Such Quiet Girls by Noelle Ihli is a suspenseful, heart-stopping, and unforgettable thriller based on the actual events of the Chowchilla kidnappings.

A school bus is on its way to drop some children off at their daycare Bright Beginnings when a couple of men decide to send it on a dangerous detour. The men kidnap the children and bus driver and take them to a buried shipping container in an isolated quarry where they plan to keep them until the ransom money is paid. Told through the perspectives of Sage (the oldest child on the bus whose younger sister Bonnie is on the same bus), Jessa (the new bus driver who is a mama with a past she is trying to forget), Ted (one of the kidnappers), and Sheena (the mother of Sage and Bonnie), Ihli takes the reader on a fast-paced ride filled with tension.

Noelle Ihli has quickly become one of my favorite authors due to her uncanny ability to help me imagine all the terrifying and nerve-wracking emotional turmoil each character feels. There were many times while reading this that my heart was in my stomach and I was left trying to catch my breath, riddled with anxiety, and clinging to hope amidst the terror that was in store. I was struggling to stay calm while racing from page to page, unable to finally breath until the very end.

Ihli has done it again, and I am eagerly anticipating her next one! Needless to say, I will be reading anything this author writes in the future! Fans of thrillers or true-crimes, I highly recommend you grab your copies when they become available on 4/29/25!

I owe a huge thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the advanced review copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.25 stars.

A bus of about a dozen children and their bus driver is hijacked and the occupants kidnapped.

We get multiple POVs from: the (female) bus driver, one of the kidnapped children, one of the parents, and one of the bad guys. (kind of nice that we didn't get a POV of the police trying to investigate the crime). Loved the way the women were depicted here - scared, but strong and courageous.

This didn't blow my mind with a twist I didn't see coming, but the last 20% was intense. I was going to say it's not the most original idea for a thriller (kidnapping), but was well executed. (then I saw it was inspired by true events, so book gets leeway there!)

Thank you to NetGalley and Xpresso Book Tours for providing me with an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Publishes April 29, 2025

I really enjoyed this i absolutely adored sage what an amazing character she was !!!
This was fast paced intense and a little claustrophobic.
I was literally sitting on the edge of my bed during some parts
I loved the ending had a little cry
This was such a easy read I picked it up and fall straight into it loved it

The way this book gave me anxiety... whew. I was half way through when my daughter was getting on her bus to head to school. It was a fast paced read, that I could not put down. Can't wait to read more from this author.

As a mom of young kids, this book hit so close to home for me, I really appreciated the trigger warnings. This story keeps you engaged the entire time and I really felt like I was sitting next to each person when it was their POV. Noelle is a master when it comes to thrillers.

OMG this book I have been waiting for ever to get and I was so excited to start this one. I knew I would fly through this book like all of her books. She is one of my fav authors she writes thrillers that keep you up all night reading and keeps your pulse pounding. I couldn't stop thinking of this book every time I put it down. Not only is Noelle a fabulous fiction writer but her stuff based on true stories are my favorite. As a mom I was holding my breath for half of this book. I cant wait for her next book because she never disappoints. I am a life long Noelle Ihli fan!!! I recommend her books to everyone I know and all my book groups and on my tik tok reviews.

Noelle Ihli has absolutely knocked this one OUT OF THE PARK!

For Jessa the day is going per usual, driving her school bus picking up kids to bring home. Soon a detour takes her and 10 students down a path that will change everything. Held at gunpoint and forced into a ransom situation, Jessa and her students, Sage, Bonnie, and 8 others, are held captive with no way to call for help. Can Sage and Bonnie's mom get to them in time? Can Jessa and the students fight their way out?

I absolutely devoured every word of this book. So gripping from the first chapter. No "slow" parts in this fast-paced thriller! I found myself staying up late and flipping pages so quickly because I HAD to know how this story was going to end. Ihli's writing style is so well done and captivating. Her characters are so beautifully developed and relatable. Put this one at the top of your TBR, you won't be disappointed!!

Thanks to NetGalley, Noelle Ihli, and Dynamite Books for this ARC and chance to give my honest opinion.

Firstly thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the advanced copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

This book was really enjoyable - very fast paced with quick punchy chapters . The description of the kids down in the bunker made me feel claustrophobic myself and I was itching for them to be rescued . Another great book by this author . Highly recommend if you want to be on the edge of your seat. 4.25 ⭐️

Simply put - I could not put this book down. Such a gripping thriller, had me literally putting my hand to my forehead, stressed out and holding my breath. I'm really enjoying that Noelle Ihli is basing books off of true events, after reading them I tend to be googling these events and going down a further rabbit hole. Noelle Ihli does not disappoint. The multiple POV's of the events brought so many different perspectives without making it confusing. All the different characters were so well written that I looks forward to each of their POV's. I devoured this book, it was so hard to put down. I highly recommend this book when it releases, 5 star read for sure!

Noelle W Ihli is definitely an auto read author for me, I’ll read everything she publishes.

Let’s talk about “Such Quiet Girls”. If you’re familiar with the authors work you know to expect a fast paced thriller with high stakes tension throughout.

I will say that child kidnapping thrillers aren’t typically my jam, but as mentioned I’ll give anything a go by this author.

The content of this book was a lot more mild and tame, I assume this because of the content of this book surrounding a group of young aged children, and that was fine we don’t want to get sadistic when it comes to kids.. Doing this also left room for a more heart felt, wholesome back story around two mothers living in very different circumstances who would both do anything to protect their kids.

I enjoyed the wholesome aspects, the sisterhood themes (we all argued with our sisters to the death when we were younger but deep down that love and protectiveness always lives there). I liked Jessas opportunity for redemption and Sheena’s opportunity to be humbled in her assumptions. I also loved watching Sheenas family overcome extreme trials and become closer as a result.

Thank you for the gifted copy!

Publish date: April 29th

My number one book by Noelle has officially been updated to Such Quiet Girls...just WOW! From page one this book engaged my curiosity, then as it progressed I was hooked. The descriptiveness in this book was outstanding!! I could literally smell vomit from the van, I could hear the dirtbags talking from a pitch black place, I could feel Sheen's despair. My heart was racing, I was near tears, I was raging...all of the feels from this one. I loved this book so much!!

Such an amazing read!!! This story although fictional, is loosely based on true events, the Chowchilla kidnapping. I could not put this one down. It was very fast paced and gripping. The ending was extremely emotional but also heartwarming. Definitely a must read.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to read Such Quiet Girls by Noelle W. Ihli.

This thriller is an intense and harrowing read, inspired by true events. The concept of a group of children being buried alive is deeply unsettling, and the novel effectively builds suspense as Jessa and Sage fight for survival. The tension is palpable, and the claustrophobic setting adds to the anxiety-inducing atmosphere.

However, while the premise was gripping, I found some aspects of the execution lacking. The pacing felt uneven, with certain sections dragging, and I struggled to fully connect with the characters. There were moments of genuine fear and urgency, but some plot points felt predictable. Despite this, Such Quiet Girls delivers a chilling survival story that will appeal to fans of high-stakes thrillers. It was an okay read—not one that completely hooked me, but still worth checking out for those who enjoy dark, psychological suspense.

Title: Such Quiet Girls
Author: Noelle West Ihli
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: April 29, 2025

I have read several of Noelle Ihli's books and have never been disappointed. I'm happy to report that after reading Such Quiet Girls, I can 100% confirm that my statement still holds true.

This was such a fast-paced book that kept me on the edge of my seat. I literally could not turn the pages quickly enough!

This is a definite MUST read!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion/review.

This was another piece of perfection from Noelle Ilhi. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. I felt like I was right underground with the kids. I also really enjoyed the alternate POVs, especially from Ted as well. I also enjoyed reading how while it was fiction, it is actually based on a true story.

Just like “no one left to tell” this is a story based on a true story. I did recognize some of the events as something I’d watched in a documentary. I devoured this book in a span of hours. I couldn’t put it down from the first chapter. It’s told from four points of view that gives you a wide angle of the whole story which I love but not so many vantage points you lose focus. There’s not a single book by this author I haven’t been immediately enthralled by. This one may be my favorite, Ask for Andrea it may still be neck and neck with. Read this book as soon as you can, you’re welcome in advance.

This was such in interesting story. It wasn’t a super suspenseful story but it definitely kept my interest.

Although Sage was a tall 6th grader there were times I thought her part was a bit over the top but it all ended up melding together regardless.

I will definitely read this author again.

I’m pretty sure this book will be living rent-free in my head for a LONG time. From the first page I was hooked. This book will have you on the edge of your seat and biting your nails down to nubs.

Hands down one of the best books I’ve read in a long time!! Many thanks to NetGalley, Dynamite Books, and Noelle West Ihli for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts.

Wow. Noelle can tell a story. I’ve read two of her other books, and even though they were positively terrifying, I couldn’t stop reading them. She takes some of your worst nightmares, connects you to some captivating characters, and creates an atmosphere that leaves you turning pages faster than you thought you could.
Love her books. They are special and unique and sometimes loosely based on true stories.
This book follows a bus full of children that is hijacked. I don’t want to give anything away, but that sentence alone sets the stage for a thriller worth reading. So read it! I’m off to tackle more of her backlist…
Thank you Netgalley and libro.fm for the advance read and listen!

Thank you, Net Galley, for the E-ARC of this book. I was so excited, scared, and nervous to read this book. I love Noelle W. Ihli's books. Such Quiet Girls took my emotions on a ride for two days. I would have finished it on one sitting, but "life" got in the way. The way my heart was pounding in my chest and I was chewing my fingernails off through most of this book.