Friday 9 June 2017

Review: Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf

Not a Sound by Heather Gudenkauf
Publisher: Park Row Books
Publication date: May 30th 2017
My rating: 3.5 stars 
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo |The Book Depository

 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25644437-find-her
A shocking discovery and chilling secrets converge in this latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf

When a tragic accident leaves nurse Amelia Winn deaf, she spirals into a depression that ultimately causes her to lose everything that matters--her job, her husband, David, and her stepdaughter, Nora. Now, two years later and with the help of her hearing dog, Stitch, she is finally getting back on her feet. But when she discovers the body of a fellow nurse in the dense bush by the river, deep in the woods near her cabin, she is plunged into a disturbing mystery that could shatter the carefully reconstructed pieces of her life all over again.

As clues begin to surface, Amelia finds herself swept into an investigation that hits all too close to home. But how much is she willing to risk in order to uncover the truth and bring a killer to justice?

New York Times bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf has been described as "masterful" and "intelligent" and compared to Lisa Scottoline and Jodi Picoult. Introducing her most compelling heroine yet, she delivers a taut and emotional thriller that proves she's at the top of her class.


My Thoughts:
Amelia’s life fell apart after an accident left her deaf, losing her husband and stepdaughter in the process.  I can understand how Amelia could let things fall apart, but thankfully the author doesn’t drag us through the depressing experience.  We pick up with Amelia slowly getting back on track: sober, new job, reconnecting with her stepdaughter, Nora, and getting back on friendly terms with her ex-husband, David. She wouldn’t have got that far without the help of Jake, her childhood friend, and detective on the Mathias Police Force.

Things are going great when Amelia discovers the body of a woman close to her home. She becomes wrapped up in the mystery, and in the path of danger. 

The challenges of living without hearing gave an unexpected layer of terror to the story.  Someone could be walking in your house, up your stairs, rush you while you unlock your car door, and you wouldn’t hear them coming until it was too late. A frightening prospect.  That’s where the lovable Stitch, her service dog came in handy.  Stitch wasn’t always super obedient, but he had an adorable personality. He was her lifeline and loyal friend, and came through when it counted.

The idea of spending time in a lakeside cabin during the fall is appealing and I loved the beautiful descriptions of Amelia’s surroundings.  However, those peaceful woods turned into a potential hiding spot, eerie with dangerous possibilities once Amelia became a target. There were several silent, suspenseful moments when I felt my skin prickle with alarm!

At times I did feel the writing was a little overly descriptive of the surroundings, the town, the past; things I didn’t feel had much bearing on the overall story.  I skimmed where it felt unnecessary to the story.

I was really rooting for Amelia, really liked her.  She was back on the right path with her life after falling so low, and she was trying to get justice for the poor woman murdered.  That being said, I wasn’t thrilled with a few of Amelia’s choices. I don’t like it when a character ignores their gut feeling or plain facts, getting into risky situations unnecessarily.   For the most part Amelia handled whatever came at her pretty well, and those risky situations made for an exciting read!  I have to say the ending was a roller coaster thrill ride! Definitely had me on the edge of my seat!

I was pleased with the way the romance turned out, but would’ve liked a little more development.  Still, this was a thriller/mystery so I was happy I got any romance at all!

Not a Sound was an exciting mystery!  One I read straight through in one sitting!  I’ll definitely be on the lookout for Ms. Gudenkauf’s next story!





Connect with Heather Gudenkauf:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads




9 comments:

Greg said...

This does sound suspenseful, and I like the deafness angle. That would be terrifying to be that vulnerable, especially if she's hanging out in a cabin. Thanks goodness she has the service dog!

I tend to get annoyed too when the MC doesn't listen to their gut and does dumb things, and it seems like that happens so often! But other than that sounds like this one was pretty good! I might have to give this a shot, I've been loving thrillers lately. :)

Blodeuedd said...

Sometimes skimming is just necessary, I have done that lots of times ;)

Heidi@Rainy Day Ramblings said...

Overly descriptive can get tiresome. Still it says a lot that you read it all in one setting.

Emma said...

It's really annoying when your rooting for a character and they go completely against everything they know! And you get irritated with it. grr! Great review, Rachel. Nice to see you too, haven't been around much. Hope you well and still enjoying Doc Martin! :)

Rachel said...

Hi Emma! Yes, it is irritating, but it wasn't too bad in this case. Really enjoyed the story!

Welcome back! I finished all the Doc Martin episodes that are out now, and so I'm waiting for the new season! *sobs*

Carina Olsen said...

Awesome review Rachel :) I'm glad you liked this one a lot; despite not fully loving it. <3 It sounds a bit too heartbreaking for me :\ yet a bit interesting too :) Thank you for sharing sweetie. <3

Keertana said...

This definitely seems really different from everything else that's out there since the heroine is deaf and you're absolutely right--that definitely adds a layer of suspense and fear to the story! I'm sorry this wasn't a stellar read for you, but it still seems like this has a lot of strong aspects to it so I'll have to add it to my TBR. Wonderful review, Rachel!

Joy said...

Oh man. That's gotta be frustrating! A character who makes bad decisions knowingly is so annoying. But it looks like the book has other enjoyable characteristics that you liked, so that's good. :)

Grace @ RebelMommyBookBlog said...

Sometimes skimming is necessary!!! I like the way this sounds though. Great review!!

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