate if you land an early reading copy. (I am beyond grateful).

Readers, you will fall in love with Amelia and Stitch (side kick service dog). The most courageous (and intelligent), strong-willed, and witty duo I have ever met between the pages. The duo tackles a powerful sociopath on their own. A whodunit on steroids.

Well-written, to give you an idea: A mix of Jodi Picoult, Diane Chamberlain, Amy Hatvany, Lisa Scottoline, Lisa Unger, Lisa Gardner (another 2017 favorite) Jennifer Jaynes, and Michael and Daniel Palmer (medical thrillers), and of course the icing on the cake: Heather Gudenkauf's own signature trademark style. Top-Shelf.

Intricately plotted, fast-paced, memorable characters with realistic inner struggles; highly-charged subject matter, more twists than you can imagine . . . and the riveting taut suspense kept my heart beating non-stop (the scene by the riverbank in the snow) full blown, Tachycardia. This is what I call an "emotional thriller." I would not change one word.

As I mentioned in my comments while reading, I give first prize to Heather, for the "most catching" hook me, at first chapter ever. Jaw-dropping. It does not stop there. The same breakneck speed intensity continues to the explosive heart-pounding finale.

I can see why NOT A SOUND has received rave advance editorial praise. Believe every word. Impeccable research, from cancer, the medical profession, health care, whistleblowing, terminal illness, alcoholism, addiction, step-parenting, marriage, murder, domestic abuse, victims of violent crime, hearing impaired, service dogs, to so much more.

The setting, weather, and nature add to the mystery and intrigue. Reminded me of my days living in Big Canoe (North Georgia mountains) in my log cabin in the woods overlooking a lake; heavenly.

In addition, a huge medical thriller fan as well, and cancer is a topic close to my heart. An ideal choice for book clubs and further discussions. A cautionary tale, (more realistic than we know), without saying too much - a timely subject.

I for one, hope we see more of Amelia and Stitch in future books. They are too good to end. If you have not read this author, what are you waiting for? A book to re-read and have also pre-ordered the audiobook (narrated by Julia Whelan).

Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
Heather Gudenkauf and Lisa Unger in Conversation

A very "special thank you" to Park Row Books and NetGalley for an early reading copy.

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