"Such Quiet Girls” is the kind of book that doesn’t just tell a story; it leaves a mark.

I went into this one knowing little about the real-life event that inspired it, the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, but once I saw Noelle W. Ihli was behind the wheel, I knew I was in for something intense. What I didn’t expect was to be completely consumed. From the very first page, I was breathless. Literally, my heart pounded. My chest tightened. I forgot I was reading and felt like I was trapped alongside these characters, desperate to survive.

The plot follows a chilling premise: ten children and their bus driver are abducted and buried alive, held for ransom in total darkness beneath the earth. It’s harrowing. Told through multiple POVs, Sage, the eldest child; Jessa, the bus driver; Sheena, Sage’s mother; and even Ted, one of the kidnappers, each perspective adds texture, heartbreak, and urgency to the unfolding horror.

Sage’s voice stuck with me long after I turned the final page. Her strength wasn’t loud, but it was fierce. The way she fought to protect the others, especially little Bonnie, made her unforgettable. And the quiet moments, her fear, her hope, and her determination were just as powerful as the action-packed scenes.

Noelle’s writing is immersive in the most unsettling and beautiful way. She captures not just the terror of the situation but the raw humanity inside it, the moments of courage, the heartbreak, the fractured hope. And somehow, through all that darkness, she threads in warmth, reminding us what it means to endure.

Perfect for fans of true crime-inspired fiction, survival thrillers, and stories with emotional depth.
Add it to your TBR if you love multiple POVs, high-stakes tension, and unforgettable characters.
Noelle’s next release? I’ll be first in line.

Thank you so much to the author Noelle W. Ihli, Dynamite Books, and Netgalley for this #gifted e-ARC!

Book Review
Such Quiet Girls
By: Noelle W Ihli
Genre: psychological thriller
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Such Quiet Girls is about 10 kids and their bus driver who were abducted in daylight from their daycare bus. Oh, and buried alive… 😵‍💫👀😅

The book is based on the true events of the 1976 Chowchilla Kidnappings.

Noelle W Ihli is a new auto read author of mine. She writes it, I’m going to devour it! Her writing is simple superb.

This book had me at a loss for words. As a mom, it’s what nightmares are made of! And also, had me running to Google wanting to learn more about the true crime story & all the survivors. I could not put this read down. The multiple POVs was pulling on my heart strings, and I had to see how this panned out!

Happy release day! I hope you pick up Such Quiet Girls today. 🚌


Thank you @Netgalley & @XpressoTours for an ARC digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Noelle takes a tragic real life event and writes a story based off of it, into the modern world. The chapters alternate between the victims, parents and the assailant. Such Quiet Girls will have you on the edge of your seat and not wanting to put the book down.

Book Review ‼️
Such Quiet Girls - Noelle West Ihli
Thriller / Suspense
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Blurb:
“Ten children, abducted in broad daylight—and buried alive.
Trapped in a shipping container buried twenty feet underground, Jessa and the children do their best to stay calm. The kidnappers insist that if everyone behaves, they’ll be freed when the ransom is paid. But Sage isn’t sure they’ll last that long. Neither is Jessa. It’s dark and cramped, and with every passing minute it’s getting harder to breathe.”


I finished this read last night, just in time for PUBLICATION DAY! 😍

Perfect quick read! This title was fast paced, easy to keep up with, & suspenseful AF.
Told in multiple POV, so the sense of urgency is different in each chapter.
It’s hard to wrap my head around, this being based on true events.

I will be thinking about Sage for the unforeseeable future 🥹🖤

I really liked this read! & will definitely be recommending AND picking up a copy for my shelf!

Thank you to Noelle West Ihli, Dynamite Books & Netgalley for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review

QOTD: Have you read this title? Or any title by this author?

#bookreview #publicationday #thriller #arc #bookish #readmore #books #tbr #netgalley #suspense

Noelle W. Ihli’s Such Quiet Girls is an intense, claustrophobic thriller that grabs hold of you and refuses to let go, right from the start. I received a copy from Xpresso Book Tours via Netgalley and it's out today!

The story follows ten children who are abducted in broad daylight —taken from their school bus and buried alive in a shipping container twenty feet underground. Their bus driver, Jessa, is trapped with them, haunted by her past failures and she is determined to protect the kids at all costs.

The kidnappers insist they’ll be freed once the ransom is paid, but time is running out. The air is thinning, fear is mounting, and survival means making impossible choices. Sage, one of the children, isn’t convinced they’ll make it out alive—and neither is Jessa.

Ihli masterfully builds tension, crafting an atmosphere of suffocating dread. The multiple characters add layers of complexity, making the story even more immersive. The emotional weight of the characters’ struggles is palpable, and the twists are relentless. The pacing is absolutely spot on! I just couldn't put it down.

Inspired by real events, Such Quiet Girls is a chilling, unforgettable read that explores resilience, fear, and the strength found in the darkest moments.

An absolute must-read!

5/5 ⭐️

I dont think I've read a book by Noelle that I didn't love. I am a huge fan of mystery and hers are always so good. So many twists and turns and things you just would never guess or expect!! Highly recommend any book by her. The different POVs were great. If you're into mystery/thrillers then this book is for you.

Reading this book can feel like you are reading yourself into a heart attack. By 80%, the tension is beyond unbearable.
I believe this one simple statement alone should be enough to convince anyone that it’s worth reading it. Or it should be enough to give a fair warning that the book might be too much for you. Because it is A LOT.
This most definitely isn’t a cute and cuddly beach read. But it’s good beyond your wildest dreams – if you loved other books by Noelle, especially Grey After Dark and Run On Red, then don’t walk, run. Run on whatever red, and get it. Because it’s out today and available for everyone.
And you know what is the absolute worst part of this absolutely terrifyingly well-written book? That it’s based on what actually happened. Also, be ready to do some ugly crying by the end of the book.

Happy Release Day!!!

Such Quiet Girls is, without question, my favorite Noelle West Ihli novel to date—and that’s saying something. From the first page, Ihli plunges the reader into a chilling nightmare scenario that feels all too real: ten children, abducted in broad daylight, buried alive in a shipping container, with a desperate new bus driver, Jessa, trapped alongside them.

What sets this book apart isn't just the raw tension (though there’s plenty of that—my heart was pounding the entire time), but the depth of the characters. Jessa is a deeply layered protagonist whose guilt, grief, and resolve are palpable. Her determination to protect these children, despite the odds stacked against her, is both heartbreaking and inspiring. Sage, too, is a standout—a young girl wise beyond her years, courageous in ways that feel incredibly genuine.

Ihli masterfully blends suspense with emotional resonance. The claustrophobic setting, the ticking clock of dwindling oxygen, and the mystery of the kidnappers’ intentions kept me flipping pages well into the night. And knowing it was inspired by real events made everything feel that much more haunting.

If you love thrillers that are as emotionally compelling as they are pulse-pounding, Such Quiet Girls is a must-read. It’s a story of resilience, hope, and the fierce fight to survive—and it will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

another banger from this author
after gray before dark, i just knew she was gonna be a faveeeee.

imagine getting abducted in the middle of nowhere and kept in a bunker with barely any space or air for 26 hours… not an easy experience, right? and these are kids who are literally around 6 to 12 years old

like her other books, this one is also based on true events: the chowchilla kidnapping in 1976, where three men hijacked a school bus and abducted 26 children and the bus driver. the oldest was 14 and the youngest was only 5 years old

the story is fast-paced and engaging till the end. it’s told from four povs: sage (the eldest one), jessa (bus driver), ted (kidnapper), and shenna (mother). i really enjoyed the backstories and the depth the author gave to these characters. the motherly struggles connected really well to the story and gave it a realistic feel

all the characters are wonderfully written, and sage is the hero of the show!! such a brave girl…..her thoughts are truly impressive and she stole the show for me

the claustrophobic setting honestly got to me ,it felt SOOO real. you can really feel what the characters are going through

if you’re into survival and held-captive kind of stories, definitely give this one a read!

Kept me wondering what happened next all the way through. This was a page turner and had me glued from the beginning - definitely was an emotional rollercoaster. The character development throughout was beautiful to read. The determination of Sage was remarkable. I have not read anything by this author previously. I will say though, Noelle is a wonderful storyteller!

Once I got to the end and read the authors note, I discovered that while this was fictional, it was inspired by true events that occurred in Chowchilla, California in 1976 and was one of the largest kidnappings in history. Needless to say I had to watch the documentary on this afterwards. So heartbreaking!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher Dynamite Books for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this. I will be recommending to others as this is a must read if you enjoy a good thriller!

Such Quiet Girls is another heart-pounding thriller like we have come to expect from Noelle West Ihli. She continues to find new and creative (and terrifying!) ways to write out your worst nightmare. Such Quiet Girls has it all - villains, crisis of conscience, and more than one hero. Just when you think you can breathe a sigh of relief, another catastrophe strikes in the third act, leaving the reader racing anxiously towards the conclusion.

Another heart-stopping, well-written, emotional read by Noelle W Ihli! This story caught my attention from the first chapter and held it the entire time. I couldn't put it down! I found my heart breaking for these kids and how terrified they must have been! I felt sick to my stomach reading some of it. I felt heart broken. I felt proud. I felt angry. I felt every emotion possible reading this, which is incredible for a book to make me feel the way this one did. I loved the characters. I loved the description of not only the events, but the scenery too. The story moves along at the perfect pace and the chapter length couldn't be any better. This story will stick in my mind for a very long time to come.

I didn't know about this kidnapping but I definitely read about it after finishing this book, that's how much this story piqued my interest.

I would DEFINITELY recommend this book!

Holy cow this book. I think Noelle is becoming an auto buy author for me. I was initially drawn in by the plot and the fact that it was based on true events (Chowchilla Kidnapping). I was pulled in immediately by the different POVs of Sage, one of the children, and Jessa, the bus driver. Noelle does such a great job with the different voices and each POV was well thought out. I was particularly drawn to Sage and her connection with Harriet the Spy. She was such a strong and fierce character. When Sheena, Sage’s mom was introduced, I could feel the tension from her as she learnt of the kidnapping and loved how tense I was whenever I read her chapters. We also get a perspective from one of the kidnappers which was fascinating! I really enjoyed the peril in this book and how it managed to get my adrenaline pumping. There were numerous parts where I teared up which is rare for me with a thriller. I definitely recommend checking out this book!

I was on the edge of my seat the whole time reading this. I refused to look up details of the actual kidnapping, because I didn’t want any spoilers (which is why I’ll refrain from mentioning anything about it now that I know).

Ihli has a way of writing thrillers that puts you right in the middle of the action. These poor children, and the bus driver! I can’t imagine the PTSD something like this causes. It would mess you up for life.

A lot of things have been changed from what actually happened, including names, locations and characters, but it is a fully gripping story on its own. This is my second of Ihli’s books, and it won’t be my last!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

☆ARC REVIEW☆
Publication date: April 29, 2025.


6 star read and can confidently say this will be in my top reads of 2025....because WHAT.WAS.THAT?!?!!!

Noelle W. Ihli knocked another one out of the park with this new thriller inspired by true events! I am honestly still trying to gather my thoughts and pick my jaw up off the floor.

I don't remember the last time a thriller, no wait change that to any book, had me gasping, covering my mouth and quite literally feeling my heart beating out of my chest from start to finish.

I hadn't ever heard of the 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping, but now I am heading down that rabbit hole.

I went into this one blind only knowing I wanted to read it because I love Noelle's work, and I LOVED the fact I did. Highly recommend going into this one blind!!

Thank you so much to @noelleihliauthor , NetGalley, and Dynamite Books for an advanced e-copy in exchange for an honest review!!

The story begins with a bus of students being kidnapped. The children and their bus driver and being held in an underground bunker and the kidnappers are demanding ransom. The bus driver Jessa is struggling with her own demons. I loved seeing the book from many different points of view, especially the children. The book was very suspenseful and kept my attention. I would definitely recommend this book to those who like action thrillers. Thank you to Net Galley and Dynamite Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

No one can rip your heart out and put it back like Noelle Ihli. From the first chapter to the end you're just waiting for it to be over, in the best way possible.
This book was a solid 4 star. There were a couple teeny loose ends at the end that would have bumped it up to a 5 star for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC

Even though this book is fiction, it is based off of a true story. I remember hearing about this story years ago. It starts out with Sage and her sister on the after school bus. Unfortunately, the bus driver Jenna is held at gunpoint to get the children off of the bus and into their van. Jenna cannot believe her luck. She has a secret she hopes she can keep it a secret but that is not to be. Jenna and 10 children are loaded into a van, and they have no idea why and how real this threat is. As things become more dangerous, Sage the oldest child on the bus feels like its up to her to figure out how to get the rest of them free. There is alot of action and heartbreak in this book, but Sage as the oldest child on the bus feels like its up to her to save them all. This book has alot of heart-stopping action, and will keep you reading all night long.. The 10 children and their bus driver Jenna show how brave they are throughout the book. You keep cheering them on as they make any progress to escape these evil men. I love Noelle West Ihli's books and this one certainly did not disappoint. If you love a good thriller, I highly recommend this book.

Such Quiet Girls will make you want to never trust a detour sign again. First time reading Noelle Ihli, and I am hooked! 💫💫💫💫💫

Such Quiet Girls is loosely based on a true case of kidnapping in 1976 in Chowchilla, California. Bus 315, driven by Jessa, is kidnapped and held underground until the parents pay the ransom for their children. The different POV in this story really allows you to feel every claustrophobic, intense, fear wrenching thought and emotion that everyone involved went through.

Thank you, Netgalley and Dynamite Books/Xpeesso Book Tours

I like Noelle Ihli’s thrillers because they’re unique, fast paced, and have enough adrenaline pumping moments to make your heart race without being super scary or gross. When I’m reading a thriller I like to be a little disturbed, but I still need to sleep at night ya know? I also like how she often uses true stories to inspire her novels, and like her last release I ended up doing some googling and reading after I finished this one to learn about the real life kidnapping this book was based on. The last 20% was impossible to put down and I was racing to the end to find out what would happen. I liked the different points of view she used to weave the story together as well. A quick and enjoyable (can I say that about a book that has kidnapped children?) read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.