Silence can be deadly

Author : Sarah A. Denzil
Title : Silent Child
Published : 22/01/2017
Pages : 416
Format : Kindle
Publisher : CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform






     In the summer of 2006, Emma Price watched helplessly as her six-year-old son’s red coat was fished out of the River Ouse. It was the tragic story of the year – a little boy, Aiden, wandered away from school during a terrible flood, fell into the river, and drowned. His body was never recovered. Ten years later, Emma has finally rediscovered the joy in life. She’s married, pregnant, and in control again... ... until Aiden returns. Too traumatized to speak, he raises endless questions and answers none.

    I came across this book through another I had been reading. It was suggested that if you enjoyed that one you should really check out Silent Child. So I grabbed a copy. What do you do when your missing child turns up years latter. Even more so if you had finally given up hope and had them legally declared dead. Not to mention that when they do turn up what do you do if the won’t speak a single word. With so many questions surrounding this book how could I not want to spend some time with it.

     Emma is a woman whose life is about to be ripped apart for a second time. She has a lot to deal with. For some one who is already dealing with being pregnant and the highs and lows that go with it. To have he supposedly dead son turn up out of the blue is a lot to deal with. She comes across as some one who is brave in the face of adversity. She wants to believe in best of people. When faced with the horror that her son must have gone through. She will do anything to get him back the boy she lost. As things start to fall apart she will keep digging until she gets to bottom of this deep dark hole. For the most part Aiden is this ominous presence through out the book his non willingness to speak brings tension to ever scene he’s in. But who are we to judge its not until later on do we learn the true extent of the harrowing ordeal he went through. And then do we come to truly appreciate why he chose not to speak to any one. Adding to all this we have Jake Emma’s new husband who from the get go seems very controlling. He pushes all trace of Emma out into the garage that he says is her personal art studio. Then comes her ex rob who is also Aiden’s father. He never was the most reliable of people and when their son went missing he faded out of Emma’s life. But when Aiden returns he starts to take more interest and the two start to form a tight bond. And it’s through this that they come to work there way to the conclusion and answer questions that have long been in the coming.

     Denzil showed me a story that I was not expecting while the plot flows on it’s not at a quick speed. She allows time for the story to develop not rushing the details of Aidan’s ordeal. The twist that come up are ever the surprise. This is a tense psychological thriller that had me hooked from the start. Her choice to place us in the first person work well and gets us in to the mind of a mother who just wants her little boy back. She also shows us the effect the media can have on the family’s of crime. At no point do they chose to see the side of a carrying parent it’s always the worst they look for. When people are going through the most difficult part of there life the sink there collective teeth in and watch the blood run. With the plot taking place in a small village it adds to the claustrophobic nature of the the plot. In a place where every one knows every one else how close can the monster who took her son be.

     I glad I picked a copy of this book up. It was a nice change of pace for a story allowed to develop in its own time. The author gives us a harrowing story of a child who’s life is torn apart by things out of there control. How do you come back from all that happens to him. And a mother who while trying to do the best in a situation she can’t possibly come to terms with in the short run. I would highly suggest you give it a go.