Thank you to the author and publisher for the advance copy of The Silent Ones. This was a powerful and emotional read that really highlighted the injustices women in Ireland faced during the 1980s, especially around motherhood and the lack of choice women had at that time. I found the story moving and important, and I appreciated how it shed light on such a difficult history. That said, the pacing felt a little too slow for me, and I think the book could have been a bit shorter while still keeping its impact. Overall, though, it was a strong and thought-provoking read that I’m glad I picked up.I

One of the best mysteries I’ve read this year. Tackling head on the status of Irish women in the 1980s and the sexism that was institutionalized in the Irish Garda this book has it all. Complicated relationships, people trying to bend the rules to suit themselves and the discovery of a dead baby. Granted it wasn’t too hard to figure out the who and the why but the trail there was well done.

What an excellent read this was and a bit of a rollercoaster ride! I loved the rural Irish setting in the 1980's, what different times they were, and the characterisation was wonderfully described, especially Mary a local Gardaí. When the body of a baby is found on the beach, Mary is called to assist the team brought down from Dublin to carry out the investigation. This is an emotional, truth based and difficult read but I highly recommend to lovers of crime fiction. I would definitely read a follow up. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I think we are being spoiled with very good starters to procedural series this year, and I know for sure that Mary Shea is a detective I'll continue to follow book after book.

The setting is rural Ireland in the 1980's, and I had to doublecheck if it wasn't 1950, because the way Mary has to fight for her rights didn't resonate with my own experience and I'm only 10 years younger. After doing some online sleuthing myself, I understood I was just very lucky having been born a decade later and 1.000 km futher to have all the priviliges of a free life. As it turns out, Ireland in the 80's was having a setback in women's rights and this is very prominent in this book. It was hard to read at times, seeing how men treated women as little more than cattle.

And then we have Mary, flawed and all, but pushing her elbows out to claim her spot. Sometimes with succes, sometimes with setbacks. The case she has to solve is gruesome and involves the death of a newborn, so consider this the biggest trigger warning amongst other violent acts against minorities.

In short: a great setting, multilayered characters, a slow build and a good mystery. I know I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you NetGalley, Canelo Crime, and the author for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own.

A very solemn premise. Very well written. Very descriptive of the way women were used in Ireland in that decade. Twists and turns aplenty. I guessed who the baby belonged to which was the only downside for me. Would definitely read her next offering..

This was such an emotional and powerful read. The story drew me in with its beautifully written characters and the raw honesty in their struggles. It carried a perfect balance of tension and heart, making me feel every moment as the layers of the story unfolded. Heartfelt, thought-provoking, and deeply moving, it’s the kind of book that lingers with you long after you’ve finished.

This was a strong start to the Mary Shea Murders series, it had that Irish crime element that I was looking for and was engaged with what was happening. I enjoyed this as a opening chapter and am excited to read more in this universe, I was engaged from the start and really glad I got to read this. The characters had that overall feel that I was wanting and enjoyed the concept. It was suspenseful and worked as a introduction to this world and characters. Anna McPartlin wrote this well and was engaged from the first page.

I absolutely adored this book and devoured it over a couple of days! It has easily been one of my favourite books of the year and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future.

This thriller is something a bit different. Somewhere along the lines of Liz Nugent and Tana French. I've read this author's other books and was really intrigued to see that she's now writing a detective series. Setting it in the 80's allowed a slower pace and we see how good old-fashioned detective work, including knowing the area and the locals, was what it takes. It was also a very real look at life for a professional woman, particularly a young woman. The behaviour Mary has to take is spot-on and is a shameful glimpse into our past. Mary herself is a great character. She knows what she wants and what she has to put up with to do her job. She is also empathetic to people and eager to learn as well as to be seen to. The other characters are all very well done too and all distinct. I really enjoyed the drops of back-story. Mary's parents stand out too, for all they're in the background. The story itself is gripping and kept me reading as it unfolded. In the middle of the book, the reader suddenly realises who had the baby through a big clue in something she says. This adds to the tension as we will Mary to put the pieces together and figure it out. I'm looking forward to more!

There were not many women in the Garda in the 80s and the treatment of women was another reason why my parents chose to move to England on top of the economic situation at the time. Heavy on misogyny and Catholic rules in Ireland, we all know this story will not end well for many involved. Pregnant teens were often sent off to 'the laundries' to have their babies and shunned for bringing shame on the family while nuns sold their babies and made them work ridiculous hours for their room and board. Or married off to later pretend the baby was a full size preemie - whether to the father or an arrangement that often ended badly. You couldn't buy contraception over the counter, so you can guess how often this happened too.

As Mary explains early in the book, if she marries, she will have to give up her job so she stays single and makes the tea, types the reports and tries to work her way up to doing anything useful. That is, until one day that one of the other Guards is sick and she rides with Dicey when he gets a call about the body of an infant on the beach.

The small local Garda station know they can't handle a case like this and call for investigators from Dublin. They want it closed, and yesterday. They sweep through the town looking for anyone who may be pregnant before finding a teenager who has been off school for a while. After a violent night at the police station, she is charged despite the facts and her story not adding up. Mary tries her best to see the young woman's side and follow the evidence while not being thrown off the case for being too outspoken.

The ongoing misogyny is hard to read. It is accurate for Ireland in those times (and to some extent, even now). Not just Mary, but the treatment of witnesses, where the fathers are 'poor fellas' while the women are subjected to medical tests to ensure they have not given birth just on the word of teenagers who say they have a boyfriend. But I couldn't put this one down, I wanted to know who the mother was, how the baby ended up at the beach and why so violent.

I really enjoyed Mary's character and it sounds like this may be the first in a series, so looking forward to more investigations with her. Thanks to Canelo and Netgalley for the advance copy for review. The Silent Ones is available on Sept 4th.

This was sooo good. Crime/murder in a small town is up there as one of my most favourite genres. I really enjoyed the main character Mary Shea, all the characters really, except the Dublin boys. The story was fast paced and kept me guessing, there were some sad moments and some that made me want to throw my kindle across the room. 4.5 stars, I smashed through this over two nights it was just so damn bingeable.

Anna McPartlin’s The Silent Ones is the kind of crime novel that doesn’t just grip you—it unsettles you in the best way. Set in 1980s Kerry, it opens with a chilling discovery: the body of a newborn tucked into a sand dune on a cold January morning. From there, the story unfolds with quiet urgency, drawing us into a community steeped in secrets and silence.

Mary Shea, the local Garda first on the scene, is a breath of fresh air in the genre. She’s intuitive, compassionate, and just ahead of her time—exactly the kind of character you want to follow into the darkest corners of a mystery. As she joins forces with Dublin’s major crimes unit, the investigation becomes more than just a hunt for a killer; it’s a reckoning with the hidden lives and unspoken truths of a small town.

McPartlin’s writing is elegant and restrained, letting the emotional weight of the story speak for itself. The atmosphere is rich, the pacing deliberate, and the tension quietly relentless. It’s not flashy—it’s thoughtful, haunting, and deeply human.

If you’re drawn to crime fiction that balances suspense with soul, The Silent Ones is a standout. It’s the beginning of a series, and if Mary Shea is leading the way, I’ll be following.

With thanks to Anna McPartlin, the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Emotional, suspenseful, dark, tragic. All these words describe the book.
A baby is found dead, stabbed multiple times, on a dune on a beach. The race is on for the detectives to find the woman who gave birth and killed her baby.
A woman working in a 'man's' world. Overlooked and despised, Mary Shea is a police officer who can go far, given the chance. But her misogynistic and sexist colleagues use her as a tea maid, and a secretary, not giving her the chance to show her talents. She was born to be a detective. She just needs a chance to prove herself.
Strange that this idea that women are lesser beings than men still persists in this world.

The book is excellent. An absorbing read, a real eye opener.
Definitely a page turner - I was engrossed from the first chapter.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and it is the start of a new series. It is set in 1980 on the west coast of Ireland. A new born baby is found murdered on the beach and local Garda Mary Shea is first on the scene. Soon the case is handed to detectives from Dublin and Mary is asked to help by Foley, the detective leading the case. This does not go down well with the other Gardai who believe that there’s no place for women in the police force except for making the tea and doing the mundane admin jobs! It is a step back in time showing attitudes to women, unmarried mothers and same sex relationships. There are a lot of twists and turns in the book as Shea and Foley try to discover who the mother of the baby is and how the events lead up to the baby being murdered. A thought provoking first novel in the series and I’m looking forward to the next one.

wow. just wow. this book too me in and didn't let go.a stunning read from start to finish. it held tight to my emotions and then spun them out.
its immersive and takes you right into and alongside the story. so you feel it, you feel whats happening in both mind and heart, and you really do end up caring for whats to come.
its follow an Irish town in the 80's. and Mary Shea the local Garda gets called to the body of a baby on the beach. this is a shock to her and the wider community. who would do this to this poor poor thing?
then we are told the whole story. of this town, of this event and of this community. the time reflects much of what we see in this book. not least how poor Mary is treated. and sadly i recognised far too much of this problematic ways all the more from today for woman.
but these issues in the book take its toll on both her and those she knows, not to mention the victims. and all Mary wants is to keep them safe from harm and just do her job!
this book had me angry for her, for this innocent ones and for woman everywhere. and sad, how little has actually changed. and sad for what seems a hopeless task especially in our world right now. this book made me think so much.
but this book and Anna portrays it all so well. she is smart with her words and her narrative. she is clever in her pacing and the plot. and its just a fantastic story. it hits all the places you want a book like this to hit. and more besides.
it had me hooked from the moment i opened and started reading. and kept me there right until the very end.
the balance was kept throughout this book and i really appreciate how Anna must have worked to do that. it never felt too much but it also never felt like it was shying away from that which it needed to shine a light on.
a brilliant read.

Thank you Canelo, the author and Netgalley.com for the eBook to review, the following is my review.
Wow—this book absolutely surprised my socks off. It has everything you could want in a crime novel: vivid character descriptions, a rollercoaster of a plot, and twists that keep you guessing right to the final page. I expected the deaths of two babies to be resolved quickly, but no—McPartlin masterfully weaves in unexpected turns that deepen the mystery.

Humour is cleverly dosed throughout, always in context, often aimed at the egits of the Garde police. Our protagonist, Garde Mary Shea, is a lone, strong woman navigating a toxic environment of male chauvinism and pig-headedness. Her colleagues made me so mad I wanted to push them off a cliff! Shea’s resilience and sharp wit make her a standout lead.

If you love crime fiction that’s smart, emotional, and unafraid to tackle dark themes with a touch of humour—read this.

This is quite a unique crime read, very character led and slow paced but the time frame this is set in and the issues Mary Shea faced just to do her job were told in an incredibly perceptive style. There’s a strong theme of attitudes to women in 1980’s Ireland and I like how it took a woman to see what her colleagues could not even though it was hard to make her voice heard. The crime was distressing but the way they focussed on an easy suspect and persecuted her family was heart wrenching and when the perpetrator is finally revealed you can’t help but feel sorry for their state of mind at the time. This is a dark story but told very well and I would definitely like to read more.

This book has it all: intrigue, plot twists, suspense, and a cast of credible, gritty characters. What an absolutely mind-spinning, gripping story! I had a really hard time putting my kindle down to do my adult responsibilities!

It was an explosive page-turner! A mesmerising story filled with unforgettable characters! I’d highly recommend this book! There were so many twists and turns. What a great start to the Mary Shea Murders I really hope there is a book 2!

I stayed up all night reading it was truly unputdownable, giving you a rollercoaster of a ride with twists and turns you never would expect! A massive five stars I would definitely recommend to read this book when it comes out!