This was just okay for me. The plot was a bit predictable and the end seemed implausible. I did like the faith aspect of it, despite it feeling a bit clunky.

This was an OK read. I was not impressed by Elise, the lead character. The description of the story sounded much more interesting than the story, which kind of dragged at times.
I felt that it bought into some of the current tropes that women are brilliant and can figure out a crime, and most men are blathering dolts. That was softened a little by making the lead FBI agent on the case a nasty, power-grabbing woman. And with that leading into a highly negative attitude about the FBI, and government authorities and law enforcement, mostly being incompetent and/or nasty.

I liked the relationship of Elise with her child and I liked the child's resilience. I wasn't offended by the bad guys calling the child nasty names, simply because they are bad guys and bad guys do what bad guys do. BUT some might be offended by it, so this is a warning that the child is called bad names by bad people.

I received this book as a gift and was under no obligation to provide a review, nor was I compensated for this review in any way other than getting a book to read.

This book started off great. I was invested in the story almost immediately and couldn’t wait to learn how it all played out.
Unfortunately, after the first third of the book, I quickly lost interest. I had already figured out who the villain was, yet it took a few hundred more pages for the characters to finally come to the realization. Frustrating for a reader! You can only yell at a book so much before the people around you start to become concerned for your mental health. 😉
Also, Elise annoyed me too much. She would claim that all she wanted was to for the FBI to find out who killed her mother-in-law and to protect her and her son, but then she’d do childish, petty things to keep them from being able to do their jobs. And sure, the one agent was drawn as very immature and unprofessional, but Elise didn’t have to respond to her like a jealous girlfriend does to a rival.
And it kind of felt like it took forever for the story to find its climax and finally finish. And that finish wasn’t very realistic when it finally arrived. I know it’s fiction, but it’s also a bit of a police procedural and things at the end were allowed to happen that in no way would ever be allowed in a real situation. It made the climax of the story seem very forced.
So, overall, great start, but the rest lacked for me. Maybe you’ll enjoy it more! But I can’t recommend you run out and grab it. Bummer.
Thanks to Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of this novel for review purposes. I was not required to give a positive view. All opinions are my very own! 🙂

Elise is an interpreter/signer for the courts and lip reads a threat to her mother in law, before she gets a phone call about her son, Sawyer, being injured. Her sitter Hattie, sister in law Mary Ellen, mother in law Lillian, father in law Noland, Arabella, reporter Wesson Kelly, Artist Connie, Agent Rodriquez and Wright (among others), a few politicians and Capitol Police round out the characters in this fast starting story that is hard to put down. Sawyer is a resilient child and rolls with whatever comes his way, despite sadness that comes up. He’s a lot of fun to get to know, along with Elise and her in laws. Elise, Wesson, Mary Ellen and Noland are forces to be reconned with.
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Barbour Publishing via NetGalley. A review was not required and all thought and opinions are my own.

Hold on to your seat and get ready for a thrill seeking adventure. What would you do if you read someone’s lips that spoke of a murder? What if it was about someone powerful and happens to be about your mother-in-law? I think I would run to the police as fast as I could. Elise is ready to do just that when she gets a message that her son has been injured. I bet her adrenaline is pumping as she races to the hospital. At the back of her mind is the thought that she needs to get in touch with the police but right now her son is upmost of importance. Is it a coincidence that her son is injured right as she finds out her mother in-law is in danger?

The story is exciting and I rooted for Elise as much as I could. She does have a problem with her faith and I couldn’t wait to see the road Elise will take to gain her faith again. It is no surprise that there is a murder and Elise is right in the middle of the investigation. The police don’t seem overly friendly towards her when they realize she may have been able to prevent a tragedy.

The author does an excellent job of educating readers about lip reading and sign language which Elise uses to communicate with her son. I took classes in sign language because I had a child in Sunday School who was deaf. I was determined that the child would not be left out. The first Sunday I started signing as I taught, I saw a big smile come from that child. I will never forget the moment she signed thank you to me.

Now back to the story. Oh yes we have Elise in danger after someone finds out what she knows. I was a bit disappointed when Elise’s son was kidnapped because it was very predictable. What I did like was the sheer determination Elise has to rescue her son and end the threats against her. The story does not lack twists and surprises and the author writes a story that had me on the edge of my seat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. My favorite genre is cozy mysteries. I don't normally like things that make me too tense too nerve racking. I stay away from movie that have me on the edge of my seat. This book was the literary equivalent and yet I enjoyed it!

Elise Carmichael is the widow of a Marine and has a seven year old son named Sawyer who is deaf and mute. Sawyer is her entire world now. Her parents are both dead and so her only family is a and a mother-in-law who is a US Senator, a sister-in-law, and her mother-in-law's second husband. Elsie and Sen. York have a strained relationship, but the senator adores Sawyer and so Elise sees her more than she probably would in other circumstances.

One day as she was leaving her job as a courthouse translator of sign language, she "hears" (reads lips) of a man on a phone saying that the senator will be taken care of. She is about to call someone to report this when she gets a phone call that Sawyer has had an accident and is in the hospital. She races off to care for him and forgets all about the phone call until the next morning when the new reports the death of Lilliana York.

When Elise calls the FBI to report what she knows, she is almost immediately sent a warning to not get involved. As they seek to find out why Lilliana was murdered, suspects arise and are eliminated, and Elise gets more threats. Finally, Sawyer is kidnapped.

I don't think it is a spoiler to tell you that Sawyer returns home safe and sound, but how this story unfolds is thrilling. I had a hard time putting the book down almost from the beginning.

I soon felt that I knew all the characters personally because they were described so well. Elise is supported by her sister-in-law and her father-in-law through her whole ordeal. And she makes a new friend who also is extremely helpful in solving the crimes. My only hesitation in giving four stars is that I really got tired of Elise feeling waves of nausea and similar feelings. I realize that she is a single mom and has only her son and I think the reader gets how horrible this is for her. For a woman of the strength we are supposed to think she has, she is pretty easily upset by circumstances. She does rally every time, but the story could have just as well been told without so much emotion described on her part. But all of that is quite personal and another reader might find all of that important to the story.

This is the first book I've read by Robin Caroll, but I am certain it won't be the last.

Dead Silence by Robin Caroll

Robin Caroll’s books have long been a favorite of mine. Her latest Dead Silence did not disappoint.

Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who also reads lips. As she was leaving work one evening, she notices two law enforcement officers having a conversation and she reads what she thinks is a threat against her deceased husband’s mother, who happens to be a well-known Senator.

Elise, meaning to report this incident, gets a call her son has been hurt and is in the local ER. After spending hours making sure her son is ok, Elise falls into bed exhausted, the threaten forgotten, only to awake to the horror that the threat was carried out. When Elise tells the investigating FBI agents what she saw the day before, her life is turned into a nightmare. Will Elise and her son survive the coming danger?

Robin Carrol certainly knows how to quickly pull you into the story and keep you flipping pages. I was especially drawn to this story since the main character’s child is deaf and mute. I had a cousin born unable to hear or speak. As a kid I so wanted to know how to communicate with him, the tablet Robin describes would have been a fantastic device to have back then. Thank you, Robin, for this wonderfully entertaining tale!!
Also thank you to Barbour Publishing, Inc. and NetGalley for allowing me to read this and give you my honest opinion.

Excellent story, well done that had me up wayy too late. I was pulled in from the first page to the last. The ending was good but I was more drawn in to entire story and not just who did it. The characters and their relationships were interesting. Best book I have read in quite awhile.

Dead Silence is a Christian suspense novel that has a strong faith element but Elise Carmichael doesn't display it at first. She is the widowed mother of a seven-year-old deaf son and she has experienced great heartache, leaving her with a faith that has been diminished by troubles and loss. It is her sister-in-law Mary Ellen who becomes Elise's strong support system and creates the change in Elise's thinking, leaving me with a strong admiration for Mary Ellen's unwavering belief and her Christian witness. As Elise frantically searches to find who has kidnapped her son her prayer life is revived and she finally begins to believe and trust in God once again. But will she find her son and will he be safe?

"Elise nodded, but she knew if anything happened to her son, she wouldn't make it. She'd have no reason to live, and just thinking that scared her."

Intrigue, deceit, and murder are all a part of Dead Silence and I was touched by Elise's strong determination to find her son alive. She is even able to teach the FBI agents a thing or two as they race to find Sawyer! If you are looking for strong female characters and heart-racing adventure, you will want to read this book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Elise's life is turned upside-down when she lip-reads a threat on the life of her mother-in-law, a US senator, and the woman is killed that night before Elise has a chance to warn her. Someone is clearly afraid of what she knows, because she receives escalating threats as she helps the FBI with their investigation. But when her son Sawyer is threatened, things are taken to a whole new level. Will they uncover the murderer in time, before innocent lives are lost?

On the up-side, it's well written and clean, it has suspense without violence, and the characters feel like real people. On the not-so-up side, I felt that it was obvious right from the start what the files were about, and as far as Elise's faith was concerned, it felt more like she decided finally to turn back to God as a last resort rather than from any particular conviction - though perhaps I'm not being fair. Overall, though, an enjoyable story and I hope to read more by the author.

Note that I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review and this is my considered opinion of the book.

Dead Silence was a gripper! It was difficult to put the book until I was finished. Definitely a book I want to re-read!

Your heart will go out to Elise, a young widow of a Marine, with a seven year old deaf mute son, Sawyer. Elise has not felt like God cares after her husband's death and Sawyer's disability. Elise's mother-in-law, a US Senator, is murdered and Elise discovers files that she has sent to Sawyer's i-pad shortly before her murder! What are these files and what do they mean? You will fear for Elise as boxes with warning messages begin appearing! Can the FBI be trusted? Then Sawyer is kidnapped! What does it all mean? If you enjoy suspense and no romance, you will love this book by Robin Caroll! I received a complimentary e-book of Dead Silence through NetGalley and the publisher. This is my honest opinion.

Stayed up way too late last night finishing this one! But I couldn't leave 7-year-old Sawyer in the position he was in overnight! This suspense story held me glued to my kindle from the opening scene to the last page. It's really nice to read clean, heart-pounding suspense without worrying about language or other unnecessary filler.

Stories where a child is in danger are the hardest to read as a mother, but this one was so well-written and makes me as the reader feel fully invested which is a real treat. (I could have done without the scene with the rattler in the boy's room, personally, but otherwise, no complaints)

Single mothers have a hard lot, but there are a couple of incredible single moms in this book (for different reasons, and both beyond their control), and I feel proud to 'know' both of them.

*I received a copy of this book from #netgalley, and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

Dead silence was well-written and engaging.

An excellent addition to the genre.

Great option for Christians seeking a strong, yet clean, mystery.

Ms. Caroll does not disappoint in her latest engaging, fast-paced suspense novel. Readers will be in a race to the finish to discover what is going on. Elise Carmichael's son is deaf so she can read lips and works as a sign language interpreter. Her mother-in-law is a prominent senator. She unintentionally witnesses two people talking and realizes they are talking about killing her mother-in-law. However, right after this she receives a phone call that her son is injured. Once she reports what she witnessed, she will be in a race to discover what is going on to ensure that her son is protected. This novel provides readers with suspense throughout the novel. This is a Christian suspense book and there are many references to God and a person's faith explained throughout the book. I have always loved Ms. Caroll's books and enjoyed this latest release immensely. I highly recommend this book and her other books. I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, I have purchased her books before.

I enjoyed reading Dead Silence. The premise is intriguing--Elise, a lip reader who works in the courthouse learns of a plot to kill a senator who is her mother-in-law. She gets a call that her son has been injured and rushes to the hospital. I could not believe that Elise forgot about the plot over her son's broken arm. The FBI agents had the same problem. The FBI is portrayed very poorly, which I disliked. I did enjoy the faith aspect in the book. The ending is satisfying. I would read more from Robin Carroll.
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley.

This was a fast paced, interesting mystery. The premise of a lip reader who works in the courts and realizes that she has "heard" a threat is a good hook for the mystery. The action is good and there are some good characters too. A good read, all in all. There were some draggy parts but stick with it. I think you'll be glad you did.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher and voluntarily chose to review it.

Elise Carmichael, an interpreter for the deaf, witnesses, by lip reading, one side of a phone conversation threatening her mother-in-law, Senator Lillian York. Efforts to silence her put both her life and her son Sawyer's in extreme danger. Robin Caroll has created a wonderful mystery without any romance to weave into the plot. While reading chapters one through thirty-two I was fluctuating between a four and five star rating due to the plot, dialogue and pacing. Chapters thirty-three through thirty-six almost seemed like they were written by a different author. The story became rushed and less believable. Enough so that my final rating is three stars, as I close the book feeling just a little let down.

I received a copy of Dead Silence from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review, and received no monetary compensation.

Title: Dead Silence
Author: Robin Caroll
Publisher: Shiloh Run Press
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:

"Dead Silence" by Robin Caroll

My Speculation:

'Dead Silence' was a heart-rending mystery, thriller, suspense, with some Christian elements that gave the reader one exciting story. Elise Carmichael was a widowed mother with a dead son where the story starts with her being able to read lips of a man discussing a murder plot.. of her mother-in-law, who happened to be a state senator. However, as the story moves, Elise will learn of her son's [seven-year-old Sawyer's] accident that sends her to the hospital. As the story continues, we will see what happens next. Before Elise can address anything to anyone about what she had heard, her mother-in-law, who was a United States senator from Arkansas Lillian York, is murdered.

The story will take a lot of twists and turns as the FBI become involved. Several people who will come after Elise and her son once they realize she was a witness. What I didn't care for was the way the FBI did their investigation, which showed that somebody in their organization was sharing information. One could see why Elise was so upset with the FBI, and that was why she resolved herself [with the help of ours] to uncover the truth of what was going on.

I enjoyed the characters of Elise's family and friend relationship that this story had especially with Elise, son, Sawyer, babysitter Hallie, sister-in-law Mary Ellen, and father-in-law, Noland. And I don't want to leave out the journalist, Wesson Kelly. I enjoyed how all of these characters were well developed and defined, giving the story much substance of the story.

After all is said and done this mystery, thriller, the suspense wouldn't have been that hard to solve if the FBI had handled things somewhat better than the did. With all that was going on from the murder, threatening gifts received mysterious e-mail files, stalking to even the kidnapping it seemed like the right people who were heading up this investigation did not know what they were doing. OK, I will stop here and say you will have to pick up this good read to get it all. It was quite an exciting read.

Thank you for the read that I received through NetGalley for my honest opinion of the read.

I really enjoyed Dead Silence. It was a fast moving action/suspense book that gets you engaged right at the beginning and keeps you engaged right up to the end.

Elise Carmichael is a sign language interpreter that accidentally reads the lips of a person who threatens the life of a senator which is also her mother-in-law. Just when Elise is about to call to report it, she gets a call that her young son has been in an accident. The following day, she learns that her mother-in-law was murdered. She calls the police to report what she saw and as she works together with the FBI she begins to receive threats. The threats become more serious as she helps with the case. When you son is kidnapped, Elise finally is able to put all of the pieces together. But the person that is behind the murder is someone that no one would expect and that is dangerous.

Dead Silence is a book that I would definitely recommend. I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.