How does a whole school bus go missing? The premise of this book is based on a true case in Chowchilla, CA of a group of children being kidnapped from their bus and buried alive. While fictionalized, readers will likely hold that thought in the back of their mind, making this story all the more terrifying. Told through multiple perspectives, including one of the children and the kidnapper, readers get insight into all aspects of what’s happening. This book was fast-paced and gripping. It’s a must read for both those who know about the true case and just any mystery reader interested in this plot.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

First? Let it be known that I’m such a fangirl of Ihli. She has a way of storytelling that is just woah. This book was so good—I genuinely couldn’t put it down. The suspense hits right away and never lets up. Every chapter had me needing to know what would happen next, and the pacing was spot-on—no slow spots, just constant tension and high stakes. You can tell the she put a lot of thought into every twist and turn. I’m still thinking about it. If you’re into thrillers that keep you on edge from start to finish, this one’s a must-read.

This book was intense! Based on the real-life 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping case, this one was quite thought-provoking and emotional! I rooted so hard for Jessa and all of the kids and I thought Sage was just awesome! This book was well written and I've become such a fan of this author! I'm glad that I have a few of her backlist books on my shelves to read!

4.5 stars rounded up

My first read by Noelle W. Ihli, had me locked in—a total thriller from beginning to end. Easily a 4 star read.

Inspired by the real-life 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping (though entirely fictional), this story follows a school bus full of ten children and their driver who vanish without a trace. They’re buried alive—trapped in a shipping container, 20 feet underground—with dwindling oxygen and rising panic.

The tension builds fast, but that last 30%? I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and refusing to put the book down. It’s a raw, emotional dive into fear, survival, and what mothers will do to protect their children.

A terrifying scenario brought to life with pulse-pounding detail. Highly recommend for fans of tense, high-stakes thrillers with real emotional weight.

I love how Noelle W. Ihli has a way of making my heart race in every book she gives us. Her writing is so captivating that you gravitate towards her books knowing you're in for a wild ride.

The plot of this book is anxiety inducing to think about, let alone read about. Any parents out there, this may just be one of your worst nightmares, check your trigger warnings.

I'm not a huge fan of so many POV's, but I'll admit that Ihli does an amazing job at giving each character their own thoughts and feelings. It was cool to read how each person felt throughout the story. The most interesting to me was definitely the abductor's POV. You learn a lot about his past and how he grew up, it really makes you feel some type of way. Clearly, he isn't a good person for what he did, but you also feel kind of bad for him? I don't know, maybe that's just me.

This was not my favorite of Ihli's books, but it was still good. I just felt like past stories had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish, and this one only happened at certain points, the rest it was slow and dragged a bit for me.

I think a lot of thriller readers are going to eat this one up. If you like a crazy story that gives you anxiety, you should definitely add this one to your TBR

Thank you to netgalley for allowing me early access to read and review!

Listen. Noelle W ihli is just a genius. She is an auto buy for me! I knew this story pretty well, so I was super excited and hopeful going into it! She did not disappoint!! I am absolutely obsessed with how she takes a story and manages to put you inside it. I hope she never ever ever stops writing books, she has very quickly become my absolute favorite author.

This book gripped me from the very first page and didn’t let go. Such Quiet Girls is a tense, emotional, and heart-pounding thriller inspired by real-life events—specifically the infamous Chowchilla kidnapping of 1976—and Ihli does an incredible job turning that terrifying premise into a suspenseful survival story that feels chillingly possible.

Ten children and their bus driver, Jessa, are kidnapped in broad daylight and buried alive in a shipping container. From that horrifying setup, the story unfolds with rising dread, claustrophobic tension, and a strong emotional core. I really appreciated the layered perspectives, especially Jessa’s—still grieving the loss of her own daughter—as she tries desperately to protect the children now trapped with her underground. Sage and her sister Bonnie were standout characters too, showing remarkable strength and resilience.

While the plot is harrowing, it’s the emotional weight and sense of urgency that kept me turning the pages. There were a few moments where I wished for even deeper character development or a bit more time to breathe between tense scenes, but overall this was a powerful and memorable read. The ending especially hit hard—I definitely wasn’t ready for the emotional punch it delivered.

This story will stay with me for a long time. If you’re a fan of survival thrillers with emotional stakes and don’t mind stories rooted in real-life nightmares, Such Quiet Girls is absolutely worth the read.

I am unfamiliar with the true story this book is based off, but wow did Noelle's version suck me in. My eyes were popping out of my head with each chapter! What an intriguing read!!!

A good book but I feel it fell short halfway through and became predictable. I enjoyed the book though

This book is inspired by true events.
It was a slow start to the book but boy did it heat up.
Told in Muli POVs.
Ten children on a school bus and there driver are kidnapped and are trapped in a shipping container underground until there ransom is paid.
The book is tense and unputdownable a must read.

WOW!! What an intense, edge of your seat, suspenseful whirlwind!

I binged this book in one sitting. Once I started reading I literally could not stop!

My favorite character was Sage. An awe inspiring, strong, smart and self sacrificing 12 year old. All the characters played their part in a brilliant way. Everything worked together seamlessly to create a masterful ending.

I loved everything about this book!! It’s my favorite thriller so far this year.

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for a gifted copy.

Noelle has perfect the art of teaching about things in history while keeping the entertainment factor AND being respectful to any and all victims. This story shook me to my absolute core and I had never heard of this crime beforehand. This is every parents worst nightmare. It’s also every childcare workers worst nightmare. The women and girls in this book are the real highlight. They were absolute superheroes. The story is jam packed with action and emotion. On the surface there seems to be a lot of moving pieces but it all intertwines and flows impeccably

Inspired by the real-life tragedy of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, this gripping novel delivers a chilling reimagining of ten children abducted in broad daylight and buried alive. Told through multiple perspectives, the story is as tense as it is emotional—you’ll be holding your breath, desperate to see who survives and if they’ll ever make it home.

At the heart of the novel are Sage and her sister, two young girls fighting to stay alive and reunite with their mother. Jessa, the bus driver with a haunting past, finds herself in an unthinkable situation and must summon the strength to protect the children in her care. Sheena, a terrified mother overwhelmed by fear, a father battling dementia, and a ransom demand, is forced to make an impossible decision. And then there’s Ted—driven by revenge—whose moral compass is tested when his partner’s brutal methods begin to spiral out of control.

While the plot closely echoes the real Chowchilla case, the author adds fictional layers that heighten both the suspense and emotional depth. It’s harrowing to imagine what the real victims endured, but Ihli leads readers through a powerful and ultimately redemptive journey.

I absolutely loved this book—it’s tense, heartbreaking, and unforgettable. A must-read for fans of true crime fiction.

Many thanks to Noelle W. Ihli, Dynamite Books, and NetGalley for the ARC copy.

Such Quiet Girls
Noelle Ihli knows how to keep it intense.
I really didn’t ‘like’ this book. Don’t get me wrong, it was very good! But you’re gonna read the whole book with your stomach in knots!
A daycare bus goes missing along w the driver and 8 children. (This alone is every parents nightmare) This story actually has 3 different stories within it. What the driver, Jessa and the kids go thru. How Jessas past affects her and this. And one parent, Sheena’s dilemma while dealing w her Alzheimer’s father and trying to save these kids. It’s a wild ride so buckle up for the long haul.

I'm grateful to NetGalley, Noelle West Ihli, and Dynamite Books for providing the eARC. This book resonated with me on an emotional level. What stands out in Noelle West Ihli's novels is the evident personal significance she imbues in her stories, often drawing from compelling true events that deserve greater recognition. It's been wonderful to witness the growth in her writing; this was a fantastic read.

I was so excited to receive this as an ARC! This is my second ARC from this author, and I have loved both.

Could not put this one down!! Such a quick read. Love all the POVs. Reading fictionalized accounts of true events add another level to the story. This is based on the Chowchilla school bus kidnapping.

The Alzheimer's story line tugged at my heart!

Sage was an absolutely incredible character. What a display of strength and perseverance.

This review will be posted on my booksta, toomanyfivestarreads, soon.

I read background information about the real case before I read this book. The setting in this book was so well written by Noelle W. Ihli that I felt the claustrophobia! This novel was fast paced and I read it in a weekend.

Every single book I’ve read by Noelle is fast-paced and I can’t put them down. This book was no different. From the start, these characters captured my attention and I was rooting for them. I loved the ending so much!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the advanced reader copy. I found this book captivating, I enjoyed the development of the individual characters as much as I enjoyed the suspense. I was unaware this was based on a true story until after reading and just found this even more interesting as it inspired me to read more about the actual events. Overall an enjoyable read and would recommend to any of my thriller loving friends.

I enjoyed reading Such Quiet Girls very much. The story was interesting and the characters were well-developed. The ending was really fantastic. I hate using edge-of-your-seat but that’s the way it was. Loved it!