Robin Caroll pens another good suspense with a fast-paced and intriguing plot filled with twists and turns, characters/family members who work well together, and insightful discussions about faith in the midst of tragedy, grief, and fear.
This is straight-up suspense without a hint of romance in the plot, except for Elise's fond memories of the great love she had shared with her deceased husband. Elise goes through a tremendous amount of grief and stress as her mother-in-law is found murdered and she and her son start receiving threats. She is a strong and determined lady, though a little impulsive and hot-headed. She's emotionally and physically supported by her loyal sister-in-law Mary Ellen, her smart and connected stepfather-in-law Noland, and a young but eager reporter Wesson who becomes a friend. I learned a bit of the day-to-day modifications a deaf child needs through Elise's son Sawyer's life.
I didn't fully connect with Elise unfortunately and I also wasn't too keen on how the investigation of the senator's murder played out but the suspense of the plot was gripping. If you enjoy suspense novels, you will enjoy this newest from Robin Caroll.

I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.

I love how Robin Caroll used her characters throughout Dead Silence to show the strength and resilience of Elise and Sawyer. The book started out strong and ended with a flourish while including a well-timed Christian message.

The way she adapted the story to include Sawyer, who is deaf and mute, with the flashing lights and text-to-speech tablet were ingenious and kept a constant reminder in my head that this book was not like the other.

Elise is fiercely protective of Sawyer, and I love that about her. She wants to protect him from everything but refuses to be a ‘helicopter parent’ and does her best to let Sawyer learn and grow.

I do have to say, I wasn’t a fan of how the FBI was portrayed. I know that’s a big thing in cozy mystery, but I wasn’t expecting it here. But it could have been worse, so I won’t fuss too much. There were enough things I did like about the novel. And all’s well in the end.

The steady escalation of tension kept me reading all the way through to the end, even though I was ninety percent sure I knew the bad guy. Had to read and find out for sure, you know.

I requested a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

This book had me on the edge of my seat from the very beginning. Elise is an interpreter for the court system. But she is so much more than that. She is a mom to a 7 year old son who was born deaf and the widow of a man killed in action in the military. One day, by accident, she lip-reads a conversation between two men talking about the murder of a US Senator. As soon as court dismisses for the day she intends to notify the authorities, but an accident on the playground has her forgetting all about it and rushing to the hospital to make sure her son is going to be okay. The senator is murdered that same night and when she realizes what has happened she notifies the authorities. Then begins the roller coaster ride as her and her son are threatened. While this is a great suspenseful murder mystery, it is also a story of family and there is a Christian theme throughout it. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a good murder mystery.

Dead Silence by Robin Caroll snagged my attention from the moment I saw the abstract. Elise Carmichael, who is an ex-model turned sign language interpreter, read lips automatically. This habit, however, leads to her seeing something she was never meant to see—a threat against her mother-in-law, a prominent U.S. senator. After her deaf son breaks his wrist on the playground, Elise completely forgets about what she saw…until she learns the next morning that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. As soon as she is able, Elise goes to the authorities, and it is mere hours before the threats begin. Elise suddenly finds herself in the middle of an intense investigation, and now her life—not to mention her son’s life—are in danger.

One thing is for certain: there were no silent moments in Robin Caroll’s Dead Silence. Each turn of the page brought a new challenge for Elise and her friends. Just as I thought the plot had hit a stall point, Caroll would surprise me with a new threat or a new detail. I did not want to put Dead Silence down. I read it late into the night and only closed it because I had to go to work in the morning. It kept my attention, and I found all of the main protagonists interesting and well developed. Caroll detailed their histories, and she weaved those facts into the story flawlessly. There were rarely longwinded paragraphs of character descriptions that might have bored some readers. Instead, Caroll casually dropped little snippets of information in conversations and Elise’s internal contemplations.

I did not like the portrayal of the FBI in Dead Silence at all. They were basically incompetent, and the agents refused to tell anything worthwhile to the murdered senator’s family members. Each time they tried to do something worthwhile, it seemed like the situation slipped through their butterfingers. Not only that, the book depicted a member of the media as a heroic figure. I do not doubt that some reporters have good intentions, but she kept using her “sources,” and was always one step ahead of the FBI. It almost seemed to me that Caroll disliked the FBI and intentionally portrayed the agents as not being able to do their jobs.

I felt at times, certain characters—including the FBI—were present because they had to be to fill holes. When they served their intended purposes in two or three pages, they disappeared. Sometimes Caroll would bring them up again in a later chapter, but it was like the author did it because she forgot the characters herself.

One character in particular was blatantly rude and unprofessional, and I could not stand her. That was probably Caroll’s intention. In real life, I think she would have faced discipline. Instead, some characters dismissed her behavior, and that irked me. Not only that, Caroll incorporated a few general clichés that made the book a little predictable for me. Without giving anything away, the moment the book mentioned the antagonist, I knew the person’s identity…even though the author did not formally reveal the character until close to the end of the novel.

I do not want to end this on a negative note, as I did like Dead Silence Robin Caroll, and I will recommend it to my friends. The book sugarcoated nothing, which I appreciated. Readers see a very raw Elise Carmichael at times—a person who is angry, heartbroken, terrified, and struggling with her faith in God. How could a good and loving God let everything that has occurred happen? The book demonstrates how God is always present…even when He does not answer.

Overall, Dead Silence is good; it just has a few flaws that got under my skin.

**Note: This review will also soon appear on Life Is Story (https://www.lifeisstory.com/), but I wanted to go ahead and give my feedback rather than wait for it to be published there.

We have all probably heard the phrase "Dead Silence". Robin Caroll has written a new book that gives a whole new meaning to the phrase. Her book entitled just that "Dead Silence" is a spell-bounding suspense filled story. The lives of the characters is not what you normally would read. It's amazing how the author has taken a story that will have you trying to figure out what happened and who done it. I've always admired those who can sign and communicate with the deaf. I just never think much on someone's ability to read lips. Elise possess such a talent not only to sign to her deaf son but to read lips. Which eventually brings danger to her front door and her extended family. Why? Who? What? Where? How? READ THE BOOK!!
Blessings,
Karen
Rating: 5*
I requested a copy of this book and all opinions are my own.

Elise is a sign language interpreter and a widow with a 7 yr old deaf son. Elise accidentally lipreads a plot to assassinate Elise’s mother in law who is a US Senator. The story follows the investigation of the murder. I enjoyed the book. I liked how Elise has to regain her faith in God as the story goes. I didn’t like how one of the FBI agents was very rude and unprofessional. I would recommend this for those looking for a good read.

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this story.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to review this book. I loved the premise and the beginning of the book. Elise is a widowed mom of a deaf and dumb child. She unintentionally reads someone's lips as they make plans to assassinate a senator, who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Elise is unable to save her mother-in-law and the book deals with the aftermath of the assassination as well as Elise and her son being hunted by the perpetrators. While the beginning was very good, by the end I thought there were too many characters and the plot got more and more inconceivable. Additionally, I didn't really like most of the characters which made it difficult to get involved in the book.

Over the past couple of years, I have not read as much in the suspense and thriller genre as I normally do, mostly because I read almost exclusively for the purpose of reviewing rather than free reading, but also for the sake of enjoying more peaceful stories. Nevertheless, when the opportunity arises to review a Christian suspense book, I tend to go for it. It makes for a nice change of pace once in a while, especially when the author is one I know spins a good yarn. Last year I read “Stratagem” and was very impressed, so I was eager to read another novel by Robin Caroll.

As soon as I heard that “Dead Silence” featured a court sign language interpreter, Elise Carmichael, as the main character, I was in! This despite the political aspect, because as much as I hate politics, I have always been fascinated with sign language. I watched the 1962 film version of “The Miracle Worker” in high school so many times that I had all of the dialogue memorized. So this book beckoned to me, and even more so when I learned that Elise’s seven-year-old son, Sawyer, is deaf and mute. Elise’s job and skills are what entangle the two of them in a harrowing investigation related to the assassination of Senator Lilliana York, Elise’s mother-in-law. So far, so good; I appreciated that while this story takes place in the political realm, the mystery and suspense are the focus, and I honestly had a difficult time putting it down due to the quick pace.

Caroll skillfully writes a strong faith element into “Dead Silence.” Elise has drifted away from God in bitterness and anger over her son’s perceived disability and her husband’s death, which makes her a sympathetic character whose coming-home journey is fraught with distrust and fear. Most of us can relate to some degree: “Maybe that’s why she had been so resistant to turn back to God. Putting Sawyer, the one thing, the one person she loved more than anything else in this world, into anyone else’s hands besides her own terrified her.” We know from Scripture that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and that He is higher and greater than all else, and Elise comes to truly understand this throughout the novel.

There are some points of this story that kept this from being a 5-star read for me. While I can attest that many people do not know how to do their jobs, I found the degree of ineptness demonstrated by the FBI in this book rather farfetched. Elise and her entourage are more capable and have more connections than I thought likely, as well; although I loved their proficiency, I did not think it very credible overall. Some details are left out, such as how the assassin enters the Senator’s home undetected, and one of the main characters in the beginning of the story suddenly drops out for the rest of the narrative. I did think that the ending was too tidy and abrupt after all of the detail and the rather slow passage of time prior, but I was nonetheless rather pleased with the resolution. All of this is to say that while I did have some issues with certain elements, I still enjoyed “Dead Silence” very much, and if you are able to suspend disbelief a bit, this is a gripping story of murder, conspiracy, healing, and the power of both a mother’s love for her son and God’s love for us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

This was my third novel by Robin Caroll so I was sure it would be good, and it was! Stratagem and Weaver’s Needle were previous works of hers that I read and reviewed. Dead Silence interested me in that it involved lip reading and a murder plot. Elise worked in the courts as a deaf interpreter. She happened to be at the courthouse when she lip read a security guard telling of a plan to murder a senator. Her seven year old son was born deaf mute and was injured and on the way to the ER before she had time to react to the threat.
After the murder was carried out, Elise began receiving packages with warnings in them. Scared for her and her son’s safety, she installed a security system. Local law enforcement as well as the FBI became involved. Lots of action was involved including kidnapping and leaks within the system. Elise had strong support from her sister-in-law and her stepfather-in-law in spite of the grief they were going through. Sawyer, Elise’s son, added a sweet character to the mix. He was well versed in lip reading also and very intelligent. She was very protective of him, which was natural and understood. This story kept me spellbound and enthralled throughout. There were no dull spots at all. My daughter is a speech language pathologist so the premise of the story caught my interest right off. I tried to learn American Sign but it was difficult for my tired old brain. I think it should be offered in high school as an alternative to foreign language.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

Elise will need to pull all reserves of bravery, intelligence, logic and perseverance in order to handle the death of her mother-in-law and all that follows. If only she could call on the God that she had turned away from since the time of her husband’s death.

Within days of Lillian York’s death, the fact that Elise read the lips of a man promising to carry out the murder becomes known and threats begin. Gifts arrive with accelerating threats of seriousness. Elise is at a loss as to how to keep her son, Sawyer, and herself safe. His deafness and recent arm injury only complicate things.

Ms. Caroll’s characters are intense while remaining believable. Elise’s turn away from God is understandable and not overdone. Her return to faith comes at a time when most would see it as comforting, not superficial. This is definitely a page-turner. They mystery soon becomes apparent but how it unfolds keeps the reader’s interest to the end.


I received an ARC from Barbour Publishing, Inc. through NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book. I am voluntarily submitting this review and am under no obligation to do so.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This book was different than books I tend to like in that there was no romance and it only contained one POV character. There were also some scenes that didn’t have enough action for my tastes. Overall, the suspense was good but I would have liked it to be more consistent throughout the book. It got better as the book went on and I was able to guess who was behind the murder fairly early on in the book. I’m not sure how I felt about one of the FBI agents being so rude and disrespectful but I understand that it does happen in real life. The storyline was interesting and I wanted to see how it would wrap up. It was a decent book but a few things weren’t to my tastes.

3.5 Stars

The premise of Dead Silence is unique and interesting. A court sign language interpreter lip-reads a threat to someone, and the chase is on. Add in the element of Elise’s deaf son, and the character is given some depth.

This story is told exclusively from Elise’s point of view as the suspense unfolds. She’s a strong character who makes some questionable choices at times. The supporting characters who come around Elise gave this novel a boost as well.

However, the way the author portrayed the FBI in this book left a lot to be desired. One agent was rude and unprofessional, and the other seemed to simply follow the clues Elise and her friends uncovered. I personally would have liked a little more actual investigation on their part.
Add to that the fact I figured out early on who the culprit was, and the suspense fell a little bit flat for me.

That said, Elise’s relationship with her son made this read worth my time. And even though I’m a fan of romance in my suspense, the lack of it in this book did not deter from the story. Overall this was an entertaining escape with some downsides but plenty of positives, too.


Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Have you ever wondered “why”? Sat up nights and railed against God, Who could have changed circumstances, but did not? The beautiful spiritual message resonated with this reader who, at times, had not been speaking with the Lord due to unanswered “why’s”. It is also excellent If you enjoy exciting suspense novels without romance. I loved it! While I could not wait to learn whodunit, I did not want it to end. The author offers captivating, well-developed characters and an expertly executed plot. Even though I had a good idea whodunit, I eagerly followed the drama to learn the full background.

Elise is a young widow with an adorable seven-year-old son, Sawyer. He is a cheerful boy who was only two when his daddy died while deployed with the Marines. Sawyer was born deaf and mute. He can lip read and use American Sign Language like a pro. Elise went to college to learn all she could about communicating with the deaf and became a specialist. She interprets in court for those who are deaf. One day when leaving a trial, she saw a guard in the federal courthouse and read his lips that her mother-in-law, Lilliana York, a long-time US Senator, would be taken care of permanently that night, and to wire the money to him.

As she digested that, she got a call that Sawyer was injured on the playground and was on his way to the emergency room. In a panic, she raced to the hospital, forgetting everything else. Sawyer had a broken wrist and needed her care. The next morning, Elise had to finish interpreting for the trial she was in, so Hallie, who works part time at Sawyer’s school, would watch Sawyer until it was over. Elise heard on TV that Lilliana’s husband found her murdered that morning. Elise planned to go to office of the US Attorney after the trial.

She didn’t have to go, however. FBI agents awaited her in the lobby of the courthouse, and she told them what she saw and why she didn’t report it the prior day. Her son needed her to interpret for him at the hospital, and everything but his care went out of her thoughts. After their meeting, she went home to break the news to Sawyer that his beloved grandmother died. Then the anonymous threats began. Every time the agents were at her home, Elise received another threat. The worst happened – Sawyer was kidnapped without a trace.

Elise could not trust the FBI; it seemed they had a leak. She would not trust God anymore. Her anger at the Lord for allowing her innocent child to be born deaf and mute, then taking his father away, now his grandmother. Her sister-in-law, Mary Ellen, continued to pray for and encourage Elise amidst the grief of losing her mother, yet Elise did not want to ask God for anything.

With help from a completely unexpected source, as well as Mary Ellen and Lilliana s husband Noland, Elise tries desperately to find Sawyer before time runs out. The man who killed Lilliana was found dead, and the one leaving threatening packages for Elise died after a police shootout. Finding the person behind the killings was a true challenge. One little clue led me to my pet suspect, which was later confirmed. This was such a breathtaking suspense novel! There were surprises at the end and I was very satisfied. I highly recommend this to anyone who appreciates thrilling novels of intrigue with faith struggles and wonderful characters.

From a thankful heart: I received an eARC of this novel from Celebrate Lit, the publisher, and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.

Because Elise Carmichael’s son was deaf and mute, she had learned ASL (American Sign Language) and lipread. What she “heard” across the lobby the of the Arkansas Federal Courthouse shook her to the core, but she promptly forgot it moments later when she received word that her son had been injured and taken to the hospital with a broken hand he received after falling at the playground. She forgot about the overheard conversation until the next day when she received word that her mother-in-law had been murdered the previous night. Thus begins the story that would lead to her being accused of murder and her son being kidnapped to keep her quiet.

This faith-based thriller explores the anguish of a widowed mother trying to balance her and her families safety with the need to allow the police to investigate the murder of a U.S. Senator - a tight rope she was not sure she could handle well. In the process she will learn to increase her trust in God - whether in the midst of fear, anger, or disappointment.

The book easily could find its way into a public, church, or a believer’s private library. The author does not push God upon the reader, but allows him or her to face the issue of faith along with Elise and her family and friends. The book might make a good birthday or Christmas gift for a non-believing friend or family member. Easily, a five-star book from this author.
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This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this suspenseful story about a mother (Elise) desperate to protect her deaf and mute son(Sawyer) from those threatening their harm. All the while, Elise struggles with her beliefs. She had walked away from her belief in God after losing her military husband 5 years prior. And now that her and her son is in danger, she is forced to revisit her beliefs being desperate to hold on to hope of some kind. This is the element that really spoke to me. As humans we wrestle with idea of a living God against evils that happen to us and have trouble reconciling the two. Yet those very evils can be the catalyst that brings us back to God. And could it be that some of the perceived evils are really Gods protection in disguise. This is one of those books that has enough action and suspense to keep the reader interested while also introducing elements that educate or provoke thought. I love the elements of a mother’s fierce protection, being born deaf and mute, friendship from unlikely places, and support if families. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Robin Caroll knows how to write a good book. I thoroughly enjoyed this read. From beginning to end there was never a dull moment.

Something really cool about this book, is it ended with Genesis 50:20. How cool is that? I loved that and it made me smile.

Even though I was pretty sure I knew who was behind the murder pretty early on that didn’t take away from the interest of the book because there were so many players and many other things going on.

I appreciate Elise’s heart for her son. I can’t imagine being a single mother and also dealing with a disability and then threats that start to come.

Overall, a very good read. If you enjoy suspenseful books you will enjoy this one.

A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

Robin Carroll, a new author, has created a strong, resilient lead character in this book. She will stop at nothing to keep he son safe after her mother-in-law is murdered.

The main character Elise, a widow, and court sign language interpreter, has just read the lips of a man saying her mother-in-law, a senator, would be murdered! Before she can report that to the authorities, she is called away by the news her deaf son, Sawyer, has been injured and is in the hospital. After she deals with that and returns home, she forgets to report what she heard about her mother-in-law.

The next morning she finds out that her mother-in-law has been killed. Elise reports the details of the conversation she "read" to FBI agents, and now her and Sawyer’s lives are being threatened. Elise take matters in her own hands and try to solve the murder herself after several attempts are made against her and her son..

This story has a Chrstian element to it and some of the characters rely on God to help them cope with threatening things while others express their doubt of His care. This is an easy to read book. It is well-written and a fast paced story. I would pass it on to friends to read.

This is an exhilarating adventure experience that I really enjoyed. I found the sign language and lip reading interesting and it kept me reading till the end. I felt how Elise was treated by the one FBI Agent disturbing but I also understand how some personalities clash and have seen professionals act rudely so it was believable. Elise growth in her Faith was woven in and her love for her son was evident from the beginning. An enjoyable thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

We take so much for granted, and when the author gives us a woman whose son is deaf, and she now works as a sign language interpreter, and she reads lips. A gift? Well, yes, but her seven year old does and thus watch TV cartoons, wonderful! Then, she accidentally reads the lips of a man that becomes very personal, but life intervenes before she is able to act on it.
This story quickly became a page turner for me, looking for answers, the family is dealing with grief, then being tormented, and why?
I had my suspect from the very beginning, and yes, I was right, but there are many side stories, and life happenings that just kept this a great read.
You will end up with your heart in your throat, and not know whom to trust, and in the end one person has so little regard for human life, and is full of greed.
I received this book through the Celebrate Lit, and was not required to give a positive review.

So my favorite thing about the book had to have been the simple, yet easily forgotten message that even when you feel like God is not listening or you don’t get the answer you prayed for, God is ALWAYS there. listening to your every word, and He has a plan for us – even when we can’t see it. I really liked reading about Elise’s (the main character) spiritual journey , because you can tell at the beginning of the book, that she felt like God had abandoned her and He didn’t care about her and her son anymore. I also loved the support that Elise received from her sister – in – law, Mary Ellen. Here’s a quote that sums up what I liked about the book;

There were a couple of things that I didn’t like about the book, like that the FBI agents seemed incompetent and weren’t doing their job. Throughout the story, Elise and her family (and Wesson) were the ones who found any leads, the FBI just kind of stood around. The other thing I didn’t care for was that there is no romantic sub-plot. I guess I’m so used to always reading about a hero and a heroine who fall in love by the end of the book, that when it wasn’t there, I really missed it.

All that being said, I did enjoy the book (especially the end) and would recommend the book to anyone who likes to read suspense books, but doesn’t like the romantic aspects (like my brother and sister). I will also check out other books by this author (I just bought two on my Kindle)

Overall, I rated the book 3 out of 5 stars and I only gave it three stars because it “wasn’t my cup of tea”, but I would encourage you to read it and decide for yourself.

Special thanks to Net Galley, Robin Caroll, and Celebrate Lit for letting me read and review this book – all opinions are my own.