Dead Silence
Dead Silence book cover

Dead Silence

Paperback – June 1, 2020

by
Price
$11.99
Format
Paperback
Pages
320
Publisher
Shiloh Run Press
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1643523316
Dimensions
5.5 x 0.9 x 8.4 inches
Weight
10.4 ounces

Description

"DEAD SILENCE by Robin Caroll is a fast-paced, inspirational suspense novel that will have you turning pages to see where the investigation is heading next. Do not miss this dynamic novel !"--Viki Ferrell "Fresh Fiction" (5/3/2020 12:00:00 AM)"From page one, Dead Silence grabs readers by the lapels and doesn't let go until the last, satisfying page. Unique and tension-filled. My kind of thriller." -Creston Mapes, bestselling author "Robin Caroll's suspense Dead Silence kept me reading until the last page. With crafty twists and everyone a suspect, she takes her strong heroine Elise Carmichael on a heart-wrenching search for the truth. A pulse-racing story that could have been ripped from the current headlines. Another winner from Robin Caroll." -Lenora Worth, 2019 RITA(R) finalist "Robin Caroll has done it again! From the first page to the last, I couldn't read Elise and Sawyer's story fast enough. Caroll kept me guessing until the very end. Is it wrong to hope her next book comes out soon so I can get my Robin Caroll fix again?" -Kathleen Y'Barbo, Publishers Weekly bestselling author of The Black Midnight and Chisholm Trail Bride "Caroll's Dead Silence is a heart-stopping novel that had me on the edge of my seat. The unusual premise and great characters make this a standout. Highly recommended!" -Colleen Coble, author of One Little Lie and the Lavender Tide series "Robin Caroll hits it out of the park with Dead Silence . I've been a member of the hard of hearing/deaf community for 30 plus years and am fluent in ASL. Therefore, I feel qualified to say that Robin nails the deaf culture in a way that hearing people rarely can. Not only that, but the story itself is wonderfully well done. Don't read this one at night if you have to work the next day, because you won't be able to put it down until you turn the last page." -Lynette Eason, bestselling, award-winning author of the Blue Justice series "Take a clever set-up, a delightful little boy, a beleaguered heroine, add a murder or three, and you have a recipe for hours of fun reading. It's no mystery why Dead Silence will please." -Gayle Roper, author of Lost and Found, Hide and Seek "Robin Caroll is one of my absolute favorite, must-read authors. I'm in awe of her writing and can't wait to read ANYTHING she writes. Highly recommended! " -Carrie Stuart Parks, award-winning, bestselling author "Robin Caroll is a master storyteller. She brings such amazing nuances to her characters to make them larger than life. And this story is one of her best. Dead Silence will touch your heart and keep your mind guessing, what's next!" -Dineen Miller, mullet-published and award-winning author “I love boxing. I love Hallmark movies. I love fishing. I love scrapbooking. Nope, I’ve never fit into the boxes people have wanted to put me in.” Robin Caroll is definitely a contradiction, but one that beckons you to get to know her better. Robin’s passion has always been to tell stories to entertain others and come alongside them on their faith journey—aspects Robin weaves into each of her twenty-five-plus published novels. When she isn’t writing, Robin spends quality time with her husband of nearly three decades, her three beautiful daughters and two handsome grandsons, and their character-filled pets at home. Robin gives back to the writing community by serving as executive director/conference director for ACFW. Her books have been recognized in such contests as the Carol Award, Holt Medallion, Daphne du Maurier, RT Reviewer’s Choice Award, Bookseller’s Best, and Book of the Year. You can find out more about Robin by visiting www.robincaroll.com.

Features & Highlights

  • Political games can be deadly…
  • Elise Carmichael is a court sign language interpreter who reads lips all the time. As a widow with a young son who is deaf, lip reading is simply second nature, until the day she reads the lips of someone on the phone discussing an attempt to be made on a senator’s life—a senator who just happens to be her mother-in-law. Before she can decide what she needs to do, she receives the information that her son is rushed to the ER and she must leave. Then she later sees the news report that her mother-in-law has been shot and killed. But when she comes forward, her life, as well as her son’s life, may now be in the crosshairs of the assassin.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(122)
★★★★
25%
(102)
★★★
15%
(61)
★★
7%
(28)
★
23%
(93)

Most Helpful Reviews

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A must read!

Dead Silence, by Robin Caroll, is a suspenseful story that follows Elise Carmichael, a court sign language interpreter who accidentally discovers a menacing plot to take out a senator by reading lips. Suddenly thrusted into the middle of a deadly game, Elise is forced to have faith beyond measure.

Robin Caroll is a new to me author and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future! If you enjoy suspenseful books, then you will absolutely love Dead Silence.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
1 people found this helpful
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Great Novel with a Deaf Boy

This is the first book I have read by this author and I’m smitten. She did a wonderful job keeping me entertained and reading. Though I knew who was ultimately the bad guy there were enough wrenches thrown in to keep me guessing on things too.

I am not deaf, I do not know sign language, but I would learn if I had a need. In fact, my kids do know a little bit from school. But I digress. I have learned things that most people don’t know for the sake of my kids, but they’re not life or death my kids can’t communicate with the world without them important.

This is a great mystery/suspense novel. You’ve got the standard-issue going on. She heard about a crime going to be committed but she didn’t’ do anything about it because she got distracted by her son. He broke his arm and he’s deaf so signing will be an issue. Because she did nothing her mother-in-law is dead.

Can Elise convince everyone she’s innocent? That she didn’t knowingly ignore what she heard, or rather what she read on the lips of others?

Now add to those issues the FBI investigating. Elise getting deadly packages and then her son getting kidnapped. Someone will stop at nothing to silence her. But somewhere there is still a leak. The bad guys keep winning like maybe someone on the team is feeding them all the answers.

This is a wonderful read that I couldn’t put down. I highly recommend you get a copy and read it today.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
1 people found this helpful
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Fantastic suspense

I had never read a book by Robin Caroll before this one, and my what have I been missing! This book was fantastic! Couldn't put it down. It keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire way through. I loved the different perspective of the main character being able to lip read because her son was deaf to be intriguing, it made it that much more unique. I loved the characters, and I found Elise's "momma bear" character to be very relatable. I could put myself in her shoes, and think well if my children were threatened, I'd probably do the same thing. Very suspenseful, and I highly recommend this book! Now that I've discovered Robin Caroll, I'm going to have to read more from her!! Excellent!

**I received a copy of this book for review through the CelebrateLit Blogging Program. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
1 people found this helpful
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"Can You hear me? Can You see him? He's My Son."

Over the past couple of years, I have not read as much in the suspense and thriller genre as I normally do, mostly because I read almost exclusively for the purpose of reviewing rather than free reading, but also for the sake of enjoying more peaceful stories. Nevertheless, when the opportunity arises to review a Christian suspense book, I tend to go for it. It makes for a nice change of pace once in a while, especially when the author is one I know spins a good yarn. Last year I read “Stratagem” and was very impressed, so I was eager to read another novel by Robin Caroll.

As soon as I heard that “Dead Silence” featured a court sign language interpreter, Elise Carmichael, as the main character, I was in! This despite the political aspect, because as much as I hate politics, I have always been fascinated with sign language. I watched the 1962 film version of “The Miracle Worker” in high school so many times that I had all of the dialogue memorized. So this book beckoned to me, and even more so when I learned that Elise’s seven-year-old son, Sawyer, is deaf and mute. Elise’s job and skills are what entangle the two of them in a harrowing investigation related to the assassination of Senator Lilliana York, Elise’s mother-in-law. So far, so good; I appreciated that while this story takes place in the political realm, the mystery and suspense are the focus, and I honestly had a difficult time putting it down due to the quick pace.

Caroll skillfully writes a strong faith element into “Dead Silence.” Elise has drifted away from God in bitterness and anger over her son’s perceived disability and her husband’s death, which makes her a sympathetic character whose coming-home journey is fraught with distrust and fear. Most of us can relate to some degree: “Maybe that’s why she had been so resistant to turn back to God. Putting Sawyer, the one thing, the one person she loved more than anything else in this world, into anyone else’s hands besides her own terrified her.” We know from Scripture that God causes all things to work together for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and that He is higher and greater than all else, and Elise comes to truly understand this throughout the novel.

There are some points of this story that kept this from being a 5-star read for me. While I can attest that many people do not know how to do their jobs, I found the degree of ineptness demonstrated by the FBI in this book rather farfetched. Elise and her entourage are more capable and have more connections than I thought likely, as well; although I loved their proficiency, I did not think it very credible overall. Some details are left out, such as how the assassin enters the Senator’s home undetected, and one of the main characters in the beginning of the story suddenly drops out for the rest of the narrative. I did think that the ending was too tidy and abrupt after all of the detail and the rather slow passage of time prior, but I was nonetheless rather pleased with the resolution. All of this is to say that while I did have some issues with certain elements, I still enjoyed “Dead Silence” very much, and if you are able to suspend disbelief a bit, this is a gripping story of murder, conspiracy, healing, and the power of both a mother’s love for her son and God’s love for us.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
1 people found this helpful
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Murder, Kidnapping, and Prayers

There are so many things to love about "Dead Silence," by Robin Caroll. First and foremost, I absolutely adore the protagonist, Elise Carmichael, and her 7 year-old son Sawyer. Elise is a widow, whose husband was killed in military action. Once an aspiring model, she serves as a courtroom interpreter and devotes herself to caring for her deaf and mute son. Other major characters that Caroll endeared to me were Elise's sister-in-law, step father-in-law, babysitter, and a rookie reporter.

I enjoy books that use a lot of character dialog to advance the plot. It's even better when there is no foul language. For readers who find comfort in religion in times of trouble, this book is for you. Elise admits to being disappointed with, even mad at, God after losing her husband. During a series of traumatic events, she struggles to find her way back to her faith. Toward that end, she receives encouragement and counsel from her devout sister-in-law. Specific prayers and Bible verses are quoted. Blackmail, kidnapping, leaks from the FBI, self-serving politicians, and a dramatic rescue attempt spice up the story.

The only reservations I have about "Dead Silence" are some incredibly delayed responses by Elise in the early parts of the action. Although her son's accident certainly provides a plausible distraction, Elise literally ignores a death threat of which she had become aware. Later, she puts off reviewing an email that was highly likely to contain clues about a murder. She gets her act together by the middle of the book and becomes an active participant instead of a hapless bystander. Inasmuch as Elise's hesitations are important to the plot, and because she is so lovable, I am willing to overlook the almost unbelievable poor judgment on her part to recommend this book.
1 people found this helpful
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Very engaging mystery/thriller

Elise Carmichael works as an interpreter for the hearing impaired/deaf in the courts in Little Rock; she also has a seven-year-old son, Sawyer, who was born deaf. Skilled in Sign and lip reading, she accidentally lip reads a conversation after court one day; the person says that Elise’s mother in law, Lilliana, a senator, will be killed.
Just as she saw/heard this conversation and is about to report it, her son’s caregiver calls: he has broken his right wrist (so important to his communication in Sign) in a playground accident. As any mother would, Elise hurries to her son. Elise then learns that her mother-in-law has indeed been murdered.

Things escalate from that point. Elise and Sawyer are threatened. Sawyer is kidnapped from his own backyard. One of the FBI agents investigating the murder and the threats seems to be causing more problems than solutions.

This is a mystery/thriller, but it has no foul language; violence is minimal. In fact, Caroll does have characters praying, alone and together, and cites the Bible.

DEAD SILENCE kept me up later than I should have been some nights just because I wanted to keep reading!
1 people found this helpful
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Silence Can Be Deadly

Hold on to your seat and get ready for a thrill seeking adventure. What would you do if you read someone’s lips that spoke of a murder? What if it was about someone powerful and happens to be about your mother-in-law? I think I would run to the police as fast as I could. Elise is ready to do just that when she gets a message that her son has been injured. I bet her adrenaline is pumping as she races to the hospital. At the back of her mind is the thought that she needs to get in touch with the police but right now her son is upmost of importance. Is it a coincidence that her son is injured right as she finds out her mother in-law is in danger?

The story is exciting and I rooted for Elise as much as I could. She does have a problem with her faith and I couldn’t wait to see the road Elise will take to gain her faith again. It is no surprise that there is a murder and Elise is right in the middle of the investigation. The police don’t seem overly friendly towards her when they realize she may have been able to prevent a tragedy.

The author does an excellent job of educating readers about lip reading and sign language which Elise uses to communicate with her son. I took classes in sign language because I had a child in Sunday School who was deaf. I was determined that the child would not be left out. The first Sunday I started signing as I taught, I saw a big smile come from that child. I will never forget the moment she signed thank you to me.

Now back to the story. Oh yes we have Elise in danger after someone finds out what she knows. I was a bit disappointed when Elise’s son was kidnapped because it was very predictable. What I did like was the sheer determination Elise has to rescue her son and end the threats against her. The story does not lack twists and surprises and the author writes a story that had me on the edge of my seat.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
1 people found this helpful
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Fantastic romantic suspense

What a fantastic romantic suspense. Edge of your seat page turner. I highly recommend this book. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.
1 people found this helpful
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Another suspenseful hit from a fantastic author!

Robin Caroll is a long time favorite author for me. It doesn’t matter what I am doing, if I pick up a Caroll novel, I’m going to be so occupied by it I’ll be neglecting my family until I finish. So, when I learned she was releasing a new one, I was super excited and couldn’t wait to read it. When I finally did read it???? Well, let’s just say she did not disappoint me! I was once again blown away by the intensity of the plot line, the beautifully chiseled characters and her inspiring messages woven through out.

Elise’s character was incredibly life like. I felt on more than one occasion as if I was becoming her, as I turned page after page, following her story. I loved the way Caroll chiseled her and her son for their intense story. Every heart beat, every deep breath that Elise had, it quickly became mine. That was intense!

This novel is gripping. It’s filled with twists, turns, ups and downs. It’s a breathtaking roller coaster ride of political suspense at it’s best! Caroll keeps the reader guessing in this 4 star worthy novel and it won’t be one that I will soon forget! Don’t miss out on your chance to grab it up now! Just be warned: it’s edge of your seat captivating and you’ll want more instantly!
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Dead Silence

When interpreter Elise Carmichael reads a threat on someone’s lips—and the next day, her mother-in-law is killed—she has no choice but to get involved in uncovering the truth. The drama proves dangerous and political and takes her around turns she never could have anticipated.

Robin Caroll’s Dead Silence has all the potential of being an entertainingly suspenseful story. However, I found myself bored and disconnected as I followed Elise through the drama. While high-stakes are certainly involved, I never felt on the edge of my seat, eager to see how it would all conclude.

Still, plenty of readers have enjoyed Dead Silence. If you are in need of a suspenseful read, this could be the book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

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