Thank you NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this book ahead of time in exchange for a review. It didn't disappoint! Must read!!

That was a whole lot of story packed into one book. 🤯 It was kinda difficult to follow and at times felt convoluted. I understand it’s 3 different storylines and the plot is to see how they come together in the end, but the alternating stories made it more difficult to become fully invested in the characters. The transitions just did not flow smoothly. When all was revealed, it did make it somewhat worth the journey, but I just didn’t connect with the layout of this particular book. I did like the author’s writing though so I’d be willing to read another of her books.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this psychological novel, it had everything that I wanted from the description. The characters were everything that I was looking for and thought they felt like they were supposed to in this universe. Jenny Milchman has a great writing style and I enjoyed going through this tense atmosphere. The cover worked well with the story and glad I was able to read this.

I went into this thinking I was going to love it but unfortunately I couldn't get into it as much as I hoped, there were points were I felt lost and confused which really put me off progressing with it.

The Usual Silence by new to me author J. Milchman is book one in the Arles Sheperd Thrillers.
I read the blurb and reviews of previous books and was intrigued. I enthusiastically dived in only to be faced with lots of characters, was confusedly asking me when do they come together. There were plot holes big as a crater, there was no rhyme nor reason. So I was kind of disappointed and being torn between giving 2 or three stars.

Thankyou @netgalley for my #arccopy of The Unusual silence by Jenny Milchman.

This book had all the trappings of an unbeatable thriller but it just didn’t land. I can tell that the authors intention was to have various storylines that seemed completely unrelated to come to a head in the climax. It didn’t work for me.
I felt like if only one of those stories was picked and focused on this would’ve been an amazing book.
My favorite parts:
The way the author narrates and explains the trials of a mother with an autistic child is spectacular! I truly felt her struggles and her anxiety. I would’ve loved for this book to be solely from her and perspective.

Things I didn’t like:
Arles, the main protagonist. She felt more of a caricature of someone with deep wounds than someone real.
Also, I wish the editor would add the names of the people on the chapters so it’s easier to know that the perspective has switched. Especially because there are so many of them to keep track of. I found that especially disorienting.

Overall I think this book was a miss for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book! I’d like to be upfront and state that I did dnf this book 9% of the way in, after realizing the writing style was not for me.

There were too many perspectives within a single chapter, which made it difficult to develop emotions for the characters and their stories. As soon as I was getting settled with one storyline, I was being pulled into another characters, sometimes with little to no transition. It didn’t feel like there was breathing room to grasp things.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great twist and I was so shocked when all was real releaved. Loved the style of writing and kept me wanting to read more

Thank you Netgalley for the free arc! In my honest opinion this was a great book! Suspenseful, and kept me guessing as well as hungry for more…. I recommend this book and author!

This has potential, but it was a bit too incoherent for me. There were a lot of plot holes and conclusions the author came to without any reasoning.