Jade Westmore thought she was starting fresh when she married into the Westmore family, but things turn unsettling when she learns her husband’s first wife, Sylvie, is still living in silence on the property. Then Sylvie hands her a note that says Run—and everything starts to unravel.

I enjoyed The Silent Woman — it had an interesting premise, a cool setting, and a main character who kept me engaged. What I really liked was the old Hollywood vibe, which added some glam and mystery. Also, since the story is about a writer, that meta angle was a nice touch for book lovers like me.

That said, while I was hoping for a few more twists, and it was a tad predictable at times, I still found myself pulled into the mystery and eager to see how things played out. The pacing kept me turning the pages, the layered characters added depth, and in the end, I was satisfied with how it all wrapped up.

Read this if you like:
• Stories with an old Hollywood glamour-meets-mystery vibe
• Books about writers and the writing process
• Quiet psychological suspense with slow-burn tension
• Atmospheric reads with a moody, introspective tone
• Dual points of view that slowly unravel character secrets
• A story within a story, as the protagonist pieces together someone else’s life
• Themes of gaslighting, manipulation, isolation, secrets, identity, and complex power dynamics

Rating: 3.85/5

Many thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for this e-ARC that will be published July 15, 2025.

📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Silent Woman By Minka Kent
Publication Date: July 15, 2025
[Originally Published September 27, 2022]
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer| Amazon Publishing

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you to Thomas & Mercer, Amazon Publishing, and NetGalley for this #gifted e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

In classic Minka Kent style, The Silent Woman is a fast-paced and salaciously delicious domestic thriller that I couldn't read fast enough!

Though not my favorite Kent read and definitely slightly predictable, I still really enjoyed this quick read that asks the question of how well we really know anyone? There was an underlying sense of creepy danger that lingered throughout this read as I got to know its main characters. There wasn't as much depth to the character development in this book as I'd have liked, though I learned enough to connect on a surface-level with the characters as I read.

Told from the dual POVs of Jade and Sylvie, this is the story of a current wife and an ex-wife. Jade has only been married to Wells for a few months after a whirlwind romance that happened as Jade was hired to write the authorized biography of Wells' grandmother, Viviette, who was a classic old Hollywood actress in her heyday. Sylvie is Wells' ex-wife, who lives in the backyard guesthouse after a tragic accident and head injury left her mute and requiring 24/7 nursing care. Though the arrangement isn't traditional, Jade admires Wells' commitment to Sylvie's care, which days so much about him even though he divorced Sylvie after her injury. As Jade gets to know the life into which she's married and uncovers family secrets from Viviette's past, she can't help but wonder if everything around her is exactly as it seems.

If you're a fan of Minka Kent's books, you're going to love this domestic thriller and the fast-paced way it keeps you wondering about what's really going on behind the gates of this luxurious estate. The re-release of The Silent Woman is available July 15th!

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Although predictable this was quite a quick read that I enjoyed.

Loved the way it ended - always like a story that ends the way you think it should.

I will be looking to add other books by this author to my bookshelf.

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it was a fun, easy read! The book had just enough intrigue to it to keep you engaged while ready but light enough to make it a fast read. There were no crazy twist or turns, while the book was slightly predictable I appreciated how everything in the story made sense and went together! I’m not a fan of books that have a crazy twist that come out nowhere, usually it’s a very unbelievable twist. I look forward to reading other books from this author. If you’re looking for a book that has some mystery to it but is light at the same time, this is the book for you!

Thanks to Netgally for a copy of the book for my honest review.

Minka Kent writes such great thrillers. This was a domestic thriller that was full of suspense. I knew this one was gonna be a wild ride because who the heck would marry a guy who's ex wife is living in a guest house on his property?!? The story is told in dual POV which was great. I got Verity vibes from this one but I feel like Minka took it a more creepy route which was awesome. Minka never disappoints. I'm determined to read all of her books because they are all fantastic.

Jade lives with her moneyed husband Wells in a palatial estate that also houses another woman in a guest cottage - Sylvia, Wells’ first wife who suffered a devastating injury three years ago, leaving her unable to communicate and under constant nursing care. But one day, when Jade has to check in on her, Sylvie passes Jade a note with one word: Run. So sets the stage for The Silent Woman, a suspenseful story filled with the misdirections this author is known for. The plot immediately grabs your interest, then the pace slows as the story behind Sylvia’s accident is revealed, building suspense as the pieces fall into place. Or do they? This one will keep you guessing throughout! I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

At first glance, this book gave me Verity/The Wife Upstairs vibes, which are both Jane Eyre-esque novels. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, because I enjoyed all three of those books. The Silent Woman has girl's girl vibes through and through, which feels refreshing given lots of psychological thrillers peg women to be helpless or unintelligent/ unable to deduce or engage in critical thought. On the other hand, I would say that this book was quite predictable, but also an easy, enjoyable read. A good book to read on the beach or camping where you do not want to think too hard, but you want to be entertained.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #Thomas&Mercer for the ARC.

Verity meets Evelyn Hugo in this unique take on the Silent Women. With several other similar titles and concepts in this genre I was a little hesitant to read another, but this was very unexpected in a good way. It was a quick read that had me instantly hooked.

I found the ending to be slighly predictable so not the best Minka Kent book I have read, but there were a few red herrings that kept it interesting as well as wanting to know the why behind it.

Writing a memoir of a famous woman is far more challenging than you might imagine, especially when you begin to uncover secrets you never could have fathomed.

When you find yourself swept up in a world-winning story, writing a biography of your now-husband’s grandmother seems like a dream come true. However, this dream quickly transforms into a nightmare. Secrets abound, but the one person who knows remains silent, trapped in her own body. Sometimes, being a snoop as a child can have its benefits, especially when you must use your power to uncover the truth. One woman’s story unravels the reason another woman is a prisoner in her own body, a story that you simply can’t put down. If you enjoy fast-paced stories with numerous dark twists, this is definitely a story for you.

SPOILER AHEAD: This was a fun and quick read! It caught my interest right away and didn't want to take a break from reading until I was done. The reason I didn't give this book 5 stars is because I felt like the part where Porsha became mad at Jade and then very quickly changed her mind and had this "big realization" was very rushed and didn't flow as nicely as the rest of the book. I did like the ending and think the story was wrapped up well (with a happy ending!)

This is the third or fourth book I’ve read with this particular trope, and it has been my favorite. The story is believable (my preference) and I really appreciated how all the puzzle pieces seemed to fit at the end, and all loose ends were tied. This book has great pacing and character development. I’m excited to read more from this author!

I really enjoyed this book .it was dark and mysterious and kept me hooked throughout. I literally couldn't put it down

Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for the revised ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I love reading Minka Kent’s books in between longer books as like a pallet cleanser. They are short and really good. I liked this one a lot, the twist was a little easy to see, but it was still enjoyable enough to want to keep reading to make sure you are right and know what happens and how it ends. I don’t feel like I got enough back story on Wells and Jade with how long their relationship was before getting married etc. I still wasn’t sure on how I should feel about his mother. Overall I really loved the story and devoured it in a day (I started it late the night before).

Rating: 3.5

Jade Westmore has landed her dream job: writing the biography of the iconic actress, Viviette Westmore. The movie star's grandson, Wells, not only handpicked her to write the biography but also swept Jade off her feet and married her.

In an unusual twist, Wells' first wife, Sylvie, lives in the guesthouse after an unfortunate accident left her unable to speak or care for herself. Jade admires Wells’ commitment to caring for Sylvie, which only intensifies her feelings for him. Everything shifts, however, when Jade meets Sylvie face-to-face and gets an unexpected message: “Run.”
Confused, Jade is determined to uncover the silent woman's secrets and the meaning behind the message.

Most of the story is told from Jade’s perspective, and I felt it wasn’t necessary to label every chapter with her name since it was clear which character was telling the story.

While I liked the storyline and the author’s storytelling, the character development was incomplete. Wells was one-dimensional, and while he had his quirks, I found myself looking for more to his character. Jade spent more time talking about him than interacting with him. I also wanted to know more about Jade’s backstory. She’s telling the story, but I was more invested in the curious neighbor, Portia. There was more emotion and detail spent on her character, which made her more relatable and engaging.

Despite a somewhat abrupt ending and some confusing character actions, I found the book thoroughly enjoyable. The author's compelling storytelling kept me engaged throughout the book.

I would definitely pick up another book by Minka Kent. Her writing style reminds me of Mary Higgins Clark's books, which showcase strong, determined women relentlessly pursuing the truth.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the digital advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own

This was so captivating. I could not put this down. There were so many twists, so many twisted people. I'm still reeling at the curious ending. A great thrilling mystery.

3.75 rounded to 4. While the ending wasn’t the most shocking twist, I still really enjoyed the characters and the suspense throughout the whole book figuring out what happened to Sylvie. Very fast paced and hard to put down!

If Verity and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo had a baby, it would be The Silent Woman! This is a true popcorn thriller... super bingeable and packed with all the elements I love in this genre: a silenced woman, hidden diaries, and home surveillance. It’s definitely one of those thrillers you can fly through in a couple of sittings.

That said, the biggest downside for me was how predictable it was. The plot works, sure, but it's nothing we haven’t seen before because it follows a formula that's been done to death. It’s a fairly average domestic thriller with a whodunnit vibe.

Even though I usually love both of the main storylines (digging through old diaries and uncovering the truth behind a mysterious accident) I felt like neither was explored deeply enough. They didn’t feel connected in a meaningful way, which made both storylines fall a bit flat for me. I wish they’d gone deeper... Despite the criticism, I really enjoyed the vibe of the book overall and had a great time reading it!!

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this one!

I read this in one sitting I just couldn't put it down. The premise of the book really drew me and I love the cover. When I started reading I was hooked right from the front page. I don't want to say anything and give anything away because I could talk about this book for ages. I would highly recommend

Firstly thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book. It captivated me from the start and kept me turning pages to find out more. It's a short fast paced read.

Although a lot of the book was predictable I still loved it. The characters were great and the story had a deeper meaning that is super important.

The entire message of the book being centered around strong women and what they would do to protect those around them really hit deep for me. It's not often that I feel emotional when reading a thriller but this book managed to do just that.

The ending felt a little rushed and fell slightly flat but it didn't take away from the book still being a really enjoyable read.