There is nothing more disturbing than the death of a child so the storyline of The Silent House will be very difficult reading for many people, especially those who are parents. I don't have any children and I even found it difficult to read in places, although Nell Pattison thankfully doesn't go into too much grisly detail in her hard-hitting debut.

Having been burgled during the night when we were asleep upstairs, I do have a fear of somebody coming into my house during the night. At least I would be able to hear a noise which is more than can be said for the Hunter family, who are all deaf. The police can't believe that Alan Hunter and his girlfriend had no idea that someone came into their house during the night and murdered Alan's 18 month old daughter, Lexi. How could they know if they couldn't hear anything? Alan therefore becomes the prime suspect and Paige Northwood, whose sister is Lexi's godmother, is called upon by the police to be the sign language interpreter when all of the suspects are interviewed.

There are more suspects than you'd imagine in this case and most of them are from the deaf community, so Paige is in the unenviable position of hearing things about Lexi's death that she would rather not have known. Paige starts asking questions at Deaf Club but it isn't long before she starts receiving threats to drop her own investigation. With the threats increasing in severity, somebody will stop at nothing to prevent Paige from casting doubt on Alan's guilt.

The Silent House is as chilling as it is gripping; I couldn't tear my eyes away from the page even though sometimes I wanted to hide behind my metaphorical sofa. Nell Pattison has included an added element of menace to her compelling story by choosing to set such a heinous crime in the deaf community. It definitely made me more appreciative to have all of my five senses.

A disturbing page-turner that will leave you reeling, The Silent House is a fantastic debut from Nell Pattison and I'll certainly be keeping an eager eye open to see what she writes next.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I love an original premise and a book that makes me think. So for a debut to come along with both was a double joy. This certainly made me more aware of the deaf community and how things that people take for granted can be really difficult for them. You can tell from the writing the author has personal experience and it made for an empathetic read.

I loved that it was Paige the interpreter’s perspective that was used for narration so we get to follow her ideas on who killed Lexi the Hunter’s 18 month old daughter rather than follow a police investigation. I really warmed to Paige although she could occasionally be a tad unprofessional.

The pace ran along nicely but it did slow down towards the middle. However there was enough question and intrigue to keep me reading. A few nicely placed red herrings and I for one did not work out who the murderer was.

So if you fancy an original twist on a classic whodunnit then give this debut book a try.

A great thriller that will keep you guessing. An 18 months old baby has been brutally murdered and the only people that were in the house that night are deaf.

With no witnesses and too many people with reasons to commit such a hideous crime, the detectives together with an interpreter start to do interviews with all the suspects to unravel the mystery of what happened that night.

A great debut mystery novel with great deaf representation and a different take on your typical invstigation story considering that all the main suspects and families are deaf.

This book piqued my interest because of the use of BSL; an interesting hook into the story of a murder of little girl in the Deaf community. The style is very different because of signing and initially this appealed. As usual in books of this genre there are a number of suspects, any of whom could have committed the crime and the story was interwoven well. I did, however, guess the guilty party pretty early on and the red herrings weren't quite convincing enough to make me dither about my choice.

My main criticism is that the book lacked pace. Whilst it was touted as a page-turning thriller in reality in parts it dragged and was repetitive. I read to about two-thirds of the way though then I'm afraid I skim-read the last third, just wanting to get to the end to confirm I'd guessed the murderer correctly. Perhaps if I'd nothing else to read in the coronavirus lockdown I would have persevered but life is too short to dwell on less than gripping books with characters I cared less and less about as the story progressed and I needed to move on to the next read.

I'd like to thank the publishers and netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

The Hunter family are deaf, and when an intruder murders 18-month-old Lexi in the middle of the night they wake up to their worst nightmare.

Sign language interpreter Paige Northwood is called in by the Police to communicate with the witnesses, but with the Deaf community being quite small, Paige finds herself drawn into the investigation on a more personal level.

One by one, people start to fall under suspicion. But who would kill a little girl? Was it an intruder? Or was the murderer closer to home?

When I read the description for Silent House my first thought was that the idea was really unsettling. Having somebody break into your house in the middle of the night is bad enough, but with the whole family being deaf, it added an extra level of fear and actually made me feel a bit claustrophobic. As I was reading through the book, I realised that the story wasn’t really going in the direction I had expected. I thought that the story would focus heavily on this creepy idea of somebody being in the house and taking advantage of the fact that the family were unaware and unable to defend themselves. However, the initial crime happens very early on in the story and the rest of the book is more of a ‘police procedural’ following Paige Northwood as she assists the police and tries to get to the bottom of what happened. This isn’t a bad thing, it was just that the book took a completely different approach than I was expecting. I enjoyed Paige as a character and the setting in the deaf community made it stand out from other books in the same genre.

Thanks to NetGalley and Avon Books for the opportunity to read and review.

I’d never heard of the author before so had zero expectations for this book. The blurb intrigued me as it seemed to offer something different from the run-of-the-mill thrillers. This book ticked all of the boxes for me. I was gripped from the shocking opening, the brutal hammer murder of a baby girl. I had so many questions I wanted to be answered, least of all, who the hell would murder a baby? I loved the way the story unfolds with unreliable narration and misdirection until it reached a point where I thought everyone was a suspect and my mind was going to crazy places. I kept coming back to the fact the dead babies parents were the prime suspects. Who else would kill a baby? I just didn’t see a stranger breaking in and doing that. It’s Jon Benet Ramsey all over again. Of course all my suspicions were wrong (mostly). I also loved the way the book focuses on the experiences of deaf people and the deaf community which I’ve never really come across in fiction before. This is a gritty, original thriller.

I loved the description of this book. It made me want to read it instantly.
A little different from what I’ve read before.
I enjoyed the book however it was a little slower than I expected.
Enjoyable

I was given the chance to read this as part of a tour. I have to say it sounded great and right up my street.

I wasn't wrong.



I really enjoyed this book, it was refreshing to have a book where the main characters, in fact most of them are deaf. This is not something that happens much.



I liked the idea of this book, it really does make you think that this can happen and there are families who never know if someone has been in their house. Let alone if something was happening to a member of the family.



Nell Pattison has a talent for drawing you here and there, thinking that you have worked it out. I couldn't guess who it was, I kept thinking I had it, when actually, I didn't. I enjoyed the short chapters in this book, it really held my attention.



I thought the way it counted down till the incident was good as well, really made you question what you thought you knew.



I am looking forward to reading more from this author, I think whatever is written next will be just as good if not better. Cannot wait to see what comes now.

This book was good, it was different from any other books I have read. It's about a dear family who wouldn't know if someone was in their house or not.
Reading this book I learned a lot about the deaf community and all that.
I really enjoyed this book, I learned so much about the family, secrets start to be revealed and you don't know who the suspect is.

Thank you for a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to read this book as the story sounds great but it would not open on my kindle. I can’t get it off my bookshelf without reviewing - sorry x

wow. I am so surprised on how intrigued this book made and kept me. I think I fell in love with the author and BSL all in one fell swoop. I did not anticipate this much enjoyment of a crime novel nor did I really feel this book was up my alley. I took a leap and I am so glad I did.. this book is filled with soooo many plot twists that I seriously did not guess who dun it ... wow ... wow wow! I would have loved to read this audio also!

As we all know I love a good thriller and mystery book, and this hit all the right spots for me. I literally didn’t not know who done what, I mean I can normally guess but I was pleasantly surprised with this book.

The book follows self-employed Sign Language Interpreter Paige Northwood as she works with the Police to find out who murdered an 18 month old deaf child. Not only is this tragic but she knows the family and it hits closer to home than she thought. Not used to signing for the Police especially in an active murder Investigation she tests her strength and finds that she wants to find the killer no matter what, even putting her life at risk.
Nell Pattison definitely new what she was doing when writing this book, it I admit was slow at points but In the end I felt that it built up the tension of the book. Paige was a strong character, and you can definitely see her grow throughout the book. Her sense of right and wrong is definitely strong in the book but at the end she wants to solve this murder with or without Police help.

I found this nook unique as it centred around the Deaf community and their struggles with communication. The book definitely focuses on this and shines a light on the positive signs of the community and it was definitely an eye opener.

I enjoyed that there were so many different characters and that they all had their own secrets and lives that you discovered on the journey. The book definitely hit my heart as the death of a child is hard. I loved how Pattison brought together the community and the support they all received. I liked how this book looked at the dynamics within the community. I found the thought of someone entering my home and not being able to hear them positively frightening.

I would only say that the book had an excellent premise, I felt that at times it was slow but that the characters were definitely the strong point but needed more development. I felt that for a first book that this was extremely good.

Although this book started out a little slow, I enjoyed it. I found the main character, a deaf interpreter, very interesting. This was a good mystery read all in all.

I liked the synopsis and the first portion of the book. After that it was so slow and boring that I lost all interest. By the end of the book I no longer cared and just wanted it to be other with. I felt as if the storyline was not properly thought out and the ending was just a mess. Overall it was okay.

Chilling, creepy, tense and cleverly written. It hooks you in , it gets under your skin it invades your mind and sends cold chills down the spine. A gripping read that will make you shiver at its brilliance. The pace gathers as the pages turn , I rushed through to see not only where it would lead but what sort of read it would deliver. It was a great read and one that will haunt you days after finishing. The thought of a killer being in the house but you cannot hear them is definitely the stuff of nightmares just hope this book doesn’t give you any. Eerily compelling.

Very interesting original book based on the lives of a tragic deaf family who discover one of their children has been murdered. It was a very good read although I found the storyline upsetting.

Paige Northwood is an interpreter for the deaf community. She normally is needed at schools and hospitals but finds herself in the middle of a police investigation when a small child is murdered while her family slept. The Hunter family were unable to hear an intruder sneak in the middle of the night and killed one of their children. Paige should have been ineligible to help with the case because of close ties with the family but she hides this fact and behind looking for answers on her own putting herself and loved ones in danger.
The idea of this story was really unique but it somehow fell flat. I found some of the descriptions of the deaf community interesting but I got stuck on why was an entire family deaf? Is hearing loss a genetic condition? I also found Paige’s aversion to being in a relationship too easily cast aside when a man she found attractive was introduced into the story.
This was a debut novel and I think the character of Paige shows a lot of promise.
Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

When a toddler is found brutally murdered in her bedroom with nobody seeing or hearing anything, the initial thought would be 'how is this possible?' The Hunter family would not be able to hear anything, however, as everybody in the house is deaf. To help with their interviews, the police call in interpreter Paige Northwood, and soon she comes to the conclusion that the family are hiding something. Who was the intruder or is the murderer of Lexi someone closer to home?

I loved the premise of this book, and the plot is one that really makes you think. At night, when all is dark, we rely upon our hearing to alert us to any danger, but what if you are deprived of this sense? How do you know if anything is wrong? This is the scenario we are faced with when young Lexi is found dead, no one in the family able to hear anything. This was a truly terrifying image and I really felt for the family as they discovered what had happened the following morning.

Nell Pattison really gives us an insight into the deaf community, showing us their daily struggles and how they overcome this. It did not come as a surprise to see that the author works with students who use BSL as her knowledge was apparent throughout her writing. This tight-knit community posed problems for Paige as everyone seemed to know everyone else and gossip was rife. I felt sorry for the interpreter as she was constantly pressed for information from her family and friends, knowing that she would not be able to share what she had discovered in the police interviews.

As well as the murder, there is a linked sub-plot involving Paige when her own life is put in danger. What starts off as messages warning her to stop her work with the police, soon escalates and she is left fearing for her life and for that of her hearing impaired sister. I enjoyed this part of the story as we see Paige suspecting everyone around her, not knowing who, if anyone, she can trust.

Although I did manage to work out who the killer was, it took me quite a while due to the numerous shady characters we meet as the book progresses. This is a strong debut and I look forward to reading what the author writes next.

Well, for a debut novel, you can’t go wrong here! I was entranced by the synopsis of this book and was not disappointed. It was so unusual and provided such a different perspective to a life that I am extremely naive to. Whilst this is an opening novel for Pattison, I commend her writing style and wonder: is this the beginning of a series? What can come next for the writer?

Exploring the crime story through the deaf community, I suddenly appreciated how defenceless and vulnerable they must feel. In this novel especially, the victim’s family can only rely on an interpreter, Paige, to communicate exactly how they feel. And when you have a domineering mother thrown into the mixture who selectively interprets whilst usually controlling the situation, you wonder how a crime like this will ever be solved. The circumstances portrayed in this novel were expertly done and I appreciated how the writer signified the difference between sign and verbal communication through the novel’s formatting. It meant that the book did not feel laboured and I could focus on the story as it developed.

This is a crazy plot premise. I mean, imagine having a murder committed in your house but being unable to hear it? It’s this that makes this book stand out from many other crime novels on the shelves at the moment. The protagonist, Paige, is the interpreter called to the scene and we gradually discover that she has some demons haunting her from her past. It is not until near the end of the novel do readers discover what actually happened but I enjoyed the fact that she is not the interpreter who gets everything right and is one step ahead of the police. Far from it; she is a flawed character which made her all the more likeable as a result.

I actually got a bit worried as I neared the final chapters of the novel – were there enough pages left to fully explain everything? Of course there were. It did not feel rushed and was not overly complex that it made me left scratching my head and re-reading sections (it does occasionally happen). Whilst I had guessed the perpetrator rather early on in the plot, I enjoyed the subtle connections that the writer made between other strands of the story. It was tied up rather satisfyingly at the end and, as mentioned at the beginning, wonder if Pattison is leaving space for a series featuring Paige and the police force?

I really enjoyed this debut novel from Nell Pattison. It was a great piece of writing and kept me interested throughout. It was not slow, it was not awkward and it really raised awareness about deafness that I had never before considered. I would be excited to see what comes next from this author.

With thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent book about a deaf interpreter who is working for the police department. When a toddler is murdered in her own bed, while her family sleeps, the mystery begins. Because the family is deaf, they had no idea anyone was in their home, let alone hurting their child. When Paige is called in to help interpret for the police, she finds that she knows the family, as the deaf community is close in this small town. As Paige and the police get closer to finding the murderer, everyone is a suspect, and Paige herself is in danger. Well written mystery that had me guessing the whole time.