Such Quiet Girls hooked me from the very first page and didn’t let go. I stayed up until 1am reading because I had to know what would happen next. The tension was palpable, the pacing relentless, and as a mom, I couldn’t help but constantly ask myself, What would I do in this situation?

Knowing it was inspired by true events made it hit even harder. This is the kind of thriller that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. Emotional, intense, and unforgettable. Highly recommend.

Such Quiet Girls is a pulse-pounding, anxiety-inducing thriller that grabs you by the throat from page one and never lets go. Based on a chilling true story, the novel centers around ten children and a bus driver who are kidnapped, held for ransom, and shockingly buried alive in an underground hole with nothing but peanut butter sandwiches and water to keep them company. The children, ranging in age from 6 to 14, are forced to cling to hope in a situation so claustrophobic and terrifying, it feels impossible to survive. What makes the story even more gripping is the complexity of the kidnappers—particularly one who begins to wrestle with guilt and morality as the horror unfolds. Ihli’s writing is tense, visceral, and emotionally raw, making it nearly impossible to put the book down. It’s one of those rare reads that leaves your heart pounding and your mind haunted long after the final page.

Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli is an unbelievably claustrophobic, nail-biting and emotional suspense thriller that will show you the mother's strength in extreme situations. There were some unexpected turns but most of everything there was the dedication of not giving up!
You are sucked into the story straight away and you are curious how the story will unfold.
There are so many human emotions that your heart will be in constant pain and hope.

Mostly told in the present through multiple POVs it is easy to follow the story. Small sprinkles of past stories made this story complete to understand the characters and their actions.

All the new bus driver Jessa wanted was stability and her daughter back. Life already slapped her in the face so she is not ready for new events or dramas. But when things get out of hand her mother's instinct takes over and she is dedicated to keeping the children safe.
Sheena knows how to deal with numbers and spreadsheets but she is not prepared to decide what is the right way to save her children. All she has is her gut instinct and fear that she is risking the children's lives.
12 years old Sage is the oldest child on the bus and most definitely my favourite character in this book! I love to witness her transformation through events and tough decisions! Honestly, if there would be a sequel I would love to see Sage 10 years later as a 22-year-old woman shaped by trauma but strong as a rock!

This book is based on true events— the Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping in 1976 so knowing that it's just partly fiction makes your heart beat harder.

Thank you NetGalley and Dynamite Books for this copy!

I'm a huge Noelle W. Ihli fan, I've read many of her books and I was incredibly excited and privileged to have the opportunity to read this ARC and review it.

This book is based on the actual events of The Chowchilla Kidnapping in 1976 where three men hijacked a school bus and abducted 26 children and their bus driver.

It had me on the edge of my seat the entire time, I couldn't put the book down because I was so drawn in by the storyline. I was truly invested in the safety of the children. It was thrilling, exciting and had a fantastic twist at the end.

The main characters in the book were Ted, Jessa and Sage and we saw the events from their point of view as the timeline progressed. Sage was my favourite, for such a young girl she had incredible strength, determination and heart.

I couldn't recommend this book highly enough, it's my favourite read of this year so far!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

That was heartbreakingly beautiful. When a school bus full of kids is kidnapped and buried underground, the kids come together to find a way to escape while a parent has to make tough decisions when there is no right one to make.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and definitely recommend it to every thrill seeker!

Imagine that you’re on a school bus headed home when suddenly, there’s a detour sign. The bus follows the sign, but shortly after, it’s clear the whole thing was a setup. The bus is held up by men with guns, and before you know it, all 10 students + the driver are forced into the ground. This is the basic premise of this story that was inspired by a real life event.

Even the minor characters had their own unique personalities, which was a big plus. By the time this book ends, it had stood up for women’s rights and introduced the perils of Alzheimer’s. Plus, it was a quick, easy read. Highly recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC. This review contains my honest, unbiased opinion.

This book was so good! It was my first read from Noelle and I will for sure read her other work. This book had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn't put it down. The ending gave me chills and I cried the whole way through the last 20 minutes of reading. It was tied together so well. Definitely one of recommend reading!

4.5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an arc of this book for a review!

This was my first book by this author and definitely won’t be the last! Ask for Andrea has been on my tbr for so long and definitely going to be one of my next reads. This was an epic, edge of your seat, suspenseful thriller with some really strong and relatable characters!

I really enjoyed the multiples povs in this story whilst still following along with the timeline of the story, I think it really added to the suspense knowing what one group is doing then it going to a different pov! It really was really suspenseful and a great read. The last 50% of this book is impossible to put down I found myself glued to my kindle until I was finished.

No spoilers but this is a really good thriller and definitely one all thriller fans should check out!🚌

It’s not often that a thriller is so heart pounding and heart wrenching at the same time. I was terrified, and also cried. Amazing!

Such Quiet Girls - Noelle West Ihli
Pub Date - April 29, 2025
Rating - 4/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley and Dynamite Books for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. This story is based on the 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping. The author always manages to write books that cause me anxiety and stress in the best way possible! In a perfect retelling of the original nightmare, Ihli also brings in themes of sisterhood, abuse, and Alzheimer's, making the story even more human and relatable. I was holding my breath till the very end asking myself how this story will end! I will warn you- this story will leave you an emotional WRECK. Definitely watched some Friends after finishing it. Beautifully written story, definitely will be recommending to others!

This was a heart pounding, palm sweating, terrifying and haunting thriller based on the 1976 Chowchilla Kidnapping.
I felt this book was super well rounded having 4 different POVs: The Bus Driver, a Mother of one of the kidnapped children, one of the kidnappers and one of the kidnapped children.
I literally could not put this down after 50%. I finished the rest of the book in one sitting and I swear I was hyperventilating reading it.
Ten children get on bus 315 heading to their daycare but they never arrive as 2 kidnappers abduct everyone on the bus, including the bus driver and bury them all alive underground ! With time and air running out, they all must fight through pain and fear to find a way out before time ends.
Highly recommend but be sure to check the trigger warnings as always.

Noelle is absolutely amazing. I love her stories and her writing and this one was no different. She knows how to capture an audience and I love having multiple POVs to truly grasp everyone’s story. This is the second book I’ve read from her this year and I felt so honored to be chosen as an ARC reader by one of my favorite authors!

HOLY COW. This book had me on the edge of my seat, heart pounding and dripping sweat. This was a fast-paced thriller and I loved every page. This one took me on an emotional rollercoaster and it is by far one of my favorite Noelle Ihli books.
This book was inspired by actual events and it was so well done. I finished it in a day and was left speechless. I absolutely recommend this!

SUCH QUIET GIRLS was well written and an exciting premise, but lacked many suspenseful moments and was just too long. I know Noelle West is a popular author but unfortunately, her writing and storytelling style is not for me. Nothing much happens in her novels (of which I’ve read 3), and they all seem overly hashed out and descriptive.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the opportunity to read and review SUCH QUIET GIRLS.

Thanks to Netgally and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I've loved every book that Noelle West Ihli has written. This book, though? Hands down my absolute favorite. Literally didn't want to put it down to eat, sleep, or spend time with my family 😅
Psychological thriller at its finest, this book grabs you from the first page and never lets go. My mind was all over the place! Will they live? Will anyone save them? Will the kidnappers get away? If you want an edge of your seat, lose sleep kind of book, read this one.

Ten kids. One bus driver. Vanished.

This book had my stomach in knots in the best way. Inspired by a real-life event, Such Quiet Girls is not only chilling—it’s absolutely gripping. It throws you right into the nightmare…children kidnapped and buried alive in a shipping container, fighting for survival with nothing but their wits and courage.
It is told in multiple POVs, one of them being one of the kidnappers. I was flipping pages like my life depended on it.

Unputdownable, unforgettable, and emotionally intense.

Noelle W. Ihli is an amazing story teller. I have loved all of her books and this is another amazing story. I read this book in three days (don't judge.. a girl has to work) and loved it! I was so excited when I was approved for an early copy from NetGalley!

From page one I was sucked in to this fast passed storyline. I know its not for everyone but I really like how Noelle gives multiple characters point of view. I like hearing from both sides of the story.

Such Quiet Girls was a fast passed, anxiety giving, hell of a ride. It was definitely an emotional roller coaster for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Noelle Ihli for the opportunity to read this amazing book early!

Now when is the next one coming out??? I'm kidding.. kinda :)

I’m no stranger to Noelle’s books. If you’ve read them previously, you’d know they’re usually an adrenaline ride from the first page to the very last. This was no different whatsoever. This is one of those books I’d recommend to those looking for a fast paced, heart breaking but also thrilling read. The story focuses on a bus driver. The day begins as one would imagine, ordinary, fulfilling a daily routine one would expect. But what starts off as a regular day, quickly descends into a nightmare, when young girls are abducted straight from the bus, making our main characters life a living hell. I don’t want to give too much away, so I’m being as vague as possible with the synopsis. But this was incredible, it was heart poundiogly stressful to read, but I couldn’t peel my eyes away from my kindle. I highly recommend, especially to those who may be new to Noelle’s books. I was both impressed and struck with fear reading this one. 5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley and Dynamite Books for the chance to read this book early in exchange for an honest review.

THIS BOOK HAD ME ON A CHOKEHOLD! I devoured this book in one sitting and left absolutely no crumbs. This book flipped between multiple characters: The oldest girl that was kidnapped, the bus driver that has a hidden past, a worried mother, and one of the abductors. This book had it all! It literally made me feel like I was watching an episode of Criminal Minds. I could not stop reading until the very end. I did not want this book to end. 5 stars!!!!

Wow wow wow! This is one author you can rely on to take you on a whirlwind emotional rollercoaster. There is so much tensions and twistyness you wont be able to stop reading ! I read this (like all the authors books) in less than a day and highly recommend to any thriller lovers!

📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, Noelle West Ihli and Dynamite Books📚
📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚