Such Quiet Girls by Noelle Ihli, is one of my most anticipated reds this year so you better believe I gasped when I received the approval for this ARC. I’ve read several books from her and this may be my new favorite. It’s a normal day and Jessa is ready for her route to take several kids to daycare. When said school bus is suddenly held hostage, Jessa and the kids day is now full of fear, hope and survival. The story plays out through multiple POVs including Jessa, one of the children, a parent and a kidnapper. I thought this was really interesting seeing everything happen in real time. My claustrophobia kicked in when they are placed in an underground bunker, but this also added another layer of suspense to this story. I will not spoil anything because you have to read it but I will say I just wanted to give these kids a big hug (and you will too)! This really was an emotional roller coaster, I rooted for them, I teared up and I loathed others. This is a true definition of a page turner, filled with twists, thrills and an unforgettable third act.

Noelle has become an auto buy author for me so I’ll most definitely be picking this up when it hits shelves on 04/29. Pick this one up friends!

Thank you to Noelle Ihli, NetGalley, and Dynamite books for an eARC of Such Quiet Girls in exchange for an honest review.

This book was an intense ride from start to finish. Almost directly from chapter 1 until the ending of the book, I was on the edge of my seat and tense while reading. I felt the fear of the children and the bus driver when they were kidnapped and left in that bunker, I felt the terror of Sheena as she read the ransom note, and I felt the mix of guilt and anger from Ted as he tried to justify his reasoning for planning to kidnap those kids. And I really felt the moments of hope down in the bunker. Noelle has this amazing ability to make you feel like you’ve been dropped into the middle of her stories, and like you’re a part of the story unfolding.

I have never read a book from Noelle that I haven’t absolutely loved, and this is no different. I cannot wait to see what she writes next.

Ten kids vanish in broad daylight. The school bus? Gone. The driver? Missing. No witnesses. No leads. Buried alive, the kid's must work together and find a way out of the nightmare they found themselves thrust into — because survival means making impossible choices before the air runs out.

This story is a multi-POV, and it follows the kidnappers, the children, and two different mothers who have to put aside their fear, and their past, and do what they feel is right in order to ensure that the missing children are returned home.

This book slowly builds a feeling of dread, helplessness, and frustration before the pace does a 180 that had my heart hammering, and an ending that brought me to tears.

I really like that the characters aren't all stoic and put together, they make choices that have you screaming at the page in frustration. That, and the fact that the author doesn't neglect to describe the gross details makes this book very easy to immerse yourselve in.

Thank you to Dynamite Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

CW - Child Endangerment, Kidnapping Children, Domestic Abuse

A school bus full of children and the bus driver, Jessa, are kidnapped and buried underground while the assailants demand a ransom from two of the children's mother, Sheena. In a race against time, Sheena follows her gut to do what she feels is right in light of the ransom note. Jessa, full of self-pity and blame, doesn't want to make the situation worse. She wants the children to keep their head downs and listen to what the masked men say. Sage, the oldest of the children, decides she will be the adult in the situation and do what she can to save everyone.

While I felt this novel wasn't as capturing or fast-paced as other novels by Noelle Ihli, I still enjoyed this and think it's worth the read. The story is distressing and even frustrating at times. T Knowing the premise is based on a real life event that took place in 1976 makes it even more harrowing. Noelle did a great job at crafting this story and building the characters. The character development was whose growth and change was not only believable, but truly drove the plot. Like other reviews, I cried several times during the last 10% or so.

Thank you, Noelle for another incredible read. Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for an eARC. This book publishes April 29, 2025!

This is based on a true story and wow is it eerie! Page turning and thrilling all the way to the last page. Definitely recommend!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📅 Pub Date: April 29, 2025

Noelle W. Ihli has never let me down, and Such Quiet Girls might be her most intense yet. I was hooked from page one and completely obsessed until the end. It’s claustrophobic, fast-paced, and emotionally brutal.

I loved that we got multiple POVs: Sage (a student), Jess (the bus driver), Sheena (Sage’s mom), and even the kidnapper. I’m always a fan of multi-POV thrillers, and this one used it to full effect. Sheena’s chapters especially stood out to me. Her fear, the impossible choices she had to make, it all felt heartbreakingly real.

Knowing this story was inspired by true events added an extra layer of dread. What these characters went through might be fiction, but people have lived similar nightmares. That made it hit even harder.

If you’re into survival thrillers with high tension and emotionally complex characters, this one’s a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dynamite Books for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Loved this book so much! It was truly a nail-biter and it was so difficult to put down, because, adulting had to be done (haha). This had me on the edge of my seat, often screaming at the characters. Ms. Ihli hits it out of the park once again. The character descriptions were done very well and the setting I could absolutely envision as I was reading. There were many actual twists but definitely a lot of gripping scenes. I highly recommend any psych thriller read.

Unique plot for a thriller and it was a really fast paced read. I didn't ever feel a connection to the characters though and wish they didn't get kidnapped so quick into the book so we could learn more about them first/get to know them/get an attachment to them.

WOW 10/10
I could not put this book down! I looovvveeee a good thriller. Such Quiet Girls had you gripping the edge of your seat, sweating, anxious, terrified for the children and Ms Jessa.
After being kidnapped from the bus on the way to after-school care, 10 children plus the bus driver, Jessa, are made to get into an underground bunker, carved out in an old quarry. What follows is a desperate attempt to free themselves before they run out of air.
Sage is so strong and inspiring, especially for such a young girl. All the children are so brave, and will have you falling in love with every single one of them.
You start out unsure of Jessa and where she's at in her life, especially after recent events. As the book goes on, you see more snippets of her life come out.
Sheena is desperate to get her children back and has to make a lot of tough decisions along the way.
Noelle is an incredible storyteller, drawing you so completely in that you lose sight of anything else. Trust me when I say, you will want to start this book when you have enough time to sit and read all in one go. Will definitely be checking out some more from this author! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this eARC!

This book jumps straight in on the action. By halfway through I had pretty much determined that Sage and her whole twelve years of age, was the smartest person in the book. Jessa had to be the most completely useless adult I’ve ever seen when it came to trying to help these poor trapped and terrified children. I honestly just wanted to shake her. The fact that she is a mother and took so long to help Sage and comfort the other kids blew my mind. Poor Sheena having the ransom given to her and the lives of all ten kids and Jessa dependent on her decisions, while also dealing with her father…You definitely see where Sage got her smarts though. All in all this was a fantastic story with a wonderful ending, as all Noelle’s work I’ve read has been.

Based on a true story with a lot of suspense. I enjoy Noelle Ihli’s writing style and how fast paced her books are. 3 1/2 stars rounded up

I first became a fan of Noelles books with Ask for Andrea and this book changed nothing. I like when she takes stories based on truth and puts her own spin on them, it makes the book even more hard hitting and intense that way. This book was a kind of a tough subject matter to read for me just being a mother myself and it involves the kidnaping and basically kids being buried alive underground in a makeshift bunker. But it still kept me hooked and wanting to know what was going to happen and needing to make sure that the kids were going to be ok. At times the multiple different POV's and different storylines got a bit hard to keep track of but it wasn't too overwhelming.

A school bus full of kids is kidnapped on their way home from school. What ensues had me on the edge of my seat and instantly invested. There were chapters told from the children, bus driver, kidnappers, and parents point of view so was able to get everyone's perspective. I was annoyed at some characters and rooting for others. This fast paced thriller was worth the read. Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely love Noelle W Ihli and her writing! This one however wasn’t my highest rating but only for a few reasons!

This was SUSPENSE from beginning to end & had my brain spiraling trying to figure out where it was going the entire time!
A bus of kids are kidnapped from school & held for ransom, it’s an elaborate scheme that takes a few turns! I absolutely loved it until the story comes to a head & the ending is near. This is based off a true story but of course she adds in her story & after reading the acknowledgements at the end, her personal experience she added into the story felt forced to me, as it felt out of place in the story to me from the beginning.
I still enjoyed the book & the story but the ending just wasn’t what i felt it could be.

What a rollercoaster. When a bus is hijacked on its way to an afterschool we are gripped by the next 24+ hours through the eyes of sisters on the bus, the bus driver with a rocky past, the girls mom who is also carer for her ex cop dad suffering from dementia and one of the hijackers. I was glued to this book from the first page. Really great thriller.
Highly recommend and can’t wait to get stuck into more of this authors books

This book perfectly blended my love for true crime, thrillers, and my favorite author, Noelle West Ihli. So, when I found out that Noelle was releasing a novel based on the 1976 mass kidnapping, I couldn't wait to dive in. A huge thank you to Netgalley @netgalley and Noelle @noelleihliauthor for providing me with an ARC - I finished it in just a couple of hours!

The story is told through multiple POVs. I enjoyed seeing the events unfold from different perspectives, whether it was through a child's eyes or from the point of view of the antagonists. It kept me on the edge of my seat, constantly shifting my emotions and sympathies as we progressed through this book. And I have to add, Grandpa became one of my favorite characters - his presence added a sense of warmth and stability to the otherwise tense narrative.

I highly recommend picking up a copy of this book when it is released on April 29th. While you're waiting, you can check out any of her other books. I recommend them all!

I had high hopes for Such Quiet Girls, but unfortunately, I was disappointed. The premise seemed promising, and I was eager to dive into this thriller, but it fell short for me. I found myself bored throughout the book, which is unusual for me with this genre. The characters felt flat, some POVs seemed unnecessary, and I never got to know the characters well enough to become truly engaged. I also felt that the story developed too slowly, and without any notable cliffhangers, the reading experience was quite dull. This book actually put me in a reading slump, so unfortunately, it wasn't for me.

Rounded down to 3.5 ⭐️

Noelle Ihli is starting to become one of my auto-read authors for thrillers. This one is exceptional and based on a true story, which makes it all the more frightening. The story is told by multiple POVs, and as we move along the narrative, we also get to know each POV’s pasts and secrets. However, I find that the pacing is not as consistent as her other books, but that doesn’t take away the impact of the story. I also find it hard to connect with the characters and plot wholly, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless. The ending was a bit predictable for me, though, I didn’t think it was meant to have an explosive plot twist to deliver. This might be best on audio to get a more gripping experience.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! All opinions are my own.

Very sold thriller and sad story, but so well written. I was captivated from the very first page and all the way until the end!

Wow what an amazing thriller! This was jam packed full of suspense right the way through! The multiple POV from the kidnappers, the children, the teacher and the mother worked really well!

I loved that we also saw the guilt from one of the kidnappers and how he was constantly questioning his morality, it made the book more suspenseful because i really didn't know if he was going to kill the girls or set them free. Overall a fantastic read and i'd definitely recommend to any thriller lovers i know.